SJH_Mag_2_2009 by Cori Lorts

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

Volume 5, Issue 2, 2009

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN Specialized heart clinics solve complex problems

New Medical School in Phoenix St. Joseph’s partners with Creighton University

OPENING THOUGHTS Richard Horn, the chairman of the Board of Directors of St. Joseph’s Foundation, says it best in his article on page 16: “St. Joseph’s is an incredible community resource that needs and deserves your support.” Read this issue of St. Joseph’s Magazine, and you’ll see plenty of examples of what Rick is talking about. From pioneering heart procedures, advanced genetic testing, and cutting-edge diagnostic technology to a new medical school based right here in Phoenix, St. Joseph’s is a leader in clinical care, medical education, and research. None of this would be possible without you and the many other benefactors who give so generously to St. Joseph’s Foundation. Your gifts enable us to do the extras that make St. Joseph’s a truly great hospital. As this magazine was going to press, we learned that Modern Healthcare has named St. Joseph’s one of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare—another example of what we can achieve with your support. We encourage you to get more involved in St. Joseph’s and our healing ministry. Check out the list of Miracle Tours for this fiscal year, and sign up for one that interests you. You’ll come away, as Rick has, impressed by the amazing things happening at the hospital you have helped build. Thank you for all you do!

Linda Hunt Service Area President, CHW Arizona President/CEO, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

Mary Jane Crist CEO St. Joseph’s Foundation

Correction: Gregg Giannina, MD, was incorrectly identified as George Giannina, MD, in the last issue of St. Josephʼs Magazine. We apologize for this error.

On our cover: Joseph Kimball is a cowboy who received a career-saving valve replacement at St. Josephʼs Heart & Lung Institute. Learn about his journey in our cover article starting on page 2.

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

contents

Catherine Menor Editor Catherine.Menor@chw.edu Justin Detwiler Art Director/Designer Panoramic Press

Volume 5, Issue 2, 2009

Back in the Saddle Again Surgeons tackle difficult cardiac cases through two advanced clinics.

A Tiny Heart in 3D Angiogram guides surgeons, helps parents understand.

Heart Savings Coronary CTA rules out lethal artery blockages.

Breathing Easier Foundation-funded program helps children with asthma stay healthy, reduces healthcare costs.

Shared Vision and Values Creighton University and St. Joseph’s announce opening of only Catholic medical school in the West.

A Word from Our Chairman “St. Joseph’s is an incredible community resource that needs and deserves your support.”

All in the Family Women turn to genetic testing to deal with family histories of breast cancer.

Saving Trees Foundations increase online communications.

Why We Give Family honors son through gifts to water-safety program.

Miracle Tours

Benefactor Briefs

News

Brad Armstrong, Jeff Noble Photography Sally Clasen, Diantha Leavitt, Melissa Morrison, Sarah Padilla Christina Vanoverbeke Contributing writers

Linda Hunt, Service Area President, CHW Arizona President/CEO, 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.SupportStJosephs.org and www.SupportCongenitalHeart.org.

BACK IN THE SADDLE SURGEONS TACKLE DIFFICULT CARDIAC CASES THROUGH TWO ADVANCED CLINICS

by Sally Clasen

hen the subject of heart surgery comes up, many people automatically think

of coronary bypass surgery, a procedure used commonly in the United States

to improve blood flow and open up clogged arteries. Yet, treating cardiovascular problems isn’t always a “routine” event, as Joseph Kimball, age 46, and William “Randy” Davis, 78, discovered this past year.

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Lishan Aklog, MD, and Brian deGuzman, MD, in surgery at St. Josephʼs Heart and Lung Tower. Gifts from donors helped fund a renovation of the tower.

Fortunately, both men received cutting-edge care at St. Joseph’s as part of programs that combine advanced cardiac diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in one setting: the Heart Valve and Atrial Fibrillation clinics. The clinics were created by Lishan Aklog, MD, and Brian J. deGuzman, MD, of the Heart and Lung Institute (HLI) at St. Joseph’s. Drs. Aklog, deGuzman, and a team of specialists, nurses and support staff meet each week to evaluate patients of all ages in both clinics. “One of the advantages of these clinics and our dedicated team approach is that patients are offered coordinated rather than fragmented care in solving heart issues,particularly complex ones,” explains Dr.Aklog,who is the chair of the Cardiovascular Center and chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at the HLI. That perspective was critical for both Kimball and Davis, whose heart surgeries were routine for St. Joseph’s experts but hardly normal in the scope of everyday cardiac procedures. Here are their stories: The cowboy with a blocked valve Joseph Kimball, a Queen Creek resident, did not have a history of heart disease when in September 2008 while competing at a rodeo in Utah, he started coughing and feeling lousy. By the time he returned to theValley, his condition had Joseph Kimball deteriorated significantly. “I was miserable—coughing all the time—so I went to the doctor and was prescribed antibiotics,”says Kimball, who shoes horses and is a blacksmith when he’s not pursuing a professional roping career.“I tried to shrug it off and continued to work. In November, I went to the National Finals Rodeo in Laughlin, Nevada, but got so weak I had to fly home.” In December, Kimball went to a local ER, where he was immediately admitted to the hospital’s intensive

care unit with congestive heart failure, caused by aortic stenosis (valve blockage) that had reduced his heart function to 10 percent. He also was experiencing severe liver and kidney failure.A team of physicians worked on him throughout the night.“The triage doctor said I had been snatched from the jaws of death,” Kimball says. It was recommended that Kimball have a mechanical valve replacement,which would require taking the blood thinner Coumadin for the rest of his life. He also was told he’d have to change his lifestyle, which would end his dreams of becoming a professional roper, because of the risk of life-threatening bleeding from Coumadin. It was devastating news for the dedicated cowboy. “I couldn’t understand why I had learned all these skills and wasn’t going to be able to use them again,” Kimball

“In November, I went to the

National Finals Rodeo... but

got so weak I had to fly home.”

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“The key in all valve patients is careful, coordinated monitoring so that intervention is performed within the correct window of opportunity, before permanent recalls.“I cried for quite a while.” Once he left the hospital, Kimball made a follow-up appointment with a surgeon to dis- Lishan Aklog, MD cuss the mechanical valve option.He also scheduled a visit to St.Joseph’s HeartValve Clinic. According to Kimball, he had two “heartfelt“ meetings with Dr. Aklog, who suggested to the father of two daughters, ages 7 and 17, that it would be reasonable to consider a bovine tissue valve replacement. The tissue-

that was identified on his preoperative evaluation—an ascending aortic aneurysm. The aneurysm required the surgeon to stop Kimball’s circulation for 25 minutes to mend it with a Dacron graft. Kimball’s breast bone was reconstructed using a unique system of titanium plates and screws instead of traditional wire hoops, a method that accelerated his return to a vigorous life. “It is gratifying that our team was able to offer this rather ill young man a minimally invasive operation that corrected both his obstructed valve and his aneurysm, and allowed him to quickly return to his very active life,” says Dr. Aklog. One week after his discharge from the hospital,Kimball was back on a horse, and a few days later, he started roping again. His heart function has returned to near normal. While he says it’s been a slow process of healing, Kimball has never felt better. “I’ve got blood flow now. I’m so strong. Everything is different. My muscles are bigger. My hat size is bigger,” he says. “And I’m farther along than I’ve ever been in my whole life. I still have a bit of numbing, but it’s a small price to pay.”

heart and lung damage develops.”

valve replacement would eliminate the need for Coumadin—and save his roping career. Kimball agreed, and on Jan. 13, 2009, Dr. Aklog’s team replaced Kimball’s damaged valve with a biological tissue valve through a three-inch incision in his chest. In addition, Dr.Aklog repaired an unexpected problem

