Akron Children’s Hospital Women’s Board continues legacy of giving with $280,000 donation

03-11-2020 (Akron, Ohio )

The Women’s Board of Akron Children’s recently donated $280,000 to the hospital for the purchase of a portable ultrasound unit, a dermatology laser and two radiology scanner wraps.

“This gift is a wonderful reflection of the Women’s Board’s long-standing commitment to the hospital,” said Tammy Gersman, president of the Women’s Board. “It is our hope that these funds will make a real difference in the lives of our patients, whether it brings them a smile during a scary procedure, makes a procedure less invasive or helps monitor the health of our future patients.”

The $140,000 ultrasound unit will allow the maternal fetal medicine department to closely monitor the growth and development of fetuses. Ultrasounds are safe, noninvasive and do not use ionizing radiation.

“The Women’s Board’s gift allowed us to purchase the newest, most high-tech version of an ultrasound machine that will help us detect babies who may need our extra special care after delivery as well as improve access to our care with the additional machine,” said Dr. Melissa Mancuso, medical director of maternal fetal medicine. “The ultrasound machine is a vital part of our daily operations to monitor high-risk pregnancies. Our vision is to grow our patient care and services and extend our exceptional care to more mothers in need.”

Dr. Nicholas Nguyen, director of pediatric dermatology, said the new $100,000 dermatology laser will have many important uses for hospital patients.

“This device will be used to treat infants, children and teens with a wide spectrum of skin conditions from disfiguring birthmarks to painful, inflammatory conditions,” said Dr. Nguyen. “The laser will be used to treat patients with hirsutism (excessive body hair) and polycystic ovarian syndrome and also for patients with vascular anomalies.”

The $40,000 aquarium-themed wraps for radiology equipment will comfort children who are preparing for scans, which enables doctors to get a good scan on the first try and with less medication.

“The CT and MRI units can seem very large and scary,” said Dr. Michael Rubin, medical director of the radiology department. “The skins/wraps are proven to provide a more calming environment and actually decrease the need for sedation.”

A legacy of giving

In 1890, two circles of The Daughters of the King - The Heart and Hand Circle at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and The Wayside Circle at First Congregational Church - established a day nursery to give a home during the day to the children of working women. The two groups would evolve to become what is now known as the Women’s Board of Akron Children’s, and more than 130 years later, the day nursery has grown to become Akron Children’s.

The Women’s Board raises money for the hospital through the operations of the gift shop on the Akron campus and with several annual fundraisers, including Celebrate the Plate, Charity Ball and the Children’s Tree of Lights. To date, the Women’s Board has donated more than $13 million to the hospital.

“The Women’s Board supports the mission of Akron Children’s with the highest standards of duty, loyalty and engagement,” said Grace Wakulchik, president and chief executive officer of Akron Children’s. “We’re thankful for this generous gift which will help so many patients throughout the hospital.”