Journeys | Fall 2025

JOURNEYS

FALL 2025

JOURNEYS

Bryan Health uses proven artificial intelligence tools to improve our patient care; however, this magazine is created entirely without the use of AI. “Journeys” is a human-generated publication that is dedicated to telling human stories.

FALL 2025

– Amit Ray

STAY IN TOUCH

10

We welcome your comments. For more information about Journeys, contact the Advancement team by calling 402-481-8674.

To learn more about Bryan programs and services, visit us online at bryanhealth.org.

2 5 19

Russ Gronewold President & CEO, Bryan Health Elizabeth Wise Executive Vice President and COO, Bryan Health John Woodrich Interim President & CEO, Bryan Medical Center Robert Oakes, MD Chief of Staff, Bryan Medical Staff Bob Ravenscroft System Vice President, CMO & CDO

“Every day is a good day. There is something to learn, care and celebrate.”

31

21 After a Husker Game Cardiac Arrest, Lincoln Man Rebuilds His Life

21 A Family Kept Whole Through Emergency Treatments for Mom, Baby

5

Three Recent Nursing Retirees Reflect on Long Bryan Careers

24 Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community

8

Ask the Doctor

29 Obituaries

2

10 Family Ties: Four Generations Born at Bryan

Kevin Rummel, MD Medical Editor

14 2024 Annual Reports

David Berman Editor

18 Welcome New Cardiologist to Bryan Heart

ON THE COVER: Four generations of the Retzlaff family, all born at Bryan Medical Center, blow out the candles on a 100th birthday cake. Read more about the family on page 10.

19 Reflections from Former Cardiac Providers, Present Bryan Donors and Perpetual Old Friends

F

or the last six months, Bryan Health has been in a consistent state of celebration.

We kicked off our 100th anniversary in the spring with a taste of something sweet, sharing thousands of birthday cake slices throughout our organization. Since then, we’ve continued to celebrate with over 100 Acts of Kindness in our communities, our NICU Reunion and many other special events.

We’re about halfway through this joyous celebration of Bryan Health; its past, present and future, and everything Bryan represents. The stories in this edition of Journeys carry many themes worth celebrating: family, community, loyalty and longevity among them. Every single day that we continue to serve Nebraskans — and anybody else who seeks our help — is a good day.

We’re excited to continue celebrating our anniversary with you in the coming months – and there’s so much to recognize. Our new Bryan Beyond 100 capital campaign provides an opportunity for

continued growth within our system. The new Kearney Cancer Center, opening in the fall, will provide expert cancer care close to home for Central Nebraskans.

Our record-high patient satisfaction scores, which we are thrilled to receive. The expansion of our footprint to the Omaha metro area with the newly announced Bryan Elkhorn Campus, opening in spring/summer 2027. The wonderful providers and patients in Central Nebraska, who are receiving an exclusive edition of Journeys highlighting the heart of our state.

As we move toward the end of another year, and the end of our anniversary celebration next May, let’s all keep the spirit of celebration in our hearts each day.

Bryan Health. Forward. Together.

Russ Gronewold President and Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Health

30 Trustees and Leaders 31 Welcome Bryan Health’s new executive vice president and COO, Elizabeth Wise 32 Our 100th Anniversary Celebration: What We’ve Done and What’s Next

The groundbreaking ceremony for Bryan Elkhorn Campus, located on the southwest corner of 204th Street and West Center Road, took place on October 7. Bryan is partnering with Midwest Independent Physicians Practice Association (MIPPA) and Goldenrod Companies to establish the new campus. From left to right: Mike Wachal, Davis Design; Dr. Stephen Williams, MIPPA; Tammy Hennings, MIPPA; John Woodrich; Russ Gronewold; Zach Wiegert, Goldenrod Companies; Keith Station, City of Omaha; and Carlo Skrupa, Privada Subdivision.

Thank you, Bryan Foundation 2025 corporate partners Presenting partners: Fiducient Advisors Pinnacle Bank Sampson Construction Co., Inc. Swanson Russell Union Bank & Trust ALLO Communications Ameritas Annabell Gardens Artisight Bob Stephens & Associates CDW

Cerris Systems Cheever Construction Davis Design Duteau Chevrolet-Subaru Eakes Office Solutions ELLKAY, LLC Forvis Mazars Galen Healthcare Solutions Health Catalyst Inpatient Physician Associates Latitude Signage + Design Learfield/Pinnacle Bank Arena

Medical Solutions NAI/FMA Realty Nick and Ann Cusick Professional Choice Recovery Riverside Technologies Runza Silverhawk Aviation Specialized Engineering Solutions U.S. Bank US Signal

Bryan Journeys

1

After a Husker Game Cardiac Arrest, Lincoln Man Rebuilds His Life

D

avid Emery doesn’t remember much about his potentially life-changing experience. He was a bit late to a University of Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball game against Michigan State University on a chilly January day. He and a friend hurried to their seats to meet their wives. He had barely caught his breath — just sitting down and turning his attention to the court — when he fell unconscious and collapsed. The next thing he knew, he was on a gurney in the back hallways of Pinnacle Bank Arena.

His wife, Janet, remembers the events vividly. Once her husband keeled over, she was shocked by the rapid response from on-site EMTs, campus police and bystanders.

David had suffered a cardiac arrest, as his heart suddenly stopped. First responders quickly treated and revived him with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Waking up on the gurney, David didn’t know where he was or why he was there. Janet kept repeating one thing over and over again to the paramedics: “Please take us to Bryan.”

The Immediate Aftermath Janet said everything — from David collapsing to riding in an ambulance to the hospital — happened so fast.

On-site EMTs, including Bryan Medical Center employee Shauntae Beaver, rushed to the seats as soon as they heard a commotion. Before they arrived, others had gathered to help: an advanced practice provider from Crete Area Medical Center, Tammy Schroeder; a retired anesthesiologist; and the Nebraska volleyball team’s doctor, among them.

“That’s why he’s still here,” Janet said. “Truly the only reason is the speed in which people responded.”

Once the couple arrived at the Bryan Medical Center emergency department, David was stabilized and kept overnight. The next day, he was transferred to the cardiac catheterization lab to have a stent placed in one of his arteries that was 99% blocked.

2

Fall 2025

David recovered with the help of his cardiac rehabilitation team, pictured above from left to right: Kaylin Labenz, clinical exercise specialist, and Jessica Courter and Holly Leach, cardiac rehab RNs.

Only two days after his cardiac arrest, David was heading home from the hospital. The Emerys credit the great care he received at every point in his treatment at Bryan Medical Center.

A Hard Road to Recovery Around a week later, David started a cardiac rehabilitation program at Bryan LifePointe Campus.

David worked with Kaylin Labenz, a clinical exercise specialist, and Holly Leach and Jessica Courter, cardiac rehab RNs. Labenz guided his exercise regimen while Leach or Courter monitored his vital signs. David completed three months of physical therapy, roughly two to three sessions per week.

This story is brought to you by Learfield/Pinnacle Bank Arena

During his time in rehab, he formed strong relationships with Labenz, Leach and Courter. Along with the physical care, he said the trio also provided healing in deeper ways. The trauma of a sudden cardiac arrest had left his future unclear, as he worried about something happening to him again. The routine of strengthening his body during rehab, while working with people who made him feel comfortable, also helped heal his mind and soul.

“I can’t say enough good things about my experience with those women,” David said. “They helped me get my strength back, and they mean so much to me.”

Leach, who also served as David’s “mentor” throughout the program, said the emotional and psychological components are a crucial part of any physical rehab.

“I feel like we do more than just the physical part of things,” Leach said. “He talked a lot about the people who saved him at the arena, and I could see he was really deep in his thoughts. Once he was able to find and talk to those people, I could see he got the closure to be able to move forward.”

David’s vital signs and physical endurance steadily improved, meeting the goals that he set with his therapy team at the start of the program. As he continued his treatment, Grant Wallace, MD, implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart rate. Through what Leach calls a strong attitude and level of commitment from David, he was able to graduate from rehab in late April.

“You’ve got to live your life and get back to doing what you enjoy,” Leach said. “So, if we can help do that here, then we've done our jobs.”

It Takes a Village Lincoln often has the feeling of a big-small town. The Emerys have said they’ve encountered countless people who were at the game and witnessed David’s episode — some friends, some strangers. All have shown genuine concern about his condition and joy for his recovery.

The Emerys have reached out to the many people who were involved in saving David’s life, so they could express their deep gratitude. At the front lines of his care are Zachary Singsank, DO, and Dr. Wallace, who are David’s cardiologists at Bryan Heart. Janet and David praised the care David received from his doctors.

