2 HEALTH COMPASS FALL 2023 Capital campaign surpasses $3 million raised By Mark Kujala, CMH Foundation Director The BuildCMH capital campaign is off and running. Local patients John Crawford and Jody Stahancyk recently announced a $250,000 donation. In September, Chris Laman, our vice president of strategy, completed a 100‑mile ultramarathon fundraiser, with all the proceeds going toward purchasing healing art for the new facility. And with two successful Diamond Derby events behind us, this brings our capital campaign total to roughly $3.3 million, or nearly one-third of the campaign’s goal. All of this began with having an amazing project to promote. Thanks to the project team and Randy McClelland, project director, I can show off detailed plans of the exterior and interior, 3D models and life-size cardboard mock-ups of patient rooms and other spaces that will be constructed in the new expansion. People always come away inspired and impressed with our plans. They then understand even more how their contribution will improve the patient experience and the overall quality of health care in our community. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting campaign, please reach out to me at 503-338-7505 or mkujala@columbiamemorial.org, and I’d be happy to share more. You can join us in making our vision for health care in the Columbia coast region a reality. By Erik Thorsen, CEO Columbia Memorial Hospital opened its doors at the presentday location in 1977. In that same year, Elvis Presley died, Star Wars (later called Episode IV – A New Hope) opened in theaters, the first Apple II computers were sold and the Concorde supersonic jet flew its first commercial flight. At the time, the hospital employed less than 100 caregivers and offered a handful of services, such as labor and delivery, an inpatient unit and laboratory testing. Over the last 46 years, the facility has undergone several renovations and additions, stretching, growing and using every available nook and cranny to provide needed, advanced health care services here in Astoria. CMH now employs more than 800 caregivers. Despite the tremendous expansion of both our services and team, the footprint of our hospital building has remained largely the same since its opening. When asked why we are embarking on the BuildCMH Expansion Project, an ambitious development that may be one of the largest construction projects in Clatsop County history, it is not hard to explain. We are simply out of room. Room sizes that worked for patients and providers nearly 50 years ago no longer work today. Patients value privacy and dignity (and they should), yet the hospital was not built with those in mind. The infrastructure needed to support certain large equipment is not available, and updating what we have is not feasible within federal and state regulations. Our hospital, though it has cared for many and saved countless lives, has nearly reached the end of its own sustainable life. As we prepare to build a state-of-the-art expansion, one thing I think we’re all excited about is the space it will provide. Continue reading this edition of the Health Compass to learn more about how our new facility will help us grow and serve future generations in our area. Expanding into needed space
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