PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The County Dialysis Center, the only kidney dialysis service in Aroostook County and the only not-for-profit center in Maine, will host a ribbon cutting and open house Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016 at its expanded and updated facility.
The public is invited to the event, which takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. at North Street Healthcare in Presque Isle and will include refreshments and guided tours of the center.
One in three Americans is at risk for kidney disease and the number is growing both nationally and in Maine. The County Dialysis Center, a department of The Aroostook Medical Center, provides treatments three times a week to patients from every corner of Aroostook County, some of whom travel over 345 miles each week for their critical care.
“Without the center, patients would have to travel to down state for treatment, move from The County or go without treatments altogether. Having a dialysis center close to home allows patients to receive local care with the support network of their families and friends,” said Glenda Dwyer, interim president of TAMC. “We invite the public to join us at the open house to see the remarkable service provided for our neighbors in need.”
Founded in 1997 with 12 patients, the center has provided over 104,000 vital treatments since it opened and the number of patients has more than quadrupled in less than 20 years.
Last summer, TAMC began the quiet phase of a $750,000 capital campaign to update and enlarge the kidney dialysis center to accommodate the growing number of County patients. Not only was the space no longer adequate to serve patients, but critical equipment which had operated consistently six days a week for nearly 20 years had far exceeded its useful life. The upgrades to both facilities and equipment were desperately needed.
Local individuals and companies have helped the campaign reach 65 percent of its goal and annual proceeds from TAMC’s Country Heart Gift Shop have been allocated to the effort. Because of the critical need for additional space and updated equipment to accommodate patient care, the campaign seeks help from the public to raise the remaining 35 percent of its goal.
Donations to the County Dialysis Center can be made online at tamc.org/dialysis or by contacting Hollie Gowen at hlgowen@emhs.org or 207-768-4350.
