ALLFORGOOD SPRING/SUMMER 2018
What’s New
IN YOUR COMMUNITY Supporting New Moms
MAKING A DIFFERENCE LifeFlight Anniversary
40 YEARS OF SAVING LIVES
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At Allegheny Health Network, we are literally building the future of health care.
IN THIS ISSUE 02 Development Message 03 A New Life, A New Reason to be Thankful 05 Community Impact 06 Research Partnership 07 Lifeflight Anniversary 09 Ways to Give 10 Planned Giving
Executive Message This is such an exciting time at Allegheny Health Network. We’ve never been a part of an organization that has accomplished so much, so quickly. In the first half of 2018, we’ve broken ground on seven new facilities and cut the ribbon on several more — among them an academic cancer center in Pittsburgh, a multi-specialty health and wellness pavilion in Erie, a “healthy food center” aimed at hunger prevention and diabetes care, and an Autoimmunity Institute. On top of that, we’re building four small-scale neighborhood hospitals across the Pittsburgh region, several community cancer centers, and will soon break ground on a full-service hospital in Wexford. We are fortunate that our partnership with Highmark Health allows for the billion-dollar investment in Allegheny Health Network and to have the continued support of people like you, who share our vision for the future and our passion for getting health care right. Of course, the future of health care is about so much more than new buildings and programs. It’s about improving health and promoting wellness in our communities, one person at a time. It’s about developing a patient-centered, clinician-led health network that is unsurpassed in the quality, accessibility and affordability of the services it provides. It’s about establishing clear values, and living up to them. At Allegheny Health Network, our values drive superior care and world-class medicine. First and foremost among these values, people matter. We strive to provide care that helps people to live healthier lives and stay out of the hospital. We work with the highest standards of integrity, at every patient touchpoint. We pride ourselves on customer-focused collaboration. We are committed to giving patients the right care, at the right place, at the right time, and at the right value. We actively seek to collaborate with each other — and with other health care organizations — to achieve the right outcomes for our patients. We hold ourselves accountable for consistently providing excellence, and exceeding the expectations. We work with courage, empowering colleagues to act in a principled manner and to take appropriate risks in order to fulfill our mission. Stewardship is essential, as we manage and invest the assets that have been entrusted to our care, and we earn your trust by delivering on our promises and leading by example. Last, but certainly not least: innovation. We are committed to continuous learning, and exploring new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illness. These values, and your support, are why we’ve come so far over the last five years. On behalf of Allegheny Health Network and Saint Vincent Hospital, we are proud to be a part of the communities that we serve, and we are committed to making the lives of our patients and their families better through the work we do. Sincerely,
Cynthia Hundorfean President and Chief Executive Officer Allegheny Health Network
Christopher Clark, DO, MHA President Saint Vincent Hospital
DEVELOPMENT MESSAGE | 02
From the Office of Development I am thrilled to have this opportunity to write to you, because you are onehundred-percent essential to everything we do here at Allegheny Health Network. You are the key to our compassionate care, innovative new treatments, and pioneering research — all the things that make it
possible for us to touch and transform the lives of so many people in our community. Since the inception of Allegheny Health Network in 2013, the generosity of our community has supported the development of programs and services that help the Network meet the comprehensive health needs of the region and drive key advances in medicine. There are countless examples of ways in which philanthropic gifts have led to advancements in clinical care and expanded services for the benefit of our patients. It is my pleasure to share with you this special Spring/Summer edition of All for Good so you can see your support at work helping real people face real challenges.
With every wonderful gift you give, you bring us another step closer to the next breakthrough, keeping us at the forefront of medical science and empowering us to help even more people right here in our community. From all of us at Allegheny Health Network, thank you. We could not do this without you.
Allison P. Quick Chief Philanthropy Officer
You are invited to join the Circle of Health, a new giving program designed for special people like you that believe in the life-saving work at Allegheny Health Network. As a Circle of Health member, you tell us how much you want to give and how often: monthly, quarterly, even once a year. We’ll listen. We’ll honor your preferences, without always asking you to give more. And here’s the best part: Because we’re sending less mail, our costs are lower, and that means your gifts go even further and do even more good. Plus, you can choose which part of our work you want to support, targeting your gifts to the areas you care about most. That means the impact you have is greater than ever before.
Learn more by visiting www.supportahn.org/circle-of-health
A NEW LIFE, A NEW REASON TO BE
THANK Because life—even a new life—doesn’t always go as planned, it’s of critical importance to have the care you need, exactly where you need it. Such was the case for Ginny and her husband, Keith. They had just welcomed a new daughter, Nora, and everything was perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes… and then Nora stopped breathing. As her infant turned purple and grew limp, Keith raced for help. In seconds, Ginny’s nurse, Megan was resuscitating little Nora and within minutes, the baby was in Saint Vincent Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), still under Megan’s watchful eye. That evening, the worried new parents were able to see their daughter, ask questions, and get answers. A week later, Nora was back with her mom and dad.
