Russ Clifford
Russ Clifford
SPRINGFIELD — Time is critical when treating medical conditions affecting the brain, including strokes and aneurysms. The longer a patient goes without treatment, the greater the chance of irreversible damage.

Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Runnin’ Wild Fund of Oregon Community Foundation, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in May upgraded its current minimally invasive brain surgery equipment.

This PeaceHealth Sacred Heart at RiverBend’s brain surgery team treats patients in the region for disorders of the blood vessels feeding the head, neck, brain and spine.

Russ Clifford of Cottage Grove experienced that care firsthand when he had a stroke last year. He arrived by ambulance at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart at RiverBend’s emergency department and quickly went into surgery.

Using the equipment available at the hospital, Dr. Wilder guided a catheter through the groin into the brain and successfully removed a clot. Clifford was in the ICU for 24 hours and has had no lasting effects from the stroke.

PeaceHealth Sacred Heart at RiverBend is the only certified comprehensive stroke center between Portland and Sacramento. Only 300 institutions have the certification nationwide.