A lifeline for rural health
The Helmsley Charitable Trust and the American Heart Association celebrate 16-year collaboration on improved access to care, and $100 million giving milestone.
When someone experiences a stroke, immediate medical attention can be the difference between life, disability or death. In Wyoming, stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death, and the travel time between residents and emergency care can be a life-threatening challenge. It’s a challenge that the American Heart Association, along with its 16-year-collaborator, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, is rising to meet.
Walter Panzirer and Nancy Brown at the launch of Mission: Lifeline Stroke Wyoming.
This year, with support from Helmsley, the association launched its Mission: Lifeline® Stroke initiative in Wyoming to strengthen the full spectrum of stroke care across the state. Mission: Lifeline Stroke Wyoming builds on long-term efforts by both organizations to strengthen systems of care in rural communities across the country. Together, the association and the Helmsley Charitable Trust have expanded access to lifesaving care, advanced telehealth innovation and improved outcomes for patients and families across Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and now Wyoming. The latest initiative also marks a significant milestone: bringing Helmsley’s support of American Heart Association and American Stroke Association initiatives to more than $100 million.
For Walter Panzirer, trustee of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, improving access to care in rural America is deeply personal. Before becoming trustee, Walter served as a paramedic, police officer and school resource officer in rural South Dakota. His experience responding to emergencies in rural communities gives him a unique understanding of what is at stake when access to specialized care is limited. He especially understands the importance of building systems that connect patients to the right care at the right time.
“Transforming stroke care requires a connected system that works seamlessly for patients when every second counts,” Walter said at the announcement event for Mission: Lifeline Stroke Wyoming. “Wyoming has an opportunity to demonstrate how rural states can strengthen access to high-quality stroke care by connecting hospitals, EMS agencies, rehabilitation providers and community partners.”
Working alongside 28 hospitals statewide, the association will support coordinated systems, data-driven quality improvement and long-term collaboration designed to improve patient outcomes.
“We are proud to support this effort,” Walter said, “and help create lasting improvements that will benefit Wyoming families for years to come.”
