St. Joseph's magazine Volume 7, Issue 2, 2011

ST. JOSEPH’S magazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 7, Issue 2, 2011

RISING STARSLung centers give

patients breath of fresh air

Strengthening Children’sHealthcare in Arizona

St. Joseph’s and Phoenix Children’s Hospital team up to serve kids

New stars are on the horizon at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center—the Center for Thoracicand Esophageal Disease and the Center for Thoracic Transplantation. In just five years, these cen-ters have grown from start-ups into regional leaders in lung and esophageal care.

As a benefactor of St. Joseph’s Foundation, you have played a critical role in this amazing story.It was seed funding from the Foundation that allowed St. Joseph’s to recruit the team of lung spe-cialists who form the heart of our thoracic services.

The first 13 pages of this issue of St. Joseph’s Magazine are dedicated to lungand esophageal programs, research and patient services. You’ll read about a gen-tleman who is breathing much easier since he received a new set of lungs at St.Joseph’s, a new lung cancer screening program designed to discover cancerearly, and several research projects aimed at improving treatments for thoracicdisease. You’ll also learn about the Sterling Foundation’s contributions to lung trans-plants at St. Joseph’s.

In addition, this issue of our magazine includes information about our Adoles-cent Medicine Program, a mentoring program for female doctors and St. Joseph’salliance with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. And, of course, we recognize those individuals and com-panies that are supporting our hospital through contributions of time, effort and money.

We are grateful for your support.

Linda HuntSenior Vice President of Operations, CHW ArizonaPresident/CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

P.S. Your continued support is vitally important to the work we do. Please make your gift to St. Joseph’s Foundation today. A giving envelope is enclosed for your convenience, or give onlineat SupportStJosephs.org.

OPENING THOUGHTS

On our cover: Thoracic surgeons Elbert Kuo, MD, MPH, MMS, Ross M. Bremner, MD, PhD, Michael Smith,MD, and Jasmine Huang, MD.

3 Second WindProgram is breath of fresh air for Valley and beyond.

6 Lung Cancer ScreeningNew program targeting long-term smokers can reducecancer deaths.

7 Targeting CancerCancer cells can be as individualized as patients themselves.

9 Monster vs. MouseResearchers predict how patients will respond to cancertherapies.

10 Shape ShiftersResearcher seeks to eradicate common response toanti-rejection drugs.

11 In Memory of Jordan SterlingTransplant fellowhip is first of its kind, established by giftfrom Sterling Foundation.

14 Landmark AllianceSt. Joseph’s teams up with Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

16 Still ServingNeonatal Intensive Care Unit remains at St. Joseph’s.

24 Benefactor Briefs

26 News

28 What is a center of excellence?And why should I care?

ST. JOSEPH’S magazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 7, Issue 2, 2011

contents

Lindsey [email protected]

Catherine MenorAssistant editor

Justin DetwilerArt director/designer

Brad Armstrong, Jeff Noble, Gary Armstrong, Jackie MercandettiPhotography

Sally Clasen, Melissa Morrison, Sarah PadillaContributing writers

Panoramic Press

Linda Hunt, Senior Vice President of Operations, CHWArizonaPresident/CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

• H o w t o R e a c h U s •St. Joseph’s Magazine is published by St. Joseph’s Foundation. We welcome your comments, suggestions, and requests to be added to or deleted from our mailing list. Call 602-406-1041, email [email protected], or send mail to St. Joseph’s Magazine, Office of Philanthropy, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85013. Please include your name, address, email address and daytime telephone number in all correspondence. Visit us online at www.SupportStJosephs.org.

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

In just five years, St. Joseph’s lung programs have evolved from fledgling start-ups toregional powerhouses. Today, the Center for Thoracic Transplantation and the Cen-ter for Thoracic and Esophageal Disease are pioneering new patient treatments, inves-tigating new research avenues and educating the next generation of thoracic specialists.None of this would have been possible without the support of benefactors like you. Asyou read this issue of St. Joseph’s Magazine, take pride in what your contributions havehelped build and consider making an online gift to this amazing area of St. Joseph’sat SupportStJosephs.org.

LUNG CENTERS OF EXCELLENCERISING STARS

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

If it were left up to any other doctor, William Bolton says he may never have been given the opportunity for atransplant. But because of Ross M. Bremner, MD, PhD, and the lung transplant team at St Joseph’s Hospital,he was given a second chance at life.About 15 years ago, Bolton was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis – scarring and thickening of the airsacs

of the lungs. He was constantly short of breath, and his condition continued to worsen as the thickened airsacsinhibited oxygen from passing into the bloodstream. Doctors discovered that he had severe gastroesophagealreflux, and, ultimately, Bolton was referred to Dr. Bremner at the University of Southern California Medical Cen-ter for an anti-reflux procedure. This surgery, along with lung medications, stabilized his disease, but three yearsago, Bolton and his wife, Linda, noticed a marked deterioration while they were in Rome, Italy, climbing theSpanish Stairs. “I had a lot of trouble going up the stairs,” Bolton recalls. “Breathing was difficult, and I was struggling. It

was starting to get really bad.” So bad, in fact, that he ended up in the hospital in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he and Linda spend their

summers. They decided to return to their winter home in Pasadena, Calif., to seek additional medical treat-

Thanks to the expertise of St. Joseph’s lung transplant team,transplant recipient William Bolton and his wife, Linda, canbreathe a sigh of relief.

SECOND WINDLUNG TRANSPLANT PROGRAM IS BREATH OF FRESH AIR

By Lindsey Burke

LUNG CENTER


ment. Dr. Bremner had since left USC and joined St.Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center as the chief of Tho-racic Surgery and department chair of the Center forThoracic and Esophageal Disease at the Heart & LungInstitute. Bolton decided to see Dr. Bremner in Phoenix. “Basically Dr. Bremner told me my choices were a

lung transplant or death,” Bolton said.At 70-years-old, Bolton wasn’t exactly the classic

example of a lung transplant patient. But his otherwisevigorous lifestyle was severely hindered by his rapidlydeclining lungs.

