AHN Forbes Receives Generous Gift to Benefit Programs for Cardiovascular and Cancer Care

PITTSBURGH – Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Forbes Hospital announced today that it has received a generous charitable donation from the late Florence and Eva Boyt, sisters from Penn Hills.

Totaling $2.5 million, the funding will support advancements in cardiovascular and cancer care, improvements in imaging and screening technology, and other programmatic enhancements benefitting the communities east of Pittsburgh. The generous gift was memorialized with a plaque presentation by Mark Rubino, MD, president at AHN Forbes. 

“The generosity of Florence and Eva Boyt will allow us to enhance the diagnostic and treatment capabilities at Forbes Hospital for years to come,” said Dr. Rubino. “Our patients will greatly benefit from the technical advancements made available in our cardiac and cancer service lines, and we’re beyond grateful and humbled by this tremendous gift.”

To date, the Boyt sisters’ generosity has helped to significantly expand vascular services within the AHN Cardiovascular Institute at Forbes Hospital. Their gift also supported the purchase of new transesophageal echocardiography and ultrasound machines, as well as a FloTrac® system to measure cardiac output and arterial pressure.

At the hospital’s Cancer Institute, the sisters’ support has helped provide two ultrasound machines, an MRI breast coil used for early breast cancer detection, and state-of-the-art equipment for radiation and surgical oncology.

“The Boyt sisters have made an immeasurable impact on the community during their lifetimes and their  incredible support for Forbes Hospital will be a lasting legacy that benefits the thousands of patients we serve throughout western Pennsylvania every year. Their remarkable gift will help advance care innovation across our leading cardiovascular and oncology teams at this hospital, and we can’t honor and thank them enough for that generosity,” said Mitch Beckman, chief development officer for AHN and Highmark Health.

Born in the 1920s, Eva and Florence Boyt, daughters of the late John and Frances Boyt, relocated to Washington, D.C., to work tirelessly in service to the United States during World War II. They later returned to their childhood home in Penn Hills, launching their careers in banking and business, and remaining beloved neighbors and friends of their community until their deaths 11 months apart in 2020.  

In their leisure time, Eva and Florence would travel the world with friends and family – visiting more than 80 countries.

“In addition to working professionally with Eva and Florence, my sister and I had the honor of being friends with them,” said Elizabeth A. Burkett, Esq., attorney for the Boyts. “We deeply admired their strong Christian faith, tireless work ethic, adventurous spirit, playful sense of humor, intelligence, strength, and kindness. Eva and Florence were delighted that their humble lifestyle enabled them to help so many others here in the Pittsburgh area for years to come.”