After all expenses, the total philanthropy from this year's Helping Hands fundraiser was $35,000.

As we've done each year since the fundraiser began, 10 percent of the proceeds went to the Laurel Health System Sharing and Caring fund. Because life is full of unexpected situations, this fund is here to provide financial assistance to LHS employees when they need it most. Please contact Human Resources to access this fund if you are an LHS employee in need.

The rest of the funds were used to purchase necessary items for many of the services provided by Laurel Health System. These items are in turn available for you, your family, friends and community -- illustrating the ancient principle that, ultimately, it is impossible to give without receiving. Here are some of the purchases which Helping Hands has made possible:

To raise your spirits, we must sometimes lift your body. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital Intensive Cardiac Care Unit has purchased a special chair for patients with mobility problems. The chair can be placed in a level position so the patient can be transferred from the bed to the chair easily. The head of the chair can then be elevated into a sitting position, and adjusted to a position of comfort for the patient. Also, the hospital's Medical Units were able to purchase slings for our Hoyer Lift. This hydraulic device is used to lift patients out of bed onto a stretcher or into a chair.

"Let there be light..." Funds have been used toward the purchase of over-bed lights for the hospital's Same Day Surgery unit. These lights are over each bed on the unit, and provide improved lighting for procedures performed at the bedside. Same Day Surgery also obtained a Data Scope Monitor, used to monitor a patient's vital signs -- including temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels.

Life can be tough. The Laurel Behavioral Health Pyschiatric Inpatient Unit is there for individuals whose emotional or behavioral problems have severely limited their ability to cope in their own home or social environment. During their stay, patients can go outside under supervision on our enclosed 3rd floor patio attached to the unit. The Helping Hands Fundraiser has enabled us to obtain new outdoor furniture for this enclosed patio, providing the patients with comfortable benches and a new table and chairs. Additionally, Laurel Behavioral Health's Partial Hospitalization Program has obtained a vital signs monitor with Helping Hands funds, which is used to monitor patients' blood pressure and pulse.

The Green Home, our rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility, has as one of its primary goals to physically rehabilitate patients after an injury or accident and return them to their homes as quickly as possible. Thanks to Helping Hands, The Green Home will be purchasing a Med-Fit Transporter and other equipment for our new rehabilitation services area, scheduled for completion this spring. The Med-Fit Transporter benefits therapy recipients with lower extremity weaknesses or balance and coordination problems, allowing them to safely “stand” without falling, supporting them in an upright position so they can begin working to regain strength and muscle tone.

After patients are able to return to their own homes, they often receive continuing assistance in the rehabilitation process from Laurel Home Health. A new ultrasound machine purchased for Home Health brings valuable treatment technology to homebound patients. Physical and occupational therapists use ultrasound to create a deep, penetrating heat that increases blood flow, delivering needed oxygen and nutrients to healing tissues. Ultrasound relieves pain, reduces inflammation, relaxes muscle spasms, and accelerates healing.

Laurel Home Health has also recieved a Coaguchek machine, used for patients taking blood thinning medications. The machine provides timely results in a comfortable manner. Instead of drawing a vial of blood and transporting it to the nearest health center or hospital, a nurse can check a patient's "international normalized ratio" by obtaining an almost instant result in the home with a small blood sample from a finger tip. The results of the test are immediate, allowing the nurse to contact the patient's physician to determine if the prescription needs to be adjusted.

Also for patients using blood-thinning medications, a new Pro-Time machine obtained by the Lawrenceville Laurel Health Center measures patients' blood-clotting ability and the time the blood takes to clot. Patients taking these medications need regular checks in order for the physician to manage their medications, and they can now have the test done and the results available while they are still in the Health Center. The Physician can easily discuss adjustments directly with the patient, saving them time and money.

The Mansfield Laurel Health Center has used Helping Hands funds to acquire an electric exam table. These tables are extremely useful for patients with mobility problems. The nurse pushes a foot pedal to lower the table; the patient then sits on the table, and the nurse pushes the pedal again to raise the table. It's much safer, and dramatically reduces the possibility of falling.

This year, Helping Hands will help to pay for an outdoor fence at Laurel Youth Services' La-Sa-Quik facility in Cogan Station. Because the facility is built on a secluded mountainside in Lycoming County, outdoor recreational space for these troubled teenagers is at a premium. The fence, scheduled to be installed this spring, will increase the available recreational area for these kids to exercise and play with more freedom and safety during their stay at La-Sa-Quik.

The Blossburg Wellness Center members and staff are excited about the arrival of a new elliptical trainer. Thanks to Helping Hands, we can now offer our members an additional means of cardiovascular exercise. Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation patients will also find this equipment helpful.

Our Programs for Persons with Developmental Disabilities serve a unique population in our community. While safe and high-quality care and service are assured, Helping Hands funding provides our individuals with the opportunity to experience life more fully. A trip to Yankee stadium or Knobles Grove, attending local theater, a Jackals game, or a trip to the beach are just a few examples of how the lives of our individuals have been enhanced through your generosity.

To provide transportation to children who attend our preschool program, Bradford-Tioga Head Start purchases small buses that can accommodate up to 31 children. Every bus has seat belts to secure the children and provide a safe riding environment. The Helping Hands Fundraiser has graciously paid for one-half of the cost of a bus. What better way to see your gift at work than to see children’s tiny noses pressed against the window glass of a school bus!

Thank you, Helping Hands ticket holders and patrons, for the difference you've made!

Please do not use the link below at this time. To make a free will donation to Laurel Health System, contact the Development Office at (570) 723-0494.