The journey begins“We ended up following Dr. Bremner to St. Joseph’s

because he was just so wonderful. So off we went toPhoenix for tests,” recalls Linda, “and Dr. Bremner’s staffwas so efficient and so thorough. They helped us com-plete months worth of tests in just a week.” “By the time Bill came to see us in Phoenix, we

realized he was in trouble with severe end-stage lungdisease and that his time was running out. We had tomove quickly,” Dr. Bremner says.Following the tests, Bolton was placed on the Unit-

ed Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) list. UNOS over-sees the nation’s organ transplant system by matchingdonors to recipients.Soon after, Bolton’s breathing became increasingly

difficult as his lungs continued to deteriorate. “I was hav-ing trouble just walking,” he says. He underwent addi-tional tests, which resulted in a status upgrade to crit-ical. The UNOS organ list is weighted according to acomplex formula that uses test results values and alsotakes into account the severity of the disease. The Boltons relocated to

Phoenix temporarily inorder to be close to St.Joseph’s when donor lungsbecame available. “No soon-er had we moved into thehouse when one night Istarted having tremendousproblems.” Bolton was trans-ported via ambulance to St.Joseph’s where his conditiondeteriorated rapidly. He wasin ICU for nearly a week. “I remember one day he

just quit talking and becamereally confused and com-

bative,” Linda says. “They said he might be suffering fromICU delirium so we took him outside to get some sun-shine and fresh air. It was immediately after we cameback into the hospital room that we were told there wasa pair of lungs that were a possible match. Within 20minutes I was saying goodbye to him, and he was offto the OR to get prepped for surgery.”The surgery, performed by Dr. Bremner and his

partner Michael Smith, MD, was successful althoughtaxing on Bolton’s body. Initially he was so ill, there wasa question of whether he would make it. “We have themost brilliant and dedicated transplant pulmonolo-gists on our team,” Dr. Bremner says. “They did aremarkable job bringing Bill back to health.” Boltonrequired weeks of occupational and physical therapyseveral times a day to strengthen his atrophied muscles. On February 16, after weeks of lying in his hospi-

tal bed, Bolton sat up by himself. It was Linda’s birth-day. “Are you doing this for your wife?” his nurse asked.He nodded his head yes.There were several ups and downs for Bolton fol-

lowing surgery, but finally, he began to emerge strongerand better. “I don’t think all transplant patients gothrough what I did,” Bolton says. “But after some com-plications, it was onward and upward. It was a new life.”

Not close to home, close to his heartWhile there are several hospitals in southern Cali-

fornia that perform lung transplants, it was St. Joseph’s,and, specifically, the expertise of Dr. Bremner thatbrought the Boltons to Phoenix for the procedure. “Dr. Bremner is one of the best surgeons around and

one of the best human beings, too. St. Joseph’s is anorganization with a lungprogram that’s movingonward and upward – oth-ers weren’t as ready or will-ing,” says Bolton.The lung transplant pro-

gram has achieved verystrong survival rates withone-year survival rates wellabove the national average.A continued emphasis onquality assurance and qual-ity improvement is central tothe program, reflected in apost-transplant length-of-stay average of only 12 days.

“We have the most

brilliant and dedicated

transplant pulmonologists

on our team.”

Ross M. Bremner, MD, PhD

LUNG CENTER

“It is truly remarkable what we have been able toachieve here at St Joseph’s,” says Dr. Bremner. “It’s a trib-ute to a dedicated team with unusual expertise, a verysupportive hospital infrastructure, and a group of com-mitted and determined patients. We truly are fortunateto be able to be involved in such an experience, wherepatients’ lives are transformed by the process of trans-plantation.”Bolton has since returned to California where he will

attend clinic and receive follow-up treatment. But hestill comes to Phoenix monthly for appointments withthe transplant team. “The bottom line is that they could have just let me

go,” Bolton says. “That would have been easiest thingto do. But they pushed and pushed again and again fight-ing for me. That’s the dedication of the St. Joseph’sstaff. They are just so dedicated.”


William Bolton

“The bottom line is that they could have just let me

go,” Bolton says. “That would have been easiest

thing to do. But they pushed and pushed again and

again fighting for me. That’s the dedication of the St.

Joseph’s staff.”

LUNG CENTER


An early lung cancer diagnosis can significantly increase chances for long-term survival. Unfortunately, mostlung cancer is discovered at a late stage, leading to high mortality rates.

Results of the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial revealed that screening for lung cancer with low-doseCT scan can save lives. Study participants who smoked at least a pack a day for 30 years and who did not pres-ent signs, symptoms or a history of lung cancer were given three annual screenings with either low-dose CTscan or standard X-ray. Those who received a CT were 20 percent less likely to die from lung cancer than thosewho received an X-ray.“Lung cancer is a horrible disease. Many people with lung cancer die because it’s found at a late stage,” says

Elbert Kuo, MD, MPH, MMS, cardiothoracic surgeon and director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robot-ics Program at St. Joseph’s. “However, lung cancer screening offers new hope in our fight against lung cancer.A good screening program can pick up lung cancers early and reduce deaths by 20 percent. It could save morelives than colonoscopy or mammography.”A new program at St. Joseph’s will offer lung cancer screening to qualified candidates at a reduced cost. Cur-

rently, the screening is not covered by insurance; however, legislation is currently in process to get it covered.Because Valley residents face a greater risk of valley fever, screening by experts trained in differentiating between

a cancer nodule and valley fever is important. “Sometimes valley fever can present as a false positive for lungcancer. That’s why our positive screenings will be reviewed by an expert team of lung cancer specialists includ-ing a lung cancer screening physician, radiologist, pulmonologist, thoracic surgeon, oncologist and infectiousdisease doctor,” Dr. Kuo says.

LUNG CANCERSCREENINGNEW PROGRAM TARGETING LONG-TERM SMOKERSCAN REDUCE CANCER DEATHS

LUNG CENTER

For more information,please call our lung cancerscreening coordinator tollfree at 855-LUNGSCREEN.


If it were a science-fiction movie monster, it would lookand act just like everyone else at first. Eventually,though, strange things would start happening. Somepeople might disappear, while others would beginbehaving differently. Eventually, after the creature hadsucked enough life force from its victims, it wouldshow its true self as an amorphous blob that threatenedtotal annihilation.Lung cancer is a real-life

annihilator. It is the most lethalcancer in the world, second inprevalence only to breast can-cer in women and prostate can-cer in men. Non-small cell lungcancer (NSCLC) accounts for85 percent of lung cancer diag-noses. NSCLC comprises threedifferent types of cancer: ade-nocarcinoma, squamous celland large cell. Each typicallyaffects a different part of thelung.Traditional one-size-fits-all

treatment has been to removethe tumor surgically, then bar-rage the body with chemo andradiation therapy to attempt tovanquish remaining cancercells. More recently, personal-ized therapies that target thecancer’s specific molecularmakeup have shown promise ineradicating the tumor, alongwith reducing the unwantedside effects associated with chemo and radiation treat-ment. It is in this field that St. Joseph’s Heart and LungInstitute’s Center for Thoracic and Esophageal Dis-ease is conducting research.

The ultimate goal is to come up with targeted ther-apies that are more effective for individual patientsthan the one-size-fits-all approach. In sci-fi vernacu-lar, it’s to identify the cancer cells’ kryptonite.

Darwinism run amokResearch Associate Landon Inge, PhD, is focusing

his research on a tumor-sup-pressor gene called LKB1. LKB1is a good-guy gene, helping thebody defend against cancer bypreventing a cluster of unregu-lated cells from taking over.However, the gene is destroyedin up to 50 percent of NSCLCcases. It appears that tumor cellsdeactivate LKB1in an evil vari-ation of Darwinism to strength-en their own advantage.Dr. Inge’s research focuses

on turning the tables on thetumor. Even though the LKB1gene’s absence helps the tumorgrow unchecked, his researchhas shown that it also makesthe tumor more vulnerable toenvironmental destruction,such as by starvation.

