Philanthropy helps IU Health team member recover after an electrical fire

“When you’re in a spot where you feel hopeless,” said Heather Fields, a Senior Associate in the Revenue Cycle and Scheduling department at IU Health, “to know there are people who will support you without any questions, it just gives you the slightest glimmer of hope for you to move forward.”

The unconditional support Fields was referencing was financial support she received through the Team Member Support Fund made possible by donors to IU Health Foundation. Her time of need came in February, when her home was damaged in an electrical fire. At the time of the fire, seven people and three dogs lived at the house.

“It was around 12:30 in the morning when the fire department left,” Fields said. “I sat in my car for around two hours trying to figure out what we were going to do. My daughter took her kids over to a friend’s house, so they were safe. My husband and I grabbed a room at a nearby hotel for the night and planned to regroup in the morning.”

Fields and her husband spent a week at the hotel, but knew they needed to find a more permanent solution.

“We found a VRBO owner who was super-gracious and wonderful to work with,” Fields said. “They took their house off VRBO for a couple months and let us live there at a reduced rate. It was great, but it wasn’t cheap.”

While home insurance covered the fire damage and the cost to rebuild Fields’s kitchen, it didn’t cover all the related expenses while Fields and her family were unhoused. So, she turned to the Team Member Assistance Fund for financial support while she continued to navigate the rebuilding process.

“We still have a mortgage payment,” she said. “We still have utility payments, we still have all those things to keep the house going. We also needed somewhere to live.”

Fields was able to return to her house on May 8, nearly three months after the fire. When we spoke to her in mid-June, her house still needed a lot of work. She was waiting on mold to be mitigated so the contractors could install the flooring in what will eventually be her new kitchen.

She still considers herself lucky. “We’re just blessed we didn’t lose the house, and nobody was hurt,” she said.

She wanted to share her gratitude with anyone who donates to the Team Member Support Fund.

“I want them to know their generosity is impactful,” she said. “It can change a person’s life and the direction of their life in that moment of need. Thank you for making the team member support fund possible.”

Fields said IU Health’s focus on family and commitment to its values are a big part of what’s kept her at IU Health for more than 13 years.

“It’s a family-centered organization,” she said. “Through that, I’ve built family with my team. Knowing there’s support through the Foundation and EAP to get therapy or financial counseling – whatever it is. Just knowing IU Health invests in their team keeps me here.”