Valleywise Health hosting virtual gala to raise funds for new projects
Oct 13, 2020, 5:35 AM | Updated: 8:47 am
(Facebook Photo/ Valleywise Health)
(Facebook Photo/ Valleywise Health)
KTAR’s Community Spotlight is shining a light on the care that Valleywise Health Foundation provides to patients in the local community with support from Arizona Central Credit Union.
“Our essential hospitals across the country and our frontline heroes that we have at Valleywise that make up our only public teaching health care system in the Valley, a lot of times they serve without a lot of fanfare and when you hit hard times like these and the community rallies behind you, it’s just absolutely incredible to see,” Valleywise CEO Nate Lowrie told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News.
Valleywise, which has been serving the area for more than 140 years, has one of the largest and longest running physician training programs in the state, training more than 400 physician residents each year.
Valleywise also trains more than 2,000 medical students, rotating physician residents and nearly 2,000 nursing and allied health professionals.
The foundation is also home to the world-renowned Arizona Burn Center.
“What we’re most well-known for is our Arizona Burn Center which attracts a lot of folks looking to get the skills for trauma and surgery later in life,” Lowrie said.
The foundation generally hosts an annual gala to raise funds; however, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the organization to go virtual for this year’s charity event.
A Night in the Valley is a virtual fundraiser that will celebrate frontline health care workers. Funds raised from the event will go towards funding the construction of a new hospital, which will house the burn center, and 13 additional clinics across the Valley.
The foundation relies on community support to help them succeed in their mission.
Lowrie said 65% of the patients are financially vulnerable.
“Our mission is to serve the underserved,” he said. “We say, every patient every time and that’s regardless of what your checkbook looks like, what your skin tone looks like, we’re here to serve everyone with exceptional care.”
Night in the Valley is a free event on Oct. 22. Registration is available online, and there are select sponsorship opportunities as well.
