LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Sutter Lakeside Hospital Foundation announced that donors met the Sutter Health matching grant challenge and raised over $50,000 in 2012 to purchase medical equipment for the Women’s Imaging Department.

“I am constantly amazed at the level of giving in our community,” said Foundation Chair Dr. Mark Buehnerkemper. “This new medical technology will allow patients to remain close-to-home, instead of having to travel outside of our community for breast cancer and bone loss testing. This is a tremendous benefit for all women in our community.”

Sutter Health’s matching grant program allows each affiliate to choose a program or a piece of technology to fund through philanthropy.

If the hospital can raise funds through charity for half the cost of the program or medical equipment within a year, Sutter Health will match these donations dollar-for-dollar.

In 2012, Lake County donors decided to fund a Mammatome Breast Biopsy System and a GE Lunar Prodigy DexaScanner for the Women’s Imaging Department at Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

The Mammatome allows clinicians to conduct breast biopsies as an outpatient procedure under either X-ray, MRI or ultrasound technology, increasing test result accuracy.

The DexaScanner assesses bone loss caused by osteoporosis, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Both pieces of equipment are slated to arrive by mid-summer and should be available for patients by early fall.

“We pride ourselves on providing the absolute best patient care possible and having state-of-the-art technology is an important piece of the puzzle,” said Imaging Director Jose Aponte. “The fact that donors made this all possible makes this even more of a blessing.”  

“Sutter Health’s matching grant program has given our donors a powerful partner over the past several years,” said Sutter Lakeside Development Officer Rebecca Southwick. “Through their matching grant program, our donors have been able to purchase the Mobile Health Services Unit, the stroke telemedicine equipment in our emergency department, and we’ve been able to underwrite the creation of the mobility park. Donors continue to allow us to do great things for our community.”

Siri Nelson, Sutter Lakeside chief administrative officer, agreesd. “We’ve received terrific support from our donors over the past several years and the Women’s Imaging Campaign is one more sign that charitable giving is strong in Lake County. Our 2013 matching grant focus is the Heart Health Campaign. Our county has a high incidence of heart disease and we’d like to purchase a new echocardiogram for the hospital. Our goal is $85,000 in cash and pledges by this December.”

To learn more about the 2013 Heart Health Matching Grant Campaign, contact Rebecca Southwick at 707-262-5121 or by sending an email to southwr1@sutterhealth.org .