Baton Rouge General’s Foundation recently celebrated everyday heroes at their annual luncheon, held at the Renaissance Hotel. The event raises money to support patients at Baton Rouge General’s two hospital campuses.
Former LSU placekicker Colby Delahoussaye spoke at the luncheon, sharing his story about being treated at BRG’s Regional Burn Center after a car accident left him with burns on his leg.
“My LSU trainers advised me to immediately seek care at the BRG Regional Burn Center after I was in a tragic car accident. The burn team was the best of the best, and took care of everything, so I had no worries during my treatment,” said Delahoussaye. “The skill and technology available at the Burn Center allowed me to be the first patient to benefit from a special skin graft treatment, and BRG’s everyday heroes provided me with the most up-to-date care. Six months after the accident, I was completely healed.”
In addition to Delahoussaye, other former patients offered their stories in person, and via video. Sgt. Bruce Simmons, who was injured in last summer’s shooting that killed three officers, shared his thoughts about the BRG care team.
“If you’re injured in such a way that your passion is going to be taken away from you, I think you would want the best staff,” said Simmons. “I was very fortunate to be taken to Baton Rouge General. The care that I got is why I’m able to continue doing what I love to do.”
“We all have heroes,” said BRG President and CEO Edgardo Tenreiro. “Mine was my grandmother, whose perseverance in the face of challenge inspired me to help others. BRG’s everyday heroes – our team members – continue to inspire me every day by caring for each and every patient with the utmost compassion and skill.”
Pictured at the event are Gwen Hamilton, BRG Foundation Board Chair; Colby Delahoussaye, former LSU placekicker and former BRG patient; Jeff LeDuff, former BRG Director of Security, former Baton Rouge Chief of Police and former BRG patient; Claudia Boudreaux, BRG Registered Nurse and former BRG patient; Beth Veazey, BRG Foundation President and Edgardo Tenreiro, BRG President & CEO.
Funds raised at the luncheon were matched by HHS, Transformyx, and Promise. The money will be used to enhance the Regional Burn Center, to expand the hospital’s critical care tower, and to purchase technology and equipment that benefit patients at the hospital.
As the region’s first and only fully comprehensive hospital, Baton Rouge General offers labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care, burn care, cancer care, heart care, skilled nursing, behavioral health, and more. In 2017, BRG was again rated first by CareChex in overall medical care in the state of Louisiana – and ranked in the top two percent of hospitals nationwide for overall care.