Roper Xavier Society Plans Gala Event To Honor Supporters
Washington Politicos Carville-Matalin To Address More Than 600 Attendees

On February 1, The Citadel’s parade field will become the scene of an elegant celebration as the Rx Society hosts its Inaugural Donor Appreciation Gala. Highlighting the evening’s agenda will be guest speakers James Carville and Mary Matalin.  The nationally recognized husband-wife team who served in the Clinton and Bush administrations, respectively, will offer an insightful and well-balanced discussion of politics from both sides of the aisle.

Wachovia Bank is presenting sponsor for the Donor Appreciation Gala.  Additional sponsors are Mark J. Cumins, Jerry Scheer and TBonz Restaurant Group, and D. Grant Carwile and Sharon Watson.

“We are grateful to our sponsors,” said Susan Sullivan, Executive Director of Roper St. Francis Foundation.  “And we offer a special thanks to our friends at The Citadel who have donated their time, energy and their beautiful setting for our inaugural event.”

The Rx Society, an annual giving society,  was formed in early 2005 to raise awareness and funds for the Roper St. Francis Foundation, the fundraising arm of Roper St. Francis Healthcare.   Funding from the 2005 Society will support:

• The Roper St. Francis Heart & Vascular Tower, to open at Roper Hospital’s downtown campus in Spring 2006  
• The Julian T. Buxton Jr., M.D. Surgical Pavilion located on the seventh floor of the new Tower
• The Roper St. Francis Cancer Center
• The Meditation Garden at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital

“This is really a coming out party for the Roper Xavier Society,” said John Holloway, the Rx Society’s Chairman and Senior Vice President of Wachovia Corporation.  “We are extremely excited that so many individuals have accepted the challenge to support the continued growth of healthcare in our community.”  

Holloway added that close to half of the Society’s membership is represented by physicians within the Roper St. Francis Healthcare system.  “We are especially pleased with the physicians’ representation in the Society.  With the blend of community and physician membership, the Society will be a great partner with the hospital system in expanding world class healthcare for the Lowcountry.”

 “The new Heart and Vascular Tower will provide patients with the most comprehensive, innovative heart and vascular care in one easily accessible location,” said Jeb Hallett, M.D., Medical Director of Roper St. Francis Heart and Vascular Services.   “Our team of board-certified physicians will deliver the latest technologies and procedures.”

The Heart and Vascular Tower will house three new state-of-the-art plane digital catheterization and two electrophysiology laboratories; new cardiac, vascular and endovascular operating rooms; a new cardiac non-invasive laboratory; enhanced and centralized vascular care services, and cardiovascular intermediate and intensive care patient rooms.  “Combined with the first fully accredited Chest Pain Center in the Lowcountry, these enhancements will enable us to continue setting the standard for cardiovascular treatment in the region,” Hallett said.

The Buxton Surgical Pavilion, named in honor of the hospital system’s first board chairman and one of Charleston’s best-known and admired physicians, will include 42 patient rooms specially designed with advanced, in-room treatment equipment for recovering surgery patients. Specialized nurses will staff this centralized area representing the finest in post-operative care. Rooms will feature expansive views of Charleston Harbor.

“Julian had a deep respect for the Foundation and its role in assisting Roper St. Francis Healthcare in providing the very best patient care possible," said Anne Buxton, wife of the late Julian T. Buxton, Jr. MD.  "I know he would be honored that the Surgical Pavilion named in his memory is one of the initiatives to benefit from the new Rx Society."

The Roper St. Francis Cancer Center, recently accredited with commendation by the American College of Surgeons, offers the most current medical and technological advances available.  Included are the Southeast's newest Bone Marrow Transplant Program affiliated with the National Marrow Donor Program; NCI accreditation for IMRT protocols in Radiation Oncology; the most advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner; and the only fixed-site Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner in Charleston.

The Bon Secours St. Francis Meditation Garden will be a special place where patients can pray and reflect in a beautiful and serene setting under the existing canopy of live oaks.  The central element will be a labyrinth, considered a sacred path to health and wholeness.  A prayer garden with a cascading fountain and a dramatic sculpture of Christ complete the setting.

The Donor Appreciation Gala will be an annual event.  Currently, the Rx Society is accepting memberships for 2006.  For information on how to become a member, please call 843-720-1205.