Thanks to the generosity of a group of Central Texas health officials, a Bastrop non-profit pregnancy resource center has received an ultrasound machine to assist in the healthcare of expectant moms.
The new Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center opened on Church Street in November 2009, but had been without a crucial diagnostic ultrasound machine.
A group of health officials then came together to make the donation of the machine a reality, said Heather Tyler, spokesperson for Blackhawk Healthcare, which owns Lakeside Hospital.
The group included Sabrina Sauceda, director of ultrasound for Blackhawk, Jeremy Riney, CEO for Richards Memorial Hospital in Rockdale and Gary Luker of Luker Pharmaceuticals.
“The center had opened, but at the last minute they were without an ultrasound machine, which put the fledgling company at a huge standstill,” Tyler said. “An ultrasound machine was key for the center.”
An available ultrasound machine, with a value of about $50,000, was then found from Richards Memorial, Tyler said.
On Thursday, Alicia Pastrano, an ultrasound technician was teaching the staff at the resource center how to use the machine as Bastrop client Shelly Geltmeier was being examined.
“We want to really thank Blackhawk for this very generous gift, it has really made a difference,” said Celeste Hoffman, a co-founder of the pregnancy resource center, who added the machine was put into operation in late January.