“They’re personable, they make sure your questions are answered, and they’re just fun to talk to,” Janet said.

The day after his cardiac arrest, Beaver, a cardiovascular technologist in the cardiac catheterization labs at Bryan Medical Center, recognized David’s name during her shift and introduced herself to the Emerys. She wanted to check on him because she rarely knows the outcomes of emergency patients she treats as a part-time EMT. In another stroke of fortune, Beaver was stunned to find herself working on David’s pacemaker placement a few weeks later.

“I was so surprised when I saw his name next up on the patient list,” Beaver said. “He rolled in, and I looked at him and said, ‘You have to be so tired of seeing me.’”

The routine of strengthening his body during rehab, while working with people who made him feel comfortable, also helped heal his mind and soul.

Bryan Journeys

3

The expertise and hard work of so many people helped David get back to his life.

The expertise and hard work of so many people helped David get back to his life. An avid reader, he volunteers a few days per week at the Victor E. Anderson library branch. He is spending as much time as possible with their two daughters and two grandchildren.

Moving Forward A lot had to go right for David to have a full recovery: The luck of being in a place like Pinnacle Bank Arena, which has protocols in place to rapidly respond to emergency situations. The surrounding attendees, who had the awareness to clear the aisle so first responders could quickly reach David. A healthcare system like Bryan Health nearby to provide a comprehensive slate of services. These are factors the Emerys have not taken for granted throughout their experience.

Since graduating from rehab, David feels back to his full strength, physically and mentally. The Emerys feel it’s all thanks to Bryan, the place where Janet wanted her husband to be cared for in his greatest time of need.

“David and I had talked about if anything ever happened to either of us, we would want to go to Bryan,” Janet said. “You hear all these good things about what happens at Bryan, from the staff to the outcomes. It’s just where I wanted him to be.”

For more information on how to support patients like David, call 402-481-8605 or visit BryanHealth.com/ Bryan-Foundation.

4

Fall 2025

Three Recent Nursing Retirees Reflect on Long Bryan Careers David and Janet Emery have returned to their lives together after David’s cardiac arrest.

T

he clinical staff throughout the Bryan Health system contains hundreds of people who exemplify the Bryan way through their compassion, selflessness and expertise. A few long-tenured nurses, with over 120 years of service combined, recently retired during the heart of Bryan’s 100th anniversary celebration.

These three nurses dedicated their professional lives to caring for patients at Bryan Health. Here are their stories and reflections on a career in health care and the legacy of Bryan.

Lavone Solomon

“Since graduating from rehab, David feels back to his full strength, physically and mentally.

The Emerys feel it’s all thanks to Bryan, the place where Janet wanted her husband to be cared for in his greatest time of need.”

Lavone Solomon, LPN, retired from Merrick Medical Center in the fall after 50 years of service at the hospital. She was born near Beatrice, Nebraska, and moved to Odell, Diller and Wymore throughout her childhood. She grew up on farms breaking horses, a pastime she carried into adulthood.

Nursing was not her first choice growing up, but she said she decided to try it out and got hooked. She took her entrance exam in North Platte and then started working at the Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital in Central City in 1974. She went to nursing school in 1975 at Platte College, now called Columbus Community College, graduating a few years later.

Lavone had applied for work in Grand Island after earning her nursing license, but an administrator at the Central City hospital came to her house and talked her into staying in Central City. She started in acute care.

“You got a little bit of everything back in those days,” she said. “I had obstetrics, cardiology, orthopedics, you name it.”

Lavone wore many hats at the hospital. In 1978, she was asked to move to the surgery department. A few years later, she added the infection prevention team to her rotation.

Lavone said she enjoyed the diversity of the areas of nursing in which she worked, as she felt constantly challenged every day. She worked on the management side in the surgery department toward the end of her career, ordering supplies and coordinating schedules.

This story is brought to you by Swanson Russell

Lavone in 1976.

“I’m kind of a lifelong learner,” she said. “I don’t like to quit learning. I think that’s why I stayed in a small hospital, because there’s always something new.

You never know what’s going to ring your doorbell or call your phone, and you have to answer it.”

Lavone said she’s noticed more support for the hospital since it joined Bryan Health in 2017, changing its name to Merrick Medical Center (MMC).

At the time of the interview, she was about a month away from retirement. She said she is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and on activities she enjoys, such as fishing, gardening and hiking. As for the work, she said she will miss being with her patients and coworkers the most.

Bryan Journeys

5

Lavone, left, with Merrick Medical Center CEO Jodi Mohr at a ceremony celebrating Lavone’s 50th year of service.

She has passed along her passion for health care, as her daughter works at MMC in supply management, and her granddaughter works in guest services. Lavone’s mom worked at the hospital, as did Lavone’s other daughter, cousin and sister-in-law.

Patty said her last day at Bryan was bittersweet. At the time of the interview, she was a few weeks into her retirement.

She said the transition has been smooth, but that she expects some melancholy and nostalgia to set in with time.

“It’s the people that I’ll miss the most,” she said. “What I liked about Employee Health was that I got to see so many colleagues who you’ve gotten to know over the years coming in every day, and we had such a great team that I worked with, too.”

In her retirement, she looks forward to spending more time attending University of Nebraska sporting events, ushering at the Lied Center and completing fun gardening and church activities. Her daughter lives in Champaign, Illinois, and recently had her second child; Patty is excited to have more flexibility to visit her. Her other daughter, Katlin, works at Bryan as a care management social worker.

Reflecting on Bryan’s 100th birthday, she said she is honored to have spent much of her career working for the organization and feels comfort knowing she will be a consumer of care at the hospital moving forward.

“Just to be a small contributor has been meaningful, because there are so many people who make this organization work,” she said. “I’m very proud of the way that employees have carried on the mentality of being that helpful person for each patient.”

Patty Evans Patty Evans, RN, is from Sumner, Nebraska. She came to Lincoln for school, attending the University of Nebraska and Bryan School of Nursing. She graduated in 1981, working for a little while as a technician and nurse before moving to Valentine.

She returned to Bryan a few years later.

She got married, moved to Columbus for a few years, and then moved back to Lincoln in 1990, staying for good this time. She worked for Bryan for the last 35 years in various departments, the last nine in Employee Health as a manager. She and her husband have four children — two boys and two girls.

She said health care was a field in which she always had interest. In high school, that interest was solidified after seeing her grandpa cared for in a nursing home.

“I saw the care that he did not receive, and I thought I could do a whole lot better,” Patty said.

“That verified for me that I was going into the right field.”

Patty chose Bryan School of Nursing because the institution was well known for its diploma program and the number of clinical hours students receive while in school.

“I knew that I could get a job pretty much anywhere if I had a degree from Bryan.”

Some of the biggest changes she remembers from when she started at Bryan to the present day are the switch from paper to electronic charting and improvements in medication safety protocols.

6

Fall 2025

Top Photo: Patty, lower left, with her Employee Health colleagues at a holiday celebration. Bottom Photo: Patty, her eldest son Nate and her husband Roger at the Bryan Family Zoo Night at Lincoln Children’s Zoo.

Louis Lemon Louis Lemon’s Bryan story begins in 1972, when he underwent open heart surgery at Bryan Memorial Hospital to fix a birth defect. He spent his 13th birthday at the hospital while he recovered. His experience at the hospital was life-changing in more ways than one.

“If I was scared or in pain, I always had someone there to give me what I needed,” he said. “When I left the hospital, I knew I was going to be someone who helped other people.”

Louis, an RN, retired in June from Bryan Health after 40 years in health care. He spent 28 of those years at Bryan Health.

His path began with that surgery in the ’70s. He remembers his surgeon, Dr. Stephen Carveth, taking time to connect with him and explain the procedure in a way he would understand. This was an early lesson for Louis in the person-to-person element of health care, one he would carry throughout his career.

Louis graduated from Bryan School of Nursing in January 1985. As a registered nurse, he wore many hats, including as a cardiac ICU nurse and a cardiac catheterization lab nurse. He spent his first 12 years out of school in Texas before returning to Lincoln, and Bryan, in 1997 as the manager for both ICU units. A few years later, he returned to the cardiac cath lab in a more direct patient care role, where he remained for the rest of his career.

Louis has many familial ties to Bryan Health, as well.

In addition to a niece, Karen Simms working at Bryan as a dietitian, his sister, Jan Tubbs, is a Lincoln General School of Nursing graduate and spent time as a Lincoln General Hospital nurse and a faculty member at Bryan College of Health Sciences.

Louis’ father later became a “test subject” for Bryan College nursing students. Jan had her students take her father’s vital signs, listening to his COPD and asthmaaffected lungs. His dad enjoyed that experience so much that Louis’ family established a scholarship in his honor, eventually expanding it to include Louis’ mother when she passed away in 2024.

