Plans to build the Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute on the Mercy Hospital – Oklahoma City campus are moving forward. The facility will be built in a portion of the I lot where many of our co-workers currently park. Work is already underway to make more room before we ever break ground on the building. We’re expanding the parking lot into property we already own and adding 90 parking spots on the south end. That project will be complete in February. Shuttle service is available from the I lot to the hospital as a convenience to our co-workers. 

Local philanthropist, Herman Meinders, donated $7.5 million this fall to help fund the project. Since his donation, we’ve received more than $2 million in additional donations from a number of donors across the state to the build the new center. The Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute, named in memory of Hermans’ daughter, will be the first of its kind in Oklahoma. This is a really exciting expansion of services for Mercy in Oklahoma City. The closest comparable comprehensive GI center is more than 500 miles away in south Texas.

Mercy’s digestive health institute will house a comprehensive program for GI services under one roof featuring the following services:
 

• 40 outpatient exam rooms
• Eight procedure rooms
• Colorectal surgery
• General GI care
• Testing, evaluation and treatment for all GI disorders including liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease
• Oncology support in collaboration with Mercy Cancer Center – Coletta
• Dedicated space for education, behavioral health and nutrition counseling
   

Herman heard about the need for the GI center and gave $7.5 million to kick off fundraising efforts. In total, he has donated $16.25 million to Mercy since 2018. He chose to name Mercy’s new GI Center of Excellence after his daughter, Kathryn Ann, known for her love of family, teaching and big adventures. She died unexpectedly in 2008 at the age of 42. 

We are so grateful for the support of our community in so many of our recent endeavors to continue adding services and serve more Oklahomans. Special thanks to the Mercy Health Foundation team. Because of their efforts, we can continue to grow and fund new projects in Oklahoma City.