Journeys Fall 2016

Journeys FALL 201 6

Support groups that move

The way cancer treatment should be

Shop with a purpose

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16

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Accreditations The Community Cancer Center and its partners meet the highest accreditation standards for cancer care.

2 Journeys | Fall 2016

Quality Cancer Care: Recognizing Excellence

Copyright ÂŽ 2016 UnityPoint Health. All Rights Reserved. ÂŽ SM trademarks of UnityPoint Health.

Journeys Contents 4 Support groups that move 6 Taking the fight directly to the tumor 8 Game-changing therapy 10 The way cancer treatment should be 12 T he Healing Power of Art 13 Recipe for healthy living 14 Taking her under their wings 16 Partners in Jack’s care 18 Shop with a purpose

A Celebration of Hope There’s always something to celebrate at the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center. In June we joined with our patients, survivors and their loved ones for National Cancer Survivors Day in recognition of their strength, courage and inspiration. We also united with our community partners in Relay for Life, the Gems of Hope Golf Classic and a Day at the Ballpark supported by Aiming for a Cure to raise awareness and support for the ongoing fight against cancer with our patients and their families.

And there are individual victories, too. As our patient Janice Davidson says on page 14, her Community Cancer Center support team members “jump up and down” when she has a good day.

I am so proud of what we do at the Community Cancer Center and our ability to make a difference in the lives of people like Janice. Our latest quality data reflects the seamless, quality care we provide in collaboration with UnityPoint Health® – Cedar Rapids, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. and dedicated community-based providers.

As we look forward to 2017, we continue to keep quality at the forefront and listen to our patients and families to understand their journey. Together with our partners, we are committed to understanding the physical and emotional needs of our patients along with delivering coordinated, comprehensive cancer care.

Kimberly Ivester, MS, BSN, RN, OCN

administrative director, Nassif Community Cancer Center director, Cancer Care, UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital

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| Journeys 3

Judy Miller found support through exercise.

Jim and Barbara Berquam stay active with gardening and open gym workouts.

move Support groups that

Exercise and camaraderie go hand in hand in the Cook Cancer Wellness Program

“I’m not a gym person,” admits Judy Miller. But working out at the Community Cancer Center gym has helped Miller grow stronger in body, mind and spirit.

“Exercise empowers cancer patients,” explains Cancer Exercise Specialist Matt Schmitz. “It’s something they can do for themselves. It can help with side effects. And there’s a social aspect that’s very important, too.” That’s why Schmitz calls the Community Cancer Center’s wellness programs “support groups that move.”

In Judy Miller’s case, exercise was never part of her daily routine. She says, “I was concerned by my lack of physical fitness, but I wasn’t concerned enough to do anything about it.”

4 Journeys | Fall 2016

Then came Miller’s 2013 breast cancer diagnosis. After surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Miller began exercising regularly during open gym time at the Community Cancer Center. She quickly discovered a camaraderie she did not expect. For Miller, who had moved to the Cedar Rapids area shortly before her diagnosis, other cancer survivors she met during open gym and Tai Chi classes at the Community Cancer Center became a source of friendship and support.

“We’ve all been through similar experiences,” explains Miller. “The first time you meet someone, you already know them in a way.” Miller, who was struggling with memory issues—a side effect of chemotherapy— made a point of introducing herself to everyone and

remembering names. Today she feels mentally sharper and adds, “I have a much better outlook about my health.”

Cancer survivors Barbara and Jim Berquam

Barbara Berquam and her husband, Jim, are regulars during open gym time, too. Barbara has battled breast cancer and melanoma, while Jim is both a caregiver and a prostate cancer survivor. The Berquams like getting to know people who have gone through similar challenges. “It’s good to see friendly faces when you come to exercise,” says Barbara. “And Matt is there to answer questions and help you when you need it.”

Judy Miller agrees, calling Schmitz “an amazing person.” Miller adds, “Matt doesn’t believe in no pain, no gain. He’s sensitive to the needs of someone who may be struggling because of their illness or the effects of treatment. He genuinely cares about how to get you in a better place, physically and emotionally.”