Louis, center, with his colleagues as he is recognized for the DAISY Award.

Louis as a Bryan School of Nursing graduate in 1985.

The John and Wanda Lemon Scholarship helps foster the next generation of healthcare professionals like Louis.

Louis was also a donor during his career at Bryan and plans to continue giving in his retirement.

Louis said the shift to his new way of life over the last few months has come with challenges.

“There are days when I wake up at 5:30 and think that it’s time to get ready and go into work,” he said. “Then there are other days when I hear from my former coworkers that it was a super crazy day in the unit. So, it’s kind of been a mixed feeling.”

Louis describes the downside of retirement as losing his sense of purpose. He’s recently tried to re-gain that purpose by volunteering at his local veterinary clinic. Louis owns cats and loves spending time with animals; he plans to cuddle dogs and cats as they wake up from anesthesia.

“It gets me back into caring for something,” he said.

“It’s a way for me to give back and get me out of the house. I’m helping. That’s all I want to do, is give back and help where I can.”

As Louis begins his retirement years, he feels gratitude for everybody who ever helped him at Bryan, from his doctors and nurses who cared for him as a child to his colleagues who will continue his legacy of exemplary patient care.

“I am hopeful that in my 28 years of working at Bryan Health, I have been able to repay some of the debt for a life — both personal and professional—that this organization has helped provide me.”

Bryan Journeys

7

Ask the Doctor At midpoint of 100th celebration, Drs. Gogela and Gross discuss past, present and future of health care at Bryan

M

uch has changed at Bryan Health in the last 100 years, and much more will change in the next 100.

We asked two medical leaders at Bryan, Steven Gogela, MD, and Kenneth Gross, MD, to reflect on technology, change and progress across the health system.

In which areas are we currently leaders in technology/level of care?

Gogela: In Lincoln and at Bryan we are fortunate to have a very wide range of specialty support and a vast array of technological adjuncts.

For example, in my field of neurosurgery we have the tech, surgeon capability and staff comfort to tackle the vast majority of neurosurgical conditions (brain, spine, peripheral nerves, etc.).

Gross: Bryan’s cardiovascular services is one area that Bryan Heart physicians have been leaders, both historically and currently. Bryan Heart provides a full service of leading-edge medical care, including clinical research and the latest procedures, to patients across the state.

The Lincoln physicians and Bryan have historically been early adopters for new procedures and technologies. That comes from Bryan Health’s mission statement of improving health by collaborating with physicians and communities.

Bryan administration’s good stewardship and generous donors provide resources for new facilities, new technologies and new treatments.

8

Fall 2025

What has changed the most at Bryan during your time here?

Gogela: Bryan has long been at the forefront of surgical technology and has made a point to get surgeons equipped with the tools they need to advance modern surgical techniques. However, it does seem to be getting more difficult as the cost of these advances seems to skyrocket.

The pandemic was a major disruptor in health care, but Bryan was able to reposition itself through this time as a power in the region, and now its catchment area for patients is massive. Bryan was able to emerge from a difficult pandemic as a larger force in the healthcare community.

The mindset has also become larger. Bryan used to be a small community hospital, and now it’s a huge organization. So, I think the mindset has shifted when we think through problems. The framework to solutions is on a much larger scale. We’re comparing our system, datawise, to major healthcare systems, no longer to only small regional centers.

Gross: The physical growth of Bryan has been impressive, both the growth of Bryan’s geographical presence and the number of medical staff providers.

Bryan has grown from one hospital to now Bryan Health’s six medical centers.

The medical staff has grown dramatically — both physicians and advanced practice providers. Physicians have become more active in leadership roles and responsibilities, becoming more equipped and engaged to provide better care for patients and create a great place to work.

This story is brought to you by Sampson Construction Co., Inc.

Bryan Health has been able to attract great doctors from so many geographical areas and specialties. What do you think uniquely positions us to achieve this?

Gogela: I would say the sense of community is the largest draw to Lincoln and to Bryan. There is a real interconnectedness in patient care in our community, and we are all in the battle together, so to speak.

Certainly, it helps for physicians to have Nebraska ties to have a reason to land here. But many who do so somewhat randomly find a hidden gem and stay indefinitely.

Gross: Bryan supports and collaborates with independent physicians and physician groups and the most up-to-date procedures and technologies these physicians bring to Lincoln.

My story is not uncommon — I grew up in Nebraska. I studied at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska Medical Center. The good educational opportunities here prepared me and others to go to the best places in the country for further training. After being at Harvard for a while, I realized it was time to come back to Nebraska to practice medicine, raise a family and be a part of a community . Bryan and Lincoln were that place.

Bryan supports the latest training and skills I learned in my area of expertise. Bryan collaborates with independent physicians and groups to create a unique environment to practice not found in many other places in the country.

In your view, how do we continue to stay on the leading edge for our next 100 years?

Gogela: Judicious utilization of capital on technological advances and further incorporation of artificial intelligence as it becomes more mainstream will lead us into the foreseeable future. When important technology is developed and tested, we must be willing to invest and dive in if it will advance our capabilities, outcomes or patient safety. Also, we must continue to keep the focus on serving the community and individuals who are our neighbors, friends and family members. Larger centers tend to make patients feel marginalized as simply a number in a giant machine.

Personalized care demands more accountability and thoughtful care delivery.

Gross: Who can predict what the next 100 years or even the next 5-10 years will look like? Society and medicine are changing so rapidly. Bryan’s history of forward thinking and a caring culture have grown and maintained Bryan’s services and resources to what they are today. Bryan will continue to succeed by remembering these fundamentals.

“The only certainty is that our fields will continue to evolve, and we must match that evolution to remain at the forefront of medical care.”

What excites you about the future of medicine?

Gogela: The bar is continually raised. Medications improve. Surgical techniques become more refined.

Technology and innovation spur all of it. The only certainty is that our fields will continue to evolve, and we must match that evolution to remain at the forefront of medical care.

It’s going to be technology and AI-driven. There is going to be tremendous application in a huge number of fields, especially in terms of algorithms for diagnosing and treatment. We’re not going to have a computer perform operations, but it will help us along.

Gross: AI technology is getting to a point where it is increasing efficiency and accuracy of documentation, diagnosis, treatments and patient monitoring. Technology will continue to improve medical care and be used as a tool — not to usurp providers, but to enhance their care.

I also think there is a generation of providers and staff that will continue the tradition of caring and compassion. Bryan is a special place where caregivers give compassionate care; I hear that repeatedly and I have experienced it.

That’s the special sauce of Bryan — the leading-edge medicine with compassionate care. It is the heart and soul of Bryan, and it is something to be proud of, to celebrate and work to continue.

Bryan Journeys

9

S

ince the 1920s, when Bryan Memorial and Lincoln General hospitals began welcoming babies into the world, there have been countless examples of multiple generations forming lifelong ties to Bryan Health.

Maybe no family exemplifies these family ties at Bryan better than the Retzlaff family. Four generations of the family were born at Bryan.

Marleen became the first member of her family born at a hospital in 1947.

Marleen had her daughters, Lyn and Beth, at Bryan, and Lyn had her three children — Erin, Scott and Haley — there, too. Most recently, Erin has had her two sons, Ronin and Shiloh, at the hospital.

Across their lives, which largely have been spent around Lincoln, one constant for the family has been seeking health care at Bryan.

Where They Began

FA M I LY T I E S Four Generations Born at Bryan 10

Fall 2025

Before Marleen was born at Bryan, everybody in the family was born at their house, which still stands on the same land east of Lincoln that Marleen’s great-great-grandfather claimed in the 1850s.

Charles Retzlaff emigrated from Prussia in 1854, initially settling in Germantown, Wisconsin. Seeking to stake his family’s claim on unsettled land, he walked to an area in eastern Nebraska, put his stake in the ground, and walked back to Wisconsin. He and his wife traveled back to Nebraska on a wagon train, and they established their family’s new home.

The Retzlaff family, pictured in front of the limestone house built in 1867 on their family farm. From left to right: Erin Clark holding newborn Shiloh; Marleen Rickertsen; and Lyn Wineman holding Shiloh’s older brother, Ronin.

The family farm, located close to what is now 138th and Van Dorn streets, has been home to multiple generations since. The land still includes many old farm buildings arranged in a courtyard fashion — including a large horse barn dating to 1901. Lyn and her husband, Neil, still live in the limestone house built by Charles in 1867.

The farm has been home to a variety of animals, including shorthorn cattle and peafowl, over the years. Bryan Memorial Hospital purchased eggs laid by the family’s chickens during the early days of the hospital.

