Money raised at a themed charity ball this past weekend will help bring new operating rooms, advanced technology and more surgical procedures to Livingston County.

St. Joseph Mercy Livingston’s Sock Hop Soiree was held Saturday at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Genoa Township. Using a festive 1950s’ theme, guests were encouraged to dress accordingly with plenty of leather jackets, poodle skirts and rolled up jeans making an appearance. Funds raised at the sold-out event will benefit the enhancement of surgical services at St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital in Howell and the St. Joe Mercy Brighton Health Center. Those services include construction of new operating rooms, the purchase of advanced technology, and the expansion of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures being offered.

John O’Malley is President of the St. Joseph Livingston Hospital and Brighton Health Center and says the surgical service upgrades are part of a $41.1(m) million investment into St. Joe’s Livingston and Brighton facilities.

Together, St. Joe's Livingston and Brighton perform over 4,600 surgical procedures each year, many of which are being performed on a recently acquired da Vinci® Si robotic surgery system. That number is expected to increase to 5,500 over the next several years. (JK)