Helmsley Charitable Trust grant funds CPR equipment for Hawai‘i Pacific Health facilities

Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust funded new lifesaving equipment for cardiac emergencies throughout the Hawai‘i Pacific Health system — including at Wilcox Medical Center on Kaua‘i — with a nearly $360,000 grant.

The grant received by Straub Benioff Medical Center allowed Hawai‘i Pacific Health to acquire cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, machines for all four of the system’s medical centers.

Officially known as the Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System, or LUCAS, the devices provide consistent and uninterrupted chest compressions even in challenging circumstances, such as during a patient’s transport to a medical center or when CPR is needed for an extended period.

The devices are used at Kapi‘olani, Pali Momi and Straub Benioff medical centers on O‘ahu and Wilcox Medical Center on Kaua‘i.

Emergency departments and intensive care units are among the areas that benefit the most from the new devices.

“During a cardiac arrest, every second counts,” said Helmsley Charitable Trust Trustee Walter Panzirer in an announcement about the grant and new equipment. “A LUCAS device allows hospital teams to focus on other critical interventions while chest compressions are continuously administered. We’re excited to help expand access to this state-of-the-art technology [in] Hawai‘i.”

Helmsley Charitable Trust has been a dedicated supporter of health care in Hawai‘i since 2024.

The trust’s inaugural gift in Hawai‘i was a $10.6 million grant to advance imaging services at Wilcox and help develop the physician workforce on Kaua‘i.

Helmsley contributed $5 million last year to Kapi‘olani for help creating a new, expanded cancer and infusion center for women and children.

The trust has contributed to date more than $44 million to Hawai‘i.

“Our clinical teams deliver exceptional care every day, often in the most critical moments,” said Hawai‘i Pacific Health President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Vara in the announcement. “This grant will equip them with advanced tools and technology that enhance the high-quality care they provide, especially when time is of the essence.”