Auction, ball, a benefit for CGH cooling device
STERLING – During a heart attack or stroke, blood flow to the brain is reduced and brain death can occur in 4 to 6 minutes. Inducing hypothermia can protect the brain and other parts of the body and help save a person’s life.
Because there’s never a bathtub full of ice around when you need it, CGH Auxiliary is trying to raise about $35,000 to buy the hospital a noninvasive cooling system, called the Arctic Sun, that can do just that.
Every 3 years, the auxiliary holds its Reflections Ball and Auction, a major fundraiser that is used to buy something on CGH Medical Center’s “wish list.”
This year, the fundraiser is Sept. 18 at Brandywine Inn in Dixon.
The event gives the community and hospital staff a chance to celebrate CGH’s 100th anniversary, and the money raised will be used to buy the device.
The evening will begin at 5:30 with cocktails, a silent auction, music by the Rock River Valley String Quartet and photos by professional photographer Jim Grot.
The silent auction ends at 7 p.m. and is followed at 7:15 by a 100-year anniversary sparkling wine toast, dinner and dessert auction.
A live auction begins at 8:15. Up for bid are a $1,000 AirTran gift certificate, various overnight stays from Jumer’s Casino and Castle to a week in Punta Gorda, Fla., a Weber gas grill, two family admissions to Beaver Springs in Wisconsin Dells, a happy-hour party for 100 at the Howl at the Moon Bar in Chicago, tickets to a Chicago Bears game, his and her bikes, and more.
A dance to the music of Radio Star Band will wrap up the festivities.
Tickets are $65 a person; tables of eight are available. The event is black-tie optional.
For a full list of auction items, event details, or to register, go to www.cghauction.com online.
For more information, call Corrine Sandefer, CGH Auxiliary auction chairwoman, at 815-622-0027.
How to donate
To help the auxiliary reach its $35,000 goal, make checks payable to CGH Auxiliary and send them c/o Corrine Sandefer; 72 Carriage Hill Drive; Sterling, IL 61081.
A closer look at how Arctic Sun system works
The Arctic Sun system pushes temperature-controlled fluid through pads that hug a patient’s body, simulating the experience of being immersed in cool water.
It lowers the body’s temperature and reduces the damage that can occur when blood starts to flow again.
The system also monitors the patient’s temperature and brings it to a set target prescribed by a doctor.
Cooling takes 60 to 90 minutes, while conventional techniques can take 6 to 8 hours.
“Studies show that by reducing the body’s temperature below normal and following this with a slow rewarming phase, we can prevent brain damage and save lives,” Ed Andersen, CGH president and CEO, said in a news release.
In addition to helping heart and stroke patients, the Arctic Sun can aid patients with liver failure, prevent hypothermia during complex surgical procedures and reduce fevers in intensive care patients.
“We are so grateful to the CGH Auxiliary and the CGH Reflections Ball Committee for providing this vital tool that will aid brain healing and enhance our patients’ recovery,” Andersen said in the release.
