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Emma Lee Clayton Endowment Fund Gives Needed Gift to Beebe

02/16/06

Beebe Medical Center's Community Health Department registered nurses provide health education, screenings and referrals for care to individuals living in remote areas of Sussex County.

The nurses visit churches, community centers, senior centers, festivals, schools and other community gathering spots. Many of the people they encounter are seniors and individuals at high risk for health problems, such as heart attack and stroke.

All of Beebe's Community Health nurses are experienced at CPR for emergencies they may encounter; however, with an automated external defibrillator (AED), their efforts to save a life would be enhanced. An automated external defibrillator (AED) shocks the heart into beating again.

Today, thanks to the Emma Lee Clayton Endowment Fund, Beebe's Community Health Department has one of these portable machines.

We very much appreciate this gift and the generosity of Emma Lee Clayton and her family, said Kay Malone, Coordinator of Beebe Medical Center Community Health Department. The use of an AED with CPR prior to the arrival of the ambulance is the accepted standard of care in certain emergencies, and this gift will help our nurses save lives.

Endowment funds established by individuals signify their commitment to the Medical Center and our community, said Beebe Medical Foundation Executive Director Mike Clemmer. To endow an institution prepares that institution to handle the day to day operations while also planning for the future. The Emma Lee Clayton Endowment was established to support emergency medicine at Beebe.

Through the Emma Lee Clayton Endowment, Emma Lee Clayton and her family are truly making a difference, said Beebe Medical Center President Jeffrey M. Fried. Funds such as these meet pressing needs, and they insure Beebe's continued success as we face the healthcare demands of our growing, and aging, community.

For more information on services and screenings provided by Beebe Medical Center's Community Health Department, call 645-3100, ext. 5139.


Caption: Here, Keith Henry, son of Emma Lee Clayton, hands over the AED machine to Kay Malone. A painting of Emma Lee Clayton is seen in the background.