We are, once again, pleased to share with you the impact of your philanthropy — notably in our new cutting-edge ICU and throughout our journey to receive the prestigious Magnet designation — and that is just a portion of the power of your support. Your philanthropy is felt throughout Sibley Memorial Hospital and in the broader National Capital Region.
Sibley’s team members continue to care for our entire community — those battling illnesses, individuals in underserved communities, new mothers welcoming babies and our quickly growing senior population. Your support funds cutting-edge equipment, education and training for staff, vital clinical research trials which advance cancer treatment, staff resilience programs and much more. With your partnership, we can fuel advances in care that will benefit you, our generous donor family and all of our community members.
On behalf of the Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees and the entire Sibley team — as well as our patients and their families — we thank you for your partnership.
With gratitude,
HASAN ZIA, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S. President and Chief Operating Officer
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Johns Hopkins Medicine
CAROLYN CARPENTER, M.H.A., F.A.C.H.E. President, National Capital Region
Johns Hopkins Health System
OAK
STRAWBRIDGE, M.B.A. Chair, Board of Trustees
Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation
KRISTEN PRUSKI, C.F.R.E. Vice President
Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation
YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR IMPACT.
JOURNEY TO MAGNET DESIGNATION
At Sibley Memorial Hospital, nurses are the bedrock of the care our patients receive. Since 2019, Sibley’s nursing leadership and staff have worked to achieve Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The Magnet Recognition Program is the highest honor an organization can receive for professional nursing practice and places Sibley alongside the less than 10% of hospitals in the U.S. that are Magnet-designated.
Magnet designation benefits both patients and families by driving improvements in clinical outcomes for patients, and it will help recruit and retain even more talented, dedicated and compassionate nurses. We are grateful to our generous donor community whose steadfast support helped fund the arduous four-year journey to this prestigious Magnet designation.
THE NEW SIBLEY INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
In October 2023, we cut the ribbon on our brand-new intensive care unit (ICU). Covering 16,000 square feet and centrally located in the main patient tower with easy access to operating rooms, the state-of-the-art ICU enables us to attend to high-risk patients with best-in-class technology, ensuring optimal outcomes.
Because of generosity like yours, the ICU is not just an ultramodern facility but also a future-ready one. The thoughtful design, both in terms of technology and aesthetics, ensures our ability to adapt to changing needs. It is a testament to the power of community support in health care.
Thank you for partnering with us. Philanthropic support of the ICU enables us to provide exceptional care to our community for years to come.
NEW CERTIFICATION SCHOLARSHIPS HELP STAFF GROW IN THEIR PROFESSIONS
We are pleased to share that several more Sibley team members have taken advantage of the employee certification pilot program, as well as donor-supported scholarship funds, to further their careers and advance the care they provide to our community.
BENJAMIN MILES, PHARMD, BCPS, BCEMP
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist –Emergency Medicine; Department of Pharmacy
Ben Miles has been a clinical pharmacist in the emergency department for nearly 10 years, and he recently passed a certification exam to become a board-certified emergency medicine pharmacist thanks to the program. This certification allowed Ben to re-familiarize himself with standard treatments in emergency medicine and to update his knowledge base with the most current guidelines. Ben explains:
“I may not have considered sitting for this exam due to its cost, so I am grateful that this pilot program was established and to the donors who support it. I really appreciated not having that financial burden while increasing my professional knowledge.”
EMMANUELLA BLAISE, BSN, RN, CAPA
Registered Nurse II, Endoscopy
Emmanuella Blaise has been a registered nurse at Sibley for 15 years. She seized the opportunity to participate in the CAPA certificate review program facilitated by Sibley Nurse Educator Marie Evans, MSN, RN, CPAN, and funded by generous foundation donors. Emmanuella says:
“I’m committed to nursing excellence, establishing best practices and honing my clinical skills to benefit my patients. I’m proud to say that I am now a certified ambulatory perianesthesia nurse. Thank you to the foundation supporters for this opportunity!”
