Exceptional Care
Leads to $1.65
Million Gift
Community Regional Medical
Center received a $1.65 million gift
to support pediatrics and the
emergency department in
downtown Fresno.
The donor is anonymous, but shared their
family received excellent care at Community
and wanted to give back to the hospital that
cared for them in their time of need.
This transformational gift upgraded nine pediatric patient rooms at Community
Regional with colorful designs, a new nutrition space and an upgraded playroom in
the pediatric unit.
The majority of the gift secured a second computed tomography (CT) scanner
for the emergency department and built the necessary space to house it at
Community Regional.
On average, 75% of the patients who need a CT come from the emergency
department. This new machine addresses a critical need and will help patients
receive better care.
Patient in Community Regional’s CT machine
$1.65 Million
This incredible gift was a way the donors could honor and thank their caregivers.
Local ag leaders John and Carole Harris made a generous gift of $1 million to
support Clovis Community Medical Center’s Wound Healing Center.
When asked why he chose to make a gift, Mr. Harris said: “I’m extremely grateful
for the excellent care I received at my recent visits.”
This invaluable center helps patients with the
treatment of chronic and hard-to-heal
wounds, including many that have
resisted traditional treatment for
more than three months. Over
7,000 patients visit the clinic
annually. Thousands more
receive support during their
hospitalizations.
As Mr. Harris says, “Time
heals all wounds, but the
Wound Healing Center
is a better option.”
Local Ag Icon Says “Thank You” in a Big Way
Wound Healing Center staff with Katie Zenovich
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$1 Million
Presidents Club
Raises $3 Million
to Fight Cancer
For more than five years, Presidents Club,
a volunteer men’s group, has raised funds
and awareness for cancer care at Community.
Over the years, the club and their events
have grown in size and popularity.
In the summer of 2023, this group of
business leaders reached an incredible
milestone. Combined with earlier
efforts, this special volunteer group has
raised more than $3 million to provide
world-class cancer care for our Valley
neighbors at Community Cancer Institute.
We are incredibly grateful for their
ongoing support.
2023 White Hot Summer Night event
$3 Million
Founders Club
Starts Strong
In 2022, Founders Club, a new
volunteer women’s group, was formed.
This group of community-driven
women banded together to fundraise
in support of Community. After
learning more about the organization,
they chose to support neuroscience
care and the campaign to create the
Bob Smittcamp Family Neuroscience
Institute.
Their inaugural event, Fire & Ice, was
held on March 25, 2023. The event
raised more than $380,000! We are
so proud of our newest fundraising
group and the women leading it to
success.
2023 Fire & Ice
Pink Patch
Each October, law enforcement throughout the Central Valley join forces to
fight breast cancer. Through the Valley Pink Patch project, departments sell pink
versions of their uniform patches to raise funds for local breast cancer patients.
Every dollar raised stays local to help patients at Community’s Marjorie E. Radin
Breast Care Center.
In 2023, 20 participating law enforcement agencies set out to have the most
successful campaign. They reached their goal, raising over $150,000, beating
previous records.
Community Security Officers Andy Vasquez and
Melinda Moua with Police Chief Paco Balderama
Honoring Care Heroes
Scan the QR code
to watch Jeff’s story.
When Jeff needed open
heart surgery in the middle
of the pandemic, he turned
to Dr. Shamsuddin Khwaja
and the team at Fresno Heart
& Surgical Hospital. Once
he was back on his feet,
Jeff made sure to honor the
dedicated care team that
saved his life.
Jeff Kroeker
Grateful Patient
In 2017, Chris Morse’s father, Brian, was
diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.
While helping his father with doctor
visits at Clovis Community, Chris watched
the construction of the Community Cancer
Institute. Sadly, his father passed away a few
months after his diagnosis.
Chris wanted to honor his father and, in April 2021, made a gift to name a room
at the cancer institute. Chris and his wife, Michelle, thought that was the end of
the story.
In October 2021, Chris was diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer. Despite being
told he should seek care out of the area, Chris knew Community Cancer Institute
was the right place for him.
