NEW YORK, February 10, 2025 – The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (“Helmsley”) has announced a grant of $1.365M to Rambam Health Corporation for the purchase of an angiography system for the interventional radiology unit at Rambam Health Care Campus (“Rambam”). The center will use the new equipment in the treatment of trauma-related vascular injuries, such as blunt or penetrating injuries caused by stabbing, shrapnel, and vehicle accidents.
The only Level 1 trauma center in Northern Israel, Rambam is a major referral center for several hospitals in the region, as well as for Israel’s military forces. The hospital’s interventional radiology unit is undergoing renovation and, when complete, will include a new fortified suite that houses the new angiography system as well as two existing systems and one system currently in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization unit. As a result, the upgraded interventional radiology unit will double its capacity to treat patients.
“One of our main goals as a funder in Israel is to improve access to healthcare for all Israelis, regardless of where they live. We are committed to supporting Rambam in providing high-quality, life-saving medical treatments to the people of northern Israel,” said Sandor Frankel, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Rambam Director General, Prof. Michael Halberthal, stated: “We are profoundly grateful for our enduring friendship with the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The Trust’s most recent gift will help Rambam acquire an Angiography System, used to assess vascular conditions. This device is essential to the treatment of many diseases and conditions, but is especially vital during wartime and other emergency situations. We thank The Helmsley Charitable Trust for this generous gift, which will confer an enormous benefit on our patients, and will help Rambam fulfill its mission to save lives.”
The renovation project-planning phase for the interventional radiology unit lasted eight months, followed by a tender process for choosing the contractor and other vendors. Work recently commenced with the demolition of part of the existing facility, and construction of the new facility will follow. It is anticipated that the new angiography system will be installed in December 2025.
Since blood vessels do not show up clearly on ordinary x-rays, angiography systems enable the creation of catheter angiograms, which more clearly show abnormalities of and damage to blood vessels when injected with a special dye. The new angiography system will facilitate faster and more accurate diagnosis of and intervention in trauma-related vascular injuries, which will lead to better patient care, reduced recovery times, and improved outcomes.
Helmsley has granted more than $31 million for Rambam Health Care Campus, funding projects including $20 million for construction of the Helmsley Health Discovery Tower (a 20-story medical research tower), the Sammy Ofer Fortified Underground Emergency Hospital (a 2,000-bed facility that is the largest of its kind in the world and established a new paradigm for patient safety in times of war), and Crohn’s Disease research. The Helmsley Charitable Trust was a 2016 Rambam Award recipient.
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About Rambam Health Care Campus
Rambam Health Care Campus, a 1,100-bed academic hospital in Haifa, Israel, provides comprehensive medical services in all medical specialties and is committed to the entire spectrum of patient care, ranging from pioneering treatments and therapies to the support of clinical research. Rambam is world-renowned for its vast experience in treating trauma patients during peacetime and war. As the tertiary referral center for 12 district hospitals and the only Level-1 trauma center in Northern Israel, Rambam’s patient population is diverse, serving the 2.3 million residents of the north and beyond. Additional beneficiaries include patients from all over the world who seek Rambam’s specialized consultation, programs, and services.
About the Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $4.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes, including $700 million for grants in Israel. For more information on Helmsley and its programs, visit helmsleytrust.org.
Contact: Michelle Tsai, mtsai@helmsleytrust.org