In back, from left: Cheerleading Coaches Amara Bowen and Amelia Zakrajsek present a $300 gift from members of the Westfield Goldenhawks Football and Cheerleading Teams to WMH Foundation Executive Director Patricia Gaughan DiPalma (center). To her left are hospital associates: Radiology Supervisor Lara Whitesell, Exec. Assistant Jacqueline Francisco, and Medical Records Coordinator Kim Raynor, who also held a fundraiser at the hospital raising an additional $491 for a total of $791. Front Row: seated from left to right: Steven Bemus in front of Cheerleader, Kendra Bowen, Jameson Bemus in front of Football player, Dominik Reed and Cheerleader, Amelia Zakrajsek.

Westfield Goldenhawks Football and Cheerleading Teams and AHN Westfield Hospital Associates are pleased to present the Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation with a gift of $791.

During October, the league’s members and AHN Westfield Associates raised funds for the hospital to bring awareness and support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The league purchased pink bows and breast cancer awareness socks for the team during their football games throughout October.

In addition, AHN Westfield Associates: Executive Assistant Jacqueline Francisco, Radiology Supervisor Lara Whitesell along with Medical Records Coordinator Kim Raynor spearheaded a raffle in support of Breast Cancer Awareness at Westfield Memorial Hospital.

“This is an extraordinary group of student athletes,” says Coach Melissa Zakrajsek. “These students wanted to do something to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was also important to them that their donation stay in the beloved community where they live, learn, and play. I’m so proud of them.”

Goldenhawks is Westfield’s youth football and cheerleading league, supporting over 80 local youth athletes ages 6-13 in football and cheerleading each year. For more information about Westfield Goldenhawks, please contact: westfieldgoldenhawks@gmail.com.

“This gift from such a young group of donors speaks volumes and will allow AHN Westfield Radiology Department to focus on key areas that help women before, during, and after a breast cancer diagnosis. We thank this group of impressive young athletes for their support, which is crucial in helping patients at our community hospital every step of the way,” said Patricia Gaughan DiPalma, executive director of the WMH Foundation.

She also lauded the efforts of her colleagues, who put forth an extraordinary amount of work for this worthy cause. “This would not have been possible without the untiring efforts of the hospital associates who work diligently each and every day to provide the best possible healthcare to all those who utilize our community hospital.”

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There is a risk for cancer at any age. Lara Whitesell emphasized early detection saves lives and joined DiPalma in thanking her colleagues at AHN Westfield, and the Westfield Goldenhawks members for their fundraising efforts.

“For Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we picked a certain day where all staff members and providers (donned in matching pink Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts) promote breast self-exams, healthcare education and getting annual breast cancer screenings. She continued saying: “We’re excited to partner with the community to spread the word, because we know that mammograms save lives. I am also grateful to all those who contributed to the success of this event.”

Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women.

In addition to emergency care, the hospital provides an array of services, including ambulatory and short-stay surgery, outpatient diagnostic services, physical therapy, cardiac testing, imaging, women’s diagnostic services, digital mammography, laboratory, diabetes education, nuclear stress testing, wound and infusion clinics, inpatient care, and a specialty services suite that includes general surgery, digestive diseases, OB-GYN services, and orthopedics.

Telemedicine services for stroke patients are also available at AHN-Westfield Hospital. The hospital also provides primary care services on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution during its nine-week summer season.

For those who would like to learn more about the hospital Foundation or how to give to the 2023 Annual Campaign, contact Ms. DiPalma at patricia.dipalma@ahn.org, call 716-793-2338 or visit the foundation’s website at www.westfieldhospitalfoundation.org.