Donor Story:

A lifelong resident of Attleboro, Albert R. Allard, Jr., or “Buddy” as he was known by his family and close friends, is thankful for the care he and his family received by Sturdy Memorial Hospital for nearly 80 years. Growing up in Dodgeville, a graduate of Attleboro High School (Class of 1954), and a longtime employee of L.G. Balfour Company, Buddy remembers Sturdy as his family’s trusted medical resource from childhood to adulthood. He and his wife, Rita, welcomed their two children, Kimberly and Timothy, into this world at Sturdy Memorial Hospital. 
"It was back in a time when you would drop off your wife at a green door that was located where the Emergency Room is now,” Allard recalls. “Eventually, you’d get a call from the hospital that your child was born." 

While Allard and his family experienced great joy welcoming their children and years of continued care by the physicians at Sturdy, the family also experienced profound sadness when Allard’s wife, Rita, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1988.  Following their doctor's recommendations, they sought out aggressive treatment in Boston and later in Rhode Island due to the complexity of her illness. Despite numerous operations and aggressive treatments, Mrs. Allard lost her brave battle with cancer in 1992.

After the loss of his wife, Allard and his family felt compelled to support their community and Sturdy in a way that was significant and meaningful. This led to the establishment of the Albert R. and Rita J. Allard Fund. The fund supports and will continue to support education and technology at Sturdy for future generations.

“Setting up this fund to exist in perpetuity and to help generate income to support Sturdy and the critical health services it provides to our community is my way of creating a loving tribute to my wife who so bravely fought her cancer while establishing a legacy for my family.”