Community raises more than $189,000 for imaging center at AHTV

Recognizing a need for more advanced diagnostic equipment, community members pledged more than $189,000 in gifts during a benefit dinner on April 9 to go toward a planned $3 million imaging center at Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley. 

Community members attending the event donated $46,000 during a paddle raise event that evening, and those gifts were matched by Sage Ranch developer Jeff Ciachurski. It was also announced that Tehachapi residents Jim and Lesa Cyr are gifting $500,000 toward the imaging center. 

"Our hearts are filled with gratitude after Tuesday night. We're so overcome by the generous gifts our community members have pledged toward this ambitious effort to bring an imaging center to our hospital," Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley Philanthropy Manager Christina Scrivner said. "We are truly blessed to live in this community." 

Having more advanced diagnostic equipment would allow Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley to care for more patients close to home. Equipment like an MRI machine, a 64-slice CT scanner and other advanced diagnostic equipment on-site is critical to fulfilling the health needs of our community. Currently, patients requiring those advance diagnostics must seek care elsewhere. 

"We always want to care for our patients close to home. Right now, we're having to send some patients down the hill because we don't have advanced enough diagnostic equipment," Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley President Jeff Lingerfelt said. "Our community deserves high-quality care, and they deserve it right here in their hometown. We're striving to deliver that and are so grateful to our community for supporting us on this endeavor." 

Adventist Health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 75 communities in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Our workforce of 32,900 includes more than 23,600 employees; nearly 5,000 medical staff physicians; and 4,350 volunteers. Founded on Seventh-day Adventist heritage and values, Adventist Health provides compassionate care in 20 hospitals, more than 260 clinics (hospital-based, rural health and physician clinics), 15 home care agencies, seven hospice agencies and four joint-venture retirement centers. In addition, the Adventist Health Plan serves patients in Kings County. Visit http://www.AdventistHealth.org for more information.