OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Frank DeLuca Foundation is taking a leading role in transforming maternity care in Marion County with a $4 million gift to AdventHealth Ocala. The donation is the cornerstone of the hospital’s $8.5 million Delivering Our Future campaign, aimed at expanding and modernizing its mother/baby unit.
“This is about more than just a building,” said Frank DeLuca. “It’s about supporting families in our community and giving every baby a strong, healthy start in life. Angela and I believe in this effort, and we are inviting others to be a part of it.”
The philanthropic gift will fund a full renovation of the hospital’s maternity wing, creating a space that emphasizes both innovation and compassion. Plans include private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rooms, cameras in NICU and post-birthing rooms so families can check in on their newborns, and AI-assisted electronic fetal monitoring for improved outcomes.
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Angela DeLuca, who spent years working at the hospital, called the project deeply personal. “By providing exceptional birth experiences, clinical access and educational resources, we hope to help AdventHealth Ocala support mothers in mind, body and spirit,” she said. “Frank and I are honored to support this next chapter that will bring comfort, innovation and care to mothers and babies across Ocala.”
As the only labor and delivery provider in the region, AdventHealth Ocala supports about 2,500 births annually. The hospital’s leaders say this expansion is not just timely, it’s essential.
“A new, larger, technologically advanced mother/baby unit is needed,” said Erika Skula, president and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala. “Our vision ensures high-quality, compassionate maternal health care to improve outcomes, bridge disparities and secure access for all mothers and babies.”
The project is currently in the design phase. Construction dates will be announced as the capital campaign progresses.
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