Feeding the BeastCancer cells require energy

to survive, just like healthy cells.But they have a different diet.They’re sugar fiends, gobbling

glucose like The Blob at a terrified-townsfolk buffet. Dr.Inge’s research found that human lung cancer cells thathave knocked out the LKB1 gene also make them-selves more susceptible to destruction when treated with

TARGETING CANCERCANCER CELLS CAN BE AS INDIVIDUALIZEDAS PATIENTS THEMSELVES

By Melissa Frederick Morrison

The ultimate goal is to

come up with targeted

therapies that are more

effective for individual

patients than the one-

size-fits-all approach.

In sci-fi vernacular, it’s

to identify the cancer

cells’ kryptonite.

LUNG CENTER

what is essentially inedible glucose. This glucose decoy,called 2-DG, is a chemical analog – it looks like yummyglucose to a cancer cell, but a tweak in its chemical make-up makes it indigestible.“When you take cells lacking LKB1 and induce

stress, those cells will die quickly,” Dr. Inge says. Andnothing stresses a sugar addict like depriving it ofsugar.According to the same study, even cancer cells that

still had the LKB1 gene were less likely to survive afterbeing fed the glucose analog, though the effect was lesspowerful.Possible treatment derived from this research may

be directed at figuring out how to identify whichNSCLC patients have lost the LKB1 gene and using tar-geted therapies to encourage tumor destruction incells that lack the very gene the cancer wiped out. Can-cer karma, if you will.“The golden chalice is, the patient comes in, we

check to see if they have LKB1 expression, and if theydon’t, we treat them with 2-DG or something similar,”Dr. Inge says.Dr. Inge compared the resulting drug’s potential to

erlotinib, a chemotherapy drug that addresses a differ-ent gene mutation in NSCLC. But where only about 15percent of patients have the particular mutation erlotinibtargets, two to three times as many patients are miss-ing the LKB1-gene.


Landon Inge, PhD.

Lung cancer is a real-life

annihilator. It is the most lethal

cancer in the world,

second in prevalence only to

breast cancer in women and

prostate cancer in men.

LUNG CENTER


LUNG CENTER

With a 5-year survival rate of only 15 percent, lungcancer is like the monster that keeps resurrect-

ing itself. But a mere mouse might be the secret weaponto taking the monster down for good.Discovering the monster’s weakness and creating

chemotherapeutic weapons to target it are what Lan-don Inge, PhD, is researching. But in order to apply theresults, oncologists must first be able to identify whichpatients can benefit.“Now we’re ready for the next step, taking established

chemo drugs like cisplatin and erlotinib [both used intreating non-small cell lung cancer] and looking for bio-markers that might predict sensitivity,” Dr. Inge says.Dr. Inge is working with scientists at the Translation-

al Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix toinvestigate what a lung-cancer patient’s blood andtumor can tell clinicians about which treatment he orshe will respond to best. TGen’s specialty is usingmolecular maps to create targeted treatments. A stategrant from the Arizona Biomedical Research Com-mission as well as the European duchy of Luxembourgare helping fund the research.

In collaboration with Ross M. Bremner, MD, PhD,St. Joseph’s chief thoracic surgeon, Dr. Inge is implant-ing lung tumor samples drawn from actual patients intomice whose immune systems have been erased. Sevendistinct tumor lines have been gestated in these mice,with more to come. Researchers are able to draw bloodsamples from those mice and identify cancer markersthat will ideally help determine which treatment apatient should receive.

“Instead of growing cells in a lab, we take cellsfrom a patient and grow them in a mouse,” Dr. Inge says.“In that manner, we maintain the exact genomic pro-file of the original tumor.”For tumors that won’t successfully grow within a

mouse, the researchers are compiling a database againstwhich molecular information can be cross-checked. “The idea is if we do treat one of our tumor lines with

cistplatin, and it’s responsive, we find out what gene ormarker is responsive, go back to the database, use it tovalidate findings, and apply that knowledge to othermodels – and, hopefully, patients,” Dr. Inge says.

From left to right: lung researchers Michele Sobolewski, Amanda Richer,Kaitlin O’Brien, Valerie Felton and Landon Inge, PhD.

MONSTER VS. MOUSE:PREDICTING HOW PATIENTS WILL RESPOND TOCANCER THERAPIES


While the research conducted by Landon Inge,PhD, focuses on The Blob, lab technician Valerie

Felton’s focuses on a shape shifter.The Heart & Lung Institute’s Center for Thoracic

Transplantation began its lung transplant program in2007, giving new life to Arizonans whose lungs werefailing from COPD and other end-stage pulmonary dis-eases. The one-year survival rate of its patients is aheartening 95 percent. Nationally, however, only about 1 out of 2 lung-

transplant patients survive four more years. As with anyorgan transplant, the body’s rejection is a perpetualthreat, and patients stay on a lifelong regimen of drugsto attempt to prevent it. With lungs, the greatest cause of chronic long-term

rejection results from a misguided attempt by the bodyto protect itself, releasing substances that transform soft,pliable tissue into hardened, fibrotic tissue. In effect, thebody scars its new lungs, rendering them useless.Felton is overseeing a study that examines how

treatment with common anti-rejection drugs may actu-ally trigger this process. The study found, among otherthings, that rat lung cells treated with certain drugs,including tacrolimus, did not morph into unyieldingfibrotic tissue, compared to other common medications,such as cyclosporine.The results of the study were published in February

2011 in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Sur-gery. It is one of two publications on which Felton is cred-ited as first author, preceding a string of PhDs and

MDs – an accomplishment for a researcher with onlya bachelor’s degree. “As a lab technician, it is fairly unusual that I am given

the freedom and trust to design and conduct my ownresearch and perform duties beyond my job descrip-tion such as manuscript and grant writing,” Feltonsays.She plans to continue her research at the institute

while obtaining her PhD. Currently, she’s is building onher previous research by working with St. Joseph’stransplant surgeons to identify more targets for ther-apy that will inhibit or slow the process of lung scar-ring in transplant patients.

Research technician Valerie Felton recentlypublished a study addressing the effects of anti-rejection drugs on lung tissue.

SHAPE SHIFTERSRESEARCHER SEEKS TOERADICATE COMMONRESPONSE TO ANTI-REJECTION DRUGS

Researchers believe that the build-up of fibrotic air-way tissue affects the lifespan of the transplantedlung. Felton is attempting to control the build-upand, in turn, extend the life of the lung.


LUNG CENTER

Ethan Hurley (front), president and co-founder ofthe Jordan Sterling Foundation, signs the lungtransplant fellowship agreement with support fromBrian Frakes, Rajat Walia, MD, Brooke Sterling andKim Sterling-Heflin.