“I remember being just a few years old when I went with my mom to the hospital to drop off our eggs,” Marleen said.

Maternal Care Across Generations

Technology, facilities and treatments at Bryan have changed dramatically since Marleen, a retired teacher, was born at the hospital. She, her daughter and her granddaughter have had very different childbirth experiences.

This story is brought to you by Union Bank & Trust

Bryan Journeys

11

When Lyn was born, the nurse who admitted Marleen was also pregnant and ultimately had her baby before Marleen did. It was during a snowstorm, and Bryan was overflowing with women in labor, Marleen said. At that point, Bryan Memorial only had two delivery rooms.

Lyn, founder, president and chief strategist for KidGlov, remembers being set on doing everything naturally as a young mom. However, baby Erin had other plans. Lyn’s due date came and went, and she eventually had to be induced five days later. For her second and third children, she ended up having one of the same nurses as she did for Erin’s birth.

Finally, Erin, who works with her mom at KidGlov as senior art director, had the opposite situation compared to her grandma in that she was the only delivery at Bryan on the day her first son was born.

“My labor took 37 hours, and I had all the students and staff on the floor with me,” Erin said. “So, I had time to get to know everybody.”

Erin tried to have a natural birth, like her mom, but eventually the doctors decided a c-section would be best. She was scared – having never undergone surgery — but she said the whole team made her feel calm.

“They had music playing loudly, and somebody said to me ‘we’re going to have a birthday today,’” Erin said. “It made me feel so much better.

“That’s the story of parenting, right? You prepare for everything, and then something you never prepared for happens.”

Erin and her husband, Kade, had asked that family members wait to come to the hospital until after the baby was born. Her younger sister, Haley, flew in at the last minute and insisted that she and the family secretly go to the hospital. They were in the waiting room when a special Bryan tradition informed them of Ronin’s arrival.

Marleen, the first member of her family born at Bryan, holds her great-grandson, Shiloh, the most recent family birth at Bryan.

“We heard the lullaby come over the speakers, and we said ‘oh, that’s Ronin,” Lyn said. “We had been there for hours, but once we heard that we went home. We didn’t even see him, but we were there, and that was special.”

Past, Present and Future The Retzlaff family farm, which still stands on the land claimed by Charles Retzlaff in the 1850s.

Top: Courtesy of JoelSartore.com.

Bottom: Courtesy of the Retzlaff family.

12

Fall 2025

Outside of births, the family has been going to Bryan throughout its entire history for various ailments, from broken bones to strokes.

“When you have faith that a place is going to do the right thing and feel confident that you’re going to be well cared for, why would you not go there?” Marleen said. “That faith has been built up in me over all my years, so it’s just automatic now.”

Throughout their many birth experiences as a family, the three women said they have all received positive, compassionate health care.

“Obviously the doctors are amazing, but I think I remember the nursing more because we spend so much time with them,” Erin said. “They were so talkative and helpful to me and my husband, and they made sure to teach us some basics before our son was born. They took extra care to make sure we knew what we needed to know, even though we didn’t know what to ask for all the time.”

Today, the four generations of the Retzlaff family are thriving; Shiloh, 3, and Ronin, 1, are the eighth generation on the farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The long-cherished home holds many reminders of where this family has been and the promise of a continued legacy.

Though much has changed, and will continue to change, the constant that is Bryan Health will last for this generation and many generations to come.

Bryan Journeys

13

2024 Annual Reports

2024 Annual Reports

External Support for Students and Patient Care

Our Commitment, Our Impact Unreimbursed Cost of Medicare $116,663,859

Community Benefits

$214.3M

Other Public Programs & Subsidized Services: $19,835,203 Charity Care at Cost $21,492,015 Health Professionals Education $4,492,843

Cash and In-Kind Contributions $1,063,661

Unreimbursed Cost of Medicaid & Other Public Programs: $50,776,495

Bryan Health and its 7,428 employees across Nebraska generated $2.7 billion of economic impact for our state in 2024.

Statewide totals*

Direct Impact: Our services $1.4B provided by those we employ

Indirect Impact: Downstream businesses, such as contractors and linen services, as well as visitor spending in our communities

$576.9M

Induced Impact: What our employees, and downstream business employees, spend to live in our communities (real estate, electricity, entertainment, etc.)

$685.2M

Total Impact:

$2.7B

Unreimbursed and Charity Care by Entity Lincoln Area (Bryan Medical Center, Bryan Physician Network and Bryan Heart): Kearney Regional Medical Center: Grand Island Regional Medical Center: Crete Area Medical Center: Merrick Medical Center:

Revenue Created plus State/Local Taxes Generated

$148.9 million $19.3 million $13.9 million $4.3 million $2.4 million

By Medical Center BMC CAMC GIRMC KRMC MMC BMC CAMC GIRMC KRMC MMC BMC CAMC GIRMC KRMC MMC BMC CAMC GIRMC KRMC MMC

$953.9M $35.9M $85.5M $174.2M $29.9M $392.5M $14.7M $35.2M $71.7M $12.3M $396.3M $17.4M $37.6M $72.7M $14.4M $1.7B $68M $158.2M $318.7M $56.6M

Source: IMPLAN estimations using Bryan Health Data

*Totals include our medical centers, Bryan Physician Network, Bryan Heart and other categories.

Our supporters Total number of donors: Total number of gifts: Average per donor:

3,217 9,722 $2,000

Total external support Gifts and pledges from individuals, corporations and foundations: $6,433,362 In-kind gifts: $229,538 Volunteer support*: $1,330,111 Grant funds received from 11 total grants: $3,492,215 Total external support: $11,485,226 *711 volunteers served throughout Bryan Health and contributed 41,618 hours of service in FY 2024, valued at $1,330,111. The Institute of Philanthropy quantifies the value of each hour of service at $31.96.

Bryan employee giving

Scan this code for a full list of our generous donors.

Number of employee donors: 1,995 Dollars committed: $604,789

Where donor gifts and grants were designated Bryan Medical Center: $5,669,197 Crete Area Medical Center: $185,977 Kearney Regional Medical Center: $414,159 Bryan College of Health Sciences: $3,379,673 Grand Island Regional Medical Center: $110,106 Merrick Medical Center: $76,460 Other entities: $319,543

This summer, Alexandria Mansfield and Elizabeth McLaughlin donated the proceeds from their lemonade stand to the Bryan Medical Center pediatrics department.

The young donors are pictured here with pediatric nurses Jamie Hatch, Madison Egger and Ashley Flink.

14

Fall 2025

This story is brought to you by Fiducient Advisors

Bryan Journeys

15

2025 Foundation Highlights There’s so much to celebrate at the Bryan Foundation — here are a few standout moments from the year.

•

A retired employee, Betty Ohs, established an endowment to support an annual conference for healthcare professionals at Bryan Health. This conference made its debut this year.

A lot can happen in 100 years — Bryan Health’s story is filled with milestones, innovation, and lives changed for the better. As we reflect on a century of serving our communities, one thing is clear: the journey is far from over. Our region is Why Now?growing, our communities are evolving, and the The future won’t wait. need for compassionate, high-quality care has Every gift – large or small –never moves us forward. been greater.

HELP SHAPE THE NEXT CENTURY OF CARE

Turn your passion into purpose.

That’s why we’re moving forward with bold vision and renewed purpose.

Join us. Be the reason someone heals, learns or finds hope.

Let’s go Beyond 100 and move forward … together.

•

The Nissen family made a six-figure gift in memory of their parents, Jim and Ginger Nissen — a long-time board member and his wife — to support the Mental Health Professional Education Conference.

•

The 2025 Employee Campaign saw employees take their giving to the next level. Our dedicated Bryan team gave over $720,000 during this year’s campaign.

Because of their significant gifts to the Bryan Foundation, Dr. Russ Semm — pictured in 2015 — and the Alpha Phi Sorority at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — members pictured on a 2023 tour — will receive awards for National Philanthropy Day.

We have launched the Bryan Beyond 100 Campaign — a historic $100 million fundraising Help power your purpose. Shape the next 100 years. initiative that will shape the future of health care BryanHealth.org/Beyond100Campaign across our region. At the May Centennial Cup event, we announced we were more than halfway to our goal.

This campaign is more than a goal, though — it’s a call to action, a promise to our communities and an invitation to be part of something truly transformational.

Bryan Beyond 100 is a comprehensive campaign focused on expanding access, deepening impact and preparing for the next century of care. It allows donors to support what means the most to them personally while collectively helping to write the next chapter in Bryan Health’s legacy.

Here’s how we’ll get there:

Creating Healing Spaces

The Bryan Centennial Cup Event kicked off the Bryan Beyond 100 Campaign (more information on the next page) with a bang.

