In Creating “Moose’s Fund for Magee Patients,” A Family Gives Back

George “Moose” Beerley was a patient for the first time at Magee in 2009 after a work injury that caused significant damage to his spinal cord, paralyzing him from the chest down. Over the next six years, he returned to Magee many times for care as an inpatient and an outpatient. During his extensive stays at Magee, Moose and his family would talk with patients and families and learned about the many challenges they faced upon discharge. At the time, none of them probably knew that a seed was being planted for the future.

Moose passed away earlier this year, and his family wanted to do something to honor his memory at Magee. After months of planning and conversations, Moose’s Fund for Magee Patients was created and funded with a very generous gift from the Beerley family.

L to R: Magee President & CEO Dr. Jack Carroll; Maggie, Anne, and Brent Beerley; CMO Dr. Guy Fried

L to R: Magee President & CEO Dr. Jack Carroll; Maggie, Anne, and Brent Beerley; CMO Dr. Guy Fried

This fund will help patients with needs as they return to home, including ramps, lifts, and other equipment. It will also help with outpatient therapy needs like transportation, extended therapy sessions, and wellness scholarships. Lastly, it will help our adolescent population and hopefully develop a program for former patients to try golf, which was a game that Moose loved.

On October 21, Moose’s wife, Anne, and their children, Brent and Maggie, joined Magee staff in the 5th floor gym to celebrate Moose’s legacy and the start of the fund. It was a wonderful day, Moose’s Fund for Magee Patients will start to make a significant difference for our patients right away.

We are grateful to the Beerleys and promise to do our best to honor Moose by helping others!

If you or your family would like to learn how you can help Magee patients, please contact Mark Chilutti, Assistant Vice President of Development at 215-587-3226 or mchilutti@mageerehab.org.

Photo: Magee staff gathered with the Beerley family to celebrate Moose’s legacy at a presentation on October 21. 

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