Saluting the Heroes Among Us

Since it was established in 1973, the Frankford Hospital Foundation has been raising funds and accepting gifts and bequests for the benefit of Frankford Hospital. The Foundation, governed by a board of 15 area community and business leaders, is a sole purpose organization that awards grants to Frankford Hospital for such purposes as improvement projects, clinical equipment, and facility upgrades that ultimately improve the lives of patients in our local communities.

Over the past three years, the Foundation has awarded the Hospital nearly $5 million to expand the treatment and observation areas in the emergency room and purchase equipment to support the growth of the cardiac catheterization/electrophysiology program at Frankford Hospital – Torresdale. These expansions have served to accommodate a growing number of patients through larger facilities, state-of-the-art equipment and additional staff. Most recently, the Foundation awarded a grant of $7 million for a new clinical information system. Benefits of the new clinical system include improved medication safety and physician access to essential information as treatment and medication orders are being written, as well as rapid dissemination of laboratory and other test results.

This past year, Frankford’s Cancer Program was designated as the benefactor of our Charity Golf Classic and this evening’s Charity Ball. Your support of tonight’s event will assist in expanding Frankford’s cancer services, enabling us to continue to provide cancer patients with the newest treatment options in a modern facility. Each Foundation Trustee joins me in expressing appreciation for your support of Frankford’s Cancer Program.

In addition to supporting our formal fundraising events, you can also make a charitable gift to Frankford’s Development Office. There are times when finding the right way to express emotions is difficult. Whether it is a time of sympathy or joy, a charitable gift to Frankford Hospital is always a special way to show you care. Charitable gifts include memorial and living gifts given in memory of or in honor of your loved ones and friends, in-kind gifts, grants and bequests. As a supporter of Frankford Hospital, your gift enables our doctors, nurses, support staff and volunteers to raise the quality of life in the neighborhoods we serve. To learn more about making a charitable contribution, please call the Development Office at 215-612-4992.

On behalf of Frankford Hospitals’ Medical Staff, Board of Directors and Administration, we welcome you to our fifth Charity Ball. Tonight, we have gathered to recognize the dedication and expertise of our Cancer Program team.

In 1992, Frankford developed a formal Cancer Program by constructing a dedicated Cancer Center to provide our community with comprehensive cancer treatment. Since that time, we have established a state-of-the-art program that offers high-quality patient care and support services. Board-certified surgeons and surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, certified cancer nurses and social workers team together to treat both the physical and emotional sides of cancer in a comfortable setting. In addition, our patients are offered a broad range of educational and support services. Frankford’s Cancer Program has been extended to treat patients in all of our service areas – from Lower Northeast Philadelphia to Bucks County.

Funds raised through our Charity Ball will assist in further augmenting our Cancer Program. This evening, we invite you to join us in celebrating the many wonderful accomplishments of our Cancer Program team. Let us also take a moment to admire the courage and honor the legacy of Vicki Mazur, a breast cancer survivor who spent her life sharing her talents and benevolent spirit with fellow patients as well as the Northeast Philadelphia Community. She should serve as an inspiration to us all.