Candy Markwith, CEO of Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center (left) presents a donation on behalf of the Tenet Healthcare Foundation for $1,500 to Donna Kean of Hospice of San Luis Obispo County. Hospice of San Luis Obispo County is the only volunteer hospice in the County that serves children and adults who are grieving or who are living with life threatening illness. Each year the Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Sierra Vista provide in excess of $200,000 of philanthropic benefit to community and charity organizations throughout San Luis Obispo County.

Los Alamitos Medical Center recently had the American Cancer Society’s ‘Wall of Hope’ at the hospital.  The Wall will be at the Relay for Life event held in Los Alamitos where people can sign it to show support for the organization.  While on site at the hospital, Chief Executive Officer Michele Finney signed it as well as physicians on the medical staff and employees. “This is a wonderful opportunity to team up with the American Cancer Society,” said CEO Michele Finney.  “We are expanding our cancer services, adding a prostate cancer support group, and are working with the Los Alamitos Cancer Support Foundation and Healing Odyssey to support cancer programs in our community.” The Wall of Hope will be taken to Washington D.C. for display in August.

Presenting the check to Cuesta College President Marie Rosenwasser (right) were Terry Murphy, Twin Ciites Chief Nursing Officer (left) and Nicki Edwards, Chief Nursing Officer at Sierra Vista.     The Tenet Healthcare Foundation, through Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital, recently completed a 2-year, $60,000 pledge with a to the Cuesta College School of Nursing. The hospitals presented the $30,000 check to help defray the costs of adding an additional 10 nursing students for the class of 2006 as well as the required faculty.

In the days and weeks immediately following hurricane Katrina, individuals and organizations rallied to help through donations and grants.  One such organization is St. Jude Medical, Inc., which announced in early September a $1 million pledge to help rebuild the health care infrastructure throughout the Gulf Coast region. When Paolo Zambito, Kenner Regional Medical Center’s chief executive officer, heard about the pledge, he contacted St. Jude Medical to see how they could work with Kenner Regional’s parent company, Tenet Healthcare, to provide relief to health care employees displaced due to the storm. The result? – A very generous donation by St. Jude Medical to Tenet’s Disaster Relief Fund.  At a check presentation at Kenner Regional Medical Center in January, Michael Rousseau, president of St. Jude Medical's US Sales Division, presented the Tenet Healthcare Foundation with a $75,000 check for its Disaster Relief Fund.

Candy Markwith (left), Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center CEO, presented the check to Janice Fong-Wolf, director of grants and programs for the SLO Community Foundation.     The Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center recently donated $1,500 to the Women’s Legacy Fund at the San Luis Obispo Community Foundation. The Women’s Legacy Fund supports local programs addressing the needs of women and girls in San Luis Obispo County. The 2006 focus for grants is health care. Each year, in partnership with the Tenet Healthcare Foundation, Sierra Vista provides philanthropic support to charitable community organizations in San Luis Obispo County to further enhance the community’s health and educational needs.

Carol McCormick (middle), Associate Administrator receives her 2005 Top Walker Award from March of Dimes Executive Director Jeff Beckman and WalkAmerica Council Chairman, Jeremy Falke, HR Director at CUMC   The 2006 March of Dimes WalkAmerica took place at Mahoney State Park.  Although it was a rainy day, many CUMC team walkers came out to show their support along with about 1,500 total walkers.    The CUMC team raised over $30,000 for the Nebraska Chapter of the March of Dimes.  Jeremy Falke, HR Director at Creighton University Medical Center is the Chairman of the WalkAmerica Walk Council for the  March of Dimes Nebraska Chapter.  Jeremy and his team was responsible for bringing new and fun events to the walk, making this year the biggest walk for the Nebraska Chapter.

The Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center recently recognized the outstanding work of the Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo County with a donation of $2,000 to support general programs. Candace Markwith (left), Sierra Vista CEO, presented a check to Beth Raub, volunteer coordinator at the Women’s Shelter. Each year, the Tenet Healthcare Foundation makes monetary contributions to civic and community organizations in San Luis Obispo County to advance the outstanding charitable work of local programs.

Alexis Okumura, American Cancer Society regional vice president (center), accepts the check from Candy Markwith, Sierra Vista Chief Executive Officer (left)and Elaine Jacobs   The Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center recently donated $1,000 to the American Cancer Society to support the 24-Hour Cancer Relay for Life June 24 and 25 at San Luis Obispo High School.  Elaine Jacobs, RN, Sierra Vista’s director of medical/surgical services, is the chair of this year’s Relay for Life Entertainment Committee.

Placentia-Linda Hospital presented a check for $2,500 to the director and representatives of the TIP Program (Trauma Intervention Program). TIP is a completely non-profit volunteer organization with the mission “Citizens helping citizens in crisis.”  TIP volunteers are helpful in supporting patients and staff during traumatic situations at Placentia-Linda Hospital and help assist family members and staff during difficult situations.  This is all at no charge to the facility.  The funds will be used to continue this volunteer program, which provides a valuable resource to the community. Tenet Healthcare Foundation home page.