The Berquams love the Community Cancer Center’s wellness facility and its convenient location. Says Barbara, “The doctors we see are in the same building, so we get our medical care and exercise in one place. There’s covered parking, too, so you’re protected from the snow and rain.”

Another great aspect? The gym and most of the wellness programs are free for cancer patients, their family members, caregivers and to any cancer survivor regardless of where you received treatment or care.

“All of our wellness programs, from the open gym to our classes and integrative therapies, are designed to benefit cancer patients and their support team members physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Schmitz. “Our goal is to help you move beyond cancer with wellness for life.”

For more information on wellness

classes, visit communitycancercenter.org.

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| Journeys 5

Taking the fight directly to the tumor St. Luke’s is the only area hospital offering new breast cancer treatment Innovative cancer-fighting advances are giving patients new options for treatment. That can be especially true in the case of breast cancer.

“Women have many choices when it comes to surgery, breast reconstruction, radiation therapy and chemotherapy,” says Wendy Young, RN, breast care coordinator at the Community Cancer Center.

“There’s a lot to consider, but we let women know they have time to gather information and make the decision that’s right for them.”

For women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, one option could be Electron-based Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, or IORT. UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital is one of only a handful of cancer centers in the U.S.—and the only one in Cedar Rapids—offering IORT for early stage breast cancer through an international clinical trial.

IORT combines surgery with an initial, concentrated dose of radiation focused on the area where the tumor was previously located. Performing IORT during surgery allows the radiation oncologist to concentrate the radiation directly on the tumor bed where breast cancers are most likely to recur.

“In one procedure, women can have a cancer operation, receive radiation directly to the tumor bed and maintain optimal appearance,” says Kerri Nowell, MD. A surgeon with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, Dr. Nowell has a special interest in breast cancer surgery.

6 Journeys | Fall 2016

Kerri Nowell, MD, surgeon with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa

Dr. Nowell says immediate treatment of the tumor site helps kill cancer cells before they can spread. And because radiation is delivered directly to the tumor bed, there’s less damage to healthy tissue.

IORT also eliminates weeks of treatment. Dr. Nowell explains some patients hesitate to choose breast conservation surgery such as a lumpectomy because it requires six to seven weeks of follow-up radiation therapy. Electron-based IORT cuts follow-up treatment to just three weeks.

“IORT shortens the time you’re away from family and work, and gets you back to the things you love sooner,” says Dr. Nowell.

For women with early stage breast cancer, the first step is a consultation with one of the Community Cancer Center’s breast care coordinators. “We have

a checklist of criteria that help us determine if you are a candidate,” explains Young. “Then you meet with the surgeon, radiation oncologist and medical oncologist, who will answer your questions and help you decide if IORT is the best treatment for you.”

Dr. Nowell adds, “St. Luke’s is the only hospital in Iowa to offer Electron-based IORT. We’re proud to be able to offer this innovative treatment close to home.”

For more information call (319) 369-7216 for a one-on-one consultation with a care coordinator.

Quality Report: Breast Cancer Early detection and advances in treatment mean more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. In fact, the American Cancer Society says the five-year survival rate approaches 100 percent for patients whose cancer is detected at stage 0 or stage I. At UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s, seven out of 10 breast cancers are diagnosed in these early stages.

“We have a higher percentage of patients diagnosed at stage 0 or I than other cancer centers in Iowa,” says Community Cancer Center Director Kimberly Ivester.

“That’s good news. It means our community is doing a better job of screening, so we can catch breast cancer sooner, when it’s most treatable.”

Rapids facility accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). To earn accreditation, breast centers must meet or exceed NAPBC quality standards. “St. Luke’s is above the national benchmarks for important quality indicators for diagnosis and treatment,” says Ivester.

The NAPBC advocates a team approach to breast cancer care in order to provide the best treatment options. The Community Cancer Center, St. Luke’s Hospital and Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa specialty physicians work together to provide comprehensive breast cancer care, from early detection through diagnosis, treatment, education and support services.

