St. Joseph's Foundation, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2009

ST. JOSEPH’SmagazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 5, Issue 1, 2009

TREATING EARLY-STAGELUNG CANCER

New endoscopic procedure reducespain, recovery time for patients

St. Joseph’s Midwifery ServicesGiving women a natural birth experience

Like nearly every organization in the country, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and St.Joseph’s Foundation are dealing with the effects of the troubled economy. But, as this issue illus-trates, our employees, physicians, and benefactors are helping the hospital weather this financialdownturn. We are confident that our organization will emerge stronger than ever, well positioned forthe future.

In our Emergency Department, for example, employeesand physicians collaborated on a project that has greatlyimproved efficiency and customer service.Wait times have beensignificantly reducedbecause the staff identified and implement-ed a better way of handling the diverse patients who come toour Emergency Department for care. As a result, patients arehappier, and the staff is less stressed. The improvementsshould have financial benefits as well.

The impact of benefactors can be seen throughout thisissue of St. Joseph’s Magazine. From major benefactors like Charlene “Pinky” Harris and theCelebrity Fight Night Foundation to student organizations like Girls on the Run of Maricopa Coun-ty, donors are contributing in many ways to many areas of the hospital. You’ll read about the Con-genital Heart Foundation, established with the help of benefactors to enable the Scott and LauraEller Congenital Heart Center to continue its phenomenal growth, and the Leader Circle, an emerg-ing group of community-minded professionals who want to be involved in and support St. Joseph’s.Finally, events like the Superstition Paint Horses Open House and the Angelita’s Amigos Golf Tour-nament remind all of us here at St. Joseph’s of the real meaning of what we do.

Your support plays a critical role in our ability to offer world-class healthcare right here in our owncommunity, and that truth is well illustrated in our cover story. Benefactors helped make possiblethe Thoracic Disease Center—a huge benefit for patients like Baron Benz, Burton Kohn, and Jen-nifer Hoppock.

Thank you!

Linda Hunt Mary Jane CristPresident CEOSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center St. Joseph’s Foundation

OPENING THOUGHTS

2 Baby Makes Entrance on Exit 212 of the I-17Parents say Midwifery Program at St. Joseph’s helpedkeep them calm.

7 CPR for the ERIn just three weeks, employees re-engineered EmergencyDepartment processes, significantly cutting patient waittimes.

10 Treating Early-Stage Lung CancerVideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) reducespain, recovery time for patients.

14 Healthy HeartsNew foundation established to support Scott and LauraEller Congenital Heart Center.

16 A Word from the ChairmanBenefactors play a critical role in advancing St. Joseph’sstrategic plan.

17 K-9 Patrol‘So far, all they’ve had to do is bark.’

20 Why I GiveRetired nurse makes gift in honor of her late husband.

22 Health & Wealth RaffleAre you confused by the new raffles entering the market?

24 Leader CircleMembers get together for fun and a good cause.

26 Benefactor Briefs

30 News

32 In Giving, You Receive

ST. JOSEPH’SmagazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 5, Issue 1, 2009

contents

Catherine Menor, [email protected]

Christina Vanoverbeke, Writer

Justin DetwilerArt Director/Designer

Brad ArmstrongD Squared Productions, Murphy/ScullyJackie MercandettiJeff NoblePhotography

Panoramic Press

Linda Hunt, PresidentSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Mary Jane Crist, CFRECEO, St. Joseph’s Foundation

• H o w t o R e a c h U s •St. Joseph’s Magazine is published twiceayearbySt. Joseph’sFoundation.Wewelcomeyourcomments, suggestions, and requests tobeaddedto or deleted from our mailing list. Call 602-406-1041, email [email protected], or send mail to St. Joseph’s Magazine, Office ofPhilanthropy,St. Joseph’sHospital andMedicalCenter, 350W.ThomasRd.,Phoenix,AZ, 85013.Please includeyourname,address, anddaytimetelephone number in all correspondence. Visit us online at www.SupportStJosephs.com.

S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E2

Emily Pettee didn’t realize she was in labor when she wokeup in the middle of the night on February 11, 2008.

It was 10 days before she was due, and her first child, daughter Sofia, had arrived late. Sowhen she awokewithsome discomfort, she asked her husband, John, to draw her a warm bath and tried to relaxed.But by the time she finished her bath, she knew shewas experiencing contractions and theywere coming clos-

er together. It was time to get to the hospital.They called John’s mother to watch Sofia and called their doula, or labor coach, to meet them at St. Joseph’s

Hospital andMedical Center where Emily was being cared for by a midwife, Connie Garcia, CNM,MSN. Emilywas feeling the urge to push before she even got in the car but tried to suppress it, knowing they were a half an

OOPS!

BABY MAKESENTRANCE ON

EXIT 212 OF I-17;PARENTS SAYMIDWIFERY

PROGRAM ATST. JOSEPH’SHELPED KEEPTHEM CALM

by Christina Vanoverbeke

S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E 3

hour from St. Joseph’s. About 10 minutes into the tripshe knew her efforts were in vain.“I said to my husband, ‘The baby’s coming. This is

it. Pull over,’”Emily says.A short time later, Emily delivered John Anthony,

bright red and screaming, in the back seat of their SUV.It was February 12 on Exit 212 of the I-17.“We knew he was perfectly healthy and happy,” she

said.“Itwas awonderful experience forme tobe able tocatch himmyself.”The Pettee family’s experience is unusual, but Emily

saysworkingwithamidwifeduringherpregnancy ispartof what helped her stay calm during her delivery.St. Joseph’s began offering families the option of

midwifery services in July of last year and nowhas fourmidwives on the staff, saysTrudyBrown,practiceman-ager at St. Joseph’sWomen’s Care Center. She says peo-ple learn of the service through family and friends andthrough a community of people in the Phoenixmetro-politan area who are interested in natural childbirth.Nurse-midwifery was started in the U.S. in 1925 by

Mary Breckenridge,who developed the Frontier Nurs-ingService inKentucky.Theprogramusedpublichealthregisterednurses to staff nursingcenters in theAppalachi-anMountains.The nurse-midwife is educated and trained to pro-

vide abroad rangeof health care services forwomenandnewborns, including activities that promote women'shealth and reduce health risks.The midwives at

St.Joseph’sareuniquein that they advocatefor natural birthswithin theconstraintsof the hospital set-ting, Brown says.“They are learn-

ing to work withinthe hospital, whichhasbeenachallenge,”she says.Before coming to

St. Joseph’s, all of themidwiveswereoper-atingprivatepracticesand only bringingpatients to hospitalsforbirthswhencom-plications arose.

Being in a hospital setting full time is new to themidwives, and having them around is new to the hos-pital staff.Themidwives spent a lot of time in their firstmonths at thehospital educatingother staff aboutwhatit is that amidwife does and that“not every patient thatcomes inwants an epidural or invasivemonitoring,”saysmidwife Donna Tash, CNM,MSN.A woman working with a midwife is likely to be

seen up and walking around during labor, Tash says.She may sit in a rocking chair, take a shower, or visitwith family.“There is freedom,liberation fromnotbeing tieddown

to the fetal monitor,”Tash says.St. Joseph’s does not yet have dedicated birthing

rooms or a birthing center, but it is a dreamof themid-wives on staff to someday have one.That’sbecause inabirthingcenterwomenwouldhave

evenmore freedomto squat onabirthingball—bounc-ing on one can decrease perineal pressure, and leaningover it can allow the baby to hang down, thus decreas-inganybackpainorback labor—or immerse themselves

“It was a wonderful experience

for me to be able to catch him

myself.”

