Red, Set, Go! luncheon raises more than $110K

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 9, 2022

For the first time, Olympic Medical Center Foundation’s Red, Set, Go! Heart Luncheon raised $111,000 on Feb. 25, exceeding last year’s record-breaking total by $17,000.

Presented by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, this event raised funds for an X-ray unit that will provide for the support needed for Olympic Medical Center’s leadless pacemaker program, which utilizes devices that are 93 percent smaller than conventional pacemakers, event organizers said.

With this addition to the OMC Cardiac Rhythm Management Program, patients will no longer need to travel out of town for this procedure, OMC officials said.

“We were able to raise money for something that will save lives,” event chair Karen Rogers said. “Once again, people in this community were extremely generous during these challenging times.”

Speakers at the event included local cardiologist Dr. Kara Urnes, OMC Chief Physician Officer Dr. Joshua Jones, and Dr. John Mignone from Swedish Medical Center. Julie Hatch from Port Angeles presented the survivor story.

“Each year attendees look forward to learning from women like Julie who have been impacted by their heart health. It is through their stories that we can better support our family and friends,” foundation executive director Bruce Skinner said.

Kate McDermott, a 2017 James Beard Award finalist and the author of several cook books, also delivered a presentation on “Life’s Lessons Learned From Baking Pie.”

The educational lunch promotes that the key to eradicating heart disease is education.

“The purpose of our event is to inspire women to learn how to improve their heart health,” Rogers said. “Many women are surprised to learn that heart disease is the number one killer of women.”

The foundation is still accepting donations, Skinner said. People interested in contributing can contact the foundation office at 360-417-7144.