After Jordan Sterling passed away in 2009 at age 34following a life-long battle with cystic fibrosis,

his family and friends gathered to decide how best tohonor his memory. They established the Jordan Ster-ling Foundation to support families dealing with cys-tic fibrosis and to assist organizations that provideorgan transplant services and conduct research into thedisease.The foundation’s first $50,000 gift established a

lung transplant fellowship at St. Joseph’s Heart & LungInstitute. “We thought that funding research and training

through a fellowship was the best way to ultimately finda cure for cystic fibrosis,” said Kim Sterling-Heflin,Jordan’s mother, chairman of the board and foundingdirector of the Jordan Sterling Foundation.The two-year fellowship will provide advanced

training in lung transplantation science and produceacademic leaders in cardiopulmonary transplant med-icine. “Care of patients with cystic fibrosis prior to lung

transplantation and following surgery is different thanthat of other lung transplant patients because of com-plications of the underlying disease,” said Rajat Walia,MD, transplant pulmonologist. “The fellowship will cre-ate formal training for a board-certified or board-eli-gible physician to join the lung transplant team at St.Joseph’s and conduct research to improve the caretransplant patients with cystic fibrosis receive.”According to Dr. Walia, limited lung transplant

training opportunities are available in the U.S. “Thisfellowship will fill a need for lung transplants and cys-tic fibrosis.”“We hope that this gift can help you continue your

pursuit of excellence. Jordan touched each of us andmany other people. Honoring his memory in this waywas the least we could do,” says Ethan Hurley, presidentand founding director of the Jordan Sterling Founda-tion. “Let’s keep going!”

IN MEMORY OF JORDAN STERLINGTRANSPLANT FELLOWSHIP IS FIRST OF ITS KIND, ESTABLISHED BY GIFT FROM STERLING FOUNDATION

Jordan Sterling


Every tidbit of information is helpful to patientsconsidering a lung transplant – especially when the

information comes in the form of real-life experiencefrom others who have gone through it. The Lung Transplant Support Group at St. Joseph’s

unites patients from all parts of the transplant journey– from those considering whether a transplant is rightfor them to post-op patients and their families.The group began in June 2007, just two months

after the first lung transplant at St. Joseph’s. “We want-ed to give patients a place to share their story and theirexperiences and, perhaps more importantly, find aplace for mutual support,” says Kathy Lam, LCSW,social worker and facilitator of the support group. The group began with just a handful of patients in

a small conference room but quickly grew. On average,35 people now attend the monthly meetings. Attendeesneed not have been transplanted at St. Joseph’s to attend. Dennis and Karen Kightly are

two regular attendees. One dayon the golf course with friends,Dennis’ breathing was noticeablylabored as he walked from thegreen back up to the golf cart. Hisfriends suggested he have itchecked out. A diagnosis of idio-pathic pulmonary fibrosis meantthere was a possibility that a lungtransplant was in Dennis’ future. Prior to his transplant, the

Kightlys joined the group to gar-ner a better understanding of whatwas on the horizon. “It warms my heart when I see the outpour of sup-

port from the group and their willingness to help oneanother,” Lam says. “Patients who are sitting on the fenceabout transplant and attend one of our meetings often

have an easier time making a decision. Transplantrecipients are openly honest in their dialogue dis-cussing everything from the benefits to the downsidesof transplantation.”There was never a question that Dennis would pur-

sue a transplant. He knew the alternative. But hearingfrom others made preparation easier and helped tomanage his expectations. “The transplant team can educate patients on what

to expect from a medical perspective, but the transplantrecipients have actually been through it,” Lam says.“Hearing from them certainly makes a bigger impact.”Dennis received his lung transplant on June 21. He

was the 88th patient to receive a lung transplant at St.Joseph’s. “What I have been given is the gift of life. Thesupport group has taught me to not lose faith, not losehope, but understand that this is really a gift,” he saysas he points towards his chest. “I have something to give

back by telling my story.” His wife, Karen, agrees. “I’ve

been given tips, encouragementand made lasting friendshipsthroughout this,” she says. Shelooks forward to the lung trans-plant caregivers support group,which kicks off this fall. “Everyone has been so sup-

porting and loving,” Dennis says.“We’ve really made a new life withthese people.”The St. Joseph’s Lung Trans-

plant Support Group meets onthe second Tuesday of every

month from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Mercy Confer-ence Room at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Cen-ter. For more information, call 602-406-7009 or [email protected].

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUTPEER SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL FIRST STEP ON PATH TO SUCCESSFUL LUNG TRANSPLANT JOURNEYBy Lindsey Burke

“I have something

to give back by

telling my story.”

Dennis Kightly

LUNG CENTER


LUNG CENTER

Dennis and Karen Kightly found comfort in St. Joseph’s LungTransplant Support Group.

“The transplant team can educate patients on what to

expect from a medical perspective, but the transplant

recipients have actually been through it. Hearing from

them certainly makes a bigger impact.”

Kathy Lam, LCSW


Two of the Valley’s largest pedi-atric service providers – St.

Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Cen-ter and Phoenix Children’s Hospi-tal – recently combined their pro-grams, elevating the level ofpediatric care offered in Arizonaand creating the second largestchildren’s hospital in the nation.On June 1, Phoenix Children’s

opened the doors of its new 11-story patient tower and subse-quently completed a strategic

alliance with St. Joseph’s in which the majority of St.Joseph’s pediatric patients and services were trans-ferred to Phoenix Children’s. Here, Linda Hunt, Pres-ident/CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Cen-ter, answers the most common questions about thisunique partnership.

Why has St. Joseph’s transitionedmost of its pediatric services toPhoenix Children’s?While St. Joseph’s has a century-old tradition of

caring for patients of all ages, we are always looking atways to better serve our community. After considerableresearch and discussions with Phoenix Children’s, webelieve that this is the most effective way to provide pedi-atric services for the benefit of patients and their fam-ilies, while also taking into consideration both hospi-tals’ long-range strategic plans and our state’s currenteconomic situation. The strategic alliance will make both hospitals a

destination for patients with the most complex andacute healthcare needs. St. Joseph’s long-range strate-gic plan includes the expansion of neurology, neuro-surgery, cardiology, pulmonology, and oncology serv-ices. Transitioning a substantial portion of pediatricservices is obviously a major shift, but the ongoing

viability of maintaining a separate pediatric serviceline in our current economy has proven an enormouschallenge. Our agreement unites the two organizations’ pedi-

atric programs into one exceptional children’s health-care delivery system, enhancing patient care and facil-itating the development of comprehensive programs andregional centers of excellence.

Will all of St. Joseph’s pediatricpatients now be seen at Phoenix Children’s?St. Joseph’s will continue to see patients age 15 and

older, along with pediatric patients on an outpatient basisthrough the St. Joseph’s Pediatric Clinic and Family Med-icine Clinic. We will treat all patients who come to theEmergency Department. If children under 15 need tobe admitted into a hospital, they will be transferred toPhoenix Children’s.In addition, St. Joseph’s will keep all of its Labor and

Delivery services so mothers can deliver their babiesat St. Joseph’s and, if needed, have babies cared for inthe Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. If babies require sur-gery or go home and then need follow-up care, they willsee doctors at Phoenix Children’s.

