Submitted by Ryma Lindquist, WWH Community Relations Director
BALDWIN, WI – On October 4, 2023, the Andersen Corporate Foundation sent word to the Western Wisconsin Health Foundation that a $30,000 grant would be awarded to the Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) Obstetrical and Medical-Surgical Unit expansion.
The mission of the Andersen Corporate Foundation is to improve lives and strengthen communities where Andersen employees live and work. It has donated more than $60 million while supporting nonprofit organizations in housing, healthcare, hunger relief, and education. The Andersen Corporate Foundation supported WWH with $40,000 for the new facility back in 2015.
“The Andersen Corporate Foundation has been so supportive to our community, and this allows WWH to continue to grow and provide for our patients, near and far,” Rosa Magnus, WWH Development Manager stated.
With recent birth center closures in the immediate area, Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) has seen a significant increase in birthrates over the last year with 276 total births in 2022. In addition, there has been an ever-increasing hospitalization rate pushing WWH to its capacity and even having to make the difficult choice of sending patients to Twin Cities hospitals.
To address WWH’s growing needs for inpatient services, a hospital expansion began in August 2023 and will add four rooms to the medical-surgical wing and three rooms to the birth center wing. Upon completion, Western Wisconsin Health will have a total of 22 rooms (three unfinished) to provide additional access to care for patients in our community to keep them close to home and to take away barriers.
This expansion will allow WWH to provide the best patient care to a broader spectrum of our service area. Although very costly, WWH realizes this expansion is the right thing to do for local patients; and with that sentiment the WWH foundation along with a committee of WWH leaders has been applying for multiple grant opportunities.
Interested in learning more or how you can help the hospital expansion? Please visit the WWH foundation page: wwhealth.org/contribute.
