SJH_Mag_1_2007 by Cori Lorts

ST. JOSEPHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Smagazine A magazine for the friends of St. Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital and Medical Center

Volume 3, Issue 1, 2007

TUMOR ABLATION For some patients, it can be a life-saving alternative to traditional surgery

New Esophageal Disease Center Physician detectives work to prevent cancer of the esophagus

OPENING THOUGHTS As most of you know, Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the country. At St. Joseph’s, we often take care of the toughest medical conditions in the state, so to keep pace with this growth, we continue to expand our high-quality care by hiring new physicians from around the country to complement the expertise of our local volunteer physician base. This issue will feature some of those extraordinary physicians and the groundbreaking medical procedures they undertake. You also will read stories of their patients and how these new technologies have helped to improve their quality of life. The other challenge of a fast-growing area is adequately serving children. As the second largest provider of pediatric services in Arizona, St. Joseph’s routinely handles the state’s most challenging medical cases. In this issue you’ll read about how we are making great strides in pediatric genetics research as well as expanding our community outreach to serve expectant mothers and new parents. One positive trend we have seen with our population growth is an increase in charitable giving. People are finding all sorts of creative ways to contribute their time, energy and talents. Whether it is playing the Health & Wealth Raffle, hosting a special event to raise funds for the hospital, or giving to an area of special interest or concern, each person has made it his or her mission to support our mission. And for that we are indeed, very grateful. So enjoy this edition of St. Joseph’s Magazine. We hope you learn more about all the new things we are doing and the many hard-working people who come together to help us every day. Their stories are inspiring and will make you feel good about your connection to St. Joseph’s.

Linda Hunt President St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

P.S. – Please help us as we begin to develop more efficient and cost-effective ways of communicating with our donors and friends. Fill out the enclosed postage-paid card or email your information to Catherine.Menor@chw.edu in St. Joseph’s Foundation. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone number and email address. In the coming months, we hope to make news from St. Joseph’s available via email to those who prefer it that way. Thanks for your help!

ST. JOSEPH’Smagazine A magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

contents

Volume 3, Issue 1, 2007

Beyond Surgery Tumor ablation gives doctors a less invasive way of destroying tumors.

Esophageal Disease Sleuths New center helps patients get to the root of their problem.

St. Joseph's Performs Valley's First Lung Transplant

Spring 2007 Health & Wealth Raffle Raffle's impact felt throughout St. Joseph's and Barrow.

The Road Less Traveled CRS neurosurgery patients in Yuma say goodbye to long trip to Phoenix.

Genetic Puzzle Researchers hope to unravel the mystery of tuberous sclerosis complex.

Finally Free of Pain Rare new surgery relieves pelvic pain in men and women.

New MOMobile Coming Down the Road Thanks to the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Steve and Shelby Butterfield, and the BHHS Legacy Foundation

Why We Give Angelita’s Amigos funds family-friendly rooms for children.

Golf Gala Lou Grubb and friends gather for 18 holes and more.

Past, Present and Future Friends of Mercy reconnect at annual dinner.

News

Catherine Menor Editor Catherine.Menor@chw.edu

Jackie Mercandetti, Roger Monroe Jeff Noble Photography

Justin Detwiler Art Director/Designer

Panoramic Press Printing

Linda Hunt, President St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Mary Jane Crist, CFRE CEO, St. Joseph’s Foundation

• How to Reach Us • St. Joseph’s Magazine is published twice a year by St. Joseph’s Foundation. We welcome your comments, suggestions and requests to be added to or deleted from our mailing list. Call 602-406-1041, email Catherine.Menor@chw.edu or send mail to St. Joseph’s Magazine, Office of Philanthropy, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85013. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number in all correspondence. Visit us online at www.StJosephs-Phx.com.

LETTERS Editor’s note: Monique Mendoza underwent a lung transplant in 2004 at the University of Southern California. She was a patient of several of the lungtransplant specialists now at St. Joseph’s, including lung-transplant pulmonologist Tony Hodges, MD; lung-transplant surgeon Michael Smith, MD; and lung-transplant coordinator Brandi Krushelniski. “Monique has cystic fibrosis and was on a non-invasive ventilator three years ago before her transplant, essentially unable to walk,” says Dr. Hodges. In January, the Lung Transplant Program at St. Joseph’s Heart & Lung Institute received the email below about Monique’s preparations to compete in the Lavaman Triathalon in Hawaii to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Monique finished the triathlon in five hours and 10 minutes, and raised $5,700.

I pray that this letter finds you and your family well! I’m in the midst of a whirlwind of training for my triathlon, beating my body to be in the best shape of my life by April 1st! Don’t let the date fool you! I’m hoping to encourage everyone that there is abundant life to live after a transplant! Please help me finish the race set before me and donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I have already committed my own finances to make this happen, but am still short $2,128.50 to start the race, having already raised $3,271.50! Over the hill, but not quite to the finish line! Since I “recommitted,” I now have until March 16th to raise the rest. Thank you all for your love, support, finances, prayer & words of encouragement! They mean more than you know. Love always, Monique I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

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by Melissa Frederick Morrison

BEYOND SURGERY TUMOR ABLATION OFFERS A LESS INVASIVE WAY OF DESTROYING TUMORS

relatively new method of destroying tumors that is significantly less invasive than surgery is being used successfully at St. Joseph’s Hospital, promising quicker recoveries and another option for cancer patients, especially those who are poor candidates for surgery. Eric vanSonnenberg, MD, chairman of St. Joseph’s Radiology Department, brought radio-frequency ablation (RFA) to the hospital last year. “It offers an alternative to therapy that previously didn’t exist, and that’s either for palliation or for patients who might be cured by surgery but who aren’t surgical candidates,” Dr. vanSonnenberg says. The radiologist, who co-authored a book

Eric vanSonnenberg, MD, displays several probes used in tumor ablation.

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about the technique, Tumor Ablation: Principles and Practice, used RFA for five years at Harvard’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before coming to St. Joseph’s. In RFA, a needlelike probe, guided by a CT scan or ultrasound, targets the tumor, zapping it with nearly boiling-hot heat, while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue undisturbed. Most patients who undergo RFA need only an overnight hospital stay. RFA has proven effective for destroying solid tumors in most organs, including the liver, which is difficult to operate on because too much healthy tissue can be destroyed in the process. RFA also has been used to destroy tumors in the lungs, kidneys, adrenal glands, and breasts, as well as on bones, including the spine.

school. She got a job with the City of Phoenix prosecutor’s office, and—defying yet another “never” from her early doctors—had a baby. When her son, Christopher, was 2, however, she got a nagging feeling that something had changed. A visit to her oncologist confirmed her suspicions: the pheo in her liver had awoken. Over the next few years, Michelle and her doctors watched and waited. The tumor eventually doubled in size. It was time to take action. “It’s incredible to think that, 10 years ago, to get this tumor inside of me out would be full-on liver surgery,” she says. “Twenty years ago, it may not have even been possible. And 30 years ago, it would have been tantamount to a death sentence.”

