2017
ANNUAL REPORT
A Message from the Medical Director 2016 was a productive and exciting year at the Carl and Alice Kirkland Cancer Center. In the following pages, you will discover the highlights of what our hardworking and compassionate team does every day, as well as some of the ways the Kirkland Cancer Center gives back to the West Tennessee community. One of the most notable highlights was the beginning of our weekly multi-disciplinary lung and thoracic cancer conferences. As patients are diagnosed with thoracic cancer, staff pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons interact with medical and radiation oncology staff to determine the most accurate and appropriate treatment plan. This conference is in addition to the two other weekly multi-disciplinary conferences that are held at the cancer center to discuss every breast cancer case and other general cancer cases. These conferences are open to medical staff at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Another notable highlight is the continued work toward an American Society of Clinical
Dr. Archie Wright Cancer Committee Chair
Oncology’s Quality Oncology Performance Improvement Accreditation. The integration between the medical oncologists, chemotherapy nurses and the infusion pharmacists allow for a team approach to cancer treatment. Gina Myracle, Executive Director states, “It is very encouraging as a comprehensive cancer center executive, to see the willingness of the clinical oncology providers and staff comparing their treatment patterns and regimens, policies, and procedures to approved and credible national guidelines for treatment of cancer diagnoses at different stages. We are very proud of our pending accreditation status and continue to work toward full accreditation.� As our volume of patients diagnosed with cancer and hematologic disorders increase, it is rewarding to be able to offer classes of drugs and treatment regimens that were not available even 10 years ago. We continue to participate in cancer clinical trials so that the treatment options will continue to improve. Dr. Archie Wright Cancer Committee Chair
FOUNDATION
The Foundation and Kirkland Cancer Center have a
named Dr. Eugene P. Reese Oncology Pharmacy for
long history of working together to assist individuals
chemotherapy and infusion services in recognition of
and families throughout West Tennessee who have
Reeses’ gift.
been impacted by cancer. In January 2010, West Tennessee Healthcare named the Alice and Carl
The Foundation oversees the Kirkland Cancer Center
Kirkland Cancer Center in honor of the couple’s five
Advisory Board, a group of community leaders who
million gift to The Foundation to further enhance
promote awareness of KCC while raising money for its
cancer services to the people of West Tennessee.
services. Earlier this spring, the board hosted Seriously Seersucker to provide funds for patients’ needs such
The Foundation holds two endowments which
as medication and transportation. The southern affair
provide annual operating support for Kirkland
garnered more than 200 guests and netted $50,000 for
Cancer Center. It also has a half a dozen funds which
the project. The group plans to make it an
assist with patients’ needs such as medication and
annual affair.
transportation to treatments, providing state-of-theart enhancements and funding continuing education
“Those who have been touched by cancer often look
for the staff.
for a way to help others fighting the disease,” said Beth Koffman, Vice President of Operations at the
In 2016, the Foundation received a gift from retired
Foundation. “We offer them a way to be a beacon
oncologist, Dr. Eugene P. Reese and his wife, Eliane.
of hope for others and to remind them they are not
Their gift will be used to enhance the pharmacy
alone in the battle.”
with cutting edge technology for chemotherapy and infusion services. This places the Kirkland
If you are interested in making a gift to any of the
Cancer Center as one of the few cancer centers in
funds which benefit the Kirkland Cancer Center, visit
the southeast that will offer robotic technology to
www.wthfoundation.org or call the Foundation office
prepare chemotherapy and infusion treatments.
at (731) 984-2140.
The Kirkland Cancer Center also unveiled the newly
Beyond Standard Care The Palliative Care Clinic meets goals of patients with symptom management needs.
Dr. Kevin Wheatley
Dr. Clyde Smith
The Kirkland Cancer Center is pleased to offer one of the newest services of 2016. Dr. Wheatley, along with Dr. Clyde Smith and Dr. Edward Koonce, manages a palliative care out-patient clinic every Tuesday at the Kirkland Cancer Center. These patients are referred to the clinic by their Kirkland Cancer Center physician for management of symptoms such as pain, anxiety, emotional stress, nausea, dyspnea, etc. However, these palliative care physicians are also available on an ongoing basis at Jackson–Madison County General Hospital. There is a consulting service for all patients at JMCGH with any serious illness requiring symptom management as well as to discuss realistic goals of care at this stage in their illness. These illnesses are not just limited to cancer but all serious illnesses such as heart disease, pulmonary disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and many more. Dr. Wheatley and Dr. Smith are both board certified hospice and palliative care physicians.