Held on the day of the Kentucky Derby, donors arrived at the April Sampson Cancer Center dressed to the nines and ready to contribute to the future of health care.

We’re building for the future — renovating and expanding facilities to meet growing needs. A major transformation of the Bryan East Campus will include: • Emergency Services • Women and Children’s Tower, with a dedicated focus on the NICU • Bryan College of Health Sciences with state-of-the-art classrooms and labs

Education & Workforce Development Our investment in people is an investment in care. We’re empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals through: • Scholarships • Simulation Training • Continuing education for those already making a difference

Programs & Patient Support Expanding programs that support people — patients, families and healthcare professionals: • Specialized training for caregivers (e.g., sexual assault nurse examiners) • Support groups and patient navigation services • Resources to remove barriers so all patients have the best chance to focus on healing and wellness.

If you’re in a position to give, join us. Let’s go beyond what’s expected.

Sen. Eliot Bostar speaks at the Bryan Centennial Cup event.

16

Fall 2025

This story is brought to you by Pinnacle Bank

Bryan Beyond

is your future Bryan Journeys

17

Reflections from Former Cardiac Providers, Present Bryan Donors and Perpetual Old Friends

Welcome New Cardiologist to Bryan Heart C. José Friesen, MD, joined Bryan Heart in April. Dr. Friesen specializes in invasive cardiology, performing catheter-based cardiac procedures to help diagnose or treat heart-related problems and seeing patients for preventative medicine.

He grew up in Henderson, Nebraska, on a farm where his family raised cattle, corn and hay. While his dad was in El Salvador for the Peace Corps, he met Dr. Friesen’s mom. They got married and settled in Henderson, his dad’s hometown.

Dr. Friesen said farm life is what interested him in the subject of biology; he knew he didn’t want to be a farmer, so his love of science instead turned him to medicine. He attended University of NebraskaLincoln for undergraduate school, where he said he was drawn to human physiology. He taught a few labs in that subject for Professor David Woodman while in school.

“There is where I really started appreciating the intricacies behind the heart,” he said. “I still look back fondly to the cardiac labs that I learned in and helped to teach.”

He went to University of Nebraska Medical Center for his medical degree and stayed for his residency and fellowship in cardiology. He then practiced in Grand Island and Hastings as part of CHI Health for more than 15 years before joining Bryan this year. Dr. Friesen moved to Lincoln full-time in June, but he goes to Grand Island and Hastings weekly for clinics. He joins his wife, Elizabeth Friesen, MD, at Bryan, where she has worked as a hospitalist since 2020.

“I trained with a lot of people at Bryan and had strong friendships there,” he said. “Plus, obviously, with my wife working here, I was really excited about working together again for the first time since we were in residency.”

At Bryan, Dr. Friesen has been treating a wide variety of patients, ranging from straight-forward to highly complex cases.

“It’s busy, but for the most part, treating patients has remained the same,” he said. “The patients and the staff here have been very kind in welcoming me to Lincoln. When you’re coming from a smaller town, you think people might be colder here, but that hasn’t been the case at all.”

C. José Friesen, MD, joined his wife, Elizabeth Friesen, MD, at Bryan Health earlier this year.

He said he has also enjoyed working with his new colleagues, cardiology and non-cardiology alike, citing the “sense of collegiality” at Bryan.

“My wife has always said that to me, and I’ve found it to be true,” he said.

“Everyone’s pulling in the same direction and working as a team for the patients’ best interests.

Dr. Friesen looks forward to establishing roots with his family in the Lincoln community and forming new relationships while maintaining his central Nebraska presence. He has three sons — Dominic, Jack and Max. He and his wife enjoy traveling together.

T

wo cardiologists and a cardiovascular sonographer walk into a room.

Instead of the start of a corny joke, this is the dynamic between three old friends and colleagues who have made a big impact on Nebraska health care.

Charles Wilson and Chris Caudill, the cardiologists, and Jim Peter, the sonographer, started working together at Bryan Memorial Hospital in the mid-1970s. In different roles, they were part of a practice that helped change the landscape of cardiac care in Nebraska throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s.

In the last 12 months, Bryan Health has served cardiac and vascular patients from every county in Nebraska except for one.

Bryan Heart Clinics Platte Valley Medical Clinics Both Groups’ Clinics

18

Fall 2025

From left to right: Charles Wilson, MD; Chris Caudill, MD; and Jim Peter.

This story is brought to you by Inpatient Physician Associates

This story is brought to you by Cheever Construction

The trio reunited on a summer day in 2025 to reflect on their careers and the strong bonds between them.

“It was all fun and games,” Peter joked, “and, occasionally, we did some serious work.”

The Early Days Charles Wilson, MD, was born and raised in Nebraska. He went to college in Nebraska and then attended medical school in Chicago. He completed specialty training at the Mayo Clinic, where he met Chris Caudill, MD. Dr. Caudill grew up in Ohio, attending The Ohio State University. His time at Mayo was interrupted by joining the Air Force for two years. He ended up at University of California, Davis, to complete his cardiology training.

Bryan Journeys

19

Dr. Wilson settled at Bryan Memorial Hospital in 1972. Remembering his Mayo Clinic pal, he eventually lured Dr. Caudill to Lincoln to join Bryan in 1974.

Jim Peter was also born and raised in Nebraska. He started working at BMH in 1965 as a dishwasher, holding that position on and off through high school and college.

In 1972, he started his healthcare path as a driver for the Mobile Heart Team, a new emergency unit which was only the sixth program of its kind in the nation.

Peter shifted to the cardiopulmonary lab in 1974. He helped develop on-the-job cross-training for workers in the lab to advance their skills. He slowly added new skills to his repertoire, going from a registered cardiopulmonary tech in non-invasive cardiology to a diagnostic medical sonographer. Later in his career, Peter worked as an administrator for the Nebraska Heart Institute.

The trio enjoyed working together over the years and collaborated on multiple significant advancements for their cardiac practice and Bryan as an organization. They all played crucial parts in the effort to expand cardiac services to rural areas across the region. Peter traveled throughout Nebraska and northern Kansas to meet with hospital administrators and doctors in an effort to provide services such as Holter monitors, echocardiograms and cardiac catheterization services in these communities.

“We went from 400 heart caths a year to several thousand heart caths a year in about a 10-year period,” he said.

As they worked, staff on the unit became registered sonographers and cardiopulmonary technicians. Peter said many people he hired are still working at Bryan today.

Creating More Healthcare Opportunities Dr. Caudill remembers sitting down with his Bryan cardiac colleagues one Sunday and discussing the possibility of doing outpatient clinics around Nebraska. That idea expanded over the next 7-10 years; Dr. Wilson said, at one point, there were 43 clinics where Bryan doctors traveled to treat patients, from Nebraska City to Valentine.

The doctors split the cost of travel with the hospital.

“There was an imaginary line we drew — short of that, you drove; beyond that, you flew,” Dr. Caudill said.

These clinics were an opportunity for Bryan to establish relationships within rural Nebraska communities. The doctors said it opened the door for other specialties associated with Bryan, both surgical and medical, to eventually enter these communities.

“It was a big thing for us, and a big thing for Bryan,” Dr. Caudill said.

This isn’t the only example of these men being on the leading-edge of medical care. Dr. Wilson recalled one day seeing a new procedure to unblock the coronary artery.

20

Fall 2025

“Dr. Caudill called me up and said, ‘Did you see that?’” Dr. Wilson said. “Well, within a few months, Chris did one himself. It was the first one done here, and it certainly was one of the first few done in the state.

After that, a huge part of the practice became doing interventional procedures.”

The men said they couldn’t have done so much of their groundbreaking work without consistent faith and financial support from administration, especially Gene Edwards, the president and CEO of BMH at the time. If the department could show that what they were asking for was well researched and had the support of the whole staff, it would usually get approved. This is one benefit of the leadership at Bryan, Dr. Wilson said; it was much easier to work with locally based leaders who valued innovative health care in the community.

“I think there were times when I was close to getting fired, because we were always asking for money,” Peter joked. “But seriously, the administration was, by and large, always on board.”

Bryan’s cardiovascular services, now known as Bryan Heart, have grown steadily over the years in its physician numbers and its reach. Peter said that culture of growth was established during the early era of the three men’s careers.

“It wasn’t just us in cardiac care,” Peter said.

“The rising tide lifted all the boats of gastrointestinal, orthopedics, pathology, etc.”

Relationships for Life In their retirement, the men have stayed around Lincoln, the place that became their professional and personal home. They said that as the city has grown, it hasn’t lost its sense of a strong, united community.

