Testimonials
Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center (EOMC)
"On behalf of Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center, our Board of Trustees, employees, and the communities we proudly serve, thank you for your generous grant award to purchase health education equipment for our Learning Lab.
As a rural healthcare organization, we continually strive to provide the highest quality education and training for our clinical teams while balancing the financial realities of delivering healthcare in underserved communities. Limited resources often require us to prioritize essential patient care equipment, leaving educational tools and simulation resources as items that are difficult to fund through operating budgets. Your generosity allows us to invest in an area that has a lasting impact on both our caregivers and our patients.
The equipment funded through your grant is being used during Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) training. These hands-on educational experiences allow participants to move beyond classroom instruction by practicing critical assessment skills, clinical interventions, and team communication in a realistic environment.
Research consistently demonstrates that experiential learning helps develop muscle memory and strengthens the neural pathways necessary for rapid decision-making during real-life emergencies. By physically performing assessments, procedures, and patient care maneuvers in a simulated setting, our healthcare professionals are better prepared to respond confidently and effectively when seconds matter most. Ultimately, this translates into safer, higher-quality care for the patients and families who depend on us.
Your investment is not simply the purchase of educational equipment—it is an investment in the future of healthcare across the River Valley. Every nurse, physician, therapist, and healthcare professional who trains using these resources will carry those skills into the communities we serve for years to come.
Thank you again for your generosity, your commitment to community, and your dedication to advancing healthcare education in the River Valley. We are sincerely grateful for your partnership and for helping us strengthen the knowledge, confidence, and preparedness of our healthcare teams."
With sincere appreciation,
Tiffany Griffis
Chief Executive Officer
Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center
Community Dental Clinic
“We’re over the moon to announce that with the Digital grant we received from the Degen Foundation in 2021 we purchased new Digital Equipment. This will provide greater access to patients x-rays, improve education on proper hygiene by using intra oral cameras to show patients the importance in flossing and preventing bone loss. With these upgrades we can better explain to the patient when an extraction is necessary, they see it for themselves in a clear view. Digital equipment has been instrumental in giving the best images and technology to our patients.
We are immensely grateful to the Degen Foundation for believing in our mission and for recognizing the importance of our goal to provide the best dental care for the underserved in the Sebastian, Crawford County Community. Your unwavering support has been instrumental in securing this incredible opportunity. We deeply appreciate your dedication to our mission and ending dental pain in our community.”
Lisa Woodard, Office Manager at the Community Dental Clinic 8/1/23
Former Degen Recipient Graduate
August 23, 2018: We had a visit from former Degen Scholarship Recipient - Khem Nouansavane today. This very special young man, who has been recently hired by Mercy Cardiology Clinic, is a Nurse Practitioner with a most giving heart. He decided to give a "little something" back to The Degen Foundation by donating $1,000.00!!! We will be establishing a Scholarship Fund in his name. Thank you, Khem. Your gift means the world to us.