When asked why he has made so many gifts to Cooley Dickinson hospital, Douglas (Doug) Adler notes, “I suppose for me, like for most people, it starts with a story.”

Back in the mid-nineties, Doug underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus. “It’s still holding up twenty-five years later,” Doug notes. “And with knees, that’s a miracle!”

For Doug, supporting his local hospital just makes sense. “We all know how important it is to have a top-notch hospital near-by, especially as we get older. For me, the confidence and comfort I feel at Cooley comes, in part, because I know people from the past have made financial commitments that enable Cooley to make continuous improvements. It’s important to me to continue that commitment of caring for those who come after me.” 
Doug, who worked first in accounting and then as a fundraiser at UMass Amherst, started giving to Cooley back in 1989. More recently, he made a generous gift to the Emergency Department Campaign, and he named Cooley Dickinson as a beneficiary in his will.

“A lot of people think making a charitable gift in your will is only for wealthy people, but it isn’t,” notes Doug. “What I want people to know is that charitable gifts to Cooley not only help the hospital and our community. There are so many ways to give that have practical benefits, including tax-advantages or even a steady stream of income. It can really be a win-win situation.”

Doug is still experiencing the benefits of his relationship with Cooley. “I’ve been lucky. I’m very careful about wearing knee braces. And I can still play a little bit of senior doubles tennis!”