Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital

Advancing Care Due to the unrelenting work of staff, physicians and volunteers, we were able to accomplish many milestones in our ongoing fight against cancer in 2014 at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital.

This past year, we implemented a lung cancer multidisciplinary care (MDC) team. MDC teams, considered a best practice by the National Cancer Institute, are composed of experts from a wide range of disciplines — including surgery, pathology, radiology, medical oncology and radiation oncology — collaborating to ensure patients receive the most precise diagnosis and advanced comprehensive cancer treatments.

Concurrently, because tobacco use accounts for 87 percent of lung cancer deaths — according to the American Cancer Society — we expanded our Living Tobacco Free program’s free education classes led by certified tobacco treatment specialists.

The Cancer Center and its partners, LSU Health Sciences Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport, were awarded a $5.6 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program grant. It will help bring advanced clinical trials to citizens of our community that previously were only found at large academic centers in other states. This means patients can now access the most advanced treatments at home — close to family, religious and community support systems.

The accomplishments achieved in 2014 reflect the collective passion and continued commitment from the generous hearts of this community to provide the highest quality cancer care for all residents on the Northshore.

With your help, we will continue to focus on providing an extraordinary experience for those we are humbled to serve.

Sincerely,

Patricia Braly, MD Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital | Chair of Cancer Committee

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Throughout this report, you will get a glimpse of the services we provide across the cancer continuum, guiding patients through each step of their individual cancer journey.

PREVENTION & EDUCATION Community Outreach and Education

TREATMENT Clinical Research

• Group Tobacco Cessation Counseling

Dental Oncology

• Health and Wellness Classes

Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Care (MDC) Team

• Health Fairs

Medical Oncology

• Speakers Bureau

• Chemotherapy

Lymphedema Prevention and Management

• Hematology

Professional Education

• Hormonal/Antihormonal Therapy

• Allied Health Cancer Grand Rounds • Continuing Education (CE) • Continuing Medical Education (CME)

• Immunotherapy • Infusion Therapy/Supportive Therapy Radiation Oncology • External Beam Radiotherapy

EARLY DETECTION Cancer Screenings • Breast • Colorectal

– Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) – Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) • High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR)

• Lung

– Gynecological Brachytherapy

• Oral

– MammoSite® Radiation Therapy System for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI)

• Prostate • Skin

• Prostate Seed Implants • Stereotactic Radiosurgery

DIAGNOSIS Breast Center:

– 4D Respiratory Gating

• Mammography

– Image Fusion (CT, MRI, PET)

• MRI

– Medical Physics/Dosimetry

• Bone Density • Ultrasound Computerized Tomography (CT) Interventional Radiology Pathology/Laboratory Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Pulmonary Lung Navigation Tumor Registry and Conferences Virtual 3D and 4D Simulation

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• Treatment Planning

Surgical Oncology • da Vinci Surgical System ®

SURVIVORSHIP

PALLIATIVE CARE

Annual Wellness Workshop

Hospice/Home Health

Look Good Feel Better ®

Pain Management

Support Services

Psychosocial and Emotional Support

• Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Shared Decision-making Guidance

• Certified Lymphedema Counseling

Symptom Management

• Genetic Counseling • Mindful Meditation • Nutritional Support • Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapies • Pastoral Care • Patient Financial Counseling • Patient Navigation • Pet Therapy • Respiratory Therapy • Restorative Yoga • Social Services • Tai Chi • Transportation Assistance • Wound/Enterostomal Therapy • Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Survivorship Picnic Survivorship Support Groups

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PALLIATIVE CARE

Enhancing Wellness Together, we are fighting cancer on every front.

SURVIVORSHIP

This means relentlessly educating friends and loved ones about the causes of cancer and ways to prevent it.

Many types of cancer can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital is educating the community and encouraging people

TREATMENT

to focus on stopping cancer before it starts. Wellness and health therapies can benefit anyone seeking a more balanced lifestyle, not just cancer patients.

Participating in Tai Chi and Mindful Meditation

DIAGNOSIS

classes for the past two years has given 76-year-old Rita Breath, a 20-year melanoma survivor, a new lease on life.

“Tai Chi helps me with my balance as I age,” she said of this graceful form of exercise that

EARLY DETECTION

enhances flexibility and boosts the power of the immune system. She also attends Mindful Meditation classes to train her mind to be more focused while connecting with others at the same time. “Group meditation is a powerful and spiritual experience,” Breath stated.

