Why Digestive Health?
Expanding access to care for our community
Adventist Health Sonora’s current gastroenterology (GI) lab, with three procedure rooms for colonoscopies and other tests and treatments, was designed more than 20 years ago, when the level of demand for GI procedures was less than it is today. With an aging population and approximately 100,000 people living in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, our providers are at capacity for these important screenings.
Show your support today
Your generosity means so much to the patients and families we serve. Please visit our online donation page to make a gift in support of advanced gastroenterology care for our community. By providing your details, you agree to receive communications from the Adventist Health Sonora Foundation.
Cancer Prevention
Increasing access to colon cancer screening in the Sierra Foothills
After losing his grandfather to colon cancer, Tyler Newton, Adventist Health Sonora Operations Executive, is working to promote early detection. Watch this brief video to learn how Newton is driven by his family’s experience and working with hospital leadership and philanthropy to open the new Digestive Health Center.
2022 Irving J. Symons Award
Celebrating outstanding community service
Congratulations to Roger and Judy Haughton, who were presented with the 2022 Irving J. Symons Award during a special program at the UNGALA event. We are so grateful for their generosity and inspired by their positive impacts throughout our community. Watch this touching video to see what inspires the Haughtons to give so generously and work tirelessly to build a stronger community.
A New Digestive Health Center
Expanding lifesaving care for our community
The growing need for digestive health services in our community exceeds our current capacity. The new Digestive Health Center will expand gastroenterology care, provide greater patient comfort and convenience, and incorporate the most advanced treatment options in our region.
With Appreciation and Gratitude
Thank you to our generous donors!
We are grateful for your support for UNGALA 2022 and expanding access to care in our community.
- Platinum: The Haughton Family
- Diamond: Edman and Michelle Fuentes, John Kirby, Nancy Lim and Peter Van Houten, Micro-tronics, Yosemite Pathology
- Gold: Caldwell Insurance, California Gold Development Corporation, Deloitte, Foothill Specialty Group, Shari Lyons, Realtor - Berkshire Hathaway, Greg and Carey McCulloch, Tyler and Kristin Newton, Safari Smiles, Sonora Area Foundation, Sierra Emergency Medical Group, Inc., Tim and Jennifer Trujillo, Vituity, Wheeler and Egger, CPAs
UNGALA 2022
Why your gift is so important
Your sponsorship will support the construction of our new Digestive Health Center, a strategic priority to expand and strengthen healthcare access to meet our community’s growing needs. This will be especially beneficial for community members who lack the financial resources to travel for care.
If you would prefer to discuss your gift in support of the new Digestive Health Center or other giving opportunities, please contact Andee Houser, Foundation Director, at 209-536-5029 or HouserAG@ah.org.
More about the Digestive Health Center
A vision for world-class Digestive Healthcare, close to home
In the new, expanded location, patients will experience world-class, comprehensive care, with the latest technology allowing our physicians to offer the most advanced care in our region. The new space will double our current capacity, with six GI procedure rooms and enough medical office space for two additional gastroenterologists, advanced practice providers, and dozens of additional clinical and clerical staff.
Located on the ground floor of the Professional Center, adjacent to the main hospital and where the cancer center was located prior to moving to the Diana J. White Cancer Institute, the planned Digestive Health Center will have dedicated entrances for outpatient procedures and for office visits with the gastroenterologists. The space will offer comfort and convenience for patients and their families.
Raising hope
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our community, which gave more than $3 million in gifts to support the construction of the Health Pavilion and Diana J. White Cancer Institute, we are providing lifesaving care every day. Our goal is to raise 20 percent of the total cost of building the Digestive Health Center through community donations.
Thank you for seizing this new opportunity to help increase healthcare access, expand the early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer and allow patients to receive advanced services for conditions affecting the digestive tract close to home. By expanding digestive health services in Sonora, we can ensure that every grandparent, family member and friend has timely access to preventive screenings, tests and treatments.