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The grandfather with a quivering heart William “Randy” Davis, a retiree who lives in Scottsdale, has a family history of heart disease and had taken high blood pressure medication since the 1960s. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF), an abnormality that occurs in the two upper chambers—or atria—of the heart and that creates irregular heart beats (arrhythmia). Instead of a coordinated contraction, with AF, the heart muscles of the atria quiver, or fibrillate. While many with AF don’t have symptoms, they must take blood thinners and watch what they eat. They also may be at greater risk for stroke. “When I first heard this, I didn’t know what AF was but thought, ‘How horrible. I don’t want to live like this the rest of my life,’” Davis says. The grandfather of two wasn’t thrilled with the idea of continuing to take Coumadin every day. Plus, the need to visit doctors every other week to get blood work done was becoming a strain.“I was tired of my arm being black and blue from where they drew the blood,”says Davis, who also had a catheter ablation procedure to help manage the AF. So when he saw an ad in the Arizona Republic in January 2007 promoting a free seminar on atrial fibrillation, he was eager to attend. “I was expecting to see about 50 people. When I got there, the auditorium was filled with more than 300 people of all ages. I knew I was in the right place,”Davis says. The educational seminars are held monthly by Dr. Aklog and Dr. deGuzman, associate chief of Cardiac Surgery at the HLI and director of its Atrial Fibrillation Clinic. Davis made an appointment at the HLI’s AF Clinic and met with Dr. deGuzman. In addition to AF, tests revealed Davis had leaky mitral and tricuspid valves, and coronary blockage. He underwent open-heart surgery on May 19, 2008.

During the procedure, Dr. Aklog repaired the valves and did a bypass graft in addition to a Cox maze procedure to correct the AF. During the Cox maze procedure, surgeons used incisions and a special radiofrequency device to create a pattern of lines in the wall of the atria, literally creating a “maze” through which the electrical impulses are forced to travel and restoring an orderly electrical signal and regular heart beat. “All of this could have developed into something far more serious. I feel that my life was saved,” Davis says. Soon after surgery, Davis wore a heart-rhythm monitor for 30 days, and it showed not a single irregular heart beat.As part of treatment, Davis did cardiac rehab three times a week for three months and now says he’s“holding steady.” The most significant change: He’s been off Coumadin for more than a year and is only taking half of his high blood pressure medication. “I just saw Dr. Aklog, and he has set me free. I’ll see him in one year. I’m thrilled. I can’t say enough about Dr. Aklog, Dr. deGuzman, and the the rest of the caring staff at St. Joseph’s and how everything was handled.”

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According to Dr. deGuzman, Davis is the perfect example of someone who thought AF couldn’t be cured. “He is the poster child for the multidisciplinary, patientcentered approach we have taken in our Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Valve clinics. In one, setting, he was offered the full spectrum of treatment options, and after a long, detailed discussion, he chose to pursue a surgical cure for his AF,” says the surgeon, who adds that the success rate for the Cox maze procedure is between 80 and 90 percent. “He shows that even in an elderly patient we have the opportunity to perform a relatively complex procedure that can improve quality of life and decrease long-term risks of stroke and complications from blood thinners,” Dr. Aklog adds. Different hearts, one goal Dr. Aklog points out that many myths exist about heart disease—especially valve disease and atrial fibrillation. Many patients simply do not fully understand the options available to them. “Most valve patients are in fact candidates for minimally invasive procedures. Nearly all those with leaky mitral and/or tricuspid valves can reap the many benefits of valve repair over replacement, including better preservation of heart function, avoidance of blood thinners, and a longer life. The key in all valve patients is careful, coordinated monitoring so that intervention is performed within the correct window of opportunity,before permanent heart and lung damage develops,” Dr. Aklog says. Similarly, many patients with AF are often told that it is something they just have to live with, that it is a disease without a cure. ‘‘This just isn’t the case. AF can be cured in many patients,” he says.

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“It is important to have strong, integrated programs that can handle complex heart problems, such as Joseph’s and Randy’s, and offer individuals a personalized, modern treatment plan.Here at St.Joseph’s,our team has tried to move from a traditional center focused on routine bypass surgery to one that excels broadly in the treatment of all types of heart patients including those that require complex and high-risk procedures. We hope this can enhance our patients’ lives.”

St. Josephʼs cardiovascular surgeons Lishan Aklog, MD, and Brian deGuzman, MD, are pioneers in treating valve disease and atrial fibrillation.

by Melissa Morrison

CT ANGIOGRAM GUIDES HEART SURGEONS AND HELPS PARENTS UNDERSTAND

A TINY HEART IN 3D hen Mark Wright was born in May 2008 with a previously undetected heart defect, his parents were understandably flustered. “I knew a heart had four chambers, but that’s about where my knowledge stopped,” Molly Wright says. “It was very confusing and hard to get things right in our minds.” The two-day-old newborn was airlifted from the Gilbert hospital where he was born to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, where doctors diagnosed him with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which meant his aorta and one half of his heart were underdeveloped. Traditional technology could not give a precise determination of the extent of Mark’s defect. But a newer technique, called a cardiac CT angiogram, not only gave surgeons a clear road map to guide them, it gave Mark’s parents clarity about their son’s heart defect. “Everything was color-coded, and we could see the exact size of his left ventricle,” Mrs. Wright says.“They could point it out, ‘Here’s the right and here’s the left, and it’s a tenth of the size it should be.’ “It was invaluable because it helped us see for ourselves.”

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This color-coded CTA of Mark Wrightʼs heart shows a smaller-thannormal left ventricle (orange) and a normal-sized right ventricle (purple).

In adult patients, CT angiograms (CTAs) are emerging as a faster, more detailed replacement for conventional angiograms, which are riskier and more invasive. But until recently, cardiac CTAs took too long to be used on a baby’s heart, which beats roughly twice as fast as an adult’s. “In the past, high radiation exposure and the baby’s rapid heart rate made this type of exam impossible,” says Randy Richardson, MD, chairman of Radiology at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. Technological advances, however, now make CTA possible for infants. The technique, which St. Joseph’s radiologists have been using for two years, is far less invasive, much quicker, and very accurate. For the procedure, an anesthesiologist typically intubates the tiny patient and holds the baby’s breath for the five-second duration of the scan. A contrast dye is injected into the infant’s veins to limn, or delineate, the anatomy of the heart. Surgeons use the resulting color 3-D image to guide them during a heart operation. For example, the CTA image helps them avoid cutting across small but important coronary vessels in the heart. “You can even manipulate the images to put your-

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self inside the heart and fly through the vessels and chambers of the heart to get a unique perspective in difficult cases,” Dr. Richardson says. It gives cardiothoracic surgeons like John Nigro, MD, “the unprecedented ability to have an accurate rendering of the anatomy, which can be presented in a 3-D way that can be manipulated. “In prior eras we had to integrate two-dimensional studies with prior operative experience and then create an operative plan,” Dr. Nigro says. “This technology allows a more thorough and thoughtful evaluation prior to surgery.” So far, St. Joseph’s is only using the technique on babies, although it can be performed on adults, as well. Even limited to pediatric patients, it has had a significant effect. “We now do half the number of conventional angiograms than before we began this program in 2007,” Dr. Richardson says. Congenital heart disease is the most common major defect in newborns, affecting one percent of American babies, according to the American Heart Association. The defects impede blood flow through the heart and can be fatal. They also put babies at risk for heart-valve infection, abnormal growth, and heart problems as adults. Since his birth, Mark Wright has undergone two of three planned surgeries to reconfigure his heart so it pumps efficiently. His third surgery is scheduled sometime after he turns two years old in May. His parents, as well as his extended family, have a clearer idea of how far he’s come, thanks to cardiac CTA. “We even emailed images to our family, because they were, like us, confused,” Mrs. Wright says.“It was very helpful.”

HEART SAVINGS by Melissa Morrison

Olga Kalinkin, MD, Chief of Cross Sectional Imaging at St. Josephʼs.

