Charleston VA hosted grand opening, ribbon cutting for new Fisher House

New Fisher House will support military and veterans’ families receiving treatment at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center


Charleston, SC, Dec. 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Media Contacts:

Tonya Lobbestael, 843-789-7699/843-214-9504

tonya.lobbestael@va.gov

Fisher House Foundation celebrated the opening of South Carolina’s first Fisher House on Dec. 7, 2017. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (VAMC) and Fisher House Foundation hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony featuring remarks from Charleston VA Medical Center Director Scott Isaacks, Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO Kenneth Fisher, Veterans Health Administration Executive in Charge Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Fisher House Charleston co-founders Trux and Durbin Emerson. The ceremony was open to the public and tours of the new Charleston Fisher House followed the ceremony.

The Fisher House, located in downtown Charleston at 150 Wentworth Street, will provide lodging for up to 16 families of eligible Veterans and active duty military members at no cost, allowing them to be close to their loved one while they receive care at the Charleston VAMC. The Ralph H. Johnson VAMC Fisher House will not only create an instant community for its residents – united by their common mission of supporting a sick or injured loved one – it will also provide families with a secure and private refuge after a long day at the medical center to rest and recharge.

“We are extremely humbled by the incredible generosity of the Charleston community and supporters across the country to our Veterans,” said Charleston VAMC Director Scott Isaacks. “Every day, our work at Charleston VA reminds us of the service and sacrifice of Servicemembers and the families that love them. And while there is no greater expression of love than the laying down of life for others, caring for family members who have suffered the wounds of war is a lifelong commitment that is to be highly valued as well. Opening this Fisher House provides us with the opportunity to continue to care for and comfort these families during their time of need.”   

Located just a mile from the medical center in historic downtown Charleston, the three-story, 16-suite home features a common kitchen, laundry facility, a spacious dining room and an inviting living room with a library. In 2017, VA Fisher Houses have accommodated more than 25,000 families, saving them more than $4 million in lodging costs.

“It is an honor to bring families together at a time when they need it most – during a medical crisis,” said Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO, Ken Fisher. “We are grateful to continue to expand the network of Fisher Houses to Charleston. Building a Fisher House in a new community requires much passion and even more perseverance, and we are thankful for everyone in the Charleston community who helped make this house a reality.”

Construction of this Fisher House is supported by: Fisher House Charleston, Jack C. Taylor Family & Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Shipley Foundation, Inc. Fisher House Golf Classic 2016, Acosta Sales & Marketing, Bishop Gadsden, Emerson and Dorsch families, Samsung Electronics America and Veterans Canteen Service.

For more information about volunteering and supporting the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC Fisher House, please contact the Fisher House Manager at 843-789-7440.

ABOUT THE RALPH H. JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER:

Located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is a tertiary care teaching hospital providing the highest level quality care from cardiology to neurology to primary and mental health care for 75,000 Veterans along the South Carolina and Georgia coast. The Ralph H. Johnson VA achieved a 5-Star rating according to VA’s Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning Value (SAIL) model. The SAIL rating ranks the Charleston VA in the top 10 percent of VA medical centers nationwide for quality of care and efficiency. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is a regional referral center for robotic surgery, orthopedics and other specialties, and is the first VA National Tele-Mental Health Hub providing care for Veterans across the U.S. The 149-bed Level 1A hospital includes six community based outpatient clinics, a 20-bed nursing home, women’s health, and the full range of inpatient and outpatient care, including medical and surgical intensive care. The VAMC provides more than 934,000 outpatient visits and approximately 4,500 in-patient stays annually. With more than 2,700 employees, Charleston VA has an annual budget of $525 million, research funding of more than $28.8 million, and more than 95 principle investigators participating in approximately 280 research studies. For more information, visit www.charleston.va.gov.

About Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment.  These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths.  Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room.  Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee.  Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $360+ million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.

Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge.  The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans.

www.fisherhouse.org

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2cced13-3f92-4982-8ec0-07cc136f493d

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dabf99fc-266f-42df-b576-f8e67602b9f1

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d3e9d0b-41f0-4190-b183-fc21910e3525


            
The Charleston Fisher House will support military and veterans’ families receiving treatment at Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. This home dedicated today will be the 73rd Fisher House. Following the dedication ceremony, the ribbon was officially cut on Fisher House number 73.

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