Jim Halbeisen is lucky to be alive   Last year the retired correctional officer lost both legs and a hand due to sepsis, a life-threatening illness that causes organ failure.   Jim literally went from feeling a bit under the weather to near-death in less than 24 hours. He visited an urgent care center for what he thought was a bad case of the flu, but his blood pressure was dangerously high so he was referred to the emergency room of his local hospital where doctors quickly determined that he was suffering from sepsis. They contacted Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and arranged for emergency transport. As soon as he arrived at Cottage, the critical care team implemented the sepsis treatment protocols that saved his life.   Following a period of intensive treatment and care at Cottage Hospital, and follow-up therapy and training at the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, Jim returned home and began rebuilding his life.   This year Jim is back on his bike and as determined as ever to maintain his active outdoor lifestyle. His spirit and resilience have been an inspiration to those privileged to know him.		Watch Jim, his family, and his doctor tell his remarkable story > >
For nearly 120 years Cottage has been caring for generations of Central Coast families. With a Level II Trauma Center, state-of-the-art neurosurgical, stroke and cardiac services, and specialized neonatal and children’s services our not-for-profit hospital is recognized as one of only a handful of hospitals nationwide in communities with populations under 500,000 that provide such a wide range of comprehensive services.   Cottage is committed to maintaining this tradition of medical excellence for future generations. That is why we need your help to provide the high quality care our patients deserve and our community expects from us.		With your help, Cottage Health System will continue to offer exceptional care for everyone on the Central Coast. Learn about giving levels here, or call Audrie Krause at (805) 879-8985
Even when fully implemented, the recently enacted national healthcare reforms will not fund all the care that people need. In fact, there is a strong possibility that hospitals will be reimbursed less for patient care, making your support even more critical to our ability to serve our community.   We are committed to our mission of providing superior health care. Your assistance allows us to provide high quality medical services close to home and offer the very best care possible to each of our patients regardless of individual economic circumstances.   Every gift makes a difference, and with your help Cottage will continue to offer exceptional care – saving lives and securing the future for everyone on the Central Coast.   We need your support to ensure that everyone in our community has access to essential medical services.   Please make as generous a gift as possible today.   Very truly yours,   Ron Werft President and Chief Executive Officer Cottage Health System