St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation Receives $50,000 Grant to Fund Pediatric CAT Scan Project
January 19, 2009
St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation has received a $50,000 grant from Peregrine Charities to fund St. Luke’s Pediatric CAT Scan Project. The goal of the project is to decrease children’s exposure to radiation.
“Currently, there is no designated pediatric CAT scan area at St. Luke’s,” said Dennis Winders, director of Imaging Services. “Imaging a child can be traumatic for most children because it’s the first time they see a scanner. This can cause additional fear and anxiety for the child.”
“This grant will help create an environment where the child feels more at ease,” added Winders, “which helps avoid the risks associated with sedation and results in better clinical outcomes.”
"We are so grateful to receive this grant,” said St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation President Shannon Duval. “This will help create a child-friendly CAT scan area that feels safe and less ‘hospital-like’ for children and their parents. This will, in turn, provide even better care for the children we serve.”
Peregrine Charities is a private 501(c)(3) foundation founded by Russ and Connie Wasendorf of Cedar Falls in 2004. Its mission is to support medical research for rare pediatric diseases and provide assistance with children’s hospitalization and medical treatments. The mission was recently expanded to include formation of partnerships with local and regional healthcare facilities to help children in need.
