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They went looking for something that actually "transforms lives" — that truly improves the health and well-being of real people — and they found it.

And so, the largest gift ever made to the foundation supporting El Rio Community Health Center — $250,000 — will give a tremendous boost to a small but nationally acclaimed project that puts people struggling with diabetes in the expert hands of pharmacists specially trained and equipped to help them.

Officially called the Pharmacy-Based Diabetes Program, it now serves some 1,350 El Rio patients — most of them impoverished minorities — with aggressive, intensive one-on-one counseling and medical management of this complex, disabling and sometimes fatal disease.

The twin benefits of tremendous cost savings and restoration of health to so many people are what spurred the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to award the landmark $250,000 donation to El Rio Foundation.

Announced on Monday, the gift goes straight to the epicenter of this nation's epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. The native people of Southern Arizona — American Indians and Hispanics — suffer diabetes rates two to 10 times the rest of the U.S. population. And they are the target of this El Rio program.

"It's really remarkable how well this works," said Brian Sonnleitner, market president for Bank of America in Southern Arizona.

" 'Transformational' is what we wanted," he said. "Bank of America looks for non-profits that are actually transforming local communities, and this program does that.

"Everyone benefits from good health in a community — people can go to work; they earn a living; they can support and care for their families. That is what is happening because of this program, and we want it to grow," Sonnleitner said.

Started as a pilot project — an experiment, really — in 2001, El Rio's program got going soon after the Arizona Legislature authorized specially trained pharmacists to prescribe drugs and manage patient drug therapy.

Under the guidance of the first Arizona pharmacist licensed to do this — Sandra Leal — El Rio's program placed diabetic patients on medication regimens specifically designed for each individual. Leal's protocols aim not only to control blood-sugar levels, but also the high blood pressure and cholesterol, depression, circulation and vision problems that develop when the disease has been ignored or poorly managed for many years.

Leal — who designed a unique computer program that allows her to closely track each patient — has won national recognition for the proven success of this approach, as patient after patient returned to a healthy and active life.

The program was one of only six in the nation named a "best practice" model by the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists in 2005. And Leal last summer won the Innovative Research in Primary Care Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers.

"It's because she's special," said Brenda Mozee, 56, a longtime diabetic, when she heard of the Bank of America gift. Under Leal's care for the past four years, Mozee's diabetes has come under complete control for the first time in her life, with blood-sugar markers now falling even below target levels. Dramatic improvement occurred in her first three months in the program.

"I have done so much better — I feel so much better since I started with her," Mozee said. "I actually love to come here for my checkups, and my numbers are really good. What she does is amazing."

The Bank of America gift will fund a new part-time prescribing pharmacist to be located at El Pueblo Health Center, which recently merged with El Rio. That pharmacist will join Leal and clinical pharmacist Marisa Soto, who works at the Pascua Yaqui Clinic.

The third pharmacist will bring an additional 200 diabetics into the life-changing program. Because pharmacy-based diabetic treatment is so new, it is not yet covered by traditional insurance. Patient services have been funded through grants and donations since it started.

"Our goal eventually is to have a pharmacist at each of our (14) satellites," Leal said. "We want to increase access to more people throughout the area, if at all possible.

"I do love my job. To see someone doing so well as Brenda is — that is a true reward."

The El Rio Community Health Center opened in 1970 to serve primarily low-income and medically underserved patients, regardless of ability to pay. In the first six months, some 3,000 patients registered.

Today, El Rio has expanded to 15 clinic sites, serving more than 70,000 patients, providing medical, dental and urgent care for adults and children. Specialty clinics also provide care for HIV/AIDS patients, the homeless, teens and nurse-midwifery for pregnant women.

El Rio is just west of Downtown at 839 W. Congress St.