SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATION
ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION IN OUR COMMUNITY JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE
FRIENDSHIPS SUSTAIN THE SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWS PACIFIC NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F S A I N T J O H N ’ S H E A LT H C E N T E R F O U N D AT I O N Summer 2019
STEM CELL CLINICAL TRIALS TARGET ALZHEIMER’S AND BRAIN-BASED DISORDERS
Elevating NICU Care A partnership with Children’s Hospital helps the tiniest patients. PROVIDENCE SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER
THANK YOU
MARY AND JAY FLAHERTY for your generous gift to Saint John’s Health Center Foundation in support of Providence Saint John’s Health Center, John Wayne Cancer Institute and Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Gifts like Mary and Jay’s $5 million donation advance health care and alleviate suffering. When you give a gift to Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, you can help fund the kind of innovative health care that results in cures and improves quality of life. Whether your gift is to Providence Saint John’s Health Center, the John Wayne Cancer Institute or Pacific Neuroscience Institute, it is vital to our ability to continue to serve you, your family and the local community we all love. Your gift will make a lasting change and help others, which is something we can all take pride in.
Please give now at SaintJohnsFoundation.org or call 310-829-8424, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CONTENTS
SUMMER 2019
4 . Letter from the Chief Executive 5 . Welcome from the Foundation 6 . Health for a Better World
18
8 . Upcoming 9 . New Trustees 32 . Events 38 . Board & Faculty Listings
FEA T U R E S 10 . Meet Dr. Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo
As a child, the new chief nursing officer felt a calling.
12 . “Everyone Truly Cares”
Saint John’s nurses stand on a long tradition of excellence.
16 . Meet the Apfelbaums Bill and Bonnie Apfelbaum know the value of good health.
18. Putting Stem Cells to Work Innovative clinical research may help people with dementia and other brain disorders.
22 . Four Fellows and a Baby
Friendships form on a two-year journey.
24 . Lending a Hand A partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles elevates the NICU.
28 . Beyond Our Doors
The second part of our series on the Community Impact Fund.
16
E DIT OR IAL ST A F F President and CEO, Saint John's Health Center Foundation
Robert O. Klein Chief Executive, Providence Saint John's Health Center
Marcel Loh Director, Marketing and Communications, Saint John's Health Center Foundation
Melissa Thrasher
If you have a change of address or no longer wish to receive SJHC Foundation communications, please let us know by calling 310-8298424, faxing 310-315-6127, emailing foundation.optout@stjohns. org or writing to Director, Data Management, Saint John's Health Center Foundation, 2121 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404.
32
VP, Branded Media: Emily S. Baker Creative Director: Ajay Peckham Editor: Shari Roan Copy Editor: Laura Watts Contributors: Melanie Anderson, Laurel DiGangi, Sandi Draper, Travis Marshall Photographers: Kristin Anderson, Phillip Graybill, Monica Orozco, Fred Siegel Managing Partners: Charles C. Koones, Todd Klawin
MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
There are few health centers where highly innovative research and compassionate care are intertwined so successfully than at Saint John’s. This issue of Saint John’s shares stories that highlight the unique capabilities of the health center, the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) and Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI). For instance, the use of stem cells in treating diseases and injuries has potential that is only beginning to unfold. Our researchers and clinicians at PNI and JWCI are working tirelessly to advance that potential through a number of clinical trials, including one trial attempting to slow down a dancer’s advancing dementia. It’s a story of great hope—not just for those who suffer from cognitive decline but for everyone, as we try to better understand the cognitive effects of aging. This type of leading-edge research coupled with excellent clinical care is one example of what makes us a premier health campus. Another example is our fellowship program at JWCI—one of the most sought-after fellowships in the country for the advanced training in complex cancer surgery. Fellows spend two years working side-by-side with distinguished clinician mentors, gaining a wide range of experience that incorporates the latest techniques. Our fellows leave the program with enviable qualifications but also with friendships that last a lifetime. A story on our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) also highlights the benefits of collaboration among colleagues, including those from affiliated institutions. I am inspired by the extraordinary lengths to which our nurses, physicians and neonatologists go to give NICU patients the best available treatment and new mothers the emotional support they need during a challenging time. Also in this issue we introduce our new chief nursing officer, who brings with him a career steeped in compassionate care. We celebrate two of our nurses who share with us their commitment to their patients. We also share our commitment to achieving the coveted Magnet status—a recognition of excellence in nursing care. We depend on your support in our quest of this worthwhile goal. In this endeavor and others, we strive to extend the boundaries of health care in an effort to achieve better outcomes for our patients. We have much to be proud of and a bright future to look forward to.
››
4|
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
MARCEL LOH Chief Executive Providence Saint John’s Health Center John Wayne Cancer Institute
MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION
This issue of our magazine brings to mind our mission here at Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, which is to provide leadership and philanthropic support to Providence Saint John’s Health Center, the John Wayne Cancer Institute and Pacific Neuroscience Institute that serve as catalysts for exceptional health care and research. The stories that unfold on the following pages serve as testimony to this mission and our success in fulfilling it. From exploratory research using stem cells to regenerate neurons, to training the next generation of surgical oncologists, to nurturing our nurses, to saving the lives of premature babies—we are delivering on our promise to support our mission. There isn’t one area of the exceptional health care we provide and the groundbreaking research we lead that philanthropy doesn’t impact. It’s a crucial ingredient to the success of our physicians, researchers, caregivers and patients—not an optional one. With financial support, Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, and his team of researchers and clinicians can offer Alzheimer’s patients hope for potentially effective treatments. More surgical oncologists will be available to perform lifesaving surgeries. Precious NICU babies have a better chance of thriving, and the compassionate care we’re known for deepens. The patients of this hospital and all of us depend on the generosity of donors like you and Bill Apfelbaum, a trustee featured in this issue. Bill and his wife, Bonnie, were inspired to generously support this campus after Bonnie experienced the compassionate, life-changing care of Saint John’s for an open-heart procedure. Their support began nearly 20 years ago and continues to this day, taking on many forms including financial, in-kind and advisory. We hope Bill’s experience and the many heartwarming stories of this issue inspire your investment in our shared goal of having the best possible health care available to all in our community—including you, your family and friends— in moments of need.
››
ROBERT O. KLEIN President and CEO Saint John's Health Center Foundation
MARY FLAHERTY Chair Saint John’s Health Center Foundation Board of Trustees
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
|5
HEALTH FOR A BETTER WORLD
A N E W OP T IO N F O R PR OST A T E C A N C E R TR E AT M E N T
How it works:
Some prostate cancer patients now have another option for treating their disease. The John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center recently became one of the first medical centers in the U.S. to acquire the Focal One high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating patients with localized prostate cancer. Focal One, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June 2018, is one of the most precise tools available for delivering targeted, noninvasive ablation of diseased prostate tissue.
1
High-resolution magnetic resonance images and realtime ultrasound images of the tumor are fused together.
2
The resulting detailed 3-D image is viewed on the monitor.
3
The urologist maps the precise contours of the tumor.
4
High-frequency sound waves (HIFU) are directed at the tumor.
5
The heat destroys the cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissue important to sexual and urinary functions.
HO OR A Y FOR S U M M E R — O R N O T Long and leisurely summer days may translate to more accidents and injuries. The emergency room staff at Providence Saint John’s Health Center is ready each year to meet the needs presented by local residents whose fun goes awry as well as the maladies affecting the area’s many tourists, says Russ Kino, MD, medical director of emergency services.
A recent study of 249 standing electric scooter injuries in Los Angeles-area emergency rooms showed these characteristics: Source: JAMA Network Open
6|
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
58% male 11% younger than 18 4% wore helmets 5% intoxicated 32% fractures 40% head injures
ENDORECTAL PROBE TUMOR
PROSTATE
“Scooter injuries are on the rise. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is very worried about this. Some of the injuries are extremely serious.” –Russ Kino, MD
A D V I C E F R O M A B AB Y G URU
TOP 5 INJURIES SEEN IN THE SAINT JOHN’S ER:
Local pediatrician Robert Hamilton, MD, published a new book entitled 7 Secrets of the Newborn. A pediatrician for more than 30 years and founder of Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in Santa Monica, Dr. Hamilton is well-known for the “Hamilton Hold,” a method to calm a crying baby that he posted on YouTube in 2015. The book covers that useful technique and contains loads of advice on baby’s first year. HOW TO AVOID RAISING A PICKY EATER:
“If you avoid introducing processed foods into the diet from the start, your child will learn to enjoy eating a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This means you must also keep your diet free of junk food as well.” —From 7 Secrets of the Newborn
1
SCOOTER INJURIES 2
CYCLICAL VOMITING SYNDROME FROM CANNABIS USE 3
BIKE PATH INJURIES
S E L F I E S U F F E RING Injuries related to taking selfies are on the rise, according to a recent international study. Of 111 selfie accidents around the world: Most accidents occurred in the U.S., Russia and India Most victims were students Most injuries occurred from falling from a height
4
MARINE LIFE STINGS 5
SUNBURN Source: Turkish Journal of Trauma and Emergency Medicine
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
|7
UPCOMING
The Research Front Several scientists affiliated with Providence Saint John’s Health Center have published notable research papers in recent months.
