[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORS YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSPITAL ON THEIR 175TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2001

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to pay tribute to one of our Nation's oldest and finest medical 
institutions. Yale-New Haven Hospital. For one hundred and seventy five 
years, Yale-New Haven has been at the forefront of medical care.
  Chartered in 1826 as the General Hospital of Connecticut, it was the 
first hospital in the State of Connecticut and the fifth in the nation. 
Throughout its proud history, Yale-New Haven Hospital has enriched the 
lives of millions of patients and has become a true national landmark. 
Though we have come a long way from the days of horse-drawn ambulances 
and physicians carrying little black bags as they made house calls, 
Yale-New Haven has never lost sight of their original message: to serve 
those in need.
  Over the course of their 175 year history, Yale-New Haven has 
developed some of the most significant advances in medical research. 
Their remarkable work has not only made a difference in the New Haven 
community, but in the lives of millions across the globe. Yale-New 
Haven Hospital has long been known for its pioneering efforts in 
medical technology. They were the first hospital in the western 
hemisphere to use both penicillin and chemotherapy and the first in the 
nation to offer rooming-in and one of the first to offer natural child-
birth. Other firsts have included the first artificial heart pump which 
is now housed in the Smithsonian Institute and the world's first 
intensive care unit for newborns. These contributions have changed the 
course of medical history and made possible the continued advancement 
of many medical technologies.
  More than their contributions to the medical science, Yale-New Haven 
Hospital has always had a very special relationship with the New Haven 
community, which I am sure it will work to continue. Their home since 
the beginning, Yale-New Haven continues to work hard to ensure the 
growth and development of the New Haven area. Partnering with New Haven 
schools, they initiated the Partners in Education Program which offers 
career exploration and volunteer service opportunities for students. In 
addition, each year the Partners in Education program provides five 
four-year scholarships to minority students furthering their education 
in health-related fields. Yale-New Haven also lends its support to a 
number of local and non-profit organizations. Their numerous 
contributions to such organizations as the Ronald McDonald House, 
Habitat for Humanity, the New Haven Public Education Fund, the New 
Haven Boys & Girls Club, and the Anti-Defamation League have gone a 
long way in helping them achieve their respective missions in the 
community.
  Yale-New Haven Hospital also offers the New Haven community access to 
a variety of life-saving tests for cancer. As a cancer survivor myself, 
I can tell you that these screenings are an invaluable tool in the 
fight against this devastating disease. The Yale-New Haven Mammography 
Van has been operating for over a year now, providing mammograms to 
several under served groups throughout the community. Yale-New Haven is 
also one of only sixteen sites in Connecticut that offers comprehensive 
breast and cervical cancer screening programs free of charge to 
eligible women over age forty. Their consistent commitment and 
dedication to ensuring service to those most in need has left an 
indelible mark on our community.
  For its invaluable contributions to medicine and to the New Haven 
community, I am proud to rise today to pay tribute to Yale-New Haven 
Hospital as they celebrate their 175th Anniversary. It is with sincere 
thanks and appreciation that I extend my congratulations and best 
wishes on this very special occasion.

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