by Rich Stratton, Assistant Director of Public Relations
A donation from Kettering Health is transforming nursing education in Ohio — and, thanks to a chain of giving, it’s also sending critical medical equipment to communities around the world.
Kettering Health, based in Dayton, Ohio, has gifted 28 high-quality hospital beds and four stretchers to . The modern equipment, which surpasses what’s available in many hospitals and training programs, will replace some beds dating back to 2012. The new beds will be ready for the 2025–26 academic year.
“We are deeply grateful to Kettering Health for this gift,” said , dean of the School of Nursing. “These beds will significantly enhance our training facilities and help us continue preparing highly skilled, Christ-centered, compassionate nurses.”
But the impact didn’t stop there.
Cedarville’s outgoing beds are being donated to Advocates for World Health (AWH), a nonprofit based in Largo, Florida, that redistributes medical equipment to underserved communities globally.
“Thank you for your generous offer to donate the hospital beds,” said Tatiana Camargo of AWH. “We truly value your willingness to support our mission of providing medical resources to communities in need.”
Transporting the beds from Ohio to Florida took another generous partner — Total Quality Logistics (TQL). The Cincinnati-based company, one of the largest freight brokers in North America, covered the full cost of transporting all 28 beds to AWH.
“We are absolutely ecstatic that we can help out!” said Brooke Martell of TQL.
The collaboration came together in early August when more than a dozen Cedarville staff, administrators, students and alumni prepared the outgoing beds for shipment while making room for the new equipment. On Aug. 11, Kettering Health delivered the first eight new beds and four stretchers to Cedarville. The remaining 20 beds are set to arrive Aug. 18, just in time for the start of the academic year. Meanwhile, TQL picked up Cedarville’s older beds for delivery to AWH by midday on Aug. 14.
“This collaboration shows how paying it forward multiplies impact,” said Mickle. “Kettering Health met our need, which allowed us to meet someone else’s, and together with AWH and TQL, that impact will reach far beyond Cedarville.”
One donation sparked a statewide and global chain of generosity — proving how organizations working together can make a life-changing difference across borders.
, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.