Health and Hope Fall 2011

Health & Hope s a i n t pat r i c k . o r g s a i n t j o e s. o r g

yo u r g u i d e to h e a lt h y l i v i n g

Fa l l 2 0 1 1

WIN A GRI Z GETAWAY!

Free footba ll travel with th tickets, e and $5,000 team, cash!

SEE PAGE 1

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form

In fine

Cancer survivors like Steve Halpin have lots to live for—and longer lives to look forward to, thanks to treatment at St. Patrick Hospital

TEAM UP MONTANA

This year’s rally at UM game raises money to fight all cancers

interventional cardiology International Heart Institute pioneers a less-invasive way to rebuild hearts

DIVINE INSPIRATION

An extraordinary journey toward becoming a volunteer

Montana’s first Medical Home

Complete coordinated care for all your healthcare needs, for life.

Congratulations to the team at Grant Creek Family Practice for their recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home™ by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Grant Creek is the first Patient-Centered Medical Home in Montana.

Your personal healthcare provider will lead a team of other qualified professionals who coordinate your care during the whole scope of life: pediatrics, preventive services, acute care, chronic care and end-of-life care.

At Grant Creek, we specialize in you, by providing an ongoing relationship for continuous, comprehensive care.

So welcome home—at Grant Creek, we’re here to see you for a lifetime.

3075 N. Reserve St., Suite Q, 406-327-1850 saintpatrick.org

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PFRONT WITH ST. PAT’S U St. Patrick Hospital earns kudos for environmental efforts and its dedication to providing hope to heart patients; a new clinical program helps those at risk for cardiac disease develop a winning treatment program.

PATCH OF GENIUS A A cardiologist at the International Heart Institute at St. Patrick Hospital who specializes in an innovative treatment is able to repair a large hole in a patient’s heart without the need for invasive open heart surgery.

SURVIVING AND THRIVING

Long-term cancer survival is becoming more common, even as the personal journeys remain one-of-a-kind.

Three patients share their stories. PAGES 8–11

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T EAMING UP TO TACKLE CANCERS The third annual Pink Game at WashingtonGrizzly Stadium on Oct. 29 will raise funds to fight all cancers. Find out how you can participate—and donate to the cause.

CHILD’S PLAY Thanks to local builders, an auction of one-ofa-kind children’s playhouses helps raise more than $21,000 to update the newborns nursery at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson.

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15 THE FOUNDATION OF CARE

A Texas woman is inspired to visit Missoula and help others by becoming a volunteer at St. Patrick Hospital after she’s touched by the remarkable level of caring her husband received during his fight with lung disease.

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16 THE SPIRIT OF PROVIDENCE

Meet the oncology nurse who was honored with the 2011 Spirit of Nursing Award for representing the best in the profession.

Our Mission As people of Providence, we reveal God’s love for all, especially the poor and vulnerable, through our compassionate service.

Our Vision Together, as people of Providence, we answer the call of every person we serve: Know me, care for me, ease my way.

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Health & Hope senior Editor: Sam Mittelsteadt Art Director: Tami Rodgers PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY Director: Mary Winters Production Manager: Laura Marlowe

V.P./Creative Director: Beth Tomkiw Creative Director: Lisa Altomare

Saving the environment— and money, too

Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine

St. Pat’s green efforts earn national awards

Cover Art: Mark Bryant

st. patrick hospital Board of Directors Scott Burke, Chair Stephen Hiro, M.D., Vice Chair Martin Burke Jeff Fee James Foley

Anne Guest Greg Kazemi, M.D. Leonard Landa Fr. Richard Perry Molly Shepherd Michael Snyder, M.D.

Health & Hope is published three times annually by McMurry, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014. © 2011 McMurry.

The material in Health & Hope is not intended for diagnos­ing or p ­ rescribing. Consult your physician before u ­ nder­taking any form of m ­ edical treatment or ­adopting any exercise ­program or dietary guidelines.

For permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, to give us a new address, to let us know that you are receiving more than one copy or if you would prefer not to receive Health & Hope, call 888-626-8779.

Printed on recycled paper.

Want to receive Health & Hope electronically?

It’s easy—just email info@saintpatrick.org with “Health & Hope” as your subject line.