Emily Pettee

Opposite page, John Anthony is nearly one year old in thisphoto with his family, parents John and Emily, and sisterSofia. Above, Emily cuddles her infant son.


in a warm tub of water, a few of the practices oftenencouraged bymidwives to ease pain and stress duringlabor and delivery.Midwives are all about a low-techbirthwherewomen

and their families are involved in the process in a com-fortable environment, Tash says.“Wehaveanattitude thatbirth isnormal.Weencour-

age women to be active in decision-making,” she says.“A lot of women are well-educated about what theywant.”Emily, who had a more traditional birthing experi-

encewhendaughter Sofiawasborn at another areahos-pitalwith anobstetrician,knewwhen shebecamepreg-

nantwith her second child that shewanteda different experience.“Ihadwantedanatural childbirth the first

time,but Iwasn’t prepared fornatural child-birth,” she said.“When Iwas pregnant the second time,

I knewwhat Iwanted. Iwas already amoth-er; I had talked to other women andresearchedmy options.”Emily began neonatal carewith a home

birthmidwife,but she encountered someproblems, thebiggest of which was her insurance not covering theservice.So,shebeganexploringheroptions.Sheknewshedid

not want to go with an obstetrician again, but she alsoknew she couldn’t afford the cost of a home birth.Then she foundout froma familymember about the

midwifery services at St. Joseph’s.And because the carewas administered through the hospital, her insurancewould pay for it.About 20 weeks into her pregnancy, she trans-

ferred to St. Joseph’s for her care and began seeingmid-wife Garcia.

“We have an attitude that birth is

normal. We encourage women to

be active in decision-making.”

Donna Tash, midwife

The four midwives at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center includeDonna Tash, CNM, MSN; Connie Garcia, CNM, MSN; Anita Martinez,CNM, MSN; and Tanya Belcheff, CNM, MSN (not pictured).


“Everything clicked. She was everything a birthingpractitioner should be,”Emily says.“She is so warm, soknowledgeable and experienced.”St. Joseph’s specializes in high-risk pregnancies, but

adding themidwifery services provides a broader rangeof options to families.Women are fully screened beforebeginning care with amidwife, and if at any timeduring their pregnancy they are considered at risk,they are referred to a traditional obstetrician.Office visitswith amidwife generally last longer

than with an obstetrician, and the entire family isinvolved to the extent possible.Atmanyobstetricianpractices,patientsmay see

several physicians or physician’s assistants duringtheir pregnancies.Forpatients likeEmilywho seekout the care of

a midwife, it is important to build a relationshipwith one person.“I sawConnie for everyappointment.AndIwas

never rushed,”she says.“I felt very comfortable tobe perfectly honest with Connie about any of thesymptoms I was experiencing and I wouldn’t bejudged. She trustedme—that it wasmy body,mypregnancy, and that I was probably the foremostexpert on it. I really appreciated that, too.”Emily says that throughherworkwith themid-

wives at St. Joseph’s, and with her doula, she feltempowered and ready for her baby to come.“Unfortunately and sadly, a lot of births are

takenoutof themother’shands,”she says.“ButCon-nie was so supportive. She was my advocate, andthe whole thing felt like it was a team effort.”

Midwife Anita Martinez with DulceDelcid and her newborn.


FETAL SURGEON JOINS ST. JOSEPH’S STAFF

Anew physician joined the team at St. Joseph’sHospital and Medical Center in August to care

for patients facing high-risk pregnancies and in-uteroprocedures.George Giannina,MD, was hired as the hospital's

director of Fetal Surgery after serving as an assistantprofessor at the University of Medicine andDentistryof New Jersey (UMDNJ). He also served as directorof the school’s Perinatal Office Practice and FetalDiagnostic and Therapy Section.Dr.Giannina received hismedical degree and com-

pleted his residency at UMDNJ. He did a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Baylor College of Medi-cine inHouston and is board certified in obstetrics andgynecology. In addition to his training as a specialistin high-risk pregnancies, Dr. Giannina is also skilledin fetal surgery and has performed hundreds of in-utero procedures.Formal training for fetal surgery doesn’t really

exist yet, and Dr. Giannina says he fell into the spe-cialty by association.His partner inNew Jerseywas a pioneer in fetal sur-

gery, in particular for the treatment of twin-twintransfusion syndrome.“Most patients in the country came to uswhen they

needed this procedure,” he says.Dr.Giannina has joined the teamof St. Joseph’s Fetal

Care Center, which focuses on providing care topatients with fetal abnormalities from before birth,through labor, and after delivery.Women with high-risk pregnancies are often referred to the center by theirphysician. There they can receive diagnostic studies,genetic counseling, treatment, and care when a fetalabnormality is suspected or diagnosed.Like other physicians at the Fetal Care Center, Dr.

Giannina will treat women experiencing high-riskpregnancies and unborn babies with life-threaten-ing problems, but when other specific complicationsarise requiring fetal surgery, he also will treat thosepatients. He says fetal surgeries do not occur often,althoughmore people are now able to perform themthan ever before.Fetal surgery has been evolving for years and has

proven effective for some babies.For example, identical twins with twin-twin trans-

fusion syndrome share abnormal connections in the

placenta that cause blood to pass unequally betweenthe two fetuses. One fetus pumps blood to the otherfetus.Without intervention, the recipient twin receivestoomuch blood andmay develop fluid overload andheart failure, and may die, and the donor twin maydie from not having enough blood, or severe anemia.

Dr. Giannina intervenes by inserting a tiny endo-scope in the uterus and performing placental sur-gery, lasering the abnormal connections. Twin-twintransfusion syndrome has an 80 to 100 percent mor-tality rate without intervention.“We knew we had to find a way to treat that con-

dition,”he says.“And the surgery works and has a ben-efit.”Dr. Giannina has spent his first few months at St.

Joseph’s becoming acquaintedwith his new surround-ings, acquiring equipment, and educating his staff.Hesays fetal surgery isn’t something that happens everyday, but when a case comes to St. Joseph’s, they’ll beready.

George Giannina,MD, has joined St.Joseph’s as thedirector of FetalSurgery.

7S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E

From the time a patient entered the department to the time he or she was discharged was exceeding fourhours in some cases before the changes were implemented in late August.

CPRFORTHE

ERIN JUST

THREE WEEKS,EMPLOYEES

RE-ENGINEEREMERGENCYDEPARTMENTPROCESSES,

SIGNIFICANTLYCUTTING WAIT

TIMES FORPATIENTS


Patients arriving at St. Joseph’sHospital andMedical Centerwith an emer-gency will not wait as long as they might have just a few months ago,

thanks to major changes in the Del E.Webb Emergency Department.


Since then, the average length of a stay has decreasedto around two and half hours, and the average timeit takes to see a physician also has decreased, saysDeannaMast, RN, clinical director in the Emergencyand Trauma departments.“Before the change, it could take two hours to see

a doctor,” Mast says. Now patients are seeing a doc-tor within 30 to 40 minutes of arrival based on theseverity of their problem,with a goal to get that timedown to 15 minutes in the most serious cases.To accomplish these changes, theEmergencyDepart-

ment was separated into two distinct zones, accordingto Michael Christopher, MD, medical director of theED. The“green zone” is for non-acute patients—peo-ple whomight use an urgent care for conditions suchasminor injuries or illness. The“red zone” is formorecomplex cases such as strokes and heart attacks.“By doing it this way,we’re able to concentrate our

resources on where they are needed,” Dr. Christo-pher says.When a patient enters the Emergency Depart-

ment, he or she is quickly assessed by a staff memberat the front desk, who determines which zone theyshould go to.

In the green zone—no bedsPatients in the green zone don’t see a hospital bed.

Instead, they are put in a room with two chairs,equipped so that two patients can be seen at the same

time. In that room, they are simultaneously visited bya physician and a nurse, who take the patient’s histo-ry and determine what tests or medications need tobe ordered.“This brings doctors into the decision-making

process a lot sooner than they used to be brought in,”Dr. Christopher says. “Before, you might be here anhour or two before you saw a doctor, and the patientwould get frustrated because they were repeating thesame story again and again.”The patient is then asked to sit outside the room

in a small waiting area where the technician or nurseperforming their test will find them.Mark Krich,MD, says the emergency department

at St. Joseph’s is always busy, and sometimes theycan’t domuch to speed the experience for people dueto a limited number of beds.“How do you take care of so many patients with

limited resources?” he says. “You have to streamlinethe process and do the best you can with what youhave.”But, he said, the recent changes havemade a notice-

able difference.“It has definitely helped get everything in order and

running faster,” says Dr. Krich.The change also has improved efficiency. Going

fromone bed per room to two chairs in the green zoneincreased the number of overall beds in the emergencydepartment by about 15, Mast says.