Destroying the tumor, not her health This time, RFA offered a means of destroying the Michelle’s story Tumor ablation tumor without has proven especially destroying Michelle’s promising for patients health. In December who are risky surgery 2005, Dr. vanSonnencandidates, such as berg and Gregory Michelle Michaud. Stringfellow, MD, The 38 - year - old guided by a CT scan, Phoenix prosecutor used RFA to target the was diagnosed with a liver tumor. Subserare cancer when she quent tests have shown was 13 years old. that the tumor was Pheochromocytoma, indeed neutralized. or pheo, is a tumor of Over time, Michelle’s the adrenal glands. immune system will Normally, it is benign. digest and remove the Michelle, however, was dead tissue. one of only seven peoRFA can be used ple in the country alone or to suppleknown to have a In tumor ablation, the physician maneuvers a probe, such as ment traditional canthe ones pictured above, into the tumor and then deploys finmalignant version. gers cer therapies, such as into the tumor that zap it with nearly boiling-hot heat. Doctors told her she chemotherapy and wouldn’t live to graduate high school. radiation. After an initial surgery, her tumor reappeared, this For patients whose cancer is too advanced for cure, time in her liver. Surgery was no longer an option RFA can reduce the pain caused by large tumors by because of the risk to the organ. Instead, Michelle reducing their size and thus their pressure on nerves. underwent years of grueling experimental chemotherRFA’s risks are minimal. They include the possibilapy. It kept her alive, but it also made her miserable. She ity of infection, bleeding and accidental perforation of quit chemo after three years, vowing never to repeat the organs. RFA is not for everyone. It cannot be used on experience, regardless of the consequences. those with cancers, such as leukemia, where the growths For several years, the pheo remained quiet. Michelle are diffuse or on patients with tumors near blood vesindeed graduated high school, then college, then law sels (which carry away the probe’s heat) or major nerve

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“It’s incredible to think that, 10 years ago, to get this tumor inside of me out would be full-on liver Michelle Michaud with her son, Christopher, and husband, Randy.

centers (which can inadvertently be destroyed). But for most other cancers—including some, such as Michelle’s, that previously had few effective therapies—RFA can literally be a lifesaver. “I’ve been dealing with this since I was 13,” says Michelle, whose son is now 8. “My dad used to say he didn’t want his kid to be the last one to die before they found the cure. ... For me the thing to kick this has most recently been RFA.”

surgery. Twenty years ago, it may not have even been possible. And 30 years ago, it would have been tantamount to a death sentence.” Michelle Michaud

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ESOPHAGEAL DISEASE SLEUTHS by Melissa Frederick Morrison

Above, Sandi Nagawa, NP, and Ross Bremner, MD, examine images of a patientʼs esophagus in the Esophageal Disease Center. Right, Mary Lou Dinoffria, RN, measures a patientʼs swallowing contractions with what may be the Valleyʼs only high-resolution esophageal manometry.

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NEW CENTER HELPS PATIENTS GET TO THE ROOT OF THEIR PROBLEMS

sophageal cancer is rising faster than any other type of cancer in the Western world, according to some experts. The Esophageal Disease Center (EDC) at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center opened last year to focus on preventing and treating such cancer, along with other diseases related to the esophagus and stomach, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). “The most outstanding feature of the EDC is that it is a comprehensive center, dealing with all aspects of esophageal disease, from common GERD to complex cancer surgery,” says Ross Bremner, MD, PhD, a thoracic surgeon and the center’s director. “Part of our success is we really enjoy helping patients get to the bottom of their problems.”

One-stop shopping With a staff of two surgeons, a gastroenterologist, a nurse practitioner, endoscopy nurses and nurses who run the center’s dedicated lab, the EDC has what is basically a group of medical detectives. Nurse practitioner Sandi Ogawa calls the center’s approach “one-stop shopping.” Patients can see all the specialists related to their disease here, get most of their tests done and benefit from the time that staff are able to devote to the non-medical, as well as medical, aspects of treatment. “They were willing to give me their private cellphone numbers,” says Mesa’s Linda Cochran, who had gastroesophageal surgery in December. “Dr. Bremner treated me like I was a person, not a situation.” Before she arrived at St. Joseph’s, Linda, who had suffered from severe reflux for several years, had seen a variety of surgeons around the Valley and undergone a battery of tests that required her to bounce between different hospital departments and facilities. “I was getting, “Run here! Run there! Run here! Run there!’” says Linda, 47, an administrative secretary who had to take time off from her new job for every medical appointment. “It made me crazy.” That changed at the Esophageal Disease Center. “I did all the testing right there at St. Joe’s,” she says. Interpreting unusual symptoms More importantly, she found medical professionals who didn’t disregard her unusual symptoms as signs of

unrelated medical problems, as others did. After years of enduring a burning sensation in the back of her throat—a familiar sign of acid reflux—she began suffering a tightening in her chest that was so severe that she at first feared she was having a heart attack. She also began experiencing chronic vomiting and diarrhea. “I couldn’t count on what my day was going to be like,” she says. “I could wake up in the morning perfectly healthy, ready to kick butt, then drive in to work and I’m sick as a dog.” By focusing specifically on esophageal disease, the center’s staff has the resources and experience to interpret subtle or unusual symptoms. For Linda, the solution was redoing an operation she had had six years earlier to repair the flawed valve between her esophagus and stomach. Since Dr. Bremner performed the surgery in December, her vomiting and diarrhea have disappeared. “I told him today, I didn’t realize how sick I was until I felt better,” Linda says. She is now able to sleep normally, rather than sitting upright, as she had been forced to do before the operation. She takes medication for occasional reflux on an as-needed basis. “I anticipated I would feel somewhat better, but this was more than I could ever have expected.”

Identifying and treating acid reflux disease is critical to

preventing esophageal cancer.

Preventing esophageal cancer Accurately identifying and treating reflux disease is key to preventing esophageal cancer. One reason for the increased rate of such cancer is more reflux disease, which is exacerbated by a lifestyle typical of Western nations. “Overeating and drinking alcohol and smoking and those sort of things contribute to weakening of the valves, and patients end up with bad reflux,” Dr. Bremner says. Reflux disease is associated with Barrett’s esophagus, a pre-malignant condition. Identifying and treating such precursors is paramount. S T.

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“Basically I’m a great proponent of what’s called Barrett’s surveillance,” Dr. Bremner says. “We know if we follow those patients and endoscope them every year or two, we can watch the progression and protect them before they get esophageal cancer.” The center also plans a Barrett’s Registry, a national compendium of Barrett’s cases, so that the most effective treatments can be evaluated on a grand scale. The center boasts many high-tech tools with which to monitor disease and make diagnoses, including what may be the Valley’s only high-resolution esophageal manometry, which measures swallowing contractions. Catheterless pH testing determines the acid content of reflux in the esophagus without the patient enduring a tube down his or her throat. And continuous digital esophagography provides what is basically a real-time movie of a patient’s swallowing. The combination of tools and expertise—and a detective’s zeal for unraveling medical mysteries— is at the heart of St. Joseph’s Esophageal Ross Bremner, MD Disease Center. “We delight in sorting out different problems patients have with the esophagus and have the tools at our disposal for working them out,” Dr. Bremner says.

“We know if we follow

Linda Cochran escaped a crazy schedule of running from one doctor to another for answers to her esophageal problems when she landed at St. Josephʼs Esophageal Disease Center.