JUNE 27 JWCI Fellowship Graduation Private residence
JULY 4 Will Rogers 5K, 10K Run Pacific Palisades
OCT. 19 Providence Saint John’s Health Center Gala Beverly Hilton Hotel
For more information on these and other upcoming events, please contact Tess Csiszar at 310-829-8168 or Theresa.Csiszar@stjohns.org
Dave S.B. Hoon, PhD, professor and director of the department of translational molecular medicine at the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI), is among the co-authors of a paper published in January in the journal Cell identifying a protein called ubiquilin-4 as a biomarker of genetic instability. The study, part of an international research collaborative that includes Tel Aviv University, found that ubiquilin-4 defends human DNA from damage, such as radiation or toxins in the air or food. However, too much ubiquilin-4 is harmful. In tumors, rising levels of the protein accelerate a tumor’s progression and make it resistant to cancer treatment. Measuring ubiquilin-4 may help doctors predict a patient’s response to chemotherapy or radiation.
Car Culture Valet and visitor parking rates have been increased at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The adjustments were made because the former rates were below other parking fees in the area, leading people visiting other facilities to use the Saint John’s parking areas and reducing space for Saint John’s visitors.
8|
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Venkata Yenugonda, PhD, associate professor at the department of translational neurosciences and neurotherapeutics and director of the drug discovery and nanomedicine research program at JWCI, recently published a study showing that his proprietary, highly selective nicotine receptor desensitizing small molecule (a smoking cessation drug called VMY-2-95) can also decrease selfadministration of cocaine and methamphetamine in rat models. The drug and its analogs are promising candidates for development into treatments for a variety of addictions, such as tobacco, alcohol and stimulants. The study appears in the European Journal of Pharmacology.
46-60: 61-75: INCREASING 31-45: INCREASING FROM $9 TO $10 INCREASING FROM $11 TO $13 FROM $7 TO $8
THE NEW RATES: 16-30: INCREASING FROM $5 TO $6 0-15 MINUTES: STILL FREE
76-90: INCREASING FROM $13 TO $15 91 OR MORE: INCREASING FROM $16 TO $18
BRIEFS
Self-kindness Boosts Healing Being kind to yourself improves both mental and physical health, according to a recent study in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. Researchers at the University of Exeter and the University of Oxford assigned 135 study participants to various groups that focused on self-compassion exercises, negative thoughts, neutral thoughts or excited thoughts. They found an increase in selfcompassion and less self-criticism after selfcompassion exercises and focusing on feeling positive excitement. The people practicing self-compassion exercises, however, also showed signs of a psycho-physiological response, such as a reduced heart rate. The study suggests that self-kindness alters physiological responses in the body associated with stress. Positive thoughts replace negative thoughts, which can change a person’s vulnerability to depression and other mental health problems. The author says that by switching off our threat response, we boost our immune systems and give ourselves the best chance of healing. It’s possible to train our minds just like we train our bodies.
HO W T O P R AC T I C E SE L F- K I ND NE S S TRY T HI S M E T HO D U S ED I N T H E S T U D Y T O P RA CT I CE S ELF - K I N D N ES S .
1. B RI NG T O M I ND A P ER S O N Y O U F EEL A N AT URA L S E NS E O F W A R MT H T O W A R D A N D DIRECT F RI E ND L Y W I S H ES A T T H I S P ER S O N .
2 . A F T E R T HI S , O F F ER T H E S A ME F R I EN D LY W I S HE S TO Y O U R S ELF .
Hello to Our New Trustees Glenn Gorlitsky, MD, is the son of a decorated WWII sergeant who was injured in the war and worked the rest of his life at the Veteran’s Administration caring for disabled vets. Dr. Gorlitsky was exposed to his father’s patients at an early age and worked in a prosthetic shop making limbs for them. The experience made an indelible impression on him and inspired him to become a physician. Dr. Gorlitsky was the first person in his family to attend college, earning a New York State Regent scholarship to SUNY at Stony Brook where he received a federal grant to study photosynthesis. As valedictorian of the School of Biological Sciences, he was awarded a full academic scholarship to attend Yale University Medical School. At Yale, he published a research project on reproductive physiology that is still referenced today. He graduated with honors and joined UCLA’s clinical faculty, where he remained for many years. In 1979 he joined Saint John’s. Two years earlier Dr. Gorlitsky married his wife, Kendra, who attended medical school at USC. She is a professor of medicine at USC and serves as medical director of the Program for Torture Victims, an internationally recognized organization caring for people tortured in their home countries. The Gorlitskys have three children: Leryn, Brienne and Garett. Brian Webber is the chief executive officer and co-founder of American Discovery Capital (ADC), a merchant banking firm based in Los Angeles that operates a lower-middle market buyout fund and a global advisory business providing merger and acquisition and capital raising services. Before co-founding ADC, Webber was partner at Moelis & Company (MC). He completed numerous mergers and acquisitions and a number of successful merchant banking transactions. Prior to joining MC, Webber was global head of technology investment banking at UBS Investment Bank. He joined UBS from Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) in 2001, following its sale to Credit Suisse, where he co-founded the firm’s technology group. Webber graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1993 and magna cum laude with a bachelors degree from the University of Utah in 1989. He and his wife, Megan, have been married for 21 years and have three children. He is a founding supporter of “Know the Glow,” a charity started by Megan Webber that provides awareness and support to help cure childhood blindness. Webber is an Eagle Scout and board member of the Western Los Angeles Boy Scouts of America Council and the Emerald Bay Development Board. SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
|9
Striving for Excellence in Human Kindness New nursing director Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo seeks to care for the caregivers.
difference in my community and also satisfy my curiosity for learning in science and math. So I felt like nursing was calling me.”
BY LAUREL DIGANGI
In your early career as a bedside nurse, what did you like most about your profession?
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN ANDERSON
The Providence Saint John’s Health Center and the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation extend a warm welcome to our new chief nursing officer, Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, DNP, RN. Prior to joining our team on April 1, Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo served as associate director of critical care services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He earned both his doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) and master’s of science in nursing from University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions—the former with a concentration in health care systems leadership. The recipient of many professional accolades, he was recently honored with the Pamela Austin Thompson Early Careerist Award by the American Organization of Nurse Executives, which he calls “a culmination of all the work I’ve done thus far.” We asked Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo about his career and future goals.
What initially attracted you to a career in nursing? “I wouldn’t say I was attracted to the field; instead I feel like I was called to be a nurse. I grew up in the Philippines in a very religious Catholic family. I served as an altar boy and in youth ministry activities, outreaching to the poor and vulnerable communities in our area, helping orphans, the homeless and people who were displaced by calamities. As a young man I thought about what I could do to make a
10 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
“Definitely having the ability to impact the life experience of patients and their families. When I was a critical care nurse, what I cherished the most was helping transition people through the active phase of death, making sure they were comfortable and that their families had answers to their questions. But obviously it’s not all doom and gloom. In the ICU I got to see patients I didn’t think would ever live, and then a week or two later they were walking through the unit.”
What do you like about being a nurse leader?
are now doing great things.”
What drew you specifically to Saint John’s? “What I love about Saint John’s is the mission to care for the poor and vulnerable. It was evident through the interview process that every single interaction I had with staff—from security officers to leadership team to caregivers—illustrated those values, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Do you have any specific plans for the nursing program at Saint John’s? “Our strategic goals moving forward will be geared toward caring for the caregivers as well as providing excellence in human caring to all patients we encounter and continuing to embody our values, vision and mission in our organization.”
“As a nurse, your impact is on one patient. If you’re a unit manager or director, your patient is that whole unit. And as a chief nursing officer, my patient is the whole hospital—or as we call it at Saint John’s, our ministry. I have the privilege of being able to positively impact the care being provided to the patients, their families and also the caregivers themselves, including our nurses, nurses’ aides, physicians and everyone on our interdisciplinary team.”
Do you have any special research interests?
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
“I do CrossFit at least four times a week as a way to help take care of myself. It helps me re-center and is my ‘me time’ where I focus only on that. It’s helped me tremendously in caring for myself. I’m also reading Reality-Based Leadership by Cy Wakeman. I love her as an author. I share her philosophy of not dwelling on drama in the workplace but rather trying to focus on the root of a problem.”
“I’m proudest of the people I’ve been able to mentor through their professional growth in nursing so they function at the full extent of the scope of their licensure. I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring clinical nurses from new grads who are now unit leaders. I’ve also mentored experienced nurses who didn’t have leadership in their mind but
“My research passion is creating a healthy work environment and civility in the workplace. Last week I was at the American Organization of Nurse Executives annual meeting and presented a talk titled ‘Civility Matters.’ Civility not only affects the caregivers but also the care being provided at the bedside.”
Nursing can be a stressful field. What do you do to relax?
