Ever dedicated to the health of its community, the Harnett Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to inspire awareness, engagement and investment in local healthcare. Its origins date back to 1937, when Nathan M. Johnson Sr. made an anonymous donation for the development of a local health center, the Dunn Hospital, that would provide quality care for people regardless of race, creed, color or ability to pay. Johnson Sr. continued to make donations to expand the hospital, ultimately allowing his gifts to be made public in 1956 when the Dunn Hospital was renamed the Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital in memory of his mother.

In 1996, the Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital transitioned into a private not-for-profit organization under an independent board of trustees, becoming the Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital. This led to the formation of the Harnett Health System in 2005, born from the Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in conjunction with Harnett County Commissioners and WakeMed, allowing for expanded access to healthcare throughout Harnett County. In 2021, Harnett Health became a part of the Cape Fear Valley Health family. By providing essential health services to patients in Harnett County, the Foundation continues to fill the gap between government funding and private insurance programs.

Harnett Health Foundation Chair and Executive Vice President of AdaptHealth Brad Heath comes from an entrepreneurial family, with experience in both the restaurant business and the home medical equipment business. This has instilled his passion for service in the community and his work with the

Harnett Health Foundation. Speaking to the needs in the county that are being met by the Foundation, Heath said, “This county has grown exponentially over the years and we have watched health systems in rural areas be contracted and grow smaller as they became part of much larger health systems somewhere else. And we’ve been very fortunate that Cape Fear has invested in this county and invested in, not just the people that are here, but the growth that’s coming.”

Heath also mentioned that even as healthcare becomes more available and efficient from a general standpoint, that does not always translate to rural areas. However, they aim to satisfy those needs through the Foundation and their work with Cape Fear Valley Health.
“They’re investing in bringing doctors and recruiting folks and we want to make sure we’re participating and doing that, because we want folks to continue to raise their kids here for generations,” Heath shared, speaking on the future of healthcare in Harnett County.
The Harnett Health Foundation is also the main fundraiser for the Harnett Cancer Center, which is expected to open in late 2024. This facility is under construction in Lillington. Harnett Health Foundation Executive Director Scott Childers noted the significance of this for cancer patients in the area.

“It’s going to be a game-changer for Harnett Health and Harnett County. Currently, there’s not any access to radiation therapy for cancer in the county, so patients are having to go up north to the Raleigh area or go over to Fayetteville to Cape Fear Valley Health over there. [Now], we’ll have a comprehensive, complete cancer care facility in Lillington,” said Childers.

The Cancer Center and Medical Arts complex will cover 70,000 square feet and provide additional medical office space and operating rooms, as well as CT scanners and infusion bases.
The board of directors for the Harnett Health Foundation has committed over $100,000 for the Cancer Center. “We’ve never had a major campaign like this to raise these kinds of dollars. But I feel very good about where we’re going,” said Childers. “The growth that’s taking place in the Harnett County area is
going to really demand health care services like it’s never had before.” 

Looking ahead to the future progress of the Harnett Health Foundation and the Cancer Center, Heath said, “It really means a lot as far as folks wanting to be near where good healthcare is. And it means a lot for the folks that are able to attract positions and attract folks that are going to provide other healthcare when they have facilities like that nearby. I think it speaks to the overall potential. Not just what we’re going to provide today, but what we’re going to provide in 10 years, 15 years, and that investment is something that, really, we can’t overstate.” 

Another upcoming fundraising event for the Harnett Health Foundation is the Taking a Swing at

Cancer Golf Tournament, to be held on Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Keith Hills Golf Club. There is also a brick campaign to raise money for the
Cancer Center, in which donors can honor and memorialize those who have been affected by cancer. Other generous donors have also contributed significant funds towards the construction of the new cancer center. In early August, it was announced that donors Arc3 Gases of Dunn and the Aldredge family had committed $250,000 joining with other notable donors including P.K. Vyas, M.D., founder of Eastern Carolina Medical Center in Benson, and the Robert P. Holding Foundation who, all combined, have contributed $1 million towards the Foundation’s $5 million fundraising goal.

To learn more about the Harnett Health Foundation and their mission, find them online at: www.myharnetthealth.org/aboutfoundation