PHR Sr. HR Business Partner
Jolie Price has worked at Sibley as a human resource professional since 2011. For some time, she has wanted to obtain a human resources certification but wanted to take a prep class to prepare for the exam which covers an extensive body of knowledge. She is grateful for Sibley Foundation donors who provide financial support to staff who want to further their careers through professional certification. Jolie says:
“I am now a certified professional in human resources. I am proud to work for an organization that sees value in its employees and offers these types of opportunities. This certification will allow me to grow in my career and provide better service to all Sibley team members. Thank you to the Sibley Foundation supporters for this generous support.”
JOLIE PRICE,
CANCER RESEARCH AND TRIALS TO ADVANCE TREATMENT OPTIONS
DR. BENJAMIN LEVY, clinical director, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, and medical director, thoracic medical oncology for the National Capital Region at Sibley, is focused on research which is leading to major changes in the way patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are being treated.
In comparing two available NSCLC treatments, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with immune therapy, he saw a complete pathological response rate (no residual tumor cells) of 25%, compared to only 2% with chemotherapy alone. “This is a remarkable and practice-changing breakthrough and has far reaching implications for those diagnosed with NSCLC,” says Dr. Levy. Additionally, donor support is fueling Dr. Levy’s work to create a vaccine for ALK-positive (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) metastatic nonsmall-cell lung cancer.
According to Dr. Levy: “Trials advance the field of medicine. We have discovered that tumors shed DNA into the blood stream, and through the study of that DNA, we can wed patients to targeted therapies. This technology will transform how we diagnose and treat patients by creating a personalized treatment plan for each patient. That personalization leads to better outcomes and a better quality of life.”
DR. EVAN LIPSON is an internationally recognized skin cancer and immunotherapy specialist. Over the past several years, Dr. Lipson has led a nationwide clinical trial, testing immunotherapy in kidney transplant recipients with advanced skin cancer. The results from that trial were recently published in a high-profile oncology journal. Based on what was learned in that trial, a second nationwide study is opening at several cancer centers across the country.
DR. MARK MARKOWSKI’s research interests focus on early phase drug development for prostate cancer, anti-inflammatory agents and cancer incidence. Additionally, he conducts research which focuses on new treatment strategies for prostate cancer patients and credentialing these treatments for advancement to clinical trials.
Cancer center physicians at Sibley are constantly looking for cancer research and trial opportunities to advance treatment options for their patients. Here are just a few examples of doctors who are advancing research using philanthropic funds.
DR. CURTILAND DEVILLE, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center, is also committed to research, and his primary focus is on the study and treatment of prostate cancer. He continues to build the radiation oncology program, and in particular, the proton center. He has a specific interest in assessing the use of proton therapy for treating patients with prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcoma pre-operatively, with fewer doses of radiation by accelerating the treatment and making it more efficient.
Dr. Deville equates pencil-beam proton therapy to a fine paintbrush versus the wide coverage of traditional radiation therapy. This has the potential to reduce both the physical and financial toxicities of treatment, by allowing patients to progress through treatment more quickly. Sibley is the first proton center in the world to offer this treatment.
DR. CHANNING PALLER currently serves as lead principal investigator for more than ten clinical trials. Her research focuses on evaluating novel therapies for prostate cancer, particularly combination therapies that engage the immune system with natural products including pomegranate, beta-carotene, soy, mistletoe extract and muscadine grape seed.
“I am grateful for the vital donor support that enables me to explore ways to treat advanced cancers through clinical trials and research.”
SUPPORTING OUR CANCER PATIENTS
Philanthropic dollars continue to have a major impact on our Center for Patient and Family Services (CPFS) team of oncology social workers and navigators and their ability to support our patients in financial need. Many of our patients and families have limited means and caregiver support needed to manage the often-demanding treatments and medical appointments to treat their cancer.
CPFS is able to support our patients by connecting them with community programs and our own patient assistance funds, such as The Patricia Liberatore Fund, the Lids Foundation Fund, the Gail Robinson Fund, Gynecologic-Oncology Patient Support Fund, National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), American Cancer Society Lodging Fund, as well as the philanthropy-funded Kovler Community Cancer Corps. These funds provide transportation, housing and food assistance services to patients, helping to ensure that they always have access to the cancer care they need when they need it.