“

CORONARY CTA RULES OUT LETHAL ARTERY BLOCKAGES IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES

ime is muscle,” when it comes to treating potential heart attacks. A new technique employed by radiologists in St. Joseph’s Emergency Department rules out lethal artery blockages in less than 10 minutes and sends patients home sooner and safer. Chest pain can be caused by anything from indigestion to heart attack. Coronary computed tomography angiography—coronary CTA—creates a detailed 3D picture of a patient’s heart vessels. It quickly identifies whether any vessels that deliver crucial oxygenated blood to heart muscle are dangerously narrowed. Traditionally, ER physicians have looked for heartclogging plaques with a coronary angiogram. It’s an invasive procedure that carries certain risks because it requires threading a catheter through an artery and into the heart. The procedure generally takes about one hour, followed by a four- to eight-hour recovery period and sometimes an overnight hospital stay, even if the patient’s coronary arteries turn out to be healthy. Coronary CTA, on the other hand, takes only five heartbeats to complete. It is noninvasive, requiring only IV access, usually through a vein in the patient’s forearm. If the patient receives an all-clear, he or she can be sent home immediately. “The CTA test is reducing wait times and healthcare costs,” says Olga Kalinkin, MD, chief of Cross Sectional Imaging at St. Joseph’s. “It reduces unnecessary admissions, shortens length of stay, and reduces charges.” It is also more comprehensive than traditional angiography because it reveals blood vessel walls and plaque buildup that may not be visible on angiography.

Available 24 hours a day, the 64-slice CT scanner takes multiple x-rays—or “slices”—of the heart and then puts them together into a high-resolution 3-D image. “Radiologists can look at the patient’s arteries from an infinite number of angles and look at a cross-section of vessels,” Dr. Kalinkin says. If the coronary CTA indicates the patient’s vessels are unobstructed, or only somewhat obstructed, the ER doctor can safely discharge him or her. “A patient with no coronary artery lesions is assured about his or her good coronary artery health,” Dr. Kalinkin says.“A patient with mild coronary atherosclerosis receives specific instructions to modify his or her risk factors to prevent progression of coronary atherosclerosis.” Patients with more significant coronary disease receive a consultation from a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon in the ED and further treatment. The technology also gives doctors a chance to look for other life-threatening causes of chest pain, such as pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, and diseases of the lung or chest wall. But its most important contribution is ruling out life-threatening coronary artery disease as quickly and efficiently as possible. “The primary goal for the ED doctor in treating patients with chest pain is rapid and early evaluation,” Dr. Kalinkin says.

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by Lynne Reaves

BREATHING EASIER FOUNDATION-FUNDED PROGRAM HELPS CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA STAY HEALTHY, REDUCES HEALTHCARE COSTS

low-cost neighborhood outreach program offered insurance companies of about $330,200. by St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center for Additionally, school absences dropped from about 67 young asthma patients is dramatically reducing health- days for all the children to only five. care costs and demonstrating the far-reaching value of “This asthma program opened our eyes and helped preventative medicine and health education. my son stay out of the ER,” says Phoenix resident Irene “While President Obama’s proposed healthcare Contreras, whose son James participated in the program. reform legislation is promising that prevention and “He learned the importance of taking his medicines, education will reduce costs, we are already proving it,” and we all learned what to do if he had an attack. It says Marisue Garganta, director of Community Health took a lot of the fear away.” Contreras says that with Integration at St. Joseph’s. “The Asthma Education the information she gained from the St. Joseph’s eduProgram is making an amazing difference in children’s cator, she was able to offer advice to other parents. lives, and it is saving patients and families huge amounts “A lot of parents are in denial about their children’s of money.” asthma problems, but they The savings are impressive. really need to believe the A child with severe asthma is doctors and get as much likely to have one emergency information as they can.” room visit and two nights in Since it began in 2001, the hospital per year. In 2008, more than 600 children have the average inpatient care for been helped by the Asthma a young asthma patient at St. Education Program. OrigJoseph’s was $14,600. Famiinally launched by the Cenlies of children enrolled in the ter for Disease Control, the St. Joseph’s education proproject has been completegram have seen these medical ly funded by St. Joseph’s costs reduced dramatically or Foundation for the past five completely eliminated. years. The Foundation has “It is safe to say that the Marisue Garganta contributed about $140,000 Asthma Education Program annually to make the prois saving the community hungram possible. dreds of thousands of dollars a year,” says Garganta. “There are so many levels of benefits and support “Many of these families are uninsured or underin- from this program,” says Garganta. “Because the chilsured, so this is a real blessing to them, while for St. dren are healthy, parents can go to work and earn a livJoseph’s and other hospitals, it means cost efficien- ing, children stay in school, schools benefit from attencies.” dance, and hospital costs go down.” In 2008, with approximately 84 children enrolled in Children, ages 4-15, are identified as possible parthe program, emergency room visits were reduced ticipants by Roosevelt, Osborn, and Balsz school disfrom 38 (the year before the children enrolled) to zero, trict officials or by clinical staff in neighborhood clinand hospitalizations were cut from seven to zero. Based ics or at St. Joseph’s. An educator and social worker on average emergency department and hospital costs, develop a customized care plan for each child, which that is a combined savings to these families and their can include home visits from the educators, education-

“It is safe to say that this program is saving the

community hundreds of

thousands of dollars a year.”

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Javier Bailon is one of more than 600 children who have been helped by St. Josephʼs Asthma Education Program.

al meetings for parents, counseling at schools, and monthly contact with the St. Joseph’s team. St. Joseph’s social workers and educators teach the child and family about medications, nutrition, environmental risks in the home, and how to talk with physicians. “The vast majority of patients admitted to the emergency room have either very limited or no asthma education,” says Bonnie Harley, an asthma counselor/social worker who has been instrumental in the program’s success. “Patients are discharged from the ER without an asthma management plan. That is where we come in.” The program has accomplished its goals of improv-

ing quality of life, decreasing hospital stays and emergency room visits, and decreasing the overall cost of asthma, says Garganta. “The frustrating part is that many insurance providers do not allow us to bill for education or prevention, so St. Joseph’s bears the cost.” Metropolitan Phoenix is in the top five large U.S. cities for asthma-related deaths. St. Joseph’s alone treated 2,800 asthma patients of all ages during 2008.

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TOP OF THE CLASS RADIOLOGY RESIDENCY PROGRAM WINS HIGHEST RATING FROM BOARD OF RADIOLOGY

by Melissa Morrison

t. Joseph’s Radiology Residency Program has been awarded the highest rating by the American Board of Radiology (ABR). The award is based on the residents’ 100 percent pass rate over the past five years of the rigorous certification exams administered by the board. The Tucson-based ABR doesn’t release the number of institutions that achieved similar pass rates, but a spokeswoman emphasized that only a few nationwide do so. The oral component, for example, is a oneon-one, image-based exam of four-to-five hours in which candidates interpret images as they would in practice. The residents’ success is testament to the quality of St. Joseph’s residency program, which emphasizes research and education, according to its director, Randy Richardson, MD. “Our residents are extremely dedicated,” he says. “They spend an average of one to two hours a day

studying radiology and many additional hours going over teaching files and questions to help them prepare to go out and make a difference as radiologists.” Each resident becomes involved in a major research project over the four-year residency that helps hone his or her expertise. Some have been honored with national recognition, including the Caffey Award from the Society for Pediatric Radiology in 2005 and the Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Trainee Book Award from the Association of University Radiologists in 2008. Residents are guided by a radiology staff that values teaching. Four St. Joseph’s radiologists have received Teacher of the Year awards over as many years, while four are currently examiners for the ABR. Board certification by the 75-year-old ABR assures patients and employers that radiologists have achieved nationally-designated performance standards. From left: Randy Richardson, MD, director of St. Josephʼs Radiology Residency Program, with four of the current residents, Sara Panahandeh, Eduardo Oyola, Matt Moore, and Jon Machayya.

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SHARED VISION & VALUES

Jason Caplan, MD, a graduate of Creighton Medical School and an attending physician at St. Josephʼs, with Creighton University student, Kimberly Daniel.