“We have what we call typical symptoms and atypical,” Dr. Bremner says. “A lot of people may complain of heartburn but may not be having reflux, and a lot of people having reflux may not have any symptoms.” Heartburn is caused when the stomach’s highly acidic digestive juices escape up into the esophagus, the tube through which food passes after it’s swallowed. Reflux is basically chronic heartburn and indicates a problem with the valve that controls food’s entry to the stomach. Determining whether a bout of reflux is nothing to worry about or a symptom of a more serious problem is part of Sandi’s job. “Heartburn is very common,” she says. “Most people say, ‘I’ve had heartburn for years, I never thought about it.’ Somebody like me, who is used to seeing that type of symptom, knows how to take those subtle things and ask the right questions: Is it getting worse? Is food coming up? Or just acid? Are you having a lot of chest colds?” Specializing in Barrett’s surveillance Other symptoms are even wilier—including a lack of them. A hallmark of Barrett’s esophagus is that the body may adapt to constant acid baths by changing from thin, sensitive squamous cells to thicker, cushier column-shaped cells. This causes symptoms to disappear so that patients no longer suffer from irritation and believe their problem has disappeared as well. In fact, Barrett’s patients have twice the chance of developing cancer. That’s why it’s crucial that they be regularly monitored.

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these patients and

ensdoscope them every year or two, we can watch the progresion and

protect them before they get esophageal cancer.”

Foundation support Philanthropy will be critical to building the Esophageal Disease Center. For information about how you can help, call St. Joseph’s Foundation at 602-406-3041.

ST. JOSEPH’S PERFORMS VALLEY’S FIRST LUNG TRANSPLANT

by Carmelle Malkovich

he Heart & Lung Institute (HLI) at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center recently performed the Valley's first lung transplant. Ann Wylie, 61, of Scottsdale became St. Joseph's and the Valley's first lung-transplant recipient after undergoing a double lung transplant at the hospital on April 20. Ann suffered from advanced COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and was placed on a transplant list in San Diego in February. After hearing of St. Joseph's recently approved lung-transplant program, Ann chose to receive her medical care locally. Within one week of being placed on the transplant list in Phoenix, Ann received two new lungs. “I'm so thankful for the care that I've received at St. Joseph's,” says Ann. “Instead of being flown to San Diego for the transplant, I was able to stay in my hometown and receive excellent medical care.” Lung transplants are among the most complicated medical procedures. The hospital selects candidates who are eligible for lung transplants and places them on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant list. Surgeons have approximately six hours to transplant a lung once one is retrieved. Following the surgery, lung-transplant recipients must receive lifelong care,

including regular check-ups with lung-transplant specialists. “Before St. Joseph's began offering lung transplants, local residents had to travel out of state for care,” says Ross Bremner, MD, PhD, surgical director of the Center for Thoracic Disease at St. Joseph's. “St. Joseph's lung- transplant program allows Valley residents in need of lung transplants to receive their medical care locally.” Top photo: St. Josephʼs lungtransplant team includes surgeon Ross Bremner, MD, PhD; pulmonologist Tony Hodges, MD; surgeons Michael Smith, MD, and John Nigro, MD; pulmonologist Rajat Walia, MD; and program coordinator Brandi Krushelniski. Above, lung-transplant recipient Ann Wylie is shown with her surgeons, Dr. Nigro and Dr. Bremner.

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HEALTH & WEALTH RAFFLE’S IMPACT FELT THROUGHOUT ST. JOSEPH’S by Catherine Menor

Yvette and Robert Standoval, Gilbert, won Grand Prize #1 in the Spring 2007 Health & Wealth Raffle.

he impact of the Health & Wealth Raffle on research, medical education and patient care at St. Joseph’s Hospital is enormous. In the last three years, the Raffle has contributed an average of $10 million a year to St. Joseph’s Foundation and Barrow Neurological Foundation, greatly expanding the number of projects, programs and services the foundations can support. Many programs at St. Joseph’s and Barrow Neurological Institute have received funding from the Raffle since the mega home raffle began in 2003. Proceeds from the Health & Wealth Raffle have helped fund:

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• Research into a wide range of diseases—epilepsy, brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, trauma, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and others. • A new fast-track nursing program on the hospital campus. • A high-end monitoring system for the Nursery ICU, which cares for the most critically ill newborns. • Several endowed chairs, which enable St. Joseph’s to recruit and retain top physician-scientists. • New research laboratories. • The new Heart & Lung Institute.

Celeste Schaumburg of Apache Junction won Grand Prize #2 in the Spring Raffle— a house, car and cash.

• High-tech equipment for research, medical education and patient care, including a rapid prototyping machine, a flow cytometer, endovascular simulation devices, and an immersive multi-media education system. • A tissue bank that collects and stores donated human tissue for future research use. What makes the Raffle particularly important to the hospital is the fact that Raffle funds can be invested in a variety of programs and services beneath the umbrella of research, medical education and care for those in need. “Proceeds from the raffle are treated much like unrestricted funds. While restricted funds must be used for very specific purposes, Raffle funds can be used for many different programs and services, giving us much more flexibility,” says Mary Jane Crist, chief executive officer of St. Joseph’s Foundation and Barrow Neurological Foundation.

“We can invest these funds where they are needed most. For instance, Raffle dollars helped establish the new Heart & Lung Institute, which has brought muchneeded cardiothoracic services, including lung transplants, to the Valley.” Winning Numbers Health & Wealth Raffle 2003-2007 Health & Wealth Raffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Prizes awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71,990 Homes awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Vehicles awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 Trips awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 Cash awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8,005,900 Total retail value of prizes . . . . . .$43,649,703

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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED by Sally J. Clasen

CRS PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGERY PATIENTS SAY GOODBYE TO LONG TRIP TO PHOENIX

The technology is limited to certain diagnoses and is not used for complex neurological cases. The vast majority of pediatric patients participating in the program have had surgical procedures, such as shunts, according to Dr. Rekate. Since the Telemedicine Program began, the number of patients being examined in Yuma has doubled each year. “It is occasionally necessary for patients to travel to the Valley for studies or difficult decisionmaking, but for general screening, it is ideal,” he says.

Harold Rekate, MD, follows up with some pediatric neurosurgery patients in Yuma via a two-way television system.

or Yuma pediatric neurosurgery patients enrolled in Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS), a medical trip to see their physician in Phoenix is no longer an all-day travel event. Now, a follow-up exam with pediatric neurosurgeon Harold Rekate, MD, takes just minutes with the help of long-distance technology—and some medical ingenuity. The Telemedicine Program, which was launched in 2004, is held three to four times a year on the last Wednesday of each month at Yuma Regional Medical Center, according to Carmen Sprague, the program coordinator. On average, between five and eight pediatric neurosurgery patients are evaluated during the interactive clinics, which are administered through CRS at St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Center. “Before the program was launched, Dr. Rekate would travel to Yuma a couple of times a month, which caused a backlog in Phoenix. It was cumbersome. It was also difficult for many families to make the drive from Yuma,” Carmen explains.

