For Dr. Howard Hoody, the opportunity to practice medicine in Bemidji for more than four decades was far more than just a career. It was a chance to be part of something profoundly meaningful in a place where patients and colleagues were like family, where every interaction carried purpose and where every day offered the chance to make a difference.
As a family practice physician, “it was very rewarding for people to invite me into their lives and their families to help them navigate their health care and life issues,” Dr. Hoody said.
It’s what has inspired Dr. Hoody to give generously through the Sanford Health Foundation for decades, supporting various areas including local cancer care at the Joe Lueken Cancer Center, hospice care and, most recently, the effort to launch the region’s first mobile mammography unit.
A Special Tribute
Each gift has been fulfilling and significant to Dr. Hoody and his wife, Kristi Miller, but one gift in particular stands out — a gift he made to honor a dear friend and colleague.
Dr. Hoody met Ann Daley, a registered nurse, shortly after he arrived in Bemidji in 1979.
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Ann was a trailblazer. She started the patient education program at what was then the Bemidji Clinic and ran it for decades. In doing so, she helped address so many voids in our health care system.
After her husband, Stan, passed away, Ann (pictured left) started a support group for others experiencing the loss of a partner. She ran the group out of her home and served coffee at each meeting.
When Dr. Hoody’s first wife, Mary, passed away in 2015, Ann did what she always did — she stepped forward to help.
“Ann sent me a card that said, ‘I know exactly what you’re feeling right now.’ Then, she invited me to attend the support group,” Dr. Hoody said. “It’s such a terrible feeling to lose a partner. It’s so lonely — and that loneliness goes on for a long time. Ann saw a way to create something that would allow people to come together to share their experiences, and to find hope and healing.”
Attending Ann’s support group helped Dr. Hoody manage his grief and even helped him find love again.
“Kristi and I met at one of those meetings,” he said. “The group continues to meet today, and Kristi and I are now facilitators.”
In 2021, Dr. Hoody and Kristi established an endowment in Ann’s name to provide education and advanced training for nurses and other health care professionals to help further expand health care across the region.
“It’s a tribute to Ann — to her work and her philosophy. She was always learning to help improve the quality and breadth of health care for those in our community,” Dr. Hoody said.
Investing in a Better Tomorrow
For Dr. Hoody, giving back has always been a way to pay kindness forward.
“My whole life, even as a kid, there were people who were willing to share with me. They shared their time, their talents and their resources. It had a huge impact on my life and allowed me to do things I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do,” he said. “So the chance to give back is special for me, and for us.”
The couple has also been inspired by others who have made a difference through philanthropy.
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Jan Lueken’s giving here in Bemidji has inspired me, as has Denny Sanford’s philanthropy. I recall Denny once saying that he didn’t donate. He invested. That stuck with me. His investments have yielded such positive results — and will continue to do so for generations to come.
The couple’s support of the region’s new mobile mammography unit is a charitable investment that will have a far-reaching impact.
“It will bring health care closer to home than we ever could have envisioned,” Dr. Hoody said. “Now, women won’t need to take a day off work anymore just for a mammogram. I think the easier you can make it for people to access the health care they need, the better.”
“We’re in a rural area. This is one way we can bring care to people, where they are,” Kristi said.
Looking Back
Reflecting on a career in medicine that spans more than four decades, Dr. Hoody says the evolution of health care continues to inspire him.
“Childhood leukemia was fatal when I started in medicine. Now it’s treatable. Years ago, the treatment for an ulcer often involved surgery. Now ulcers can be treated with medication. Cardiac care and cancer care have evolved so much with improved results. It’s extraordinary how far we’ve come,” he said.
“Some of the biggest results have been for women. Think of cervical cancer. Now we know that if we can manage the virus, we can prevent the disease. Think of breast cancer and how many more lives we’re saving thanks to early diagnosis. When I started, mammograms weren’t readily available. Now, we’re getting set to launch mobile mammography services. These are such significant achievements.”
Give for Good
If you’re inspired by this story and want to join our work to further transform health care for our region, we invite you to Give for Good today. 100% of your gift through the Sanford Health Foundation will stay local and will help advance care and services for patients and families throughout northern Minnesota.