Light Up the Night Brings in $292,000

Light Up the Night, Albany Medical Center’s annual summer fundraising gala, raised $292,000 for the Department of Emergency Medicine.

More than 400 guests attended the event at the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course on June 29. Empire BlueCross was the title sponsor.

The event featured a presentation by Emergency Department staff and patients who shared anecdotes about their experiences in the ED.

“We have visited the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center several times, and we are always confident and comfortable that our son Logan will receive the best treatment,” said Jennifer Hendricks-Fogg, who founded the Logan Strong Foundation to help families of childhood cancer patients. “My family will forever be grateful for the love, support, and kindness we receive at Albany Medical Center.”

The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center is the Capital Region’s only dedicated pediatric emergency department. Albany Medical Center is the region’s only Level 1 pediatric and adult trauma center. The emergency departments are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Roughly 75,000 patients were seen in the Emergency Department in 2022, and more than 15,000 patients were transferred here from various health care providers. The ED is the busiest trauma center in New York State.

“Our staff care for people when they are sometimes at their darkest hour in life, oftentimes feeling hopeless and helpless,” said Denis Pauzé, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. “The public’s generosity allows our emergency physicians and staff to stay on the cutting edge of specialized emergency care, which translates into superior treatment for the wonderful people in our communities.”

Proceeds from Light up the Night are used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment and support educational, training, and research opportunities for physicians and staff.