Real-time medicine Using a two-way television system, Dr. Rekate controls cameras during the exam, interviewing the patient while a pediatric nurse in Yuma assists with the assessment simultaneously. “All questions can be asked and answered in real time—a real benefit to the family,” Dr. Rekate says of the video-conferencing equipment. Dr. Rekate’s long-distance exams are aided by electronic X-rays, computer scans and peripheral devices, such as stethoscopes attached to the computer.

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Just like being there While the sensory characteristics of a traditional exam, such as hearing and touch, are lost in the Telemedicine exams, Dr. Rekate says the onsite nurse adds a great deal to the visual process by performing some of the investigations on the child. And, according to Carmen, a recent survey to assess the program indicated that the lack of a doctor’s touch wasn’t a concern. “Parents love it. Most families are satisfied with the program and felt they received the same treatment and interaction with him and were able to ask questions as if they were in the same room,” she says. The greatest benefit of the Telemedicine Program, says Dr. Rekate, is that travel time for patients, families and the doctor is reduced significantly, which leads to an increase in patient satisfaction and physician efficiency. “The advantage is that there is no need to travel five to six hours to see follow-up patients for 10 minutes. I would always prefer to see a patient face to face, but this situation saves a great deal of energy on everyone’s part.”

What is CRS? Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS) is a stateand federally-funded outpatient and managedcare pediatric service operated by designated medical facilities, including St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Center. Its mission is to provide medical treatment, rehabilitation and related support services to medically qualified individuals, primarily children, who have certain medical, disabling or potentially disabling conditions that have the potential for functional improvement.

GENETIC PUZZLE by Catherine Menor

CHILD NEUROLOGIST HOPES TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY OF TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS

Piper Dutcher with her mother, Amanda

iper Dutcher and her father, James, are a medical mystery that child neurologist Vinodh Narayanan, MD, and researchers Garilyn Jentarra, PhD, and Gabe Rice, MS, hope to unravel in the Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory at St. Joseph’s. Piper was born in March 2004 with heart problems, including a slow heart rate and premature ventricular contractions. A CT scan found tubers in the infant's brain— tangles of disorganized neurons— and tumors in her kidney. She also had white spots on her skin. All are signs of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic disorder that causes abnormal growths in the eyes, heart, kidney, skin, brain, lungs and other organs. One in 6,000 babies is born with TSC. Piper's doctor ordered DNA testing and confirmed that Piper has the genetic mutation that causes TSC. Then, the infant's parents, Amanda and James Dutcher, underwent DNA testing, and learned that James, too, has the genetic mutation for TSC although he has no signs of the disorder.

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Gabe Rice, MS, (left) and Vinodh Narayanan, MD, and Garilyn Jentarra, PhD, (right) are conducting research into the genetics of tuberous sclerosis.

Mutant versus normal genes Like all genetic disorders, TSC is caused by a change, or mutation, in one of the approximate 30,000 genes that make up the human genome. A mutant gene is unable to direct production of a specific cellular protein correctly and, thus, causes a disruption in normal development or functioning. Mutations in one of two genes, TSC1 or TSC2, cause tuberous sclerosis complex. Every human being has two TSC1 genes, and two TSC2 genes; one of each pair is inherited from the father and the other from the mother. Piper received a normal TSC2 gene from her mother and a mutant TSC2 gene from her father. In some genetic disorders, both parents must contribute a mutant gene in order for the genetic disorder to show up in the child (“recessive” conditions). But in the case of TSC and other “dominant” conditions, the mutant gene dominates the normal gene, causing the genetic disorder and its symptoms. So how can two people—both with one mutant and one normal TSC gene—be so different? James has no symptoms of TSC, while Piper exhibits its classic symptoms. “There's something influencing whether someone has a mild form of the disease or a more severe form. That 'something' is what we hope to identify in our research,” says Dr. Narayanan, who conducts research into TSC and other rare genetic disorders.

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Gene expression may be the answer Dr. Narayanan and his research associates believe the difference between Piper and James' conditions may lie in the protein expression of the mutant gene and the normal gene in each individual.

“There’s something influencing whether someone has a mild form of the disease or a more severe form. That ‘something’ is what we hope to identify in our research.” Vinodh Narayanan, MD “Perhaps in the person with little or no symptoms, the normal gene produces proteins at a higher level than the mutant gene so that the effect of the mutant protein is minimized,” explains Dr. Narayanan. “On the other hand, in the person with more severe symptoms, it may be the mutant gene that is expressing the majority of the protein. Thus, several members of a family

The research Barrow is conducting into tuberous sclerosis may improve care for children like Piper. One family has contributed $15,000 to Dr. Narayananʼs research. If you are interested in helping, please call St. Josephʼs Foundation at 602-406-3041.

could have the same mutation but be affected differently, depending on the relative level of expression of the normal and mutant genes.” The Dutchers have agreed to participate in a research project that will examine the level of protein expression for the mutant and normal TSC genes, and compare those levels to the severity of the disorder. “Our goal is to determine if the levels of gene expression correlate with the severity of the disease,” says Dr. Narayanan. If the levels of gene expression do correlate with the severity of the disorder, the research may prove valuable in treating future patients with TSC. “If we can diagnose these patients in infancy and at the same time do a blood test that tells us the level of protein expression from the two genes, we can more effectively treat the patient,” he says. “For instance, if we find that a child with TSC has a high expression of the mutant gene and low expression of the normal gene, then we would conclude that that person is at higher risk for a severe form of the disease and we would treat that patient more aggressively.”

Improved quality of life Piper is an example of the value of an early diagnosis. Because she was diagnosed in infancy, she received early treatment, including anti-seizure medication for epilepsy caused by the tubers in her brain. Today, she is seizure free, and her only deficit is a speech delay. She receives care from specialists in neurology, urology, cardiology and genetics at St. Joseph's Children's Rehabilitative Services. Dr. Narayanan has been a blessing, says Piper's mother. “He's answered my questions about everything that's going on in her brain. His experience with tuberous sclerosis has given us confidence.” The Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory is applying for grants to fund the TSC research project. Donors interested in helping can contact St. Joseph's Foundation at 602-406-3041.

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FINALLY FREE OF PAIN by Sarah Padilla

RARE NEW SURGERY RELIEVES CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN IN MEN AND WOMEN

or many people, there’s nothing more relaxing than sitting down to watch television after a long day. But for Ramona Valyou and Pat Synder, there was a time when the simple act of sitting on a couch would cause the most excruciating pain they had ever known.