Additional wellness classes include Living Tobacco

PREVENTION & EDUCATION

Free for those seeking the tools and resources needed

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to permanently quit tobacco use, and Restorative Yoga, yet another healthy activity suited for cancer patients and the general public alike.

These free classes are open to individuals with a cancer diagnosis, their caregivers, health professionals and the community. To register or for more information, please call 985-898-4581.

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PALLIATIVE CARE

Saving Lives It came as a shock to 54-year-old Cindy Roach of

SURVIVORSHIP

Bogalusa that her very first mammogram result came back abnormal. But, thanks to a friend and the Cancer Center’s Early Bird mobile medical clinic, Roach’s breast cancer was discovered early.

“I had never had a mammogram before. My mom

TREATMENT

always told me mammograms hurt, so I was wary,” stated Roach. “My friend really wanted me to go with her to a free cancer screening on the Early Bird. I kept telling her I would go the next time it came to Bogalusa, and I finally gave in.”

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosed with Stage IA breast cancer, Roach says her husband calls the Early Bird the “Magic Bus.” “It saved my life,” said the grateful patient.

Ironically, Roach is a retired driver of another important bus — a school bus. “I enjoy keeping

EARLY DETECTION

in touch with the students I drove and with their families,” Roach stated.

Offering more free cancer screenings to at-risk populations is a critical part of the Cancer Center’s mission to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer. “Fighting cancer starts with prevention and early detection,” PREVENTION & EDUCATION

explained Charity Gay, the Cancer Center’s early

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detection and prevention specialist. “Detecting cancer early can make all the difference.”

Because of the generosity of the community, patients can access screenings for five types of cancer, including mammograms, at no cost. For information on screenings near you, visit mbpstph.org/screenings.

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PREVENTION & EDUCATION

EARLY DETECTION

DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT

SURVIVORSHIP

PALLIATIVE CARE

Embracing Newcomers When Todd Giles and his wife Wendy moved from Kentucky to Covington, relocating for his work, they knew no one. However, that would quickly change in the most unexpected way.

“Wendy and I had been here for about nine months when I felt swelling in my neck,” Giles said. “I thought it was tonsillitis, and so did the doctor I consulted.”

After seeing an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist at St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Giles was diagnosed with Stage IV-A tonsillar cancer.

He was immediately referred to the Cancer Center.

Using state-of-the-art imaging technology, radiation oncologist Charles Wood, MD, and medical oncologist Jack Saux, MD, created an aggressive treatment plan calling for Giles to receive simultaneous courses of radiation and chemotherapy.

1,737

IMAGING

SCANS

“The doctors are absolutely wonderful, and the staff took us in with open arms,” stated Giles. “I thought we were dealing with this on our own, but we have found new family at the Cancer Center.”

Giles and his wife have become loyal ambassadors for others going through their own cancer journeys, using their positive experience to provide hope and compassion to others. In addition to attending support groups, Giles is also in the process of becoming a volunteer at the Cancer Center. He finished all prescribed treatments and is doing well.

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PALLIATIVE CARE SURVIVORSHIP

Advancing Research Diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Grace Anzalone makes a weekly trip to the Cancer

TREATMENT

Center, where she is part of an international clinical study for advanced ovarian cancer. “I am happy to participate in this clinical trial because they might learn something

DIAGNOSIS

that can help my children or grandchildren, not just me,� said Anzalone, mother of two daughters.

The Cancer Center and its partners, LSU Health Sciences Centers in New Orleans

EARLY DETECTION

and Shreveport, were awarded a $5.6 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program grant. This effort will bring state-of-the-art clinical trials to citizens of our local communities that were previously found only at large academic centers. This means patients can

PREVENTION & EDUCATION

now access the most advanced treatment at

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home - close to family, religious and community support systems.

To learn more about NCORP, visit mbpstph.org/ncorp.

OPEN CLINICAL

TRIALS 13

PALLIATIVE CARE

Increasing Survivorship

TREATMENT

SURVIVORSHIP

In July 2014, 35-year-old Elise Angelette was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. A mother of five, she noticed a lump in her breast while nursing her youngest child. Thinking it was a clogged milk duct, she put the issue on the back burner of her busy life.

“When not knowing became harder than knowing, I scheduled a mammogram,” said Angelette.

“It was about the size of the palm of my hand.”

An incredibly effervescent and faith-filled

DIAGNOSIS

woman whose children are her very heartbeat, Angelette was fearful cancer would compromise her most important role. “Being ‘Mommy’… cancer can’t have that, too,” she typed in her blog.