Ginny never dreamed her baby girl would end up in critical care, but in a moment that changed. Her ability to have doctors and nurses she could trust and the care her newborn needed made all the difference in the world. She put her trust in the doctors and nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital. And today, little Nora is as happy as can be.
The easier it is to access quality care, the better.
FUL
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We are forever grateful to the Saint Vincent Hospital NICU.
It’s because of parents like Ginny and Keith, and countless other families and individuals, that Allegheny Health Network is making substantial investments throughout our health system and all of Western Pennsylvania. Whether it’s a new cancer center, hospital, health pavilion or enhanced medical department, our investments have one shared goal: To put innovative, high-quality healthcare within reach of our communities.
Allegheny Health Network’s investment in Saint Vincent Hospital and the people of Erie. Allegheny Health Network is making important changes at Saint Vincent Hospital that will enhance the healthcare of everyone in this region. A $115 million multi-phased capital investment plan includes a new emergency department, a state-of the art operating suite, and a new Women’s and Infant’s Center. Outside of the hospital, we’re making it easier to see doctors, specialists and get the diagnostic tests you need through a new $12 million Allegheny Health Network Health + Wellness Pavilion East Side in Harborcreek Township. It will include an urgent-care center, a primary-care office, Associated Clinical Laboratory, a specialty clinic and diagnostic services. At the end of day, all of these facilities, departments and improvements come down to one thing: you. And our ability to be there, when and where you need us most.
05 | COMMUNITY IMPACT
Making a Difference for New Moms Brianne was familiar with the “baby blues,” which she experienced after giving birth to her first daughter. Five years later, after she gave birth to her second daughter, things were much worse and completely different.
meeting, Brianne said she was able to talk about anything without being judged and she felt like she was finally putting herself—and her family—back together.
Brianne felt like she had no energy, no connection with the baby, and nothing but sadness mixed with anger, which she said she often took out on her husband.
“My kids deserved to have a mom that was healthy, and was home, and happy, and my husband deserved the same… Since I graduated from the program, I’ve been feeling better than I’ve ever felt in my entire life.”
“I know it took a toll on my husband. He’s very quiet, and I’m more of an outspoken person than he is, so he didn’t really know what to do.”
Brianne now watches her friends carefully after they become moms for signs of postpartum depression and isn’t afraid to speak up if she sees trouble.
Something was wrong, and Brianne knew it – but she was so embarrassed that she simply didn’t leave the house, answer the phone or let her friends or family see her. Her sister-in-law stepped in six months into Brianne’s struggle. Having gone through something similar after the birth of her son, she understood what was going on with Brianne and reassured her that it was possible to feel better.
Postpartum depression is a treatable medical illness that affects about 15-20% of women after giving birth. It can develop anywhere from a few weeks to a year after delivery, but it’s most common in the first three months postpartum.
Within 48 hours, Brianne had an appointment at The Alexis Joy D’Achille Center for Behavior Health at West Penn Hospital. From the very first
Postpartum depression can be hard to spot, because the moodiness and other symptoms are similar to the “baby blues” -- a short-lived state that affects up to 70% of new mothers. Only 15% of all women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression, ever receive professional treatment.
Allegheny Health Network was proud to partner with the Alexis Joy D’Achille Foundation to open The Alexis Joy Center for Women’s Behavioral Health at West Penn Hospital last fall. As one of the few facilities of its kind in the country, the Center serves as a safe place for women and their families to find the help they need. The Center offers a wide range of treatment, including weekly therapy, an intensive outpatient program and partial hospitalization for women with more severe forms of postpartum depression. Please consider donating to women’s health by visiting www.supportahn.org/womens-health.
How to Get Immediate Help. PERINATAL / POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
FEAR YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER
412-578-4030 Allegheny Health Network Women’s Behavioral Health
911 or
1-888-7-YOU-CAN (1-888-796-8226)
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2443)
24/7 and free to all residents of Allegheny County, regardless of your ability to pay.
or Obstetrician / Primary Care Doctor
RESOLVE CRISIS SERVICES
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP | 06
Teaming Up to Fight Cancer Nothing strikes at the heart like hearing the word “cancer.” Having access to top-rated cancer care improves the likelihood of the best possible outcomes for our patients. At the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, we are working to fight cancer on all fronts. That’s why we continue to advance medical science through clinical partnerships with some of the leading researchers and academic centers across the country. By teaming up with the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, we have a wealth of expertise and resources to ensure the best possible cancer care for our patients and streamlined and guided access to even more clinical trials. Patients at Allegheny Health Network have access to the unique expertise of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center team and hundreds of novel therapies through the Center’s clinical trials research program. You don’t need to travel far from home for sophisticated, pioneering treatment options. Allegheny Health Network patients have local access to many of these revolutionary clinical trials right here in western Pennsylvania.
