Life-Saving Technology - ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-support machine for patients who have a severe and life-threatening illness that stops their heart or lungs from working properly, such as severe lung damage from infection, heart attack and, most recently - the most serious cases of COVID 19.

Dignity Health East Valley has committed to launching an ECMO program to make this life-saving technology available to patients and families in the East Valley. Together we will ensure that more parents, like Ryan Parker (pictured at left, who was treated at Chandler and then transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center), have access to the ECMO modality when they have life-threatening conditions that affect their lungs or heart.

“Last July I contracted a devastating case of COVID-19. Being a resident of Chandler, I naturally went to Chandler Regional’s ER when I got sick. I got so sick that I nearly passed away, and had to be transferred to St Joseph’s by ambulance to receive life-saving care, specifically ECMO, as it wasn’t available at Chandler Regional. My family lives in Chandler and Tucson, so they had to travel quite far every day in order to visit me. To have ECMO available at Chandler Regional would have been a huge blessing to my family and me, but I’m fortunate to have survived. ECMO is truly life-saving technology, and I’m so thankful it saved mine.” - Ryan Parker, East Valley resident and COVID-19 survivor

“Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is not just a lifesaving modality, it can make a tremendous improvement upon the survivor’s quality of life post treatment. Early intervention with ECMO can contribute to allowing for a quicker recovery from illness thereby avoiding some of the sequelae of a long term illness. Having ECMO available in the East Valley will be a wonderful asset to the frontline staff at Chandler Regional Medical Center, and will provide life-saving intervention for patients from all over the East Valley.” - Trish Coryea-Hafkey – Director of ICU, Chandler Regional Medical Center

Our community has rallied around this urgent need and $175,000 was raised through our annual George Rozsa Golf Classic.

$100,000 more is needed in order to make ECMO a reality for our East Valley community. Please consider giving a gift in support of this effort!

Arizona Physician Makes Extraordinary Recovery after Becoming State’s Longest COVID-19 Patient - and Credits ECMO

A Special Note from Dr. Nagamoto
ICU Doctor and friend to George Rozsa, for whom our Golf Classic is named

"Wow. Its been a long year. I can't say that it went by fast. But, thank you to all have helped make things better in Chandler, Arizona, and on this globe we call home. In case you did not know, Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert Hospitals have once again been recognized as some of the top hospitals in the country. Chandler Regional Hospital has been recognized by Health Grades as a top 50 hospital in the nation and its ICU has been ranked number 1 in Arizona. The team has been working so hard and has been working on starting an ECMO program at Chandler since before the pandemic.

I was surprised and delighted to find out the Dignity Heath Foundation East Valley is dedicating monies earned from the George Rozsa Golf Classic to start the ECMO program at Chandler Regional Medical Center. I believe my dear friend George Rozsa would not only have approved, but he would have led the charge to make sure this important program was done right, done well, and set up to be one of the best.

So, in this time when I know that many people are still struggling with health and financial challenges, when so many have lost so much, I am going to take a chance and ask any and all who are able to help to reach out and join us in supporting this program. It's very important and life-saving.

It will not just be about donations, but also raising awareness for the quality and care these hospitals have been providing our communities for 60 years. And for me, if you just take a minute and remember the great man that George Rozsa was, reflect on all that these hospitals have done, and thank those who have spent the past years making these hospitals special that is enough. Thank you so much."

Life-Saving Technology - ECMO

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