54th annual fundraising gala set to benefit Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute

PHOENIX – Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, part of the non-profit Banner Health, will host its 54^th annual Candlelight Capers Ball, “Imagine the Difference,” at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008. This year’s beneficiary is a unique program that uses virtual reality gaming technology to further patient outcomes at the Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute (BGSRI), an accredited center that cares for patients through all phases of rehabilitation.

Staff and physicians at BGSRI know that patients can return to a high quality of life following debilitating injuries and illnesses, even those that seem to threaten to take away their independence. With the funds raised at this year’s gala, researchers and clinicians can develop a new rehabilitation concept that will advance patients’ ability to find a meaningful recovery from injuries and illnesses.

BGSRI and Banner Health simulation researchers have recently turned their attention to developing a new concept in physical medicine and rehabilitation that utilizes virtual reality technology to give broken bodies an opportunity to heal. They believe this technology, similar to some concepts used by Nintendo’s Wii System, shows new promise in functional therapeutic treatment for neuromuscular and cognitive rehabilitation. This very serious therapy, however, is delivered with a healthy dose of fun, competitive challenge and family participation. It is the belief of researchers and therapists that these elements will encourage patient compliance in a field of medicine where some simply lose hope.

This new frontier in rehabilitation that is being investigated at Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute is on the radar of others across the country; many of whom are watching the progress thoughtfully. Using gaming platforms and technology, Banner Health intends to design therapeutic games specifically for individual diagnoses and defects, using customized programs to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this therapy and monitor patients’ progress.

With proceeds from this year’s event, BGSRI will continue its journey to develop an innovative rehabilitation program that will truly make a difference in people’s lives.

Originally started as a tea dance more than 50 years ago, Candlelight Capers-which is produced and hosted by the Friends of Good Sam-has become Banner Good Samaritan’s primary fundraising event. To date, the event has raised more than $2 million in support of hospital and community programs. Last year alone, proceeds were raised in excess of $500,000 in support of rural trauma care and education.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for cocktails and silent auction; dinner and dancing will begin at 8 p.m. Gala tickets, which include a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, dancing and a live auction are priced at $250 per person; preferred seating tickets start at $1,000 per couple. Table sponsorship and additional sponsorship opportunities are also available. To purchase tickets or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Banner Good Samaritan Volunteer Services department at (602) 239-4380.

About Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center
Located in downtown Phoenix, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been providing medical care since 1911, and is the flagship hospital within Banner Health. Licensed for 659 inpatient beds, Banner Good Samaritan is recognized as a Magnet^TM hospital for nursing excellence and is ranked as one of America’s “Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report. Today, more than 3,600 nurses and Banner Good Samaritan staff members work with more than 1,700 physicians representing nearly 50 specialties to provide care to more than 36,000 inpatients each year.