What pediatric services havemoved to Phoenix Children’s?The following St. Joseph’s clinics and services have

moved or will be moving to Phoenix Children’s:• Congenital Heart Center• Gastroenterology• Genetics• Nephrology• Neurology• Pulmonology• Rehabilitative Services

LANDMARK ALLIANCEPHOENIX CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND ST. JOSEPH’STEAM UP TO SERVE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS


What about Barrow NeurologicalInstitute and the pediatric neurosciences?St. Joseph’s and Phoenix Children’s have combined

their pediatric neuroscience programs to form BarrowNeurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.The affiliation melds the internationally recognizedresearch and patient care expertise of Barrow – consis-tently ranked in the top 10 nationally for neurology andneurosurgery by U.S. News and World Report – withPhoenix Children’s Neuroscience Institute, whichrecently earned a place on the U.S. News and WorldReportBest Children’s Hospitals list for neurology andneurosurgery. The combined program is the secondlargest pediatric neuroscience program in the country,based on patient volume.The institute, which will be led by neurosurgeon P.

David Adelson, MD, offers specialists in developmen-tal pediatrics, neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-trau-ma, neuro-rehabilitation, psychology, psychiatry, neuro-NICU and neuro-oncology. In addition, BarrowNeurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospitalwill now take on the training of pediatric neurology res-idents.The strategic alliance will also offer expanded

research programs to uncover new therapies and curesfor children across the world.

How has St. Joseph’s pediatricstaff been affected?Most pediatric physicians and staff members were

given an option to transfer, becoming Phoenix Children’semployees. In total, 28 pediatric specialists and approx-imately 300 additional pediatric staff moved from St.Joseph’s to Phoenix Children’s.

In addition, CHW will have a 20 percent interest inPhoenix Children’s and minority representation onthe hospital board.

What if I want my gift to St.Joseph’s to benefit pediatric services?Gifts made to pediatrics will continue to support out-

patient pediatric clinics; gifts, toys and comfort itemsfor inpatient pediatric patients; services for low-incomechildren; adolescent medicine and newborns.

“We are very pleased that

this arrangement allows

CHW to continue a 116-year

tradition of service to

children and families while

also allowing us to develop

programs that are required

to meet the needs of this

growing region. Combining

resources means young

patients will have unmatched

care. It will also strengthen

the financial status of both

organizations.”

Linda Hunt


While many pediatric programs have been relo-cated to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, several key

services remain at St. Joseph’s. One is the NeonatalIntensive Care Unit so that mothers who deliver at St.Joseph’s can be close to their babies. Trisha Johnson was just 20 weeks pregnant when

she was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and givena cervical cerclage – a stitch in thecervix to keep it closed and pre-vent preterm labor. She also wasplaced on bed rest for the remain-der of her pregnancy. But at just 25weeks and five days, Johnson wentinto labor. She was taken by ambu-lance from her home in Avondaleto St. Joseph’s. She was placed on IV medica-

tions to try to slow her labor, but itdidn’t work. Her baby’s foot hadalready made its way out of the birthcanal. Because he was breech andthe stress of labor was too muchfor his tiny body to handle, Johnsonwas rushed in for an emergency C-section. Johnathan Johnson wasdelivered May 18, weighing just 1 lb.,13 oz., and measuring 13.5” long. “He had a full head of hair, and

his eyes were open,” says Darrell Johnson, Johnathan’sdad. “But he was just so little. We prayed and prayedthat he would pull through.”Following delivery, baby Johnathan was placed in

the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, just down the hallfrom where Trisha was recovering from her C-sec-tion. “He went through a lot,” Darrell says. “But the lordwas watching over him and giving him strength.”Little Johnathan was placed on a ventilator and

then a CPAP machine to help his breathing. He also

STILL SERVING NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT REMAINS AT ST. JOSEPH’S

By Lindsey Burke

received a blood transfusion and a variety of otherinterventions. But despite all the stress on his tinybody, he’s done unbelievably well.

A home for the tiniest babies“Our NICU is committed to caring for high-risk

infants, and we have the technology to support babieswho need extra care,” says Andrea Sharfner, RN, BSN,

manager of the NICU. The NICU is staffed around the

clock with neonatologists to carefor the most complicated neonatalcases. The strategic alliance withPhoenix Children’s Hospital meansPCH specialists in areas such asneurology, cardiology, surgery andgastroenterology visit St. Joseph’sNICU patients.The NICU also is on track to

become Arizona’s first NewbornIndividualized Developmental Careand Assessment Program (NID-CAP) training center. With thisdesignation, St. Joseph’s NICU willbe the 10th program in the worldto assess and train other hospitalsin the highly-specialized field ofdevelopmental care of premature

newborns and their families.“Our babies have very special needs,” Sharfner says,

“because they go from the womb, which is a dark,warm and nurturing environment, to a bright, cold hos-pital room filled with unfamiliar sounds. They requirespecial care and handling, and we are prepared to notonly provide that care, but to teach other hospitalsand caregivers how to deliver that care as well.”

“This really is the place to take premature babies.The nurses are great, the doctors are great,” Trishasays. “Johnathan is our little miracle.”

“This really is the

place to take

premature

babies. The

nurses are great,

the doctors are

great.”

Trisha Johnson


Trisha, Johnathan and Darrell Johnson.

“Our NICU is committed to caring for high-risk infants,

and we have the technology to support babies who

need extra care.”

Andrea Sharfner, RN, BSN, NICU Manager


I believe that individuals helping other individuals iswhat makes the American Dream possible—that anda lot of hard work.Take me, for example. I grew up in northern Wis-

consin, one of four children. My parents valued edu-cation and dreamed of their children going to college.Unfortunately, the family income presented some clearobstacles—but nothing that we could not overcome. I held two jobs throughout college and law school,

and competed successfully for college scholarships.During our college years, my mother sold Avon prod-ucts and sent every penny she earned to me and my sib-lings. In the end, each of us earned a professionaldegree. I earned my bachelor’s degree in two years andwent on to graduate from Northwestern UniversitySchool of Law with the knowledge that I could achievemy dreams.Not long afterward, my husband, Alan, and I moved

to Phoenix. We were looking for a good place to buildour careers, raise a family and become part of an up-and-coming community. Phoenix has been everything we hoped. Our careers

and family have blossomed here, and we have been ableto become involved in many worthy civic and profes-sional organizations, including the National Charity

League, Body Positive and Center Dance Ensemble. Ourtriplet daughters, Giselle, Sydney and Taryn, just begantheir freshmen year of college. Hopefully, we haveinstilled in them a passion for helping others and forworking hard to make their dreams come true.So what does all this have to do with my new vol-

unteer position as chairman of the St. Joseph’s Foun-dation Board of Directors? Everything. St. Joseph’s Foundation embodies the

concept of helping others that I believe in so passion-ately. The Foundation supports outreach programslike the MOMobile, which helps low-income pregnantwomen have healthy babies. It provides seed fundingto researchers so that they can explore promising sci-entific concepts. It helps fund clinics that give uninsuredor underinsured citizens an affordable option for health-care. These are the kind of programs that really makea difference for individuals who are trying to better theirown lives, their children’s lives or society as a whole.As the new chairman of the SJF board, I am focus-

ing on three goals:• Helping make the hospital’s partnership with theCreighton University School of Medicine the best itcan be.

