Historical March 1988 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
St. Louis Regional Medical Center has begun a campaign to raise $50,000 as the result of an anonymous donor’s pledge of $15,000 toward the purchase of a surgical laser for gynecological use.
The cash gift is conditioned on Regional’s raising the full cost of the laser by Sept. 30. “We are very pleased and excited about this pledge,” said Robert B. Johnson, Regional’s president and chief executive officer. “We believe it indicates a growing appreciation of Regional’s role in the community. “The donor is a Central West End businesswoman who wants to express her support for Regional’s mission of providing expert health care, primarily for those unable to pay the full cost.” Johnson said Regional would be soliciting additional donations from individuals and groups, especially women’s organizations.
The medical center’s employees and the Regional Auxiliary already are planning special fund-raising events to help in the campaign, he said.
The gift would be the largest cash donation from an individual to Regional since the medical center’s inception in July, 1985.
The medical center, at 5535 Delmar Blvd., serves the medically indigent residents of St. Louis and St. Louis County as well as the general public.
The new laser would allow Regional’s physicians to make use of the latest technology in the removal of cervical lesions, according to Klaus Staisch, M.D., chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Regional. “We have a limited budget for the purchase of new equipment, so a pledge for this purpose is especially welcome.
At present, we use conventional surgery or freezing to remove precancerous lesions, preinvasive cancers and warts in the cervical area. Both methods at times cause scarring that reduces fertility or causes subsequent pain. “The virus that causes the warts has been linked to cancer, and a new study has shown a relationship between cervical warts and low birthweight and preterm babies. “Most laser procedures can be done in our outpatient surgery service, so that the patient can go home the same day. “Because we have many women of childbearing age in our patient population, Regional is developing a top-quality OB/Gyn service.
The purchase of this laser will help us advance toward that goal.”
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1988.
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Original source: SD_Times1988_03.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