Above left, David Terry, RN, and Mary DiJulio, PCT, in the green zone of the ED, and, right, Erica Mima, RN.


“Patients are OKwith it because they know they’llget to see a doctor sooner,” she says.“And if it’s some-thing that requires privacy—a conversation or a pro-cedure—we can move them to a private room.”Dr. Christopher says, in terms of efficiency, the

EmergencyDepartmentwasn’t in bad shape before thechanges. But the staff knew they had to do some-thing about all the patients who were holding, wait-ing for the next step of the process. Several otherCatholic Healthcare West sister hospitals had triedsomething similar to this process in their emergencydepartments with success, and so St. Joseph’s decid-ed to try it.

A staff-driven changeMast says St. Joseph’s admits 25 to 30 percent of

the patients who come to the Emergency Depart-ment. “It feeds all of our service lines,” she says.Once the department decided to make a change,

they met as a committee for one week and includedphysicians, nurses, admissions specialists, lab techni-cians, and others who have regular contact with theEmergency Department in the process, says Mast.Then, they took two weeks to implement the

changes, with a commitment to stick with the newprocess for 30 days before evaluating it.Mast says they continue tomonitor how the change

is working, but so far the results have exceeded theirexpectations with regard to wait times, efficiency, andstaff stress levels.“This is a radical rethinking of how we’ve always

done things,”Dr. Christopher says.“The old way wasvery linear, but it was just the way we had alwaysdone it.”

Diana Minneci, PCT, and Tarah Butler Scrafano, RN, work inthe new green zone of the Emergency Department at St.Joseph’s. Patients in this area are visited simultaneously bynurses and doctors to save time.

“This is a radical rethinking

of how we’ve always done

things.”

Michael Christopher, MD

10 S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E10

LUNG CANCER

In early November 2008, Burton Kohn, 82, of PalmDesert,Calif.,woke up one night feeling seriously ill.A trip to EisenhowerMedical Center confirmed a gas-trointestinal problem, which could be treated easily.What couldn’t be treated so easily was the spot on

Kohn’s lung that awhole-body scandetected during histrip to the hospital.Kohn,who had stopped smoking 30 years ago,was

stunned. “It’s surreal. It takes a while to sink in. Thenyou just feel strange.”

What seemedat the time tobe anunfortunate discovery turnedout tobe a very lucky one for this activegrandfather.While the spot was lung cancer,

it was found at an early stage, andKohn was able to undergo endo-scopic surgery to remove the affect-ed lobe at the Thoracic DiseaseCenter at St. Joseph’s.

VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACOSCOPIC SURGERYREDUCES PAIN, RECOVERY TIME FORPATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE DISEASE

by Catherine Menor

Burton Kohn with hisdaughter, Kathy Bain,and daughter-in-law,Deana Kohn.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is offered by the ThoracicDisease Center at St. Joseph’s in the newly renovated Heart & LungTower. St. Joseph’s Foundation supports the Thoracic Disease Center.

11S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E

He left St. Joseph’s three days after surgery andspent Thanksgiving Day with his daughter and herfamily, who live in Phoenix. Two weeks later, Kohnwas walking twomiles a day, and in January, he beganchemotherapy at Eisenhower.His prognosis is much brighter than it might have

been.

The hard facts of lung cancerLung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-

related deaths in men and the second most commonin women. It claims 1.3 million lives worldwideannually.According to the American Lung Association, the

five-year survival rate for all patients diagnosed withlung cancer is 16 percent, compared to 64.1 percent forcolon, 88.5 percent for breast, and 99.9 percent forprostate cancer.This low survival rate is due largely to the fact that

lung cancer rarely causes symptoms until it has spreadto other parts of the body.Thus, formost patients, thedisease is not diagnosed until after it hasmetastasized.But for patients with early-stage lung cancer—cancer

that is contained within the lung and that has not spreadto lymphnodes or other parts of the body—the five-yearsurvival rate ranges from 70 to 80 percent, compared tofrom5 to 10 percent for late-stage lung cancer, cancer thathas spread beyond the lungs.Patients whose lung cancer is discovered early not

only have a much better prognosis, but also bettertreatment options.At St. Joseph’s, for example, lung spe-cialists use video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)to remove diseased lobes with less discomfort andfaster recovery for patients.

Improving surgery forearly-stage lung diseaseVideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) uses

just three or four small incisions to remove the affect-ed lobe. A tiny video camera is guided into one of theincisions to give surgeons a clear view of the lungs.Thesurgery team uses the other incisions to insert instru-ments into the chest, do the operation, and take out thediseased lobe.Unlike traditional open surgery for lung cancer,

which is called thoracotomy,VATS does not require along incision between the ribs or the spreading of therib cage. As a result, patients undergoing VATS expe-rience less discomfort and recover more quickly.

The difference between a traditional lung surgeryand VATS is dramatic, says BaronBenz, 48, of Omaha,Neb.Benzhas first-handknowledge of the differences.His

first battle with cancer in 2001-02 involved a large late-stage tumor that wrapped around his left kidney andtesticle. It was removed through a two-foot-long inci-sion in his chest and abdomen.Four years later, during

a routine follow-up scan,hisdoctor noticed that a spoton Benz’s upper right lobephysicians had been moni-toring was growing. Benz,whowas living inPhoenix atthe time, was referred toRoss Bremner, MD, who’drecently joined St. Joseph’s.“Dr. Bremner took one

look at my scan and said,‘We’ve got to take this outbecause it’s increased in size,and if it’s cancer, we have agood chance of curing it.’”

St. Joseph’s firstVATS patientIn April 2006, Benz

became St. Joseph’s firstVATS patient, though notthe first for Dr. Bremner,who had done the newpro-cedure in California beforerelocating to Phoenix.“I was out of the hospi-

tal in two days, off my painmeds in five, and back towork in seven,”says Benz ofhis surgery at St. Joseph’s.“If you can imagine the

difference betweenbeing cutdown the middle, eight toten weeks of misery andthinking you’re going to dieto just a few small scars andbeing back to full speed injust a week, then you’llunderstand how amazingVATS is.”

St. Joseph’s thoracic surgeonsinclude Ross Bremner, MD,Michael Smith, MD, and JasmineHuang, MD.


The lung cancer was unrelated to his earlier cancer.Fortunately, the tumorwas stage 1-A, the earliest formof lung cancer.Benz got thewake-up call he needed tostop his 25-year smoking habit.“I was just lucky I was being followed for the other

cancer,”says themarried father of three,who describeshis current health as excellent.“Another sixmonths andI would have been a statistic.”

‘A really hard addiction’Jennifer Hoppock, 61, wasn’t worried about the

cough she sometimes had in the morning. But herdoctor thought she heard something abnormal inHop-pock’s lungs and recommended that she see a pulmo-nologist.Pulmonolgist Amy Silverthorn, MD, found an

abnormality in Hoppock’s lungs and gave the Gilbertwoman three options: a biopsy to determine if it wascancer, removal of the lesion, or removal of the affect-ed lobe. Hoppock chose the third option.On February 12, 2008, St. Joseph’s lung surgeon

Michael Smith,MD,usedVATS to remove the lobe andnearby lymphnodes.While the lesionwas cancer, it hadnot spread to the lymph nodes.“It was a niceValentine’sDay gift,”Hoppock says of

the surgery.“I got three small incisions, Iwas in the hos-pital for four nights and back to work in three weeks.”AlthoughHoppock had quit smoking several times

only to begin again, this time was different, and todayHoppock is a committed non-smoker.“It’s really a hard addiction. Everyone in my fami-

ly smoked, and no one had lung cancer, and I guess I

thought I had some kind of gene protecting me fromcancer,” says the grandmother of two.Besides improving treatment for lung cancer, doc-

tors, educators, and researchers at St. Joseph’s andBar-row are working to inform people about the risks ofsmoking and to find ways to help smokers stop.“Ninety percent of peoplewith lung cancer are cur-

rent or former smokers, so preventing and stoppingsmoking are the best ways to lower deaths,”Dr. Smithsays.“The paradox is that lung cancer is the biggest killer

but also the most preventable.”