The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley provides world-class care by teams of specialists in medical, radiation and surgical oncology, proudly treating more than 2,500 patients each year.
Combined with a generous investment from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, vital funds have raised more than $3 million to support patients and their families throughout their care journeys.
CPFS arranged 3,943 rides to cancer treatments and 572 nights of hotel stays for cancer patients in need.
CUTTING-EDGE EQUIPMENT IMPROVES CARE FOR PATIENTS
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cause of cancer and is also the leading cause of death from cancer, and like many cancers, early detection improves outcomes.
Philanthropic support from the Elsie & Marvin Dekelboum Foundation funded the state-of-the-art robotic-assisted bronchoscopy equipment for the Interventional Pulmonology Program started by Dr. Andrew Lerner (left) in 2018.
Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy allows for easier access to hard-to-reach areas in the lung, more stability, and the potential for future diagnosis and treatment of early lung cancers in a single procedure. Sibley is now a leader in the region when it comes to lung cancer screenings, diagnoses and treatment.
WOMEN’S HEALTH AT SIBLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Sibley continuously endeavors to provide exceptional care to women across the entirety of our community, including those with cancer, women in underserved communities and mothers in need experiencing a high-risk pregnancy.
The Anne and Donald Grant Kelly Center for Gynecologic Oncology and Advanced Pelvic Surgery at Sibley offers a full range of surgical, screening and rehabilitation services for women with gynecologic cancers and other complex gynecologic conditions by using innovative and minimally invasive surgical techniques. The outstanding care we provide is enhanced by contributions from donors like you.
Our care team at the Center for Gynecologic Oncology and Advanced Pelvic Surgery continues to grow and now includes Dr. Edward Tanner, professor of gynecologic oncology in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and the medical director for women’s health in the Johns Hopkins National Capital Region.
Since its inception in 2020, the center continues to grow with the addition of urogynecology as a new specialty, as well as minimally invasive gynecologic surgery to treat endometriosis, fibroids and other GYN health challenges. As we take care of more patients, the need for philanthropy continues.
In response to the growing number of patients and physicians, Sibley hired a new gynecologic oncology nurse practitioner through philanthropic support. Nurse practitioners are an incredibly important members of our center’s team. They support our surgeons working at the top of their scope, allowing them to see more new patients and do more surgeries while providing a full spectrum of caring for the patients in many different ways throughout their care journey. We secured a grant to hire Sarah Russel, NP, in February 2024, and we continue to raise funds for the new position.
Dr. Jeffrey Lin, director of the Sibley Center for Gynecologic Oncology and Advanced Pelvic Surgery, appreciates the vital impact donors have on the care his team can offer:
“Donor support means so very much. It gives us flexibility to rapidly mobilize resources for urgent needs and innovation. At the end of the day, our mission is to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. There are not many jobs where our team gets thanks for saving a life often. What a privilege.”
GYN Surgery Team
MATERNAL HEALTH ACCESS PROGRAM: GREATER SUPPORT FOR NEW MOTHERS IN NEED
Ensuring that all moms and babies receive the care they need and deserve is a key priority for Sibley’s Women’s and Infants’ Services (WIS) Program. The Maternal Health Access Program (MHAP) launched in 2020 with investments from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund and other generous donors. The program enhances access to prenatal and high-risk care by partnering with community-based providers to improve hospital services for the most fragile newborns, address adverse social drivers of health, train staff in health equity and enhance outreach and education.
Since its inception in October 2020, the MHAP team has enrolled 463 patients in the MHAP and 130 were delivered at Sibley. In addition, 100 were consulted by Sibley’s Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) high-risk clinic, and of those treated, nearly 50% were from D.C.’s Wards 7 and 8.
We are pleased to share the inspiring story of Skyy, who was referred to Sibley’s MFM by a community obstetrician with a history of complicated pregnancies, as well as other socio-economic challenges. She was seen throughout her pregnancy at MFM and was the first delivery by the Sibley hospitalist team. Skyy was one of several MHAP patients who were cared for by all of Women’s and Infants’ Services (MFM, Labor and Delivery, Family Centered Care and Special Care Nursery). In October 2023, Skyy delivered a baby boy, Jace, who was a patient in our Special Care Nursery for a month.
