Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Surpasses Capital Campaign Goal, Raising Over $15 Million for Community Care
Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL) has successfully completed its Sharing the Journey capital campaign, surpassing its goal with more than $15 million raised to support patients, families, and caregivers throughout southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina.
This campaign—the largest in LCFL’s 46‑year history—supports four core areas that strengthen access to compassionate, high‑quality care: Memory Partners Dementia Support, Hospice Care Centers, Supportive Programming, and LifeCare Scholars. Together, these initiatives help ensure that care, education, and support remain available to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.
A defining moment of the campaign was a transformational $5.1 million grant from The Endowment, which expands LifeCare Memory Partners’ services in New Hanover County. This investment enhances caregiver support, respite services, education, and access for families facing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
“This campaign was never just about dollars raised—it was about trust,” said Gwen Whitley, President & CEO of LCFL. “Our community came together to say that compassionate care matters and that no family should walk these journeys alone. We are deeply grateful to every supporter who made this success possible.”
Led by volunteer co‑chairs Marybeth and Lelon Winstead, the campaign was supported by a broad base of donors, advocates, and partners. The funds raised will strengthen the long‑term sustainability of LCFL’s expanding services, including palliative medicine, dementia support, hospice care, grief and veterans’ programming, and workforce development through the LifeCare Scholars initiative.
“Because of this community’s generosity, LifeCare is positioned to meet people earlier, support families longer, and continue walking alongside patients through some of life’s most difficult moments,” Whitley said. “This success belongs to our entire community.”
Since 1980, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare has provided individualized care that offers compassion, dignity, and comfort to those experiencing life-limiting illnesses. Our founders had a deep understanding of how profoundly illness and grief can affect patients, their families, and those they love. It was this devotion that inspired the creation of Lower Cape Fear Hospice (now Lower Cape Fear LifeCare) in Wilmington, NC. Today that devotion lives on as over 400 staff members serve over 1,000 patients daily, while touching the lives of thousands of family members.
As we approach the future, we must act now to meet the needs that are so vital to maintaining compassionate care for our community. That’s why Lower Cape Fear LifeCare began Sharing the Journey that will fund $12 million in sustained and expanded programs and services.
Listed below are components of the Sharing the Journey campaign:
-
Dementia is a complex neurodegenerative condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing cognitive decline, memory loss, and impairments in daily functioning. As our local population ages, the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise significantly, posing significant challenges to individuals, families, and our communities. To address this growing concern, the sustainability and expansion of our innovative dementia care program becomes crucial. Memory Partners aims to provide specialized care, support, education, and resources to individuals living with dementia, their families, and caregivers.
Our in-patient hospice care centers in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Columbus Counties are an integral part of our communities’ healthcare systems. They play a crucial role in providing compassionate and specialized care to individuals nearing the end of their lives. Our care centers serve as sanctuaries where patients can receive comprehensive physical, emotional, and spiritual support, while also offering comfort and solace to their families. However, our care centers require upgrading and renovation to meet the evolving needs of patients and families, while maintaining safety. Repairs and other enhancements are needed over the next three years to preserve the integrity of our state-of-the-art facilities.
At Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, we believe in providing vital support and compassionate care to individuals facing life-limiting illnesses and their families by offering a wide range of specialized services, many of which are unreimbursed by payor sources. Often, these services go beyond medical care, addressing the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients. To ensure the continued availability and impact of our supportive programs, sustaining initiatives for Palliative Care, Charity Care, We Honor Veterans, Bucket List Wishes, and Grief Services becomes essential.
In our future, staffing will be a critical indicator of our hospice services. As the aging population continues to increase, the demand for hospice care will rise. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to reach 88 million by 2050. With this growth in the elderly population, there will be an increased need for skilled hospice professionals to provide compassionate end-of-life care. Training programs and continuous professional development are necessary to ensure that our team is equipped to provide high-quality care and comfort to patients and their families during one of the most difficult times in life.