“The paradox is that lung

cancer is the biggest

killer but also the most

preventable.”

Michael Smith, MD

Jennifer Hoppock


When a patient receives a diagnosis of cancer, heor she facesmany uncertainties. Is my diagno-

sis correct? Is the planmydoctor has recommended theone I should follow?Are there other treatment options?How do I cope with this difficult time?Answering these and other questions—and coor-

dinating the care of newly diagnosed cancer patients—is the goal of a project team formed this year throughSt. Joseph’s Foundation.The teamof doctors, Founda-tion boardmembers, and hospital employees hopes toraise $1 million for a Multidisciplinary Second Opin-ion Center at the Comprehensive Cancer Center.TheMultidisciplinary SecondOpinionCenterwould

be a one-stop center that provides patients a thoroughdiagnosis and treatment plan, and that coordinatesthe patient’s care throughout the cancer journey.The Center would bring together cancer experts

from throughout St. Joseph’s to review a patient’s case,develop an integrated, multidisciplinary treatmentplan, and coordinate implementation of the plan.In one visit, a patient couldmeetwith a teamof can-

cer experts to discuss his or her case and learn abouttreatment options. The patient could ask questionsand talk about concerns. By the end of the visit, thepatient would leave with a plan, answers to questions,and greater confidence about the future.TheMultidisciplinary SecondOpinionCenter Proj-

ect Team is seeking contributions to cover the cost of:• New equipment to ensure high quality diagnosis• Space renovations to create efficient,patient-friend-ly areas

• A conference room equippedwith a videomicro-scope, awireless remote,plasmamonitors, telecon-ference phones, and a video recorder for team-patient meetings.Members of the Project Team include co-champi-

ons Sister MadonnaMarie Bolton, Edward Donahue,MD, and Cassandra Groh; Mary Sue Aasheim; IvorBenjamin,MD;Ross Bremner,MD;David Brachman,MD;CindyBrown;L.DonBrown;Burt Feuerstein,PhD;Les Gin; RichardHorn; Kathy Kramer; Pamela Purdy;Mary Schneider; Joseph Urdaneta, MD; PennyWalk-er; ChristineWilkinson, PhD; and TedWilliams.

St. Joseph’s Cancer Center currently offers patientsa wide range of services, from state-of-the-art diagno-sis and treatment to genetics counseling,painmanage-ment, diet assessment, and clinical trials. The Centerhas treatmentmodalities found at no other hospital inArizona, includingCyberKnife andGammaKnife, andit has a broadpanel of experts in such areas as lung can-cer,brain tumors,breast cancer,gynecological cancer,andgastrointestinal cancer, alongwithmany social services.For information about how you can support this

important initiative,please call St. Joseph’s Foundationat 602-406-3041 or email SisterMadonnaMarie Boltonat [email protected].

IMPROVING CARE FOR CANCERPROJECT TEAM WORKS TO CREATE CENTER

THAT OFFERS PATIENTS ALL THE EXPERTS IN ONE VISIT

Gail Brown, NP, and Edward Donahue, MD


NEW FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORTSCOTT AND LAURA ELLER CONGENITAL HEART CENTER

Anew foundation dedicated to engaging the com-munity in support of the Scott and Laura Eller

Congenital Heart Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital andMedical Center has been established. The CongenitalHeart Foundationwill raise funds needed for the con-tinueddevelopment of the EllerCongenitalHeartCen-ter, the only center of its kind in Arizona.“Clearly,our vision for the Scott andLauraEllerCon-

genital Heart Center is to improve care for all patientswith congenital heart disease, frombefore birth throughadulthood,” says David C. Cleveland, MD, executivedirector of the center.“TheCongenitalHeart Founda-tion will be critical to our efforts to do that, especiallyin funding clinical and translational research,medicaleducation, and outreach efforts.”Dr. Cleveland says that research at the Center will

focus onmaking discoveries in the laboratory that canbe applied to patient care,while funds for educationwillbe used to establish fellowships in subspecialty areas ofboth cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. TheCenter recently established a fellowship in cardiotho-racic intensive care.Other areas of development for the Eller Congen-

ital Heart Center include the following:• A genetics program to categorize the genetic defectsof tissue collected at the center.

• More surgery suites.• An enhanced catheterization lab.• A transplant program.• Anoutreach program to help children throughoutthe world who have congenital heart disease anddon’t have access to care.While the number of patients undergoing surgery

at the Eller CongenitalHeart Center has remained sta-ble—about 230 annually—the complexity of the cases

has growndramatically,Dr.Cleveland says.Today, thisSt. Joseph’s center of excellencehas oneof themost com-plex case loads in the country and a mortality risk ofjust two percent, half the national average. Dr. Cleve-land believes these outstanding outcomes are possiblebecause the center is staffedby employedphysicianswhowork together every day.“We are excited about the future of congenital heart

care,”Dr. Cleveland says.“The Eller Congenital HeartCenter has come a long way since it was established.Babies that wouldn’t have survived five years ago arethriving, and we are attacking new clinical problemsevery year.”Formore information about the Congenital Heart

Foundation, contact St. Joseph’s FoundationMonday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at 602-406-3041.

The Congenital Heart FoundationFounding Board of Directors

David Cleveland,MDMary Jane CristScott EllerLinda Hunt

HEALTHY H


ChristineMiller, 28, of Surprise isthankful to be alive after suffer-

ing a serious heart ailment days afterdelivering her second child.Diagnosedwith congenital heart disease as aninfant, Miller has faced many risksassociated with her heart conditionand has beaten the odds by survivinginto adulthood and having healthychildren.In January, Miller developed a

blood clot in her heart valve, a life-threatening condition. She was close-ly monitored by physicians at St.Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Cen-ter, and within days of delivering ahealthy baby girl, she went into con-gestive heart failure.Miller underwentemergent mitral valve replacementsurgery at St. Joseph’s.The mother of two was born with

multiple congenital heart defectsincluding a heartmurmur, two holes in her heart, andamalformed heart valve. She was one of the first chil-dren to undergo a valve replacement and pacemakerimplantation at two years of age. She has had six pace-maker surgeries and has been monitored by physi-cians throughout her life.Medical advancements havegiven Miller an opportunity to live a full life—some-thing that, until recently, was not possible.“In the past, patients like Christine would not have

lived to adulthood and certainly would not have beenable to have children of their own,” says John J. Nigro,MD, director of the Scott and Laura Eller Congenital

Heart Center at St. Joseph’s.“New treatments aremak-ing it possible for people with congenital heart diseaseto live full lives.”Since her surgery, Miller has been released from

the hospital and is enjoying her children and husband.Shewill continue to have closemedical follow-ups therest of her life.“I grewupnot knowing if I could have children,but

new and advanced medical care has helped me deliv-er two healthy babies and givenme the opportunity tolive a normal life,” says Miller.

