FALL 2021
Giving Matters Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation Magazine
When Fine Is Anything but Fine Learn More on Page 3
Spectrum Health Foundation Board of Trustees Marge Potter Board Chair Maria DeVos Vice Chair Ron Alvesteffer Secretary Michael Ellis Treasurer Kelly Dyer President Richard Antonini Jeffrey Bennett Patricia Betz Shannon Cohen Ryan Cook Tina Freese Decker Dale DeHaan Nancy Hanenburg Donnalee Holton Candace Matthews Davey Mehney Mary Beth Meijer Jane Meilner Patrick Miles Jr. Jenifer Nelson Janet Nisbett Surender “Raja” Rajasekaran, MD Scott Robinson, DDS Joan Secchia Andrew Shannon Maurine Sneathen Drew Wierda Aaron Wong Emeritus Dick DeVos Sarla Puri, MD Joyce Winchester Lifetime Members Wilbur A. Lettinga Peter P. Renucci*
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees Scott Robinson, DDS Board Chair
An Inheritance of Service and Care
Tim Feagan Vice Chair Kelly Dyer President Shirley Balk Debbye Turner Bell Patricia Betz Brian Britton Mimi Cummings Kristin Duryee James Fahner, MD Ron Hofman, MD Donnalee Holton Dan Hurwitz Rabih Jamal Sue Jandernoa Jennifer Keyes Tom Kyros Kathy Ellis Lloyd Michele Maly-Dykema Hossain Marandi, MD Davey Mehney Kimberly Moorhead Jenifer Nelson Walter Perschbacher IV Glynn Ann Ruggeri Robert E. Schermer Jr. John Schuen, MD Maurine Sneathen Meg Miller Willit Honorary Dick DeVos Ethie Haworth Emeritus Barbara Ivens Leonard Radecki, MD Lifetime Member Peter P. Renucci*
*denotes deceased member
Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Childrenʼs Hospital Foundation are committed to improving health, inspiring hope and saving lives through philanthropy.
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I am deeply privileged to succeed Vicki Weaver, who retired in April following 28 years as president of the Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation. Vicki demonstrated a commitment to stewardship, service and care, and I am honored to begin my tenure as president with the strong institutional foundation that Vicki worked so hard to establish. Since joining the foundation this spring, I have had the opportunity to meet—both virtually and in person—with members of our community, foundation board members and many of you reading this letter. In each conversation, I have heard your thoughts about the importance of having exceptional health care facilities, providers and access in West Michigan, and I assure you that we remain committed to patient-centered growth as we seek to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. We recently announced an exciting potential partnership with Southfield-based Beaumont Health. We believe this partnership is an opportunity to revolutionize health care not just in West Michigan, but throughout the entire state. Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO, Spectrum Health, believes we will improve health and health equity, improve the quality and value of care, and make health care more affordable. I’m inspired by Tina’s vision to lead with our values and never stop making health care better. While providing quality and exceptional service to all our patients will be at the center of our work within this new health system, Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation will continue to support our local community and health care initiatives in West Michigan. We are committed to partnering with you while stewarding your generous philanthropy to support local initiatives that matter to you. I am excited to be joining the foundation at this historic time. I am grateful for the committed and caring team members I get to work alongside; our brilliant physicians and providers who provide exceptional care to our patients; and, most of all, for you—for all that you do to make a difference through your generous giving. Sincerely,
Kelly Dyer, President Spectrum Health Foundation Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation
When Fine Is Anything but Fine Caring for the Mental Health of Our Community’s Young People “I'm fine.” How many times have you heard those words from your children, grandchildren, friends or family members? How many times, by looking in their eyes, did you know they were truly not fine? Too often our kids do not come forward when they are struggling mentally and emotionally. When they do, there are often not many places to turn. Addressing the Silent Pandemic
issues go untreated is we don’t know how to treat them,” says Subodh Jain, MD, Division Chief, Psychiatry and The mental health struggles of our kids are not new, Behavioral Health at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. but these issues have been heightened this past year “And that’s simply not true. We have extremely effective due to increased stress, decreased mobility, economic therapies for anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. upheaval and social injustice. Nationally, there was an But like most health issues, the longer a person goes average of more than 150 suicide attempts every hour among young people in grades 9 to 12. In West Michigan, without treatment, the harder it becomes for them to fully heal.” the statistics are similar. For example, 29 children were admitted to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in a single Access is an especially acute problem for kids and youth, day this past spring for mental and emotional health who often do not know how to ask for help, and when issues like anxiety and depression. Half were put on they do, face a nationwide shortage in age-appropriate suicide watch. We can no longer accept “fine” for mental health services. Like most of the nation, an answer. Michigan has a severe shortage of child and adolescent While the statistics are concerning, most mental health conditions are preventable and treatable, and the sooner treatment begins, the better the chances for making a recovery. “A lot of people think the reason mental health
psychiatrists. A ratio of 47 providers per 100,000 youth is considered adequate; Michigan has only 11 per 100,000—a deficit of more than 76%.
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1 in 4 respondents ages 18 to 24 had seriously considered suicide in past 30 days.
50% of all mental illnesses begin by age 14. Most go untreated.
