(Photo provided)

ELIZABETHTOWN — The University of Vermont Health Network’s Elizabethtown Community Hospital Auxiliary was awarded an $8,000 grant from International Paper’s Ticonderoga Mill and the International Paper Foundation. The hospital auxiliary raised an additional $8,000 and made a gift of $16,000 toward the purchase of new handheld ultrasound units for the hospital’s six community-based health centers.

“We are grateful for the support from International Paper and our auxiliary,” said Dr. Rob Demuro, the hospital’s medical director for primary care. “We are excited to start using the new ultrasound units in our practice and are working to get all of our providers trained on the new technology.”

According to Demuro, handheld ultrasound is becoming more and more common in primary care. The eight Butterfly iQ ultrasound units will enable providers to take and store high-quality images and videos.

“The ultrasounds will allow us to check for gall bladder disease, blood clots and aortic aneurysms,” he said. “Early detection of these illnesses can allow for more rapid treatment and reduce the risk of hospitalization and surgery.”

There are nearly 28,000 visits each year to the hospital’s health centers, located in AuSable Forks, Crown Point, Elizabethtown, Westport, Willsboro and Wilmington. The health center staff offer a wide range of expertise to patients of all ages, including preventive screenings, diagnosis and management of chronic health conditions, and same-day urgent care appointments.

Started in 1952, the International Paper Foundation annually provides millions in grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to address critical needs in the communities where its employees live and work. Funding priority is given to programs related to its signature causes: education, hunger, health and wellness, disaster relief, and initiatives that improve the planet. For more information, visit ipgiving.com.

The hospital auxiliary works to support the mission of the hospital and its employees, as well as hospital-sponsored community initiatives to improve the health of our region. Over the past decade, the auxiliary has raised more than $125,000 for the hospital. Donations to the hospital auxiliary may be mailed to the UVM Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital, 75 Park St., Elizabethtown, NY 12932. For more information, visit https://www.ech.org/about-us/make-a-contribution.