WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital Launches Fundraising Drive | News, Sports, Jobs

WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital wants to provide local access to cutting-edge breast cancer screening technologies for women in that community. To do so, the hospital has joined with the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley to launch a $1.5 million fundraising campaign for its radiology department.

The project is headed by Fawn Price, a New Martinsville resident and former director of radiology at WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital.

“It’s about more than just equipment; it’s about providing peace of mind and essential healthcare services to the women in our community,” Price said. “Having access to 3D mammography services locally can make a significant difference in early detection and treatment outcomes.”

The campaign recently received a significant boost with an anonymous $50,000 lead gift from a Wetzel County resident. That donation, as well as funds currently in the Wetzel County Hospital Fund at the CFOV, will be used toward purchasing new ultrasound and mammography equipment to aid in screening for breast cancer.

The hospital has budgeted to cover the remaining costs to purchase the initial breast cancer screening equipment this fall, but plans to continue radiology equipment enhancements at the hospital with additional equipment that will cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Technology in healthcare equipment continues to advance,” said Jessica Huffman, assistant vice president for clinical services at WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital. “While the equipment we currently have is safe and meets the standard of care, we are always looking to have the latest technology to provide the best care close to home.

“Upgrading to state-of-the-art equipment with enhanced diagnostic capabilities, like the 3D mammogram Wetzel County Hospital is purchasing, means that patients will not need to travel for care,” she added.

Huffman said that nearly one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. She’s currently a breast cancer patient herself, and said it was important for women to undergo regular screenings like mammograms.

“We are committed to providing high quality breast cancer screening equipment that can detect breast cancer at earlier stages when it’s more treatable and when the chances for surviving are higher,” she said. “I am very proud of our community, the Community Foundation, hospital leaders, and our hospital board of directors for partnering on this initiative to take care of the people of Wetzel County and surrounding areas.”

To support the radiology equipment campaign, tax-deductible donations from the community can be made online at or by check payable to CFOV with “Wetzel County Hospital Radiology” in the memo line and mailed to 1226 Chapline St., Wheeling, WV 26003.