On April 8, Baptist Health Foundation will celebrate a goal well accomplished, a goal that benefits its eight hospitals and the 5,000 patients who receive world-class care at their facilities each day.

Photographs courtesy of Baptist Health Foundation

 

[pullquote]Above Photo: The newest hybrid surgical suite combines sophisticated technology with imaging equipment which allows Baptist Health’s surgeons the ability to perform traditional, open surgery jointly with minimally invasive endovascular procedures on the same patient, at the same time, in the same place. [/pullquote]The Baptist Health Foundation will celebrate the completion of Baptist Health’s Capital Campaign with this year’s Bolo Bash. The luncheon will be held April 8 and is the culmination of a drive that began in 2011. The money raised from this year’s Bolo Bash will benefit the capital campaign, completing the Baptist Health Surgical Expansion, the last goal of the campaign.

The surgical center includes surgical and critical care lobbies, three endoscopic and three orthopedic operating rooms, and a hybrid operating room.

Officials describe the hybrid operation room as “an important part of surgery because it combines sophisticated technology and imaging equipment with a modern surgical suite. Today, people expect surgery to be minimally invasive. The hybrid operating room addresses the challenge of combining technology and equipment with complex surgical procedures. High-resolution equipment allows surgeons to see fine details, place catheters through small vessels or use endoscopes to go through small incisions. Surgeons performing aortic surgeries such as aneurisms, cardiac valve procedures, neurosurgery and other procedures have patients who will benefit from this type of operating room. Baptist Health’s first hybrid surgery room has been in place successfully for more than 10 years, however, the new room will provide additional cardiac capabilities.”

Nicole Miller, renowned fashion designer, is this year’s Bolo Bash guest speaker.

Nicole Miller, renowned fashion designer, is this year’s Bolo Bash guest speaker.

With the completion of renovations to the dining hall and main lobby, patients, their families and staff members will enjoy convenience and efficiency.

Monies raised at Bolo Bash have benefitted expansion of the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), MedFlight, the eICU and Telehealth programs and much more.

This is the 26th year for the luncheon, which usually sells out. Terri Snowden serves as chair this year. Bolo Bash will be held in the J.A. Gilbreath Conference Center at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. The silent auction, which is hugely popular, begins at 11 a.m. and the program begins at noon. Lisa Fischer from B98.5 will host. Tickets or tables may be reserved by calling (501) 202-1827 or by sending an email to jamie-deason@baptist-health.org.

Nicole Miller, renowned fashion designer, is this year’s guest speaker. Miller’s love for clothing began at an early age. Her Parisian mother, whom Miller describes as very stylish, subscribed to French fashion magazines and Miller loved to pore over the pages: “I was obsessed with clothes,” she said. “As a young girl, I was obsessed with the horizontal-striped dress. I also loved Mary Quant fashions, especially her knit dress. It was very straight. Her ‘London Look’ was really modern, cool and very ‘60s.”

It’s understandable that the now fashion-icon Miller would admire Quant, who is credited with inventing hot pants and the mini skirt.

Miller began sewing her own clothes while she was in high school, and though she doesn’t remember the first item she created, “It was probably striped,” she said.

Miller studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and received couture training from Ecole de La Chambre Syndical de la Couture Perissienne. She launched Nicole Miller in 1982 with a smock dress and opened her boutique in 1986. Her line of wedding dresses began with requests from her employees, then their friends, and their friends.

While Miller has seen trends come and go, she said the challenge today is that there is no definitive style. “When I launched my business you could always say there was a No. 1 trend. The year of the hip smock dress, everyone wore a hip smock dress,” she said. “Now nothing goes out of style. Anything goes. So many trends are running concurrently. I’m always surprised.”

Something you might find surprising: Miller said that recently she was online looking at vintage dresses, trying to buy some of her old designs, and was surprised to find her newer designs on eBay and the older designs on Etsy.

Baptist Health Medical Center is the first hospital in the state to acquire the BodyTomTM CT Scanner, a portable, intra-operative, multi-slice CT body scanner. The new technology is used in the surgical treatment of patients with neurological and spinal disorders.

Baptist Health Medical Center is the first hospital in the state to acquire the BodyTomTM CT Scanner, a portable, intra-operative, multi-slice CT body scanner. The new technology is used in the surgical treatment of patients with neurological and spinal disorders.

Miller’s clothing is sold in national outlets such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, and she continues to expand. One of her more recent projects is the Artelier, a contemporary sportswear line with a number of separates, which she said allows her to meet a lot of the needs of younger women.

Of course, she makes headlines when a starlet wears her designs on the red carpet. Miller, though, often is unaware that an actress or singer has worn her designs.

“I like to be surprised. Not long ago I heard America Ferrera wore one of my dresses. I didn’t know Angelina Jolie wore my dress for the ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ premiere until afterward,” she said.

Miller appreciates the limelight, but doesn’t chase it. If given an opportunity to dress an icon from the past, she’d choose Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn or Greta Garbo, who coincidentally lived in Miller’s neighborhood.

Miller said she’s motivated by her love for fashion and has a good time at work every day. “I always feel like someone who says, ‘I don’t have anything to wear in my closet,’” she said, laughing.