Goshen Hospital and Health Care Foundation, Inc.
FOCUS ON GIVING A Newsletter for the Greater Goshen Area
April 2010
LIFE—in Three Parts Lifesaving, Life-Giving Lessons in the Struggle with Cancer Volume 3 Issue 1
In this issue Life—In Three Parts Lifesaving, Life-Giving Lessons in the Struggle with Cancer What’s New! Your Gifts Provide Lifesaving Research Foundation Co-hosts Holiday Reception for Cancer Survivors How You Helped GGH Achieve Magnet Status-Again
This is the first of a three-part look into the life of one of our newest Caring Club members, Naomi Hoover, whose husband underwent treatment at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care. Chuck and Naomi’s story offers two important lessons that could benefit others. By sharing her story in this three-part series, Naomi hopes to encourage others to seek early medical intervention when they notice something is out of place with their health, and to highlight the importance of attending to
This simple note accompanied the donation that made Naomi Hoover a member of the Caring Club: “We discussed this while he was receiving care at Cancer Center. We would like this to be used to help other people who have financial need.”
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What’s NEW! We have moved into our new office location on West Lincoln Avenue in Goshen. Once we settle in, we will be planning an Open House. Until then, please feel free to stop in and say hello. New Address: 1926 West Lincoln Avenue Goshen, IN 46526 1926 W. Lincoln Ave., Suite A, Goshen, IN 46526 574-533-4500 www.givetogoshen.org
Phone: 574-533-4500 Fax: 574-533-3900 Email: Foundation@givetogoshen.org You are also invited to visit our new website at www.givetogoshen.org
Life continued emotional, psychological and spiritual needs as a part of treatment. First, let’s learn about their life together. Naomi remembers with a smile how she “almost never met” her husband of 36 years. “I was a student at Goshen College. The boy I had been dating was in Voluntary Service, and we were writing letters to each other. My roommate wanted me to double with ‘this boy in the navy’. I really didn’t need another long distance relationship, but she had no one else to go, so I went.” A few months later, Chuck’s persistence won out, and Naomi found herself writing letters to him. They married soon after.
Naomi says their married life was a process of learning to accept one another as they were. Life was busy. They raised three daughters. Naomi worked at Goshen General Hospital as a nurse, while Chuck worked as a carpenter. Time seemed to fly. In 2002, with their last daughter out of the house, Chuck proposed that they build a house in Munising, Michigan where they vacationed. The two embarked on a four year adventure together, doing virtually all of the work themselves on weekends and over vacations. Naomi says it was a time of re-discovering one another. “I refuse to sugar coat who Chuck was, now that he is gone. He could be ornery as sin, and hard to work with. He had very strong
Naomi and Chuck enjoying dinner at the summer house they built together.
opinions—but he had a good heart. We learned to work together and we made a good team.” Shortly after they finished work on their vacation home, they received news that would change everything. Read part two of Life - In Three Parts in our next newsletter.
Your Gifts Provide Life-Saving Research “We have been able to do great things because of the support of the Foundation.” Dr. Doug Schwartzentruber
Shortly after arriving at Goshen Center for Cancer Care in 2006, Dr. Doug Schwartzentruber contacted the Foundation to request a grant for the Cancer Center Clinical Trials and Research Program. The Foundation Board responded by approving a grant for
$100,000 for this important program. The Clinical Trials and Research Program has grown significantly since 2006 and now offers 40 clinical trials to CCC patients. “We have been able to do great things because of the support of the Foundation” says Dr. Schwartzentruber.
For more information on giving a gift, please contact Goshen Hospital and Health Care Foundation 574-533-4500 or make your donation on-line at www.givetogoshen.org
Dr. Schwartzentruber says the ultimate goal of the Clinical Trials and Research Program is to provide state of the art clinical trials to patients close to home. This cutting edge program also attracts some of the best cancer physicians. These top notch physicians consider a solid infrastructure for clinical trials and research essential to providing the highest quality of cancer care. Since its’ inception, the CCC has received approximately $748,000 from the Foundation, with the largest percentage of this amount going to the Clinical Trials and Research Program. With your help and support, the Foundation will continue to support research and clinical trials at the CCC.