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| Health & Hope Fall 2011

up f ront w it h S t. Pat ’ s

St. Patrick Hospital’s Green 4 Good program is designed to reduce waste and energy and toxin use at the hospital and clinics, and this year its innovative device-reuse program won a Gold Award from Ascent (now named Stryker Sustainability Solutions).

This award was one of only two given in a nine-state region.

Many healthcare devices are sold as “single-use,” to be thrown away after one use, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows some of these devices to be used more than once as long as they’re “like new” when reused. Sending these products to be inspected, cleaned, repaired and resterilized saves money and resources, and is a win-win for St. Pat’s and the planet.

In 2010, St. Pat’s collected more than two tons of waste that otherwise would have been discarded, which added up to $352,293 in savings. This work was done all over the hospital, from collection bins in the operating rooms to clinical units recycling blood pressure cuffs, compression stocking sleeves and other equipment.

Also, for the second year in a row, St. Pat’s received an Environmental Leadership Award from Practice Greenhealth. This elite award has been earned by only 24 hospitals in the nation (four of which are Providence hospitals). This helps the hospital to meet its Core Value of Stewardship, guided by the words “We seek to care wisely for our people, our resources, and our earth.”

Watch our Core Values in action To learn about the inspirations for our five Core Values (including Stewardship) and how they direct our decisions, go to saintpatrick.org and under “About St. Patrick Hospital,” select “Our Core Values.”

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Clinic helps patients cut risk of cardiovascular trouble Patients with cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and prediabetes can receive extra care and support through the Cardiometabolic Risk Management Clinic at St. Patrick Hospital.

Pharmacists support providers’ efforts to identify patients’ cardiovascular risk factors and to help patients achieve their treatment goals. In addition to lifestyle modification counseling, smoking cessation and focused medication management, the pharmacists also can help identify additional risk factors.

Keep your heart healthy!

To learn more about the services or referral process for the Cardiometabolic Risk Management Clinic, contact pharmacist Ashley Miles at 406-329-4121. The clinic is on the third floor of St. Pat’s Broadway Building.

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St. Pat’s named top hospital by Mended Hearts Mended Hearts, a national volunteer group that provides inspiration, hope and encouragement to cardiac patients, has named St. Patrick Hospital as Hospital of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Region.

Ray Aten, president of Mended Hearts’ Missoula chapter, nominated St. Pat’s for the award, which recognizes the hospital’s continued support of the volunteer program.

St. Pat’s not only provides space for group meetings, literature, visitor supplies and personal volunteer items, but also recognizes Mended Hearts contributions through newsletters and assists with access to speakers, patients and families. And bolstered by guild and foundation support, Aten and Mended Hearts regional director Randy Gay were able to travel to national Mended Hearts conventions.

Don’t go through it alone! The Mended Hearts support group for those who have experienced heart disease, either personally or through a loved one, meets at 2 p.m. the second Monday of each month, September through May. Meetings are in Conference Room 3, on the first floor of St. Patrick Hospital’s Broadway Building, 500 W. Broadway. Information: 406-329-5824.

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genius

w r itt e n b y J O A NN H O V EN

P hotog r aph y b y M A R K BRY A N T

A patch of

IHI specialist’s plan repairs severe cardiac defect—without open heart surgery

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reg Martin was born with a hole in his heart. Like most people born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), the most common congenital heart disorder, he never knew he had it.

But by the end of 2009, he knew something was wrong; at night, his heart palpitations were so strong that he couldn’t sleep.

Greg’s physician thought the palpitations might be caused by stress, but also heard a slight heart murmur and sent Greg for testing at St. Patrick Hospital’s International Heart Institute (IHI), where doctors found the ASD, a hole in the wall between the left and right chambers of the heart that allows blood to flow between them. By enabling oxygenated and oxygenated-depleted blood to mix, an ASD can cause not only shortness of breath and palpitations but also pulmonary hypertension, heart failure and stroke.

Most ASDs are in the 10-millimeter range— about the size of a marble—but Greg’s was the size of a golf ball. The hole in his septum was so severe there was really no separation between the atria at all, and he was scheduled for open heart surgery.

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A BETTER SOLUTION But IHI interventional cardiologist Tod Maddux, M.D., is one of only two cardiologists in Montana who specialize in a procedure that could fix the hole without the trauma of surgery. Known as “percutaneous closure,” it involves making an incision near the groin, then using a catheter to thread a patch up the femoral vein to the heart to cover the hole.

