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Need Also Exists for Handmade Gowns and Surgical Caps  Renown caregivers are grateful for the community’s love and enthusiasm for sewing masks, gowns and surgical caps. We continue to need these items and appreciate your support. Masks for Patient Visitors: We are requesting that community members sew masks for loved ones visiting patients at Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center. All patterns and cotton or cotton-blends are welcome. Isolation Gowns: For community crafted isolation gowns, please use the Renown-approved pattern and instructions. Bouffant (Surgical Caps): The pattern we are using for community-crafted Bouffants is available here. Donations are welcome at our drive-thru, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., located in the valet area of Tahoe Tower at Renown Regional Medical Center. All handcrafted masks, gowns and surgical caps will be laundered and sanitized before being distributed. We are so grateful for our community’s support during these unprecedented times. To address the many generous offers of assistance, we have compiled this information and hope you find it helpful. https://www.renown.org/donations-covid-19/.   ###   About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org

Read More About Renown Seeks Handcrafted Mask for Hospital Visitors

Three Los Angeles teens rallied their high school classmates to raise funds and donate more than 1,300 face masks for Renown Health employees.  While many teens reflected on missed milestones like prom and graduation that didn’t happen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, three high school seniors from Los Angeles felt inspired to make a difference. Friends Jessica Gestetner, Amanda Rosenthal and Katherine Konvitz organized a fundraising campaign with their classmates and purchased over 1,300 face masks for staff at Renown Health.  “My friends and I wanted to help our doctors and nurses because they are out saving lives while we are all fortunate enough to remain at home and healthy,” said Gestetner “We raised over $3,500 and spent it buying KN-95 masks for the heroes at Renown. This was our way of thanking all the healthcare workers for their selfless service.”  Why did these LA teens choose Renown Health for this donation? Katherine Konvitz has a family friend who works at Renown, which is how the teens first learned about the organization’s call for community support to gather face masks and other personal protective equipment. Thanks to this significant donation, Renown exceeded its goal of securing 10,000 community-donated face masks to benefit employees working on the frontline to help keep the community safe.   “I can only imagine how difficult these times are for our youth, as they’re unable to go to school, spend time with their friends and experience all the  activities that are seen as a rite of passage to many,” said Tony Slonim, MD, D.Ph., president and CEO of Renown Health. “I applaud the incredible act of kindness displayed by Jessica, Amanda and Katherine to give back to our staff, despite the challenging circumstances. We are extremely fortunate to have the generosity and support of northern Nevadans and people across the country as we work to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve.”   Aside from their face mask contribution, Ms. Gestetner, Rosenthal and Konvitz also made a financial donation to Renown’s Healthcare Workers Greatest Needs fund, where donations are directed to address the highest needs our healthcare teams are currently facing as they continue to screen, diagnose and care for patients with respiratory illness, including COVID-19. For others interested in making a tax-deductible donation of Personal Protective Equipment, Meals, Financial Donations or Thank You notes, you can go to renown.org/donations-covid-19/ or contact Renown Health Foundation, 245 E Liberty St #400, Reno, NV 89501. Phone: (775) 982-5545  Renown continues to welcome donations of masks, gowns and surgical caps and appreciates the support of our community. Donations are accepted through the main entrance at the Tahoe Tower of Renown Regional Medical Center. Please let the security staff know you are dropping off donations for the mask donation drive and these items will be marked accordingly. All handcrafted masks, gowns and surgical caps are laundered and sanitized before distribution to appropriate areas.    In addition to the personal protective equipment Renown has received during these unprecedented times, people have thanked care providers through hundreds of notes and cards, as well as numerous generous meal donations for frontline staff. These donations have a tremendous impact on Renown’s ability to continue to provide quality care in northern Nevada despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.        About Renown Health   Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, Renown Children’s Hospital, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Coming Together to Make a Difference: Teens Donate Over 1,300 Face Masks to Healthcare Heros

Growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths are troubling; facemasks can slow the trend. 100 of the nation’s top health care systems, representing thousands of hospitals in communities across the U.S., have come together with an urgent plea for all Americans – mask up, because wearing a facemask is our best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic now. More than 11.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional one million in just the past week – leading to nearly 250,000 deaths. The current trends are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortages of healthy caregivers make it difficult to handle a rapidly increasing number of patients. Unfortunately, this is already happening in parts of our country. The next several months will be critical. Though there has been positive news about vaccine development, no one knows when those vaccines will be ready for widespread use. In the meantime, everyone must remain vigilant, take precautions and follow public health orders. The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere. Beginning today, a public service message will run in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times. Additionally, leading hospitals and health systems across the country will continue to unite to share these messages regionally. The message reads: “As the top nationally-ranked hospitals, we know it’s tough that we all need to do our part and keep wearing masks. But, here’s what we also know: The science has not changed. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. So, please join us as we all embrace this simple ask: Wear. Care. Share with #MaskUp. Together, wearing is caring. And together, we are saving lives.” In an effort to reach a broader audience, the public service effort will also include messages on digital platforms, social media, online information, links to vital health resources and more.  Combining resources demonstrates that these health organizations are working together, will accomplish this today and will get through this together. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to recent studies that have shown facemasks successfully limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wearing facemasks protect in key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer. In addition to masking, the CDC suggests that everyone minimize the number of non-household contacts, maintain a physical distance of at least six feet, and limit the amount of time around others, especially while indoors and in poorly ventilated areas. For further information about masking guidelines – how to choose a mask, how to properly wear a mask – visit the CDC website.     About us: www.everymaskup.com is a collaboration of 100 leading health systems representing thousands of hospitals across the U.S. joining together to create messages for the betterment of communities they serve. The impetus for this, and other public service campaigns to follow, came from a group of health care marketing and communications executives meeting for a decade and reengaged weekly since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The goal is to share knowledge and experience, best practices, strategies and resources - knowing they can accomplish more together. Founded and led by Rhoda Weiss, Ph.D., Los Angeles-based national health care leader and consultant, the expanded coalition is partnering with Cleveland Clinic Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Paul Matsen and his team for this effort. Additionally, hospitals and health systems on a regional basis continue to come together to send messages like these of prevention and safety, hope and healing, life and death, care and caring.Media Contacts:Rhoda WeissM: 310-945-6730E: rhoda@rhodaweiss.comAngie KiskaM: 216-312-9170E: kiskaa@ccf.org     The following hospitals and health systems to spread this message across the country.   AdventHealth Nemours Children's Health System Adventist Health NewYork-Presbyterian Allegheny Health Network Northwell Health Atrium Health  Northwestern Medicine Avera Health Norton Healthcare Banner Health Ochsner Health Baptist Health Northeast Florida OhioHealth  Baylor Scott & White Health Oregon Health & Science University BJC HealthCare OSF HealthCare Bon Secours Mercy Health OU Health  Boston Children's Hospital  PeaceHealth Cedars-Sinai  Penn Medicine  Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Penn State Health Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Providence  Children's Hospital of Orange County Renown Health Children's National Hospital  Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center ChristianaCare Rush University System for Health Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center RWJ Barnabas Health City of Hope Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, MO) Cleveland Clinic SCL Health CommonSpirit Health Scripps Health Community Health Systems Sharp HealthCare Cooper University Health Care Southwestern Health Resources Dana-Farber Cancer Institute SSM Health Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health  St. Elizabeth Healthcare Duke Health  St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital  Emory Healthcare St. Luke's Hospital (St. Louis)  Geisinger Stanford Health Care Hackensack Meridian Health Sutter Health HCA Healthcare Temple Health  Inspira Health Texas Health Resources Intermountain Healthcare The Christ Hospital Health Network Jefferson Health The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Johns Hopkins Medicine The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Kaiser Permanente ThedaCare Keck Medicine of USC TriHealth (Cincinnati) LifePoint Health Trinity Health  Mass General Brigham UC Davis Health Mayo Clinic UCHealth MedStar Health UC Health CINCINNATI Memorial Hermann UC San Diego Health  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center UChicago Medicine  MemorialCare (Southern California) UCI Health Mercy UCLA Health Michigan Medicine UCSF Health Mount Sinai Health System UNC Health National Jewish Health  University of California Health Nationwide Children's Hospital University Hospitals (Cleveland) Nebraska Medicine University of Iowa Health Care    Virtua Health

Read More About Renown and Thousands of Top U.S. Hospitals Encourage Everyone to #MaskUp

New study, led by physician researchers from Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine seeks to understand how the immune system responds to COVID-19 with goal of developing a new treatment. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may now be able to help patients currently fighting the infection by donating their plasma. Those who have recovered from the infection may have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood. These antibodies provided one way for their immune systems to fight the virus when they were sick, so their blood may be used to help others fight off the disease through convalescent plasma. Convalescent plasma is a component of blood from recovered patients that may contain precious COVID-19 antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that might help fight the infection. In this study, we will be collecting plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and investigating its efficacy in helping treat other patients with COVID-19. Convalescent plasma is being investigated for treatment of COVID-19 because there is no approved treatment for the disease and there is information that suggests it might help some patients recover from COVID-19. Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) are leading a study locally to better understand how the body’s immune system responds to the virus, how it presents in northern Nevada and ultimately, aid in developing a new treatment for COVID-19. “Renown and UNR Med are at the forefront of conducting essential research to increase the health and safety of our community,” said Sara Healy, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the study and a pediatric infectious disease physician at Renown Children’s Hospital and UNR Med. “So little is known about effectively treating COVID-19 and we are venturing into new territory. This important study is instrumental in helping us understand the immune systems of people who were affected by COVID-19, and with their help, getting us one step closer to finding a treatment for the disease that has significantly impacted our nation and our community.” “COVID-19 survivors are in a unique and exciting position to be a part of something much bigger than the virus,” said Mark Riddle, MD, DrPH, FISTM, associate investigator of the study and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at UNR Med. “As a participant of this study, not only are you helping us to better understand the disease and the chronic health affects it has long term, but it’s a way to help those suffering from the disease to fight it and hopefully recover. We encourage participation in this important study and invaluable contributions to advancing medicine and our knowledge of COVID-19.” This community-wide study led by physician researchers from Renown Health and UNR Med is a collaborative effort with Vitalant, county and state health districts, Saint Mary’s Medical Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Carson Tahoe Health and the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, along with the many care providers in our area.   People aged 18-60 in general good health who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are encouraged to consider donating convalescent plasma as part of this study. There are 332 people, just in Washoe County (as of 5/1/20) who have recovered from COVID-19 and have immune systems that may now be producing antibodies to protect them from becoming infected again with coronavirus. Donated plasma is needed right now, for this clinical trial to determine definitively if this treatment works. Participating in this research study will also make it easier to donate plasma to the Mayo Clinic convalescent plasma program that Renown is a part of in hopes to find a treatment for COVID-19. There is no cost to participate in this study and participation is voluntary. An individual’s decision to participate will not affect their current or future relations with their health care provider(s), health district, or the community. Those who decide to participate are free to withdraw at any time. Confirmed COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the virus and are interested in participating in the study are invited to contact the project coordinators at the Renown Research Office at (775) 982-3646, or via e-mail at covidplasmascreening@renown.org, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.   About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org. About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Established in 1969, UNR Med is improving the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Read More About Seeking Donors Who Have Recovered from COVID-19 to Donate Plasma