• Supporting the growth of the Heart & Lung Instituteinto a world-class organization.

• Anticipating and supporting future areas of hospi-tal growth and need.I invite you to become involved in this exciting

organization. There is much to be done and a place foreveryone at our table.

Michelle Matiski, chairman of the St. Joseph'sFoundation Board of Directors.

MAKE IT COUNTBy Michelle Matiski, chairman, St. Joseph’s Foundation Board of Directors

Remember: If you only

live once, don’t sleep

through it. Make it count!


Adiagnosis of anorexia nervosa came as a surpriseto then 13-year-old Sedona Spencer. She had just

made the volleyball team at school and was encouragedto eat healthy and exercise regularly. But it went too far.“I’m a perfectionist, so I took it to heart, and the

weight just started coming off,” she says. “I lost 10pounds naturally, but then after the season was over,I started restricting what I ate in order to keep it up.” Her weight quickly spiraled down to just 80 pounds.

Her mother, Susan Spencer, turned to professionals forhelp. “I was concerned with her weight loss,” Susan says.“I suspected an eating disorder, but she also had thisfar-away look in her eye. She was always so full of life,and now she just had a glazed look – like she wasn’t real-ly there. And that was the biggest indicator to me.”Sedona was placed in an inpatient treatment facil-

ity for 60 days where she was prescribed medicationand underwent therapy and nutritional counseling.But after her release, maintaining the program’s strictregimen at home became increasingly difficult. “I just never really found the right fit, and I started

restricting my diet again,” she says. This time she gotdown to 70 pounds and was admitted to Phoenix Chil-dren’s Hospital. Almost immediately upon her release, Sedona came

to St. Joseph’s Adolescent Medicine Program, which isdirected by Chantay Banikarim, MD, MPH. “Coming to Dr. Banikaram was a life-changer,”

Sedona says. “She changed my medication and lookedme in the eyes and said, ‘If you don’t do this, you willdie.’ It was the first time I had heard that, and I need-ed to hear it from someone who really cared about me.”The Adolescent Medicine Clinic provides an out-

patient, multidisciplinary eating disorder program forboth males and females, specializing in the treatmentof anorexia and bulimia. Dr. Banikaram is one of just500 board-certified adolescent medicine specialists in

UNIQUE ADOLESCENTMEDICINE PROGRAM PROGRAM TREATS ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA

By Lindsey Burke

the U.S. She manages the medical aspects of the dis-ease, and a psychologist provides intensive individualand family therapy, an essential component of treatment.It is the only outpatient eating disorder clinic in the Val-ley that has both a medical doctor and psychologist onstaff.Two years later, Sedona weighs a healthy 125 pounds.

“You know, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, and Iprobably will continue to do so, but Dr. B knows what’sup, and she knows how to handle them. She was madefor this.”

Sedona Spencer and ChantayBanikarim, MD, MPH.


The ratio between male and female doctors in Amer-ica is narrowing—30.5 percent of all doctors are

now female, according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau.That’s the good news. Yet, while more and more womenare making significant contributions to the medical fieldas clinicians and scientists, Priya Radhakrishnan, MD,believes it’s time to boost the number of female lead-ers in her profession.

“Our society is supportive of women who seekmedical and science careers at the school level, but weneed a bigger presence of women in academic medi-cine,” says Dr. Radhakrishnan, who is the Robert CraigChairman and Professor of Internal Medicine at St.

Joseph’s Hospital and Med-ical Center—the firstfemale to be named chairof a division at the medicalcenter. Because Dr. Radhakris-

han has held several lead-ership positions at St.Joseph’s—she is the pastmedical director, clerkshipdirector and associate pro-gram director of the Inter-nal Medicine Clinics—shewants to encourage morewomen to pursue andclimb the medical ranks,increasing the female fac-tor among those who teachand manage clinical andbasic research programs.“I haven’t been discrimi-

nated against personally, but I have always been cog-nizant of disparity, and because of that, I am consciousof what I represent in the industry,” she says. To help attract more women to seek leadership

roles in medicine, Dr. Radhakrishnan recently launched

LEADING BY EXAMPLEPROGRAM BOOSTS THE FEMALE FACTOR IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE AND SCIENCE

By Sally J. Clasen

the Women in Academic Medicine and Sciences(WIAMS) program at St. Joseph’s. The program goalsare to create effective networking, foster mentorshipbetween students, residents and faculty, and workcooperatively to change female stereotypes in medicine.In addition, WIAMS is partnering with local highschools to recruit and provide mentoring opportuni-ties for students who excel in science courses. Mentoring is a critical component of WIAMS and

a way Dr. Radhakrishnan and her colleagues can leadby example. “It’s important to guide the next genera-tion of women in medicine to what is possible in thefield and demonstrate how to have a work-life bal-ance.”As part of WIAMS' educational outreach, a series

of workshops will be held through the year and will cul-minate with an annual meeting. The first workshop,“Role and Evolution of Women in Academic Medicinein the 21st Century: How to Have Your Cake and EatIt Too,” was held on March 31 and included Archana‘Archie’ Chatterjee, MD, PhD, Assistant Dean FacultyAffairs, Creighton University; Joan Shapiro, PhD, Asso-ciate Dean Research, University of Arizona College ofMedicine, Phoenix Campus; and Pinku Mukherjee,PhD, Irwin Belk Endowed Scholar for Cancer Researchat University of North Carolina at Charlotte. According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the WIAMS pro-

gram benefits from the new Creighton UniversitySchool of Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital, a partner-ship that provides faculty opportunities for femalemedical professionals, as well as a chance for staff toinfluence current medical students as they map theircareers. “One of our biggest challenges as females in med-

icine is we don’t have connectivity,” she says. “We existin silos for the most part. Through a program such asWIAMS, we can develop a core of women across sub-specialties and promote tenure as we become a com-munity at St. Joseph’s, in Arizona and the United States.”


The WIAMS program is open to both women andmen, and the next workshop is tentatively scheduledfor October. WIAMS is currently funded by St. Joseph’sFoundation and the Internal Medicine Department. Dr.Radhakrishnan says the next step is to secure grant fund-ing for the program, though the ultimate goal is toeliminate such an initiative in the future. “My hope iswe won’t have a need for WIAMS and that in five yearspeople will advance in academic and science positionsirrespective of gender.”

