WMH Foundation announces its 2018 Campaign. Deborah Belcher, registered nurse, is seen administering a flu shot to Jamie Damcott in the new Emergency Department. Submitted photo

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation has begun its 2018 Annual Campaign with a goal of $295,000, according to Dr. Kathryn Bronstein, board president.

“Along with the entire foundation board, I am pleased to say we reached last year’s RED Campaign fundraising goal,” said Patricia Gaughan DiPalma, Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation executive director. “We couldn’t have done it without you! The renovated hospital Emergency Department sees approximately 700 patients each month and more than 8,000 annually. To those of you who gave your support to Renovate the Emergency Department, we thank you again. But we continue to need your help so we can make good on our promise to continue providing funding for cutting-edge diagnostic equipment. If WMH is to remain a forerunner in enhanced diagnostic services, the foundation will continually be called on to provide funding for the sophisticated equipment needed to upgrade all hospital departments now and well into the future.”

A recent mailing to past and potential donors, noted the Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary year and beginning the campaign. All are invited to join in this worthwhile endeavor by returning their gift as soon as possible.

“We’d like to see more residents participate in this campaign than ever before,” Bronstein said. “It’s the generosity of the people who the hospital serves who help make the difference. I challenge each and every one in our hospital service area of Ashville, Ripley, Westfield, Bemus Point, Brocton, Chautauqua, Clymer, Dewittvile, Findley Lake, Panama, Portland, Sherman, Stockton and Westfield to step up and take ownership of the need for state-of-the-art medical equipment for our community hospital.”

For more information or to donate, email DiPalma at patricia.dipalma@ahn.org, call 793-2338 or visit the foundation’s website at www.westfieldhospitalfoundation.org.

“If you value having a hospital close by, and if you, a friend, a neighbor, a family member or a loved one, have ever been a patient at Westfield Memorial, please make a tax-deductible donation of any size to our campaign,” Bronstein said. “Every gift is important to meet our goal. Be a hospital hero and send your gift today.”

In addition to emergency care, the hospital provides an array of services, including ambulatory and short stay surgery, outpatient diagnostic services, physical therapy, cardiac rehab, imaging, women’s diagnostic services, digital mammography, laboratory, diabetes education, nuclear stress testing, wound and infusion clinics, inpatient care, laser eye surgery, a sleep lab, and a specialty services suite that includes general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology and diversified hearing services. Westfield Memorial Hospital also provides primary care services at the Chautauqua Institution during its nine-week summer season.

“Please also note that our goal includes a $50,000 matching challenge grant, given for the 13th consecutive year from Saint Vincent Hospital, a subsidiary member of the Allegheny Health Network. The challenge stipulates that all the dollars raised over the first $175,000 will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000,” Bronstein said. “It’s important that we continue this winning streak and meet this challenge. To continue its mission to lend the financial support for the delivery of high quality health care, these departments will look to the foundation to provide funding for upscale equipment,” Dr. Bronstein added.