Every day, St. Charles caregivers are out in the communities we serve, offering education, doing demonstrations, having fun and connecting with people. The goal? To help Central Oregonians live healthier, happier lives. Below is a roundup of recent health system events, and you can see a calendar of upcoming events here.
NICU Reunion
In late September, St. Charles caregivers, volunteers and community partners hosted a special reunion for families who spent time in the health system's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Thanks to generous donors to St. Charles Foundation, the celebration brought nurses, doctors and other caregivers back together with the families they supported during their NICU stay. Kids enjoyed face painting, a bouncy house, craft stations and tours of a fire truck from the Bend Fire Department and an AirLink helicopter.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the day so special!
Heaven Can Wait
On Oct. 5, we had an incredible turnout for the 26th Annual Heaven Can Wait 5K.
More than 1,250 participants gathered at Redmond High School, coming together to raise awareness and show support for survivors of breast cancer. Many came to the event to run and walk in honor of loved ones. Over $145,000 was raised for Sara's Project, a fund through the St. Charles Foundation that helps promote women's health through education, outreach, research and breast cancer support services.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support this important cause. We can't wait to see you next year!
Heart Healthy Cooking class
Recently, St. Charles Heart Failure Nurse Navigators and Dietitians hosted a free community Heart Healthy Cooking class. Participants learned how to prepare four delicious recipes and how each ingredient supports heart health. Thank you to everyone who attended!
Diagnosis Day
St. Charles Bend recently welcomed students from Bridges High School in Madras and Warm Springs, along with Crook County High School, for Diagnosis Day — an exciting interactive health care program through Cascades East AHEC.
This one-day, hands-on program gives rural Central Oregon high school students the chance to follow a simulated trauma patient through the full hospital experience. It introduces them to a variety of health care careers and demonstrates how hospital teams work together to provide patient care. The students left campus filled with energy and enthusiasm about the skills they honed and information they learned. Here's what a few students had to say about the program:
"Diagnosis Day made trauma-focused jobs way more intriguing, and it’s something I want to pursue further now, career-wise."
"Diagnosis Day helped make me super excited and confident about my future in a health career."
"This program made me approach my future with confidence of exactly what I want to do."
"I can’t wait to work in healthcare, and I hope to come back to St. Charles Bend when I'm in a career."
