Henry Ford Health is in the early phase of a nine-figure, comprehensive campaign — the largest in its 108-year history — to support the $1.8 billion expansion of its Detroit hospital.

"We are proud of this partnership and our continued work to further cancer research and discoveries while eliminating health disparities," Olsen said.

Henry Ford Health's new campaign comes in the wake of its best fundraising year ever, Vogt said. Last year it raised $72 million, about $10 million more than its previous annual record.

Health systems around the country like the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins often have hundreds of fundraising or development employees on staff, given their larger budgets. In Southeast Michigan, the University of Michigan's Michigan Medicine is in that ballpark, with more than double HFH's fundraiser numbers, Vogt said.