If you were diagnosed with cancer, wouldn’t you hope you could receive excellent medical care in your own community rather than traveling to Portland? Today, thanks to the many community members who have made gifts supporting Salem Hospital’s Regional Cancer Center (located in the Center for Outpatient Medicine), that is a reality for local residents battling cancer.

But state-of-the-art cancer treatment wasn’t always available in Salem. As one long-time supporter of the hospital Foundation said, “Thirty-nine years ago I had to drive to the medical school in Portland for radiation therapy five days a week for six weeks. It was tiring. It’s wonderful that cancer patients now have the convenience of exceptional regional facilities right here in Salem.”

Paul Kucera, M.D., chair of the hospital’s cancer committee and a gynecological oncologist, sent a letter to members of our community highlighting the hospital’s excellent cancer services, as well as the need for financial support. In response, the hospital received generous donations of over $10,500 to the Foundation’s cancer fund, and over $6,000 to be used “where the need is greatest.”

“Members of our community always seem to step up to the plate and lend their support when they see a need, and we’re so grateful that the hospital is one community asset that people choose to support,” says Sherri Partridge, the Foundation’s Annual Giving Officer.

Where Does Your Money Go?

For more than 36 years, the Foundation has put your contributions to work providing education, equipment and services to not only Salem Hospital patients, but also to members of the community.

Last year the Foundation granted over $235,000 to various projects, including:

$83,400		For scholarships to students pursuing medical or medically related careers. The Foundation’s scholarship program began in 1968, when the first grant was awarded to a Salem Hospital employee enrolled in the Associate Degree of Nursing Program at Salem Vocational Tech (now Chemeketa Community College). Since that initial grant, the Salem Hospital Foundation has awarded more than $800,000 to students.
$70,000		For the RetCam II, specialized neonatal eye equipment
$8,000		To the Clara Graham Fund for cancer patients in need
$6,732		For cardiac rehabilitation equipment
$6,000		For diabetes education scholarships for patients with financial need
$5,066		For artwork for the emergency department
$4,800		For comfort-care kits for breast-cancer patients
$3,500		For child car safety seats
$2,700		For the Committed to Kids childhood weight-management program
$2,550		For stuffed animals to be distributed to children in the emergency department
$2,000		For supplies to create heart pillows. Last year, Claggett Creek Middle School students made over 100 coughing pillows for Salem Hospital cardiac patients.

Last August, West Valley Hospital’s fifth annual Moonlight and Vines dinner and silent auction at BeckenRidge Vineyard raised over $16,000 to support various hospital projects.

Master of ceremonies Craig Walker, K103 radio personality and former Dallas resident, kicked off the summer garden party, which was attended by more than 170 guests.

“It was great to see so many supporters come out to not only celebrate the success of the hospital, but also to demonstrate their commitment to making sure high-quality medical care continues to be available to Polk County residents,” said Sherri Partridge, Annual
Giving Officer for the West Valley Hospital Foundation.

During the silent auction, participants bid on a number of items, including gift baskets with titles such as “Death by Chocolate,” “Men are From Mars…Women are from Venus,” and “An Evening in Tuscany.” Major sponsors were the Dallas branch of West Coast Bank and Spirit Mountain Casino.

Sweet Moms and Healthy Babies
Program helps pregnant women stay healthy.

Finding out you have diabetes is never easy, but imagine being pregnant and learning you have something called gestational diabetes.

Without much extra money at your disposal, you wonder how you’re going to deal with this condition that affects both you and your baby.

You meet with a diabetes educator at Salem Hospital to determine what to do next. She recommends a diabetes education class called “Sweet Moms” and tells you that you can get help with the cost of the class and supplies through the Salem Hospital Foundation.

Last year, thanks to generous donations from members of our community to the diabetes education fund, 34 patients in financial need were able to receive help managing their diabetes.

“We really appreciate the support the Foundation provides for our patients,” says Denise Cedar, a Salem Hospital registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. “In addition to insulin and testing supply kits, we’re able to provide education to pregnant women who have diabetes. Many of these moms-to-be have nowhere else to turn if we can’t help them, so Foundation grants are crucial.”

Over the past five years, the Foundation has provided more than $44,000 in grants to diabetic patients in need. “Foundation support is essential to our program, especially since the need just keeps increasing,” says Cedar. “In the first nine months of last year, the number of pregnant women with diabetes requesting scholarships for classes and supplies has increased 25 percent from the previous year.”

To learn more about diabetes education classes and programs, call the hospital’s Diabetes Education Center at 503-561-6990. Or if you’d like to contribute to the Diabetes Education fund through the Salem Hospital Foundation, call

503-561-5576 or visit our Web site at www.salemhospital.org, then select “ Support Salem Hospital.”

Thank You, Supporters!

We’d like to thank our supporters who have so generously contributed to the Salem Hospital Foundation and the West Valley Hospital Foundation. Names of current donors are listed online, and will also be published in the 2004 annual report, to be mailed in March.

Visit our current donor list now. You may also call the Foundation office at 503-561-5576 to have a copy mailed to you.

Thanks again for your continued support!