It’s no ordinary patch: The fabric-lined expandable metal disc can cover the hole completely, and after six months, tissue will grow over the disc completely.

“Percutaneous closure is now the primary therapy for the majority of ASDs, and surgery is the alternative—even in severe cases like Greg’s,” says Dr. Maddux.

Greg underwent the procedure in February 2010, awake except for a mild sedative, and was out of the hospital the next day. After a great checkup six months later, he has no palpitations, no heart problems and no need for future heart checkups.

“To think that I live only four blocks from St. Pat’s, and at the time Dr. Maddux was the only person in the state who could do this, I felt very lucky,” he says.

Treating your heart right At the International Heart Institute, physicians and staff from St. Patrick Hospital and The University of Montana perform advanced cardiac procedures and research new ways to treat heart disease.

Learn more at ihimontana.org.

Interventional cardiologist Tod Maddux, M.D., was able to repair a large hole in Missoula resident Greg Martin’s heart without resorting to open heart surgery. Maddux is one of only two cardiologists in the state who specialize in a less-invasive procedure known as percutaneous closure.

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Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

Left Atrium

An atrial septal defect allows blood to flow between the two chambers of the heart.

Dr. Maddux says people with ASDs can have no symptoms for years, but it’s important to close the hole because patients who do so live about 10 years longer, based on research.

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graphic by ANDREW HENDERSON

Right Atrium

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Steve Halpin practiced Bikram yoga through his chemotherapy and radiation treatments for esophageal cancer.

Surviving and 8

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thrivin saintpatrick.org

By JoANN HOVEN

P h o t o g r ap H y b y m a r k b r y an t

Long-term cancer survival is becoming more common, even as the stories remain one-of-a-kind

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hanks to earlier detection, improved treatments and followup, and the supportive care of family and friends, there are now almost 12 million cancer survivors in the United States, compared with 9.8 million in 2001 and only 3 million in 1971. Among all survivors, 4.7 million have lived 10 years or more since their diagnosis.

Some survivors are fully cured, and live their lives without the return of the cancer. Others may live with cancer as a chronic disease that requires periodic treatments, and still others go into longterm remission. Many will lead lives with no side effects, or just a few.

You probably know someone who has had or has cancer. But just because you’re called a “survivor” doesn’t mean you’re done with the disease. As these survivors’ stories reveal, the experience depends on the individual.

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Practicing serenity Steve Halpin, 54, was a long-haul truck driver who became committed to managing his health through fitness and nutrition in 1997.

Steve hadn’t been taking good care of himself, and his family health history wasn’t good; his father died of cancer at age 55.

“I engaged in a variety of activities, from walking to weightlifting, but when my wife, Beth, invited me to join her in a Bikram yoga class in November 2008, I knew I had found my practice,” Steve says.

Bikram, or “hot,” yoga, practices a set series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises in a room heated to around 105 degrees with a humidity of 40 percent. Steve practiced regularly even when on the road, finding classes in Minnesota and Washington state.

But in May 2010 he began to have trouble swallowing and had lost 20 pounds. He went to his primary care physician, who obtained a barium swallow test, a CT scan and a PET scan. The studies showed a cancerous tumor in his esophagus.

The diagnosis led him to John M. Trauscht, M.D., and Katherine L. Markette, M.D., of the Montana Cancer Center, who recommended an intense program of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. “I was immediately comfortable with them and confident with the planned treatment,” Steve says. He started chemotherapy and radiation, which lasted about a month and a half, and a month later, he had surgery in which his esophagus was removed and replaced with his stomach, which had been pulled upward through the chest and connected to the back of the throat.

“The fact that I had a regular Bikram yoga practice before my diagnosis gave me a better chance at fighting cancer and surviving,” he says. “I continued to practice yoga throughout the chemo and radiation treatments, and up until the day of the surgery.” His yoga teachers helped to develop a specific plan to deal with the effects of his cancer treatment.

“I have so much to be thankful for, and I am a survivor: by the grace of God, the skill and dedication of everyone at the Montana Cancer Center, the fierce love of my wife and the healing community of Bikram yoga under Lora Gustafson,” Steve says.

