Stories of giving

RECOLLECTING HEALTH CARE: JAVIER’S STORY

While everything else about the evening of July 6, 2021, seemed ordinary, Hilda Alvarez immediately knew something was not right with her husband Javier. Just days earlier, she came upon a list of stroke symptoms in a magazine article. So, when she noticed Javier’s face drooping and his arm hanging to one side, Hilda quickly jumped into action and called 911.

“You never expect something like this to happen,” said Hilda, a longtime special needs teacher. From the moment the couple arrived by ambulance at Queen of the Valley Hospital’s Emergency Department, she recalled how fast everything transpired. After a flurry of phone calls to doctors and care teams, paired with quick administration of medication to restore blood flow to his brain, Javier needed two life-saving procedures—a carotid artery stenting and a thrombectomy to remove the blood clot.

While Javier had to spend his 63rd birthday in the hospital, he remembers how Jaymie Morada, his stroke receiving nurse in the Emergency Department, kept checking on him. “She kept telling me, ‘You’re going to be fine’ and joked with me that she didn’t want to see me back again.” After 10 days, Javier was discharged home and has made a tremendous recovery.

Both Javier and Hilda are also grateful for the stroke support group, run by Hedy Dizon, director of the hospital’s award-winning comprehensive stroke program. “I saw I am not the only one who was going through this experience,” noted Javier, who has resumed working as a maintenance mechanic and walking his dog, Lilly. Most importantly, he is able to enjoy his wife, two children, and baby granddaughter. “I know I am very lucky,” he said with a smile.

Hilda and Javier Alvarez (center left and center right) reunite with caregivers Hedy Dizon (far left) and Jaymie Morada (far right) at the construction site for the new Emergency Department-ICU at Queen of the Valley Hospital.

REIMAGINING HEALTH CARE: THE CAMPAIGN

Elevating high-quality health care for patients like Javier is what has propelled Emanate Health Foundation to announce a historic $25 million comprehensive fundraising campaign. Publicly launched last October at the annual Autumn Nocturne gala, the campaign has raised nearly $12.6 million to date. “Emanate Health is experiencing a renaissance, and donors to this campaign will be an essential part of this exciting chapter, helping to enhance our programs and boost patient outcomes,” said Roger Sharma, President and CEO of Emanate Health. “We’re reimagining what quality care should look like at every stage of life.”

The campaign focuses on three priorities across the health care system: modernization and advanced technology, meeting community needs, and securing Emanate Health’s future through endowment. Emanate Health Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Greg Lehr is grateful for the collective support that individuals, foundations, and other partners have already exhibited towards the campaign. “We are fortunate that more than 2,700 donors have joined this exciting effort to ensure compassionate care throughout our communities, and we hope many others will participate over the next several years. Every gift counts.”

Staff members like Jaymie and Hedy are excited about how the campaign will impact so many health care areas. For example, one of the campaign’s main capital projects is the new Emergency Department-ICU at Queen of the Valley Hospital, which will include on-site computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and X-ray devices. Made possible in part by campaign donors, the closer proximity of these testing sites within the Emergency Department will undoubtedly help save lives. “We always say ‘time is brain,’” commented Dizon. “The longer we wait after a stroke, the more brain cells are lost … the faster we can complete CT scans and other procedures, the more it helps our patients.”

REDEFINING HEALTH CARE: OUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE

As the campaign progresses over the next few years, Emanate Health is ready for this next chapter and how the community’s support will touch the lives of the more than one million residents it serves throughout the San Gabriel Valley. “With new facilities, technology, and medical talent, the future is truly bright for Emanate Health as we are redefining what health care looks like in our region for generations to come,” said Sharma.

Emanate Health Foundation Board Chair Lisa Fuerst, a longtime volunteer leader and supporter, is proud to serve as the campaign’s executive chair. “My husband Mitchell and I grew up in this area,” said Fuerst, “and it’s important to us that the members of this community receive the world-class health care they deserve.” Fuerst, who is the vice president for Success Education Colleges, is championing this effort along with the following volunteer ambassadors:

• Rich and Gayle Jett, Inter-Community Hospital
• Juan and Martha Soria, Queen of the Valley Hospital
• Mike and Sharon Starr, Foothill Presbyterian Hospital
• Walt Allen, End-of-Life Care

Javier and Hilda recently returned to the hospital that saved his life, where they reconnected with a few of the caregivers who have supported them along this journey. “The people have been great, and we have had a very good experience,” said Javier. The couple was excited to see the construction of the new Emergency Department-ICU, which is scheduled to open next year. Their shared experience has inspired them to give back—Hilda is interested in volunteering, specifically to educate the Hispanic community about stroke prevention and other health issues. “We are very grateful,” shared Javier.

Your gift will help reimagine the future of health care for our region! To make your contribution, visit emanatehealth.org/campaign or call 626.814.2421.