Starting With Prevention
Mental health issues have become a silent pandemic for our kids—and the need for prevention, support and treatment is crucial. Equipping our school systems with critical crisis training is the first step, and Spectrum Health’s Zero Suicide School Program is one model that has proven to be effective among young people experiencing suicidal ideation. The program provides training to every school employee—from teachers to coaches to bus drivers— so everyone knows how to respond to a student who expresses thoughts of suicide. The Zero Suicide School Program follows four foundational principles:
In Michigan, 13.87% of youth ages 12 to 17 reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode in 2020.
4 out of 5 teens who attempt suicide give a clear warning sign.
system, and the only one to seamlessly integrate with a children’s hospital, Spectrum Health is uniquely positioned to connect younger patients to the care they need.
$2,000 will provide suicide prevention training for one school; $17,000 for a full district.
1. Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility. 2. Taking steps to keep students S.A.F.E. saves lives. S: Stay with the student A: Access help F: Validate feelings E: Eliminate lethal risk 3. No one on the team is alone. There is a team approach to helping each student. 4. Resources and seamless transitions of care are provided. Through this lifesaving program, we aim to equip all school personnel with the knowledge, skills, abilities and confidence to better recognize when a student is not feeling mentally or emotionally well, and how to adequately respond. The program was successfully piloted with eight schools in Ottawa County in 2019, and our goal is to implement this valuable program in at 60 60 additional additional school school districts districts within within the the next next three years.
Increasing Access to Treatment
In addition to investing in suicide prevention, we also need to increase access to treatment for youth with mental health issues. As the region’s largest health 4 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
Consequently, we we have have planned planned to to establish establish aa new new Youth Consequently, Youth Behavioral Health Clinic to offer comprehensive Behavioral Health Clinic to offer comprehensive inin-person and teletherapy services youth ages person and teletherapy services forfor youth ages 1111-25. to 25. Services will will include include psychiatry, psychiatry, psychological psychological testing testing Services and psychotherapy psychotherapy for for all all behavioral behavioral health health needs, needs, and including anxiety, depression, destructive behaviors and including anxiety, depression, destructive behaviors and other mental health diagnoses. other mental health diagnoses. The clinic clinic will will significantly significantly increase increase the the number number of of The mental health providers in our community, including mental health providers in our community, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychologists, psychotherapists psychotherapists and and psychiatrists, advanced-practice providers. It is anticipated that within advanced-practice providers. It is anticipated that within the first year the clinic will conduct 11,500 visits. the first year the clinic will conduct 11,500 visits.
You Can Can Make Make aa Difference Difference You
Providing critical critical crisis crisis training training to to schools schools and and Providing expanding access access to to care care are are the the first first steps steps toward toward expanding meeting the mental health needs of young people within meeting the mental health needs of young people within our community. With your help, hope is around the our community. With your help, hope is around the corner. Every Every gift gift matters, matters, and and there there are are many many ways ways to to corner. give. Please Please join join us us in in supporting supporting these these life-changing life-changing give. programs for our children, youth and young adults. programs for our children, youth and young adults. Together, we can provide our youth with a future that Together, we can provide our youth with a future that goes well beyond fine. goes well beyond fine. To learn more more about about how how your your giving giving will will change change lives, lives, To learn please contact Tara Werkhoven at 616.391.2069 or please contact Tara Werkhoven at 616.391.2069 or tara.werkhoven@spectrumhealth.org. tara.werkhoven@spectrumhealth.org.
Discovering a Safe Space Soothing the Senses to Improve Mental Health If you were offered a place you could visit to help manage your stress, learn valuable coping skills, and avert an emotional or mental crisis, wouldn’t you want to go? Possibly right now? Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital opened such a room in May after years of planning and a generous gift from i understand, an organization committed to providing compassionate comfort for those struggling with mental health challenges. The sensory room, located on the 10th of the “Big Blue Building,” provides a respite for youth with an underlying sensory diagnosis such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or Down syndrome. This special place is outfitted with multisensory features to soothe, calm, and occupy the moods, minds and bodies of its visitors.
“The sensory room at HDVCH is making such a difference in the lives of the children who come to us in a psychiatric crisis and are waiting for inpatient psych placement,” said Ashleigh Nurski, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Pediatric Behavioral Health and Acute Care Services at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
The behavioral health team has incorporated sensory room visits into the activity schedules of some patients, allowing time for them to get a break from their hospital rooms. A projector, fiber optic cords and a bubble wall utilize light, color and sound to calm an anxious mind. Tactile and activity-based elements such as stress balls, trampoline and play mat allow kids to direct their energy outward. Weighted blankets and a cozy bean bag chair provide a comforting embrace for youth in distress. The sensory room is providing a safe space for children with a behavioral health concern to explore and play.
“The sensory room has been very helpful to get our patients off the unit and out of their rooms,” shares Alex, an RN. “Every patient I have taken there has significantly improved their mood, and this room has been the reason why they had such a great day.” Watching children and staff explore the various sensory features in the room is inspiring. The open design of the space encourages kids to experience the various objects in creative and innovative ways. One patient used the projector— originally intended to cast serene photos on the walls—to shine a light onto the ceiling so he and the staff could make shadow puppets, an exercise that allowed this young man to make a meaningful connection with a team member. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital continues to see an uptick in the number of children with mental health concerns, often due to lengthy waiting lists for services at local mental health clinics. They come to us because their parents simply have nowhere else to take them. The sensory room makes a deep and immediate impact in the lives of neurodiverse youth. Vonnie Woodrick, founder of i understand, said, “My hope with the sensory room is that kids—whether they are on the autism spectrum or are struggling with anxiety or depression during their stay at the hospital—can find a place of comfort and calm.” We thank i understand for helping our patients find that comfort and calm through the new sensory room. Fall 2021 Giving Matters | 5
“More Good Days Than Bad Days”
For the past two years, Julia Sheppard, 61, has used a motorized cart when shopping for groceries. Her diseased lungs made walking the aisles too difficult. Shortness of breath bothered her every day, sapping her energy and limiting her activities. But in January 2021, for the first time in recent memory, Sheppard did her grocery shopping on foot. “I’m able to move around a lot better, and it hasn’t even been a month yet.”
