FRISCO — St. Anthony Summit Medical Center welcomes its anticipated digital mammography machine today following a two-year countywide effort to raise money for the life-saving device.

The machine uses digital technology, rather than film, allowing for clearer images and ease of archiving and sharing. It’s also better for imaging dense breasts than the analog machine — which is helpful in this county, where many women are active, Valerie Lash director of the hospital’s medical imaging said.

The $500,000 machine cost was halved between the hospital and fundraising. Breast cancer survivor Joan Davids spearheaded the fundraising effort, which began in June 2006.

“I felt the women of this county deserved better than (the analog machine),” Davids said in an e-mail.

Lash said the machine is being licensed and tested before available to the public.

“We’re planning to have it open and ready by the first week of June,” she said.

Fundraising efforts included several events that ultimately surpassed the $250,000 goal. Contributors included the Summit County Commission, the Summit Foundation, Summit County Seniors, the Summit Historical Society, the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco and Silverthorne, among many.

“I thank all of the people in the county who understood the need for this machine in our county and supported the effort,” Davids said.

<i>Robert Allen can be contacted at rallen@summitdaily.com. </i>