BUFFALO HEALTHY LIVING: ECMC to hold “Day of Hope & Healing” Radiothon

BUFFALO HEALTHY LIVING

BUFFALO, N.Y. — ECMC will hold a “Day of Hope & Healing” Radiothon with WYRK-FM from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 4^th to support ECMC’s Trauma Center and Emergency Department (ED) Project.

In conjunction with the Radiothon, ECMC will launch an online auction that will run from midnight Monday, October 1^st through 6:00 P.M. Thursday, October 4^th, 2018.  Auction items include many sought-after prizes (see complete list attached).  Those individuals interested in bidding or donating can visit www.wyrk.com or text ECMCTrauma to 52182.

WYRK, Western New York’s #1 radio station, will broadcast from morning to evening to raise funds for the Trauma Center and Emergency Department capital project, first from Russell’s Steaks Chops & More, and later that morning through the afternoon from ECMC.  ECMC will set up a phone bank staffed by volunteers from every ECMC department and from the community that will run throughout the Radiothon to secure call-in pledges.  Russell Salvatore, a generous $1 million donor to ECMC, will open his restaurant early on October 4th to offer free breakfast to donors who join him in support of ECMC.

ECMC trauma survivors will tell their emergency care stories to WYRK listeners throughout the daylong Radiothon.  ECMC emergency department doctors, nurses and other staff will also comment about ECMC’s lifesaving work.


Bob Richards, Operations Manager, Townsquare Media, said, “106.5 WYRK is extremely excited to announce our partnership with ECMC for a daylong event to raise funds and awareness to build their brand new Level 1 Trauma Center and Emergency Department.  On October 4^th, the ECMC Day of Hope and Healing will run from 6am until 6pm.  All of Western New York will be able to donate new clothing, participate in an online auction to win items like a signed NFL Draft Helmet from Josh Allen, access to meet all of the artists at the 20^th Anniversary of the Toyota Taste of Country, as well as donate to this amazing cause.  WYRK personalities, ECMC doctors, nurses and trauma survivors will all come together to help ECMC and the Western New York community build a new Trauma Center and Emergency Department that it needs to continue their strong legacy of healthcare excellence.”


Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., PhD, President and CEO, ECMC Corporation, said, “We are very pleased to partner with WYRK on this vitally important Radiothon to help support the lifesaving care provided by ECMC’s dedicated caregivers to our entire Wester New York community.  Knowing that WYRK reaches a wide ranging radio audience in the region, we look forward to this special event and continue to spread ECMC’s message of hope and healing throughout our region.”


Radiothon Show Schedule for Thursday, October 4^th

• 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.: Clay & Liz Morning Show Live from Russell’s including:

• Breakfast with Russell for donations to ECMC
• Ticket Raffles for Gifts and Russell’s overnight packages
• 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.: Brett, Dale & Clay Live from ECMC
• 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.: WYRK Studio Broadcast

ECMC’s future $55 million Trauma Center and Emergency Department will double the size of the existing 40-year old facility and feature state-of-the-art technology and equipment.  Originally opened in 1978 to accommodate 35,000-40,000 patients annually, the current facility has reached patient levels of nearly 70,000 for both 2017 and 2016, and patient volumes are expected to reach over 75,000 annually by 2024.

The existing Emergency Department main entrance is accessed only by a ramp, which does not meet current accessibility codes and creates safety risks for patients and staff.  It is located in functionally obsolete space in need of modernization to align with current and future standards of care for emergency medicine and to support improved quality of care and operational efficiency.  A 2014 operational assessment indicates that, on average, 12 hours each day the existing Emergency Department is operating over capacity.

The new facility, designed by CannonDesign and being built by The Pike Company, nearly doubles facility square footage to 54,000sf and will increase treatment space from 36 to 54 stations including 4 dedicated trauma rooms, 2 behavioral health safe rooms, 2 isolation rooms, and 4 medical resuscitation rooms.  It features intradepartmental imaging consisting of 2 CT rooms and 2 x-ray rooms, direct access from the hospital’s rooftop helipad, and a care initiation zone to support an enhanced triage model of care.

ECMC’s new Trauma Center/Emergency Department will address an important community need by expanding the health care delivery system’s capacity to serve patients that require emergency medical attention, serve as a referral source for other area hospitals to transfer patients that require specialized emergency care, advance ECMC’s engagement and investment in the City of Buffalo’s Delevan-Grider Corridor, and build on ECMC’s growing and dynamic relationship with the State University of New York at Buffalo (Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) and Kaleida Health System.