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 11
LABOR OF LOVE S A I N T J O H N ’ S NURSES EMB RACE EXCELLENCE AS A P R O MISE T O T HEIR PAT IENT S. BY LAUREL DIGANGI / PHOTOGRAPHED BY FRED SIEGEL
I
n the early days of the hospital, when it was known commitment to excellence and professional growth as simply Saint John’s Hospital, patients were often opportunities, says Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo. Adherence to all cared for by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth—the of those areas will ensure that Saint John’s continues to religious order that founded the hospital. The gentle and be a top hospital—both for patients to receive care and loving care provided by those women set the tone for a for nurses to practice their craft. nursing staff that is highly trained in the most advanced, “What I love about nursing at Saint John’s is that we technical aspects of nursing and yet has not lost their continue to succeed because of the caregivers in our founders’ emphasis on comfort and compassion. ministry,” he says. “Our nurses love the people they “Our mission statement includes the promise, ‘Know me, work with, and they say it’s an environment that aligns care for me, ease my way.’ I see that in the interactions I with their values. These are key strengths that I want to have with our nurses,” says Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, DNP, build on in the future.” RN, the health center’s new chief nursing officer. The fact that so many nurses spend their entire Nursing has long been considered one of the health careers at Saint John’s speaks to their dedication to the center’s chief attributes, says Irene Bristol, RN, director of hospital’s values and their own love of the institution. major gifts at the Saint John’s Judy Hutchison, RN, joined Health Center Foundation, and Saint John’s in 1991, attracted a former practicing nurse at the by the hospital’s mission. She hospital. knew from a young age that “The way our nurses she wanted to be a nurse. interact with patients is very “The element of compassion different than anywhere else,” was in my family,” she says. says Bristol, who began her “My parents were always nursing career at Saint John’s taking care of other families more than 40 years ago. “The and people who needed help.” – Cancer survivor, Marsha compassion our nurses have Inspired by her upbringing, for their patients – it’s like she began working in hospitals the patients are their family as a candy striper when members. Patients recognize she was 14. In 1968 she the nurses as the strength of the unit. The doctors graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s University with a come and go. The nurses are there. They are the glue nursing degree, and in 1985 she returned to school, that keeps the hospital together.” eventually earning a master’s degree from UCLA as a The nursing program emphasizes compassion, cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist.
“The nurses of Saint John’s helped give me the power to fight.”
12 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Judy Hutchison, RN, has been a nurse at Saint John’s for nearly 30 years.
Today she works as a clinical nurse specialist, caring for cardiac patients before, during and after surgery through follow-up. She also serves on the health center’s rapid response team, a lifesaving protocol program that she assisted Chris Maupin, CNS, in implementing. “The rapid response team is a great resource for nurses and for patients,” she says. Like other Saint John’s nurses, her career has been characterized by many opportunities for professional growth. Nurses need to continually train to keep up with advances in medicine, and professional development is essential to the field of nursing, says Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo. The Saint John’s Health Center Foundation plays an essential role in the continued professional development of nurses. “We’re blessed that the foundation supports our education department,” he says. “A key role of professional development is right at the point of care with training and guidance by educators and clinical nurse specialists. Another way is through fellowships in which front-line nurses are able to assess data and create evidence-based projects centered on the needs of their care settings.” He believes that involvement in professional organizations is also important. “Last March, 15 of our nurses—due to the support of the foundation—were able to go to the Oncology Nursing Society’s annual conference in Anaheim.”
Ruth Neighbour, RN, is a former cheerleader. Her personal experience with a long-term illness inspired her to become a nurse.
Supporting patients and each other Hutchison, who also has worked as an educator with new graduates, says the compassion displayed by Saint John’s nurses extends throughout the entire care team and beyond, including administrative staff. “Everyone truly cares. Even the transporters who move the patients on gurneys or in wheelchairs are very thoughtful, making sure to slow down and warn patients if they’re rolling over a little bump,” she explains. Saint John’s is known for its close ties to generations of families on the Westside who have turned to the health center in times of need. It’s not uncommon for nurses to help deliver a baby—and then help deliver that woman’s baby three decades later. Friendships are formed throughout the hospital, and patients and family members sometimes return to the health center to visit the caregivers who tended to them in times of great need and vulnerability, Hutchison says. Nurses relish those human ties and their opportunity to impact people’s lives, she says. “I was at a celebration of life for a relative, and someone I didn’t know approached me and said, ‘You probably won’t remember me, but 25 years ago, you were there when my dad had heart surgery. You and Dr. [John] Robertson took such good care of him, I’ll never forget.’ Sometimes you just don’t realize the impact you have.” While the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth established the values Saint John’s nurses live by, the veteran nurses today pass on those principles to the younger nurses, says Ruth Neighbor, RN, who has been a post-critical care nurse at Saint John’s since 2015. “It’s a very supportive environment,” she says of Saint John’s. “Every nurse has each other’s back. Everyone on
14 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
To support the Saint John’s nursing program, please contact Irene Bristol at 310-829-8348.
the team helps each other out. My coworkers feel almost like brothers and sisters to me. I don’t ever feel like I’m alone in my job.”
Making a difference each day Neighbour had been interested in the medical profession since she was a young girl and at one time considered becoming a doctor—an aspiration that shifted to physical therapist once she was in high school. But while she was earning her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science from California Baptist University, she was hospitalized for a serious illness—an experience that totally transformed her career goals.
A KEY GOAL: MAGNET RECOGNITION Saint John’s is on the path to pursuing Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The program was established in 1990 as a way to recognize health care organizations that maintain and support the highest level of nursing excellence. “It’s important for us to pursue Magnet recognition because it will validate the great care we already provide,” says Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer. According to Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo, Saint John’s has the proper infrastructure in place to achieve this recognition, and key stakeholders will be meeting soon to formulate a strategic plan to move forward. He also states that ensuring that nurses have diverse and robust professional development support— residency programs, fellowship programs and other educational opportunities—is essential to achieving Magnet recognition. Financial support of this goal is very important. “Fortunately, the foundation has been very supportive of our education department,” says Dr. Lyle-Edrosolo. “And great infrastructure and support translates to great patient care at the bedside.”
“I saw how the nurses impacted me on a daily basis,” she says. “The great nurses made me feel physically better, and the bad ones made me feel worse. I could feel—in the way nurses interacted with me—who truly cared and who was just trying to get things done. So I decided to go into nursing so I could help make patients feel better physically and emotionally.” Neighbour then earned a second bachelor’s degree in registered nursing with a certification in post-critical care from the Grand Canyon University in Phoenix in 2010. She worked in several hospitals in both Arizona and Southern California before landing at Saint John’s. She says she enjoys nursing because she can give back to people and, like Hutchison, enjoys the special relationships that form in the rooms, lobbies and hallways of Saint John’s. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’ve made a difference in someone’s life,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of patients who almost died come back to the hospital months later, and they’re healthy and happy and thanking me for caring for them.” Nurses at Saint John’s are permitted to spend that extra time with patients or family members to help meet the emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of healing, Neighbour says. That is particularly important when patients face end-of-life issues, she says. “Working in oncology in the past, I’ve had so many patients approach me to ask if I could sit with them and listen,” says Neighbour, who now works in post-critical care. “They would just break down and cry about how afraid they were, sometimes for 30, 40 minutes. They’d express all the fears that they couldn’t even talk about with their own spouse.” Moreover, nursing managers at Saint John’s ensure nurses do not become emotionally overwhelmed. “They take care of us while we take care of the patients.” Like other nurses, Neighbour says
she enjoys the technical aspects of her profession and the health center’s emphasis on training and meeting high standards. “Things are always changing, and you have to be constantly on your toes,” says Neighbour. “You’re always thinking analytically about what’s going on with your patient because the doctors can’t be at the bedside 24/7. The one thing I love about Saint John’s is that they’re always helping me grow in my career. Medicine is always evolving and changing, and Saint John’s is always trying to help us stay abreast of the latest and greatest.” Under the leadership of Dr. LyleEdrosolo, Saint John’s will continue to elevate the nursing program. With the help of philanthropic support, he says, the health center will pursue two programs in the future: a resilience program and a leadership program. “Building resilience and a healthy work environment is important not only for our nurses but everyone on our front line,” he says. “And a leadership academy would enable bedside nurses to progress into leadership positions and eventually onward to higher positions.” Sustained philanthropic support has been vital to keeping the Saint John’s nursing department one of the strongest in the region, Bristol adds. Nurses are deeply grateful to donors who ensure that they have the most advanced equipment, resources and training. This kind of behindthe-scenes support translates to the special care at the bedside that Saint John’s is known for. “We need philanthropic support in nursing for recruitment and retention, continuing education, new equipment and anything a nurse may need that is vital to taking care of the patient,” Bristol says. “Without philanthropic dollars, we can’t continue to meet the quality standards we’ve set.”
“The way our nurses interact with patients is very different than anywhere else.”
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 15
MEET THE APFELBAUMS
Marriage Vows Made Real Faced with health issues, Bill and Bonnie Apfelbaum supported each other and the hospital that healed them.
B
ill Apfelbaum’s introduction to Providence Saint John’s Health Center was through the emergency room doors in 1998. It was there that he met cardiologist Paul D. Natterson, MD, who got Apfelbaum’s atrial fibrillation symptoms under control and over the years became a close family friend. Apfelbaum says he got first-class treatment from Dr. Natterson, who is the former president of Saint John’s medical staff. A few years later Apfelbaum’s devotion to Saint John’s would be cemented when his wife, Bonnie, whom he refers to as “not just my better half but my better seven-eighths,” had lifesaving bypass surgery at the health center. After that experience, Apfelbaum took his appreciation to the next level by becoming a Saint John’s Health Center Foundation trustee. Bonnie Apfelbaum’s health crisis began when the couple decided to undergo full-body scans to look for signs of disease. Bill’s report was fine, but her scan showed several heart blockages. Although she made major diet and lifestyle changes, another scan two years later showed no improvement. It was time for drastic measures. After an angiogram determined she was not a candidate for stents, the couple turned to John M. Robertson, MD, Saint John’s director of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. On January 28, 2003 (a nerve-wracking date still engraved deeply on Apfelbaum’s psyche), Bonnie had open-heart bypass surgery. “Because I survived—and survived well—we made our first donation to Saint John’s,” she recalls. To the Apfelbaums, health problems are simply the insickness-and-in-health part of marriage. The devoted couple met decades ago at a League of Women Voters meeting where she was in charge of timing the candidates. She caught Apfelbaum’s eye, and he remembers telling her “ring the bell, ring the bell” whenever a candidate got long-winded. Bill, a
16 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
“The more time we spend, the more impressed we become with the caring and the people of Saint John’s.”