“Our society is supportive

of women who seek

medical and science

careers at the school level,

but we need a bigger

presence of women in

academic medicine.”

Priya Radhakrishnan, MD

Priya Radhakrishnan, MD, Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD,Joan Shapiro, MD, PhD, Jasmine Huang, MD, and PinkuMukherjee, PhD.


Burying a small statue of St. Joseph in the front yard of a house is a tradition that’s crept into real estate officesacross the country. It’s certainly crept into the routine of Valley Realtor Marilyn Zipprich.St. Joseph, patron saint of home and family, has long been used in real estate to help those who are buying

or selling a home. It’s worked for Zipprich, who recently went back into sales after losing her job as a broker.“I’ve always leaned on the man upstairs, St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother,” she says. She started burying smallSt. Joseph figurines in the yards of homes she had listed for sale. “And despite the real estate market, the homesstarted to sell,” she says. Zipprich petitions St. Joseph to bring her a strong buyer. “I want the right buyer, the person who belongs in

the home – not just any buyer,” she says. And sure enough, the right buyers have been coming her way. “After it happened several times, I said, ‘St. Joseph, you help me all the time, so I’m going to make a prom-

ise to you. Whenever I sell a house, I will donate a portion of the proceeds to St. Joseph’s Hospital.’“I’ve been through a lot of things in my life, a lot of loss and heartache, but I’ve been able to turn those into

lessons that I was meant to learn. St. Joseph has been there through it all.”

PATRON SAINTST. JOSEPH GUIDES REALTOR TO ST. JOSEPH’S FOUNDATION


St. Joseph’s Miracle Tours give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most fascinating areas

of the hospital. Each tour includes an optional lunch.To make a reservation, call Wendy Manning at 602-406-1038 M-F, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Brain Breakthroughs October 12, 2011, 9-11:30 a.m.Imagine a “brain pacemaker” that can relieve the sadfeelings of depression, the compulsions of OCD and thetremors of Parkinson’s by sending electrical pulses intothe brain. This is not science fiction – it is a type of neu-romodulation called deep brain stimulation. This tourexplores how the new Barrow Center for Neuromod-ulation will revolutionize care for Alzheimer’s, epilep-sy, depression, bipolar, addiction, autism, obesity, strokeand more.

A Matter of Life and Breath November 15, 2011, 9-11:30 a.m.Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in theU.S., and esophageal cancer is the fastest growing can-cer in the Western world. But not for long. Learn howSt. Joseph’s is catching and destroying these killers intheir earliest stages and how the Valley’s only lung-transplant program is changing lives throughout Ari-zona and beyond.

Putting Brain Cancer on NoticeJanuary 10, 2012, 9-11:30 a.m.Barrow scientists and physicians have launched anassault on brain cancer through the new Barrow BrainTumor Research Center. This tour will introduce youto the exciting research being conducted at this new cen-ter and take you into Arizona’s only Gamma Knife,known as “knifeless surgery.”

Reality ER February 29, 2012, 9-11:30 am.Emergencies are often depicted in dramatic storylineson TV, but in reality, they don’t follow a Hollywoodscript. During this tour, you’ll learn how St. Joseph’s spe-cialists manage the critical “golden hour” after a life-threatening accident or illness, and you’ll visit St.Joseph’s heliport atop the Barrow Neuroscience Tower.

Sleights of Mind March 13, 2012, 9-11:30 a.m.Magic tricks fool us because the brain is hackable — amagician uses your mind’s intrinsic properties againstyou. If you’ve ever bought an expensive item you’dsworn you’d never buy, the salesperson probably cre-ated the “illusion of choice.” Discover what magicreveals about our brains, and journey into the BarrowVisual Neuroscience Research Lab.

iSurgeon at WorkApril 10, 2012, 9-11:30 a.m.Even highly trained surgeons can use an extra set ofhands. This interactive tour will introduce you to break-through robotic surgery at St. Joseph’s. Do you have thehands of a surgeon? Find out during this tour when par-ticipants perform a virtual operation using an actualrobotic device.

Special DeliveriesMay 15, 2012, 9-11:30 am.Worldwide, a pregnant woman dies every 90 seconds.As a leader in caring for high-risk pregnancy, St. Joseph’sis working to change this fact—here and around theworld. You’ll learn about St. Joseph’s efforts to reducepreterm births and get a sneak preview of a devicedeveloped at St. Joseph’s that could save the lives of thou-sands of mothers around the world.

MIRACLETOURSWELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE


Fultons support ALS, roboticsIra A. and Mary Lou Fulton have made two gifts

totaling nearly $4.2 million to St. Joseph’s Foundationand Barrow Neurological Foundation. The first gift of $2.5 million is a lead gift for the new

Barrow ALS and Movement Disorders Clinic. The giftenabled Barrow to recruit a top ALS research scientist,Robert Bowser, PhD, who will lead the research effortsof the ALS program. Shafeeq Ladha, MD, will be its clin-ical director. The second gift, $1.675 million, was made to St.

Joseph’s Foundation. It has funded a second da VinciSurgical System robot at St. Joseph’s. The Fultons’ gifts and the areas they benefit will be

featured in the next Barrow magazine, scheduled forpublication in November, and in the next St. Joseph’sMagazine, due out in the spring.Ira is a new member of the Barrow Neurological

Foundation Board of Trustees.

Researcher awarded Gates grantThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has award-

ed Robert Garfield, PhD, a researcher at St. Joseph’s Hos-pital and Medical Center, a $100,000 grant to developa device to prevent post-partum hemorrhage. Thegrant was one of 88 awarded in round six of Grand Chal-lenges Explorations, a Gates Foundation initiative to helplower the barriers for testing innovative ideas in glob-al health.Dr. Garfield is the director of research in the Depart-

ment of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Joseph’s. Hisresearch interests include postpartum hemorrhage andpreterm labor, two of the biggest problems facing preg-nant women.The grant will assist Dr. Garfield in developing a com-

pact, battery-powered device to electrically stimulateuterine contraction and prevent profuse bleeding fol-lowing childbirth. The instrument could be used by anyindividual to reduce life-threatening postpartum hem-orrhage in hospitals and in remote areas where promptaction is necessary.The projects selected for funding in sixth round of

BENEFACTOR BRIEFS

Grand Challenges Explorations focused on polio erad-ication and vaccines, cell-phone applications for glob-al health, new approaches to cure HIV, sanitation tech-nologies, and new ideas to improve the health ofmothers and newborns. Winners were selected frommore than 2,500 proposals and approximately 100countries."One bold idea is all it takes to catalyze new approach-

es to global health and development," said Dr. TachiYamada, president of Global Health at the Bill & Melin-da Gates Foundation. "Despite the progress in globalhealth and development, we vitally need creative ideasto discover and deliver life-saving vaccines, eradicatethe next disease or slow the spread of preventable dis-eases."

