Renown Foundation builds partnerships

The role of the Renown Health Foundation is simple — build community partnerships and philanthropic resources to help Renown Health fulfill its purpose. And every single day, The Foundation works to keep their promise. From the donors who make projects possible to the volunteers who work on their behalf in the community, for Renown Health, it’s truly about making a genuine difference.

For example, if a child in northern Nevada suffers a severe head, neck, spine, brain or abdominal injury, most likely the child will visit Renown Children’s Hospital. One of the first things the child will get is a CT scan in our 128-slice low-dose CT scanner, a state-of-the-art machine that gives doctors instant imaging results while reducing the radiation exposure to the child. This helps doctors determine the next course of action immediately, a critical step in the healing process. The low-dose CT scanner was made specifically for kids, and thanks to Renown Foundation donors, (in this case, David and Judy Hess), children in our community have access to it if they need it.

As the community’s only not-for-profit hospital, philanthropic support and partnership are vital to providing and expanding needed services for our region. One hundred percent of the donations to the Renown Health Foundation go to designated programs and services. In the past 12 months, Renown Health has given more than $85,000 to patients who needed assistance. Donors have made projects like the Estelle J. Kelsey Simulation Lab, the John & Sue Dermody Children’s Healing Garden and the Infusion Services Center happen. Every year, generous community donors help Renown Health Foundation fund healing arts performances and allow them to support families who are transitioning from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to home by giving them “practice” in the NICU family sleep room. Simply put, philanthropy allows the Renown Health Foundation to keep our community healthier with programs, services and technology we could not otherwise provide.

Last year, Renown Health partnered with the Nevada Clergy Association, a not-for-profit interfaith network of religious and spiritual leaders, to bring a more comprehensive spiritual care program to northern Nevada. Working together, they are raising funds to create a new Interfaith Spiritual Center, a multi-purpose facility with programming that will fully embrace all faith practices and the diversity of patients, their loved ones, caregivers and the community at large. It’s scheduled to open later this year. Renown Health Foundation understands it’s important to heal the whole person-mind, body and spirit.

The health of our community’s children is never far from their minds. As northern Nevada’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Renown Children’s Hospital has raised more than $12 million for our community’s youngest patients. A national non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals, the Children’s Miracle Network currently has more than 40 local and corporate businesses raising funds for Renown Children’s Hospital. A few of these businesses include Costco, Smith’s, Rite Aid, and Walmart. Most donations are given one dollar at a time and all funds raised stay local to provide the best medical care for children in our community.

In addition to their community partnerships Renown Health Foundation organizes its own signature fundraising events. Their newest event being the second annual Miracles at Montreux Golf Tournament being held on June 6th. This year, proceeds will help purchase Panda Infant Warmers for both the Children’s Emergency Room and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The Panda Infant Warmer bathes the infant in soothing warmth, keeping them content and safe while giving ample room for the child’s family and friends to interact with them, ensuring a positive bonding experience and family-centered care.

Driven by community leaders through a volunteer board of trustees, the Renown Health Foundation raises funds to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, develop facilities, conduct research, offer community health programs and provide educational training for our healthcare professionals. In addition to the Foundation Board, they have nine other volunteer groups working on our behalf in the community. There are many worthy Renown programs in need and contributions of any size make a significant impact. For more information, please visit renown.org/give.