In fact, it had been only three weeks—to the day—since Sheppard underwent an innovative new pulmonary procedure at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital as West Michigan’s first participant in a new clinical trial for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD (an umbrella term for diseases such as emphysema), which affects 16 million adults in the United States and is the third leading cause of death by disease, according to the American Lung Association. The research trial of which Sheppard has been a part involves a one-hour outpatient procedure that uses radiofrequency ablation—targeted high-frequency energy—to prevent COPD exacerbations. Doctors have high hopes for this trial because they have so few options for treating COPD patients, according to Spectrum Health pulmonologists Gustavo CumboNacheli, MD, and Maximiliano Tamae Kakazu, MD. “We are limited with the interventions we can do to try to improve quality of life,” Dr. Tamae Kakazu said. “We provide these interventions to all of our patients— inhalers, vaccination, smoking cessation counseling and, for those who qualify, also pulmonary rehabilitation and other therapies—but we hope to find another intervention that can improve how patients with COPD live.”
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Sheppard’s doctors in Kalamazoo referred her to Spectrum Health for evaluation for this very reason— she had “maxed out on medical treatment,” Dr. CumboNacheli said. Despite using daily medications and engaging in physical therapy, Sheppard still struggled with regular COPD flare-ups. “I’d fight to breathe,” she said. “I’d be in the hospital between two and three times a year. A hospital stay is usually two to three days, [but] when you have a flare-up, they might last about a week or two.” This has been her pattern for the past six years, Sheppard said, after being diagnosed with COPD eight years ago.
“My breathing is a lot better. Now I have more good days than bad days. I’m feeling a hundred percent better.”
After meeting with Drs. Cumbo-Nacheli and Tamae Kakazu—and learning that she met all the trial criteria— Sheppard visited Butterworth Hospital to undergo the lung denervation process, which proceeded “flawlessly,” Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli said. Though the doctors cautioned that she likely wouldn't feel positive effects of the procedure before 30 days, Sheppard said she noticed a difference within a couple weeks. Her breathing eased and her energy jumped. “I’m moving around a lot better,” she said. Bolstered by the positive early signs, Sheppard hopes to see continued health improvements. “It seems like every day I’m feeling better and better,” she said. “And I’m hoping it gets a lot better so I can get out and do more things … like taking a walk and hanging out with my grandkids and doing stuff like that.” Sheppard, who began smoking at age 19 and smoked a pack a day for the next 34 years, is grateful for the chance to share her story with others who may qualify for the trial. “The way I feel now, I want to let people know that it’s something good,” Sheppard said. “I am just so happy and so blessed that they picked me and chose me to do this.”
Philanthropy Makes a Difference! The generosity of donors such as Bill Currie helps to provide access to exceptional care through clinical trials, research and innovative technology. Bill was the lead donor for our acquisition of a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) machine, the technology that Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli uses to access a real-time view of the lungs to accurately guide his instruments during these life-changing procedures. Thank you, Bill! If you would like to learn more about how philanthropy—and technology like CBCT—can improve health, inspire hope and save lives, please contact Tara Werkhoven at 616.391.2069 or tara.werkhoven@spectrumhealth.org.
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Welcoming New Board Members Brian Britton
National Heritage Academies | Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees
Brian Britton strives to live out his passion through serving more than 60,000 students and their families around the country in his role as president and CEO of National Heritage Academies (NHA), a for-profit charter-school management organization that consists of 90 K–8 schools in nine states. Before leading NHA, Brian served as the president of OTG Management Inc., as well as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Levy Restaurants Inc. He also spent 15 years in multiple leadership roles at The Walt Disney Company. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy, Brian served as a naval flight officer for nine years, during which he was the recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal for his leadership and was ranked as one of the highest‐performing tactical commanders in the fleet. Brian holds a B.S. in systems engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Originally from Pittsburgh, Brian now resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and three young children.
Shannon Cohen
Shannon Cohen, Inc. | Spectrum Health Foundation Board of Trustees
Shannon Cohen is founder and CEO of Shannon Cohen, Inc., a boutique firm that specializes in developing customized emotional intelligence, equity and wellness workshops for organizations across diverse sectors and industries. Shannon is respected and renowned for empowering organizations to integrate innovation, research, emerging trends and creativity to cultivate continuous improvement and spur ongoing learning. She is also an author, podcaster and owner of a product line called Tough Skin, Soft Heart, through which she produces a line of inspirational greeting cards. Shannon has been an active member of regional and national philanthropic and community-development efforts for more than 15 years. Her desire is to “see Spectrum Health continue to lead with equity and people-centered care at the center of all we do, how we tackle complex issues and needs, and how we approach advancing wellness.” Shannon enjoys reading, traveling to new places and taking long walks with her son, Duriel II, and her husband, Duriel Sr., with whom she is celebrating 12 years of marriage this year.