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY AND ST. JOSEPH’S ANNOUNCE OPENING OF ONLY CATHOLIC MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE WEST

n the face of a national physician shortage, new medical schools and affiliations are cropping up throughout the country. Few, however, will offer students an experience as unique as that offered through St. Joseph’s newest academic endeavor. This summer, the hospital and Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha formally announced plans to operate a joint medical school campus in Phoenix beginning in 2010. The Creighton University School of Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, part of CHW, will become the only Catholic medical school campus located west of Omaha and one of only five in the nation.

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So much in common To some, the affiliation between a university in the Midwest and an Arizona hospital might seem incongruous. But, in reality, the two institutions share many similarities. “St. Joseph’s talked to both local and national medical schools to find a partner whose mission and vision aligned with ours,” says Charles Daschbach, MD, director of Academic Affairs at St. Joseph’s. “Early on in our discussions with Creighton, we found a strong compatibility in our commitment to the under-served and excellence in education and research.” While both are well-established Catholic institutions (St. Joseph’s was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1895, and Creighton by the Jesuits in 1878), that’s only the first common bond. Perhaps even more significant is the commitment to community service for which each institution is known. In fact, both are recent recipients of the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service. St. Joseph’s dedication to the community spans more than a century, while Creighton’s medical students must demonstrate a strong record of community service before being accepted. Then, while studying at Creighton, the medical students operate the Magis Clinic, a free health clinic in Omaha. Another shared bond is a commitment to highquality education and research. Ranked among the most“wired”universities, Creighton has set the bar high in terms of innovative teaching from faculty as well as learning-effort expectations from students in this unique educational affiliation with St. Joseph’s, says Dr. Daschbach. Energizer bunnies Teaching medical students is nothing new to St. Joseph’s. The hospital hosts students from more than 60 institutions on a rotating basis. There are about 25 medical students on campus at any given time. Once the Creighton affiliation is fully implemented, that number will jump to more than 100. And that’s a good thing, for plenty of reasons.

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Left, Tara Chettier, a third-year Creighton student, cares for Deborah Hardesty in the Heart & Lung Tower. Right, Creighton student Thuy Koll (right) works under the guidance of Family Medicine intern Heeran Abawia, MD, of the University of Arizona. Below, among the audience for teaching rounds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are Hoyoung Chung, MD, a Pediatrics resident; Daniel Farber, a Creighton student, Cherise Hamblin, MD, an OB/GYN resident; and Tiffany Davis, a medical school student.

“Medical students energize teaching hospitals,” explains Dr. Daschbach. “The opportunity to shape young physicians in their earliest clinical experiences energizes all of us, especially nurses, other support staff, and faculty.” Teaching hospitals also count on this positive energy to attract residents, and where physicians complete their residency is a good indicator of where they will end up practicing medicine in the long run. This is good news in a state that has a growing physician shortage. Reaping the benefits Creighton students started coming to St. Joseph’s for month-long rotations in a handful of specialties in 2005, and the hospital is already reaping the benefits of the partnership. Danielle Potter, MD, is a firstyear OB/GYN resident at St. Joseph’s and a Creighton alumna. She completed rotations at St. Joseph’s during her third and fourth years of medical school at Creighton and was happy to return to the hospital as a resident this summer. From a student perspective, she thinks that the geographic arrangement of the new medical school will offer some distinct advantages.

“Not only is it a benefit to students to get to experience two different environments, but they will be exposed to different patient populations as well,” says Dr. Potter.“For example, there’s a larger Hispanic population in Phoenix than there is in Omaha, so students are seeing a different clinical spectrum. I think it’s an added benefit to their education.” The class of 2014 The selection process for the first class of 42 students is just getting underway. Beginning in July 2010, those students will spend their first two years receiving classroom instruction in Omaha and then will spend their third and fourth years doing clinical rotations at St. Joseph’s. The first Phoenix medical student class will graduate in 2014. As the program progresses, St. Joseph’s is looking forward to becoming a more integral part of the Creighton team, even before students arrive for their third-year rotations. For starters, the medical school and the hospital will appoint an associate dean, whose primary role will be to oversee the regional medical campus and ensure that all LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) requirements are being met by early next year. From there, even more benefits will fall into place. Creighton has very competitive pharmacy and nursing schools, and further opportunities will be explored. “Many of our faculty members already have clinical appointments with Creighton, but we look forward to playing a larger role on the Creighton team, whether through the student selection process or participating in lectures or by collaborating on research,” says John Boyd, MD, St. Joseph’s chief medical officer. “Eventually, we will have representation on all key committees, which will lead to scholarly activity growth, education growth, and curricular growth.” At the same time, St. Joseph’s will continue its academic and research relationships with the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Arizona State University, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, and more than 20 other medical schools. “The new partnership with Creighton demonstrates our commitment to medical education at all levels,”says Linda Hunt, service area president for Catholic Healthcare West Arizona and president and CEO of St. Joseph’s.

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A WORD FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

WHY ST. JOSEPH’S MATTERS TO ARIZONA

by Richard Horn, Chairman St. Josephʼs Foundation Board of Directors

y first job in the pet industry almost didn’t happen. It was 17 years ago, and I was interviewing for a job with a chain of pet stores in the Midwest. The interviews had gone well, but after each, the owners of the company both turned to me and commented, “But you don’t have a dog.” While I was unfazed by their observations, my wife quickly saw the writing on the wall, and after a weekend golf trip, I came home to find that we were the adoptive parents of a two-year-old bichon frise. In no time at all, I got the job. But, more importantly, that dog turned me into a hardcore dog lover and gave me passion for and insight into my new field. Two years later, I joined PETsMART, Inc., and stayed there until my retirement in 2002. When Gordon Murphy approached me in 2005 about serving on the Board of Directors for St. Joseph’s Foundation, I viewed that volunteer position in much the same way I had my first job in the pet-supply industry. I had the financial and management skills that the board needed. But, like so many people in Arizona, I knew little about St. Joseph’s Hospital. I had the skills but not the passion for the position. Let me tell you, that quickly changed!

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At every board meeting, I learned a little more about this amazing medical center. Today, I am a big fan of St. Joseph’s, and I believe that one of my roles as a board member is to “friend-raise” for the hospital. Friend-raising involves telling my friends, neighbors, and family about St. Joseph’s—what makes it important to our community and worthy of our support. It involves building relationships that increase advocacy for and financial contributions to the hospital. Why should St. Joseph’s matter to you? St. Joseph’s is a major teacher of tomorrow’s healthcare professionals. Take a stroll through the hospital, and you’ll be blown away by the educational activity occurring. You’ll find more than 180 residents in 10 specialties getting postmedical school training, 13 fellows receiving subspecialty training, and dozens of nursing, medicalschool, and technical-school students learning at St. Joseph’s. The new partnership with Creighton University illustrates St. Joseph’s commitment to education. St. Joseph’s—in particular its Barrow Neurological Institute—is one of the biggest biomedical research enterprises in Arizona. Did you know that researchers are conducting more than 400 studies at St. Joseph’s? That engineers from GE Healthcare are collaborating with St. Joseph’s researchers in the Keller Center for Imaging and Innovation at St. Joseph’s? Or that an entire building at St. Joseph’s and a large part of the first floor of the TGen building are dedicated to St. Joseph’s and Barrow research? Few people are aware of the leading-edge research being conducted at St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s focuses on providing the services our community needs.One great example is the Center for Thoracic Transplantation. Before the center opened at St. Joseph’s in 2007, most people in Arizona who needed a lung transplant traveled to California for surgery, rehabilitation, and lifelong follow-up care. Now, they get the care they need right here at home. St. Joseph’s is an incredible community resource that needs and deserves your support. To learn more, call the Office of Philanthropy at 602-406-3041.

Sisters Shannon and Kyla Harris had different outcomes from genetic testing.