The Community Cancer Center partners with St. Luke’s Hospital, the only Cedar

Breast Cancer Facts

2,390 70

%

New cases of female breast cancer in Iowa in 2015

99

%

Most breast cancers diagnosed at St. Luke’s are stage 0 or stage I The 5-year survival rate nears 100% when breast cancer is detected in an early stage1

75

Women under the age of 70 accounted for more than 3/4 of breast cancers diagnosed at St. Luke’s in 2015

%

1

American Society7 Fall 2016 |Cancer Journeys

Acupuncture helps Peggy Dudley get back to the activities she loves.

Game-changing therapy Acupuncture helps improve quality of life for cancer patients Peggy Dudley’s first bout with breast cancer did not require chemotherapy. But when she was diagnosed again in October 2014, her doctors took a more aggressive approach. Dudley says they got the cancer, but treatment left her with a problem: peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy typically involves pain, burning or tingling in the fingers, toes, hands and feet. It can result when chemotherapy damages nerve cells that sense touch, pain or heat.

Nancy Lorenzini, MD, licensed medical acupuncturist 8 Journeys | Fall 2016

Dudley says the sensation in her feet was not pain exactly, but a constant numbing, tingly feeling—discomfort

so severe she thought she might have to quit her job.

“My feet were killing me, it was just consuming me.”

While the nerve damage that causes neuropathy cannot be repaired, medication is often used to manage symptoms.

But for Dudley, as for many patients, medication was not the answer.

Then Dudley learned about the new acupuncture program at the Community Cancer Center. “I was interested in it because my brother-in-law in Texas had acupuncture for neck pain and I knew it was beneficial,” she explains.

“But my insurance here wouldn’t cover it.” Fortunately for patients at the Community Cancer Center acupuncture is offered as an option for the patient as part of their holistic treatment plan.

Acupuncture is a traditional form of Chinese medicine in which thin needles stimulate pressure points throughout the body. Used in China for centuries, today medical acupuncture is increasingly a vital part of an integrative approach to cancer patient care.

Nancy Lorenzini, MD, a licensed medical acupuncturist who is an independent practitioner at the Community Cancer Center, works in collaboration with the patient’s entire health care team to use medical acupuncture to help cancer patients improve their quality of life. She says, “Studies show acupuncture has the potential to manage side effects, from hot flashes to pain, nausea and fatigue.”

The only board certified Diplomate of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture in Iowa, Dr. Lorenzini admits she is something of a pioneer locally particularly in the treatment and care of cancer patients and cancer survivors. In collaboration with St. Luke’s Nassif Radiation Center she is currently participating in a clinical trial to determine if acupuncture can improve dry mouth caused by radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

She’s also using medical acupuncture to help patients like Peggy Dudley get relief from peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Lorenzini explains, “Acupuncture can be a game-changer for patients if they can start moving their toes again or if they’re not dropping things all the time.”

Dudley agrees, noting she’s able to enjoy activities again, from shopping trips with her sister to daily walks with her Yorkshire terriers. Both Dr. Lorenzini and Dudley stress acupuncture is not a quick fix. Dudley underwent 15 treatments before experiencing improvement, but says she never got discouraged.

“You have to be patient,” Peggy Dudley says with a smile, adding, “I don’t know what I would have done if this didn’t work. It’s helped me tremendously.”

The Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center specializes in treating the whole person, not just their cancer. We know physical and mental wellness Matt Schmitz, Cancer are important at Exercise Specialist diagnosis, during treatment and throughout survivorship.

One way we help you help yourself is through exercise and integrative wellness.

These programs can relieve treatmentrelated side effects and improve physical and mental well-being. From meeting with our cancer exercise specialist to developing an individualized program to regaining your strength and fighting fatigue, to the relaxing benefits of meditation, the Community Cancer Center’s Wellness Program is here to meet your needs throughout your journey. For more information about classes and integrative medicine, visit our website at communitycancercenter.org/wellness.

