Dear Friends of Hamot,

The time has come. For every woman throughout the tri-state region, the time has come for the region's healthcare leader to take a new look at her unique healthcare needs. The time has come for her to have "her own" hospital, a hospital that is dedicated to the unique needs of women, a hospital that offers her a comprehensive array of services from an extraordinary maternity environment to women's surgical care, all with the level of excellence that is Hamot's tradition. The time has come for Hamot to create a new Women and Children's Hospital.

We are transforming our women's and children's programs into a regional destination for obstetrics/gynecology and all other services related to the care of women and their newborns, as well as pediatric care. With the region's leading physicians sharing Hamot's vision of maternalchild healthcare, Hamot has pledged that our women's patient care facilities, where our patients receive the best care, will be second to none. To build a state-of-the-art Women and Children's Hospital on our main campus (on East Second, between French and Holland streets), Hamot's board has approved a $30 million bond issue and a $5 million capital campaign. The bonds have been issued and we are thrilled to announce that we have crossed the half-way point of our fundraising goal with $3 million in philanthropic support for this project.

As a first step in our new approach to women's healthcare, we have launched Hamot for Women, a wide-ranging umbrella of services specific to women's health. We have started with a new approach to maternity care, a comprehensive breast health program, and a new course for diagnosing and treating women's cardiovascular disease and we look to grow in areas such as women's orthopaedics and urology. Our vision for women's and children's services and our plans to create a new hospital will give every woman in the region cause to say, "The Women and Children's Hospital at Hamot is for me."

As a supporter of Hamot, we invite you to be part of the growth that is ensuring the community - and every woman in it - continues to have access to the best care in the best facilities. The time has come. The women and children of our region need your support.

Sincerely,

Barry D. Stamm, M.D.
Chair, Board of Trustees
Hamot Second Century Fund