Combined, the two cancer programs have more than 500 active clinical trials, the most in the area.
confirmation, pathologic and radiologic review and genomic sequencing. Allegheny Health Network patients benefit from each institution’s ongoing innovation. This includes Johns Hopkins Medicine’s revolutionary proton beam therapy program. It’s a sophisticated, groundbreaking radiation therapy treatment, launching in 2019. Patients may also have access to advanced molecular testing provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine. This technology will help guide more personalized and effective treatment for patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer.
Allegheny Health Network physicians also have remote consultations and second opinions with Johns Hopkins Medicine Together, the Allegheny Health Network cancer specialists, including diagnosis Cancer Institute and Johns Hopkins Medicine are working to combat even
the most rare and complex cancers, offering patients expert, responsive care that is multidisciplinary, compassionate and personalized. By supporting the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, you also have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact in our fight against cancer and in the lives of patients and their families. To give, visit us online at www.SupportAHN.org/cancer. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how your gift can make a difference, please contact the Allegheny Health Network Office of Development at 412-578-4427 or development@ahn.org. Thank you for joining the fight against cancer!
07 | LIFEFLIGHT ANNIVERSARY
LifeFlight Celebrates 40 Years of Saving Lives Allegheny Health Network launched LifeFlight in 1978, making it the oldest hospital-based service in the Northeast and among the first cadre of such services in the U.S. The innovative program set out to speed up transports from accident scenes and rural hospitals to Pittsburgh facilities. This year marks the 40th year of LifeFlight’s extraordinary service saving lives, including the life of Christine Holt. Christine used to hear LifeFlight helicopters fly over her work frequently, but she never thought one would someday transport her. Almost three years ago, Christine suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from a horse. Butler Ambulance Service was able to meet LifeFlight four miles down the road, where Christine was then flown 50 miles to Allegheny General Hospital. Christine was treated for level two head trauma and made a remarkable recovery. “I was told later by an EMT that I almost left them two times,” Christine
said. “I was shocked to hear this. I knew it was critical to get to the hospital quickly, but I had no idea that I was close to death, even in the ambulance.” Not having complete recollection of the events immediately following her accident, she set off on a mission to retrace her steps, meeting those whose valiant efforts saved her life. “It is hard for me to describe what a feeling it was to be able to show appreciation to everyone that had a part in saving my life,” Christine said. “They helped me to recover those ten days that would never be a part of my own memory.” Christine first started writing about her experience simply as a form of therapy, but it went in a different direction than she had initially intended. After an emotional two years of writing, she officially released her book, “Test Ride,” in March of 2018 during Brain Injury Awareness Month, sharing her story and ultimately the gratitude she had for medical professionals, including her nurses, doctors, therapists and LifeFlight crew.
400,000 Medical helicopters transport about
PATIENTS a year in the United States *Association of Air Medical Services
Today, Christine is back to working in graphic arts, spending time with her family, and even riding horses again. Although she has been able to return to the joys of everyday life, she will always run to the window and look out as soon as she hears a helicopter. Have you or a loved one been impacted by LifeFlight? Share your story with us by visiting www.facebook.com/ LifeFlight. You can also help support this program for another 40 years and more by visiting www.supportahn.org/ LifeFlight to make a donation.
LIFEFLIGHT ANNIVERSARY | 08
24/7 LIFEFLIGHT AVAILABILITY
80,000
+
LifeFlight’s arrival in Pittsburgh in 1978 with a single French Aloutte helicopter foreshadowed an era of explosive growth nationwide in air medical services.
MISSIONS COMPLETED
20 PILOTS 43 FLIGHT NURSES 1 CHIEF FLIGHT NURSE 8 FLIGHT PARAMEDICS 10 DISPATCHERS 8 MECHANICS LIFEFLIGHT TEAM
LifeFlight transports patients within a 130-mile radius that includes a population of 4 million people in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland.
09 | WAYS TO GIVE
Ways to Give A gift of health is one of the most enduring gifts you can give. When you give to any of our hospitals, programs or services, you join thousands of others who know how good it feels to contribute to the health of our community. Your gifts will advance the compassionate care, breakthrough treatments, and pioneering research at Allegheny Health Network.
When you give to Allegheny Health Network Office of Development, your donation stays right here in our community – touching the lives of those you care about the most: your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Whether small or large, all contributions to Allegheny Health Network will enhance the quality of health care available in our community.
GIVING NOW OR LATER Whether you are a patient or a family member of a patient who wants to say thank you, an employee or someone who has seen the impact one of our hospitals has had on the community; there are multiple ways for you to give back:
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A gift today
An outright gift can help fund our immediate needs, support an upcoming project, or be restricted for a particular purpose. The gift can be made as a memorial or honorary gift. Giving has never been easier. You can either return the enclosed remittance envelope in the mail or through our online donation form, you can designate exactly where you want your gift to go. Please visit www.supportahn.org/ to donate.