Medical Oncologist Jay Saux, MD, developed an

PREVENTION & EDUCATION

EARLY DETECTION

aggressive treatment plan with six rounds of

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chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiation.

“It’s all out,” Dr. Saux was happy to tell Angelette after she finished treatment. “You are cancer-free.”

Reflecting on the joy this news evoked, Angelette updated her blog: “NEW & IMPROVED! NOW CANCER FREE!”

SHARING HER JOURNEY

WITH

THE RISK OF

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PREVENTION & EDUCATION

EARLY DETECTION

DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT

SURVIVORSHIP

PALLIATIVE CARE

Sustaining Survival Despite a kidney cancer diagnosis and the rare occurrence of it traveling to his heart, David Mancuso has adjusted to his life-sustaining routine of weekly chemotherapy infusions for the rest of his life.

Each week, the Lutheran pastor selects one of the many stuffed animals he collected as a Navy Chaplain and heads to the Cancer Center for treatment, something he has done for the past four years.

“Having one of my over 700 stuffed creatures with me during treatment provides an extra bit of comfort,” said Mancuso. “It started when my wife and I got married, and the collection has grown. It makes me feel more positive and upbeat, and I believe that gives me a better chance.” The sight of a grown man napping and snoring with a toy companion by his side endears him to both patients and staff alike.

In addition to his weekly routine, Mancuso and his wife participate in the monthly Cancer Connection support group, where the pastor’s enthusiasm for life inspires those fighting cancer alongside him.

“The humor and goodwill Pastor Mancuso so readily shares is greatly appreciated by others,” states Social Worker Jane Freudenberger, MSW, LCSW. “His

COUNTLESS

LIVES

TOUCHED

strength and courage are proof that it is possible to live a full and joyous life after cancer.”

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Nancy and Rich Mauti, loyal Cancer Center supporters

“The mental and financial stress to many families is overwhelming. Add to that traveling out of town for an extended duration of treatments, and you have an extremely difficult situation. Having local, leading-edge treatment and facilities can make the challenge a little less demanding.”

– RICH MAUTI

Dedicated to the cause and fight against cancer, the Rich Mauti Cancer Fund has been providing philanthropic support to the Cancer Center for many years. The Rich Mauti Cancer Fund (richmauticancerfund.org) is designed to raise money for cancer research, education and screenings, with funds remaining local. Support from individuals and organizations like the Rich Mauti Cancer Fund is vital to the sustainability and progress of the Cancer Center.

Visit mbpstph.org to learn about the many ways to get involved and join the fight!

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OVER

$172,000

OVER

Due to the generosity of our supporters, we raised more than $575,000 in 2014.

This investment supports the full continuum of care and positively impacts the lives of cancer patients and their families through:

Support in 2014 came from:

$170,000

GRANTS

SIGNATURE

EVENTS OVER

Making a Difference

$132,000

P R E V E N T I O N & E D U C AT I O N

THIRD PARTY &

Providing free group tobacco cessation counseling, nutrition, an annual wellness workshop and support for the Medical Physics Residency Program

EVENTS (60 TOTAL EVENTS)

Reducing cancer mortality rates by detecting cancer in its earliest stages when there are increased chances for a successful outcome

P AT I E N T C A R E Improving the quality of care delivered to patients through technology, navigation and multidisciplinary care

P AT I E N T S U P P O R T Removing barriers to treatment and care, including transportation assistance, nutritional supplements, medication and more

OVER

E A R LY D E T E C T I O N

COMMUNITY

$100,700

ANNUAL

GIVING STAYS ON THE

NORTHSHORE

RESEARCH Providing access to groundbreaking clinical trials and research

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Ringing Out Victory Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital has all the bells and whistles — with emphasis on the bells.

The “Ringing Out” ceremony after a patient completes treatment resembles the Navy’s military tradition of ringing a bell to symbolize “the job was done.” The anticipation of ringing the victory bell gives patients an added incentive to help them through their treatments, and hearing the bell ring provides encouragement to those awaiting their turn to celebrate. Partners of Hope, the Cancer Center’s employee giving program, purchased the victory bell as a symbol of the staff’s investment and commitment to providing support not only for our patients to survive, but thrive!

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Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital is accredited by:

1203 South Tyler Street • Covington, LA 70433 MBPSTPH.ORG STPH–169 (5/15) BRP