ALL IN THE FAMILY WOMEN TURN TO GENETIC TESTING TO DEAL WITH FAMILY HISTORIES OF BREAST CANCER by Diantha Leavitt

ffective crystal balls may not exist, but genetic testing can help predict the risk of developing certain types of cancers. Cathleen McCann, a genetic counselor at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, informs clients of their options before they make the decision to take a genetic test and peer into the possibility of developing cancer in the future. “It was a relief to know where the cancer came from and to know that the decision that I made (to have a double mastectomy) was the right one,” says Sharon Vail, a mother of two. While breast feeding her seven-month-old boy,Vail discovered a lump in her breast. Later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing two lumpectomies and months of chemotherapy earlier this year, she decided to see McCann about taking the test that would reveal if she had a genetic mutation that caus-

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Genetic counselor Cathleen McCann at St. Josephʼs Comprehensive Cancer Center. You can support the Comprehensive Cancer Center by giving to the Multidisciplinary Second Opinion Clinic at the Center. To learn more, visit the “Events and Campaigns” section of SupportStJosephs.org or call the Foundation Office at 602-406-3041.

es breast cancer. With that information, Vail would be better prepared to take actions that could reduce her risk of a recurrence of cancer. Genetic counselors provide information to people who may have developed or may develop a health condition caused by a genetic mutation. They help clients understand the probability of developing the condition, the chances of passing it on to their children, and the options for testing, treatment, and risk reduction. McCann says that being a genetic counselor is similar to being a detective because genetic counselors must take into account hereditary and environmental factors when they try to ascertain if a person is likely to have a genetic mutation. McCann pulled out her Sherlock Holmes’ skills the day after Vail’s last chemotherapy treatment. She drew a chart illustrating the medical history of Vail’s family. Based on that and other information, McCann shared the patterns of illness she saw and the likelihood of genetic mutations within Vail’s family. She helped her

Sharon Vail with her husband, Rick, and sons, Richard and William, at Williamʼs first birthday party.

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think through the implications of a negative or positive test result and if she should take the test. “I needed her to help me think through that,” Vail says.“I don’t want to do chemo again, and I don’t want to get cancer again. Having a mastectomy and an oophorectomy will give me the best chance of not having to do that again. ” Shannon Harris never wants to go through the horrors of breast cancer at all. As a healthy 24-year-old, she underwent a double mastectomy when she discovered that she carries the genetic mutation for breast cancer that runs in her family. Several women, including her mother, died at a young age due to breast cancer. Harris says that the process of scheduling appointments and waiting for test results to find out if you have cancer is traumatic. “You might as well just find out if you have the gene and determine what you’re going to do after that,” she said.

Harris and her 18-year-old sister Kyla decided to seek genetic counseling after their mother died from breast cancer in 2006. Breast cancer in the Harris family dates back to their great-grandmother, and every generation has suffered from the illness. Harris’s cousin passed away in her late 30s. At 29 and 27 years old, the two sisters of that cousin also took genetic tests and decided to undergo double mastectomies upon receiving a positive result, Harris says. The Harris sisters sought their genetic counseling at St. Joseph’s. “We were clueless when we walked into (McCann’s) office,” Shannon Harris says.“She does a great job at what she does. She’s informative and positive and helped us to understand things.” McCann sees her job as a genetic counselor as a ministry of sorts.“If I can help people understand what they’re going through, what their medical condition is, and put it in black and white for them and empower them with that knowledge, then when they walk out they’re a little less afraid.” At right is a pedigree prepared by Cathleen McCann for a patient concerned about the prevalence of breast cancer in her family. The pedigree shows relatives affected by cancer and those who have had breast cancer genetic testing.

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When should you consider having a genetic test? • A person has a strong family history of cancer. • Cancer strikes at an early age in the person’s family. • The test is likely to show whether the person has a specific mutation. • The person has met with a qualified genetic counselor and thinks it’s important. • The results will change the approach a person takes to fighting cancer. —The Society of Gynecological Oncologists

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SAVING TREES FOUNDATIONS INCREASE ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS WITH FRIENDS OF ST. JOSEPH’S AND BARROW

by Christina Vanoverbeke

he Foundations of St. Joseph’s have taken several steps this year in an effort to keep you informed about all that is happening and to spread the word about the news and events taking place here to an even bigger audience. From a new website and newsletter to entering the world of Facebook and Twitter, we’re doing much more to keep you informed and to expand the philanthropic community surrounding St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Barrow Neurological Institute.

New congenital heart website The vision for the Scott and Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center is to improve care for all patients with congenital heart disease, from before birth through adulthood. To support that vision, the Congenital Heart Foundation was founded last year to raise funds for this unique center of excellence. Now the foundation has launched its own website, www.SupportCongenitalHeart.org, to keep the community, benefactors, and potential benefactors informed about what is happening at the center. On the site, you will find stories of patients who have received care at the center, news about events, campaigns, programs, and services, and information about how to give. You also can make a donation directly to the center in a secure online environment. Ever-changing web pages In addition to our new website, we’re expanding the sites we already established for St. Joseph’s Foundation and Barrow Neurological Foundation.Additions include posting the full content of Barrow and St. Joseph’s Magazine in a flipbook format so that you can read them just as they appear in print. We’ve also posted new pages about special projects that need donor funding, including:

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The Ashlyn Dyer Aquatic Center – The staff of the Deborah and Bruce Downey Neuro Rehabilitation Center hopes to build a new aquatic therapy facility to serve as many patients needing this useful therapy as possible. These are patients of all ages with a variety of diagnoses, including stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, back pain syndromes, injuries requiring restricted lower extremity weight bearing, and other musculoskeletal dysfunction. • Multidisciplinary Second Opinion Clinic at the Comprehensive Cancer Center – This project is working to create a kind of one-stop center that provides patients a thorough diagnosis and treatment plan, and that coordinates the patient’s care throughout the cancer journey. • The Center for Adaptive Brain Function - Barrow proposes to assemble a world-class team of medical and research experts to pioneer new paths for the treatment of devastating brain disorders, particularly bipolar disorder and depression, through the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS). In the coming year, we hope to share even more patient success stories, as well as articles about the innovative programs and services being offered at the hospital, thanks to our benefactors’generosity. And we’re excited to be adding even more for you to look at, including photo slideshows and video. We’re on Facebook It’s likely many of you are already members of Facebook. Millions of people all over the world use the site to stay in touch with friends and family and keep up with the happenings of their favorite companies and organizations. We’ve created a Facebook fan page as another means of keeping you up-to-date on what is going on at all of

our Foundations. To find us, simply search for “Foundations of St.Joseph’s.” We’ve posted upcoming events, photo albums, and daily updates about all of the exciting things we’re working on. Facebook is a great place for you to enter into a dialogue with the Foundations. You can post pictures from events you attend, leave us messages, and more. Please become a fan of the Foundations, and encourage the people you know to join us as well. Follow us on Twitter Twitter is an online social networking site that has millions of users and is gaining more every day. It’s a way to get short messages to hundreds, if not thousands, of people worldwide very quickly. At the Foundations, we’re using Twitter to announce all of the good things that are happening within our organization to a broad audience. For example, we’ve “tweeted”about donations of toys, visits by Arizona Diamondbacks players, and upcoming special events.

You can receive updates from us by going to our Twitter pages, www.twitter.com/SupportSJH and www.twitter.com/SupportBarrow, and clicking the “Follow Us” button. Sign up for our e-newsletter The Foundations want to keep you up-to-date on all that is happening here, while at the same time being aware of our environment and wise-spending of the dollars donated. Therefore, we’re happy to announce the launch of an e-newsletter that will arrive in your inbox on a quarterly basis to keep you in the loop of foundation news. If you are interested in being added to the email list, please send a message to the Foundation at christina.vanoverbeke@chw.edu.

