The Lockheed Martin Corp. announced a pledge of $4 million to benefit the UCLA Health System’s Operation Mend program, which provides reconstructive surgeries and other health care needs to U.S. military personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We recognize that the sacrifices of our servicemen and women sometimes result in debilitating personal injury, and we are honored to help make a difference in those lives,” Robert J. Stevens, Lockheed Martin chairman of the board and chief executive officer said in a press release.
The gift will be equally divided between two areas of need. First, to help enhance patient experience during multiple surgeries and to accommodate patients’ family members, the funding will support the renovation of the surgical waiting room and the pre- and post-operative recovery areas at UCLA, as part of the broader Ambulatory Surgical Center Enhancement Project, which includes adding four new high-tech surgical suites and a telemedicine video conference center.
Second, the funding will help support the care of more patients in the coming years. On average, each patient requires a minimum of 10 to 20 surgeries, in addition to post-operative coordination with the referring centers. The combined health care and care-facilitation costs can average $500,000 per patient.
“Lockheed Martin’s commitment to UCLA’s Operation Mend program will greatly enhance the physical surroundings of where the patients are cared for, as well as ensure our ability to provide critical treatment for future wounded military personnel in the coming years,” David T. Feinberg, MD, MBA, chief executive officer and associate vice chancellor of the UCLA Hospital System said.
