Giving Back: Salem Health Foundation Offers a Helping Hand

Working behind the scenes to ensure a healthy community is the Salem Health Foundation.

Despite fully supporting Salem Health, the foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1968 by a group of citizens that wanted to improve the health of the community.

“We are separate from Salem Health, but our missions align,” Salem Health and West Valley Hospital Foundations Director of Development Jill Munger said. “We do a lot of different programs and support partners that help keep the community safe. We do stuff that helps patients in the hospital as well as outside the clinic and in the community.”

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics recently opened a new Breast Care Center in Building C of the hospital complex in Southeast Salem just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Some of the other direct things that we do in regard to breast cancer is that we work with Oregon oncology to help with chemo drugs that they can’t afford,” Munger said. “We never want someone to not be able to receive treatment because they can’t afford it. The other thing we took on is we have a person onsite that is a mastectomy breast fitter. They work with those patients and help guide them on how to order prosthetics.”

The main goal of the foundation is to help support Salem Health by raising funds for those in need and for projects. The foundation has a board of directors that manage the resources of the Foundation and distribute those funds based on the wishes of those that have given. 

The organization works closely with the nurse navigators, who work with patients that are undergoing a cancer diagnosis. The navigator goes alongside the patient and helps coordinate any needs they may have as well as answer questions in regard to treatment. 

“The Nurse navigator will contact the organization and then provide direct resources to the patient,” Munger said. “Gas cards, transportation, bus passes, copayments for individuals needing to be able to make their appointments, pharmacy as well as what we call durable medical equipment.” 

Salem Health Foundation helps support patients going through cancer that may have lost their job because they’re in treatment five days a week and have trouble making ends meet. They also partner with cancer services to fund cancer screenings for underinsured and uninsured people. 

“They look at the patient holistically and if they need emotional support,” Munger said. “They’ll then help with all aspects and understanding of what going through the journey is for a person. They look out for individuals that need a hand up.”

In addition to these services, the foundation also offers community health impact lectures and will bring a guest speaker to talk on a particular topic in a series of locations. 

The next series will feature author Keri Berit, who is an aging and caregiving expert. She will speak for free at 7 pm on November 13 at Chemeketa Community College.

Overall, the organization raises over a million dollars a year to help support the health in the community.

“We’re really lucky to be able to partner with all the incredible groups at the clinics,” Munger said. “They see the need and we try to respond to those needs. It truly is a partnership. We’re the extra hand when we can offer it.”