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WHY WE GIVE FAMILY HONORS SON THROUGH GIFTS TO WATER-SAFETY PROGRAM by Catherine Menor

t the end of St. Joseph’s new Oliver Otter, You animated Oliver was Otter Be Water Wise video is a poignant message added to the new verfrom the Jana and Clifford Johnson family, who fund- sion, along with the ed its production: tribute to K.C. at the K.C. Johnson was born on Father’s Day 1976. end. He grew up in Mesa, played in a T-ball league, “We were able to do enjoyed the outdoors, and was a great fisherman the video in both Engfrom an early age. K.C. also loved the water and lish and Spanish and was a very good swimmer. with closed captioning,” On a hot summer day just before K.C. turned says Lucy Ranus, coornine, his family all went for a swim in the lake where dinator of Barrow prethey were boating. K.C. was swimming close to the vention programs at St. boat, but the water was cold and he went under... Joseph’s.“In addition, the children in the new video actuand didn’t come up. ally model the safety rules, which meets the learning This production is in K.C.’s memory. His famneeds of children with autism.” ily wants to make sure all children know how to Community educators use the video in presentabe careful around water. So please follow the Water tions to preschool children at Head Start programs Wise Rules and stay safe. and daycare centers. The St. Joseph’s employee reads This epilogue, delivered by a sweet young voice, the children a story about Oliver Otter and water safeexplains the Johnson family’s dedication over the past ty, shows the video, and asks the children questions about 24 years to funding programs that prevent drowning what they’ve learned. Then a costumed Oliver Otter shows up to go over the safeor assist in the retrieval of ty rules again. drowning victims. MEMO RIA L GIFTS Ranus says the program “We’re very honored Memorial gifts, such as the one made by the has reached hundreds of that we can help out,” says Johnson family in honor of K.C., are a thoughtful children and their parents in Jana, K.C.’s mother. way to remember a loved one while helping others. Arizona. “This program The original Oliver To learn more, visit SupportStJosephs.org. Memoworks because children Otter video was produced rial and tribute gifts may be made online. learn through fun. They in the late 1980s. Filmed in learn through play, ” she says. the backyard swimming Besides funding the Olivpool of K.C.’s grandmother, the video featured Candice, er Otter videos, the Johnson family produced a video one of his sisters. for older children about water safety in lakes, rivers, and The updated version was filmed in the same location, with Candice and her children appearing. An canals.

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The Jana and Clifford Johnson family

They also have provided ongoing support to the Maricopa County Sheriff ’s Department Dive Team and Lake Patrol. It was the Dive Team that searched Lake Powell for a week after K.C.’s accident, finally locating his body and giving the family the closure they needed. “If the team hadn’t been as kind and thoughtful and determined as they were, we wouldn’t have found him,” Jana says. “I’ll never forget them.” The Johnson family’s philanthropic activities are funded through the K.C. Johnson Search and Rescue Water Safety Education Foundation, established shortly after K.C.’s death. For several years, the family sponsored quail hunts at their ranch to raise money for the foundation. Jana and Clifford Johnson were born and raised in Mesa. They were high school sweethearts who married 34 years ago, and now live on the family ranch in Springerville. In addition to K.C., they have five children—Candice Miller, Christie Parker, Camber Wilson, Ashli Johnson, and Jesse Johnson—and 12 grandchildren. All their children except Jesse, who was out of the country, participated in the new Oliver Otter video. “The family has taken this tragedy and taught their children to give back,” says Ranus. “They’re just an extraordinary family. It’s an amazing story of pulling together and working to prevent these tragedies.”

The new Oliver Otter

View the Johnson’s family’s tribute to K.C. at www.YouTube.com/SupportStJosephs. Organizations that are interested in obtaining a copy of the video can call Lucy Ranus at 602-406-3868 or Jana Johnson at 928-333-5543.

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MIRACLE TOURS LEARN ABOUT THE AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING AT ST. JOSEPH’S AND BARROW ign up for a Miracle Tour and get a behind-thescenes look at some of the most fascinating areas of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Barrow Neurological Institute. The half-day tours begin at 8:45 a.m. and end at noon. An optional lunch is offered immediately after each tour. Participants experience cutting-edge technology in the Barrow TelePresence Suite as they view a short clip of a surgery. Many of the tours include a docent-led walk through a department or research lab. Tours scheduled through June 2010 include the following: Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Pediatric Epilepsy, presented by Kevin Chapman, MD, John Kerrigan MD, Yutze Ng, MD, Jong Rho, MD, and Matthew M. Troester, DO. Wednesday, Nov. 4 - The Center for Thoracic Transplantation, presented by Ross Bremner, MD, Tony Hodges, MD, Jasmine Huang, MD, Brandi Krushelniski, RN, Michael Smith, MD, and Rajat Walia, MD. Wednesday, Jan. 13 - The Cardiovascular Center, presented by Brian deGuzman, MD, and Lishan Aklog, MD.

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Wednesday, Feb. 24 - Barrow Children’s Cleft and Craniofacial Center, presented by Stephen Beals, MD, Patricia H. Glick, DMD, Deborah Leach, MA, CCC-SP, Davinder J. Singh, MD, and Cara Wright-Talamante, MD. Wednesday, March 24 - Making the Impossible Possible: New Surgical Approaches to Care, presented by Felipe Albuquerque, MD, Cameron McDougall, MD, Mark Preul, MD, and Robert Spetzler, MD. Wednesday, April 20 -Women’s Specialty Services: Chronic Pelvic Pain and Menopause, presented by Michael Hibner, MD, James Mouer, MD, and Linda Nelson, MD. Wednesday, May 18 - The Scott and Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center, presented by Steven Choi, MD, David Cleveland, MD, Amy Lowery, RN, and Stephen Pophal, MD. Wednesday, June 9 - Parkinson’s vs. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, presented by Abraham Lieberman, MD, and Harold Rekate, MD. If you are interested in signing up for a tour, please call the Foundation Office at 602-406-3041. We are open M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

H<5B? MCI 5F=NCB5 Your supPort is making a difFerence! The Health & Wealth RafFle has helped create winNers alL over Arizona. In the past six years, more than 114,000 prizes have beEn awarded to RafFle participants, including cash, homes, trips, cars and so much more. But the real winNers are the patients of St. Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital and BarRow Neurological Institute and everyone in Arizona who has benefitTed from the life-saving patient care, medical research and medical education that has received funds from the Health & Wealth RafFle.

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BENEFACTOR BRIEFS Congenital Heart Center friends and family attend day at the ballpark August 22 was the Scott and Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center Friends and Family Picnic at the Diamondbacks. Congenital heart patients, their relatives, and friends enjoyed a picnic on Chase field, played catch in the outfield, participated in family-friendly activities, and even got a chance to run the bases. A professional photographer took family portraits in the dugout. Participants also received a ticket voucher for a future 2009 or 2010 Diamondbacks game. Proceeds from the event went to the Congenital Heart Foundation at St. Joseph’s and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation. A $25,000 check was presented to St. Joseph’s on Sept. 23. Photo by Jon Willey/ Arizona Diamondbacks

Beanie Baby Project donates 1,100 plush toys to St. Joseph’s More than 1,000 Ty Beanie Babies arrived at St. Joseph’s on Aug. 28, thanks to Jhenicea Morrow and her daughter, Ravyn. The mother-and-daughter team plan to donate beanies regularly to St. Joseph’s as part of their Beanie Baby Project. “The soft plush toys are machine washable and easily sterilized. They are the perfect comfort for our pediatric patients, particularly premature infants in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” says Julie Alvarado, director of Philanthropic Innovation at St. Joseph’s Foundation. “On average, our hospital needs 1,500 Beanie Babies a month to ensure that each pediatric patient has at least one.”

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The Neonatal ICU cares for infants who are born prematurely or who have serious medical conditions at birth. Nurses and doctors in the Neonatal ICU work hard to create an environment that will encourage the fragile infants to survive and grow. The soft, moldable toys are used in the incubators to position the babies and their equipment. St. Joseph’s often needs several beanies for just one infant. For more information about the Beanie Baby Project, visit Morrow’s website at www.beanies4babies.org. Jhenicea Morrow with a crib full of Ty Beanie Babies.