MOTHER OF TWO ISTHE NEW FACE OFCONGENITAL HEARTDISEASEby Carmelle Malkovich

EARTS

Adecade has passed since I first joined the Board ofDirectors for St. Joseph’s Foundation.Those years

have broughtmany changes to St. Joseph’sHospital andthe Foundation that supports it. Today, more thanever, St. Joseph’s Foundation plays a vital role in thehealth of St. Joseph’s Hospital.St. Joseph’s Foundationwas founded

in 1981 to raise funds for the hospital’sMercyCareClinics,which cared forunin-sured and underinsured children andadults. Since the services of the MercyCare Clinics were largely uncompensat-ed, the hospital needed away to cover thecost of providing them. The solutionwaswhatwas then called theMercyCareFoundation, a non-profit support foun-dation that asked benefactors to helpfund these vital community services. In1990, the Foundation’s purpose wasexpanded to include all services at the hospital, and thename St. Joseph’s Foundation was adopted.We can all be proud of all the Foundation has done

and continues todo for themost vulnerable in our com-munity.But once again, our purpose has broadened.Today,

amajor focus for the Foundation involves supportingthe hospital’s strategic direction.

St. Joseph’s Hospital is pursuing a strategy of mak-ing key services of such high quality that they willattract patients from throughoutArizona, the country,and, in some cases, fromaround theworld.The target-ed services are thoracic disease,neurosciences,pediatric

subspecialties, and surgical subspecial-ties—areas where St. Joseph’s has thepotential to contribute the most to thehealth of our community.Creating centers dedicated to the

highest level of excellence is an expen-sive proposition that cannot be fundedbyordinary hospital revenue.Topphysi-cian-scientists must be recruited,research laboratories equipped andstaffed, medical residency programsdeveloped and run. These activities,while vital to the centers that St. Joseph’sis building, are not self-sustaining and,

thus, require outside funding.That is where St. Joseph’sFoundation comes in.By giving to the Foundation, you enable St. Joseph’s

to invest in the people, places, and things needed by aworld-classmedical center.Thepayoff to eachof us per-sonally and to our community as a whole is tremen-dous.We can count on advanced medical care when-ever we, our family, or friends need it.Meanwhile, our

community enjoys the prestige, good jobs,and economic stimulus that such a medicalcenter brings.In thesedifficult economic times,St. Joseph’s

Foundation is more important to the hospi-tal than ever before. Your contributions willensure that St. Joseph’s Hospital can contin-ue to build a medical center of which we canall be proud.


A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMANBENEFACTORS PLAY CRITICAL ROLE IN ADVANCINGST. JOSEPH’S STRATEGIC PLAN

By Christine Wilkinson, PhDChairman, Board of Directors, St. Joseph’s Foundation

“By giving to the Foundation, you

enable St. Joseph’s to invest in the

people, places, and things needed

by a world-class medical center.”


At home,Fred likes to

swim, chase rabbits, and chew ontoys.But when he’s on the job, he goes

to work deterring crimes that couldhappen at St. Joseph’s Hospital andMedical Center.HandlerNanLaws says Fredhas three

distinct personalities: his work personal-ity, his protection personality, and hishome personality.“When he’s at home, he’s just a dog

and my commands go ignored,” she says.All of that changeswhenhe’s on duty at St. Joseph’s,

where the 90-poundCzechoslovakian shepherdbecomesanothermemberof the security team trained to respondquickly to any situation that may arise—from an agi-tated visitor who may need to calm down to a suspi-cious package that may need to be investigated.There are four security dogs now patrolling the

campus of St. Joseph’s: Zambo,Chrom,Max, and Fred.Fredwas the first, andwith his enormouswagging tailand friendly disposition, everybody loves him, saysChris Bellino, director of Security.Adding these dogs to the security department is a

project that began in March 2008 and hasbeen awelcome additiono the hospital,Belli-no says.He hopes to grow the program to sixdogs in all.Bellino and staff visited other hospitals

in theValley to see how they set up their K-9 programs and policies before embarkingon the change at St. Joseph’s.They adopted a lot of what they saw, but

made some adaptations thatmore closelymimicapoliceK-9program.Oneof thebiggest changeswas having the handler and the dog live andwork together, asmost police dogs andhandlers

do. Bellino says they made this choice because thedog and its handler form a stronger bond this way.“The dog becomes like part of the family,” he says.Nan says she and Fred have definitely formed a

close relationship because they spend all of their timetogether. Her father raised Doberman pinschers asprotection canines, and she remembers saying good-bye to many animals that she loved.When the opportunity arose for her to be on the

other end of the situation, as the handler of such a dog,she jumped at it.“It’s been awonderful opportunity toworkwithFred

and to work at St. Joseph’s. It’s a dream job for me.”

K-9PATROL‘SO FAR THE MOSTTHEY’VE HAD TO DOIS BARK’



When recruiting security officers to pairwith the dogs,the trainer looks for people who have no previous expe-riencewith canines so that they don’t have to unlearn badhabits.Once officers are chosen, the trainer personally visits

each handler’s home tomake sure the place is safe for bothdog and human.Thedogs areofficially employees at St. Joseph’s andwork

12-hour shifts,with four hours built into each day for rest.The biggest benefit to having them in the hospital is thatthey deter undesirable behavior and crimes,Bellino says.“We don’t have a lot of problems,”he says.“But when

people see one of these dogs coming down the hall, theycalm down. One dog is probably the equivalent of threesecurity guards.”Two of the four dogs also are trained to sniff out eight

of the most common materials used in making bombs.While Bellino assures visitors to the hospital that it is a safeplace, he says you can never be too safe when it comes toa suspicious-looking package or backpack that’s been leftbehind.Rambunctious two-year-oldMax shines at this partic-

ular task.Hewowed staff during a training exercisewherea canister with just the slightest trace of one of thesematerials was placed inside a backpack and then put in alocker, and he still was able to find it.His handler, Dave Maynard, plans to take Max into a

competition this spring to test his skills against otherwell-trained canines.Bellino says he hopes the hospital never has to utilize

the full capabilities of its canines.“So far, themost they’ve had to do is bark.That’s usu-

ally enough.”

Previous page, Fred isshown with handler NanLaws. Above, the other

three dogs and theirhandlers are Rodney

Brown and Chrom; DaveMaynard and Max; and

John Margolis andZambo. Right, Fred

demonstrates his worktechniques.

St. Joseph’s Hospital holds a special place in Char-lene“Pinky”Harris’heart. Sheworked in the hos-

pital as a nurse when she first moved from Iowa toPhoenix in the 1950s, and it was the hospital of choicefor both her husband,KeithHarris,MD,andhis father,Karl Harris, MD.So when the time was right, Mrs. Harris gifted the

annual distribution from an IRA account to pediatricservices at St. Joseph’s in honor of her husband.“I love children,”Mrs.Harris says.“and I just feel that

St. Joseph’s is an excellent hospital.”Mrs. Harris began her nursing career in the Cadet

Nurses program during World War II. The govern-ment paid her $15 amonth towork in a hospital inDesMoines, Iowa,with the stipulation that she serve in thearmed services after her training. But the war ended,and Mrs. Harris and two friends decided to move.A physician the three worked with had vacationed

in Phoenix and suggested that they consider the desert

city.Harris got a job at St. Joseph’s before shemade themove.That jobopeneddoors for the youngnurse,whohad

earned the nickname“Pinky”for her tendency to blush.Sheworked in the operating room from1954until 1958under the management of Sister Bartholemew.“Sister Bartholemew was a jewel,”Mrs. Harris says

of her supervisor.“She said you shouldnever gooutwithsomeone who’s shorter than you. She was quite tall.”While working at St. Joseph’s, Mrs. Harris became

acquainted with Dr. Karl Harris, a general surgeon.Dr.Harris offered her a job, and thus began a long rela-tionship that touchednot only her professional but alsoher personal life.From 1958 until she retired at age 65 in 1992,Mrs.

Harris accompanied Dr. Harris to surgery at severalPhoenixhospitals, includingSt. Joseph’s,which they con-sidered “their hospital.” Afternoons were spent in thedoctor’s office seeing patients.“I loved the patients. They were grateful for every-

thing you did,”Mrs.Harris says.“They would do any-thing for the doctors and the staff because they felt wereally cared. I was always happy when I was working.”Dr.KeithHarris enteredher lifewhenhe andhis chil-

dren, Karen and Kevin, moved to Phoenix after hisresidency in Iowa and joined his father’s practice. Hiswife had died at an early age, and soon Charlene washelping care for his children.In 1982, the two were married. “We knew each

other right down to our fingernails, working togetherlike we did,” she says.Marriage gaveMrs.Harris the children she loved and

a partner who enjoyed a simple life full of hard workand play.“He and his dad were unusually good people,” she

says.