Classes offered include: • Tai Chi • Yoga • Pilates • Barre Above • Beginner Chair Yoga

To learn more about incorporating acupuncture as part of your holistic care call (319) 558-4876.

• Meditation

• Individualized Exercise Programs • Massage Therapy • Reflexology • Art Therapy • Reiki

All classes are free and available for cancer survivors as well as their support team.

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The way cancer treatment

should be Former TV anchor experiences exceptional care at the Community Cancer Center

“I thought I was living a life that would prevent health problems,” recalls Carolyn Wettstone. Then in October 2015, the former Quad Cities TV news anchor was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It was completely unexpected,” she says. “I was a runner, a healthy eater and a non-smoker with no family history of cancer, period.”

As she fought back against cancer, Wettstone found comfort in blogging about her experience. Through her blog, Wettstone learned the care at the Community Cancer Center and UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s was not the standard everywhere.

“I heard from patients in other communities who said it took three weeks to get test results. I got my results in two to three days,” says Wettstone. “The Community Cancer Center made the process as easy as possible for me.”

10 Journeys | Fall 2016

One person who helped Wettstone was Breast Care Coordinator Wendy Young, RN. “I start working with you the moment you have your biopsy,” Young explains. “I try to calm your fears and let you know I will be walking side by side with you throughout your journey.”

Care coordinators take care of referrals to the support team connecting patients with specialized social workers, dietitians and more. For Carolyn Wettstone, that included consultation with Cancer Exercise Specialist Matt Schmitz. He works with providers and care coordinators to learn each patient’s needs and develop an individualized exercise plan.

“Carolyn was at a high level of fitness before her surgery, so we took baseline tests and talked about her exercise routine,” explains Schmitz. “I put together a plan to get her range of motion back post-surgery and work on strength lost during the healing process.”

Wettstone opted for a nipple-sparing double mastectomy with implants, performed by Kerri Nowell, MD, and Kahlil Andrews, MD, surgical specialists with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI).

“My body looks exactly like it did before,” says Wettstone, adding, “I was fortunate Drs. Nowell and Andrews are in Cedar Rapids. This operation is not available everywhere.”

Wettstone was also fortunate her oncologist, Rasa Buntinas, MD, PCI medical oncologist, could draw on the latest research in guiding her treatment. After reviewing new research results and consulting with Mayo Clinic physicians through a partnership with St. Luke’s and the Community Cancer Center in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Dr. Buntinas determined Wettstone did not need chemotherapy. Says Wettstone, “I benefited from studies that have just been done.”

The Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center is the only cancer center in Cedar Rapids working together with the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Today, Carolyn Wettstone is on the road back to health, accompanied by her family, including 11-year-old daughter Eden. “I want my daughter to learn from this and lead a healthier life,” says Wettstone. Together Wettstone and Eden attend pilates classes at the Community Cancer Center and take advantage of the open gym.

“It’s great that Carolyn is doing everything she can to maintain a healthy lifestyle,” says Schmitz.

“By attending classes with her daughter, she’s passing the same values on to her.”

Wettstone adds, “Through my blog I met people who have also been touched by cancer. I could show them this is the way cancer treatment can be. This is the way cancer treatment should be.”

To learn more visit Carolyn Wettstone, cancer survivor with daughter, Eden

communitycancercenter.org

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The Healing Power of Art Hospital artwork isn’t just for decoration any more. Research indicates art can actually help reduce pain, shorten hospital stays and improve the patient experience. People respond especially well to nature themes and familiar images.

Now St. Luke’s Foundation and the Community Cancer Center are offering a beautiful way to benefit cancer patients and their families through “The Healing Power of Art.” Donors can choose from more than 100 timeless images taken by area photographers, from local landmarks to pastoral landscapes.

Sponsored panels will be placed in the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center or St. Luke’s Radiation Center to honor a loved one, celebrate a survivor or make a lasting gift for the benefit of cancer patients. Proceeds support cancer center services such as nutrition consultations and integrative therapies that are not reimbursed by insurance.

Turtles in the sun

Flowers by the path

You can view the entire photo gallery at communitycancercenter.org/healing.

