New Tool Will Help Premature Babies Stay in Salem

Premature babies and their families in Marion and Polk Counties are benefiting from another new service that will enable them to receive care in Salem, instead of in Portland.

Premature infants are at risk for a disease called “retinopathy of prematurity,” which can lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Thanks to a $70,000 grant from the Salem Hospital Foundation, babies in the hospital’s Special Care Nursery can now be screened for this condition.

“The RetCam II is a wonderful addition to Salem Hospital because it will allow screening by an ophthalmologist at OHSU,” says Cathy Fakler, M.D., Medical Director of Salem Hospital’s Special Care Nursery. “The RetCam II has made it possible for nurseries outside of universities and larger institutions to care for preterm infants.”

The RetCam II takes a picture of the infant’s retina. The picture is then transmitted to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who interprets it. The image can also be printed and used to talk with the parents.

In the past, some premature infants born at Salem Hospital needed to be referred to Portland for the eye exams. “The ability to offer these exams in Salem is such a great way to serve our community, especially during such a stressful time for families,” says Dr. Fakler.

Community Supports Heart Services

When the Salem Hospital Foundation needed support, the community stepped up to the challenge.

William Shely, M.D., chair of Salem Hospital’s Cardiovascular Surgery Department, sent a letter to community members letting them know about some exciting developments in the field of heart surgery services at Salem Hospital, including:

• The hospital has one of the first 3D Echocardiograms in the nation. “This new technology allows cardiologists to view 3D images of the heart instantly,” said Dr. Shely.
• Our Heart Laser can provide effective treatment for angina in patients undergoing heart surgery. The new therapy allows physicians to reach areas of the heart that are not approachable with either angioplasty or bypass grafting.

“Each year physicians and staff at Salem Hospital diagnose and treat thousands of people with some form of heart disease,” said Dr. Shely. “But in medical specialty areas such as heart care, keeping pace with the latest clinical technologies can be expensive.”

The Salem Hospital Foundation has received more than 380 responses from community members and $17,000 in contributions for the heart services program. Part of those funds will be used to purchase two NuStep specialized exercise machines for patients recovering from a heart attack or heart surgery.

“We are grateful to the community for their excellent show of support and generosity for our heart services program,” said Martin Morris, Vice President and Executive Director of the Salem Hospital Foundation.

A Thank You to Our West Valley Sponsors

For five years, Polk County residents have come out to support the West Valley Hospital Foundation at its annual summer fundraiser, Moonlight and Vines, which helps West Valley Hospital bring top-quality medical care to the area.

The Messenger was going to press during the time the event was scheduled, so we’ll report the successes in the winter issue.

In the meantime, a big “thank you” to the event’s major sponsors—the West Coast Bank and Spirit Mountain Casino.

Volunteers Bring Cuddly Toys to Kids

Going to the hospital is not usually something grown-ups look forward to. So imagine how kids must feel. Frightened. Anxious. Upset.

Hospital social worker Shannon Jorgenson wanted to help ease the fears of children in the hospital’s emergency department, so she came up with an idea:

Give the youngsters something to hug.
Something fuzzy.
Something cuddly.
Something like a stuffed animal.

So she decided to buy a few furry friends with her own money.

“I really wanted to try and reduce the trauma kids go through when they come to the emergency department,” said Shannon. “They are getting poked and prodded, and I wanted to give them something to help make them feel a little better.”

Then last year, thanks to a generous donation to the Salem Hospital Foundation from the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary, a fund was set up to purchase stuffed animals.

And the program blossomed further after Ana Corona, a senior at North Salem High School, spent a day shadowing staff in the hospital’s emergency department. “I saw this box of stuffed animals with ‘Three a day’ marked on it, and when I asked about the program and found
out there weren’t enough animals to go around, I wanted to help out in some way,” said Ana.

So she decided to use her high-school senior project as a stuffed-animal fundraiser for the hospital.

First she developed flyers.

Next she told everyone she could think of—friends, family, neighbors, classmates, even her teachers—about the program.

Ana collected over $300, enabling staff members to give away more than 125 stuffed animals with the funds she raised.

Other people have also gotten involved. When the Statesman Journal newspaper ran an article about the project, Salem resident Angie Pileggi thought it was such a great idea that she donated 100 new Beanie Babies to the program.

“I know hugging a bear can’t fix everything, but it can help a frightened child,” said Ana.

Thanks to Ana and Shannon’s efforts, children in the hospital’s emergency department have a warm, fuzzy feeling.