BY SANDI DRAPER / PHOTOGRAPHED BY PHILLIP GRAYBILL
New York City native, and Bonnie, from Buffalo, agree it’s been a “fun ride ever since.” Although they divide their time between their Malibu home and another in Greenwich, Connecticut, Apfelbaum puts his heart into the foundation, serving on the cardiac committee, the Chautauqua (annual retreat) committee and the board affairs committee. “The first year you’re on the board, you tend to listen more than talk,” says Apfelbaum, who joined the foundation’s board of trustees in 2015. “Once you know where you can be helpful, it’s time to contribute more.”
Apfelbaum brings a decades-long career in media marketing and sales to the foundation. His sly sense of humor has enlivened many a meeting. He jokes about suggesting the slogan “I’m having my stroke at Saint John’s” to promote the health center’s affiliation with Pacific Neuroscience Institute. He quickly turns serious and points out that if patients arrive at Saint John’s within 45 minutes of the onset of symptoms, stroke-related damage often can be prevented or reversed. Since the John Wayne Cancer Institute is also affiliated with the health center, Apfelbaum isn’t shy about describing the three entities as a world-class group.
“It’s a family hospital—not institutional, not a factory,” he says. “All of our doctors have become our friends. The more time we spend, the more impressed we become with the caring and the people of Saint John’s. It feels so good.” His cheerleading for the health center includes luring several friends from back East to the high-quality care available at Saint John’s. And he sees a great future, which includes the development of a South Campus across the street from the Health Center. “I hope I live long enough to see the South Campus get started,” he adds. When the couple returns to the West Coast in the fall, Bonnie Apfelbaum will begin volunteering at Saint John’s. “I want to work wherever I can be of best use to the hospital,” she says. “No patient should be alone; hospitals can be scary places without an advocate or a support network.” The Apfelbaums have three children and 10 grandchildren. Now retired, Apfelbaum has more time to devote to his golf game and is part owner and an active manager of the Saticoy Club in Ventura. Bonnie Apfelbaum taught elementary school and also worked in marketing and public relations for nonprofits. Asked if she is enjoying more golf in retirement, she quips that she can golf, but her most challenging role is being “in full-time charge of Bill.” And he wouldn’t have it any other way. SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 17
RESTORING
HOPE
18 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
I
P A C I F I C N E U R O SCIENCE I N S T I T U T E R E S EARCHERS ARE DEDICATED TO STUDYING STEM CELL THERAPY FOR N E U R O L O GI C A L D ISO RD ERS. BY MELANIE ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHED BY MONICA OROZCO
n a dance career spanning more than 70 years, Marsha Schiff has shared her passion for ballet, jazz and tap with countless people as a performer and as a teacher. A thrilling highlight was performing before an international audience, which included President Ronald Reagan, at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. When the 78-year-old grandmother of nine began struggling with combinations in her dance classes last year, she initially dismissed it as a sign of aging. “I could no longer connect the steps,” she says. “I was always getting lost in dance class unless I could follow somebody.” A trusted friend recommended Schiff see Verna R. Porter, MD, director of programs for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and neurocognitive disorders at Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Pacific Brain Health Center, who provided the devastating diagnosis: Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder that impacts memory and thinking skills and eventually daily activities. But Dr. Porter also provided hope. PNI’s research arm, the Neuroscience Research Center, was recruiting Alzheimer’s patients for an innovative clinical trial. “My husband [Michael] and I got very excited when Dr. Porter told us about it,” says Schiff. “We were eager to get started.” Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in older adults—affecting an estimated 5.8 million people—and yet there’s no treatment on the market that can stop or reverse its progression. “All the treatments we have only address the symptoms of dementia,” says Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, neuroscientist and director of neuro-oncology and the Neuroscience Research Center at PNI. “That’s a high unmet need where multiple approaches have failed, and that’s why we’re now studying stem cell therapy to see if we can change the trajectory from an inevitably progressive disease to stabilizing it and potentially improving brain function.”
The promise of stem cell therapy In recent years, stem cell therapy has gained momentum as a promising treatment for neurological disorders—and PNI’s
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 19
Neuroscience Research Center has played a significant role in advancing the research through its robust clinical trials program. “There is data coming out now in stroke and in traumatic brain injury (TBI) that giving various types of stem cells can improve neurological function,” says Dr. Kesari, who’s also chair and professor of the department of translational neurosciences and neurotherapeutics at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. “We’re very excited about the potential for stem cells to repair neurological disorders,” including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and even injuries related to brain tumors and treatments (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy). Stem cells are cells that can replenish themselves or become specific types of cells, such as muscle, blood or brain cells. “The purpose of adult stem cells is to repair, regenerate and respond to injury. Certain parts of our body, like the skin and the liver, can do it really well, but other organs tend to have more difficulty—and that includes the heart and the nerve cells,” says Dr. Kesari. “We’ve become interested in studying these stem cells that work so well in some places to learn how we can get them to work in other situations.” Stem cells used for therapy can be derived from the patient (autologous) or a donor (allogenic). “You can modify them to do specific things based on what you’re trying to address with a particular patient,” says Dr. Kesari. For example, they can be engineered to release growth factors and stimulate a patient’s own stem cells into action. Dr. Kesari recently oversaw a successful Phase II clinical trial at PNI that involved delivering allogenic stem cells derived from bone marrow into the brains of TBI patients using a minimally invasive surgical approach. “The trial involved patients who had a physical injury to the brain that resulted in a weakness on one side of the body,” he says. “They were either put in a control group or a treatment arm where they were delivered stem cells directly to the area of the brain that sends signals relating to movement of the arm or leg that was weak.” Prior to surgery, the team uses MRI to map out the target location for the treatment. This type of sophisticated
ENROLLMENT IN THE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE CLINICAL TRIAL PNI is recruiting patients with Alzheimer’s disease for a stem cell therapy clinical trial. To be eligible patients must: • Be age 55–80 • Have a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia for at least three months • Score between 12–24 (inclusive) on MMSE at time of enrollment • Have amyloid-positive florbetapir PET scan (patients being evaluated for trial eligibility will receive amyloid PET imaging at no cost if not already done) For more information call 310-829-8265.
imaging acts like a GPS system for the brain. “They register the patient to that scan so they know with sub-millimeter accuracy where they are relative to that anatomy,” says Dr. Kesari. “The surgeon makes a very small incision in the scalp, and then a needle is passed into the targeted area. The stem cells are injected where they can then orchestrate the process of healing and recovery.” PNI treated the most patients of any institution participating in the international, multisite trial. “What we found in our interim results was there were no new safety concerns, but the patients who received stem cells were 3.6 times better than their control groups in terms of their movement, which is a huge difference,” says Dr. Kesari. The trial has been approved to advance to Phase III later this year—the final step required before potential Food and Drug Administration approval. “This was the first time we collaborated on stem cells for brain recovery as a global community,” says Dr. Kesari. “To also see the improvement in a cohort of patients who have never had any other treatment options is an early and exciting sign that this is a new type of therapy that’s opening up for patients.”
Hope for Alzheimer’s patients In the spring, PNI was the first site to launch a new Phase IIA study investigating the effects of stem cell therapy on patients who have mild or moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s
BY THE
NUMBERS
20 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
As the U.S. population ages, more people will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Effective treatments are desperately needed.
5 13 MILLION MILLION people had the disease in 2014.
people will likely have the disease in 2050.
disease. “I’m hoping that the stem cells will bring about a curtain lifting,” says Marsha For more information on how you can support Schiff, who was among the first clinical trials at Pacific patients to enroll. Neuroscience Institute, “With Alzheimer’s disease, please call Mary Byrnes the deposit of various abnormal at 310-582-7102. proteins in the brain cells interferes with the effectiveness of the cells, ultimately causing cell death,” says Dr. Porter. “As these neurons die off, their connections with other parts of the brain are disturbed and that results in cognitive and memory changes. If you have a stem cell and it had the ability to repair these connections, it could then recapitulate or reform those areas where the cells had died off. That would be the great hope.” In this trial, patients will be assigned into two groups, called cohorts. One group will receive stem cells and one group won’t. After six months, both groups will receive stem cell injections. They all will be tested at the six-month mark and again six months later. Meanwhile patients can remain on their regular medications. “The stem cell therapy would be above and beyond traditional standard therapies,” says Dr. Porter. Like the TBI trial, this study involves allogenic stem cells derived from bone marrow, but they will be delivered intravenously instead of surgically. “A great thing about this study is that it involves injection of the stem cells via IV route, so the risks are very low,” says Dr. Kesari, the lead investigator. “However, that means the cells are going throughout the whole body and a smaller percentage is actually getting to the site of injury in the brain. Nonetheless scientists have shown in previous studies of Alzheimer’s as well as with stroke that they can see clinical neurological improvement in patients. Another big benefit of IV delivery is that we can repeat the treatments to maximize recovery.” Dr. Kesari says he’s excited to see how patients respond to this new trial, which focuses on safety and tolerability, but will also include measuring cognitive and behavioral outcomes and watching for preliminary efficacy. Meanwhile he and his colleagues at PNI and JWCI are dedicated to developing new devices and methods of delivering stem cells and stimulating patients’ own stem cells to repair damage in the brain. “Neurological disorders have been tough to diagnose and tougher to treat, and regenerative medicine, including gene
1in 6
women
over 65 have a chance of developing Alzheimer’s.
