Posted Wednesday, March 21

The MetroHealth Foundation has been named a recipient of 2011 tournament funds from the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. The Bridgestone Invitational and its partner, Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation, have given $50,000 to support the MetroHealth Simulation Center.

The Simulation Center, slated to open this summer, will be a dedicated, centralized space at MetroHealth with high-fidelity computerized simulators and virtual reality based platforms that help simulate actual medical scenarios. Doctors, nurses, first-responders and other health care providers will benefit from this high-tech space by training together as a team.

“These funds will support the purchase of an infant simulator as well as some of the Center’s construction,” said Thomas Noeller, MD, Director, MetroHealth Simulation Center. “Simulation is rapidly becoming the standard for health care training. The generosity of the Bridgestone Invitational and Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation will support the mission of Simulation Center as an interdisciplinary training facility committed to the MetroHealth mission by providing innovative education and training for our staff, resulting in outstanding care for our patients.”

This is MetroHealth’s second gift from the Bridgestone Invitational and Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation. In 2010, they donated $27,000, which was used to purchase MetiMan; Metro Life Flight has used this high-fidelity mannequin simulator to enhance its critical-care education.

Every year, the Bridgestone Invitational and Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation donate more than $800,000 to Northeast Ohio nonprofits. Throughout the years, more than $21 million in tournament proceeds has been given to worthy causes seeking to improve the quality of life in Northeast Ohio. Of the 37 organizations that were awarded funding this year, The MetroHealth Foundation received the largest grant.

"Everyone associated with the Bridgestone Invitational – from the volunteers, to the corporate supporters, to the fans – can take pride in knowing that their involvement with the tournament played an important role in supporting outstanding Northeast Ohio charitable organizations, like MetroHealth," said Don Padgett III, Executive Director, Bridgestone Invitational. “We're grateful for the outstanding care MetroHealth provides to our communities, and we are happy to support that work through Bridgestone Invitational proceeds."

The 2012 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational will be held August 1-5. Tickets for the tournament can be purchased by calling the championship office at 330-664-2299, toll free at l-877-942-4849, or by visiting www.worldgolfchampionships.com. For more information on the charities that have benefited, or to find out how to submit a grant request, visit www.nogcf.org.