WHY I GIVERETIRED NURSE MAKES GIFTIN HONOR OF HER LATE HUSBAND

by Catherine Menor

Keith Harris, MD, and his father, Karl Harris, MD

Dr. Keith Harris died in September2004.Mrs.Harris remains in their home,surroundedby thememories of their lifetogether. She is close to Karen, a nursein Austin, Texas, with three children;and Kevin, a wildlife photographer inPhoenix.Recently,Mrs.Harrismade room in

herheart for another friend—Cleo,a res-cued nine-year-old beagle.Mrs.Harrisintended to let the friendly hound spendjust a few nights at her house, as a favorto a friend who volunteers for a rescueorganization.But on the second night, “there she

was with her head on my pillow.”Cleohad found a new home.


Charlene “Pinky” Harris and her dog, Cleo


HEALTH & WEALTH RAFFLE

The Health &Wealth Raffle has been around since2003, and participants recognize it as Arizona’s

original raffle. They know that their ticket gives thema1-in-18 shot atwinning an exciting prize and that par-ticipating in the Health &Wealth Raffle is a great wayto help St. Joseph’s Hospital and BarrowNeurologicalInstitute stay at the cutting-edge of medicine.Simply put, the Health &Wealth Raffle has built a

reputation for honesty, fair play, and support of a goodcause.“Whenwe launched the first Health &Wealth Raf-

fle, no one had ever heard of the concept of amega home raffle benefiting a non-profit, sothere were many skeptics and naysayers,” saysMary JaneCrist,CEOof St. Joseph’s FoundationandBarrowNeurological Foundation.“By run-ning a transparent raffle and delivering excellentcustomer service,wehave earned a reputation forexcellence, and we are very proud of that.”Crist says that the Raffle team, headed by manag-

er Kathy Rice, has worked hard to build credibility forthe novel fundraising approach.TheRaffle, she says,hasalways abided by the following standards:• Each Health &Wealth Raffle clearly identifies allprizes that will be given away, and every prize isawarded.

• Prizes and services are purchased inArizona so thatthe Raffle benefits the local economy.

• TheRaffle does not conduct telemarketing or coldcalling.

• Ticket prices are clearly defined at the beginningof eachRaffle anddonot change during the courseof the Raffle.

• Customer satisfaction is a primary goal of theHealth & Wealth Raffle. Calls to the CustomerService Line, and emails to the Raffle website areanswered within two business days.Withother raffles entering themarket,Crist says that

theHealth&Wealth Raffle faces a new challenge: Peo-ple confusing theHealth&WealthRafflewith other raf-fles. She urges people who are confused to call the

Health & Wealth Raffle Customer ServiceLine at 1-888-270-6955 or email the Raffle [email protected].“Before doing the first Health &Wealth Raffle, we

had all our ducks in a row.We knew, givenwhat a newconcept this was, that we had to conduct the Raffle inaway thatwould givepeople completeconfidence inour oper-a t i o n

and thatalso would reflect the values of the Sisters of Mercy,”Crist says. “I think we’ve succeeded.”

ARE YOU CONFUSED BY NEW RAFFLESENTERING THE MARKET?

Your trust is important to usWith other raffles entering the market, the

Health & Wealth Raffle has received calls andemails frompast participantswho are confusedby the multiple raffles. If you have questions,please call the Health & Wealth Raffle Cus-tomer Service Line at 1-888-270-6955 or emailtheRaffle at [email protected].

SUPPORT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL AND BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTEWITH EVERY TICKET YOU PURCHASE, YOU PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SUPPORTING HEALTH CARE IN ARIZONA THROUGH ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL & BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE’S MEDICAL RESEARCH, PATIENT CARE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

1.866.390.9034 HEALTHWEALTHRAFFLE.ORG


Mary Sue Aasheim moved to the Valley with herhusband and twodaughters less than a year ago.

As a founding partner of J. Hilburn Men’s Clothier, acompany that sells customizedmen’s apparel,Aasheimstays busy. But still, this Scottsdale woman wanted tofind a way to get involved in her new community andconnect with other like-minded professionals.On December 11, she found what she was looking

for when she attended a reception for members andprospective members of the Leader Circle, a groupthat supports St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Cen-ter through both leadership and financial commit-ments.The receptionAasheimattendedwas held in theParadise Valley home of Cindy and Curtis Brown.“I was really impressed by what I learned about St.

Joseph’s,” says Aasheim, who was a pharmaceuticalrepresentative in Los Angeles at one time. “I’m reallyexcited about being able to help a hospital of thisstature, and I know I’ll benefit personally because I’lllearnmore about themedical industry andhowwe canindividually impact healthcare.”The Leader Circle gives men and women like

Aasheim a way to become involved in supportinghealthcare excellence in Arizona. Members make afinancial commitment of $1,000 or more each year toSt. Joseph’s Foundation or BarrowNeurological Foun-dation. They are able to direct their individual contri-butions to the area of greatest interest to them.In addition, the Leader Circle meets several times

each year for educational and social activities, includ-ing tours, receptions,presentations aboutmedical top-ics, and special events.“This is a vibrant group of professionals,” says

Christina Hall, development officer at St. Joseph’sFoundation.“They bring so much to Leader Circle—curiosity, a desire to give back, a real love of people.Ourget-togethers are always lively and interesting.”For some, the Leader Circle can serve as a stepping

stone into leadership positionswithin the foundations,

such as positions on the St. Joseph’s FoundationBoardof Directors or the Barrow Neurological FoundationBoard of Trustees.Others will find in the Leader Circle an enjoyable

way of supporting a hospital that has served this com-munity for more than a cen-tury.“Leader Circle members

are critical to the future ofour hospital,” Hall says. “St.Joseph’s needs educated,ded-icated community leaderswho believe in the impor-tance of having world-classhealthcare right here in Ari-zona.”

MEMBERS GET TOGETHER FORFUN AND A GOOD CAUSE

LEADER CIRCLE


Leader Circle members and prospective mem-bers met in the home of Cindy and CurtisBrown, Paradise Valley, in December. Theevening gave attendees the chance to get toknow one another and learn about some ofthe initiatives at St. Joseph’s. Among those inattendance were (clockwise from above) JoanShapiro, PhD, Edward Donahue, MD, andChristina Kwasnica, MD;Tyrone Parker andAnne Robbs; Bridget and Josh Miller; Joeland Shannon Barthelemy; Cassandra andNorm Groh; Rob and Gretchen Carey, andMary Sue Aasheim; and Christina Hall andHeather Torgerson.


BENEFACTOR BRIEFS

Dorothy Hernandez with Edward Donahue, MD

Doug Davis presents checkArizona Diamondbacks pitcher Doug Davis and

team mascot Baxter the Bobcat served as the GrandMarshalls of the St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Center’sannualHalloween parade.Pediatric patients dressed inHalloween costumes trick-or-treated on the hospital’scampus.In addition to passing outD-Backs treats to the kids,

Davis andArizonaDiamondbacksPresidentDerrickHallpresented a check to St. Joseph’s from the 49 Fund,which was created last season to raise money for hos-pitalized children with cancer and their families.

