Willie Stargell Foundation gives $125K to support kidney care at Wilmington dialysis center
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Willie Stargell Foundation is continuing its support of kidney care in southeastern North Carolina with a $125,000 gift to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
The donation will support patients receiving dialysis at the Willie “Pops” Stargell Dialysis Center in Wilmington, including the purchase of five dedicated dialysis machines.
The gift was presented Tuesday and continues a partnership between the Willie Stargell Foundation and the medical center that spans nearly two decades.
Tanya Armour with Novant Health says the organization is deeply grateful for its partnership with the foundation and its contribution.
“We are deeply grateful for that contribution and those dollars really support the patients in our community who are managing kidney disease and so we are able to purchase equipment with those dollars and offer additional support to our patients who are managing kidney disease.”
The foundation said the $125,000 was raised through the 2025 Willie Stargell Celebrity Invitational in Wilmington.
The organization was established in honor of Baseball Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Pirates star Willie Stargell, who lived with kidney disease. The foundation was created to support kidney disease research, patient care and families facing the challenges of the disease.
“Willie knew firsthand about the challenges of kidney disease, and I know he would be incredibly proud that his name and legacy continue to help others,” said Margaret Weller-Stargell, president of the Willie Stargell Foundation. “This $125,000 gift is more than a number; it means kidney patients in our community can receive the care they need.”
The foundation’s contributions to kidney care in southeastern North Carolina now total more than $1 million.
The Willie Stargell Foundation has supported organizations, medical centers and transplant programs focused on kidney disease since 2001.
