Roger Laramee still remembers the night that he and his husband, Tim Bayley, first seriously began thinking about their legacy. They were on a family vacation in Wisconsin, enjoying a relaxing evening by the lake when a brother-in-law asked a thought-provoking question. “What are the things you still want to accomplish with your life?” Both men knew they wanted to make a difference for others. The only question was how. Last year, they decided, creating an estate plan that includes a gift to Carle Foundation Hospital that will literally transform the environment at the hospital well beyond their lifetimes, improving patient health — by design.
The Roger Laramee/Tim Bayley Carle Foundation Hospital Healing Environment Fund was the single largest gift made to Carle Health Center for Philanthropy in 2023, and because it’s an endowment, its impact will benefit patients, visitors and healthcare team members for many years to come. The seven-figure bequest gift will be used to create environments that facilitate the physical healing of patients by nurturing their mental health and emotional well-being. And it couldn’t be more reflective of the two who provided it.
For nearly 30 years, Roger has been involved with development. In 2019, he joined Carle Health Center for Philanthropy where he focuses primarily on major and estate giving. For the past year, he’s served as the executive director of development for Carle in the Champaign-Urbana service area. Meanwhile, Tim’s passion for interior design took him to State Farm, where he’s worked as designer in the facilities management division for more than 25 years.
“I’ve been in philanthropy all my life,” Roger said, adding that a passion for philanthropy is something he and Tim share. “Giving to others is important to both of us, and it made sense that our estate go to Carle because of the impact it can make here in the community.” From the start, however, it was important that gift reflect both their interests. And that’s where Tim’s passion for interior design entered the scene.
Tim’s belief in design and its impact on patients grew out of a tragic event that happened in college, when a close friend died by suicide shortly after being diagnosed with HIV. The friend lived in a small, drab space behind his father’s optometry office, and Tim believed that some of his depression could have stemmed from his bleak situation. That experience inspired a master’s thesis on the emotional, mental, and psychological effects of design. And it played a key role in creating a gift unlike any other.
One of the aspects that Roger appreciates about the endowment is that it will be used for employee areas as well as patient-facing spaces. “This flexibility makes our gift unique,” Roger said, adding that renovations in those key areas don’t always make the budget and show the importance of philanthropy. “With private support, you can make an impact and do something that might never happen otherwise.”
Ultimately, patients and their families will be the ones who benefit the most from this gift when it is realized. “My hope is that when they walk into the space after an emotionally draining day with their loved one, there is an immediate exhale of relief and sense of calm,” Tim said. If they can achieve that, that’s all the legacy they need.
To learn how you can make Carle Health a part of your legacy, please visit https://legacy.carle.org/.
The Roger Laramee/Tim Bayley Carle Foundation Hospital Healing Environment Fund was the single largest gift made to Carle Health Center for Philanthropy in 2023, and because it’s an endowment, its impact will benefit patients, visitors and healthcare team members for many years to come. The seven-figure bequest gift will be used to create environments that facilitate the physical healing of patients by nurturing their mental health and emotional well-being. And it couldn’t be more reflective of the two who provided it.
For nearly 30 years, Roger has been involved with development. In 2019, he joined Carle Health Center for Philanthropy where he focuses primarily on major and estate giving. For the past year, he’s served as the executive director of development for Carle in the Champaign-Urbana service area. Meanwhile, Tim’s passion for interior design took him to State Farm, where he’s worked as designer in the facilities management division for more than 25 years.
“I’ve been in philanthropy all my life,” Roger said, adding that a passion for philanthropy is something he and Tim share. “Giving to others is important to both of us, and it made sense that our estate go to Carle because of the impact it can make here in the community.” From the start, however, it was important that gift reflect both their interests. And that’s where Tim’s passion for interior design entered the scene.
Tim’s belief in design and its impact on patients grew out of a tragic event that happened in college, when a close friend died by suicide shortly after being diagnosed with HIV. The friend lived in a small, drab space behind his father’s optometry office, and Tim believed that some of his depression could have stemmed from his bleak situation. That experience inspired a master’s thesis on the emotional, mental, and psychological effects of design. And it played a key role in creating a gift unlike any other.
One of the aspects that Roger appreciates about the endowment is that it will be used for employee areas as well as patient-facing spaces. “This flexibility makes our gift unique,” Roger said, adding that renovations in those key areas don’t always make the budget and show the importance of philanthropy. “With private support, you can make an impact and do something that might never happen otherwise.”
Ultimately, patients and their families will be the ones who benefit the most from this gift when it is realized. “My hope is that when they walk into the space after an emotionally draining day with their loved one, there is an immediate exhale of relief and sense of calm,” Tim said. If they can achieve that, that’s all the legacy they need.
To learn how you can make Carle Health a part of your legacy, please visit https://legacy.carle.org/.
Categories: Community
Tags: Carle Health Center for Philanthropy, Champaign-Urbana, giving, mental