News release
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation has announced a historic $5 million gift from Connie Spears, honoring the legacy she and her late husband, Wayne Spears, built together through decades of generosity and commitment to the hospital, according to a news release from HMNH.
“In recognition of their extraordinary support, the hospital’s second cardiac catheterization laboratory will be named the Wayne and Connie Spears Cardiac Catheterization Lab,” the release said.
The new cardiac catheterization lab will be part of the expansion of Roberta G. Veloz Cardiovascular Services, strengthening Henry Mayo’s ability to provide advanced cardiac diagnostics, interventional procedures and lifesaving treatment close to home, the release said.
The project is part of a broader surgical and cardiovascular expansion that also includes the new Richard and Marian Sandnes Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).
The $5 million commitment represents one of the most significant philanthropic gifts in Henry Mayo’s history and continues a longstanding relationship between the Spears family, the hospital and the HMNH Foundation, the release said.
Wayne and Connie Spears have been associated with Henry Mayo for decades. In 2010, they made a significant gift to name the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, helping advance critical care for some of the hospital’s most vulnerable patients, the release said.
Wayne, who died in 2023, was a familiar and beloved presence at foundation events, the release said. “For years, he delighted participants at the annual Frontier Toyota/Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Golf Classic by flying his helicopter over the tournament — an eagerly anticipated tradition and a memorable reflection of his personality, enthusiasm and connection to Henry Mayo.”
“This gift is about so much more than the extraordinary dollar amount,” Renée Leon, director of development for Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation, said in the release. “It represents a relationship built over decades and an incredible level of trust in Henry Mayo and in the future of healthcare in our community. Wayne and Connie have left an indelible mark on this hospital. To see Connie continue the legacy they created together with a gift of this magnitude is incredibly meaningful. Their generosity has already touched countless lives through our Intensive Care Unit, and now their names will be connected to lifesaving cardiac care for generations to come. We are deeply grateful for their friendship, their trust and their belief in what philanthropy can make possible.”
The additional cardiac catheterization lab will expand Henry Mayo’s cardiovascular capacity as demand for advanced heart care continues to grow throughout the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding communities. The investment will provide physicians and clinical teams with additional resources to diagnose and treat complex cardiovascular conditions while allowing more patients to receive sophisticated care within their own community.
“Henry Mayo has served this community for more than 50 years because generations of people have believed that exceptional healthcare should be available close to home,” Kevin Klockenga, president and CEO of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, said in the release. “Wayne and Connie Spears exemplify that commitment. Connie’s remarkable gift honors the legacy she and Wayne created together while making an extraordinary investment in the future.”
For Connie Spears, the gift is both an investment in the future of health care and a continuation of the commitment she and Wayne shared to the community they called home.
“Henry Mayo has been here for this community for more than 50 years, caring for our friends, our neighbors and our families during some of the most important moments of their lives,” Connie Spears said in the release. “Wayne and I always believed that having excellent health care close to home is essential to a strong community. What has always made Henry Mayo special is not only the care it provides, but the compassion behind that care — the understanding that every patient is someone’s loved one. I know Wayne would be very proud to see our name on this new cardiac catheterization lab. It is important to me to continue what we started together and to help make sure Henry Mayo has the technology, facilities and resources it needs to care for this community for generations to come.”
