LSU Health Shreveport honors health care professionals at its 13th annual fundraiser

Special to 318Forum

The LSU Health Sciences Foundation (LSUHS Foundation) will host the 13th annual An Evening for Healers at the Shreveport Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 12. This event raises critical funding for LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) to recruit and retain top faculty, acquire cutting-edge equipment and support programs for students across all three schools.

An Evening for Healers also serves as a platform to honor and celebrate the Shreveport-Bossier community’s first responders, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and other health care providers who each played a vital role in saving the lives of patients at Ochsner LSU Health, a 50:50 partnership between Ochsner Health and LSU Health Shreveport, which began in 2018.

Mr. Corwin Harper and Dr. David Guzick

This year’s event will honor more than 50 first responders and health care professionals and will retell their patients’ stories through inspiring documentaries. Featured patient stories will focus on our pediatric cardiology services and our regional Burn Center, highlighting the specialized care provided by Ochsner LSU Health.

Health care remains a key sector that drives the economy in north Louisiana. LSUHS has a direct economic impact of $600 million annually in the Shreveport region. Combined with the economic impact of our practicing alumni ($2.4 billion), LSUHS overall has a total economic impact of over $3 billion annually on North Louisiana.

David Guzick, MD, PhD, chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport and dean of the School of Medicine, recalls his first experience at Evening for Healers last year: “I quickly recognized what an extraordinary event An Evening for Healers is, both for our institution and our community. My vision for LSUHS is for our faculty and staff to ‘Aim High’ in all we do. This motto took on an deeper meaning that night after witnessing the tremendous outpouring of support and the potential impact of what could be accomplished in our community and beyond by LSU Health Shreveport and the Ochsner LSU Health System,” stated Dr. Guzick.

Mayor Thomas Arceneaux with wife, Elizabeth Arceneaux.

Ochsner Health is the presenting sponsor for An Evening for Healers. Ochsner Health and LSU Health Shreveport will celebrate six years of their partnership this year. The Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana was launched in 2018 with a vision to improve access to care and patient care quality, upgrade facilities, expand patient-centered technology, grow the medical school and expand research. Together, they have accomplished that and more.

“The stories we celebrate at An Evening for Healers are just a snapshot of the work that happens every day at Ochsner LSU Health and in our communities,” said Corwin Harper, chief executive officer of Ochsner LSU Health System. “Our care teams do not accept ‘good enough.’ They go to great lengths to treat illness and injury, and in doing so, they save lives. When you combine the highest levels of expertise with empathy and unwavering compassion, the miracles of healing happen. I look forward to honoring the first responders and healers who make such an incredible difference to the communities we serve.”

Jerry Favaloro, Carol Favaloro, Dr. Caitlin Busada and Mike Busada

Last year, the Foundation presented event attendees with the opportunity to fundraise for a vital piece of critical-care equipment at Ochsner LSU Health, raising over $18,000 that evening. The funds were matched thanks to a grant from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation.

“We are grateful for the tremendous benefit that An Evening for Healers provides to our patients and our team,” said Chris Mangin, chief executive officer of Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center hospital. “The funds raised from last year’s event enabled us to purchase an ICU temperature regulator, which optimizes care for our most critical cases, and an ECMO training device. Incorporating the latest technology into our medical training programs and clinical care services greatly enhances patient outcomes. Most of all, though, the event provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those who change and save lives.”

Mike and Caitlin Busada, MD, are the event chairs this year. Dr. Busada received her medical degree from LSU Health Shreveport in 2015, and now is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at LSUHS.

She sees patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s Women’s Health Center.

“Each year, hundreds of the best and brightest students, residents and fellows make Shreveport their home,” said Dr. Busada. “While here, they learn from some of the world’s preeminent physicians, professors, scientists and allied health professionals. As a result, our community has access to some of the best and most cutting-edge health care in the world. This is never more evident than during An Evening for Healers, and we are so honored to be the chairs of this event.”

How to Attend:

Sponsorship opportunities remain available starting at $2,500, and individual tickets can be purchased for $150.

The doors will open at 6 p.m. for the welcome reception, with dinner and the program beginning at 7 p.m. Semi-formal attire is recommended.

More information can be found at www.lsuhsfoundation.org/healers or by calling the LSU Health Sciences Foundation at 318.861.0855.