Dr. Benjamin Byers and his wife, Debbie, with their three children
As a pre-health major at Central College in Pella, Iowa, Benjamin Byers, D.O.’01, FACOG, entered a now-defunct program in which DMU enrolled promising Central undergraduates as a way to recruit future physicians.
“I feel that DMU had such a big part in where I am today. I’m grateful the University took a chance on me,” he says.
Dr. Byers and his wife, Debbie, recently expressed that gratitude by designating a portion of their estate for DMU. They chose not to specify the gift’s purpose, allowing the University to determine where it will have the greatest impact. Their generous contribution supports DMU’s Purple & Proud Campaign and makes them members of the Legacy Society, which recognizes donors who make planned gifts or bequests to the University, and the Founders Society, which recognizes donors for cumulative lifetime gifts of $100,000 and greater.
Dr. Byers already has established a legacy in his practice as a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the Center for Maternal and Fetal Care, part of the Bryan Physician Network, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He works primarily with patients who are experiencing high-risk pregnancies.
“Being a father of three and a husband, I understand the anxiety that goes along with a high-risk pregnancy,” he says. “Even though situations can be very emotional, I try to assure patients that I have a full and objective plan. Patients want that assurance.”
Estate gifts are great ways to ensure a strong future for DMU and its students. Learn more by visiting campaign.dmu.edu/gift.