1 in11 men
Stem cell therapy represents a new approach to Alzheimer’s.
therapy, will be the way to go for these diseases,” he says. Stem cell research has progressed on numerous fronts in recent years, particularly in the area of neurological disorders. However, funding to push more promising research into human clinical trials is imperative for the field to advance, according to a report from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “The promise of all stem cells for use in future therapies is exciting, but significant technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research,” the report noted. Government funding can only go so far, however. Clinical trials supported by philanthropy provide much-needed data to bring cures closer to reality, Dr. Kesari says. Anything doctors can do to keep Schiff on the dance floor would be gratifying, she says. A jazz dancer who has performed many times over the course of her career, she continues to practice her craft but is encountering challenges linked to her illness. However, Schiff says she’s grateful for the quality of care she has received at PNI, and she has hope. “Dr. Porter is clear, she’s thorough, and I get a follow-up report, which I diligently read at the end of all our meetings,” says Schiff. “The Pacific Neuroscience Institute has been very kind to me.”
over 65 have a chance of developing Alzheimer’s.
African Americans
are twice as likely as Caucasians to have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. Source: Alzheimer’s Association
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 21
MEET THE SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWS
All in the Family The surgical oncology fellows support each other on a two-year journey. BY SHARI ROAN / PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN ANDERSON
L
ast fall, just three months into her surgical oncology fellowship at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, Molly Kledzik, MD, found herself in Providence Saint John’s Health Center giving birth to her first child, a son named Fred. “The timing wasn’t exactly what we expected,” she says of her first pregnancy. When she met Trevan Fischer, MD, the assistant director of the fellowship program, in the spring of 2018, she was in her first trimester. “I had to tell Dr. Fischer that I was going to show up in the fall and have a baby a month-and-a-half later.” There was no cause for concern, however. Dr. Kledzik and her husband, Brad, adjusted to their growing family while Dr. Kledzik’s makeshift JWCI family surrounded her with support as well. “Dr. Fischer was extremely receptive,” she says. “He immediately knew how we could figure it out and was great about putting together a schedule for me. And all of my co-fellows were great.” The Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program is unique in many ways, as Dr. Kledzik and others have discovered. The intensive, two-year program trains surgeons in the art of complex general surgical oncology and cancer research.
22 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
In short, fellows emerge as the best of the best among cancer surgeons, says Dr. Fischer. “Most cancer care throughout the U.S. is done by general surgeons,” he says. “But as medicine advances, the complexities, coordination and the multidisciplinary nature of cancer care have grown. I think that is why more surgeons are going into surgical oncology.” Typically three or four surgeons are selected each year to join the JWCI program, working with the faculty during various rotations in specialty areas such as breast, melanoma and colorectal cancer. Dr. Kledzik praises the program’s emphasis on multidisciplinary care. “The medical oncologists and radiation oncologists here take the time to educate the surgical fellows about their perspectives,” she says. “I think that is so important because cancer treatment is so multimodal. That is one of the advantages of coming to a cancer center to train.” Working in medicine has long been on Dr. Kledzik’s mind. Her father died of metastatic colon cancer when she was 12, stirring her interest in biology. She attended the University of Virginia and earned her medical degree at Florida International University in Miami in 2013. She then began a five-year surgical
SUPPORTING THE SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM When you donate to the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, you are supporting a program that: • Has trained more than 150 fellows, many of whom have risen to leadership positions in clinical care or academic medicine throughout the world. • Is one of only 27 centers in the United States approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. • Was among the first ACGME-accredited programs for complex surgical oncology on the West Coast. • Attracts top surgeons. The majority of fellows complete three to five research studies that are accepted for publication in respected medical journals. “We depend on the generosity of our supporters and friends to continue this robust and prestigious program,” says Trevon Fischer, MD, the assistant director of the fellowship program. “Unlike other surgical oncology fellowship programs that have only one fellow per year, we typically train four fellows each year.” For more information on how you can support the fellowship program, please call Mike Avila 310-829-8351.
(From left) Anthony Scholer, MD; Abhineet Uppal, MD, holding baby Fred Kledzik; Molly Kledzik, MD; Juan Santamaria, MD, and Trang Nguyen, MD
residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. While there she met Perry Shen, MD, a year 2000 graduate of the JWCI Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program. “He loved JWCI and told me a lot of his mentors were still here,” Dr. Kledzik recalls. She had already decided she wanted to become a surgeon, fascinated by the need to thoroughly understand anatomy and touched by the relationships surgeons form with patients and their families. “The deep trust patients put in their surgeons appealed to me—especially with cancer patients, because you see them and their families for years and years,” she says. “I probably empathize with
patients because of my dad.” Today Dr. Kledzik is busy with surgical shifts and research, with baby Fred tucked away safely at the health center’s day care center. She performed surgery the day before childbirth and went on rounds that morning before checking into labor and delivery. Her co-fellows appeared in her hospital room shortly after childbirth to share the joyous occasion. “We all met during interview season last spring,” she says. “Now we talk all the time and try to get pizza and drinks at some point during the week.” The fellows typically come from very different backgrounds, but they form a special bond in their time at JWCI,
Dr. Fischer says. “They arrive with different reasons for wanting to go into the specialty, but they are all very compassionate and patient-centered in their care.” During Dr. Kledzik’s maternity leave her colleagues filled in for her, and she repaid the favor by taking extra on-call shifts for them once she returned, Dr. Fischer notes. Dr. Kledzik remained engaged in her program even while caring for an infant, he noted, by calling into the weekly fellow conferences. “She didn’t miss a beat,” he says. “She would call into the conferences on Fridays and stay up with what was going on. It speaks to her commitment to the program.” SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 23
Melanie Bialis and baby Ava got lots of attention from NICU staff, including Dr. Vladana Milisavljevic (left) and Kathy Chayet, RN.
A P A R T N E R S HIP WIT H CHILD REN’ S HO SPIT AL L O S A N GELES ELEV AT ES NICU CARE. BY SHARI ROAN / PHOTOGRAPHED BY FRED SIEGEL
W
hen discussing where to have her baby, Venice resident Melanie Bialis had heard other pregnant friends compliment Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s maternity unit. But some worried about whether the hospital had a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). “Actually, they do have a NICU,” Bialis would inform her fellow expecting moms. “I had taken a tour and was very impressed.” Bialis, a finance investment manager, even noted that Saint John’s had formed a partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) in 2017 to have CHLA neonatologists help staff the 18-bed NICU. Of course Bialis, 43, never expected her baby would need NICU services. What expectant mother does? But Bialis and her baby needed the expertise of the NICU team last September 2 when Ava came into the world 10 weeks sooner than expected. Bialis had been admitted to the hospital with a condition called HELLP syndrome, a dangerous pregnancy-related disorder that involves the liver and bloodstream. Doctors attempted to stabilize her for two days before delivering Ava via emergency cesarean section. Bialis, however, watched in awe as the neonatal team rallied to her side. Vladana Milisavljevic, MD, the Children’s Hospital neonatologist and Medical Director of Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Irene Dunne Guild NICU, came into her room to reassure her. When Ava was delivered—weighing 2 pounds, 11 ounces—respiratory therapist Mike Ryan was among the first to touch the baby and became a trusted caregiver over the following months. After the birth, neonatal nurses urged Bialis to reach into the incubator and touch Ava as they explained the intricacies of the isolette that would become Ava’s home for the following two months. Other physicians explained the baby’s prognosis to the new mother with warmth and compassion. “They were saying she had a good chance but that there were things that could go wrong,” Bialis said. “They made a pretty scary experience as good as it could be. I felt she was in very good hands.” That’s the point of the partnership with Children’s Hospital, says Albert Phillips, MD, medical director for women’s services at Saint John’s and a practicing obstetriciangynecologist for 34 years. While the NICU at Saint John’s is a level III facility—meaning the center is certified to provide highly specialized care—the addition of Children’s SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 25
To support the Saint John’s NICU, please contact Meghan Chereck at 310-829-8394.
Hospital neonatologists provides that extra layer of specialization and comfort to patients. Under the partnership agreement, one or more of a core group of four or five neonatologists from Children’s Hospital are on site at Saint John’s around the clock, Dr. Phillips says. The same core group of physicians are assigned to Saint John’s so families can get to know their babies’ doctors. “That helps with the continuum of care in the NICU,” Dr. Phillips says. “The doctors know the babies because they see them day after day.”
