Rosemarie and David Kuhn have been through it all together. High school sweethearts and married since 1965, they've traversed the ups and downs of life with grateful hearts that fostered a spirit to always give back. 

David was a land developer specializing in large, planned communities, and Rosemarie was a teacher, a model, a decorator, and an active community volunteer. Together, they are very active in their church. They have a son and daughter who are both educators and make a difference in the lives of young people, a granddaughter, and a community they care about.

They've also experienced impactful health challenges during their lives. Each health chapter—Rosemarie's breast cancer, David's kidney transplant and Parkinson's disease, and their children's own health experiences—inspired them to make a generous gift to Hoag through a charitable gift annuity. "We have been very blessed," Rosemarie said. "We felt this was a wonderful way to acknowledge those who have helped us and hopefully make the world a little bit better for others."

The opportunity to make a gift came to the Newport Beach couple by way of the sale of an insurance policy, according to David. They learned about different types of annuities, which could give them monthly financial returns. Then, they came to a charitable gift annuity. "We thought we needed to consider where this money could do the most good," he said. "And we both came up with Hoag. I look at it as a win-win. It's good for us and really good for the community."

They chose to designate their gift to three clinical areas at Hoag. One of them was the Hoag Family Cancer Institute. After Rosemarie was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer-the earliest stage of breast cancer—in 2021, she recalls a reassuring phone conversation with a nurse. "This darling nurse says, 'I'm going to be your navigating nurse,' and I said, 'Well, that just sounds lovely to have someone navigate my journey,'" Rosemarie said. "She showed me the steps I needed to go on. That's wonderful to have when you're going through something like that."

Through the couple’s involvement with Circle 1000, a Hoag Hospital Foundation group that raises funds for the Hoag Family Cancer Institute, they knew about how philanthropy supports nurse navigators at Hoag, cancer research, and state-of-the-art technology. Her cancer was found after a mammogram at the Hoag Breast Center. “That’s why early detection is so important. The breast center has great equipment and personal touches during appointments that really show they care,” Rosemarie said. Six weeks after diagnosis and surgery, she walked out of Hoag cancer-free.

Hoag has also supported David throughout his health journey. In 2007, he was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a disease associated with Agent Orange exposure during military service, and he was given six months to a year to live. Hoag’s team coordinated with other physicians in the region on treatment before a kidney donation from his daughter—who was born at Hoag—saved his life. Today, Hoag continues to support David as he lives with Parkinson’s disease. The couple chose to make part of their recent donation to the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute. “The rehabilitation center at Hoag has been terrific for me for Parkinson’s,” David said. He takes boxing classes and does other activities at the facility at Hoag Health Center Newport Beach. “I’ve made a lot of progress.”

A third part of their gift was made to the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center, inspired by their son’s experience with diabetes.

Each time the Kuhn family has been impacted by a compassionate physician, a helpful nurse, and healing care, their gratitude has grown. “Hoag has been so good to us and to the community, and we’d like to leave something that will help future generations,” David said.

"Hoag has been so good to us and to the community, and we’d like to leave something that will help future generations.” - Rosemarie and David Kuhn

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