Dorothy HernandezMost people treat a 50th birthdaywith gloomanddoom,but

for Dorothy “Dot”Hernandez, her 50th birthday bash in July2008was a cause for serious celebration.Sixmonths earlier,Her-nandez had undergone a double mastectomy at St. Joseph’sComprehensive Cancer Center.“I am so grateful and blessed to be alive and well—thanks

to our good and loving Father for His healing presence and toDr. [Edward] Donahue and his medical team, including Dr.[Albert]Wendt,”Hernandez said.Hernandez’s family threw a “Birthday Benefit Bash” as a

“celebrationof life,”andHernandez requested that attendeesmakedonations to St. Joseph’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and itsBreast Evaluation Center rather than bring presents.“This is a ‘gift of gratitude’ that I certainly wanted to share

with others who could use assistance from the center's BreastClinic,” explained Hernandez.Hernandez said that her guests’ response was “overwhelm-

ing. Thanks to the generous 'island' spirit that radiated at theluau-style celebration, the goal of $5,000 was exceeded.”


Girls on the Run of MaricopaCounty gives to St. Joseph’sBuilding healthy self-esteem and values in girls ages

8-11 is what Girls on the Run of Maricopa County isall about.The non-profit organization,which originat-ed inNorthCarolina in 1996,uses running and gamesto encourage positive body image, healthy eating, andemotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health inparticipants, says Julie Rose, council director of thelocal chapter. The 10-week after-school program cul-minates in a non-competitive 5K run.Community involvement is one of the values Girls

on the Run teaches. Every year, each Girls on the Rungroup chooses a project to support. Last spring the

members of the Girls on the Run program atDesert Willow Elementary School in Cave Creeksaid theywanted to help a children’s hospital.Roselearned about St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Cen-ter from a co-worker, and thus a partnership

began.The girls held a carwash anddonated$278,alongwith handmade coloring books, to St. Joseph’s.The local Girls on the Run council was founded in

2004 andnow serves 17 schools andmore than 300 girlsin the Valley.Volunteers staff the program. Currently,the program needs running buddies for the girls.Womenwhoare interested can visit theGirls on theRunwebsite at www.gotrmc.org for more information.The spring Girls on the Run 5K will be held on

Saturday,May 2, at Kiwanis Park.

Ahwatukee couple gives toChildren’s Health CenterEvery year, Frank and Dianne Polimene decorate

their front yard in Ahwatukee with a dazzling Christ-mas train display and give away thousands of candycanes to the childrenwho come to see it.Visitors oftenleave candy canes to help the couplewith their holidayproject. Some even leavemoney in the candy cane carandbrochure display box—even though the Polimenesdon’t ask for donations.“We were touched this year, in a struggling econo-

my,by howmanypeople donatedmoney. It was almostfour timesmore than in other years,” says Frank.“Ourfamily has also been blessed, so Dianne and I decidedtomatch the amount and send it to St. Joseph’s Foun-dation where it could possibly benefit the children inour community.”The Polimenes’donationwill benefit theChildren’s

Health Center at St. Joseph’s. To learnmore about thecouple’s Christmas display, visit www.SantaTrain.com.

Girls on the Run of MaricopaCounty held a car wash to raisemoney for St. Joseph’sChildren’s Health Center.


Paint Horses Event in AprilThe SuperstitionPaintHorses 10thAnnu-

alOpenHouse to benefit St. Joseph’s PediatricIntensive Care Unit will be held Saturday,April 11, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. in QueenValley, Ariz.The charity event raises funds for St.

Joseph’s as a thank-you for the care doctorsandnurses gave toCameronT.Haselhorst.The childweighedjust over two poundswhen heand his twin brother, Tyler,were born at St. Joseph’s in2002. Tyler did not survive.Cameron also received life-sav-ing care at St. Joseph’s in 2005.This year’sOpenHousewill

include a golf tournament,horseshoe tournament, andpoker tournament. There willbe bouncies, face painting, andan Easter egg hunt for chil-dren, and free lunch, raffles,and live bands for everyone.Avolleyball challenge betweenSt. Joseph’s Hospital andCatholic Healthcare West sis-ter hospitals Mercy GilbertMedical Center andChandler

RegionalMedical Center will begin at 2 p.m.TheSuperstitionPaintHorsesOpenHouse

will be held at 1670W.Scissortail Place.TakeUS 60 to mile marker 212 and follow thesigns. For more information, call 520-463-2898.Donations are tax deductible, and all funds

raised will go to the hospital.

Angelita’s Amigos annual golftournament set for May 17Angelita’s Amigos will sponsor its annual golftournament on Sunday,May 17, at theWig-wam Golf Resort and Spa. The tournamentwill begin with an 8 a.m. shotgun start and endwith a luncheon and awards ceremony.The $85 entry fee entitles a player to 18 holes

of golf, lunch, a shirt, and other goodies. Sever-al Tee Box Sponsorships are available for $1,500.Each sponsorship includes a foursome in thetournament, lunch, and three sponsorship signson tee boxes.To register or obtainmore information, email

[email protected]’s Amigos is a non-profit foundation

that funds family-friendly rooms for hospitalizedchildren and their families at St. Joseph’sChildren’sHealthCenter.There are now 15Angelita’sAmi-gos rooms at St. Joseph’s—12 patient rooms andthree treatment rooms.Bob and JoannOlivas foundedAngelita’sAmi-

gos in 1988 tohonor their daughterAngelaGrace,who was cared for at St. Joseph’s. Angela died ofleukemia when she was four.

Jon Bon Jovi to appearat Celebrity Fight NightJon Bon Jovi will be one of the

celebrities who joinsMuhammadand LonnieAli for Celebrity FightNight XV on March 28, 2009. The CelebrityFightNight Foundation is amajor benefactor ofthe Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at St.Joseph’s Barrow Neurological Institute.Formore information about the star-studded

event, visit www.CelebrityFightNight.org.

CREATE INCOME FOR TODAY.LEAVE A LEGACY FOR TOMORROW.

“We earn interest rates far, far higher than we could get from any CD ormoney-market fund, we get a very large tax deduction, and most of ourannual income is tax-free. And, ultimately, Barrow, which we feel sostrongly about, will receive money to grow and assist others.”

— Bill and Jane Ratsch

When you establish a lifetimeincome gift, you ensure thatSt. Joseph’s Hospital andBarrow Neurological Institutecontinue to grow and thriveinto the future, helping thou-sands of people every year.And, like Bill and Jane Ratsch,you’ll benefit with tax savingsand a dependable fixedincome for life.

Suggested AnnuityPayments for a $10,000 Gift*

Age Rate Annuity Tax Deduction_______________________________

60 5.7% $570 $3,105_______________________________

70 6.5% $650 $3,952_______________________________

80 8.0% $800 $4,905_______________________________

*These figures are for illustration pur-poses only. Minimum age: 50. Minimumgift: $10,000.

The deduction is variable and based onthe available IRS Discount Rate.

Consult your adviser about such a gift.

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


Genetics experts at St. Joseph’spublish groundbreaking bookAveryA.Sandberg,MD,DSc,and JohnF.Stone,PhD,

are the authors of The Genetics andMolecular Biologyof Neural Tumors, a 450-page compilation of researchonneural tumors of various cellular origins.Publishedin 2008, the book is described as a “must” for thoseinvolved in the clinical and research aspects of neuraltumors. It brings together an extensive amount ofinformation from thousands of publications by lead-ing investigators and contains more than 3,500 refer-ences, 110 figures, and 120 tables.Dr.Stone is thedirector of theDNADiagnostics Lab-

oratory at St. Joseph’s, andDr.Sandberg serves as a con-sultant for the lab. The DNA Diagnostics Laboratoryopened in 1999 to provide blood and tissue analysis,including identificationof chromosome abnormalities,gene mutations, and infectious diseases.

Make-A-Wish honorsSister of Mercy, St. Joseph’sIn October 2008, Sister Madonna Marie Bolton

and St. Joseph’s were honored as“foundingmembers”of theMake-A-Wish Foundation at a celebration of theorganization’s newly renovated facility in Phoenix.TheMake-A-Wish story began in April 1980 at St.

