newsminer.com

Within the next few years, Fairbanks could see a new heart center built adjacent to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

The Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation launched a fundraising campaign Monday with the hope of raising $3 million to help cover some of the projected costs for the new Harry & Sally Porter Heart Center, which will house the latest technology in cardiac care, expand the cardiac services the hospital already offers and bring those services together under one roof.

“This community helped build the hospital. The community helped build the Denali Center. Now we’re hoping they’ll help us build this heart center,” Shelby Nelson, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said.

Until this past year, Fairbanksans in need of even the most basic cardiac care often had to travel to Anchorage or even out of state to get services. A new cardiology clinic, which opened last April, and a cardiac catherization laboratory, which opened in December, were the first two pieces of the hospital’s multi-year plan to bring heart medicine to the Interior.

According to Nelson, it was always in the works to expand on those services, but officials at the hospital have sped up the timeline because of the incredible demand for cardiac services here. The current cardiology clinic has already outgrown its temporary off-site location away from the hospital.

“When we opened the cardiology clinic in April of last year, we anticipated seeing 700 patients a year,” she said. “We have already seen 1,400 new patients. We really underestimated the number of patients that need care in Fairbanks.”

The proposed heart center, which would be built on property adjacent to the hospital’s catherization lab, will have room to house additional specialists beyond the current clinic’s single cardiologist. The hospital is actively recruiting additional cardiologists, Nelson said. The center will also have diagnostic facilities and offer cardiac rehabilitation services.

Depending on how quickly the money is raised, construction on the new facility could begin as early as next year.

The center will be named in honor of Harry and Sally Porter, two long time Fairbanksans. Harry Porter was among those who worked to see the creation of the community hospital in the ’60s. He volunteered on the hospital foundation’s board of trustees for 35 years until his retirement a few years ago.

“Without him and his guidance, you might not have a facility like this in Fairbanks today,” Nelson said.

For more information on the proposed heart center or about donating to the fund, visit www.fairbankshospitalfoundation.org or call 458-5550.