Why ECMO Matters and Who ECMO Helps
ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is a type of artificial life support that helps people whose lungs or heart are not working properly.
Examples include:
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Heart Injuries
- Transplants and Surgeries
During ECMO treatment, blood is pumped out of the body into a machine that removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen. The oxygenated blood is then pumped back into the body. This treatment can be used to provide support for the heart and lungs while they heal from infection or trauma, or it can fully bypass heart and lung function if needed.
Meet Mathew Dominguez
Without ECMO, Mathew, an athletic 34-year-old, could have lost his life within days. However, thanks to this technology, he was able to walk out of the hospital and return to cycling.
Read ArticleWhat If We Can't Expand the ECMO Program?
Lives will still be saved… but not as many as we are capable of saving.
Patients will be transferred out of Tallahassee for higher level care… IF a bed available for them… IF they are stable enough to be transferred… IF an ECMO team of clinicians is available to handle the transfer.
Families will travel quite a distance to be with their loved ones and incur costs of travel and lodging, sometimes for long periods of time.
How You Can Help
The cost of one ECMO machine is $265,000.
We currently have 1 machine that allows us to keep for fewer than 20 patients annually here at home in Tallahassee for care.
Expanding the ECMO program to 3 machines is the short-term goal which will enable TMH to provide more life-changing ECMO care to more patients, and will keep them at home rather than transferring to distant areas.
YOUR gift will help provide life-giving care, right here at home, to many more patients!