For more information or to

sponsor a photo, call Danielle Rauser at (319) 369-8100

12 Journeys | Fall 2016

Yellow flower close-up

Pink flowers

Recipe for healthy living Community Cancer Center shares its most popular recipes online Healthy eating is important, and that’s especially true when it comes to fighting cancer. Beth Beckett, certified oncology dietitian with the Community Cancer Center, says healthy food choices can help you feel better before, during and after treatment.

“Eating the right foods can relieve side effects and help with the healing process,” explains Beckett. She notes that it’s very common for cancer patients to experience a loss of appetite. Cancer treatment can also lead to changes in the sense of taste, as well as nausea, constipation, diarrhea or dry mouth. Beckett says the dietitians at the Community Cancer Center work with patients to help them get the nutrients they need for repair and healing.

“Cancer-fighting foods include dark green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, and foods with high anti-oxidant properties like beans and berries,” says Beckett. Other cancer-fighting foods include tomatoes, onions and garlic, as well as salmon and other fish with high omega-3 content.

The dietitians at the Community Cancer Center have collected their most popular recipes for healthy eating and posted them on the center’s website. While chosen for the special needs of cancer patients, the recipes are ideal for anyone who is interested in healthy eating.

Beckett notes the recipes are often plant-based and feature cancer-fighting ingredients, adding, “We rely on guidelines from the American Institute for Cancer Research.” The dietitians also choose recipes with ease of preparation in mind. “We want to make it easy for you to eat healthy,” explains Beckett. “That means fewer ingredients and simple steps.” She notes that Spice Grilled Salmon, which uses only five ingredients and can be prepared in minutes, is one of their most popular dishes.

At the same time, Beckett adds, “We encourage people to step outside their comfort zone and try vegetables they don’t usually eat,” like the kale-apple salad featured on the website.

For more delicious, healthy recipes, visit

communitycancercenter.org/wellness/recipes.

Spiced Grilled Salmon December 29, 2015 by Kimberly in Fish, Main Dishes

2 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. chili powder ½ tsp. garlic powder 2 salmon fillets, thawed Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub well onto all sides of salmon fillets. Grill until cooked through turning once, about 8 minutes total, over medium-high heat. *This can also be done in the oven. Preheat pan in the oven at 450 degrees. Using oven mitt, add salmon to the hot pan. Bake 5-8 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutrition Information per 4 oz serving: 228 calories, 23 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fat (5 grams monounsaturated)

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Janice Davidson (center) feels blessed by the support of her Community Cancer Center team. Front row: Aruna Turaka, MD, Janice Davidson, Joan Huggins. Back row: Candace Carman, RN, Amy Althoff, RN, Mary Beth Peiffer, RD, and Susan Lassen, RN.

Taking her under their wings Team surrounds patients with compassion and kindness Janice Davidson was sitting in the break room at work in early March 2016 when she felt a lump on her neck.

Unsure what it was, Davidson decided not to take any chances. She scheduled an appointment with Brian Ray, MD, her UnityPoint Clinic family physician.

“He said he was glad I came in right away,” recalls Davidson, 56, of Cedar Rapids. Dr. Ray referred her to Michael Telisak, MD, with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI) Ear, Nose and Throat. Within three days, Davidson learned she had squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

Davidson’s disease is one of several oral cancers that begin in moist surfaces such as the mouth, tongue, lips and gums. Most oral cancers result from tobacco use, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff.

Davidson, a former smoker, says her cancer was identified as Stage 4. But she adds, “I feel blessed. It’s amazing the

14 Journeys | Fall 2016

way my doctors, nurses and everyone took me under their wing and took care of me.”

The Community Cancer Center’s collaborative approach surrounds patients like Janice Davidson with care. “They are so comforting,” Davidson says, “and they all communicate so well together.”

Her support team includes oncology social workers Dana Anderson and Nancy Hagensick, who provide education, insight and emotional support. Explains Davidson, “They take the pressure off me. They are there for me no matter what.”

