Impact
Memorial Health Foundation was established in 1981, and our mission has always been dedicated to building a healthy community through education, special patient assistance initiatives, charity care, state-of-the-art medical equipment, and funding to areas where the need is greatest throughout Memorial Health System and our community. We are incredibly grateful to our supporters who share our vision of world-class healthcare right here at home. Through the generosity of donors like you, Memorial Health Foundation has made significant investments to support our patients, families, team members, and communities.
Building a Healthier Community Through Education
FARMacy – Education in Wellness
Through your support, Memorial Health Foundation awarded a $15,000 grant to the Sistersville FARMacy for their 2023 program. This is the second year of the program, and it has been lauded by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture as one of the most successful of its kind in the state. The program is an expansion on the original FARMacyWV that was created in 2016 by providers at the HealthRight Clinic in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was established in response to the immense burden of chronic disease among West Virginia residents and is based on the belief that food is medicine, and that fresh, nutritious food is a right for all.
The program in Sistersville is a partnership between local/regional growers, healthcare providers, health systems, exercise specialists, nutrition educators, and research experts, who all collaborate to provide lifestyle change and wellness education, along with access to locally grown produce over the course of a year. The program goal is to reduce chronic diseases and their risk factors, address food insecurity, and support the local economy and agriculture. It also is a powerful mechanism to address mental health concerns such as chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and lack of connectedness by bringing individuals with similar conditions together into their own highly supportive community.
Participants meet weekly with the FARMacy team to engage with one another, watch and participate in cooking demonstrations, learn progressive exercises, and work toward removing barriers to long-term lifestyle change. Biomarkers such as A1C, lipid profile, blood pressure, and weight are all measured regularly throughout the program in an effort to gauge physiological progress and improvement, including reduction of risk factors of chronic disease.
Special Patient Assistance Initiatives
Annual Fashion Show Supports Cancer Patients
Memorial Health Foundation’s 19th annual fashion show, Havana Nights, presented by Eramet, brings together local businesses, cancer survivors, and their loved ones for a fun-filled evening to support two incredibly important cancer center patient initiatives.
With nearly 800 people in attendance, spirits were high as the models, dressed in fashion from local retailers, strutted down the runway to the cheers of their friends, family, and loved ones.
Proceeds from this event benefit the Foundation’s Breast Health and the Cancer Emergency Patient Initiatives and help with transportation, wig purchases, mammogram screenings, necessary dental care, and various other essential patient needs. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Memorial Health Foundation has been able to support 68 patients and provide over $17,000 in funds to those battling cancer, and through the over $132,000 in funds raised from the fashion show, many more will receive necessary support.
“It is truly such an honor for me and my entire team to be able to bring awareness to Memorial Health Foundation and to fundraise for local patients,” says Jarrett Stull, Executive Director of Memorial Health Foundation. “This community is so generous, especially considering the weeks of flooding we just endured. We had almost 800 people turn up to our event and raised over $132,000, and I think that speaks for itself. It’s truly a privilege that we get to do this for the community.”
State of the Art Medical Equipment
Golf Outing Provides Funds for Internal Grants
Memorial Health Foundation is proud to announce that their 2024 annual golf outing raised nearly $60,000 to support members of our community through the funding of internal grants—a new record for the event!
The golf outing, which had previously benefitted Selby General Hospital for over 20 years, was reimagined this year to support Memorial Health System entirely by directing the funds raised towards internal grants for specific projects or equipment that will benefit patient experience within the health system. Past projects funded include an exoskeleton to aid in patient mobility, a pediatric simulator to help with medical training, and an ultrasound machine to assist with diagnostic testing.