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The two women suffered from pudendal neuralgia, injury to the pudendal nerve most commonly caused by entrapment of the nerve (PNE). After undergoing a rare surgical procedure by St. Joseph’s Michael Hibner, MD, to correct the condition, both women are now easing back into lifestyles they once thought they would have to give up for good. Dr. Hibner, director of St. Joseph’s Division of Gynecologic Surgery and the Arizona Center for Chronic Pelvic Pain, has always had a special interest in diagnosing and treating chronic pelvic pain. After watching his wife suffer from a herniated disk several years ago, the cause became even more important

Only a few surgeons worldwide specialize in treating pudendal neuralgia. One of them is St. Joseph’s Michael Hibner, MD. to him. “I believe in doing one thing and doing it well,” he says. “And when it comes to surgery for something as specific as pelvic pain, I believe that you need extra surgical training to be able to perform the procedures well.” Recently, Dr. Hibner became one of only a handful of surgeons in the world to specialize in treating pudendal neuralgia, a condition from which an estimated one out of 100,000 people suffer. The pudendal nerve The pudendal nerve runs from the lower sacral region into the perineal region and affects the pelvic organs, pelvic floor muscles and external genitalia. Entrapment of the nerve, which is similar to what causes carpal tunnel syndrome, may be caused by an injury during gynecologic surgery or pregnancy or by a traumatic injury, or it may develop from an unknown cause. It’s not limited to women; about 20 percent of those with the condition are men. The most common symptom is severe pain in the genital area. The pain usually only occurs when sitting

Ramona Valyou and her daughter, Krysten.

due to compression of the nerve; standing or lying down usually helps alleviate the symptoms. The pain, which rarely responds to medication, gets progressively worse over time. Because it is rare, pudendal neuralgia is often misdiagnosed. On average, it takes four years and up to 30 physician visits to receive an accurate diagnosis. Frustrated and in agonizing pain, many of Dr. Hibner’s patients admit to being suicidal when they finally make it to his office. Both Ramona, 61, and Pat, 53, began to experience severe pain after a surgery. Ramona’s pain began several years ago after she had surgery to remove a large tumor; Pat’s began after a partial hysterectomy in 2005. Both women saw countless doctors and were told that there was nothing wrong with them before meeting Dr. Hibner. “I sat in his office crying from pain, and I was telling him how I just couldn’t do this anymore,” says Ramona. “He said, ‘You can do this because I’m going to help you.’ No one had said that to me before. When I left his office, I knew I was going to be okay. Something in the tone of his voice told me that he meant it. And he did.” Special training in France In June 2006, Ramona became one of the first patients to undergo the unique surgery performed by Dr. Hibner. The previous year, the doctor had spent several weeks in France learning the procedure from neurosurgeon Dr. Roger Robert. Dr. Robert has performed

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the surgery more than 1,500 times in the past 16 years. In the procedure, an incision is made in the buttock, and a ligament is severed, allowing surgeons to access the pudendal nerve and remove the cause of entrapment. Most surgeons leave the original ligament severed, but Dr. Hibner has created a modified approach in which he uses tissue from a cadaver to reconnect it. To date, Dr. Hibner has performed the surgery on 11 patients and says that 10 of those patients are pain free. Today, Ramona is back to doing everything she used to do, and Pat is on the road to recovery. As word spreads, another 10 patients are already scheduled for future surgeries. Surgery—a last resort Dr. Hibner prefers to save surgery as a last resort. He conducts a thorough diagnostic work-up, which may take months. One of the most useful diagnostic tools is a series of CT-guided steroid injections, which are performed by St. Joseph’s radiologist Eric vanSonnenberg, MD. If a patient’s pain improves temporarily following an injection, it is usually a good indication they have pudendal neuralgia. For some, the steroid is enough to significantly improve their pain and eliminate the need for surgery. Others may benefit from behavioral changes or physical therapy. Dr. Hibner frequently refers patients to two Valley physical therapists who specialize in women’s pelvic pain. Another integral part of the team is nurse practitioner Patti Stoffers, who helps educate and support patients along the way. These days, Dr. Hibner has his sights set on what else can be done for these patients before they reach such a hopeless state. For example, he’s working with Dr. vanSonnenberg on several experimental procedures, such as using Botox to help break up adhesions that compress the nerve. And ultimately, he would like to work with Barrow to develop a comprehensive pudendal neuralgia center at the hospital. “Not enough people know about this condition,” he says. “I’d like to help change that.”

Michael Hibner, MD, and Patti Stoffers, NP, in the Arizona Center for Chronic Pelvic Pain at St. Josephʼs

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“I sat in his office crying from pain, and I was telling him how I just couldn’t do this anymore. He said, ‘You can do this because I’m going to help you.’ No one had said that to me before. When I left his office, I knew I was going to be okay.” Ramona Valyou

NEW MOMOBILE COMING DOWN THE ROAD by Sarah Padilla

THE VIRGINIA G. PIPER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, STEVE AND SHELBY BUTTERFIELD, AND THE BHHS LEGACY FOUNDATION MAKE DREAM A REALITY

Barbara Garcia received prenatal care from the MOMobile for her children, Sofhia and Sebastian.

“We’ve talked about getting a new unit for years, and this time it’s really going to happen.” Gail Brown, RNC, WHNP

argarita Villa and Antonieta Salomon spend nearly 150 days a year cruising around together in an RV— and they get paid for it. The women are part of the extremely dedicated team behind St. Joseph’s Maternity Outreach Mobile clinic, known affectionately as the MOMobile, which provides free prenatal care to pregnant women who otherwise might not have access to such services. Three days a week, the MOMobile travels to Valley communities that are considered at-risk for prenatal care. They park the unit in safe and accessible locations, such as a community resource center in Mesa, a church in central Phoenix and a church in Goodyear. The team—which includes two nurse practitioners, a certified nurse midwife, a clinical coordinator and an outreach coordinator—serves as the primary care provider to hundreds of pregnant women who then have the option of deliv-

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The MOMobile provides prenatal exams, education and ultrasound testing at various locations in the Valley.

ering their babies at St. Joseph’s. The team also works with various community agencies to ensure that the families’ other needs are met as well. Since its inception in 1995, the MOMobile has become known among community agencies as an example of community benefit at its finest, says Marisue Garganta, St. Joseph’s director of Community Health Integration. In 2006 alone, the MOMobile had 2,330 patient visits, and 170 MOMobile babies were born at St. Joseph’s. Their average birth weight of just over 7 pounds, 3 ounces mirrors the national average. Since 1995, there have been more than 25,000 recorded patient visits and 1,500 MOMobile babies born at St. Joseph’s. “Other agencies are always looking at our outcomes and wondering how we’ve made this work so well,” says Marisue. A $300,000 custom-built MOMobile When it comes to healthy moms and babies, the system is definitely working. But the MOMobile, an 11year-old converted RV, is showing signs of its success. Most RVs aren’t built to withstand more than 10 years of heavy use, and factors such as driving in the heat, carrying heavy medical equipment, and constant foot traffic have led to more-than-average wear and tear. Luckily, relief is in sight. After five years of fundrais-

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ing, St. Joseph’s Foundation has secured $300,000 to purchase a brand-new, custom-built unit. Donations include $100,000 from private donors Steve and Shelby Butterfield, a $50,000 grant from the BHHS Legacy Foundation and a $150,000 grant from The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. The hospital and the Foundation will continue to fund the operational and maintenance expenses for the unit, including salaries and supplies. “I think this is the most excited I’ve ever seen the team,” says MOMobile manager Gail Brown, RNC, WHNP. “We’ve talked about getting a new unit for years, and this time it’s really going to happen. Now we can start thinking on a much broader scale.” While the new unit is still about a year away, the women’s eyes gleam as they talk about details they’ve discussed with the builder—an upstairs area that will include a bathroom and a small staff lounge, an awning off the side of the unit to allow shade for family members, an updated lab area and central heating. The biggest change will be that the new unit will not be an RV, but rather a large, pull-behind trailer. This type of vehicle will be better able to withstand the MOMobile’s large amount of foot traffic and will allow more space for patients. The current unit’s worn-down benches accommodate about six patients in cramped quarters that offer little to no privacy. The new unit will be able to hold about 15 patients at one time. It will house two exam rooms, and a third room will serve as an office that can be used to better protect patient privacy.

