Sacramento, Calif. | January 29, 2008 -In 2007, Sutter Medical Center Foundation funded more than $2.5 million in equipment, programs and services at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. "The community invests in our hospitals through their charitable giving, and their impact is immense," said Katherine Keeney, Executive Director. "We are grateful for the fantastic community support that helps Sutter Medical Center bring comfort and care to our hospital patients-almost half whom represent low income and culturally diverse groups-through advanced treatments and other vital services."

Following are some examples of the community's charitable dollars at work in 2007.

Philanthropic donations helped us continue to meet the unique needs of our youngest patients through the Child Life Program, including our Pet Therapy Program, which is an important part of each child's experience at the Children's Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. The Foundation also funded mural paintings for six pediatric patient rooms.

Children's Outpatient Services provides care to some of our community's most vulnerable residents, averaging nearly 10,000 visits a year from kids whose families' health care options are often limited by language, location and income. The Foundation funds these continuing programs and more:

• Child Diabetes Program
• Cystic Fibrosis Education
• Children's Outpatient Pulmonary Services
• Pediatric Nutrition Program
• Pediatric Healthy Lifestyles - Weight Management Program
• Healthy Families Program

Cancer affects not just the body, but the mind and spirit as well. Many services that we believe are important to caring for cancer patients and their loved ones are not covered by health insurance. These are just a few examples of programs funded through Sutter Medical Center Foundation that help people every day:

• Breast Navigator Program
• Cancer Specialty Clinics
• Dance Movement Therapy
• Music and Art Therapy
• Nutrition Counseling
• Support Groups

Philanthropy provided the Sutter Heart Institute with patient education materials, flat screen televisions for patient rooms and funding for the Heart Failure Clinic. It also made possible these live saving technology upgrades:

• Cardiac Catheterization Lab Information System
• Fluid Management Injection System
• Thoratec CentriMag Blood Pump
• Rapid Bypass Machine

The Foundation benefits patients in many ways, including funding professional staff development and nursing scholarships-sending employees to conferences, helping them obtain certificate training and attend patient care symposiums - all in the name of enhancing patient care.

In 2007, Sutter Medical Center Foundation received more than $3.6 million in charitable gifts from the community, which will help fund future needs. Some of these funds are earmarked for Sutter's new Midtown medical campus, slated to open in 2011, which will feature a new Women's and Children's Center, a new Outpatient Services and Medical Offices Building, a renovated Sutter General Hospital and a revitalized Buhler Building. In addition, one city block-the "community block"-will encompass housing, retail space, a theatre and parking for hospital staff and the community.

Sutter Medical Center Foundation is governed by a board of community volunteers including business leaders, professionals and residents. The Foundation presents opportunities for charitable investments to individuals and local businesses to support a variety of programs at the medical center. For more information, or to make an investment in better health care for the community, please call 916-733-3863 or visit www.suttermedicalcenter.org/philanthropy.

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento is affiliated with Sutter Health, a not-for-profit, community based health system located throughout Northern California. For more information on Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, visit www.suttermedicalcenter.org.