Bethesda Foundation raises $150K for Robotic Center of Excellence

Keynote speaker Dr. Hugh Herr with Tim Beischel, project executive for R.J. Beischel Building Co.; Andy Swallow, president and CEO, Bethesda Foundation; and Matthew Lang, clinical sales manager, Intuitive Surgical Inc.

Nearly 400 guests attended the Bethesda Foundation’s annual Lyceum fundraising event at Jack Casino. Together, they raised more than $150,000 to support the Robotics Center of Excellence at Bethesda North Hospital.

During the reception, guests sipped cocktails while taking part in a hands-on robotics experience with the daVinci XI robotics platform. The reception was followed by dinner and an introduction from TriHealth’s Mark Clement. Dr. Mark Delworth, director of robotic surgery for TriHealth, shared details about the progress of robotic-assisted surgery.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Hugh Herr, director of the biomechatronics group at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, shared how an accident that left him a double amputee inspired him to devote his life to advancing technology for prosthetic devices.

Proceeds from the Bethesda Lyceum benefit the development of the Robotic Center. Presenting sponsor was Bethesda Inc., and speaker sponsor was TriHealth.

Click on a thumbnail below to view photo gallery from the event.

What is robotic-assisted surgery?

Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to perform routine and complex procedures through a few small incisions, decreasing invasiveness and improving patient outcomes. Bethesda North Hospital is embracing this technology by adding the most advanced robotic surgical system, the daVinci Xi.

In volume for robotic-assisted surgery, Bethesda North is No. 1 in Cincinnati, No. 1 in Ohio and No. 1 in the region (Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky). Bethesda North is No. 3 in the Midwest, and in the top 1 percent in the nation. (Source: Intuitive Surgical Inc.)