Joseph’s where a young boy namedChristopher JamesGreicius was dying of leukemia. Chris wanted to be amotorcycle officer when he grew up. A group of peo-ple, includingmembers of theArizonaDepartment ofPublic Safety andSr.Madonna,worked together tomakethat dream a reality. On April 29, Chris rode in aRanger helicopter, a police car, and amotorcycle withsirens blaring. Later, he was sworn in as the first andonly honorary Arizona Highway Patrolman in thestate’s history and given a Smoky Bear hat, signed cer-tificate, and patrolman’s uniform.Chris died just fourdays later.The Make-A-Wish Foundation was established

after Chris’ death. Its first wish was granted in 1981toa child named Bopsy, a little boy who wanted to be afireman and who was also cared for at St. Joseph’s.

NEWS

Florence Crittenton, St. Joseph’scelebrate century-long partnershipFlorence Crittenton and St. Joseph’s Hospital cele-

brated their century-long partnership and the fifthanniversary of theAdolescentHealth Partnership at anevent on Dec. 1 at Florence Crittenton.For more than 110 years, the two non-profits have

collaborated to provide care for the Valley’s indigentpopulation.Their partnership,one of the longest in theValley, dates back to the late 1800s when St. Joseph’sbecame theValley’s first hospital and FlorenceCritten-ton was created to care for ill and destitute women.Soon afterward, Florence Crittenton built a home

near the hospital, and St. Joseph’s began birthing thebabies of the women at Florence Crittenton. Sincethen, St. Joseph’s and FlorenceCrittenton haveworkedtogether to provide girls at the center with support,including obstetrical care, health and wellness pro-grams, and a unique adolescent medicine program.“As one of the oldest partnerships in theValley, St.

Joseph’s andFlorenceCrittentonhavehelped thousandsof girls learn to live a healthy life,” says Marisue Gar-ganta,director of CommunityHealth Integration at St.Joseph’s.In 2004, St. Joseph’s and FlorenceCrittenton estab-

lished the Adolescent Health Partnership, the Valley’sfirst comprehensive adolescent medicine program,with funding from St. Joseph’s Foundation. The clin-ic treats approximately 500 residents of FlorenceCrit-tenton each year.


St. Joseph’s a Best Place to WorkIn December 2008, St. Joseph’s Hospital andMed-

ical Centerwas named the #1Best Place toWork in theValley in the extra-large category byThe Business Jour-nal. St. Joseph’s is the only hospital in Phoenix to benamed to the Best Places list for six consecutive years.The Best Places toWork awards are based entirely onemployee feedback.“This is a tremendous honor, and I am so grateful

to our employees,” says Linda Hunt, St. Joseph’s pres-ident.“They are the backbone of this organization, theyput our mission into action, and they create the envi-ronment that makes this a great place to work.”InNovember,PhoenixMagazinenamed the hospi-

tal one of the best places to work in metropolitanPhoenix, and Arizona Woman magazine honored St.Joseph’s as aGreatWorkplace forWomen at a celebra-tion in February 2009.

St. Joseph’s participating in studyto treat severe emphysemaThe Center for Thoracic Disease and Transplanta-

tion is participating in a clinical trial to evaluate aminimally invasive device for the treatment of severeemphysema. Safety and effectiveness data from theIBV®ValveTrial will be submitted to theU.S.Food andDrugAdministration (FDA) for approval tomarket thedevice in the United States.“Emphysema is aprogressivedebilitatingdiseasewith

few treatment options,”says TonyHodges,MD,FCCP,principal investigator anddirector of theCenter forTho-racic Transplantation.“This trial allows St. Joseph’s tobe the only regional center providing a comprehensiveapproach to the surgicalmanagement of patients withadvanced lung disease.”The study is open to individuals ages 40 to 74 who

have been diagnosed with predominately upper lobeemphysema and severe dyspnea (shortness of breath).Study participants must be able to participate in pul-monary function and standardized exercise tests, can-not have smoked for four months, must be willingnot to smoke during the trial, and must commit to atleast four visits to St. Joseph’s for health assessment tests.Additional criteriamust bemet to participate in the

study. For more information, call 877-547-8839 or602-406-3845,or visit www.emphysematrial.com.TheIBV® Valve System was developed and is manufac-tured by Spiration, Inc. of Redmond,Wash.

Valve replacement patient reachesnew heights in the High SierrasScott Duemler, a heart valve repair patient who

was featured on the cover of St. Joseph’s Magazine in2008, successfullymade several technical climbs in theHigh Sierras last year. Duemler and his companionsspent five days at an iceberg lake located at an altitudeof 12,600 feet and did five technical climbs to peaks inthe 13,000- to 14,500-feet range.“This was hard for everyone on the team,but espe-

cially forme since I live here in theValley at such a lowaltitude,” says Duemler.“It was a lot of work each day,and I was exhausted, but had a great trip.Duemler chose to get a valve repair at St. Joseph’s

rather than the traditional valve replacement so thathe could continue mountain climbing.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Walkset for March 22 at the ZooThe first annualHydrocephalusAwarenessWalkwill

be held from 8 a.m. until noon on Sunday,March 22,at the Phoenix Zoo. Donations of any amount arewelcomed and can be made by check or cash to thePhoenixAffiliation of theHydrocephalusAssociation.The goal of theHydrocephalusAssociation is to improvethe quality of life for people livingwith hydrocephalusthrough research and advocacy.For info, call Maggie Varland at 602-406-7585.


IN GIVING, YOU RECEIVE

It is said that in the act of giving we receivemore than we thought imaginable. Mostof us experience the reality of this truismthrough the eyes of a child, the gratitude ofa life changed, or through the vision that isinherent in the spirit of philanthropy.

Some may find it surprising that U.S. taxlaws take this reality one step further and pro-vide tangible evidence that a charitable giftchanges much more than the charity on thereceiving end. It is with this purpose inmindthat our laws embrace planning strategies likethecharitablegift annuity,offeringmanyincen-tives that nurture a philanthropic society.The charitable gift annuity is a perfect

example of how our tax laws continue toprovide special ways foryou to accomplish twoobjectives with oneasset. In fact, a close lookat the gift annuity revealsa truewin-win proposi-tion.

It is simple.We willsend you a CharitableGiftAnnuityAgreementin exchange for yourcontribution (check,stocks, or bonds). Eachyear for the rest of yourlife, we will mail pay-ments to you.Or, if youprefer, the agreementcan run for the lives of you and your spouse.A gift annuity is a contract. Payments are

backed by all the assets of the charity.There-fore, you can be confident that the gift annu-ity will provide a reliable income.

In addition, two tax benefits add value tothe gift annuity. First, you will receive a cur-rent income tax deduction—something youwill appreciate when you file this year’s taxreturn. Second, part of each annuity pay-ment we make to you may be tax-free!With the benefits of high payment rates,

reduced taxes, and an ultimate gift to chari-ty, it is easy to see why so many friends con-sider the gift annuity to be the ultimatewin-win proposition!If you’re interested inmore information,

please contact Kathy Kramer at 602-406-1042 or [email protected].

by Kathy KramerVice President, Leadership Gifts

“The charitable gift annuity is a

perfect example of how our tax

laws continue to provide special

ways for you to accomplish two

objectives with one asset.”

ST. JOSEPH’S FOUNDATION

St. Joseph’s Foundation was established in 1981 toraise funds for the hospital. Since then, benefactorshave 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 ofcommunity leaders who serve on a voluntary basis.

2008-2009St. Joseph’s Foundation Board of DirectorsChristine K. Wilkinson, PhD, ChairmanRichard A. Horn, TreasurerJorge Quintero, SecretaryKelly J. BarrRoss Bremner, MDL. Don BrownShelby ButterfieldMary Jane CristLes GinC.A. HowlettLinda HuntMichelle M. MatiskiMichael L. MediciJacquelyn M. MichelsonRachele. NicholsLoui Olivas, EdDCraig S. PorterJoan Rankin Shapiro, PhDTed Williams

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

CHW ArizonaSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center350 W. Thomas Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85013

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 685Phoenix, AZ

Documents

St. Joseph's Foundation, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2009