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The Legacy Circle at Mercy was established in 2013 as a way for Bakersfield’s emerging leaders to continue the legacy of giving that began more than 100 years ago when Mercy Hospital was founded. 

Legacy Circle Members meet two times during the year with a dinner and program. Interactive presentations with physicians, behind the scenes hospital tours, and interaction with hospital leadership are all perks of joining this special group.  Since this is a philanthropic club, members are asked to contribute $500 each year. 100% of this membership gift goes directly to the project chosen to be funded in September. 

Join the Legacy Circle at Mercy and be part of Bakersfield’s new generation of philanthropists. You can pay via credit card by clicking “Donate Now” or send in your donation of $500 to the Friends of Mercy Foundation at PO Box 119, Bakersfield, CA 93302. You may also contact FriendsofMercy@dignityhealth.org or call 661.663.6700. 


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Since being established in 2013, The Legacy Circle
at Mercy has raised $245,000 in support of equipment and technology for Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield:



  • Code Crimson Mass Transfusion Project that will reduce the response time and improve infusion times of live saving blood products of our patients that experience maternal hemorrhage.
  • The latest in bronchoscope technology used in a bronchoscopy procedure in which a physician inserts a bronchoscope through a sedated patients nose or mouth and is able to directly view the airways throughout the lungs. The bronchoscope is made of a flexible fiber-optic material and has a light source with a camera on the end. A bronchoscopy is performed to retrieve foreign objects from the lung someone has inhaled, take biopsies from lung tumors to determine if they are cancerous, and take samples from the lung to determine the source of an infection. This technology increases maneuverability-allowing the physician to navigate difficult areas within the lung and reach the area of concern, as well as providing High Definition Imaging for crystal clear images. Mercy Hospital will be only the second hospital in the Kern County to have such advanced technology.
  • Funded the Healthy Kids in Healthy Homes (HKHH) program offered by the Mercy’s Department of Special Needs and Community Outreach.This program will reduce obesity in children attending schools in some of Kern County’s most impoverished neighborhoods. The HKHH program will provide an evidence based fitness and nutrition curriculum proven to prevent childhood obesity, and will cover topics that include energy balance, type of fats, added sugars in foods and food advertising. With the Legacy Circle's funding, this program expanded to six new locations, including schools in McFarland, and was introduced to the Kern County Boy and Girl Scouts. 
  • An advanced perinatal ultrasound for the Family Birth Center at Mercy Southwest. This unit will provide high definition imagery for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions for patients suffering from complicated or high-risk pregnancies. 
  • The purchase of a TCO2 Monitor for the NICU and sleeper chairs for the Family Birth Center. This new monitor will measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels through a probe that is placed on the baby’s skin rather than having to continuously draw blood samples through the heel. The sleeper chairs will bring comfort to visitors in our Family Birth Center
  • Two glider chairs and two Neoblue Blanket LED Phototherapy Systems for the NICU at Mercy Hospital Southwest. These gliders include an ergonomic design for feeding, while the blankets provide ultraviolet light therapy to infants suffering from jaundice. 
  • A Pediatric Project - Broselow carts and iPads .  The Broselow carts allow caregivers to very quickly and accurately administer medication and lifesaving procedures to pediatric patients. Additionally, the funding purchased iPads that will be used to help distract our pediatric patients from what can oftentimes be a painful and most certainly “scary” experience.
  • Two AccuVein AV400 Vein Finders. These devices allow for easier access to veins when patients need an IV insertion.  Many patients including children, the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases typically require multiple sticks, which is a painful experience. The new Vein Finder devices allow caregivers to find the vein immediately, avoiding the oftentimes painful and stressful experience.   

2024 Members

Tamara Albitre
Ashley Anchordoquy*
Mike Anchordoquy*
Sean Andrew
Kristina Andrew
Jeff Armada
Stacey Armada
Frankie Arredondo
Annabely Arredondo
Jordan Bacot
Katie Bacot
Peter Bajwa
Myra Bajwa
Derese Banks-Aaron
Nik Boone
MacKenzie Boone
Stephanie Bouey
Hillary Boylan
Amy Brown, RN
Aaron Brown 
K. Samantha Cardenas
Andreas Dauner
Misty De La Torre*
Emily Duran
Silso Gantong
Ralph Garcia-Pacheco, MD
Chad Garone
Ravelle Garone
Emily Gay-Dauner*
Francisco Gomez
Monica Grady
John Hallum
Toni Harper LCSW, DBH*
George Hay
Joe Hay*
Sofie Hay, PhD
Loren Henderson
Matt Hornbuckle
Christy Hornbuckle
Jennifer King-Wickensheimer*
Valerie Lallo
Josh Lansing
Meghan Lansing
Anand Manohara
Stacey Manohara
Ross Marchbanks
Kara Marchbanks
Anthony McNinch
Lauren McNinch
Kelliane O’Neill
Pritesh Patel
Mira Patel
Doug Pierce
Megan Pierce
Stacy Riddle
Ryan Riddle
Dan Rios
MaryAnn Rios
Justin Salters
Emily Salters
Ramiro Samano
Christina Samano
Eric Schmunk
RaeAnn Schmunk
Jessica Turrubiates
Joel Turrubiates
Michael Wickensheimer

*Charter Members