Family-centered care About 7% of the nation’s 3.3 million newborns are admitted to a NICU after birth, according to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Pediatrics. Many babies admitted to a NICU are premature and underweight. Those infants are at risk for various issues such as respiratory problems, Dr. Phillips says. Little Ava Bialis needed time to grow, but the first few days were tense. The day after her birth the baby developed a pneumothorax, a condition in which part of the lung collapses, leaking air. Doctors inserted a chest tube to re-inflate her lung. She had to be fed through a tube. Still stunned by the premature birth, Bialis and her family discussed whether the baby should be moved to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “My family had a prior relationship with Children’s Hospital. We think of Children’s as the highest quality of care,” she says. “But my gut told me no—she is with the best people already and this was confirmed by
26 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Nurses showed Melanie Bialis how to care for and comfort tiny Ava.
speaking to the doctors at Children’s and getting reassurance from Dr. Milisavljevic. Ava was able to stay where she was under the wonderful compassionate care of the Saint John’s nurses and CHLA doctors.” Over time the pair fell into a routine. Bialis would arrive at the NICU at 8 a.m. In the first few days and weeks she would practice “kangaroo care,” holding Ava skin-to-skin. The method has been shown in studies to help stabilize the baby’s heart rate and respiration and stimulate weight gain. The nurses encouraged Bialis to perform as much baby care as possible: changing diapers, taking her temperature and feeding Ava once she became big enough to transition to a bottle. Bialis used the NICU’s nursing station to pump and store her breast milk. “There was a tremendous amount
of thoughtfulness and warmth around both of us,” Bialis recalls. “The nurses never said ‘This is our job’ when I wanted to do something. They were very supportive of the connection between mom and baby.” Bialis recalls one day when Ava was fussy and respiratory therapist Mike Ryan appeared in the room. “Mike was such a special guy—a baby whisperer,” she says. “Ava would light up when he came in the room. She would look at him with so much love. She stopped crying and looked at him, and let him adjust her tubes and it was magical.” Finally, on October 25, Bialis took Ava home. In the days leading up to her discharge, the nurses, in particular Cathleen Dickinson and Susie Chang, helped Bialis prepare for life with Ava free of machines and her feeding tube. She weighed just over 4 pounds. “It’s
PROLACTA HUMAN BREAST MILK AVAILABLE AT SAINT JOHN’S NICU Premature or ill newborns who need NICU care benefit greatly from receiving human breast milk. If their mothers are unable to provide it, however, another option is now available at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The hospital’s NICU has obtained a license to provide Prolacta human donor milk to babies. Hospitals licensed to offer Prolacta must meet stringent criteria, including proper refrigeration equipment. Studies show NICU patients exclusively fed breast milk have a lower risk of some types of complications and improved outcomes.
always scary,” Bialis says. “The idea that the child is attached to all these monitors, and then she’s coming home with you—it was pretty daunting but exciting.”
Keeping care close to home The addition of Children’s Hospital neonatologists augments a program that has a long history of devotion to family-centered care. “It’s a smaller unit, so it’s a little more intimate,” Dr. Phillips says. “There is more interaction between the doctors and parents. The nurses are very accommodating to the families so they can be actively involved in the care as the babies are healing. Parents feel a sense of family at Saint John’s. They see the same nurses and doctors taking care of their babies.” The NICU at Saint John’s continues
to evolve with innovations and changing evidence-based practices in neonatal care, he adds. With the addition of Children’s Hospital neonatologists on staff, there will be fewer reasons for families with a sick baby to transfer the baby to the Hollywood hospital, saving them many hours of sitting in traffic over the course of a long NICU stay. Moreover, the staff at Saint John’s NICU can obtain expert consultation from subspecialists whenever needed. “That’s an advantage to having access to people who are doing the cutting-edge science or who understand disorders that are rare,” Dr. Phillips says. “We try never to transfer a baby unless we can’t provide the necessary treatment. At Saint John’s, it’s extremely rare that babies need to be transferred.” While Ava Bialis’ first home was the Saint John’s NICU, she has adapted just fine to life outside the hospital. “She is doing great,” her mom says. “She’s a very social baby. She’s interested in everything. She’s a happy, healthy baby.” Looking back, Bialis credits the mix of neonatologists providing outstanding medical care with the encouragement and compassion from the nurses and technicians for turning an anxious time into a nurturing one. “There was so much compassion and respect for mother’s intuition and fostering the motherbaby relationship even through the glass of the incubator,” she says. “To have that mix of exceptional medical care and emotional support in the NICU was incredible.”
KEEPING AN EYE ON THE PRIZE Families of NICU patients can now visit their babies remotely. Thanks to a donation from Ted and Su-Z Schneider, the NICU unit was recently fitted with the NICVIEW webcam system, allowing parents to log on and watch their baby in real time. “Most of the time, parents can see how the baby looks or what the nurse is doing,” says Albert Phillips, MD, medical director for women’s services at Saint John’s. “They feel connected to the baby when they are at home or at work.” The NICVIEW system involves an unobtrusive camera mounted close to the bed that delivers streamed video images. Parents can sign in to the secure system using any device with an internet connection. The real-time viewing involves encrypted transmission accessible only by a password. To Ted and Su-Z Schneider, the camera system was a must-have. Ted Schneider is a trustee of the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, while Su-Z has been associated with Saint John’s since 1987— serving as a hospital volunteer and a member of the Irene Dunne Guild. They have been stalwart supporters of the NICU. The donation is in keeping with the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation’s mission of supporting health care that provides comfort and reassurance, Dr. Phillips says. “That’s the kind of attitude we have at Saint John’s. This will help parents feel connected.”
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 27
SMOOTHING THE BUMPS ON
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY TWO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. BY TRAVIS MARSHALL / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CLARE|MATRIX AND DIDI HIRSCH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
THE GIFT OF HEALTH The Community Impact Fund (CIF) was established by Saint John’s Health Center Foundation to support our local health care partners in improving the health of the community. Each year the CIF committee reviews applications and makes grants to entities striving to improve the health of local residents. In this issue of Saint John’s, we are proud to present the second in a series of stories on organizations that have received CIF grants. Our story highlights two impressive organizations that focus on mental health and substance abuse. 28 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
E
rica Daza was eight months pregnant in the fall of 2018 when she found herself in a desperate situation. She had met her boyfriend a year earlier in an addiction recovery program—she was trying to overcome a 15-year struggle with methamphetamine and marijuana. They bonded over their shared sobriety. But together they relapsed … and then he became abusive. “I had to leave him, but then I was on the street, homeless and not getting the prenatal care I needed for my baby,” says Daza, a 37-yearold mother from South Los Angeles. “When I heard CLARE|MATRIX had a sober living program for pregnant women, it was life-changing. Now I’m six months clean, and my baby girl, Serenity, is healthy and happy.” As part of its Community Impact Fund grants for 2019, Saint John’s Health Center Foundation is providing support to nonprofit local organizations
that assist people like Daza who might otherwise slip through gaps in the health care system. The CIF grant to CLARE|MATRIX is helping continue and expand the successful Women and Children First initiative—a sober living program for pregnant and postpartum women from which Daza recently graduated. The grant to CLARE|MATRIX provides continued funding for integrated care efforts that help ensure people struggling with mental illness are connected to the full range of health and social services they need to stay healthy—from regular medical visits to housing assistance.
Support for mothers and children “Breaking the cycle of addiction is hard for anyone, but it’s even harder for pregnant women and mothers with children,” explains Lisa Steele, PhD, chief executive officer at CLARE|MATRIX. “Often they’re
afraid they’ll lose their children or have to leave them behind, and understandably they’ll choose their children over their own health.” CLARE|MATRIX was recently established through the merger of two long-running addiction treatment organizations: the CLARE Foundation and Matrix Institute on Addictions. “Historically CLARE was known as a residential rehabilitation provider for people without resources—the majority of our clients are homeless or at risk of homelessness,” Dr. Steele says. “Matrix has traditionally been known as an outpatient provider for people with insurance.” The $22 million nonprofit has 18 locations throughout Los Angeles. It receives funding primarily through government, corporate and foundation grants as well as private fundraising. “We launched the Women and Children First initiative in 2017 knowing that we need to focus on SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 29
the whole family to break the cycle of addition,” Dr. Steele says. “In 2018 it was clear that we needed to expand the program to include sober living for these families when treatment ends.” Following the success of the sixmonth program for pregnant and postpartum women, CLARE|MATRIX is currently looking for a residential location to extend sober living opportunities to women like Daza. The 2019 funding from the CIF grant and other sources will go toward renting and operating a home where women and any of their children up to the age of 17 can continue to live in a safe, supportive, sober environment at no cost. “We love working with Saint John’s Health Center Foundation because they’re forward-thinking, receptive and open to hearing what the community needs,” Dr. Steele says. “We’re looking forward to helping these women work on their long-term recovery.” Daza says the program gave her the opportunity to have her baby in a positive environment, where she was able to live alongside other new mothers who all shared the common goals of sobriety and providing a healthy start for their newborns. “We had five newborns all together, and we were all so supportive and receptive to each other,” Daza says. “What made this different from other programs I’ve tried was the compassion. I’m looking forward to continuing with the program once they have the new house available.”
STUDIES SHOW WOMEN NEED HELP IN MAINTAINING THEIR SOBRIETY IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD Among women using drugs or alcohol prenatally ACHIEVED ABSTINENCE DURING PREGNANCY
RELAPSED IN POSTPARTUM PERIOD
Alcohol use
96%
51%
Marijuana
78%
41%
Cocaine
73%
27%
30 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Daza says she currently has her own place in Lynwood, where she can focus on raising her daughter thanks to the fresh start she got through the program. “Serenity is still small, so we spend a lot of time riding the train together, taking walks and reading the Bible,” she says. “I feel like my addiction still exists, but it doesn’t control my life anymore.”
Integrated Care Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has been a prominent fixture in Southern California for nearly 80 years. The organization first started offering free mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention services in 1942. “One of the issues that’s become clear to us is that we need better connection between mental health care and traditional health care,” explains Kita Curry, PhD, president and chief executive officer of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. “People who struggle with serious mental health issues die at ages up to 25 years younger than the general population.” That statistic underlies one of the biggest challenges in the health care system today: a lack of communication between care providers, and a health care system that tends to treat acute health problems without addressing the underlying reasons—including mental health problems—that contribute to chronic health issues. Dr. Curry tells the story of “John,” a client who has struggled with chronic mental illness most of his life. “When he came to see us, a recent divorce and homelessness had caused his life to spiral out of control,” she says. “He also has serious chronic health problems— diabetes, high blood pressure, limited mobility—but he hadn’t seen a doctor in four years.” Integrated care is about more than simply making a doctor’s
Erica Daza, with daughter Serenity, benefited from a sober living program.
