Memorial gift brings $5,000 for digital mammography

  HOULTON, Maine — A gift in memory of Mrs. Bonnie Wing, by her daughter Stephanie Tipton, has brought the Health Services Foundation $5,000 in additional support of their GE Senographe Care Full-field Digital Mammography System Campaign for Houlton Regional Hospita
    “The Wing family chose to, during a time of the incredible loss of a mother and wife, to reach out to the Foundation with great generosity,” said Elizabeth Dulin, executive director for the Foundation. “Mrs. Wing passed away recently as a result of her battle against cancer, making this a family that is very much aware of the pain that comes when a family member is diagnosed. This gift was a way of assisting the Foundation toward the purchase of this vitally needed mammography unit for Houlton Regional in the hope that someone else’s family would not have to experience what they did.”
    The GE Senographe System will assist in patient care by reducing patient exam time, allowing medical institutions to examine more patients who need mammograms. In addition, the GE technology helps decrease patient callbacks, offers a comprehensive view of the entire breast area, displays high quality patient images in seconds, and offers practical advantages over film screen mammography.  Those advantages are improved contrast, and the use of advanced computer and electronic technologies to manipulate the image in order to better “see” certain breast tumors that are currently difficult to visualize on film screen mammography systems.  These closer observations will allow for early detection of possible breast cancer problems and give our healthcare providers the ability to take positive steps regarding treatment solutions.
    Even though global awareness brings vital information and support to those affected by breast cancer, the Health Services Foundation must play a significant role in ensuring our local hospital has the needed equipment to promote improved healthcare regarding this very serious disease to all those we serve.  The benefits of early detection in breast cancer are enormous, and this equipment will also allow our high-risk breast cancer patients the relief of not having to make long, difficult trips to facilities that currently offer state-of-the-art digital equipment for their superior screening needs.
    Given the rural nature of the Northern Maine communities that Houlton Regional Hospital serves, and the escalating cost of state-of-the-art equipment, we know they cannot always meet the pressing equipment needs they may be confronted with on their own.  This very special gift is another major step toward reaching the Foundation’s Digital Mammography campaign goal for Houlton Regional, and we are so very grateful to the Wing family for their generosity during such a difficult time for them.  They absolutely understood that funding of this project would have major, far-reaching effects in the field of breast cancer screenings at Houlton Regional with early detection of this very serious disease at the “Local Level”.
    Houlton Regional prides itself on the quality of care shown by dedicated, caring employees, and by having a facility that can offer the best possible healthcare options available to all.  The Foundation prides itself in its ability to assist Houlton Regional with their continued commitment of Excellence in Quality Healthcare, through the enormous generosity of all those who believe so strongly in what we do for local healthcare providers,” said Elizabeth Dulin, Foundation Executive Director. 
    Anyone wishing to know more about this project, make a donation or overall Health Services Foundation information may do so by calling 207-521-2147 or visiting the website at www.healthservices foundation.org.