For Health & Hope
OHSU’s impact on health, education and research is reliant on the support of its community. As we approach the end of 2025, “For Health & Hope” emphasizes the impact OHSU makes every day and reminds us of our shared commitment to a healthier future. The power of giving is strongest when done together.
There’s a reason why year-end is considered the season of giving. Gifts in November and December make up roughly 40% of a nonprofit’s annual revenue. By supporting OHSU this year-end, you can help bring health and hope to people across Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
This year-end toolkit makes it easy to advocate and be a champion for OHSU and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Below, you’ll find a list of stories, best practices, example messaging and imagery that you can use on your personal, professional or community social media channels. You can also share in person with friends or family, text or email, or whatever means of communication feels right for you.
Stories have the special power to inspire and connect in profound ways. However you share, we thank you for spreading the word in support of our united mission to improve health and well-being for everyone.
Here are some ways you can make an impact this year-end:
1. Share stories of impact with your personal networks
We’ve told some incredible stories of impact at OHSU in 2025 — here are a few of our favorites. that you can share with your networks across social media, email, text or word of mouth. Feel free to browse the OHSU Foundation Story Hub or OHSU News to find even more stories to share.
“Anything this big needs a name,” said Lisa Sayer when a CT scan revealed a large, cancerous mass growing inside her abdomen. “I decided we’d name it ‘Bubba!'” “Bubba” was appendix cancer, and it was spreading. Sayer sought treatment at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, where a specialized treatment saved her life.
OHSU Ph.D. candidate Kenneth Riley loves science and is guided by incredible mentors. He was recognized as an Early Career Innovator at the 2025 OHSU Innovation Awards for his research into the development of new diagnostic technology that can detect cancer by analyzing changes in DNA.
Eyes reveal more about someone’s overall health than we realize. When Lehua Yoshioka’s daughter, Wai’aka, began having issues with her sight, their provider referred them to the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic at the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, where Allison Koh, M.D., helped make a discovery that saved Wai’aka’s life.
Declining dental health can often indicate health issues in other parts of the body. For OHSU dentistry student Bianca Hill, bridging the health equity gap in dentistry is a vital step toward creating a more accessible, healthier future for all.
After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), Kim Steenslid was selected to participate in a study analyzing the impacts of physical activity on MS. As a long-distance athlete, she jumped at the chance for a new physical outlet and has found new ways to thrive while navigating life with her MS diagnosis.
After Zach Rumbaugh collapsed at a friend’s house when he was 17, he was flown via Life Flight to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. There, providers solved the mystery behind his seemingly random fainting spells — and saved his life in the process.
2. Share your story
Health touches all of us. Many of OHSU’s supporters have deep connections and personal reasons for championing their areas of passion at OHSU and Doernbecher. The most powerful way to encourage others to give is by sharing your personal story.
What is your OHSU connection? If you are comfortable, we invite you to share via social media. If you post, remember to include a photo (posts with pictures receive more views and engagement than those without) and be sure to tag OHSU and the OHSU Foundation so we can see your story and engage with you.
3. Encourage others to subscribe to our newsletter, which now sends twice a month!
The OHSU Foundation has a new newsletter! Our re-envisioned newsletter, “Impacts,” keeps you informed on the latest news, our favorite stories of impact, upcoming events, and more. Subscribe and be among the first to receive new stories from across OHSU.
4. Follow the OHSU Foundation and OHSU social media accounts
These accounts are sharing stories of impact and ways to get involved all season long. Be sure to follow the accounts that connect to your area of passion and share their posts with your network!
Follow, set up notifications (if desired, so you don’t miss a post!), engage and share. It’s really that easy.
Here are a few of the many OHSU-affiliated social accounts:
Sample messaging by social platform
Instagram requires a picture for you to post. You can post a selfie, a picture of your donation or use any of the images below. On Instagram, you can use as many hashtags as you like, so if there’s one that’s really meaningful to why you donated, be sure to include it.
Sample posts for Giving Tuesday (Dec 2)
- I’m proud to support @OHSUDoernbecher this #GivingTuesday! giveday.ohsufoundation.org
- This #GivingTuesday I’m donating to @OHSUKnight in honor of [insert name of loved one]. Please consider making a donation so we can create a world free from the burden of cancer: giveday.ohsufoundation.org
Sample post for entire Season of Giving (Dec 2-Dec 31)
- @OHSUDoernbecher is one of the best children’s hospitals in the world, and it’s right here in Oregon. I’m grateful to them because [insert description]. You can join me in supporting them at give.ohsufoundation.org #SeasonofGiving #Doernbecher
Facebook doesn’t have a character limit, but the most effective posts tend to be concise. Posts that have a “See more” button don’t get as much engagement. You can use hashtags on Facebook, too. Be sure to tag the organization you’re donating to so others can learn more about it!
Sample post for Giving Tuesday (Dec 2)
- It’s Giving Tuesday and today I’m proudly donating to @OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Please consider joining me in giving a gift to this organization. Every gift makes real impact on the lives of those battling cancer: giveday.ohsufoundation.org.
Sample post for entire Season of Giving (Dec 2-Dec 31)
- This Season of Giving, I’m supporting @OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Join me by giving a gift to this amazing hospital. Your support helps save the lives of kids and keeps families together over the holidays. #SeasonofGiving #Doernbecher
LinkedIn is most effective for reaching professional connections. This is a wonderful way to spread the word about the OHSU Foundation and the difference your connections can make for Doernbecher, OHSU and the Knight Cancer Institute.
Sample post for Giving Tuesday (Dec 2)
- This #GivingTuesday I’m making a gift to @Oregon Health & Science University. Please join me in supporting OHSU’s mission to transform human health for all: giveday.ohsufoundation.org #OHSU
Sample post for entire Season of Giving (Dec 2-Dec 31)
- Giving back to the community makes all the difference. I’m choosing to create the change I want to see by donating to @Oregon Health & Science University this #SeasonofGiving. Please join me in supporting OHSU’s incredible impact across Oregon. From finding new cancer treatments to treating rare pediatric diseases, I’m proud to support their work. I hope you’ll do the same. give.ohsufoundation.org #OHSU #Doernbecher
Suggested hashtags
#OHSUGiving
#SeasonofGiving
#OHSU
#Doernbecher
Other ways to rally your network
Text: Send a message to five friends about where you’re donating and why. Be sure to include the donation link! give.ohsufoundation.org
Email: If your network prefers email, you can use any of the above sample posts, minus the hashtags and @ tags, to spread the word.
Have fun with video: Whether it’s Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook Reels or Facebook Live, video is the most popular form of media right now. You can share your personal reasons for supporting OHSU this Season of Giving and encourage others to learn more and donate.
Best practices
Always include an image
Studies show that social media posts with pictures get more views and more engagement on every channel! If you aren’t comfortable posting a selfie or personal picture, you can use any of the images above.
Keep your post short & sincere
People are less likely to read long posts. Keep your message simple, succinct and sincere. The goal is to get people reading your story and inspire them to give.
Be authentic
Do you have a personal story that inspired your giving? This is the perfect time to share it. People who connect with a cause personally are more enthusiastic about giving – and that enthusiasm is contagious.
Engage with questions
After you share, it’s important to check back on your post to see if anyone has asked you a question via comment or private message. They may want to know why you’re donating or how to learn more. Take a couple minutes to respond to them; it could make all the difference!
Tag us!
Tagging OHSU-affiliated social accounts allows your friends and followers to quickly view the profiles and learn more about the causes you support!