ABOUT 1 IN 5 U.S. ADULTS LIVES WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS.
CLARE|MATRIX is using CIF support to expand sober living opportunities to its clients.
The rates of emergency room visits nationwide involving mental health issues are increasing. Depression, anxiety or stress
ALMOST 6% OF PREGNANT WOMEN USE ILLICIT DRUGS AND 8.5% DRINK ALCOHOL.
Number of ED visits per 100,000 people with these disorders:
Substance use disorders Psychoses or bipolar
4,500
3,945
4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000
2,537
2,519
1,838 1,385 911
500 0
7 6 9 8 2 3 0 11 200 200 200 200 201 20 201 201
appointment for patients like John. The CIF grant provides funding for care coordinators who help connect patients like John to all of the different services they need to get and stay healthy. Even something as seemingly simple as transportation can become a major barrier to care if a patient doesn’t have the means to actually get to their appointments. The small act of helping a patient obtain a ride share or taxi to their medical appointments can potentially prevent the patient from needing an ambulance ride to the emergency room weeks or months down the line. “In two years John has had 31 medical appointments, including visits with his primary care physician and specialists,” Dr. Curry explains. “We also found that he had been inconsistent with his medications over the years. We were able to help him focus on the right medications. We helped him get a walker, and we provided funding for temporary housing until we could get his benefits reinstated.” As a nonprofit, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has a broad network of partners around the city and state. It’s also funded through a mix of government contracts and grants from local, regional and national organizations. Funding from the CIF grant has helped provide integrated care to more than 300 patients enrolled through the Westside Family Health Clinic and Venice Family Clinic. “You can’t coordinate care if you don’t have people talking to each other,” Dr. Curry says. “Without funding from the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, we wouldn’t have the people and resources to collect and evaluate patient information and coordinate care for more than 300 people.” SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 31
EVENTS
C HA U T A UQ UA WEEKEND Saint John’s Health Center Foundation celebrated the 40th anniversary of Chautauqua Weekend, March 1-3, at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito. Developed by foundation trustee Rick Caruso and recently opened, Rosewood Miramar Beach proved a delightful setting for a weekend of education, camaraderie, enlightenment and relaxation for trustees, donors, physician partners, health center leadership and special friends. With hard work from the Chautauqua committee, led by trustee co-chairs Jonathan Cole, MD, Bernadette Leiweke and Lisa Nesbitt, the 2019 Chautauqua Weekend exceeded expectations. Speakers represented each entity of the Saint John’s campus, including Providence Saint John’s Health Center, John Wayne Cancer Institute and Pacific Neuroscience Institute and included William Buxton, MD; Rick Caruso; Ora Gordon, MD; Janie Grumley, MD; Scott Kaiser, MD; Raymond C. Lee, MD; Sarah McEwen, PhD; David A. Merrill, MD, PhD; Verna R. Porter, MD; Stephen Sideroff, PhD, and Przemyslaw W. Twardowski, MD. Special guests included UCLA psychologist and author of The Path, Stephen Sideroff, PhD, as well as regional, local and foundation leadership: Erik Wexler, Marcel Loh, Bob Klein and Mary Flaherty.
Alan Wozniak and Margaret Dano
32 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Dr. Daniel Kelly, Dr. Verna Porter, Dr. David Merrill, Dr. Sarah McEwen, Dr. William Buxton, Dr. Scott Kaiser
Erik Wexler, chief executive of Providence St. Joseph Health, Southern California Region
Dr. Santosh Kesari and Ruth Weil
EVENTS
Evelyn Guerboian and Eddie Guerboian
Lee Neibart, Michael Wise, Bill Apfelbaum, Robert Klein, Marcel Loh
Rachel Ault and Lee Ault
Dr. Raymond Lee
Robert Klein, Mary Flaherty, Rick Caruso, Gretchen Willison, Marcel Loh
Dr. Donald Larsen, Roger Wacker, Ruth Weil, Ellie Goldman, Jim Fordyce, Dr. John Robertson
Putter Pence experiencing the cognitive fitness gym SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 33
EVENTS
JO H N W A YN E CANCER INS T I T UTE A UXIL IARY 2019 O D YSSEY BA LL – L A ODISEA The John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary honored neurologist and neuro-oncologist Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, with “The Duke” Special Service Award at La Odisea, the 34th Odyssey Ball, on May 4 at the Montage Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. Philanthropist and president of Premier Girls Fastpitch Dan Hay was presented with the Generation of Hope Award. The gala, which drew 325 guests, is the annual JWCIA flagship fundraiser held to benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. La Odisea grossed $500,000 to benefit the oncology fellowship program at JWCI. Overall, the auxiliary has raised more than $20 million for JWCI. The event was co-chaired by Katie Lewis and Marisol Zarco, and generous sponsorship of the event was provided by The Adelson Family Foundation. Guests included Martha Harper, JWCIA president; Patrick Wayne, chair, JWCI board of directors; Mike Butler, president of operations and strategy, Providence St. Joseph Health; Mike Waters, executive vice president, ambulatory care network, Providence St. Joseph Health; Marcel Loh; Robert Klein; Steven J. O’Day, MD, and Daniel Kelly, MD.
Lori Wallbridge, John Hunter, Dan Redden, Mara Hunter Redden
Dan Hay, Mike Waters, Mike Butler, Sr. Susanne Hartung, Dr. Santosh Kesari, Erik Wexler, Marcel Loh, Bob Klein
34 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
EVENTS
Dr. Santosh Kesari and Jyothsna Kesari
Marisol Zarco and Katie Lewis
Dan Hay, Dr. Janie Grumley, Anita Swift
Gloria Gebbia and John Gebbia
Dr. Steven O’Day and Dr. Daniel Kelly
Dan Hay and Patrick Wayne
Rick Muchow and Dr. Santosh Kesari
Martha Harper SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 35
EVENTS
A B CS M O T H ER ’ S DAY L UN CH EO N The Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies (ABCs) hosted its annual star-studded Mother’s Day Luncheon May 9 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills to benefit breast and prostate cancer research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Actress, author and entrepreneur NeNe Leakes was honored with the Woman of Achievement Award. Actress and comedian Kym Whitley returned as emcee, and Beverly Cohen and Sheri Rosenblum cochaired the event. Prior to the luncheon, a luxury boutique featured an array of fashionable vendors, all donating a portion of proceeds from sales to the organization. More than 200 guests enjoyed the celebration including Patrick Wayne, chair, board of directors, JWCI; Marcel Loh, chief executive of Providence Saint John’s Health Center; Nicole Murphy; Mercedes Javid and Vida Javid.
IREN E DUN N E GU ILD T HI NK P I N K FOR W OM E N ’S WELLNESS Think Pink for Women’s Wellness, hosted by the Irene Dunne Guild, was held May 8 at the Upper Bel-Air Club. The annual event that focuses on health education and awareness for women and their families attracted 300 guests who enjoyed a luncheon keynote speech by Verna R. Porter, MD. Other distinguished speakers were featured in morning breakout sessions, including Janie W. Grumley, MD, Jennifer A. Linehan, MD, Joanne E. Low, MD, and Sherry Yafai, MD. A boutique was held with net proceeds to benefit programs, equipment and services at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Think Pink for Women’s Wellness 2019 was cochaired by Janis Gallo and Angela Vassallo. The Irene Dunne Guild is celebrating its thirty-second year as a support group of Saint John’s Health Center Foundation. Evelyn Guerboian serves as the group’s president.
