News Release: Emory Healthcare , Woodruff Health Sciences
Dec. 2, 2009
Thrift Boutique and Hospital Auxiliary Raise Funds for Special Projects
Proceeds from the Thrift Boutique at Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM), as well as donations from EUHM’s Auxiliary, have funded special projects and purchased equipment over the past four years totaling more than $300,000 in gifts.
The most recent donations for the 2008-2009 fiscal year include:
- Three pieces of equipment for the Special Care Nurseries/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): a device which cools the body to prevent or lessen brain damage in newborns, a bedside EEG monitor that detects subtle seizure activity, and a device that detects changes in tissue oxygenation, totaling $55,000.
- Portable ultrasound systems for the hospital’s Labor and Delivery and Antepartum Units, totaling $38,000.
- High-tech bladder scanner for an adult in-patient floor, totaling $20,000.
- Elliptical cross training machine for the employee lounge, totaling almost $4,500.
“Our goal is to help the hospital fund special projects, needed for patient care and comfort, that often cannot be provided within the budgets of the requesting departments,” says Anne Patterson, chairperson of the EUHM Thrift Boutique. “The auxiliary receives yearly requests for various projects, which are reviewed and voted upon at our board meetings.”
The Thrift Boutique, which sells clothes, books, household items and much more, is located inside EUHM and is run by the hospital’s auxiliary. Most of the gently used items are donated to the boutique for resale. Proceeds from the boutique help fund these special projects, along with yearly donations from the auxiliary itself.
The auxiliary recently presented Ann Critz, MD, associate professor of pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and chief of pediatrics and medical director of nurseries, Emory University Hospital Midtown, with a check totaling $55,000 for newborn medical equipment.
“The equipment donated this year to the Special Care Nurseries and the NICU has been instrumental in helping the staff and physicians give top-notch care to our hospital’s smallest patients,” says Critz. “We appreciate all of the supportive and dedicated hospital auxiliary members who work effortlessly to make this happen.”
Other donations since 2005 include:
- Neurosurgery equipment for endoscopic removal of brain tumors, totaling over $135,000.
- Pulsed KTP (potassium-titanyl-phosphate) laser for certain voice disorders, totaling $85,000.
- Piano for the hospital chapel, totaling almost $5,000.
“The Thrift Boutique and the EUHM Auxiliary both lend great support to the hospital, its physicians and staff each year,” says Tracy Russell-Gonzalez, director of Guest and Volunteer Services at Emory Healthcare. “The auxiliary members give of their time and services to make certain patient care and a level of comfort are achieved.”
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