The men have also continued to give back to Bryan Health as generous donors. Each have endowed scholarships at the Bryan College of Health Sciences. Drs. Wilson and Caudill support nursing students, while Peter’s scholarships goes to the sonography program. Peter also donated a heart sculpture by Valery Wachter titled “Nebraska Wildflowers” that sits on the grounds of Bryan Medical Center.

Through the ebbs and flows of life, the trio have remained in touch. Every now and then, they’ll get together and talk about their lives and careers. Peter said he is grateful to have worked with the two doctors.

“It’s easy to be complimentary of these guys,” he said. “They’ve always had my back, and I could always go to them with questions. They were great to work with, and they are good men.”

To learn more about establishing a legacy gift with the Bryan Foundation, call 402-481-8605 or visit BryanHealth.com/Bryan-Foundation.

A Family Kept Whole Through Emergency Treatments for Mom, Baby

T

he Christiansens — husband and wife Adam and Katie, with son Cooper and daughter Parker — are a Nebraska family through and through. Katie is from West Point, Nebraska, a small town about 75 miles northwest of Omaha. She works at the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.

Her husband, Adam, is from Pender, Nebraska, which is a 20-minute drive north of West Point. The couple met in college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where Adam currently works as an academic navigator.

The couple knew before they were married that they wanted kids together. From the beginning, reaching their goal was an “emotional rollercoaster,” the Christiansens said. They tried for four years, going through in vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI) and other treatments before having their daughter Parker in 2021.

When she had Parker, Katie significantly bled and ended up in the emergency department two days after giving birth. Due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, Adam had to wait in the hospital parking lot with his newborn daughter while Katie received care.

When they were trying to have a second child, they lost two embryos in the thawing process. Finally, Katie became pregnant again, and she experienced more bleeding while carrying Cooper. Otherwise, Cooper looked great on ultrasounds leading up to his delivery date.

Things were going about as smoothly as they could for an expecting mother, until they weren’t.

This story is brought to you by U.S. Bank

The Christiansens—Adam holding Parker, and Katie holding Cooper.

“I need your surgical consent to save your wife’s life.”

Katie’s water broke on a Saturday, and she and her husband went to Bryan Medical Center for delivery. Katie said her nurses were great at trying different positions to get baby Cooper to emerge. When it came time to push, Cooper’s blood pressure and oxygen levels were shifting, so the decision was made to vacuum him out. Once Cooper emerged, there was something wrong. He wasn’t moving.

“He was just limp at that point,” Adam said. “I was looking at the nurses, and they told me to give it time, but I had a feeling something wasn’t right.”

Bryan Journeys

21

At that point, the delivery team was going to remove the placenta, so they told Adam to go with baby Cooper to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and come back in a bit. He was there for about five minutes when he was urgently called back to Katie’s side. He was met right out of the elevator by one of the doctors, Rachel Anderson, DO, of Women’s Health Care Center of Williamsburg.

“She handed me a form and said ‘I need your surgical consent to save your wife’s life.’”

Katie was suffering from placenta accreta, a rare condition (affecting around 0.2% of pregnancies) where the placenta grows too deeply into the wall of the uterus, causing severe bleeding. The care team performed an emergency hysterectomy, which took almost four hours. She lost seven liters of blood and underwent five transfusions.

At the same time, Adam was told that his son had not received enough oxygen during the birth, resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). To treat HIE, the doctors use a cooling blanket on babies for about 72 hours, cooling their bodies and slowing their brain activity to prevent brain damage.

At this point, Adam was torn between his wife and his newborn son. It was a terrifying period for him; he was faced with the unthinkable idea that he might lose one, or both, of his loved ones.

“I was sitting there, researching what they were telling me about Cooper, and I didn’t really have any idea what was going to happen with him or with Katie,” Adam said. “You never expect your wife or your baby to be in that situation.”

A Letter from Cooper Eventually, Adam went home for the night to be with his daughter, who was at her grandparent’s house and had no idea anything was wrong. He returned early the next morning, where Katie was still in the ICU but had woken up from surgery. He told her about everything that happened over the last 24 hours.

“It was kind of like a movie,” Katie said. “I woke up and was like ‘Where am I? What am I doing here?’ Not having my baby with me was really hard.”

One of the NICU nurses, Rachel Kreikemeier, came down with a picture of Cooper in the cooling blanket, “wrapped up like a little mummy,” the couple said. It came attached with a note, written

by Rachel, in the voice of their newborn.

Katie ultimately went for four days without seeing Cooper and was discharged from the hospital almost a week after arriving.

22

Fall 2025

“He was comfortable with her; it was like he knew who she was from her time caring for him.”

Super Cooper Since her traumatic birth experience, Katie has struggled with balancing the urge to know everything that happened to her with the tremendous emotional and mental burden that comes with that knowledge. Reading back through her mom’s diary of that period and looking at her medical records have been difficult steps for her healing process.

“I don’t remember much, so most of what I know comes from Adam and our family,” she said. “It’s really hard, as a mom, not knowing exactly what happened to you and your child.”

Cooper, living his best life.

“It was insanely emotional,” Katie said. “I was in a wheelchair connected to different things; I look back at pictures and it doesn’t even look like me. Then, the first time I see my baby, he’s in an incubator and I can’t hold him.”

Mikayla Schultz, RN, was the primary nurse assigned to Cooper. The Christiansens remember the feeling of relief well when she came down to Katie’s hospital room to tell them Cooper’s brain MRI was clear.

The couple recently took Cooper to a neurologist for a follow-up on his brain health. The doctor told them that the cooling blanket worked wonders for Cooper; scans showed no signs of any brain damage. The blanket needs to be applied within a few hours of birth to be effective.

“We love where we come from in rural Nebraska, but if we weren’t in Lincoln, Katie and Cooper might not have made it,” Adam said. “We were in the right place.”

Cooper continues to progress well, passing hearing tests and wearing a helmet to help with his skull development. Cooper is the “happiest, chillest baby,” in the words of his parents.

“We say that he must have known how he came into the world, because he has made everything so easy on us since then,” Katie said.

Cooper reunited with his primary NICU nurse, Mikayla Schultz, at the NICU reunion this summer.

Perinatal depression, which can occur for parents during or after pregnancy, affects one in seven women and one in 10 men, according to the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative. At Bryan, women are screened for mental health concerns throughout their maternal journey. Adam received a screening as well from the NICU, which he said was eye-opening.

Katie has now been in postpartum therapy for a while but struggled at first to recognize that she needed it or where to turn in the first place. Even coming back to Bryan Medical Center has been hard. Sometimes, talking about their experiences has been the hardest, but most necessary, part.

The family reunited with so many members of Cooper’s care team at the NICU reunion this summer. There, Schultz and baby Cooper shared a healing experience of reconnection.

“She held him, and he just melted into her,” Katie said. “He was comfortable with her; it was like he knew who she was from her time caring for him.”

One of their doctors, Todd Martin, MD, gave their son the nickname “Super Cooper.” For his first birthday, celebrating a year since potential tragedy turned into triumph, the Christiansens threw a “Super Cooper” party.

“My God, that kid has been through so much,” his mom said. “But he’s thriving now.”

Bryan Journeys

23

Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community Over 1600 providers across the state have privileges at a Bryan facility. Join us in celebrating new additions to the system!

24

Fall 2025

Yazan Alzedaneen, MD, Complete Endocrinology, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Endocrinology Medical Education: The Hashemite University, Jordan Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center Fellowship: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Anna Bock, MD, Family Practice Associates Specialty: Family Medicine Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Alyssa Averhoff, DO, Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists Specialty: Pediatrics Medical Education: Des Moines University Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Marcell Brikho, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons Specialty: Podiatry Medical Education: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois Residency: Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Michigan Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery

Derek Bates, DDS, MD, Nebraska Oral and Facial Surgery Specialty: Oral Surgery Medical Education: Mayo Clinic; University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science

Justin Burr, MD, Cancer Partners of Nebraska Specialty: Radiation Oncology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Jake Bianco, MD, Central Nebraska Orthopedics Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Residency: University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita Fellowship: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Manisha Deb Roy, MD, Inpatient Physician Associates Specialties: Internal Medicine; Hospitalist Medical Education: Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar Residency: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens

This story is brought to you by Davis Design

Heath Diel, MD, Kearney Regional Medical Center Specialty: Anesthesiology Medical Education: University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City Residency: University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City Fellowship: University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City

Blake Kooima, DO, Inpatient Physician Associates Specialty: Internal Medicine Medical Education: Des Moines University Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Jessica Farlee, MD, Women’s Health Care Center of Williamsburg Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock

Timothy Govaerts, MD, Prairie Center Internal Medicine & Nephrology Specialty: Nephrology Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Residency: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Fellowship: University of Michigan

