L to R in the Midmark Experience Center: Sue Hulsmeyer, Chief People and Administrative Officer, Midmark; Jon Wells, President and CEO, Midmark; Mrs. Deloris Jordan, Founder and President, James R. Jordan Foundation; Diane Wilson, Chief Operating Officer, Solvita; Mitch Eiting, Global Philanthropic and Corporate Giving Manager, Midmark; Dr. Tom Schwieterman, Vice President, Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, Midmark
Midmark will donate medical examination tables, lighting and other essential medical equipment to JRJFI’s inaugural project, the Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre (KWCWC), in 2024. Established in 2009 by Mrs. Jordan in honor of her late husband, James, the JRJFI is committed to building capacity in developing communities worldwide. Collaborating with local communities, JRJFI implements sustainable solutions to health and education disparities by connecting local challenges with global partners.
Mrs. Jordan commented, “I had the opportunity to visit Kenya and then I saw the need, the drive for just simple things for medical healthcare initiatives that they were lacking. My thought was how I can help them. At this time, we are asking for the partnership in equipment to be able to equip the KWCWC to support its outreach activities, the clinics and the blood drives. I am really excited that Midmark is willing to support us.”
“We believe all patients deserve accessible, quality healthcare,” said Jon Wells, president and CEO of Midmark. “Midmark has a long-standing history of supporting philanthropic efforts, including equipment donations to countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In line with this commitment, we are thrilled to partner with Mrs. Jordan and the James R. Jordan Foundation International to donate essential medical equipment that will help improve the quality of care for women and children in Kenya.”
Mrs. Jordan had an insightful tour of the Midmark Experience Center and production facilities, where she witnessed the production of medical examination tables. She then visited a Midmark blood drive where she interacted with Midmark Teammates and blood donors, fostering community and camaraderie.
Mrs. Jordan also visited the Solvita Blood Center (formerly Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services) in Dayton, Ohio, and met with Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Dayton Children’s Hospital Sickle Cell Ambassador Camron Rucker and the Solvita Minority Blood Inclusion Committee to discuss progress in recruiting more African American donors for the better treatment of Sickle Cell disease and other conditions requiring transfusions from donors with matching racial background.
Mrs. Jordan first collaborated with Solvita Chief Operating Officer Diane Wilson in 2009 on a project to provide skin grafts for burn victims after a massive fire in Nairobi, Kenya. Mrs. Jordan toured Solvita in March 2022 to learn more about possibly establishing a blood and tissue bank at the KWCWC.
“Mrs. Jordan and I have partnered for many years,” said Diane Wilson. “One day, she needed skin grafts in Kenya, and we made it happen. We very much want to help in any way we can with the James R. Jordan Foundation International and all it has to offer, and we really appreciate all the efforts to help the hospital and clinic there.”
Midmark has been hosting Solvita blood drives since 2011. When corporate blood drives stopped during the pandemic, Mitch Eiting, president of the Midmark Foundation and global philanthropic and corporate giving manager, devised a plan to resume Midmark teammate blood drives at the Versailles Knights of Columbus Hall. Since 2011, Midmark Teammates have donated more than 7,000 units of blood.
Midmark now hosts monthly teammate blood drives on its Versailles campus and sponsors six community blood drives annually at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
Founded in 1915, Midmark Corporation is the only company transforming healthcare experiences through innovative design within the medical, dental and animal health environments. With more than 2,200 teammates worldwide, Midmark focuses on harmonizing space, technology and workflows, creating a better experience for caregivers and patients at the point of care. The Midmark headquarters and innovation hub are located in Versailles, Ohio, which is also home to the Midmark Experience Center, Design Center, Technology Center and its largest manufacturing facility. Midmark maintains eleven additional locations in the United States, including four innovation hubs, and has subsidiaries in India and Italy. To learn more about Midmark, visit midmark.com.
About Solvita
Solvita is an independent, not-for-profit organization with the mission of taking life further and making a lasting impact on the world by providing lifesaving and life-enhancing blood products and tissue grafts. As a regional blood center headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, Solvita collects, processes, and provides blood products to partner hospitals and health centers within our 18-county service area of western Ohio and eastern Indiana and to select hospitals and blood centers outside the region. As a global tissue center, Solvita provides services to donor families, medical communities, recipients, OPOs, and community partners through recovery, processing, and distribution of tissue grafts. We are a national tissue network with locations in Dayton, Ohio (Corporate Office); Fort Worth, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Portland and Medford, Oregon; Toledo, Ohio; and Boise, Idaho. For more information visit www.Solvita.org.