Foundation Co-hosts a Holiday Reception for Cancer Survivors Overhearing phrases like “See you next year” took on new meaning at the Holiday Reception for Cancer Survivors sponsored by the Foundation and the Center for Cancer Care. A quick glance around the full Arbor Conference Center confirmed that this is a group of people who have learned what it means to celebrate. Members of the Cancer Survivor Network, caregivers and colleagues were invited to come together in December for a time of good food and good news about the work of the Goshen Center for Cancer Care.
MD, Director of Goshen Center for Cancer Care Lung Institute and Yatin Patel, MD, MBA, FCCP, Director of Pulmonary Medicine of Goshen Center for Cancer Care Lung Institute. Tony McNair, a caregiver member of the Survivor Network also spoke about the importance of being connected with others in the battle against cancer. continued on the back page
Special music was performed by Becky Eickhoff, RN, Research Nurse and guests enjoyed a number of pieces performed by James Wheeler, MD, Director, Radiation Oncology at Goshen Center for Cancer Care, and his family. Douglas Schwartzentruber, MD, FACS, Medical Director of Goshen Center for Cancer Care, announced the establishment of the Goshen Center for Cancer Care Lung Institute. Dr. Schwartzentruber then introduced Ebenezer Kio,
Top: Ebenezer Kio, M.D. Above left: Guests hung personalized ornaments on the tree during the celebration. Above: James Wheeler, M.D. and his family provided musical entertainement.Left: Laura Morris, M.D., visits with guests during the reception.
Holiday Reception continued Each survivor was presented with an ornament personalized with their first name. Survivors filled the tree with these ornaments during the reception and were given them to take home as a momento of the event.
time to come together and mark the moments of the season with people who know the value of the moment.
The Foundation hopes this is the beginning of a meaningful annual tradition with the Survivors Network. We want to make it a
How You Helped GGH Achieve Magnet Status—AGAIN The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® for excellence in nursing services has once again designated Goshen General Hospital as a Magnet hospital. In 2004, Goshen General Hospital (GGH) received the distinction on its first try. Magnet status is awarded to less than six percent of hospitals nation-wide, Goshen is the only hospital in the region to achieve it. And, with Magnet re-designation, Goshen is among an elite group of only 2% of hospitals in the nation. Applicants undergo an extensive evaluation process that can take longer than a year to complete. Members who are awarded Magnet status must maintain rigorous standards as part of their four-year designation. To reapply for, and receive, Magnet status for an additional four years is confirmation of the hospital’s resolve to deliver the highest level of care in nursing. A strong portion of this application was the level of
continuing education afforded to our nursing staff. Support from the Foundation’s Fidler Nursing Continuing Education Endowment Fund played a key role in ensuring this was available.
Guests hang their personalized ornaments on the tree. Yatin Patel, M.D. and Carol Ebersole shared at the event.
The fund was initially established from memorial contributions in loving memory of Elizabeth (Betty) Fidler. The purpose of the fund is to ensure that nurses gain the continuing education needed to improve their skills.
The mission of the Goshen Hospital and Health Care Foundation is to assist and support the programs and projects of Goshen General Hospital and the communities it serves. The Foundation provides a venue for individuals to effectively direct their resources to meet community health care needs in significant ways.
John and Lios Fidler and their family continue to watch over the fund carefully. “We knew we wanted to do something to recognize and to thank the nurses that cared for John’s mother.” Lois recalls, “She thought so much of the nurses. We wanted to help them continue to enhance their skills, so we decided to start this fund.” Since 2004, when GGH first received Magnet status, the Foundation has contributed over $35,000 toward the vital continuing education and Magnet Conference attendance that led to this honor.
Mission
Values
Collaboration—Working collaboratively with partners enhancing the community and increasing overall effectiveness. Acts of Stewardship—Effectively managing, growing, and distributing well intended gifts. Recognized for Integrity—Operating with integrity, ethics, and a values-based perspective. Entrust—Building and preserving trust through predictable, values-driven behaviors.
Vision
The vision of the Goshen Hospital and Health Care Foundation is to be viewed as a foundation of excellence in the communities it serves.