Drew Forro, DO, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery Medical Education: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, North Carolina Residency: Larkin Community Hospital, Florida Fellowship: University of Oklahoma

Colleen Hanna-Slagle, MD, Doctors of Children Specialty: Pediatrics Medical Education: Harvard Medical School, Boston Residency: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

C. José Friesen, MD, Bryan Heart Specialty: Cardiology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center Fellowship: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Lukas Émile Hashem, MD, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery Medical Education: University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Residency: University of Western Ontario Schulich School of Medicine, Canada Fellowship: The CORE Institute, Phoenix; Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Temple Terrace

Carlo Gammaitoni, MD, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Trauma Surgery Medical Education: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania Residency: New England Medical Center/ Tufts University, Boston Fellowship: R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore

Brandon Henslee, MD, Nebraska Urology Specialty: Urology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Missouri, Columbia

Bryan Journeys

25

Kathryn Kennedy, MD, Cancer Partners of Nebraska Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology Medical Education: UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts Residency: Tulane University, New Orleans Fellowship: University of Rochester, New York

26

Fall 2025

Melanie McCormick, MD, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Trauma Surgery Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Fellowship: Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Eric Miller, DO, Lincoln Radiology Group Specialty: Radiology Medical Education: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, North Carolina Residency: University of Arizona, Tucson Fellowship: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Ryan Mikus, MD, Nebraska Emergency Medicine Specialty: Emergency Medicine Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Evan Lenertz, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons Specialty: Podiatry Medical Education: Des Moines University Residency: St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, Michigan Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle, Hastings

Marco Pares, MD, Bryan Neurology, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Neurology Medical Education: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Residency: Houston Methodist Hospital

Lorelii Lewis, MD, NorthPointe Family Medicine, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Family Medicine Medical Education: Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California Residency: University of Minnesota – St. John’s Hospital, St. Paul

Elvin Mirzazada, MD, Bryan Neurology, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Neurology Medical Education: Ege University, Bornova, Turkey Residency: St. Louis University School of Medicine

Shravan Mallapu, MBBS, Madonna Rehabilitation Physicians Specialty: Internal Medicine Medical Education: Kurnool Medical College, Andhra Pradesh, India Residency: Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, New York

Brent Moravec, MD, Advanced Radiology of Grand Island Specialty: Radiology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: Baptist Memorial Hospital Fellowship: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City

Vinayak Nagaraja, MD, Platte Valley Medical Clinic Specialty: Interventional Cardiology Medical Education: Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, India Residency: Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Sydney, Australia Fellowships: University Hospital of North Midlands, England; Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Alexander Praus, MD, Gastroenterology Specialties Specialty: Gastroenterology Medical Education: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center Fellowship: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Bryce Noll, MD, Pathology Medical Services Specialty: Pathology Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora Fellowship: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Nathan Richling, MD, Holmes Lake Family Medicine & Internal Medicine, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialties: Family Medicine; Addiction Medicine Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Caden Nowak, MD, Consultants in Infectious Disease Specialty: Infectious Disease Medical Education: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Residency: HCA HealthOne Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree, Colorado Fellowship: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Barbara Roth, MD, Bryan Psychiatry, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialty: Psychiatry Medical Education: St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies Residency: University of Colorado, Aurora; Creighton University School of Medicine

Kaleb Thomas, MD, Lincoln Nephrology and Hypertension Specialty: Nephrology Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center Fellowship: Stanford University, Palo Alto, California

Drew Thompson, MD, Inpatient Physician Associates Specialties: Internal Medicine; Hospitalist Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine Residency: Grand Strand Medical Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Ryan Pavelka, DO, Kearney Regional Medical Center Specialty: Emergency Medicine Medical Education: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Mesa, Arizona Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Seth Wardyn, MD, Central Nebraska Orthopedics Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo Fellowship: University of Kentucky

Tiana Peterson, DO, Crete Medical Clinic Specialty: Family Practice and Obstetrics Medical Education: Kansas City University Residency: Lincoln Family Medicine

Carley Warner, DO, Bryan Women’s Care Physicians, part of Bryan Physician Network Specialties: Obstetrics; Gynecology Medical Education: Kansas City University Residency: Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati

Bryan Journeys

27

David Waters, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons Specialty: Podiatry Medical Education: Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine at Kent State University Residency: St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit

Swetha Yadav, MD, MPH, Cancer Partners of Nebraska Specialty: Hematology; Medical Oncology Medical Education: Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, India Fellowship: University of Alabama at Birmingham

In Loving Memory We remember long-time Bryan physicians Richard C. Sposato Richard C. Sposato, MD, died March 27 at the age of 83. The eldest of 12 siblings, he and his wife of 60 years, Elizabeth, had 12 children of their own.

Dr. Sposato attended medical school at St. Louis University, where he met his wife. He began his career as a neurologist in the U.S. Navy, rising to the ranking of Lieutenant Commander. Upon his return to civilian life, he and his family moved to Lincoln, where he practiced neurology for several decades.

Dr. Sposato is survived by his children, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Brady Webb, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons Specialty: Podiatry Medical Education: Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine Residency: Rochester General Hospital, New York Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery

Richard C. Sposato Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf, MD, died April 25 at the age of 83. He practiced ophthalmology in Lincoln for nearly 40 years.

Before moving to Lincoln, he served in the Army from 1974-1976 and was a professor at the University of Chicago from 1976-1979. He was a lover of art, music and food, and had a passion for life that he passed along to his only son, Eric.

Welcome these Advanced Practice Providers These advanced practice providers are now working within the Bryan Health system: Ashley Anderson, PA-C, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons Raeann Anderson, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart Claire Baweja, APRN-NP, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network Jessica Blake, APRN-NP, BraveBe Child Advocacy Center Jasmine Braman, APRN-NP, Bryan Women’s Care Physicians, part of Bryan Physician Network Tyler Brandt, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists N. Joanna Bui, PA-C, ENT Specialties Erin Burr, PA-C, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center Alicia Clough, PA-C, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons William Devine, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart Guila Dunning, APRN-NP, Bryan Psychiatry, part of Bryan Physician Network McKenna Flint, PA-C, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center of Kearney Allissa Flynn, PA-C, ENT Specialties Jordan Grooms, PA-C, New West Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery Benjamin Grossnicklaus, CRNA, Kearney Regional Medical Center Jonathan Guenther, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists Ashley Harris, APRN-NP, BraveBe Child Advocacy Center Brenden Heckenlively, APRN-NP, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network Brian Hoesing, PA-C, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center

28

Fall 2025

Drake Kee, PA-C, Kearney Regional Medical Center Lacey Jensen, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists Christopher Linke, PA-C, Grand Island Regional Medical Center Ashley Long, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists M. Katie McLaughlin, PA-C, Cancer Partners of Nebraska Sophie Mellema, PA-C, Central Nebraska Orthopedics Natalie Milhouse, PA-C, Lincoln OB GYN Shelby Miller, APRN-NP, Cancer Partners of Nebraska Alexa Neill-Scheer, APRN-NP, Gastroenterology Specialties Madeline Noecker, APRN-NP, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center Cami Oswald, CRNA, Grand Island Regional Medical Center Amanda Raber, CRNA, Kearney Regional Medical Center Emily Reinhard, PA-C, Platte Valley Medical Clinic Olivia Roers, PA-C, Bryan Heart Vascular Surgery Jessica Siepelmeier, APRN-NP, Nebraska Hematology Oncology Baker Steinkuhler, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists Faith Turner, PA-C, Platte Valley Medical Clinic Abbey Vales, PA-C, Nebraska Emergency Medicine Deana Vandivier, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists Kali Welling, PA-C, Doctors of Children Camrie Werning, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists Joshua Wild, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists

Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf Timothy Gardner Timothy Gardner, MD, died April 10 at the age of 64. He attended Oregon State University and Baylor College of Medicine, graduating with honors.

Dr. Gardner and his family relocated his family to Lincoln in 2008, where he practiced at Bryan Heart and, later, CHI Health Heart Hospital until retiring from full-time practice in 2021.

Dr. Gardner was a devoted Chiefs fan, multiple times featured on the news in connection to his fandom. He loved fishing, traveling and learning about history.

He is survived by this three sons, three siblings and countless other loving family members.

Timothy Gardner Dina Howell-Burke Dina Howell-Burke, MD, died May 15 at the age of 78. A minister, radiation oncologist and singer, she practiced on the Bryan medical staff for almost 30 years.

In her 60s, she traveled to Chile to study the CyberKnife treatment for cancer.

She brought the non-invasive treatment to Nebraska.