Surender “Raja” Rajasekaran, MD, MPH
Medical Director, Spectrum Health Research | Spectrum Health Foundation Board of Trustees Surender “Raja” Rajasekaran, MD, joined Spectrum Health in 2009 as a pediatric intensivist at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where he is also the DeVos Endowed Chair of Pediatric Research. Raja has chaired the research advisory council of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and has initiated research collaborations with Van Andel Research Institute and Michigan State University. In July 2020 he was appointed medical director of Spectrum Health Research, where he seeks to leverage the human genome to provide and design lifesaving therapies and to improve the care of critically ill children. Raja has also recently directed his research efforts toward the pathology of COVID-19 among patients at Spectrum Health and has a special interest in mitigating racial disparities in health care. “I grew up in Africa and I saw so much disparity in the system because things were not available,” Dr. Raja said. “In a country like the U.S., with the resources we have, we should be able to care for our most vulnerable populations in a better way. That, to me, is a big take-home from this.”
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A New Season of Leadership Begins at Spectrum Health Foundation Spectrum Health is pleased to welcome Kelly Dyer as incoming president of the Spectrum Health and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundations. Kelly joined the foundation team after a national search for a successor to former foundation president, Vicki Weaver, who retired in late April after 28 years with Spectrum Health. “Kelly is an enthusiastic and forward-thinking leader with a national reputation for effective philanthropy and a passion for cultivating high-performing teams,” said Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO, Spectrum Health. “Philanthropy plays an integral part in realizing Spectrum Health’s mission and vision, and Kelly’s leadership will further the success of the foundation as we provide innovative, high-quality clinical care close to home for the communities we serve.” Dyer’s 17-year fundraising career includes experience with major gift fundraising, strategic planning and change management. Her passion for advancing philanthropy through successful innovation and partnerships has resulted in highly engaged and productive teams responsible for tens of millions of dollars raised annually and thousands of volunteer commitments.
“The Spectrum Health and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundations are highly respected institutions doing incredibly important work to advance hope and healing across West Michigan and beyond,” said Dyer. “I am honored to have been selected for this role and am ready and eager to partner in the conversations and collaborations that will assist Spectrum Health in fulfilling its mission to improve health, inspire hope and save lives.”
Dyer comes to Spectrum Health from the University of Michigan’s Office of University Development, where she served as senior executive director of leadership and major gifts. In this role, Dyer established and nurtured relationships with lead donors throughout the Kelly Dyer Midwest, including in Southeast Michigan, Washtenaw County and Grand Rapids. Dyer, a Michigan native, is a graduate of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University, where she was a four-year women’s basketball letter winner. “Kelly is the right leader to continue to lead philanthropy for Spectrum Health and to build on Vicki Weaver’s lasting legacy,” said Marge Potter, board chair, Spectrum Health Foundation. “We are excited for the future of the foundation.”
Kelly and her husband, Nick, have two daughters, Vivian and Frankie. Rounding out the family is their beloved Lab, Rosie.
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Minimizing the Health Care Cultural Gap For more than 30 years, certified child life specialists at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital have attended to the psychosocial concerns that accompany the health care experiences of their young patients. Hospitalization and medical procedures can be stressful and anxiety-inducing for kids, and child life specialists seek to minimize these adverse reactions by providing various services to support each patient in the context of their family, culture and developmental stage, such as: • Providing education prior to medical procedures and offering support during procedures • Engaging and energizing children and families through play, music therapy and special events • Providing support for families and siblings who may be affected by a diagnosis, illness, trauma or grief • Offering radiology and surgery pre-procedural tours to help familiarize kids with unfamiliar settings • Encouraging parent and caregiver participation in their child’s health care
The solution came in the form of an idea by former child life specialist Chyna Pettey, who proposed an internship scholarship to mitigate barriers for students seeking educational opportunities outside of their hometowns, with the ultimate goal of increasing diversity and inclusion within the child life program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
The proposal was approved, and the Child Life Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Internship Scholarship was created to offer a $6,000 scholarship—100% funded by For such crucial and life-giving work, the field of child philanthropy—to up to two university students each year, life has some ongoing diversity challenges. According based on the availability of funds. At Spectrum Health, to the Association of Child Life Professionals, a diversity includes race, ethnicity, language preference or nonprofit organization that advances the field, 98% of sociodemographic variables (such as income, disability specialists are white women. This is true for the child status, veteran status, sexual orientation and gender). life team at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where previously only one of the staff of 40 is a person of color. These attributes are well represented in the labor pool, but they are not always equally reflected in the staff According to Amy Davis, Spectrum Health child life makeup of Spectrum Health. manager, “We are unable to expand the diversity of our Several individuals have successfully completed the team if the field of child life does not expand to include internship, and each of them completed a project diverse students in university programs. Additionally, centered on diversity and inclusion (see sidebar financial hardships often prevent diverse students from at right). applying for the on-site unpaid internships required to obtain certification as a child life specialist.” 10 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
“If we continue to do what we’ve always done,” says Davis, “we will never accomplish what we are setting out to do. Because of the contributions of these interns, we have experienced a mindset change in the child life team. For every new initiative, we now think, for example, ‘Have we created this resource in Spanish?’ The contributions of these interns will continue to make an impact for years to come.” Thanks to the innovation of Spectrum Health child life staff, and due to the generosity of Spectrum Health
Foundation donors, patients (and their parents) of a diverse range of cultures, languages and ethnicities will experience decreased stress and anxiety as well as increased engagement and more inclusive care during their time at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Meet the 2021 Child Life Interns! Amanda Escobedo, Danielle Agleam and Raven Reyes were the Child Life Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Internship Scholarship recipients for January 2021. Amanda and Danielle shared with us a few words about their time on the child life team. Amanda: Many families out there may hesitate to seek health care because of their lack of understanding due to language barriers. As a Spanish speaker, I was able to provide the child life team with resources that positively impact the Spanish-speaking community, including a step-by-step guide on how to translate resources they commonly use for patients and families into Spanish through interpreting services. The child life team was left with a solid foundation on how to make their work more inclusive. This scholarship gave me the opportunity to temporarily live and complete a child life internship in a different state across the country without the worries of how I was going to pay for food, student necessities or other bills. It also gave me something priceless: the opportunity to gain clinical practice under a phenomenal child life team that genuinely cared for the growth and success of their students.