Davidson says the circle of care and concern extends to everyone she has encountered on her cancer journey, from Mary Beth Peiffer, the dietitian who ensures she gets enough calories, to Speech Therapist Jennie Pint, who’s helping her strengthen her swallowing. Davidson’s

care team also provides support and encouragement for daughter Jennifer, her mother’s primary caregiver.

As Davidson prepares to return to work after weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, she has learned to celebrate small victories—and her Community Cancer Center support team celebrates with her. “They jump up and down for me when it’s good,” she explains, “and they cry with me, too.”

Janice Davidson acknowledges receiving a serious cancer diagnosis is a shock, but adds the Community Cancer Center has made it easier to face. “No matter where you go here,” she says, “you get love and kindness.”

To learn more about the Community

Cancer Center visit communitycancercenter.org.

Quality Report: Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Head and neck cancer, including oral cancer like Janice Davidson’s, is among the most common cancers. Approximately 85 percent of head and neck cancer is related to tobacco use of any kind. Frequent and heavy alcohol use is another significant risk factor, as is infection with cancer-causing types of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

“Oral cancer is most curable—when it's caught in time,” says Andrea Watkinson, clinical services manager with the Community Cancer Center. “Too many cases aren't detected until the later stages.

If our screening finds even one cancer in time to save that person's life, that's what we're here for.”

The Community Cancer Center and specialists with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI) Ear, Nose and Throat organized a free screening April 14, 2016, as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

Forty-five individuals participated in the screening, 13 were scheduled for additional assessment and testing, and one individual was diagnosed with head and neck cancer and is undergoing treatment at PCI and St. Luke’s Hospital.

The Community Cancer Center, St. Luke’s Hospital and Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa specialty physicians take a multidisciplinary approach to head and neck cancer treatment. It can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, depending on the stage and location of the cancer. Oral cancer accounts for approximately three percent of all cases diagnosed at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Oral Cancer Facts

55,000 80 2 to 1

%

New cases of oral & throat cancer in U.S. in 2015 1

Survival rate when detected in early stage 1 Men are more than twice as likely to have oral cancer 2 1

3000%

Increase in risk for individuals who both smoke and drink heavily 2

headandneck.org 2 Cancer Facts Figures 2015 Fall 2016 | &Journeys 15

The I Know Jack Foundation supports the Community Cancer Center by providing I Know Jack Packs–backpacks filled with support and comfort items to helps patients on their cancer journey. The packs are given to every cancer patient who comes through the Center. They are filled with gender-specific goodies. The goal is to provide comforting supplies for local cancer patients.

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Jack Hoeger and his family benefit from the Mayo Clinic Care Network partnership.

Partners in Jack’s care Hoeger family benefits from collaboration between the Community Cancer Center, UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids and Mayo Clinic Care Network For six months, Jen and Marty Hoeger watched their five-year-old son Jack get sicker and sicker, but no one could tell them what was wrong. A trip to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, in 2005 gave the Hoegers an answer—and some hard news. Jack had a very rare brain cancer. “They told us there was no protocol for treatment,” recalls Jen Hoeger, “and no known survivors.”

Jack Hoeger, now 17, beat cancer with the help of his Mayo Clinic physicians. But he faced another fight— the struggle to become a healthy boy again. “Even in remission, the cancer’s not through with you. You have survivorship to deal with,” explains his mom.

Cancer-free since 2006, Jack has battled seizures, brain damage, bouts of pneumonia and more.

Always, there were trips back to Minnesota.

“We were driving up and back just for a blood draw,” says Jen Hoeger. “We had all his lab work, X-rays, everything done at Mayo. We trusted them.”

Over the last two years, Jack’s condition stabilized.

On top of that, the Hoegers received more good news. In 2014, UnityPoint Health - Cedar Rapids became the first health system in Iowa to be selected as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, based on quality, service and operational criteria.

“When we learned about the partnership between St. Luke’s and Mayo Clinic, it was a huge relief,” says Hoeger. “Mayo doctors were comfortable with Jack getting his diagnostic work done at St. Luke’s Hospital. And we were very comfortable having staff at St. Luke’s Hospital do it.”

