Perry

WALLA WALLA — The Providence St. Mary Foundation recently began a $1 million Cardiac Care Campaign, which will be used to renovate the hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory.

The campaign was announced Friday, July 21, at the annual Providence St. Mary Foundation Golf Tournament, where $100,000 was raised for the campaign at the Walla Walla Country Club. According to the foundation, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the region.

The foundation announced in a news release Monday, July 31, the campaign had raised almost $750,000 as of July 28.

Chief Philanthropy Officer Lacey Perry said the contributions were from donors who “understand how critical strong cardiac care is to everyone.”

“Strong cardiac care is at the heart of a healthy and thriving community,” Perry said. “Many thanks to the community for their continued support of excellent health care at Providence St. Mary. An extraordinary gift of $250,000 has been committed to match the final $250,000 needed to complete funding for the Cardiac Care Campaign.”

This capital campaign includes a full renovation and reinvestment in Providence St. Mary Medical Center’s cath-lab, which will provide a comprehensive suite of clinically proven imaging and best-in-class interventional tools, according to the news release.

Patients from eight counties throughout Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon are served by the current cath-lab at Providence St. Mary Medical Center. New state-of-the-art equipment will allow physicians to use advanced procedures and diagnostic tools and continue to stabilize patients when having an active heart attack.

“Life Flight or EMS bring them to St. Mary Medical Center when the unthinkable happens,” Perry said. “In the world of heart health, minutes matter, and it is paramount to reinvest in this vital piece of equipment and keep exceptional care close to home.”

To contribute to the Cardiac Care Campaign or learn more about the efforts of Providence St. Mary Foundation, visit providence.org/PSMF, or contact the foundation at 509-897-2091 or by email at PSMFoundation@providence.org.