OLATHE, KAN. (Sept. 18, 2019) – The Sunderland Foundation has pledged a lead gift of $4 million for Olathe Medical Center’s (OMC) surgery suite and pharmacy expansion. The expansion is part of a $7 million campaign, called “From the Heart,” which will enhance multiple service offerings for patients across the continuum of care.
The funds from the Sunderland Foundation will support the expansion of technology, life-saving procedures and facilities at OMC, including state-of-the-art surgical suites. Four new operating suites, equipped to accommodate the latest minimally invasive techniques and equipment, will be added, as well as a hybrid operating room. The hybrid operating room will expand OMC’s ability to perform more advanced vascular and interventional cardiology procedures.
“The Sunderland Foundation is honored to support local organizations that take care of patients close to home,” Kent Sunderland, President of the Sunderland Foundation, said. “Independent, community hospitals that make it on their own are a rarity. Olathe Medical Center exemplifies this model. We have friends and family who have received great care at OMC, and we are pleased the new surgery suites will be able to accommodate even more patients needing a higher level of care.”
The expansion project is expected to be complete in summer of 2020. The two-story expansion will add 16,990 square feet to the south of the existing surgery space. The second story will include a new, modern pharmacy that will replace the 32-year-old pharmacy that was part of the original Olathe Medical Center building. It will accommodate new pharmaceutical regulations for the preparation and handling of hazardous medications.
“With this expansion, we are able to touch more lives of those we serve by building on our award-winning care,” Stan Holm, President/CEO of Olathe Health, said. “Our recent honors include, ranked High Performing in Hip Replacement by U.S. News & World Report, a gold award in stroke care from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, a premier award in heart attack care from the American College of Cardiology, and The Birth Place was chosen as a Favorite Place to Have a Baby by the KC Parent readers.”
Similar to these examples of awards, the From the Heart campaign spans across the continuum of care. Additional funds raised through this campaign will support the most needed services in the community, including Neonatal Intensive Care, Olathe Health Cancer Care, and the Olathe Health Hospice House.
Lead gifts have been donated for the other important areas of the From the Heart campaign. The Monte and Betty “Betsy” Tudor Trust donated $100,000 for the NICU, and the Vicki Brubaker Memorial donated $100,000 for the Olathe Health Cancer Center.
“As a non-profit, independent health system, our focus is on how we can best serve our community,” Liz Anne McElhaney, Director of the Olathe Health Charitable Foundation, said. “We are so grateful to all our donors for their continued support to help us meet these needs.”
The campaign is chaired by Terry Kilroy and Harlan Parker.