“In some ways, this is a way of not letting go and keeping the caregiving going,” said Carmen Barna of the $500,000 that she and her husband, Joe Barna, recently gifted to University Hospitals.

Now 32 years into her career in healthcare, all of it at UH, Carmen, a certified nurse practitioner specializing in oncology, works one shift weekly at UH Seidman Cancer Center. She began in 1994 as a nursing assistant on a general floor at UH Cleveland Medical Center and held numerous roles in intensive care and cardiology.

Carmen’s path into caregiving started before she joined UH. Several family members faced cancers and blood disorders, including leukemia; she recalls accompanying her mother to appointments. Those experiences drove her decision to pursue nursing and have always shaped her interactions with patients.

The Barnas’ gift extends this legacy by helping meet emerging capital needs and ensuring excellent care at UH St. John Medical Center, while also supporting research and clinical trials at UH Seidman Cancer Center. The gift purpose derives not just from Carmen’s work, but from the couple’s relationship to UH as community members, volunteers and patients. When the Barnas began thinking about their giving, they considered a number of potential recipients. Being self-made and with no immediate heirs, they wanted their funds to be used thoughtfully.

Joe, who has a wealth of experience in commercial real estate, gained greater familiarity with UH through a friend who encouraged him to get involved with UH St. John Medical Center. He soon joined the hospital’s Leadership Council and paid close attention to how respected business peers were engaging with UH philanthropically.

“Seeing professionals I thought highly of getting involved with UH was a proof source for me that this was the right thing,” he said.

Patient experience was equally important. “I never let anyone know who I was when I received my own care at UH,” Carmen said. “It’s important to us that anyone who comes into the hospital receives excellent care. That’s what we’ve always experienced, and we hope it stays that way.”

The couple also valued UH’s approach to integrating St. John Medical Center into the system while preserving its identity and longstanding ties to the West Side community. “We made our lives here,” they said. “We wanted to make sure we were giving back to that same community that helped us.”