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Advocates for Upstate Medical University awards $120,000 to support Upstate's mission

Advocates for Upstate Medical University awards $120,000 to support Upstate's mission

The funding supports programs that enhance patient care and advocate for the health and wellness of the Central New York community. Since 2000, the Advocates have provided Upstate with 662 grants, totaling $1,216,000.

“There are many important initiatives at Upstate’s Downtown and Community campuses that add to the quality of life for our patients and that recognize the important work of our medical teams, faculty and staff,” said Susan York, Advocates manager for business and administration. “In the past five years alone, due to a greater awareness of the program and the need, we’ve doubled the amount of funding from $60,000 to $120,000, allowing us to support a greater number of these initiatives.”

Programs receiving support through 2015-2016 funding include: a patient and community education initiative for heart failure patients in efforts to decrease readmission rates; the NICHE (Nursing Improving Care of the Elderly) program, allowing for the purchase of activity carts; a chronic disease self-management community-wide education program; the Donor Council’s Donate Life with the Syracuse Chiefs; Pediatric Surgery for its “educational and decrease anxiety” project; and the Expectant Parent program, allowing for need-based class fee assistance for hospital-based childbirth preparatory classes.

Other initiatives funded this year include: the Spiritual Care’s Learning Never Ends program, offering spiritual care education and training; an annual bicycle helmet and safety community-wide education day; patient support for healing; lunch and learn programs at the Syracuse Housing Authority; Social Work’s Special Needs project, Emergency Department Clothing Closet and Emergency Fund; Upstate’s community Smoke Cessation program; and recognition programs, such as Nursing’s DAISY program.

In addition, the Regional Perinatal Center received a $30,000 gift as the key beneficiary of the Advocates’ signature fundraising event, Mystery, Malt and Merlot, held in April at the Oncenter in downtown Syracuse.

The Advocates is a fundraising and service organization whose mission is to work to improve the quality of patient and family care, medical education and community health. The organization generates revenue through several means. In addition to Mystery, Malt and Merlot, it sponsors an annual Fall Swing Golf Tournament (Sept. 16), and receives commission from contracts for hospital services, such as Tim Hortons, EspressOasis, Lori’s Gift Shop, Dazzle Cancer Center Boutique, patient televisions and telephones, and vending machines. Other revenue is raised through activities initiated through its Fund Development and Service Committees.

The Advocates also sponsor several projects such as hospital-based blood drives, and community-wide smoking cessation programs offered at the HealthLink/OASIS Learning Center. Its scholarship program benefits Upstate employees and adult volunteers who are pursuing studies in an accredited institution in any health related field.

Caption: Theresa Devennie, president of The Advocates for Upstate Medical University, left, presents a $30,000 check to nurse practitioner Kathleen Dermady, director of the Centering Pregnancy Special Care program at Upstate’s Regional Perinatal Center at the Advocates' annual luncheon on May 7. The Regional Perinatal Center was the key recipient of proceeds raised from the Advocates’ signature fundraiser, Mystery, Malt and Merlot.

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