In the past, routine lab work meant at least a full day off work to make the six-hour round trip to Rochester and in many cases required an overnight stay. “There were some scary times driving in bad weather,” Hoeger recalls. Now the work can be done locally, without the expense of travel and with less time away from work.

There’s another plus: Because Jack’s pediatrician, Lance Goodall, MD, is with UnityPoint Clinic, he has immediate access to Jack’s test results from St. Luke’s. And if something changes with Jack’s health, Hoeger knows Dr. Goodall and the Mayo Clinic team will work together on her son’s behalf, noting, “I feel more at ease knowing I can go to my local doctor and there will be good communication with Mayo.”

Jen Hoeger adds, “Our son is here because of the care he received at Mayo.” Now the relationship between Mayo Clinic, the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center and UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids makes it easier for the Hoegers to access that care without leaving home. “It’s a huge convenience,” says Hoeger, “It means peace of mind for all of us.”

Learn more about the collaboration

between UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids, the Community Cancer Center and the Mayo Clinic Care Network at unitypoint.org/mayo.

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John and Amanda Rhomberg, owners of One Mission located in Mount Vernon, Iowa. One Mission combines crowdfunding with high-quality product fundraising for world-changing causes in Iowa and throughout the country.

Shop with a purpose

One Mission helps the Community Cancer Center support patients in need Want to help fight cancer but don’t know where to start?

Kimberly Ivester, director of the Community Cancer Center, suggests you consider “shopping with a purpose.”

One Mission fundraising is a new program that makes it easier than ever to help the Community Cancer Center support patients and families.

At OneMissionFundraising.com, you’ll find quality, American-made products, from inspirational t-shirts, jewelry and art, to natural candles and soaps. When you visit the One Mission website and designate your

18 Journeys | Fall 2016

support for the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center, 40 percent of the proceeds from every item you purchase goes directly to the Community Cancer Center Spirit Fund.

“At the Community Cancer Center, we focus on caring for the whole person,” says Ivester. “Through the Spirit Fund, we ensure our patients have access to services and supplies essential to their recovery and well-being.”

A cancer diagnosis can create financial challenges as well as physical and emotional stress. Illness and

side effects from treatment may interfere with work schedules or require patients or caregivers to give up a job altogether. There are often unexpected expenses, from wigs to special foods to tempt a fragile appetite.

And even the best insurance plans don’t cover everything.

“Fighting cancer is hard enough without having to worry about how you’re going to pay for it,” explains Ivester. “The Spirit Fund helps cancer patients and their families by easing some of the financial burden. Our goal is to make sure our patients get to their appointments and get the healthy food and other supplies they need.”

The Spirit Fund provides monetary support for expenses such as transportation and services that enhance the patient’s quality of life. It can also be used to help patients purchase supportive supplies such as wigs, turbans, hats and camisoles.

Eligibility for assistance from the fund is based partially on income. The Community Cancer Center staff works with patients to identify needs and ensure the money is allocated responsibly. Since the Spirit Fund began in 2009, it has provided more than $100,000 in aid to cancer patients and families.

Go shopping.

Make a difference.

Shop OneMissionFundraising.com for apparel, soaps, candles and cards. Start by clicking on Find A Fundraiser and choose the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center from the non-profit organizations. When you choose the Community Cancer Center, One Mission will donate 40 percent of the proceeds from your purchases to our Spirit Fund.

“When you shop the One Mission website, you support the Spirit Fund by buying products that make life better for you, and for cancer patients,” says Ivester.

“It’s a way for you to make a difference, one product at a time.”

Learn more at

onemissionfundraising.com

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| Journeys 19

202 10 th Street SE, Suite 285 | Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 communitycancercenter.org

fighting cancer

TOGETHER. You need a team of the most experienced experts to manage your cancer care. That’s why we work together with St. Luke’s Hospital, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, Mayo Clinic Care Network and other clinical partners. communitycancercenter.org

Nassif Community Cancer Center – more experts and more expertise.