Donors give life to dialysis center

[okarol]

Posted: Nov 19, 2008 - 08:04:41 PST

Donors give life to dialysis center
By Monique Cohen Of the News-Times

Three years ago, when Grace (Gracie) Strom and husband Stan McDonald found out he needed dialysis treatment, they learned that the nearest treatment center is in Lincoln City.

Now, the couple want to ensure others can get treatment closer to home. A $250,000 donation from Strom and McDonald to Samaritan Pacific Communities Health District Foundation will help create a new dialysis center in Newport.

“We didn't realize how many people use dialysis, and we, like most everybody else, thought that most every hospital had dialysis (treatment),” Strom said. “We were so surprised that before the one in Lincoln City that people all had to go to Corvallis.”
Dialysis treatment helps patients with kidney disease. The treatment acts like a patient's kidneys to filter blood and flush wastes from the body. The new center will be able to treat the two types of dialysis - hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, also referred to as home dialysis.

Strom and McDonald heard about a dialysis fundraising effort by a local philanthropic organization, PowderPuff Posse, on a local radio station, and knew right away that they wanted to help. They contacted Ursula Marinelli, executive director for Pacific Communities Health District Foundation.

Plans for the size of the center changed after assessing the need in the community with Dr. Ohnn Nahm, director of dialysis service for Samaritan Health in Corvallis. What began as an idea for a four-chair unit quickly grew to an eight-chair unit and then finally 12.

“With Dr. Nahm's numbers and support, and our continuing talks with Gracie, we thought, were eight chairs enough for this community, and the belief was no; if we started with eight chairs, we'd be sitting around the table in a couple of short years saying why didn't we see the need,” Lorie Williams, center manager for Outpatient Treatment said.

Williams said the Lebanon and Lincoln City dialysis facilities are full, and the 12-chair unit in Corvallis is almost full.

“So people start going on waiting lists and driving to where they have to go. A patient caught me in the hall the other day and said the only opening that was available in the area was in Corvallis, and they had to be there by 6 a.m.,” Williams said.

The new center's opening timeline is summer 2009. They will move into the current business services building on the Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital campus, which is 2800 square feet. David Bigelow, CEO of Samaritan Pacific Health Services, said another 1000 square feet will be added.

The dialysis sessions last about four hours, and people receive treatment three days a week. The 12-chair treatment center will accommodate 48 people each week. The center will have nutritional and social service counseling areas.

Bigelow said the funding for the center is a combination of the Pacific Communities Health District and the Samaritan Foundation. With the Strom and McDonald's donation, the foundation will need an additional $150,000 to make the center a reality. The upcoming Festival of Trees Dec. 6 through Dec. 14 is a benefit that will help raise money for the creation of the dialysis center.

For festival information call (541) 574-4864.

Monique Cohen is a reporter with the News-Times. She can be reached at 265-8571 ext. 217 or mcohen@newportnewstimes.com.

http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2008/11/19/business/business03.txt

[thegrammalady]

corvallis is where my parents and sister live. i haven't been able to get into the center there the last 3 times i have visited. they only have a 12 unit center and i would use the term "full" not "almost full'. having something in newport (where my parents lived for years) will be great for the area.