Laura’s Run funds Ambassador Program for lung transplant center The Laura Hart Burdick Foundation has made a gift to create an Ambassador Program at the Center for Thoracic Transplantation at St. Joseph’s. The funds were raised by Laura’s 5K Run/Walk held March 21. Laura Hart Burdick was diagnosed with leukemia in 1992. Although she was declared cured in 1997, Burdick learned a year later that her lungs were irreversibly damaged. In 2003, she underwent lung transplant surgery at Stanford Medical Center and returned to Arizona to live a full life with her husband, Jon. In September 2005, at the age of 33, Burdick died of an intractable lung infection. Because Phoenix did not have a lung-transplant program at the time of her transplant, Burdick had to travel to California for surgery, rehabilitation, and regular checkups, tests, and hospitalizations. The goal of the Laura Hart Burdick Foundation is to support lung transplant patients in the Valley. Proceeds from Laura’s Run are being used to create an Ambassador Program at the St. Joseph’s transplant center, the Valley’s only lung-transplant center. The program will provide patients undergoing a transplant evaluation with a knowledgeable companion to help them navigate the evaluation process. The Ambassador Program will also offer qualifying patients assistance with lodging expenses. The Fourth Annual Laura’s Run is planned for March 20, 2010.

First Things First Foundation helps children at St. Joseph’s Brenda and Kurt Warner’s First Things First Foundation is dedicated to the concept that all things are possible when people put first things first. For the Warners, that means putting faith and family first. The Foundation sponsors a wide variety of outreach activities, including several at hospitals. As part of their Basket of Hope project, Kurt and Brenda make frequent visits to St. Joseph’s to spend time with critically ill children and their families and to deliver baskets filled with inspirational materials, games, toys, and stuffed animals. Another project that the Warners hope to bring to St. Joseph’s is Warner’s Corner, a recreational area where hospitalized kids can take a timeout from treatment. Each Warner’s Corner is designed to meet the needs of the children in that hospital. For more information, visit KurtWarner.org.

Steele Foundation contributes to the Arizona Child Study Center The Steele Foundation has made a $50,000 gift to St. Joseph’s Foundation to fund a web-based screening, diagnostic, and management system for the Arizona Child Study Center at St. Joseph’s. The Arizona Child Study Center diagnoses and treats children with behavioral, developmental, emotional, or mental disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorders, and depression. The CHADIS system enables parents to complete forms and questionnaires about their children online; the system then collects, scores, and tabulates the answers for doctors to review. The system will improve office flow and efficiency at the Arizona Child Study Cen-

ter, increasing the number of children who can be seen. It will improve communication among doctors, nurses, and parents, and it will assist families in choosing the best available resources and locating appropriate informational materials. The Steele Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to the support of education, the arts, scientific research, and organizations focused on the growth of children and families to achieve success across the state of Arizona. Endowed by Ethel and Horace W. Steele in 1985, it now donates approximately $5 million each year to various community causes.

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Emily’s Toys 4 Joy collects 2,000 new toys for hospitalized children Emily Fawcett of Glendale turned a frightening experience late last year into Emily’s Toys 4 Joy, a project that benefits hospitalized children. On New Year’s Eve 2008, Emily, 6, was badly bitten by a dog. The Glendale child was taken to Mendy’s Place at John C. Lincoln Hospital and then transferred to St. Joseph’s Hospital where hand surgeon Lloyd Champagne, MD, operated on her. During her stay at St. Joseph’s, Emily says she was comforted by having her long-time friend Sprinkles, a purple stuffed hippo, with her. She also got to choose a toy from Andrea’s Closet. “It made me really happy,” she says. “It made me want to do a toy drive for all the other kids in the hospital.” When Emily went to her last appointment with Dr. Champagne, she took a gift and thank-you letter. Then to encourage her healing and to say thanks to the hospital staff who’d helped Emily, Kelli and Gerry Fawcett took their daughter back to both hospitals with new toys. Afterward, they stopped at Starbucks, where Kelli mentioned that Emily wanted to continue collecting toys. The Starbucks staff offered to help, and thus began Emily’s Toys 4 Joy. Emily’s first toy drive occurred in May with 13 corporate partners and 60 drop-off loca-

Emily Fawcett, a student at Desert Sage Elementary School in Glendale, shops for toys with Christina Hall of St. Josephʼs Foundation.

tions. Kelli estimates that the community has given about 2,000 new toys to the project. Emily is pleased that she was able to donate so many toys to St. Joseph’s and John C. Lincoln, but she hopes to do more. “I want to collect as many toys as I can for little kids,” she says. The Fawcetts, including Emily’s brother, Riley, plan to hold a second new toy drive in May 2010. For more information, contact Kelli Fawcett at 602-653-6901 or emilystoys4joy@yahoo.com.

Hundreds of bikers, led by Santa himself, rode to St. Josephʼs on a hot June 27 to deliver toys for hospitalized children. The Andreaʼs Closet Christmas in June Charity Toy Run began at Arrowhead Harley in Peoria and included breakfast, raffles, and an auction. The Arizona Department of Public Safety escorted the riders all the way to St. Josephʼs, where the bikers unloaded hundreds of new toys. Patients in the Childrenʼs Health Center each picked out a toy from the huge pile. St. Josephʼs has six Andreaʼs Closets, including a new one in the Emergency Department. Kenny and Traci Brunk established Andreaʼs Closet in 2002 to honor their daughter Andrea, who died of leukemia at age eight.

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Ford Motor Company Fund chooses St. Joseph’s for safety program St. Joseph’s is one of two hospitals nationwide chosen by the Ford Motor Company Fund and Meharry Medical College to participate in the See Me Safe passenger safety program. The program provides education to both healthcare providers and parents/caregivers to promote proper and consistent use of child safety restraints in cars. “The See Me Safe program is a great opportunity for our staff to become advocates for child passenger safety,” says Brandyn Speckman, community education specialist. “The program recognizes the important role that hospital employees plan in promoting the use of precautionary, lifesaving devices in motor vehicles.” A press conference about the See Me Safe program and the importance of child passenger safety will be held at St. Joseph’s on Monday Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. At noon that day, a “lunch ‘n learn” titled “Prescription for Safety” will be held at St. Joseph’s for doctors, nurses, and others who have direct contact with children and their parents. Ford is donating 150 child safety and booster seats to St. Joseph’s for distribution as part of the program. The hospital will host a booster seat check-up event on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the St. Joseph’s campus. Appointments are required. For more information or to register for “Prescription for Safety” or the child seat check-up, please call St. Joseph’s ResourceLink at 1-877-602-4111.

Angelita’s Amigos presents check for family-friendly rooms Loui Olivas, PhD, Bob Olivas, and Ruben Olivas of Angelita’s Amigos recently presented $25,000 to St. Joseph’s Foundation for the construction of familyfriendly rooms in the Children’s Health Center. Because of the non-profit’s generous contributions through the years, St. Joseph’s has 12 Angelita’s Amigos patient rooms and three treatment rooms, with plans for more. The annual Angelita’s Amigos golf tournament was held May 17 at the Wigwam Resort and Spa. The next golf tournament is scheduled for Sunday, May 16, again at the Wigwam. To register, contact Bob Olivas at (602) 290-1063 or Registration@AngelitasAmigos.org. The $100 entry fee entitles a player to 18 holes of golf at the Wigwam, lunch, a shirt, and other goodies. Bob and Joann Olivas founded Angelita’s Amigos in 1988 to honor their daughter Angela Grace, who died of leukemia when she was four.

Queen Valley family event benefits Pediatric ICU at St. Joseph’s The St. Joseph’s Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit Benefit, sponsored by Fusion Storm, was held at on April 11. The event is sponsored each year by the family and friends of Cameron T. Haselhorst, who was a patient in the Pediatric ICU in 2004. Now in its fourth year, it has raised about $40,000 for the Pediatric ICU. The benefit included golf, horseshoe, and poker tournaments, bands, an Easter egg hunt, and a volleyball tournament between St. Joseph’s PICU and Mercy Gilbert/Chandler hospitals. The 2010 event will be held April 3 at the Superstition Paint Horse Ranch in Queen Valley. For information, contact Marilyn Ehlebracht at 520-463-2898 or marilyn.ehlebracht@chw.edu.