Dr. Howell-Burke is survived by her husband, Jim, and their nine children and 16 grandchildren.

Dina Howell-Burke Bryan Journeys

29

Trustees & Leaders Bryan College of Health Sciences Kelsi Anderson, PhD Melissa Bartels, MSN, RN, CCRN Laurie Bellows, PhD Jason Cottam Pete Ferguson David Griffiths Amy Knobbe, PhD Beth Lau, MD Aubree McKee Melissa Newton Juan Paulo ( JP) Ramirez, PhD Bob Ravenscroft Ashley Schroeder Jeff Schwehm, PhD Alethea Stovall, PhD Carrie Webber Joel Weyand Karen White, CRNA John Woodrich Bryan Health Bob Caldwell John L. Decker, Jr. Stephanie Dinger Kathy Farrell Tony Goins Russ Gronewold Ken Gross, MD Tom Heacock Jasmine I. Kingsley Reg Kuhn Gail S. Perry Beau Reid Chris C. Roth H. Russell Semm, MD Aina Silenieks, MD Clay Smith John Woodrich Bryan Foundation Kayla Abel Loel Brooks Jill Davis Mike Dewerff Greg Dynek - Past Chair Dan Grasso Russ Gronewold Jennifer Hilkemann Chris Hove Ben Kiser Reginald Kuhn - Chair John Laflin Quinn Lawton - Secretary/Treasurer

30

Fall 2025

Judy Lichti Crystal Livingston Scott McHam, DO Jake Muhleisen John Olsson - Vice Chair Bob Ravenscroft Deb Schorr Layne Sup Eric Sutton Stacia Thiesen Nelle Woods-Jamison Mike Works

Entity board officers gather at their June retreat.

Bryan Medical Center Lorenzo Ball Melissa Bartels, MSN, RN, CCRN Pablo Cervantes Janet C. Chung Alissa Clough, MD Connie Edmond Russ Gronewold Ken Gross, MD Jack J. Huck William M. Johnson, MD Michaella Kumke Melissa Newton Robert A. Oakes, MD Gayle Page Erin C. Pemberton, MSN Max L. Rodenburg Krystal Siebrandt Aina Silenieks, MD Lisa Smith John Woodrich Bryan Physician Network Stephanie Boldt John Dittman Pat Ganyo Jessica Heckman Rubab Husain, MBBS Torri Janecek, DO Ben Pankonin Matt Wittry, DO Bryan Heart Board of Managers Mathue Baker, MD Mike Dewerff Stephanie Eells Jack Huck Matthew Johnson, MD Matthew Kapalis, DO Aina Silenieks John Steuter, MD John Woodrich

Crete Area Medical Center Lupe Avelar - Secretary Russ Ebke, MD Pat Ganyo Maria Isquierdo Justin Kozisek - Vice Chair Julie Lacy - Ex-Officio Member Dave Newmyer - Treasurer Eric Post, DVM - Chair Grand Island Regional Medical Center Eric Barber Rev. Dr. Luke Biggs Ryan Crouch, DO Teresa Grabowski Russ Gronewold Cindy Johnson Molly Johnson, MD Greg Sextro, MD Krista Stoecker, MD Drew Waterman Tom Werner, MD John Woodrich Kearney Regional Medical Center David Benavides, MD Brenda Benjamin Joey Cochran Sean Denney, MD Russ Gronewold Jeff Hinrichs Douglas Koch Mike Morgan Kari Nickman Scott Smith, MD Merlin Wehling, MD John Woodrich Merrick Medical Center Blake Cover, MD Shannon Hannappel Patrick Ganyo Rich Lloyd, PhD Jodi Mohr Nathan Perry

This story is brought to you by Riverside Technologies

Welcome Bryan Health’s New Executive Vice President and COO, Elizabeth Wise

E

lizabeth Wise is Bryan Health’s next executive vice president and chief operating officer, beginning her service Oct. 6. Wise succeeds John Woodrich, who recently announced his intentions to retire in January 2026. Woodrich has served Bryan in executive roles since 2009. He will continue to serve as the interim chief executive officer of Bryan Medical Center for the remainder of the year.

“The Board of Trustees, and our entire Bryan team, are extremely appreciative of John’s record of accomplishments,” said Russ Gronewold, Bryan Health’s chief executive officer.

“Through his leadership, Bryan Health’s statewide reach has grown significantly, and we’ve earned the trust of patients across Nebraska. While he has championed many projects — April Sampson Cancer Center and the 5055 Building on the Bryan East Campus are just two — John’s most important legacy will be the leaders he has coached and mentored the past 16 years.”

Wise, a native of New Jersey, most recently served as president/CEO at the University of Maryland Medical System Upper Chesapeake Health (UMMS UCH). Her tenure there was marked by significant milestones, including the successful opening of the new University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Campus. Wise was a driving force in transformational growth, with expanded access to care and a clear commitment to improving the health of the community.

“We are pleased to welcome Elizabeth to lead our CEOs and entity senior leadership teams,” Gronewold said. “Elizabeth has held executive roles as a chief nursing officer, chief operating officer and chief executive officer. Having nursing, clinical, operational and strategic perspectives is unique and will be invaluable for our team, medical staffs and our patients.”

Prior to her most recent role, Wise worked at other health systems in New Jersey, Delaware, Washington, D.C and Pennsylvania. A fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, she earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Seton Hall University and an MSN and MBA from Rutgers University.

This story is brought to you by Forvis Mazars

“I am very excited to join Bryan Health,” Wise said.

“The spirit of innovation, incredible medical staffs and the daily impact the team has on those who trust Bryan for their care is evident. It has been enjoyable to learn all that is being celebrated during Bryan’s 100th anniversary, and I am looking forward to being a part of the team that continues to provide access to superb health care and meet both industry challenges and patient needs as Bryan enters its next 100 years.”

Wise and her husband Calvin look forward to immersing themselves in all that Lincoln and Nebraska have to offer.

Bryan Journeys

31

Our 100th Anniversary Celebration: What We’ve Done and What’s Next

Time Capsule In September, we removed a time capsule from 1986 from the walls of Bryan East Campus in Lincoln. It was brought to Fairview and opened in front of Bryan trustees, leaders and staff, both past and present. Some of the items discovered inside included medical equipment and Bryan publications from the time that capsule was placed.

We’re halfway through Bryan Health’s celebration of 100 years of health care that began at Bryan Memorial and Lincoln General hospitals. Let’s check in on some fun highlights and upcoming events for the celebration.

Cake Day

100 Acts of Kindness

In March, on Lincoln General Hospital’s official 100th birthday, our Nutrition and Dining Services team served thousands of cake slices to visitors and staff. It was a sweet reminder to celebrate the little joys in life, such as enjoying a treat with your friends and colleagues.

Bryan Health committed to 100 Acts of Kindness in our communities during the celebration. So far, our generous employees have completed over 80 acts. Due to the success of the program, we are relaunching it as “Kindness Beyond 100,” with a new goal to reach by the end of our anniversary celebration.

What’s Next?

There’s still so much to celebrate at Bryan Health! As we near the holiday season, we’re excited for the festive, cold air to descend over Nebraska. We have a year-end blood donation goal of 400 units.

By the time the 100th celebration ends in May, two more classes from Bryan College of Health Sciences will have graduated. We will continue to celebrate Kindness Beyond 100 as we perform more Acts of Kindness. Next year, the Bryan Young Professionals group will place a new time capsule to be opened at the organization’s 150th anniversary.

NICU Reunion We celebrated our smallest patients and the wonderful team who cares for them at this summer’s NICU reunion. Families and providers got the chance to catch up and exchange hugs over ballpark food at Haymarket Park.

And Much More!!!

Be part of Bryan’s next 100 years. To find out about volunteer opportunities in your community, call: Volunteers and Customer Care at 402-481-3032 (Lincoln) Crete Area Medical Center at 402-826-6581 Grand Island Regional Medical Center at 308-675-4424 Kearney Regional Medical Center at 308-455-3738

32

Fall 2025

This story is brought to you by Cerris Systems

Bryan Journeys

33

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 267 Lincoln, NE 1600 S. 48th St., Lincoln, NE 68506

Address service requested

A lot can happen in a hundred years. New beginnings.

Old A lotFriendships. can happen in a hundred years.

New beginnings.

Like you, we’re always looking beyond where we’ve Because no matter what tomorrow Old been.

Friendships. brings… Together, we’ll care for Nebraska.

Like you, we’re always looking beyond where we’ve been. Because no matter what tomorrow brings… Together, care for Nebraska.

100 Yearswe’ll of Milestones – See how far we’ve come. beyond100.bryanhealth.com 100 Years of Milestones – See how far we’ve come.