When three-week-old Ashlyn Julian
came in with an aneurysm, or brain bleed,
neurosurgeons at The University of
Kansas Hospital were faced with an
emergency few doctors had seen before.
This is an exceptionally rare problem in
patients so young and her specific
aneurysm, and the way that we treated it,
has never been described before. The
reason we were able to do that is
because we have the tools and
technologies and the minds around that
can be creative in an extremely
challenging situation. This is the power
of academic medicine.
Well,l when  you get the diagnosis of
cancer, it is a brain lock down. It's...
you're scared to death.
It's so many different levels. When
Teresa Walsh came to us with cancer of
the jaw, multiple stages of treatment
were required, including surgeries and
radiation. The primary focus here is on
quality care...
absolutely...  and we see it, we've
experienced it and the results are second
to none.
It's a world-class institution. The
University of Kansas Hospital has been
ranked by US News and World Report among
the best hospitals in the country for
ten consecutive years.
We are also in an elite group of fewer
than 20 hospitals ranked nationwide by US
News in most specialties. Thousands of
people put their lives in our hands
each year. The number of patients cared
for at The University of Kansas Hospital
has increased dramatically
year-over-year since 1999 and it's
projected to grow another thirty percent
in the next few years. The demand for
neurosciences, surgical oncology, and ear
nose and throat procedures is expected
to increase nearly 40-percent by 2020.
That's why we're building the new
Cambridge North Tower. The five hundred
fifty thousand square foot structure
will have 11 new operating rooms to
increase capacity for life-saving
complex surgical procedures. Nearly a
fourth of the 124 beds will be for
intensive care patients who need the
highest level of critical care. And more
than 600 new physicians, health care, and
support staff will be hired to treat the
additional patients. The new Cambridge
North facility will bring together the
best clinicians, the latest therapies and
technologies, and cutting-edge research
so that each and every patient has the
best possible outcome. As the region's
premier academic medical center that's
our job.
James Wade was just a teenager when he
was diagnosed with cancer of the
salivary glands, a condition accounting
for less than 1% of newly diagnosed
cancers each year. We see some of the
most challenging cases here at The
University of Kansas Hospital and
frequently these cases involve many
different team members of different
specialties involved in the care of a
single cancer patient. We are engaging in
this capital campaign to really allow
and afford the better access for these
patients to get multidisciplinary care for
these very, very complex cases. The
University of Kansas Hospital receives
no local or state funding. Its growth has
come from reinvesting its revenues
and from generous gifts from patients
and supporters. Annette Bloch's 10 million
dollar challenge grant accelerated
fundraising for Cambridge North Tower
and reflected the urgency of the
expansion. Her gift inspired others
including 100 percent of the
hospital's board and leaders, as well as
an overwhelming number of its doctors
and staff who have made personal
contributions. And still more gifts are
needed. I hope others in the community
will follow our lead and give money to
The University of Kansas Hospital and
feel as good about it is we have. To be a
great city means we need world-class
healthcare and we have that already in
so many ways in The University of Kansas
Hospital, but it is time to take the next
step.
The demand for our services for the
sickest of the sick patients continue to
increase and will increase for the
foreseeable future. As the only academic
medical center in the region, it is our
responsibility to provide that care. And
quite frankly, there's no other provider
that can offer the caliber of services
that we do for that patient population.
Your support is critical for our ability
to be able to meet the needs of those
patients in the future.
Someday that may include you, or a loved
one.
Your generosity supports medical
innovation and provides advanced
treatment for patients with no other
options, right here in Kansas City... and
that improves the economic health of our
community. Be a part of saving lives.
Visit giving.kumed.com and learn
how you can support the medical
breakthroughs happening here.
This is academic medicine.
