Chris Brown

Gala honors trauma care providers

The Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery presented its third annual Shining Knight Gala March 26, 2011, to raise funds for the Injury and Violence Prevention Program and to honor those who protect and save lives in Central Virginia.

One of the event’s highlights included a multimedia presentation that recounted Chris Baker’s story of survival after being shot and the extraordinary efforts made by the team of professionals who saved the teen’s life. For their contribution to Baker’s survival, 23 Richmond area first-responders and medical center caregivers were given the Order of the Shining Knight.

The trauma center admits patients for a variety of reasons, including vehicle crashes, falls, burns and crime-related injuries. In 2011, the VCU Medical Center saw more than 3,600 trauma cases, with 887 of those patients transferring from another hospital (see figure 1).

In 2011, the VCU Medical Center’s Level 1 trauma center received verification from the American College of Surgeons for the third time, making it one of only two nationally recognized trauma centers in the state. The reviewers complimented the center for its excellence in patient care, performance-improvement plan and trauma research, among other strengths. Additionally, the medical center stands as the only Level 1 trauma center in Central Virginia and one of only five state-designated Level I trauma centers.

Photo courtesy of Walter Baker