“Our goal is to have a larger, more technologically-updated work environment so that we have less unproductive time and more time with our patients.” Gail Brown, RNC, WHNP

MOMobile Wish List While the MOMobile is not about the bells and whistles, a few basics make any job easier. Most of those basics will be built into the new MOMobile, but the team will have to purchase some additional equipment. Among the items on their wish list are: • two new lightweight exam tables • two laptop computers with wireless internet capability • a portable ultrasound machine • a portable fetal monitor • an acoustic stimulator • a TV and DVD player (for playing educational videos) • a fax machine/scanner/copier. If you would like to help with the MOMobile’s wish list, contact St. Joseph’s Foundation at 602-406-3041.

“Now, I have to take patients into the bathroom if we need to have a private conversation,” says Antonieta Salomon, outreach coordinator. Part-time pit crew members The team also hopes that the office will be outfitted with computers with access to the hospital’s systems. Currently, their only link to the hospital when they’re in the field is the cell phones they carry. And, the girls spend one day each week transferring data from paper charts into computers at the hospital. “Our goal is to have a larger, more technologicallyupdated work environment so that we have less unproductive time and more time with our patients,” says Gail. Ultimately, they would like to see more patients, possibly adding one more site a week. That the team wants to expand their services speaks volumes about their commitment to their patients— especially considering their behind-the-scenes duties. In addition to a laundry list of clinical responsibilities, they could add “pit crew” to their resumes. It’s not uncommon to find them loading water tanks, changing tires, disposing of sewage or taking the unit to have it emission-tested.

“It’s hard work,” says Margarita Villa, LPN, clinical coordinator. “You have to be very flexible. It takes a special team because you have to work together to make everything work.” Marisue believes this is why the MOMobile has become such a success. “So much of healthcare today is focused on the bells and whistles and having the latest and greatest technology,” says Marisue. “But really, that’s not what it’s all about. It’s about providing quality care where it’s needed the most and making your patients feel safe and comfortable. These girls have it down.” Photo above: The MOMobile team includes Margarita Villa, clinical coordinator; Gail Brown, RNC, WHNP, manager; and Mariantonieta Saloman, outreach coordinator.

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WHY WE GIVE

COUPLE’S FOUNDATION FUNDS FAMILY-FRIENDLY ROOMS FOR HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN by Catherine Menor

St. Josephʼs Sharon Glanville with donors Bob and Joann Olivas

“Angelita’s Amigos was estabished because of what we went through when our baby was hospitalized here.” Bob Olivas

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ngela Olivas died in 1986 of leukemia. She was not quite four years old. Her parents, Joann and Bob, stayed at her bedside 24 hours a day during several lengthy hospital stays in St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Center. Out of that experience, the Olivases decided to do something that would not only honor their youngest child but also help families in similar situations. Angelita’s Amigos was officially incorporated as a nonprofit foundation in 1999. Shortly afterward, it opened the first Angelita’s Amigos family-friendly room in the Children’s Health Center at St. Joseph’s. Today there are four Angelita’s Amigos patient rooms in the Pediatric Unit, and three such rooms in the Pediatric Cardiac Care Unit, plus two treatment rooms. Bob and Joann met recently with Sharon Glanville, clinical director of the Children’s Health Center Inpatient Services, to discuss the legacy they are creating.

Anatomy of an Angelitas Amigos Room Stereo system

DVD player

Home-like shutters, furniture, paint & artwork

Television

Sofa that converts into a bed

Refrigerator

Wood floor

How did you come up with the idea of creating family-friendly rooms? Bob: Angelita’s Amigos was established because of what we went through when our baby was hospitalized here. We walked in the same shoes these people are walking today. We know what they’re going through. Joann: Every other month we were here. When she went to the doctor’s office to take her chemo, we knew within three days we’d be here. Sure enough, just like clockwork. We never left the baby by herself.

Bob: It was our time spent here at the hospital in a very, very small room that brought about the idea for family-friendly rooms. Every night that we stayed here, the room got smaller and smaller. After a while, you find it hard to breathe. When we started thinking about creating this room, we weren’t thinking about a hospital room. We were thinking more about the Marriott. That’s what I wanted the room to look like. Let’s pay more attention to the families, the people who are really stressed out.

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Sharon, do the rooms really make a difference? Sharon: Oh, I think they make a huge difference for the parents and the child. In an Angelita’s Amigos room, you feel like you’re in your family room, your living room, your home environment. I can tell you that these rooms get nothing but rave reviews. Once we get a child in here, they request it when they come back. Absolutely it makes a difference. Joann: My sister works with someone who had a family member that stayed here one time. They said, “Oh, it’s so comfortable. It’s so homey.” How much have has Angelita’s Amigos raised through the years? Bob: We’re over $125,000. When I first approached St. Joseph’s Foundation about building Angelita’s Amigos rooms, I told them, “I want to put every dollar we can into the rooms.” And the dream came true. They kept their word. I think the Foundation is awesome. Is your annual golf tournament Angelita’s Amigos sole fundraiser? Bob: That’s it. We raise the money and then donate it to St. Joseph’s Foundation. I’m upfront with people. I tell them, “I want to hit you up for money once a year, and then I’ll walk away from you and you won’t see me for 365 days, but when you do, bring your wallet, bring your money.” It’s a very cheap tournament—$85 a person at the Wigwam on May 20th this year. It’s always the week after Mama’s Day. I keep telling the guys, “Take care of mama. Take her out and then the following week, she’ll let you play golf.” We had 45 golfers at our first tournament and 288 last year. I’ve kept it inexpensive and run it like a mom-andpop shop. Very basic, very down-to-earth, treat people very cordially. Hit people through the heart, and if you don’t have a heart, come with me to Pediatrics and you’ll have a heart when you leave. What’s in the future for Angelita’s Amigos? Bob: Our network of supporters is really growing. Our plan is to continue raising money, so we can come back to you guys and say, “Here’s the dinero. Now go build another room.” We’ve committed to building and furnishing a playroom in the new Pediatric Cardiothoracic Unit on the

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seventh floor of the North Tower. Our goal for this year’s tournament is to raise $35,000 for that new room. Sharon: The new Pediatric Cardiothoracic Unit is scheduled to open in August. The playroom is going to be great. It will have a movie screen that drops down. We’ll make popcorn and have movie days for the kids. So the relationship between Angelita’s Amigos and St. Joseph’s has been very positive? Sharon: Bob and Joann, we feel very much like we’re partners with you. You say what you want, we bring samples, and we pick it out together. It feels like you designed this room. It’s worked really, really well. You’re helping such a large number of children by allowing their families to be here 24-seven. And you’re honoring your daughter’s memory. You’ve done an outstanding job.