Dr. Edward Koonce
“I would never want to go anywhere else. I received the best care possible and I didn’t have to disrupt my life or my family to receive treatments.” – Cara Evans Cara Evans has always lived a healthy, active life. An avid runner, Cara spent some time as an adventure guide in Colorado before returning home to Tennessee and the Jackson area. When she gave birth to her daughter in February 2014, the following months proved difficult. Cara blamed her health issues—weight loss, night sweats, a constant cough—on postpartum problems. She continued with her work as a physical therapist assistant as she settled into her role as a new mother. A few months after her daughter’s birth; however, she noticed a lump on her collarbone. Cara knew she needed to visit a physician to have the lump examined. “When the biopsy of the lump came back, my doctor told me that I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, induced by hormones from my pregnancy,” Cara says. Cara’s ENT specialist referred her to Dr. Fouche’ at the Kirkland Cancer Center and within a week of meeting with him, she began a chemotherapy regimen that consisted of a treatment every other week for six months. “Dr. Fouche’ saved my life in 2014,” says Cara. “The treatments were not easy but I worked when I could and tried to remain as active as possible because I wanted to carry on for my husband and daughter.” “I was almost sad when I finished my chemo treatments,” Cara says. “I missed seeing everyone regularly—the nurses, the janitorial staff, everyone at the Kirkland Cancer Center. They knew how to make me feel better, even on the days when I felt terrible physically. I also knew they saw me as a person. I wasn’t just a cancer patient. I was Cara—a new mom, a wife, a daughter, an employee.” Cara, who learned she was cancer-free on her birthday, is now going for check-ups at the Kirkland Cancer Center every six months for five years. “I would never want to go anywhere else. I received the best care possible and I didn’t have to disrupt my life or my family to receive treatments.”
Cara Evans
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Survivor
2016 NUMBERS BY THE
CANCER CASES
OCCURRENCES OF CANCER BY RACE White African American Other
MALE
973
1375 295 10
TOTAL NUMBER OF CANCER DIAGNOSES
FEMALE
715
1700
TOP 5 OCCURRENCES OF CANCER 205
149
LUNG BREAST
234
PROSTATE COLON 99
75 211
BLADDER
62
26
2016 NUMBERS BY THE
OCCURRENCES OF CANCER BY SITE & SEX
Breast - Male 1 (0.10%) Prostate 213 (21.82%)
Male
Female
Brain & Nervous System
7 (0.72%)
9 (1.26%)
Lip, Oral Cavity, Pharynx, Larynx
61 (6.27%)
18 (2.54%)
Esophagus
18 (1.85%)
3 (0.42%)
Lung
205 (21.07%)
149 (20.84%)
Stomach
10 (1.03%)
10 (1.40%)
Pancreas
31 (3.19%)
13 (1.82%)
Colon, Rectum
99 (10.17%)
62 (8.67%)
Kidney
59 (6.06%)
22 (3.10%)
Urinary Bladder
75 (7.71%)
26 (3.64%)
Other Digestive Organs
25 (2.57%)
24 (3.36%)
Melanoma Skin
46 (4.71%)
16 (2.25%)
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
30 (3.08%)
25 (3.50%)
Leukemia
19 (1.94%)
11 (1.55%)
All Other Sites
77 (7.88%)
63 (8.85%)
Breast - Female 228 (32.11%) Ovary 5 (0.70%) Corpus Uteri 19 (2.68%) Cervix 7 (0.98%)
2016 NUMBERS BY THE
PATIENTS DIAGNOSED PER COUNTY Madison
440
Gibson
232
Carroll
111
McNairy
98
Hardeman
96
Henderson
94
Crockett
77
Dyer
75
Hardin
68
Weakley
66
Chester
64
Haywood
56
Obion
49
Lauderdale
42
Decatur
41
Obion
Lake
Henry
Weakley
Benton
Dyer Gibson
Carroll
Crockett
Lauderdale
Haywood
Madison
Henderson Decatur
Tipton Chester
Shelby
Fayette
Hardeman
McNairy
Hardin
Growth is Inevitable When the Limits are Always Being Pushed A Few Kirkland Cancer Center Achievements in 2016 Multi-disciplinary Lung and Thoracic Cancer Conferences held weekly Have continued to push ahead toward American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Quality Oncology Performance Improvement Accreditation New Physician, Dr. Shuang Fu joined the provider team at Kirkland Cancer Center New community prevention program – “Color Your Plate… to prevent COLORectal Cancer” Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic began - to meet the needs of patients with symptom management issues
2016 Community Prevention & Early Detection Screening Programs
FREE COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING Total Screened:
477
Abnormal:
11
FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENING Total Screened:
164
FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENING FOR UNINSURED WOMEN Total Screened:
150
Abnormal:
23
Abnormal:
62
This One’s For The Girls Event
Shine A Light On Lung Cancer Event
Clinic Nurses at Halloween
Meet our Kirkland Cancer Center Providers
Dr. Archie Wright
Dr. Jeffrey Kovalic Radiation Oncology
Hematology/Oncology
Dr. Joseph FouchĂŠ
Dr. Anastasios Georgiou
Sophia FouchĂŠ, PhD
Mary McMillin
Nekayeh Carothers
Hematology/Oncology
Hematology/Oncology
Nurse Practitioner
Radiation Oncology
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Dwight Kaufman
Clinical Psychology
Nicole Deline
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Brian Walker Hematology/Oncology
Worthy Walker
Nurse Practitioner
Newest Addition to Our Team Dr. Shuang Fu
Hematology/Oncology Dr. Fu joined the Kirkland Cancer Center in 2016 following the completion of a Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. She is already known as a truly compassionate physician and a true asset to the team.
Our Volunteers Are One Of Our Best Assets One of the first visions planned for our Kirkland Cancer Center was to have volunteers who were stationed in the center to serve and assist our patients, caregivers and staff. We began with five volunteers while the cancer center was located inside Jackson-Madison County General Hospital; however, that number increased significantly along with coordination from Guest Resources/Volunteer Services Department within the first year after opening in the current location. We were very blessed to have twenty-one adult and five junior volunteers who gave 2488 hours of volunteer service during 2016 at the Kirkland Cancer Center. From the front desk as a greeter, escort, or office assistant to infusion and chemo where volunteers provided warm blankets, visits, snacks and lunches to patients. In addition to these duties, we also had American Cancer Society Volunteer Ambassadors. Louise Nanney, who has volunteered in Kirkland Cancer Center since December 2014 states, “This not only gives me an opportunity to help others, but also to stay busy. The patients and staff have been great to work with while I have volunteered.�
“I am nothing but confident and comfortable with the Kirkland Cancer Center. We are blessed to have such a state-of-the-art facility right here in West Tennessee.” – Edgar Pierce Edgar Pierce is a busy man. The full-time pastor and author enjoys hunting, fishing and working on the house he is slowly building in the mountains of East Tennessee. He also spends time with Joyce, his wife of 38 years, and his two sons and two grandsons. When he thought he had a summer cold that he could not shake, he went to the doctor. He also had knots on one side of his neck that gave him cause for concern. After antibiotics did not help his symptoms, he had an ultrasound and was referred to a surgeon. A CAT scan revealed squamous carcinoma on the base of his tongue and tonsil area. His cancer was 85-90% curable, but his treatment was not going to be easy. “I was sent to Dr. Walker at the Kirkland Cancer Center,” says Edgar. “I knew that was where I needed to be. The Kirkland Cancer Center is not about egos; the staff there would have referred me somewhere else if they were not able to provide the care I needed.” One month after his diagnosis, Edgar began his chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He had seven sessions of chemo and 35 radiation treatments over the course of eight weeks. The radiation cured his cancer, while the chemo was a preventative measure. Because of the changes made to his throat structure as a result, Edgar grew unable to swallow and reluctantly accepted a feeding tube in the weeks following his treatments. Dr. Walker declared he was in remission in May and was able to remove the feeding tube in June. Edgar had lost 100 pounds. “I’m a hospice chaplain, so I know how difficult it is to watch people decline,” Edgar says. “Providing this type of care is not for everyone, but the Kirkland Cancer Center provides world-class treatment with a hometown touch.” While Edgar cannot sing the way he used to, he is thankful to have undergone treatment. He now sees Dr. Georgiou, his radiation oncologist, for check-ups every six months.
Edgar Pierce Tongue and Tonsil Cancer Survivor
720 West Forest | Jackson, TN 38301 731.541.9561 | kirklandcancercenter.org