Danielle: My unique background and diverse work experience allowed me to understand and work with pediatric patients and families of diverse backgrounds and needs. Language and cultural barriers should not be additional stressors families face during their hospital experiences, but they are some of the largest stressors faced by those with diverse backgrounds. In the hospital setting, it is so important to advocate for our patients and families through utilizing resources such as medical translators and social workers. The scholarship has allowed me to further recognize the diversity I bring to the child life profession through my personal, cultural and educational experiences. My experience has shown me the impact I can have on providing equitable care to patients and families with diverse backgrounds and needs within a child life career. Fall 2021 Giving Matters | 11
“I would never want to go anywhere else.” Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital to Expand After tucking her two young children in for the night, Alexa Kleinjans—22 weeks pregnant—climbed into bed. Minutes later she felt a sudden, piercing cramp on her left side that escalated to full-on, nausea-inducing pain. Her husband, Brad, called his dad to watch the kids, then he rushed Alexa to Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital.
Stories like Alexa and Abel’s have become more common as Zeeland and the entire lakeshore region have grown significantly over the past many years. To meet the growing demand for a wider range of medical services—and the capacity to provide them—Zeeland Community Hospital has undertaken an exciting initiative to expand its surgery center.
Doctors discovered a large ovarian cyst and decided to remove it laparoscopically, with just a few small incisions. Throughout the surgery, Alexa experienced no preterm labor. As her nurse told her when she woke up, the baby’s heartbeat remained steady throughout the procedure. “Baby did not even know anything was happening,” Alexa said.
The hospital welcomes hundreds of babies like Abel every year, many of them via C-section. The expansion will include a dedicated C-section operating room. The new facility will also include more recovery bays, patient rooms, a dedicated family waiting room, family/ physician consultation rooms, and patient registration bays. The surgery center will also host a new state-ofthe-art da Vinci® robot, which will be used for general, urological and obstetrical surgeries. Together these advancements reinforce Zeeland Community Hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality care to the communities we serve. With Abel home and healthy, Alexa feels nothing but gratitude for the Zeeland Community Hospital team. “Honestly, I would never want to go anywhere else,” she said. “We’re so thankful. I can’t help but just know that God had this all in control.”
With a successful procedure behind her, Alexa returned home to her family two days later. Tests on the cystic fluid came back clean, and she had a routine pregnancy until her scheduled C-section. Abel Curtis Kleinjans was safely delivered on December 17, and the doctors were able to get a close-up look of the previous surgery site, where everything had healed up perfectly. 12 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
Your partnership can change lives—like Alexa’s and Abel’s—by ensuring high-quality health care in your own community! A generous donor has offered to match all gifts of $50 or more toward the surgery expansion—up to $100,000— through September 30. To learn more about how you can support this exciting initiative, please contact Kris Palosaari at kris.palosaari@spectrumhealth.org or 616.970.7105.
A Legacy of Care Spectrum Health Pennock has been improving health, inspiring hope and saving lives for nearly 100 years. Maggie Tyden Coleman’s family has been walking alongside Pennock for nearly as long. The Tyden/Groos family has been an integral part of hospital leadership for several generations. Maggie followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather as a member of Pennock’s board—even serving as board chair from 2010 to 2016. Now serving as vice chair for Spectrum Health Foundation Pennock, Maggie speaks highly—and fondly—of Pennock and its impact on greater Barry County:
“Hastings was quite small in the 1950s when I was born, so we were very fortunate to have a hospital like Pennock in our community. It was basically a neighborhood hospital—with terrific nurses and a wonderful staff—but it had the services of a much larger hospital. The reputation of the hospital and its care, along with the peaceful rural setting of Hastings and its proximity to larger cities such as Grand Rapids, drew high-quality physicians to the facility. Pennock was able to compete with much larger hospitals and recruit the best clinicians. We ended up with lots of winners!” Though she no longer lives in Hastings, Maggie returns often, visiting her father, who still lives there in an assisted-living facility. Her father enjoys being outside, so they spend time on leisurely drives throughout the county. Now in his 80s, her dad still knows his way around the old dirt roads of his hometown. Those old roads go way back in Maggie’s family history in Hastings. Her great-grandfather, Emil Tyden—Swedish immigrant, inventor, and entrepreneur—is widely credited for invigorating Hastings in the late 19th century with his investment in the businesses and the people of Barry County’s only city. Maggie has followed in Emil's
footsteps with her desire to invest in Spectrum Health Pennock, and all her siblings and children have joined her with their own support of various programs at Pennock. “I have always been proud of the high quality of Pennock’s range of services,” says Maggie, who has designated Pennock Hospital as a beneficiary of her estate with a bequest in her will. “I want to do what I can to help ensure that that degree of quality and availability continues to stay local.” The generous support of community members like Maggie Tyden Coleman helps to ensure that Spectrum Health Pennock will continue to have a presence in the community for generations to come. If you are contemplating a planned gift to Spectrum Health, or would like to learn more about ways you can make a meaningful gift through your charitable estate planning, visit give.spectrumhealth.org/plannedgiving or contact Kristin Long at 616.486.6590 or kristin.long@spectrumhealth.org.