In fact, he was so overwhelmed with the love and compassionate care he received from everyone, he was overjoyed to give back by volunteering at the Montana Cancer Center.

“My yoga practice and my cancer journey have taught me many things,” he says, “but among the most important have been to practice compassion and patience, and to love what is in front of me.”

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A comparatively easy ride

David Marshall of Polson and his dog, Shorty

David Marshall considered his trips to Missoula from Polson for prostate cancer treatment “like a vacation.”

He always had routine prostate-specific antigen tests that were normal, until one came back “borderline, high-risk.” After a biopsy revealed prostate cancer, David wanted the radiation treatment called brachytherapy, placing radioactive “seeds” inside the prostate. But he had been placed on blood-thinning medication after a mild stroke, so seed implantation was not an option, and he instead underwent eight weeks of treatment at Montana Cancer Center with Katherine L. Markette, M.D. Each week began by driving on Monday to Missoula, where Dave stayed in a house owned by a friend in Polson. After five days of treatment, he’d return to Polson for the weekend.

A retired environmental technician who received his wildlife degree from The University of Montana, he caught up with friends who lived here, went for bike rides up the Rattlesnake and Kim Williams trails, prowled secondhand stores and did jigsaw puzzles with his grandson, Eric.

“When I found out about the cancer, for about a week I was down. But I always just assumed the treatments would work,” he says.

“Of course, my cancer was minor compared with what many people go through.

I had no discomfort or pain, and I didn’t experience much fatigue until after the treatments were over. Now, if I work too hard or take a long bike ride, I’m pretty tired the next day, but I’m getting stronger. And I felt like I made friends with the people at the Montana Cancer Center.”

And he also had support from Shorty, his pug-weenie. “Every week, Shorty came in the car with me. I guess it was important for my emotional well-being just having him with me.”

Incidence of cancer: Montana 2008–2009 Primary Site

2008

2009

Lung

688

682

Esophagus

67

63

Prostate

812

894

Source: Montana Central Tumor Registry

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Scott Woods has been on various chemotherapy regimens to treat his inoperable lung cancer, but he continues to climb mountains and run trails.

“You don’t have to be cured to be a cancer survivor.”

A steady fight to stay strong In December 2007, University of Montana professor Scott Woods was vacationing with his future wife in Mexico when he noticed a pain in his chest and shoulder. After returning to the United States he visited his physician, and within 24 hours a pulmonologist delivered terrible news: He had inoperable lung cancer.

“I was in complete shock when I received the diagnosis,” says Scott. “I was only 41, had never smoked and I was an avid runner, hiker and backpacker. It seemed impossible that I could have lung cancer. But right from the start, I was determined to fight as hard as I could.”

Scott has been on various types of chemotherapy since January 2008 that have kept

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the cancer fairly well controlled. Although the treatment often leaves him feeling tired and weak, he has continued running and enjoying the outdoors.

“The first time I went running after I was on chemo, I shuffled around the neighborhood for less than a mile and I was completely worn out, but I was ecstatic! I felt like I’d reclaimed a huge part of me from cancer—the part of me that is a runner. I realized that I could fight back against the cancer by staying as fit and as strong as possible.”

Since that first short run around the neighborhood, Scott has taken on bigger physical challenges: He has completed two triathlons

and the grueling Pengelly Double Dip trail run, taken a weeklong trek in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and in 2010 he climbed Mount Rainier—all 14,411 feet of it.

“Reaching the summit of Rainier was a very emotional experience for me,” says Scott.

“Standing up there, after all the training and the effort of the climb itself, I really felt stronger than cancer. Even a year later, I still get choked up when I think about what that felt like.”

Scott is grateful to Alan Thomas, M.D., his oncologist at Montana Cancer Center, for helping him to maintain his quality of life. “I thought Dr. Thomas would tell me I was crazy when I asked him if I could climb Rainier, but he didn’t. Instead he helped me prepare by scheduling my chemo treatments around the climb and by providing me with information on the effects of high altitude.”

Scott continues to seek out new adventures.

He and his wife recently completed a nine-day trek across Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, the world’s highest tropical mountain range. “You don’t have to be cured to be a cancer survivor,” he says. “Survivorship is about living a full and active life and continuing to pursue your dreams, regardless of what your prognosis might be.”