Pledge to make a gift over time
Many choose to pledge a gift today, and then fulfill that pledge in payments spread over a period of time. If you are interested in making a pledge, visit our website to print out a pledge form.
Include us in your Estate or Financial Planning arrangements
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A planned gift is any gift, given for any amount and for any purpose, which is made through estate or financial planning. Making appropriate, significant, charitable gifts generally requires the assistance of a professional legal or financial planner. If you have already included Allegheny Health Network or one of our hospitals in your estate plan, please let us know. It is important to us that we meet our donors’ expectations and give them the recognition they deserve for such a significant gift. To discuss personal giving arrangements, please call 412.578.5287 or email Walter “Terry” Brown, VP of Development at Walter.Brown@ahn.org.
Give your time
A gift of time is equally important and appreciated and can make an immeasurable impact on patients, families, and communities. To learn more about how to get involved, visit http://ahn.org/volunteer-application.
Share your story
One of the best ways to show your support is to share stories of excellent patient care. Your story influences people to give a firsthand account of how our hospitals and services help to positively affect our patients’ lives and our community. Email your story to the Allegheny Health Network Office of Development at development@ahn.org.
We are grateful to the many donors who have given so generously over the years, and we know that our patients and families will benefit greatly from your continued support. Each gift is deeply appreciated and helps us to continue providing the best healthcare possible for the people in our communities.
To learn more about ways to give, visit us on the web at www.supportahn.org.
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PLANNED GIVING | 10
Creating a Legacy of Caring Despite her busy schedule as a corporate professional, Linda Huffington always found time to take care of herself, making healthy eating and exercise a priority. But after retirement in 1998, Linda began experiencing some alarming health problems, including shortness of breath and difficulty walking up and down stairs. Linda was understandably concerned. She had a family history of cardiac problems and her father had died at age 61 from coronary occlusion. Linda sought treatment at the Allegheny General Hospital McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute and was promptly diagnosed with stage II congestive heart failure (CHF) and pulmonary hypertension. Over the years, Linda’s knowledge of the innovative research of cardiovascular care within Allegheny Health Network grew and she realized she too wanted to find a way to help patients suffering from cardiac diseases.
My confidence in these capable physicians and Allegheny Health Network is well placed.
That’s why Linda made the decision to include Allegheny Health Network in her will. Linda’s support and generosity provided for the creation of the Linda A. Huffington Heart Failure Fund for Cardiovascular Care at the Allegheny General Hospital McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute.
Because of Linda and the Linda A. Huffington Heart Failure Fund, future generations of physicians will be able to provide their patients with continued compassionate care, break-through treatments and innovative research. “My confidence in these capable physicians and Allegheny Health Network is well placed,” says Linda. “I am so glad to know that part of my legacy will be helping the Allegheny General Hospital McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute continue to prosper and help so many others.”
You can make compassion for others a core value of your life with a legacy gift to Allegheny Health Network. Let us help you choose the gift that’s right for you. Please visit our website at www.supportahn.org/PG.
Office of Development 232 West 25th Street Erie, PA 16502
All for Good is published by the Allegheny Health Network Office of Development, as an outreach to donors and community members.
There are exciting times ahead for health care: new treatments, new technologies and major discoveries. Each day, through patient-care initiatives that emphasize communication and personalized treatment, our doctors and caregivers are harnessing these advances to treat diseases more effectively than ever before. This is the vision of Allegheny Health Network – to lead the way in providing the latest, most comprehensive, and affordable medical care possible, all close to home. Maintaining this momentum requires building partnerships in every community, and we want to make that connection with you. We need your participation, your engagement – and your support.
If you would like additional information about supporting our programs or research, please contact the Allegheny Health Network Office of Development.
412.578.4427
development@ahn.org
UPCOMING EVENTS The Golf Classic is just one way to provide that support. The 2018 Golf Classic will be held on Monday, July 30, at TWO of the region’s most prestigious golf clubs: Allegheny Country Club and Sewickley Heights Golf Club. Proceeds will support Allegheny Health Network hospitals and their life-saving programs. Special thank you to our sponsors.
The Allegheny Health Network Gala: A Night Under the Stars is another way to provide support. The 2018 Allegheny Health Network Gala will be held on Friday, September 28, on the field at PNC Park. Every dollar raised will support our hospitals and the life-saving programs Allegheny Health Network is proud to offer. Special thank you to our sponsors.
The LifeFlight 40th Anniversary event will be held this September. Since LifeFlight’s arrival in Pittsburgh in 1978, LifeFlight crews have completed over 80,000 missions. Stay tuned for more details in the next issue of All for Good.