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Paying It Forward With Peer-to-Peer Fundraising When Abby Albers had a third sonogram for her first baby in spring 2017, she wasn’t quite sure why it had been scheduled. That appointment led to a special consultation a few days later at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where Abby, along with her husband, Joe, learned that their son, Otto, suffered from a condition called atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) in which there were holes between the chambers of the right and left sides of his heart. Two months after Otto arrived on July 27, 2017, Marcus Haw, MD, a Spectrum Health pediatric congenital heart surgeon, performed a procedure to repair Otto’s heart. A few days after the surgery, when it looked like Otto might need a second procedure, Abby and Joe drew near to him and said, “Otto Craig, if you get us out of here, we’re going to do everything in our power to give you the most beautiful, full life. Not only that … we’re going to tell anyone who will listen about the works
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that were done here and how God has used you, in both our lives and in others'." Otto stabilized soon after, and Dr. Haw decided to wait on the second procedure. Four years later … the Albers family is still waiting! While Otto may need a future procedure, he hasn’t needed one yet, and he is going strong, keeping up with his cousins and his friends and the numerous barn cats that live on the Albers family farm. This year, in honor of American Heart Month—a federally designated event commemorated annually each February—Abby and Joe initiated a peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaign to support the Congenital Heart Center at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where Otto received his care. The center specializes in the diagnosis and management of all congenital heart defects, including complex conditions like Otto’s, which can only be treated by the most advanced congenital heart programs in the country.
After raising more than $6,000 on the very first day of their P2P fundraising campaign, it took the Albers less than two weeks to surpass their $19,000 goal for a final total of more than $23,000. Those funds will support the work of the Congenital Heart Center, including advanced care, research and innovative programs like 3D printing of heart models, composed of transparent plastic, which are used to explain to parents the complex procedures being proposed for their children. Your support—and the support of families like Abby, Joe and Otto Albers—makes a huge difference. Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation can provide the tools and the support for any person—parents, patients, family and friends—to initiate a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. P2P campaigns such as the Albers’ family campaign can make possible exciting initiatives that may not otherwise happen and can accomplish what Abby and Joe promised Otto: “to pay it forward to those who gave him a chance.” To learn more about how you can support the Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation with a P2P campaign, contact Shelby Anderson at 616.486.9832 or shelby.anderson@spectrumhealth.org.
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2020 Financial Summary Your generosity is helping to save and change lives. Gifts of all sizes make a difference in expanding clinical care, providing patient and family support, and advancing research and innovation. Thank you for partnering with us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and their families.
Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation combined statements of activity (in thousands)
Year Ending June 30 Revenues Contributions Net Investment Income Other Revenue and Transfers
2020 $26,344 22,746 716
Total Revenues 49,807 Expenses Program Distributions Program Services 18,424 Capital Transfers 8,948 Total Program Distributions 27,372 Operational Costs Fundraising 2,417 Program 1,424 Administrative 949 Total Expenses
32,162
Change in Net Assets Net Assets, Beginning of Year Net Assets, End of Year
4,070 first-time gifts
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17,645 211,487 $229,132
$70
median gift
4520+35 45+ 67+33 67 35%
Research and Education
20%
45%
Clinical Care and Innovation
Patient and Family Support
33% Capital
67%
Programs
311 specific programs supported
Getting Down … to Lift Others Up! In 1991, students at Indiana University founded Dance Marathon in honor of Ryan White, a young man who died of AIDS in the spring before he had planned to attend Indiana University. The program—operated by Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for more than 170 pediatric hospitals across North America—now includes more than 300 colleges, universities and high schools throughout North America, and benefits hundreds of hospitals and countless kids in the United States and Canada. Since 2000, our local Dance Marathon programs have raised over $3.7 million in support of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Dance Marathons looked a bit different, but students did some creative problem-solving and still
managed to raise a remarkable $365,000! One hundred percent of these funds raised during Dance Marathon stay at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital to care for kids throughout West Michigan. Thank you to the students of 2021 participating schools: Calvin University, Grand Valley State University, Holland Christian High School, Hope College, Western Michigan University and Zeeland East High School. And a heartfelt thank-you to our title sponsor, Wendy’s, whose generosity increased the reach of our fundraising efforts. Your support has made a huge difference in the lives of kids and families who receive care at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. For more information on how to get involved, contact Shelby Anderson at 616.486.9832 or shelby.anderson@spectrumhealth.org.
