Brigetta Overcash, executive director of WCA Foundation, at left, looks on as Tom Lang, emergency department technologist, uses one of the new vein finders purchased by the foundation while demonstrating its use to clinical director Emelia Harley and Megan Barone, director of development, at UPMC Chautauqua. Submitted photo

WCA Foundation set a new record in 2019 with $585,044 in grants and scholarships given to UPMC Chautauqua and its employees.

The life-saving gifts are the product of contributions from donors, who for more than three decades, have given to the foundation to build an endowment to support patient care in the community.

“The miraculous and wonderful part of the equation is the original gifts are still invested and only the income produced is given away each year,” WCA Foundation said in a news release.

In 2019 the Fund for the Hospital purchased an infant security system that protects our youngest patients and gives peace of mind to their loved ones and the hospital staff. Also, in the maternity department are Panda Warmers and Resuscitation Tables purchased to be used after a baby is born and offers life support in crisis situations for specialized-care transport.

For the opening of the new nursery in the Maternity Department and to pass health codes 12 new adjustable bassinets for newborns were also supplied by WCA Foundation.

Soon to arrive is a new point-of-service portable ultrasound machine that will “greatly facilitate UPMC Chautauqua’s staff capabilities to diagnose critical medical and trauma cases at the bedside, greatly improving time frames for intervention.”

When it comes time to draw blood, staff will use the new Vein Finders provided by WCA Foundation to add more certainty to locate their patients’ veins.

New Cryostat equipment helps the UPMC Chautauqua laboratory staff and physicians examine finer specimens of tissue for maximum quality diagnosis – a benefit to the whole community.

A new simulation laboratory will be built where ongoing training will take place for hospital new hires and staff. There will be two new manikins and equipment used in daily care of patients supplied by WCA Foundation created for the sole purpose of supporting the health care of this region through UPMC Chautauqua.

To donate, individuals, corporations and organizations can send donations to WCA Foundation, 300 Foote Avenue, P.O. Box 840, Jamestown, NY 14702-0840 or go online to wcafoundationjamestown.org. Donations to the Fund for the Hospital purchase general equipment such as infant security systems, mobile sonogram machines, vein finders and the latest technology for the hospital’s laboratory that serves the entire community. These items, identified by physicians and staff, answer needs of the hospital at a time when they are needed but not in current budgets.

For more information about WCA Foundation or how to support the community’s health, contact WCA Foundation Executive Director Brigetta Overcash at 664-5461 or Overcashbe@upms.edu or Director of development director Megan Barone at 664-8423 or Baronema3@upmc.edu. Donations to WCA Foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.