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By JESSICA JENSEN

P h o t o g r ap h y b y c h r is sa w i C k i

Team Up to tackle

Last year’s Team Up Montana event raised more than $76,000 to help fight breast cancer.

cancers Annual event raises funds, awareness to fight disease

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early 27,000 people will flood Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Oct. 29 to support the University of Montana Grizzlies as they take on Weber State. But this is no ordinary gridiron matchup: This game marks the third year that St. Patrick Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, the Missoulian, The University of Montana, KPAX-TV and the St. Patrick Hospital Foundation will come together for Team Up Montana and turn a home football game into a day of cancer awareness and fundraising. Every person in the crowd can join the team and fight cancer.

Over the past three years, Team Up Montana has brought awareness, fundraising and education about breast cancer to the forefront.

This year the effort is expanding: Wearing pink to the stadium Oct. 29 will support those fighting every type of cancer.

The call to action at this game will be to help western Montanans with their fight against cancer. Through on-site physical donations and those pledged at TeamUpMontana.com, the Cancer Compassion Fund maintained by the St. Patrick Hospital Foundation will provide financial assistance for gas, food and lodging. In addition, funds cover early detection screening and education.

Before the game, a series of corporate-sponsored powder puff football teams will compete to show their support. Along with the Montana tradition of tailgating before the game, a special area will be designated for cancer survivors. These same survivors will walk boldly with the marching band in a ceremony recognizing their hardfought battles and victories. Please join us at the survivor tailgate to show your support and learn more. 

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5,690 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Montana during 2011.

(Source: American Cancer Society)

Protect Yourself The best way to guard against cancer and to increase survival rates is to stop smoking—that’s the No. 1 action to reduce the incidence of cancer. Along with this, everyone should practice early detection, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, and be knowledgeable of family history. Talk to your primary provider about which cancer screenings are necessary for you.

GRIZ FOR A DAY Win an all-inclusive trip for two to the University of Montana–University of Northern Colorado football game in Boulder on Nov. 3, 2012. The prize package includes: • $5,000 cash • Airfare on Griz charter flight • Hotel accommodations • Two game-day tickets • On-site travel to and from games The winner will be notified and announced online Dec. 1. To learn more, visit TeamUpMontana.com.

To get your ticket, call 406-329-5640.

FIGHT CANCER THROUGH FUNDRAISING Ways to donate to Team Up Montana include: • Purchasing jerseys at the gift shops at St. Patrick Hospital, The University of Montana Bookstore, the MSO Hub and Universal Athletics. A portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Cancer Compassion Fund.

• Donating $5: Text “TEAM” to 85944.

• Donating on-site at the game.

• Entering the Griz for a Day raffle (see box above).

• Visiting TeamUpMontana.com. saintpatrick.org

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t h e f o u ndation of car e

W r i t t en by A n n i e Ta k ag i

Child’s play Street of Dreams auction of kids’ playhouses and accessories raises $21,000

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More than 150 babies are born every year at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. Next year, the new arrivals will take their first naps in bassinets in an updated nursery, thanks to donations raised at the Street of Dreams fundraiser auction.

In January, Foundation director Susan Klein challenged local builders to create playhouses within six months that could be auctioned to raise money for the nursery. The only requirement: Playhouse sizes could not exceed 10 feet wide, 10 feet long and 8 feet high. After bidders bought five playhouses (and other items such as handpainted tepees, children’s tables, chairs and flower pots), the Foundation grossed more than $21,000.

“We wanted to do something different from the usual fundraiser auction—something fun for the community that would be enjoyable for the whole family. I look forward to what the builders will come up with next year!”

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Open house 1. Marsh Creek Construction created a roomy home with a vaulted ceiling and real windows.

2. Roy Strum Construction’s Who House, a whimsical cottage that could have been plucked straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, received the highest bid—$6,500.

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3. Gallatin Construction’s playhouse is a home for the discriminating buyer, complete with river rock foundation, wood flooring and granite-adorned cabinetry.

4. Hu Beaver Builders created a cozy log home accented by a blackboard wall that fosters the occupants’ creativity.

5. Traditional Homes’ playhouse offers an easyto-clean tile floor and open layout so parents can keep an eye on the little ones.

