WellStar Paulding Hospital Opens Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center, Generous Gift to WellStar Foundation Helps Fund New 2,806-square foot facility

(HIRAM, Ga. – October 17, 2018) – WellStar Health System today announced the opening of the Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center at WellStar Paulding Hospital. The new outpatient infusion center, supported by a planned gift from Paulding County native Imogene Walraven Waldrop to the WellStar Foundation, provides patients undergoing cancer and other medical treatments with additional resources and amenities, leading to a higher level of comfort and emotional support.
“When we began designing the Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center, our mission was to deliver the best patient experience possible,” said John Kueven, WellStar senior vice president and president of WellStar Paulding Hospital. “We understand how crucial it is for patients to be in an environment that offers support and privacy to focus on healing. Thanks to the generous gift from Ms. Waldrop, this new center brings that vision to life, and allows our staff to provide safe, convenient care to a larger number of Paulding County residents in a compassionate setting.”
The Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center, a one level, 2,806-square foot facility, is several times the size of the former program’s facility, with the capacity to serve 12 patients simultaneously. All 12 patient bays include a motorized, reclining chair, personal television, and a modular station for storage. The new space offers a lounge and nourishment center for patients, their family members, and caregivers. Each patient bay also has enough room for a caregiver to accompany the patient for treatment.
“As someone who has been personally impacted by cancer, I felt it was important to support a local outpatient infusion center for Paulding County,” said Imogene Walraven Waldrop. “When my brother, Bobby, and sister, Doris, battled cancer, they had to travel long distances to receive treatment. This experience, as well as the discovery that cancer rates are above the state average in Paulding County, led me to contribute to this worthy cause. When I learned that 100 percent of every dollar donated to the WellStar Foundation would go to this project, I knew that my gift to the Foundation would make the biggest impact on the community. I’m hopeful this facility will make a positive difference in the lives of Paulding residents for years to come.”
The center provides patients with a broad range of services and treatments such as chemotherapy, blood transfusions, therapeutic phlebotomy, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Patients can also receive rabies vaccines, IV antibiotics, injections and medications for conditions including Crohn’s disease, osteoporosis, and asthma.
The Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., with limited hours on weekends and holidays to meet specific patient needs. The center is conveniently located at 148 Bill Carruth Pkwy, Suite 3400, inside the Paulding Outpatient Pavilion on WellStar Paulding Hospital’s campus.

WellStar Paulding Hospital celebrated the opening of the Imogene Walraven Waldrop & Charles W. Waldrop Infusion Center earlier this week. The new facility was made possible thanks to a generous donation to the WellStar Foundation from Imogene Walraven Waldrop, a Paulding County resident. (Pictured L-R): Jay Wallace, local business owner and WellStar Foundation board member, Gene Weeks, WellStar Foundation development director, Imogene Walraven Waldrop, Chad Schaeffer, vice president of oncology services at WellStar Health System, and John Kueven, WellStar senior vice president and president of WellStar Paulding Hospital.

About WellStar Health System
WellStar Health System has an unwavering focus on exceeding the expectation of our patients and consumers. This is achieved through the delivery of high-quality care and value to our patients; hiring and retaining world-class, engaged providers and team members; transforming care and payment models; and maintaining market leadership via intentional and focused growth. WellStar, nationally recognized for its state-of-the-art facilities, includes 11 hospitals, WellStar Clinical Partners and its more than 1,700 physicians, and an array of outpatient facilities and services including more than 250 medical office locations, nine urgent care centers, 19 imaging centers, three health parks, and other services. As a not-for-profit, WellStar continues to reinvest in the health of the communities it serves, and the more than 20,000 WellStar team members are committed to our vision of delivering world-class healthcare. For more information, visit wellstar.org.