Farley Family Changes the Face of Heart Care for HonorHealth

When the late James “Jim” Farley needed heart surgery nearly 20 years ago, he traveled out-of-state for the procedure because the Valley lacked top-notch cardiovascular surgeons at that time.

That didn’t sit well with Jim, an innovator and entrepreneur in the early days of the semiconductor industry.

“He worried about those in the community who didn’t have the resources to seek out care that could make the difference between life and death,” says Sarah Huskey, the eldest of five children born to Jim and his late wife, Nancy.

After discovering that high-caliber heart surgeons didn’t come to the Valley because of a void in quality cardiodiagnostics, Jim took action. He and Nancy made significant philanthropic gifts to HonorHealth to “change the entire landscape of cardiac care in the Valley,” recalls Sarah.

The Farley’s gifts provided technology and equipment so the tests needed to accurately diagnose heart problems could be performed and results could be easily accessed—all which helped to expedite effective and potentially lifesaving treatment. Ultimately, their support led to the creation of the James N. and Nancy J. Farley Cardiodiagnostics Department at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center.

Today, Jim and Nancy’s children proudly follow in their parents’ philanthropic footsteps. Recently, they contributed a significant gift through the Farley Family Charitable Foundation to provide state-of-the-art echocardiography and other testing equipment for the department bearing their mother and father’s names.

This equipment is essential, according to Robert Burke, MD, HonorHealth’s director of noninvasive cardiodiagnostics.

“Everything we do for patients is determined by their echocardiogram. We see how their heart is functioning. Is it healthy or not? Accuracy of data is critically important or we can start down the wrong treatment path. If that happens, it’s difficult to course correct,” he explains.

“My parents wanted their children to have the opportunity to experience the pleasure and good feeling that comes from supporting the community,” said son Stuart Farley. “And we wanted to continue the good work they started nearly two decades ago.

“Giving to HonorHealth is needed and it’s put to good use,” he adds. “The Farley Family Charitable Foundation and HonorHealth have had a connection for years and will have well into the future.”