Dignity Health Donates $450K for Medical Supplies Delivered to Sierra Leone

Dignity Health -- operator of Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz -- is continuing its 17-year partnership with Project C.U.R.E. by donating $450,000 for medical supplies that arrive this week to Sierra Leone, one of the countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak.

As part of Dignity Health’s healing ministry, Dignity Health believes it is its inherent responsibility to advocate both near and far for those in need.

In December, more than a dozen Dignity Health volunteers packed a 40-foot shipping container with nearly a half a million dollars’ worth of supplies including goggles, masks, syringes, scrubs, bed linens, disinfectant, and more to help the medical community in Sierra Leone combat Ebola.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to deliver the power of humankindness, and this donation will help this effort while making a difference in Sierra Leone’s fight against the Ebola virus,” said Glenna Vaskelis, senior vice president of operations for the Dignity Health Bay Area Service Area. “Last fiscal year alone, Dignity Health provided nearly $2 billion in charitable care and services, supporting organizations at home and around the world that work to improve community health and well-being. Last year in the Bay Area, Dominican Hospital, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, Sequoia Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center gave more than $475,000 in community grants to local non-profit organizations.”

Although the battle against Ebola in Sierra Leone isn’t currently making big headlines in the U.S., it is still life-threatening and remains a challenge as the country doesn’t have sufficient medical supplies to adequately combat the spread of the virus. An estimated 3,000 of the 8,000 deaths in West Africa have occurred in Sierra Leone.

“We continually monitor the supply needs of West Africa and are seeing first-hand the increase in Ebola outbreaks in Sierra Leone. As such, this generous donation will have a significant impact on the country’s ability to help those affected by this virus,” said Katie Mabardy, executive director of Project C.U.R.E. “We are proud to have a longstanding relationship with Dignity Health and its caring employees who have been instrumental in helping Project C.U.R.E. not only launch, but sustain efforts around the globe over the past 17 years.”

Project C.U.R.E. is working around the clock to collect and package items to send to West Africa. As the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world, the organization has already sent seven containers and two airlifts of critical supplies to West Africa.

To donate to this cause, please visit dignityhealthfoundation.org/stop-ebola.

About Project C.U.R.E.

Project C.U.R.E. is the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world. Project C.U.R.E. maintains large distribution warehouses in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Tennessee, and smaller collection centers in 15 U.S. cities. Project C.U.R.E. is the recipient of the GuideStar Exchange Silver Seal, the Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating and ranked by Forbes as one of the 20 Most Efficient Large U.S. Charities. Project C.U.R.E. International Headquarters is located at 10377 E. Geddes Ave., Suite 200, Centennial, CO 80112.

About Dignity Health

Dignity Health, one of the nation’s largest health care systems, is a 20-state network of nearly 9,000 physicians, 56,000 employees, and more than 400 care centers, including hospitals, urgent and occupational care, imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics. Headquartered in San Francisco, Dignity Health is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality and affordable patient-centered care with special attention to the poor and underserved. In FY14, Dignity Health provided nearly $2 billion in charitable care and services. For more information, please visit our website at www.dignityhealth.org.

--Image and information courtesy of Dignity Health.

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