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NEWS Linda Hunt receives promotion St. Joseph’s President Linda Hunt has been promoted to the role of service area president for Catholic Healthcare West Arizona, which includes Chandler Regional Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. As the service area leader, Hunt will work with the three hospitals to expand CHW’s presence and programs across the Valley and state. “I am honored and excited to take on this new role and a new set of challenges,” says Hunt. “Our three medical centers and our employees are extremely dedicated to providing healthcare to their communities. My goal is to expand those opportunities while building upon our reputations for excellence.” Hunt will also continue to serve as president and CEO of St. Joseph’s, a role that she has held since 1999.

University of Phoenix honors nurse Gail Brown, RNC, WHNP, received the University of Phoenix’s Spirit of Education Award for 2009. A graduate of the University of Phoenix, Brown works in the hospital’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and in obstetrics and gynecology, where she manages the MOMobile, a mobile clinic for pregnant women at St. Joseph’s. Brown also volunteers for the Phoenix chapter of the Flying Samaritans, a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to rural areas of Mexico.

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St. Joseph’s Foundation Board elects officers, adds new member The Board of Directors of St. Joseph’s Foundation has elected new officers, added a new member, and changed one member’s status to emeritus. Officers of the SJF Board of Directors are Richard A. Horn, chairman; Michael Medici, vice chairman; Michelle Matiski, treasurer; and Kelly J. Barr, secretary. Hamilton Espinoza, a contractor for DPR Construction, Inc., has joined the SJF Board of Directors, while Joan Shapiro, PhD, has moved from active to emeritus status.

Collaborative multi-specialty practice opens in Gilbert In a collaborative effort between St. Joseph’s and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, the St. Joseph’s Medical Group has launched a new multi-specialty practice in Gilbert. Building off of highly successful practices located in downtown Phoenix, the new Gilbert location combines services from the Scott and Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center, Pediatric Cardiology, the Women’s Care Center, and Maternal Fetal Medicine. The new SJMG East Valley office is located in the Mercy Gilbert Medical Plaza Building on the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center campus. The practice provides a new home for specialized pediatric and women’s care that is not currently available in the East Valley. Providers include Joseph Harris, MD, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Stephen Pophal, MD, Edward Rhee, MD, and Karim Diab, MD, Pediatric Cardiology. Additional physicians from the Eller Congenital Heart Center and Women’s Care will likely provide services once the practice is fully up and running. The new medical practice is located at 3420 S. Mercy Road, Suite 121, Gilbert, Ariz. 85297. Contact numbers are 480-728-9890 (fax), 480-728-9881 (Maternal Fetal Medicine phone), and 480-728-9880 (Pediatric Cardiology phone).

Modern Healthcare names St. Joseph’s a best place to work Arizona’s three Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) hospitals have been recognized nationally as Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2009 by Modern Healthcare magazine. St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Chandler Regional Medical Center, and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center are the only Arizona hospitals to receive the national honor. Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work program recognizes the top 100 healthcare organizations nationwide that enable employees to perform at their optimum level to provide patients and customers with the best possible care and services. “This is a tremendous honor,” says Linda Hunt, CHW Arizona service area president. “Our employees are the backbone of our organization. They put our mission into action and create the environment that makes our organizations great places to work while providing excellent patient care.” To determine the top 100 best workplaces, a firm that researches regional best-places-to-work programs across the country, conducted an extensive selection process of healthcare companies. The process included a detailed questionnaire that required information about benefits, policies, and practices, and a confidential random survey taken by employees to determine the hospital’s working environment and employee satisfaction.

Hospital job opportunities now available on Twitter Employment opportunities at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center are now posted on Twitter. To learn about St. Joseph’s and its amazing work environment and career opportunities, follow us at www.twitter.com/stjosephsjobs.

Young Arts Arizona is partnering with St. Josephʼs to give children an opportunity to express themselves creatively while hospitalized. Artwork by St. Josephʼs kids is on display on a wall between the Camelback Elevators and the John and Doris Norton Healing Garden.

Amazing campaign highlights St. Joseph’s expertise St. Joseph’s unveiled a major branding campaign in July, highlighting its ability to successfully treat the most seriously ill and severely injured in the state. Titled St. Joseph’s Amazing, the campaign includes television, radio, billboard, print, and electronic advertising, and features individual patient stories. “We want people in Phoenix and around the state to understand just how extraordinary St. Joseph’s has become,” says Suzanne Pfister, vice president of External Affairs. “Doctors from across the state and, indeed, around the world, turn to St. Joseph’s for help with their most difficult cases. They come to us when they need amazing medicine and cutting-edge research. There is no longer a need to go out of state for outstanding care because it is right here.” The St. Joseph’s Amazing campaign drives people to www.StJosephsAmazing.org, which features detailed versions of the amazing St. Joseph’s patient stories that are highlighted in the advertisements.

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THE NON-PROFIT WAY by Robert Hopkins Vice President

good way to think about and differentiate the three sectors in American business, i.e., the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, is this: • Government, the public sector, focuses on “using public sources for public good.” • Business focuses on “private resources for private good.” • The nonprofit sector focuses on “mobilizing private resources for public good.” These are fundamental, yet important, distinctions to make. There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the country, with an incredible assortment of traditions. Most are pretty small places devoting themselves to a variety of health and human service activity, faith-based services, education, or arts and culture. Some are enormous, such as the Red Cross or the Boy Scouts or the YMCA. The nonprofit sector is important to understand, not just for its size and impact, but for the way it gives character to communities everywhere in times of change … which pretty much means all the time. Adding up how many of us there are is pretty easy. The arithmetic of the nonprofit sector finds much of its significance in less quantifiable and less precise dimensions, that is, in the human measurement

of who is served, who is affected. These “impact metrics” are far more difficult. Phoenix is rich in nonprofit tradition and getting more fertile every year. An active and productive nonprofit sector is vital to the life and vitality of any city, and particularly so for a large, rangy, and extraordinarily diverse city like this one. St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center was founded 17 years before Arizona became a state. Tens of thousands of Arizonans have been born here, and tens of thousands more have been cared for, patched up, and made whole again at St. Joseph’s. We’re proud of the men and women who provide that care, people who

‘An active and productive nonprofit sector is vital to the life and vitality of any city, particularly so for a large, rangy, and diverse city like this one.’

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carry on the mission of the Sisters of Mercy. St. Joseph’s is just one of more than 30,000 nonprofit organizations in Arizona. Every one is here to support the medical or spiritual or educational or cultural needs of the community called Arizona. Pick the ones most important in your life, and support them. It’s not a fragile link we have with one another … it’s fundamental.

ST. JOSEPH’S FOUNDATION St. Joseph’s Foundation (SJF) was established in 1981 to raise funds for projects throughout the hospital. Since then, benefactors have contributed millions that have been invested in:

Promising new research Endowments that attract top physicians and researchers Medical education Programs and services to meet the needs of our community Construction and renovation projects The latest technology.

St. Joseph’s Foundation is governed by a board of community leaders who serve on a voluntary basis.

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St. Joseph’s Foundation Board of Directors

Richard Horn, Chairman Michael Medici, Vice Chairman Michelle Matiski, Treasurer Kelly K. Barr, Secretary Ross Bremner, MD L. Don Brown Shelby Butterfield Mary Jane Crist Hamilton Espinosa Les M. Gin C.A. Howlett Linda Hunt Jacquelyn M. Michelson Loui Olivas, PhD Craig S. Porter Jorge Quintero Ted Williams

For more information, contact St. Joseph’s Foundation at 602-406-3041 or toll-free at 1-800-925-9514. Our office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

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CHW Arizona St. Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital and Medical Center 350 W. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85013