Billee (left) and Michael (right) with their granddaughter, Taylor, now a thriving young adult.
Michael and Isabel “Billee” Schneider have been part of the Stanford community for decades. Michael attended the Stanford School of Medicine in the 1960s, and Billee delivered two of their children at Stanford Hospital—many years before Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital officially opened in the 1990s.
“We have a long connection to Stanford and a long sense of gratitude,” Michael said. “It was natural for us to be drawn to Packard Children’s Hospital.”
That connection deepened when their 2-year-old granddaughter, Taylor, was rushed to Packard Children’s emergency room. She was soon diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
A long journey had begun. “Throughout the entire process, Packard Children’s was there,” Billee said.
“I remember when Taylor was in preschool, they had to prick her finger to check her blood sugar. The other kids would gather around to watch,” Billee recalled. “Taylor would tell me, ‘Grandma, I don’t want to have diabetes!’”
As Taylor grew, she benefited from the latest innovations in childhood diabetes treatment, many of which were developed at Stanford. Under the expert care of pediatric endocrinologist Bruce Buckingham, MD, Taylor was an early recipient of a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump, eliminating her need for finger pricks and insulin injections.
Billee and Michael were impressed with the care Taylor received for Type 1 diabetes throughout her childhood.Today, Taylor is a thriving young adult and recently graduated from Princeton University. “I saw that Taylor got the gold standard of care,” Billee said. The Schneiders wanted to ensure that every child with diabetes receives the same excellent treatment.
In addition to donating annually, the Schneiders have committed future gifts by including the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health as a beneficiary of their retirement accounts and of a charitable remainder trust to support the areas closest to their hearts at Packard Children’s.
As a physician, Michael has a strong interest in basic science—uncovering the root causes of conditions like diabetes in the lab. “Stanford is unique,” he said. “Not everywhere has the ability to take what they find in the lab and translate it into new treatments.” Michael chose to designate his future gift to support basic science and research in pediatric diabetes.
Billee, an attorney with a master’s degree in taxation, is also a passionate volunteer. She joined the San Jose Auxiliary in 2014, and takes regular shifts at the Thrift Box, a thriving retail store in San Jose that is run entirely by volunteers to support Packard Children’s. She is also the Auxiliary liaison to the Teen Van mobile clinic, a longtime grantee of the Auxiliaries Endowment. Along with supporting diabetes research, Billee has also instructed that a portion of her planned gift support the Auxiliaries Endowment.
The Schneiders’ thoughtful planning through beneficiary designations on their retirement accounts and their charitable remainder trust allows them the flexibility to support several areas close to their hearts. They also have the option to update these allocations whenever they wish.
“I really encourage others to give,” Billee said. “It doesn’t have to be a lot. Small gifts add up!” Michael agreed, noting that Stanford is a wise place to invest in a brighter future. “Excellence breeds excellence,” he said. “Not only in academia but in philanthropy, too!”
If you would like to learn more about achieving your charitable goals through planned giving, our team would be delighted to connect!