Angelita’s Amigos annual golf tournament and lunch Sunday, May 20 Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa Proceeds will fund a playroom in the new Pediatric Cardiothoracic Unit due to open at St. Joseph’s in August. The entry fee of $85 per person includes golf with a cart, lunch, a prize bag, shirt and awards. More information, including registration, is available online at www.AngelitasAmigos.com, or you can call Bob Olivas at 602290-1063.

GOLF GALA LOU GRUBB AND FRIENDS GATHER FOR 18 HOLES AND MORE

Young golf whizzes, Daffodil Sanchez, 13, and Andrew Proctor, 8, demonstrated their skills at the 2007 Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf tournament.

very year, the Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf Committee works to raise the bar at their annual fundraiser for Barrow Neurological Institute. Their 2007 golf tournament, dinner and auction—held April 19 and 20—accomplished that on several fronts. The tournament raised funds not only for Barrow but also for St. Joseph’s new Heart & Lung Institute. Several new sponsors supported the tournament, and more golfers than ever, 260 in all, participated in the afternoon tournament held at McCormick Ranch Golf Club. “We try to have fun for a good purpose,” says Lou Grubb, the founder of the popular golfing event. The two-day golfing extravaganza began Thursday at the Arizona Biltmore when 580 guests (another record!) congregated for an evening of fun, fellowship and food. Guests competed for several outstanding prizes at the Putting Green, including a diamond watch donated by Schmitt Jewelers and a full set of men’s golf clubs, compliments of In Celebration of Golf.

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A guest at Thursday eveningʼs dinner tries her hand at the Putting Green. Below are Lou Grubb and Roger Maxwell, long-time organizers of the tournament.

Above, golf pro Tina Tombs gives Karen Lovcik some pointers during the Womenʼs Golf Clinic held before the tournament on Friday. Right, Dennis Sage co-chaired the event, along with Loui Olivas, PhD.

The highlight of the live auction was bidding for a trip for four to the Master’s Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. The package included airfare, lodging, dining and passes to the nation’s premier golf experience. Activities on Friday began at 10 a.m. with another first for the tournament—a Women’s Golf Clinic led by professional golfer Tina Tombs. A record 24 women golfers played in the tournament.

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At check-in for the tournament, golfers received a bag of goodies, including Fairway and Greene shirts. After the tournament, they gathered for dinner and awards. “This year’s tournament was a huge success,” says Debbie Castaldo, director of Annual Giving. “The committee is already busy thinking about next year’s tournament. Since it will be the tournament’s 35th year, we plan to exceed all expectations with an unforgettable event!”

2007 Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf Committee and Sponsors These folks are obviously having some fun. Take a look at the number of years members of the LGFFG planning committee have served: L Don Brown . . . . . . .3 Mike Ford . . . . . . . . . .6 Cassandra Groh . . . . .1 Lou Grubb . . . . . . . .34 Bill Hunt . . . . . . . . . . .4 Stuart Kirk . . . . . . . . .6 Gene L'Heureux . . . . .1 Bill Long . . . . . . . . . . .9 Roger Maxwell . . . . .34 Mike Medici . . . . . . . .6 Loui Olivas, PhD . . . .4 Tom Reahard . . . . . . .6 Anne Robbs . . . . . . . .7 Dennis Sage . . . . . . .12 Dennis Scully . . . . . . .1 Terry Tietzen . . . . . . . .1 Presenting Sponsor was edatanetwork. Event Sponsors were DPR Construction, Kitchell Contractors, Panoramic Press, Renaissance Companies, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Xerox.

Clockwise from top photo: Anne Merete-Robbs tees off; John Grubb prepares for the shot-gun start; Budd and Kathy Eaves enjoy dinner with Bruce Robbs (center); the Heart & Lung Institute is represented by golfers Ross Bremner, MD, Michael Smith, MD, Tony Hodges, MD, and Jeff Paul.

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PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE FRIENDS OF MERCY RECONNECT AT ANNUAL DINNER

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1 - Pat Gelinas, Joe Gelinas, David Eaton, Carol Eaton, Babs Gordon, Sherri Koopot, Sister Madonna Marie Bolton, Alan Gordon, MD, Linda Hunt, Ravi Koopot, MD, Rachel Zemer and James Zemer, MD; 2 - Betty Kennedy and Jean Grady; 3 - David Eaton; 4 - Dr. and Mrs. Alan Gordon

bout 90 people with deep roots to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center gathered on February 15 for the annual Friends of Mercy dinner. The guests—former hospital and foundation board members, Women’s Auxiliary members and others who once had active roles at the hospital—took a walk down Memory Lane, a display of memorabilia from the hospital’s past. They enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and dinner, and then heard an update from Linda Hunt, president of St. Joseph’s.

But most important, they rekindled old friendships. “One thing that makes my heart so happy is seeing how excited people are to see one another,” says Sr. Madonna Marie Bolton, special assistant to the CEO of the foundations. “They have a real connection to each other as well as to the hospital.” Sr. Madonna, too, enjoys a deep connection to many in attendance. After all, she worked at St. Joseph’s as a nurse and administrator from 1971 to 1985, and again

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1 - Jane Buffmire and Pauline Bayless; 2 - Joyce Bonhert, Susan Kuberra, Bill Bonhert and Julie Karam; 3 - The late Sister Mary Assumpta was honored at the dinner; 4 - Rachel Zemer, Judy Schubert and James Zemer, MD; 5 - John Ford, Myrna Brooks and Ellen Ford; 6 - Richard Brooks, MD, and Sister Madonna Marie Bolton; 7 - Sherri Koopot, Jacqueline Michelson and Susan Erne.

from 1987 to 1996. In 2003, she joined St. Joseph’s Foundation and Barrow Neurological Foundation in part because of her long history at the hospital. Sr. Madonna established the Friends of Mercy to reconnect with the many people who played instrumental roles in the development of St. Joseph’s and Barrow. “It began with former St. Joseph’s board members—people who gave many volunteer hours to the hospital during some very difficult times,” says Sr. Madonna. “We realized that we had lost contact with

people who were instrumental to our progress through the years.” The dinner is a way to maintain those relationships, thank people for their contributions and keep them informed about St. Joseph’s and Barrow today, Sr. Madonna says. “We really appreciate what these incredible people have done, and we never want to lose our connection with them.”

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NEWS

Superstition Paint Horses Open House raises $13,200 for St. Joseph's Pediatric ICU Cameron T. Haselhorst, a four-year-old former patient of the Children's Health Center, and his family hosted their second annual charity event to benefit St. Joseph's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The Superstition Paint Horses Open House, held April 7, included a golf tournament, barrel racing, pole bending, kids' games, carnival booths, a live band, free lunch and auctions. It raised $13,200, twice the amount raised last year. Cameron's family hosts the event to thank St. Joseph's for the care the child received in 2005. At one point, doctors said that Cameron's chance of surviving was only five percent. Today, Cameron is a healthy, active child. Next year's fundraiser is scheduled for March 22.

Cameron's mom, Tiffany Haselhorst, far right, presents the proceeds from the 2007 Superstition Paint Horses Open House to, from left, Brad Fiorito, MD, a Pediatric ICU intensivist; Stacy Youngkrantz, RN, Pediatric ICU supervisor; and Robert Hopkins, St. Joseph's Foundation vice president.

