Because of you: Neurosciences Campaign is complete at Sacred Heart Medical Center

In Oregon, we measure distance in mountain ranges and coastlines. We measure time in tides, seasons and long drives between small towns.

But when a stroke strikes or a life-changing injury occurs, distance and time feel very different. Minutes matter. Access matters. Expertise matters.

That is why this moment is worth celebrating.

The Neurosciences Campaign at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend is complete. Together, donors in our region raised more than $4 million to strengthen neurosurgery and expand stroke care across our region.

Because of philanthropy, advanced neurological care is closer, faster and stronger for families across Oregon.

Strengthening neurosurgery close to home

As our communities grow and age, the need for complex brain and spine care continues to rise. Donor support made it possible to invest in advanced imaging technology that helps surgeons operate with greater clarity and precision — and that investment is already changing patient care.

Today, the Excelsius 3D O-arm and advanced C-arm systems are in use in the operating room at Sacred Heart. These tools provide detailed, real-time imaging during surgery, improving accuracy and efficiency. Surgeons can see more clearly. Procedures can be performed with greater precision. And patients benefit from safer, more streamlined care.

Before these upgrades, aging equipment contributed to delays and a backlog of patients waiting for surgery. Today, advanced technology is helping surgeons work with greater efficiency and precision. Last year alone, more than 1,700 neurosurgeries were performed at Sacred Heart — each one reflecting the skill of our caregivers and the generosity that equipped them with advanced tools. 

Looking ahead: EOSedge Imaging System

Philanthropy is also bringing the EOSedge Imaging System to Sacred Heart this fall. Once installed, it will make Sacred Heart the only hospital in Oregon with this advanced technology for adult patients. 

EOSedge is a precise, low-dose imaging system that captures full-body, high-quality 2D and 3D images in seconds. It allows physicians to see the spine and musculoskeletal system in natural, weight-bearing positions — offering insights not possible with traditional imaging. Advanced modeling tools also help neurosurgeons plan procedures with greater precision, with the goal of reducing pain, improving function and supporting shorter, more efficient procedures. 

Designed to minimize radiation exposure while delivering exceptional detail, EOSedge follows the “as low as diagnostically acceptable” principle. When it comes online this year, it will serve PeaceHealth patients and others across Oregon who need advanced imaging to guide complex treatment decisions.

Together, these investments strengthen neurosurgical care today — and position our region for even greater capability tomorrow.

Expanding stroke care when every second counts

When a stroke happens, the brain begins to lose millions of cells each minute. Fast access to specialists can change everything.

Philanthropy is powering the expansion of the Telestroke Network, connecting rural and coastal hospitals directly to stroke experts at Sacred Heart through secure, real-time video technology.

Since implementation, Telestroke machines at Sacred Heart, PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center and PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center were used more than 130 times. Each connection represents a patient who received rapid evaluation by a PeaceHealth neurological expert — often within minutes.

Donor support also made it possible to hire a dedicated Telestroke Program Coordinator to strengthen partnerships with EMS and rural emergency departments. Through training, coordination and shared protocols, stroke care across the region is becoming faster, more consistent and more connected. Sacred Heart remains one of about 300 Comprehensive Stroke Centers in the nation and is the only one between Portland and Sacramento offering 24/7 neurological intervention. Through the Telestroke Network, expertise now reaches far beyond Springfield.

What we accomplished together reflects the very best of what a community can do. Because of donor support, families across Oregon now have faster access to lifesaving neurological care — no matter the hour, no matter the distance.

And the impact will continue to grow. Looking ahead, PeaceHealth hopes to expand this system of expertise and technology to additional referring hospitals, strengthening support for rural emergency departments and bringing timely stroke care to more patients.