Skyy was provided support from the nurse navigator, nurse case manager and social worker throughout her and Jace’s hospital stay. She was also provided transportation to see Jace daily, cafeteria vouchers, supplies and resources. Thank you to our donors who support women like Skyy and her baby, Jace.
WIS Team
GROWTH OF THE WOMEN’S HEALTH TEAM
Sibley is proud to be a destination of clinical excellence for women, and the Center’s gynecologic surgeons partner with Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center faculty to provide a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to treatment, including medical and radiation oncology when needed.
Dr. Daniel Gruber, director, Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, was able to purchase several pelvic floor models thanks to donor generosity which enables him and the NPs to more effectively communicate with patients in preparation for surgery.
Dr. Gruber says: “The Sibley Foundation has made possible the establishment and further education of nationally and internationally regarded pelvic surgeons by allowing us to create, present and publish three educational and surgical videos. These videos have been presented at international conferences and published in several peerreviewed journals. The foundation also supported the purchase of a specialized surgical camera device which allows stable and high-quality video production; this equipment was key in this video endeavor.”
EFFICIENT BREAST CANCER PATIENT NAVIGATION
The Sullivan Breast Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital offers a rare combination of medically sophisticated breast care and breast cancer treatment, state-of-the-art technology, a warm and calming environment and a streamlined patientcentered experience. Our multidisciplinary team of breast specialists provides comprehensive services including breast imaging, breast surgery, radiation oncology, pathology, medical oncology, physical therapy and palliative care through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to care and treatment that improves our patient outcomes.
Our dedicated breast surgeons, Dr. Maureen O’Donnell and Dr. Hanh-Tam Tran specialize
in oncoplastic techniques, nipple-sparing mastectomy, prophylactic mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. As of early May 2024, through the generosity of donors, we have been able to hire Taylor Cloud, RN, (left) to serve in the role of nurse navigator for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients as they move from surgery to medical and radiation oncology. Taylor’s work focuses on access to timely appointments, new patient coordination, and patient/provider outreach and education.
Thanks to Taylor and the Sullivan Breast Center team, patients are well-supported and expertly cared for throughout their health care journey.
Dr. Gruber with Nurse Practitioner Brittany Roberts
(l to r.) Theresa Dauz, RN, Brittany Roberts, NP, and Erin Lyons, RN.
SUPPORTING OLDER ADULTS AT SIBLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Sibley’s patient population is older than that of other regional hospitals, with patients 65 and older comprising 60% of Sibley’s inpatient admissions. Overall, we know that hospitalized geriatric patient outcomes are poorer compared with younger patients, and our older patients have unique needs while hospitalized for acute illness. The NICHE (Nursing Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) program, directed by Suzanne Dutton, DNP, GNP, RN, addresses these problems as a nurse-led education and consultation program designed to help improve the quality of care for older adults. A critical component of the NICHE program is our Geriatric Surgical Nurse Navigator & Resource Nurse, Rosemary Trejo, BSN, RNBC, – a position completely funded by generous supporters.
Thanks to generous donor support, Natalie Prince, ICU nurse; Arlene Blake, infusion nurse, Suzanne Dutton, geriatric advanced practice nurse and Rosemary Trejo, geriatric surgical nurse navigator, were able to attend the national NICHE conference where they presented three abstracts related to their work at Sibley caring for older adults.
Suzanne says: “Foundation donors are essential to our program, and we could not do what we do for older adults without your generosity. Thank you!”
SIBLEY SENIOR ASSOCIATION
For more than 35 years, the Sibley Senior Association (SSA) has delivered meaningful programming to more than 4,200 adults 50 years of age and over. Membership benefits include discounted Sibley parking, blood pressure checks, consults with a pharmacist, classes with our nutritionists, periodic screenings, classes, seminars, support groups and more.
SINCE ITS FOUNDING MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, CLUB MEMORY ® HAS PROVIDED DONOR-SUPPORTED, STIGMA-FREE PROGRAMMING FOR PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED CHALLENGES AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS — ANNUALLY SERVING MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE IN ALL EIGHT D.C. WARDS.