“We said these are our doctors, we trust these people. They care about us.
They give us world-class treatment right here in our own backyard,” said Chris.
Chris received seven weeks of daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy to
fight the cancer. He also received assistance from Oncology Support Services
throughout his treatments.
A Full
Circle
Journey
Oncology Support Services staff members with Chris and Michelle
Oncology Support Services is
a multi-disciplinary team that
provides support and guidance
to patients with cancer. For Chris,
this meant having access to
physical therapists, dieticians and
speech language pathologists as he
worked through the side effects of
treatment. After several clean scans,
Chris is now “cancer free.”
“I started my journey by giving back to
honor my dad. I had no idea that I would get
cancer… let alone get cancer six months later.”
To show their gratitude, Chris and Michelle made
a transformational gift of $2.4 million.
“I feel so grateful that five to ten years ago, people decided
to write a check betting that this community would need this
facility. I’m going to give back, and I would just ask everybody
to give back, too.”
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Scan the QR code to
watch Chris’ story.
Chris and Michelle
with his mother, Avis
$2.4 Million
A Family
Tradition of
Caring for
Newborns
We are so grateful to the Sang family for their
incredible donation of $2.5 million to enhance
postpartum care at Community Regional.
The funds will enhance the patient experience at
Community Regional, including new furniture and
equipment and remodeling rooms and bathrooms in
the postpartum department downtown. Postpartum is
the area where mothers and babies stay after delivery.
This transformational gift was made in honor of Dr. New Sang’s mother,
Dr. Orathai Sangrujiveth, who has provided care to newborns at Community’s
hospitals for more than 38 years.
Dr. Orathai Sangrujiveth has practiced as a pediatrician in the Central Valley
since 1985 and was joined by her son in 2012, when they established Sang
Pediatrics together.
Both physicians have provided care for newborns at Community Regional
and Clovis Community. Dr. Sang has also treated the Valley’s tiniest and most
critically ill babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at Community Regional.
“The best and safest place to give birth in the Central Valley is at Community,”
said Dr. Sang. “The hardest cases get transferred to Community Regional
because the doctors and nurses provide the highest level of care there. With
the upgraded rooms, the environment will reflect the exceptional care.”
$2.5 Million
Dr. New Sang and his
mother, Dr. Orathai
Sangrujiveth
Dr. Sang hopes his
family’s gift inspires other
physicians and community
members to give back to
the hospital.
The Sang family with President & CEO,
Craig S. Castro (right)
In honor of and
in recognition of
their generosity, the
postpartum programs at
Community Regional and
Clovis Community Medical
Center are now named
“Sang Family Postpartum
& Newborn Care.”
The Sang Family Postpartum & Newborn Care team at Community Regional
For Generations to Come:
Bob Smittcamp Family
Neuroscience Institute
Community Health System has the most advanced
neuroscience services in the region, but Central Valley
residents desperately need convenient access to more.
That’s why we’re working to create the Bob Smittcamp
Family Neuroscience Institute, a comprehensive
neuroscience center.
When neurological problems occur, time matters.
One hour can mean the difference between a swift
recovery and long-term damage to the brain or
body. That critical time should be spent getting
treatment, not traveling to Los Angeles or the
Bay Area in search of something better.
To seed this effort, in 2018, local businessman
Bob Smittcamp made a transformational gift
to help create the future Bob Smittcamp
Family Neuroscience Institute. He wanted
to have the preeminent neuroscience center
located in his hometown. Since then, we’ve
advanced these efforts and now have 83
neurological providers in the Fresno area.
It’s time we make a world-class neuroscience
center a reality for our Valley.
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Riley was a
special guest
performer
at Founders
Club’s event,
Fire & Ice.
Riley’s Story
At age 12, Riley was diagnosed with epilepsy.
While initial treatments seemed to help, her
condition soon worsened and interfered with
daily life. Hear more about Riley’s story and
learn how the neurologists at Community
helped Riley get back to school and her
passion: dance.
Scan the QR code to
watch Riley’s story.
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