2021 Highlights: • Hope College hosted a Miracle Family car parade and a livestreamed virtual talent show • Western Michigan University had more than 100 students participate in a fully outdoor and livestreamed main event • Grand Valley State University participants created handwritten cards to mail to Miracle Families due to restrictions on gathering • Calvin University made use of their whole campus by dancing in smaller groups throughout the university
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Ludington Cancer Care Megan Tresnak is a local Thirty-One representative who wanted to use her bags in a meaningful way, so she decided to initiate a fundraiser to create patient-care kits for people undergoing cancer treatment at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. Knowing the hardship patients experience during treatment, Megan wanted to bring some joy into their lives, and she created a Facebook event to gather donations for the kits. Megan’s initial goal was to assemble 30 bags, but through the generosity of the community and local businesses, Megan was able to assemble 100 bags! Riverflats Coffee and Tea, Magee Insurance, West Shore Bank, The Vintage Tub, Sister Bee’s, Culver’s, Krave and Megan herself donated items and gift certificates for the patient-care kits. Several community members also donated cash to include additional care items, and they wrote notes of hope, encouragement and support. Thank you to Megan and our generous community for providing some welcome relief for Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital oncology patients. Your generosity has made a difference in people’s lives!
Remembering Ella Ella Thorne was diagnosed at a young age with cardiomyopathy, a rare congenital heart disease that affects 12 children out of a million each year in the U.S. Ella’s strength, determination and fearless attitude allowed her to overcome her challenges and grow into the amazing and inspiring person she was. Ella passed away in November 2020 after a long fight against complications from a heart transplant, but her memory lives on with the family and friends who loved her the most. The Ella Thorne Memorial Foundation was created by some of Ella’s closest friends to keep the memory of their friend alive. The foundation has donated almost $10,000 to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation this year in order to provide other children with the same opportunities Ella received while receiving care at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The Congenital Heart Center specializes in the diagnosis and management of all congenital heart defects, including complex conditions. We are one of the few centers in the United States to provide a seamless transition of care from unborn babies to adulthood guided by a professional team in one location. 18 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
Pictured from left to right: Dani Koepnick, RN; Linda Whitman, manager; Sharon Mastrapaqua, nurse technician; Renee Peters, patient services representative; Megan Tresnak, donor and organizer; Kay Kessel, nurse navigator and educator; Pritesh Lohar, MD, oncologist; Kathy Heard, medical assistant; Rebecca Foster, donor and volunteer; Kristin Biggs, donor and volunteer
Upcoming
EVENTS
SAVE THE DATE
Visit Our CMN Corporate Partners This Fall and Make a Difference in the Lives of Kids!
Love’s Travel Stops September
Merle Boes Fueling Miracles Campaign November
Performance Plus Quick Oil Change October 4 – 30
Wendy’s Change a Child’s Life Campaign November – December
Stop into your local Love’s Travel Stop in September to fill up, grab a beverage and round up your purchase or make a single donation at the register. All funds support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Stop into your local Merle Boes during the month of November and make a donation or purchase a Fueling Hope bracelet to support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Get your oil changed at any Performance Plus Quick Oil Change location and make a donation to support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Local Wendy’s restaurants will be collecting donations at the register in November and December to support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Grab breakfast, lunch or dinner and support a great cause!
Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day October 28
Ace Hardware Holiday Roundup November 27 – December 25
Stop by any participating Dairy Queen on October 28 and $1 or more of your Blizzard treat will be donated to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Stop by any participating Ace Hardware store between November 27 – December 25 and round up your purchase at the register. All funds will support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
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Wrap-ups
THANK YOU! Detroit Red Wings Autographs for a Cause Thank you to Autographs for a Cause and former Detroit Red Wings player Anthony Mantha for their efforts in raising $3,270 for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital! Autographs for a Cause is a program to support charitable causes close to the hearts of current Detroit Red Wings players in partnership with the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities.
P.O.R.T. Light Up the Night The Pediatric Oncology Resource Team (P.O.R.T.) at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit organization that provides services and resources to families of kids with cancer and lifethreatening blood disorders. P.O.R.T. held its annual event, Light Up the Night, from March 16 to 18 in a fully virtual setting, after canceling last year’s event due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than $24,000 was raised during the auction and online fundraising, and 100% of the proceeds are supporting P.O.R.T.’s efforts to hold events and to provide care bags, medication coolers, snacks, gas-station gift cards, and more. Because of Light Up the Night’s generous donors, children undergoing cancer treatment—along with their families—can experience a reduction in their anxiety and pain.
Nighthawk Chili Cook-Off After canceling the annual Nighthawk Chili Cook-Off in 2020, organizers reimagined the 2021 event as a drive-through experience, which took place on April 14. Participants picked up a full chili meal with all the fixins, including cornbread, dessert and beer. More than $16,000 was raised for Spectrum Health Hospice and programs such as music and art expression, Make-a-Wish experiences for patients and items to enhance quality of life for patients.
20 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
Virtual Wheatlake Festival of Races Runners and walkers took to the pavement throughout Big Rapids and Reed City to participate in the Wheatlake Festival of Races, raising $15,000 for the Spectrum Health Susan P. Wheatlake Regional Cancer Center. To make it a safe event for everyone, participants chose their own schedule and were invited to use the Big Rapids Riverwalk, White Pine Trail or even plan their own course. Thank you to all who got active to fight cancer in our community!
