SHANDS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH A GALA

What: UF Teaching Hospital, which later was renamed Shands at UF, opened in October 1958. Since then, UF physicians, Shands nurses, technicians and other staff have achieved numerous medical milestones and discoveries, while providing care to thousands of patients and their families. Shands HealthCare will celebrate these achievements in October at a 50th anniversary gala for Shands at UF. Learn more about this golden milestone.

Seating is $150 per person and is available by calling 352-265-7237. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Shands at UF Cancer Hospital. Visit Shandsgiving.org for more information.

When: Saturday, Oct. 18
Reception 6:00 p.m., Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Program and Entertainment

Where: Hilton UF Conference Center
1714 S.W. 34 St., Gainesville, FL

Background: The Shands at UF academic medical center in Gainesville serves patients from throughout Florida, the nation and from more than a dozen countries. Approximately 550 UF faculty physicians practice in more than 100 areas of specialty care, including cancer, cardiovascular, neurosurgical and transplant services, and pediatric services at Shands Children’s Hospital at UF. The academic medical center operates a Level I Trauma Center, a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and one of Florida’s four regional burn centers.

Shands at UF earned top-50 rankings in 11 specialties in U.S.News & World Report’s 2008 edition of America’s Best Hospitals. Other recent achievements include earning redesignation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s as a “Magnet” hospital and being designated a "primary stroke center" by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Additionally, Shands HealthCare won the 2008 Governor’s Sterling Award – the state’s top honor for performance excellence.