36 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
NeNe Leakes
Dr. Steven O’Day
Dr. Anton Bilchik
(First row) Marcel Loh, Patrick Wayne, Dr. Steven O’Day (second row) Dr. Janie Grumley, Sheri Rosenblum, Gloria Gebbia
(First row) Christine Hanscom, Belinda Ballash, Vivian Quiroga, Vickie Fante Cohen, Janis Gallo, Angela Vassallo, Su-Z Schneider, Jill Robertson, Brenda McDonald, Robyn Fuchs (Second row) Debi Bishton, Susie DeWeese, Dolly Niemann, Jean Markarian, Evelyn Guerboian, Sandy Line, Ann Harter, Christine Ofiesh, Carol Bullock (Third row) Leona Fox West, Nancy Wu, Jane Loh, Stephanie Malbasa, Pamela Kogan, Jo Ann Klein, Janie Crane, Stephanie Weston
Co-chair Angela Vassallo, Irene Dunne Guild president Evelyn Guerboian, co-chair Janis Gallo
Dr. Jennifer A. Linehan, Dr. Janie W. Grumley, Dr. Sherry Yafai
BOARD & FACULTY LISTINGS
S AI NT JO H N ’S HEAL TH CENTER F O UN DA TI O N BOARD OF TRU STE E S
PNI FA C U L T Y L I S T
Mary H. Flaherty, Chair Robert Amonic, MD, Secretary Craig C. Benell, Treasurer Charles F. Adams Daniel A. Aloni Robert L. Antin William M. Apfelbaum Rae W. Archibald, PhD Maria O. Arechaederra Margot S. Armbruster J. Jeffrey Assaf Lee A. Ault III Donnalisa Parks Barnum Ambassador Frank E. Baxter Rudolph A. Bedford, MD James P. Birdwell Jr. Norris J. Bishton Eric Borstein Abbott L. Brown Jules Buenabenta Charles G. Cale Rick J. Caruso Jonathan R. Cole, MD Jonathan L. Congdon Cynthia S. Connolly Richard F. Corlin, MD Sister Maureen Craig, SCL Michael W. Croft Kathy Danhakl George H. Davis Jr. Mary Y. Davis Alison W. Edelstein Kevin Ehrhart, MD Jerry B. Epstein Marc Ezralow Miles Fisher Frances R. Flanagan James H. Fordyce Michael J. Fourticq Sr. Bradford M. Freeman William M. Garland III Allan B. Goldman Jae Goodman Glenn A. Gorlitsky, MD Thomas F. Grojean Peter V. Haight H. Thomas Hicks David L. Ho Marcia Wilson Hobbs
Abbas A. Anwar, MD Garni Barkhoudarian, MD David M. Butler, MD William G. Buxton, MD Jose Carrillo, MD Robert Darflinger, MD Shanti Gowrinathan, MD Chester F. Griffiths, MD, FACS Jian Guan, MD Samuel Hou, MD, PhD Scott A. Kaiser, MD Kian Karimi, MD, FACS Daniel F. Kelly, MD Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD Howard R. Krauss, MD Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD Jeremy E. Levenson, MD Omid Mehdizadeh, MD David A. Merrill, MD, PhD Chipp St. Kevin Miller, MD Melita Petrossian, MD Nathan Pierce, MD Verna R. Porter, MD Sarah Rettinger, MD Walavan Sivakumar, MD Jason W. Tarpley, MD, PhD George P. Teitelbaum, MD Ambooj Tiwari, MD
Tonian Hohberg Ambassador Glen Holden Mark C. Holscher John G. Huarte Stanley Iezman Steaven K. Jones Jr. Paul R. Kanin Mary Ellen Kanoff Jordan L. Kaplan Russ Kino, MD Kathleen McCarthy Kostlan Bernadette Leiweke Judith D. Licklider Robert J. Lowe Carl W. McKinzie Bruce A. Meyer Peter W. Mullin Paul D. Natterson, MD Lee S. Neibart Lisa D. Nesbitt Chris Newman Shelby Notkin Dominic J. Ornato Putter Pence Dallas P. Price-Van Breda Ernie L. Prudente, MD Justin E. Rawlins John M. Robertson, MD Jeanne D. Robinson William P. Rutledge Daniel S. Sampson Theodore H. Schneider Carole Schwartz Donna L. Schweers Robert Shuwarger Laura Siart William E. Simon Jr. Rosa K. Sinnott Loraine Sinskey Michael S. Sitrick Charles F. Smith James A. Thomas Nadine E. Tilley James J. Toth II J. David Tracy Stanley Trilling Donna F. Tuttle Bennet Van de Bunt Roger Wacker
Patrick J. Wayne Brian M. Webber Edward White Shannon M. Wickstrom Gretchen A. Willison Michael E. Wise Brett G. Wyard
LIFE Robert A. Day Carolyn Dirks Richard M. Ferry Barron Hilton William K. Hummer, MD William S. Mortensen Thomas P. Mullaney Robert J. Wagner
EMERITUS Waldo H. Burnside Robert T. Campion † J. Howard Edgerton † James L. Hesburgh Mrs. Earle M. Jorgensen † Glen McDaniel † Ruben F. Mettler, PhD † John H. Michel † Sister Marie Madeleine Shonka, SCL Flora L. Thornton †
EX-OFFICIO Tracey R. Childs, MD, President, Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, PSJHC Evelyn Guerboian, President, Irene Dunne Guild Robert O. Klein, President & CEO, SJHCF Marcel Loh, Chief Executive, PSJHC Erik G. Wexler, Chief Executive, Providence St. Joseph Health Southern California
HONORARY Virginia Zamboni
PHYSICIANS
CLINICAL SUPPORT TEAM Steven Augustine, MSN, NP, CNRN, CCRN Tess H. Bookheimer Kathleen Castro, MSN, AG-ACNPC, SCRN Shelli Chittum, MSN, APRN, RNFA, NP-C Rachelle Cruz, MSN, APRN, NP-C Olivia Doyle, PA-C Amy Eisenberg, MSN, ARNP, CNRN Ryan Glatt, FAFS, BSc Minhdan Nguyen, MHS, PA-C Renee Ovando, RN, MSN, SCRN, AGNP Giselle Tamula, MSN, PA-C Judy Truong, PA-C
RESEARCH & CLINICAL TRIALS TEAM Najee Boucher Jaya Mini Gill, RN, BSN Annie Heng, RN, BSN Tiffany Juarez, PhD Sarah McEwen, PhD Anand Moses Anubhab Mukherjee, PhD Hanh Nguyen
Natsuko Nomura Elmar Nurmemmedov, PhD, MBA Michelle Phillips, MS Yueqin Quan Marlon Garzo Saria, PhD, RN Ariana Waters Venkata Yenugonda, PhD SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
| 37
BOARD & FACULTY LISTINGS
JW CI F A CULTY LI ST INSTITUTE FACULTY
Simon Gabriel, MD
David Merrill, MD
Venkata M. Yenugonda, PhD
Warren Allen, MD
Assistant Professor of Radiology
Associate Professor of Pathology
Melanie Goldfarb, MD
Garni Barkhoudarian, MD
Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology; Director of Center for Endocrine Tumors and Disorders; Director of Cancer Survivorship
Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics; Director of Drug Discovery and Nanomedicine Research Program
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics; Director of Skull Base Microdissection Anatomy Laboratory
Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD Professor of Surgical Oncology; Director of Gastrointestinal Research Program
Matias Bustos, MD, PhD Instructor, Translational Molecular Medicine
William Buxton, MD Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Jose Carrillo, MD Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Lisa M. Chaiken, MD Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Yingduan Cheng, MD, PhD Instructor, Translational Molecular Medicine
Rebecca Crane-Okada, PhD, RN, CNS, AOCN
Ora Gordon, MD, MS
Assistant Professor of Urologic Oncology
Professor of Genetics
Elmar Nurmemmedov, PhD
Chester Griffiths, MD Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Translational Neurosiences and Neurotherapeutics
Assistant Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Janie Grumley, MD
Steven J. O’Day, MD
Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology; Director of Comprehensive Breast Program, Margie Petersen Breast Center
Dave S.B. Hoon, MSc, PhD Professor & Director of Translational Molecular Medicine; Director of Genomic Sequencing Center
John Jalas, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Pathology
Daniel F. Kelly, MD Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics; Director of Brain Tumor Center and Pituitary Disorders Program
Mark J. Kelly, MD Assistant Professor of Urologic Oncology
Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD
Professor of Oncology; Director of Breast Cancer Navigation Program, Margie Petersen Breast Center
Professor of Neurosciences and Chair, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Richard Essner, MD
David Krasne, MD
Professor of Surgical Oncology; Director of Surgical Oncology; Co-Director of Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology Research Program
Trevan Fischer, MD Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology; Assistant Director of Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Leland J. Foshag, MD Professor of Surgical Oncology; Director of Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Richard Frieder, MD Assistant Professor of Genetics
38 |
SAINT JOHN'S MAGAZINE
Mehran Movassaghi, MD, MBA
Executive Director of JWCI and Cancer Clinic; Professor of Medical Oncology; Director of Immuno-Oncology; Co-Director of Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology Research Program
Osita Onugha, MD Assistant Professor of Thoracic Surgery
Verna Porter, MD Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Marlon G. Saria, RN, PhD Assistant Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Frederick Singer, MD Professor of Endocrinology; Director of Endocrinology & Bone Disease Program
Walavan Sivakumar, MD
Professor of Pathology
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Jennifer Linehan, MD
Ira Smalberg, MD
Associate Professor of Urology; Director of Urology Translational Research
Associate Professor of Radiology
Przemyslaw W. Twardowski, MD
Assistant Professor of Translational Molecular Medicine
Professor of Medical Oncology and Urologic Oncology; Director of Clinical Research, Urology and Urologic Oncology
Sarah McEwen, PhD
Steven Vasilev, MD
Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics
Professor of Gynecologic Oncology; Medical Director of Integrative Gynecologic Oncology
Robert J. McKenna Jr., MD
Professor and Chair of Urology; Director of Urologic Oncology Research Program
Diego M. Marzese, PhD
Professor and Chair of Thoracic Oncology
Timothy Wilson, MD
THANK YOU
BILL AND BONNIE APFELBAUM When serious illness impacted the Apfelbaums, Providence Saint John’s Health Center made the experience easier. Bill and Bonnie never forgot.
We will never forget the Apfelbaum's gift to the Saint John's Health Center Foundation in support of cardiovascular care and other hospital needs. Like Bill and Bonnie, when you give a gift to Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, you can help fund breakthrough technology and innovative critical care in health areas close to your heart, such as cardiology, cancer, neuroscience, orthopedics, nursing or other areas of care. This essential support enables us to continue to serve you, your family and the local community we all love. You can take pride in helping others heal and return to good health, something we all cherish.
Please give now at SaintJohnsFoundation.org or call 310-829-8424, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
2121 Santa Monica Boulevard
PAID
Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA
LOS ANGELES, CA PERMIT NO. 31327
310-829-8424 SaintJohnsFoundation.org
- PAGE 18 Fighting Alzheimer’s| A stem cell clinical trial offers hope of slowing the progressive disease.
- PAGE 10 Q&A | A calling leads a special nurse to Saint John’s Health Center.
- PAGE 28 Beyond Our Doors | The Community Impact Fund at Saint John’s has augmented mental health and addiction services on the Westside.