To learn more about St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation, please call 406-883-8342.

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t h e f o u n dation of car e sphgift.org

After her husband’s death in 2009, Sue West decided to do volunteer work at St. Patrick Hospital this past summer.

We want you!

PHOTO BY MARK BRYANT

Join our incredible team of volunteers today by calling Donna Johnson, Diane Lanning or Debbie Miller at 406-329-5800.

Inspired to help others By volunteering at St. Pat’s, woman honors husband and those who cared for him in final days In August 2009, Sue and Bill West of New Braunfels, Texas, were vacationing throughout the Northwest. Just before they left Texas, Bill had been tentatively diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, and the couple decided that a 10-day vacation was just what they needed before medical treatment began.

But in East Glacier, Bill started hyperventilating and couldn’t stop. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Kalispell, then transferred to St. Patrick Hospital for heart valve replacement surgery. The procedure went well, but within days it became harder for him to breathe—his heart was strong, but his lungs were almost completely white with calcium deposits. Bill kept needing more and more oxygen and was put on a ventilator, then had a tracheotomy. He still couldn’t get enough air. saintpatrick.org

During this time, Sue says, “the nurses were quick to respond, and ministered not only to Bill but to me. The chaplains, respiratory therapists, physicians—they all took care of us. I found goodness everywhere. I felt that God is at work here.”

A COMPELLING CROSS-COUNTRY JOURNEY Unfortunately, Bill’s lungs had tired out, and he died Sept. 10, 2009.

“It was God’s will, and St. Pat’s was the best place to be for this to happen,” says Sue. “I didn’t read the hospital’s Mission statement until I was leaving; I didn’t know it was a Providence hospital. But I knew that Providence meant ‘God’s in charge.’

“Since then, I’d had a burning desire to come back,” she says. “Missoula has its own spiritual value for me. There had to be some

way to give back to this community.” She wrote down the names she could remember from the many people at St. Pat’s who helped her and Bill. “I sent notes, but people don’t get thanked enough in person. I wanted to be able to do that.”

Sue talked to volunteer director Donna Johnson, who found a way to make it happen. Sue flew from Texas to Missoula and found a place to stay with a local ministry, then became the night shift volunteer at St. Patrick House, the patient and family “home away from home” maintained by the St. Patrick Hospital Foundation.

Since this July, Sue has volunteered at St. Pat’s by escorting patients to and from rooms, answering questions at the Intensive Care Unit volunteer desk and taking care of St. Patrick House.

“I feel at peace, and I have been blessed,” she says. “I hope I make a difference here.”

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St. Patrick Hospital 500 W. Broadway Missoula, MT 59802

NON-PROFIT ORG us postage

pa i d

ABOUT HEALTH

t he spirit of pr ovidence

Nursing’s MVP for 2011 Oncology nurse honored with award for patient care and professional excellence

Cless Brown grew up on a small farm in eastern Washington just south of the Canadian border. The only child of a timber worker and a schoolteacher, he worked in a gold mine after high school, then moved to Spokane for college. One of his first jobs was working in maintenance at a nursing home, but after a while he realized that he was more interested in helping the residents than fixing the plumbing.

Cless earned a designation as a certified nursing assistant and worked at several nursing homes and hospitals before eventually finding his home at St. Patrick Hospital in 1998. While working as a healthcare assistant on the oncology floor, he took his education even further, enrolling at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo to receive his degree as a registered nurse in 2004.

“God opened the door, and all I had to do was walk through,” says Cless. “The Mission of the Providence network is so close to my own, I know that I have found a home—especially here at St. Patrick Hospital.”

During Nurses Week in May 2011, his peers honored him with the Spirit of Nursing Award, which is given to a nurse who represents the best in the profession through excellent patient care and commitment to improving organizational, professional and personal standards.

“I have developed a strong bond with my coworkers,” he says. “After almost 12 years on this floor, my coworkers are definitely family. One of the most valuable aspects of St. Pat’s is how cohesive the department works together. We are all in this together, all valuable in ensuring quality patient care, all part of the St. Pat’s family.”

Want to become part of the Providence team? Go to ProvidenceIsCalling.jobs to see all of the opportunities that Providence Health & Services can provide for you!

PHOTO BY MARK BRYANT

Join the Providence team