Lafayette General Hosts Annual Gala Event

Lafayette General Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Lafayette General Health, held its fifth-annual gala Thursday night. Approximately 500 physicians, hospital employees and supporters of Lafayette General attended the sold-out event, held at La Marquis Ballroom in the Parc Lafayette complex.

The theme of the evening was honoring “Healthcare Heroes of Acadiana.” The Foundation honored heroes employed around the Lafayette General Health system as well as three partners of the healthcare industry. The employees honored included the Emergency Department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Lafayette General Medical Center; the Operating Room and Outcomes departments at Acadia General Hospital; the Pediatric Department at University Hospital & Clinics; and the Imaging Department at St. Martin Hospital.

The industry partners recognized were Acadian Ambulance, with the Corporate Hero Award for delivering a quality product; Dr. Damon Cudihy, OB/GYN, with the Caregiver Hero Award for exemplary treatment of patients and peers; and Maddie’s Footprints, with the Community Hero Award for providing an invaluable service to the community.

Acadian Ambulance, the nation’s largest privately owned medical transportation company founded in 1971, was recognized for its response to the Grand Theatre mass shooting in July. They arrived onsite in minutes, transporting three victims to Lafayette General Medical Center.

Dr. Cudihy was honored for going above and beyond his duty in a very difficult teen pregnancy situation. He works closely with Family Missions Company in Abbeville, where he serves as a lay Catholic foreign missionary. His missionary work focuses on OB/GYN services for underserved women.

Maddie’s Footprints is a nonprofit organization that helps families who experience miscarriages, stillbirths or the loss of an infant. Through their Footprints of Hope program, they help families in need of information, counseling or financial assistance. Lafayette General is a proud sponsor of the 2015 Footprints Forever 5K and Fun Run on October 24.

The gala serves as a fundraising endeavor by donating proceeds of its ticket sales and sponsorships to the Foundation. During the gala, Cian Robinson, Executive Director of the Foundation, honored its largest corporate sponsors, which included The Lemoine Company, Cox Communications, Eldercare Outreach, Cardiovascular Institute of the South and Advancial Federal Credit Union.

The Foundation is instrumental in funding technological upgrades for the LGH system, as well as administering many other ventures, such as telemedicine clinics, memorial funds and community outreach projects.