FOUNDATION MINUTE: December 22, 2024
Welcome to Week FOUR of RI’s Month of Disease Treatment & Prevention.
The Rotary Club of Itajaí-Porta do Vale, Brazil, in collaboration with regional clubs
(Itajaí, Itajaí-Norte, Balneário Camboriú, Balneário Camboriú-Praia do Atlântico,
Camboriú, Itapema, and Porto Belo-Costa Esmeralda), international partners – Rotary Club of The Palisades (District 7490, USA), Districts 4795 (Uruguay), District 6930 (USA) – Governor Douglas Heizer, and 4652 (Brazil), The Rotary Foundation, and with the support of Tokio Marine Insurance and Procave Real Estate Investments, has made a historic donation to the Marieta Konder Bornhausen Hospital and Maternity in Itajaí, Santa Catarina.
The donation – a state-of-the-art Surgical Video Tower for the Surgical Center – represents a significant advancement in patient care and surgical technology. This acquisition, made possible through a Global Grant Project (GG2455603) and tireless collective efforts, aims to modernize surgical procedures and enhance patient care at the institution. The fundraising of $92,650 USD – nearly half a million reais – was achieved through the collaboration of nine Rotary Clubs, three Rotary International districts, The Rotary Foundation, and two private companies. The Marieta Konder Bornhausen Hospital and Maternity is a regional reference in emergency care, offering medium and high-complexity services to over 800,000 inhabitants, with 93% of patients served through SUS (the Brazilian public health system: It means it’s free of charge). As a philanthropic institution, the hospital plays an essential role in Itajaí and 11 surrounding municipalities, performing an average of 800 surgeries per month.
The new Surgical Video Tower will be utilized across various specialties, including
general surgery, urology, digestive surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and
otorhinolaryngology, directly benefiting thousands of patients. Rotarian lawyer and
President of the Madre Teresa Association, Maurício José Gom, underscored the
importance of this achievement: “Our commitment is to continually seek
improvements for Marieta Hospital and the patients it serves. This project
showcases the collective power of Rotary to make a difference, and it is inspiring to
see our efforts positively impact our communities.”
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