PRIME (PRESURGICAL REHABILITATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE FOR ELDERS) PROGRAM
Created and directed by Dr. Martin Paul, the PRIME program focuses on optimizing surgical care for frail adults over 75 years of age. Evidence shows that providing supportive rehabilitative care preoperatively and throughout hospitalization improves outcomes. This program is grounded on the structure of the American College of Surgeons quality improvement program, Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV). The PRIME team, including Suzanne Dutton, DNP, GNP, RN; Rosemary Trejo, RN; and other clinical specialists, is working to implement a patientcentered approach to caring for older adults.
This past summer we celebrated the retirement of Marti Bailey, long-time SSA director. Sharon Sellers succeeds Marti as the SSA’s new leader. She manages all SSA programs or organizes facilitators for its support groups, including Club Memory.
A Club Memory participant says: “I’m grateful for the Club Memory support group. It has given me hope and provided resources for my loved one. The leader, Sharon Sellers, is exceptional and willingly finds answers to hard questions and situations. We are so grateful for her leadership.”
Thanks to philanthropic support, our older adult community has the resources they need to feel engaged and supported.
Marti Bailey (center front) with Sharon Sellers (left front) and the SSA team.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AT SIBLEY
Sibley’s psychiatry and behavioral health department provides acute short-term in-patient treatment for up to 19 patients in need of a safe, secure and therapeutic environment. The clinical treatment program is designed to return patients to their optimal levels of functioning as quickly as possible. The department also offers inpatients and outpatients two noninvasive therapies: transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Sibley is the only hospital in the D.C. area to offer both therapies.
Thanks to generous grants and donations from the Sibley supporters, Sibley is able to have a full-time psychiatric occupational therapist (OT) on staff within the psychiatry and behavioral health unit — Luna Oliveira, OTR/L, (pictured above). The behavioral health OT is an essential part of the treatment team within a psychiatry and behavioral health program.
Primary job responsibilities include formal psychosocial assessments, managing group and individual therapy and patient and family education. Perhaps most important, Luna works collaboratively with the psychiatry and behavioral health team to ensure patients have a comprehensive discharge plan that will contribute to positive outcomes once they are immersed back in the community. Luna’s behavioral health teammates commend her for being a staunch advocate for patients on the behavioral health unit.
Behavioral Health team
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
GERIATRIC RESOURCE NURSES
We are pleased to have two new geriatrics-focused resource nurses based in the emergency department (ED). They not only further support our elder patients and provide geriatric-specific educational support to all care providers in the ED seven days a week, but their addition will also help accelerate Sibley’s journey to become the first level-2 geriatric-accredited ED in the National Capital Region.
Abdul Sheriff, BSN, RN-BC, and Azeb Kebede, DNP, FNP, RN, focus on caring for patients 65+ admitted to the ED, specifically those who are frail and cognitively impaired. They assist with unsteady walking, toileting, hydration and nutrition and ensure understanding of care plans and medications. They also implement nonpharmacological nursing interventions to prevent falls and delirium, as currently 68% of falls in the ED occur to those over 65 years of age.
PALLIATIVE CARE: IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Sibley’s palliative care team are experts in end-of-life planning and can help patients and families plan for this care, including hospice and advance care directives, to ensure the patient’s wishes are honored. The team also helps patients experience an improved quality of life by addressing symptoms and pain, providing emotional support, improving the patient’s comfort and maintaining focus on patient-centered goals. Dr. Angela Lee is our medical director of palliative medicine.
As we bring more complex programs to Sibley, we are growing our palliative care program. In addition to investments in nursing and social work over the past two years through Sibley’s operational budget, we have added a second palliative care physician to meet the community’s demand thanks to The Washington Home’s support. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Adam Knudson to our team to support our patients and their families.
Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation
5255 Loughboro Road, NW Washington, DC 20016
We are grateful to everyone who chooses to support Sibley through a philanthropic contribution. Our patients, their family members, our Sibley care team and our entire community all benefit from your generosity.
