Joe and Cindy Kinsella. (Contributed)

Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital receives major gift for breast biopsy technology

By Patrick Lynn

STEVENS POINT – A donation from Joe and Cindy Kinsella of Almond will fund upgraded biopsy technology at the Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital Breast Care Center, improving patient care and reducing exam times.

“This opportunity and breast biopsy technology hit home for us,” Cindy Kinsella said. “When we met and talked about it, we just knew that this is something we wanted to do and are fortunate to be able to provide the funding necessary to help ensure quality, close-to-home health care.”

The new biopsy system replaces equipment installed when the center was built in 2018. The upgrade will shorten exam times and allow radiologists to obtain real-time sample imaging and point-of-care biopsy verification, according to Tracy Rekowski, imaging services manager at Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital.

“It provides exceptional image quality, and integrated pain management can reduce patient discomfort, anxiety, stress and potential complications without radiologists and technicians ever needing to leave the patient’s side,” Rekowski said.

Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital’s Breast Care Center offers a full range of breast care services, including mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, pathology, surgery, reconstruction, and oncology treatment.

“On behalf of our 1,000 regional employees and the almost 80,000 patients we serve annually in Stevens Point, Plover and the surrounding communities, our heartfelt thank you to the Kinsellas,” said Carrie Penovich, Aspirus Southeast Wisconsin regional president. “The impact that donor dollars make here is truly incredible.”

The Kinsellas previously co-chaired the capital campaign that funded the center’s construction and have supported the hospital’s Angel Fund, which provides free breast cancer screenings and diagnostics, including biopsies, for patients in financial need.

Gregg Gutschow, major gifts officer at the Aspirus Health Foundation, called the donation “transformative.”

“They served as co-chairs of the capital campaign that built the Breast Care Center seven years ago, founded an incredibly successful homegrown company in Pointe Precision, and Joe serves as a member of our Stevens Point Philanthropy Committee,” Gutschow said. “Thanks to families like the Kinsellas, we are better, faster, together.”

The Aspirus Health Foundation works to advance healthcare services through community partnerships. To learn more, visit Aspirus Health Foundation or contact Gutschow at 715-346-5337 or [email protected].