Fry’s "Giving Hope a Hand" Pink Tag Campaign gives $50,000 to Breast Evaluation Clinic As part of its continuing leadership in supporting the communities it serves, Fry’s Food Stores launched a "pink tag" program in stores in October to promote breast-cancer aware-

Fryʼs Kendra Doyel presents a check to St. Josephʼs Edward Donahue, MD; Gail Brown, NP; and Mariantonieta Saloman.

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Comprehensive Cancer Center receives accreditation The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) has granted a three-year approval with commendation to the Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Joseph's. St. Joseph's received CoC approval for its commendable level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the hospital's cancer program. Receiving care at a CoC-approved cancer center guarantees a patient will have access to comprehensive care, the best treatment options, information about ongoing clinical trials, access to cancer-related information, a cancer registry and continual improvement of care. “CoC approval is indispensable to St. Joseph's and the community because it ensures our Cancer Center meets the same high standards set for teaching hospitals throughout the United States,” says Mary Schneider, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Joseph's. “Our mission is to provide excellence in cancer care to our oncology patients.” Approval by the CoC is given to facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain approval, facilities with CoC-approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.

ness. During the campaign, pink tabs were displayed on all participating products on shelves in Fry’s stores, and each time a customer purchased these items, a portion of the proceeds went towards this important program. As a result of this effort, Fry’s was able to present St. Joseph’s Foundation with a check for $50,000 to support the hospital’s Breast Evaluation Clinic. “ Fry’s is honored to do its part to find a cure and provide support to help educate women about early detection, diagnosis and treatment,” says Kendra M. Doyel, director of Public and Media Relations at Fry’s.

St. Joseph’s offers e-newsletter to expectant and new parents St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is offering a new weekly service to expectant and new parents— The Parent Review. The web-based service provides a wealth of information about prenatal care, early childhood development and parenting. The Parent Review is available in English and Spanish to everyone who logs onto St. Joseph’s website (www.stjosephs-phx.org) or the review page (www.stjosephs-phx.org/parents). Participants don’t have to deliver their baby at St. Joseph’s to enroll. After registering, parents receive a free weekly e-mail newsletter, which provides expectant and new parents with customized information about childhood development and parental resources. It also links to St. Joseph’s prenatal and pediatric services. Expectant parents can receive the tailored information as early as their seventh week of pregnancy, and the service will continue until their child turns one year of age. During pregnancy, the hospital’s e-newsletter includes week-byweek information about fetal development, wellness tips and pregnancy resources. After the baby is born, messages focus on child development, baby care, health and safety, and other topics of interest to new parents. “Becoming a parent is an important and exciting time. The Parent Review serves as a resource for parents who want information about all the passages of pregnancy, birth and early childhood,” says Linda Hunt, president of St. Joseph’s. “Our goal is to give children and their parents a healthy, happy start.”

Face in the Mirror provides free makeovers to St. Joseph’s cancer patients For many people, looking good leads to feeling good. That’s why the Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s and the Face in the Mirror Foundation recently expanded their services to provide personal cosmetic makeovers to hospitalized women with cancer. The program had previously been offered only to outpatients. Every Monday morning, female cancer patients who are hospitalized at St. Joseph’s are offered a free personal makeover to help them look and feel better and to boost their confidence and energy. They also receive a signature bag of botanical cosmetics along with an inspirational book of poetry and a CD. “There is a correlation between a person’s physical and emotional health,” says Mary Schneider, St. Joseph’s Cancer Center director. “Face in the Mirror helps our patients heal by helping them look and feel better.” The Face in the Mirror Foundation is a non-profit organization that encourages and promotes the psychological and outer well-being of cancer patients to help them overcome their illness. The foundation was created by Barbara MacLean in memory of her sister, who passed away from breast cancer in 2001. St. Joseph’s is the first hospital to work with the foundation.

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GIFTS IN KIND

by Robert Hopkins Vice President

EVER WONDER WHAT IT’S WORTH?

enefactors sometimes ask us about supporting the hospital with things other than money. These so-called gifts-inkind are often wonderful ways of expressing one’s philanthropy, though making a gift-in-kind involves one additional step to writing a check: a valuation. The legal definition is clear: the amount of the charitable deduction allowed for a gift of property or artwork or antiques is based upon the fair market value of the donated assets. Fair market value is defined by our friends at the IRS as the price at which the assets change hands between a willing buyer and willing seller, both having a reasonable knowledge of all the relevant facts. That may be easier said than done, and the IRS has specific rules for determining the value of these gifts. As you might expect, the rules cover every conceivable type of gift, or asset, including securities, mutual funds, life insurance, real estate, personal property and works of art. There are tax benefits, including capital-gains exclusions on property in many circumstances. Saying that the fair market value (FMV) is the price an asset would sell for on the open market sounds pretty reasonable and straightforward, and in most cases it is. Sometimes there can be quite a gap between

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what someone thinks something is worth, and what the true FMV is. Many people are experiencing that harsh reality right now in the housing market. An appraisal will establish the FMV, and the Foundation can direct you to a number of qualified appraisers. It’s most important when the value of any property exceeds $5,000. That’s when the IRS takes an increased interest in amounts being claimed as deductions and the important Form 8283 comes into play. This is the form that must accompany your tax return, signed by the appraiser and the Foundation, in order to secure the full deduction. Service to others is one way to affirm that our lives have value, and it’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. We’re grateful that so many people believe in the value of what St. Joseph’s does and find so many creative ways to help. If you’d like to talk to someone about your ideas for supporting St. Joseph’s mission, please feel free to contact me at 602406-1037 or Robert.Hopkins@chw.edu.

CREATE INCOME FOR TODAY. LEAVE A LEGACY FOR TOMORROW.

“We earn interest rates far, far higher than we could get from any CD or money-market fund, we get a very large tax deduction, and most of our annual income is tax-free. And, ultimately, Barrow, which we feel so strongly about, will receive money to grow and assist others.” — Bill and Jane Ratsch

When you establish a lifetime income gift, you ensure that St. Joseph’s Hospital and Barrow Neurological Institute continue to grow and thrive into the future, helping thousands of people every year. And, like Bill and Jane Ratsch, you’ll benefit with tax savings and a dependable fixed income for life. Suggested Annuity Payments for a $10,000 Gift* Age Rate Annuity Tax Deduction _______________________________ 60 5.7% $570 $3,105 _______________________________ 70 6.5% $650 $3,952 _______________________________ 80 8.0% $800 $4,905 _______________________________ *These figures are for illustration purposes only. Minimum age: 50. Minimum gift: $10,000. The deduction is variable and based on the available IRS Discount Rate. Consult your adviser about such a gift.

For a personalized proposal, please contact St. Joseph’s Foundation at 602-406-3041.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 685 Phoenix, AZ

CHW Arizona St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center 350 W. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85013

You’ve got mail! St. Joseph’s Foundation is developing more cost-effective and efficient ways of communicating with our donors and friends. One of these methods is email. Please help us by sending your email address on the enclosed postage-paid postcard. Or simply email your information to Catherine.Menor@chw.edu. Please include your name, address, email address and phone number. Thanks for your help with this project!