9th Annual Spectrum Health Pennock Julep Gala Thanks to the support and generosity of sponsors and guests, Spectrum Health Pennock’s 9th Annual Julep Gala—held on Saturday, May 15—was a great success! Due to pandemic restrictions, the event was fully virtual for the first time in its history but still managed to exceed its financial goal by more than 15%, for a final total of $57,650. These funds will be used to advance stroke prevention and treatment at Pennock. “We were concerned that people may not have interest this year. A virtual gala was uncharted water for us, like everything else since the pandemic started. I have heard so much positive feedback from our guests, and the outpouring of support for Pennock and the program is amazing,” reported Janine Dalman, executive director, Spectrum Health Foundation Pennock.
8th Annual Stroke Reduction Golf Classic On June 7, golfers teed off to help increase stroke awareness and advance stroke treatment in West Michigan. The 8th annual Stroke Reduction Golf Classic raised $63,000, which will enhance the efforts of Spectrum Health to help educate the community on how to prevent stroke and know the symptoms, and bring advanced treatment techniques close to home. The event, which took place at Watermark Country Club in Grand Rapids, also sought to improve outcomes on the golf course, offering professional instruction to all participants. Golfers were able to use a safe, lightweight and air-powered golf cannon to launch their ball more than 300 yards! Fall 2021 Giving Matters | 21
Ludington Gala: “Your Adventure Awaits!”
The 2021 Spectrum Health Foundation Ludington Hospital Gala—held on Friday, August 6—was unlike any Gala that came before. Sponsors and attendees came together to raise more than $80,000 for a new oncology center at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. The new center, funded by Gala proceeds, will showcase our commitment to those battling cancer and will include a private infusion space, an on-site salon, a healing garden for respite and reflection, private consultation rooms, patient education rooms and many enhanced features.
Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals 7th Annual Charity Golf Classic Golfers hit the links for Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals as well as Spectrum Health United and Kelsey Hospitals to spend time enjoying beautiful courses while raising thousands to help bring advanced virtual care to their communities. While COVID-19 disrupted many of our daily routines, it also led to improved technology for virtual visits for those who were unable to leave their home to go to their doctor's office. TytoCare is an exciting new technology that fully supports these visits. People who have a TytoCare device in their home are able to have their doctor examine their heart, lungs, throat, ears and more; keep an eye on chronic conditions; and monitor health after a medical procedure—without leaving the house! These devices not only enhance the visits, but they broaden access to equitable, quality care throughout the community, including rural areas where distance and lack of transportation are barriers. In June, the Spectrum Health United and Kelsey Hospitals Golf Day at Egypt Valley Country Club raised more than $30,000 to bring more access to this revolutionary technology. Just two months later, the Big Rapids and Reed City Charity Golf Classic, held at the Tullymore Golf Resort in Stanwood, raised more than $27,000 to help provide TytoCare devices to residents in their communities. Thank you to each golfer, sponsor and volunteer for making these events a great success!
22 | Giving Matters Fall 2021
21st Annual Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Golf Scramble Even after a rain delay that limited play to nine holes, the scramble—held on June 18—raised more than $10,000 to benefit the ongoing needs of patients cared for in the cancer center at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial, enhancing their comfort and care while they battle cancer. Players also really enjoyed interacting with therapy dogs Majik and Mooch, who lent a paw to golfers on the third hole. Thank you to the golfers and sponsors for their support in helping us improve the health of the communities we serve!
Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital Golf Benefit Golfers enjoyed a beautiful and cloudless summer day on July 27 for the Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital Golf Benefit at Macatawa Golf Club in Holland. More than $20,000 was raised to support the School Blue Envelope Project. This lifesaving program initiates a plan of action when a student has thoughts of suicide, and it is already having a positive impact in local schools. Thank you to our golfers and sponsors for making a difference in the lives of Lakeshore kids!
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Spectrum Health Foundation 100 Michigan Street NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 t 616.391.2000 f 616.391.8752
Nonprofit Org. US Postage
PAID Grand Rapids, MI Permit No. 251
22nd Annual • December 9 – 10
Radiothon is a two-day live radio broadcast to support Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Hosts from Star 105.7 and B-93 will share powerful stories of patients whose lives have been transformed by the generosity of donors. Proceeds will benefit 20 programs at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital that are sustained through philanthropy—including the Peter and Joan Secchia CarePartners Program, injury prevention, center for child protection, child life services, the Pediatric Oncology Resource Team (P.O.R.T.) and more—to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. To learn about sponsorship opportunities or for more information, contact Nicole Cook at 616.391.2040 or nicole.cook@spectrumhealth.org. Contact Us Giving Matters magazine is printed two times a year by Spectrum Health Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation. Comments and suggestions are welcome. foundation@spectrumhealth.org and give.spectrumhealth.org Spectrum Health complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. [81 FR 31465, May 16, 2016; 81 FR 46613, July 18, 2016] ATENCIÓN: Si usted habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1.844-359-1607 (TTY: 711). ةظوحلم: ةغللا ركذا ثدحتت تنك اذإ، ناجملاب كل رفاوتت ةيوغللا ةدعاسملا تامدخ نإف. مقرب لصتا1.844-359-1607.(مكبلاو مصلا فتاه مقر: 711). © 2021 Spectrum Health Foundation. All rights reserved.