More than 340 southwest Michigan residents recently attended the annual Lakeland Health Foundations Gala, held
at the Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College. Through sponsorships, ticket sales, a silent auction, and a raffle, the
Gala raised $125,000 – the highest amount generated at a Foundations
event to date – to benefit the 260,000 square foot Pavilion at Lakeland
Medical Center, St. Joseph, slated
for completion in 2020.
“Each year, the Lakeland Gala brings
together community members from
all walks of life who are passionate about making a difference in the health of the communities where they live and work,” said David Burghart, President of
the Lakeland Health Foundations
and Vice President of Philanthropy,
Lakeland Health. “Through their
generosity, we are one step closer to building a world-class medical facility right here in southwest Michigan.”
During an evening in “New York,
New York” guests enjoyed fine dining, live entertainment, and dancing.
Loren B. Hamel, MD, President and
CEO of Lakeland Health, shared the
stories of several patients, including
Dan Bledsaw, (featured on page 5)
who credits the Heart Center staff,
including cardiothoracic surgeon,
Samuel Durham, MD, for saving his life.
“We can provide great care in our
existing facility, but if we really want the right experiences for our patients and providers, we have to continually invest,” said Dr. Hamel. “Our hope is that through modernizations and the latest technology we will be able to save
more lives, restore health to more
patients, and provide the quality
health care our community needs so that they can remain close to home.”