Foundations team up to support kidsStarlight Foundation, Major League Baseball and the

Arizona Diamondbacks donated two Starlight FunCenters for pediatric patients in the Emergency Depart-ment and Children’s Rehabilitative Services. The mobile entertainment units contain a TV, DVD

player and a video game console to help entertain andease the minds of children who are awaiting surgery,sitting restlessly during a long treatment or feelinglonely in their hospital room.

Random act of kindness The MISS Foundation's annual Kindness Project

began in 1996 as a way for families to cope with thetragedy of a child's death. The project encourages thoseaffected by the loss of a child to perform a random actof kindness in memory of their child.

In memory of their son, Braden, Jason and Billie Frei-wald donated toys, books and stuffed animals to com-fort pediatric patients at St. Joseph’s. For more infor-mation visit MISSchildren.org.

Shop for a causeOutlets at Anthem will host the 7th Annual Shop-

ping Extravaganza to benefit St. Joseph’s Hospital andMedical Center and other non-profits on Saturday,Oct. 15.Tickets are $20 and include lunch, wine tasting,

and a chance to win more than $35,000 in prizes. Topurchase a ticket, visit shopx.eventbrite.com.


Angelita’s AmigosOld Friends, New WebsiteSee what Angelita’s Amigos is up to by visiting

their new website, AngelitasAmigos.org. Since 1999,Angelita’s Amigos has given more than $200,000 toSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The organ-ization established family-friendly rooms in thehospital’s pediatric areas. The comfortable roomsprovide necessities for the family and the child's com-fort during the day, as well as overnight accommo-dations for loved ones to stay with their child. EachMay, Angelita's Amigos hosts a one-day golf tour-nament to raise funds for St. Joseph’s.


Valley Hospital and St. Joseph’s toprovide psychiatric medical carethrough new affiliationSt. Joseph’s and Valley Hospital have formed an

affiliation that will help address the growing need forpsychiatric care in the Valley. Through the affiliation, 37 patient beds at Valley Hos-

pital will be staffed by St. Joseph’s psychiatrists, allow-ing for the continuing treatment of patients from St.Joseph’s who are in need of inpatient psychiatric care. In addition, medical students at the future Creighton

University School of Medicine at St. Joseph’s will trainat Valley Hospital, promoting educational opportuni-ties for these future physicians and helping to addressthe physician shortage, especially in the field of psychi-atry, in our community.

“The opportunity to help guide the education offuture physicians and hopefully attract them to thefield of psychiatry is of deep interest to us,” says Dr. GwenLevitt, Valley Hospital’s medical director. “We havesuch a shortage of psychiatrists in our community.This affiliation has the potential to relieve the strain onour current mental health system.”Starting in 2012, approximately 40 third-year stu-

dents will move to Phoenix for their final two years oftraining, which will include rotations at both hospitals. “This represents an important step for St. Joseph’s

both in terms of being able to provide care for ourpatients in all areas of their health and in the develop-ment of our identity as an academic center,” says JasonCaplan, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at St. Joseph’s. “Thiscollaboration is one of a number of steps St. Joseph’s hastaken to address the mental health needs of our com-munity, the next of which will be the opening of ourown outpatient psychiatric clinic later this year.”Valley Hospital will also provide a mobile assessment

unit at St. Joseph’s, which will allow for prompt around-the-clock urgent mental health evaluations for patientsat St. Joseph’s who might require inpatient psychiatricadmission at Valley Hospital.

Trauma team earns top recognitionSt. Joseph’s Trauma team was recently recognized as

a high-performing trauma center by the Trauma Qual-ity Improvement Program, part of the American Col-lege of Surgeons. St. Joseph’s is one of five trauma cen-ters in the United States that is being recognized thisyear. A qualified program must include education,professional development, standards of care and assess-ment of outcomes.

NEWS


Directors’ AwardJason Caplan, MD, Chairman, Psychiatry

Master TeacherScott Petersen, MD, Program Director, General Surgery Volker Sonntag, MD, Program Director Emeritus, Neurosurgery

Honorary InternDavid Yoder, Catholic Healthcare West Finance

Housestaff Leadership AwardAllison Rosenthal, DO, PGY-2, Internal Medicine, Co-Chair Housestaff Council

Kyle Edmonds, MD, PGY-2, Family Medicine, Co-Chair Housestaff Council

John Shaw Billings Medical Informatics Award Billie White, MLS/AHIPSt. Joseph’s Health Sciences Library

Mercy Faculty Physician Award Sara Pena, MD, Family Medicine

Humanitarian Award Sister Margaret McBride, RSM, VP OrganizationalOutreach

The Humanitarian Award is given in recognition ofthose who render compassionate quality medical care andtouch the hearts of patients and colleagues. Sister Mar-garet McBride was recognized for no single individual actof caring for a patient, but for her 30 years of devotionto all patients. Sr. Margaret was the first recipient of theHumanitarian Award in 1986, and has served in manycapacities at St. Joseph’s—as nursing supervisor, directorof Mission Services, Ethics Committee leader, chair of theCharity Committee and ECHO programs, chaplaincyexecutive, Volunteer Services director, leader of the Sis-ters of Mercy Council and an integral member of St.Joseph’s executive leadership team.

Residents and leaders honored at convocationIn conjunction with the 2011 Academic Affairs convocation, 72 residents were recognized for completing

their physician training. The ceremony also honored St. Joseph’s staff members who played an integral part inthe training of the residents.


It sounds so generic, so very vague,and even a bit haughty. Nonetheless,“center of excellence” has become aterm-of-art for hospitals and healthcenters, and it really is important thatyou know what they are, or what theyaspire to be.At St. Joseph’s Hospital and Med-

ical Center, Barrow Neurological Insti-tute is a center of excellence. No oneacquainted with any aspect of the neu-rosciences – neurosurgery, neurology,neuroradiology or any other neuro-related area – would argue that point.

It is, and has been, regarded as such acenter because of the men and womenwho, over the past 50 years, have builtit into a teaching, research and clinicalpowerhouse. It has the scale and stature,depth and breadth of a real center ofexcellence along with an exceptionally

bright team that promotes collaborationand uses only the best practices in aspecific area to achieve the best possi-ble results. St. Joseph’s can now boast of anoth-

er true center of excellence: the Centerfor Thoracic and Esophageal Disease.In five short years, our lung andesophageal specialists have grown theprogram from zero to the largest suchprogram in the western U.S. and withthe kind of outcomes only a center ofexcellence could produce. The team,led by Ross Bremner, MD, PhD, includesMichael Smith, MD, Elbert Kuo, MD,and Jasmine Huang, MD, with addi-tional surgeons being recruited now.This Center will be for lung diseasewhat Barrow is for brain and spine dis-ease. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer

killer and the incidence of esophagealcancer is on the rise. The Valley hasneeded a center of excellence in thoracicmedicine for many years and now hasone. It’s an expensive part of the St.Joseph’s family and needs funding farbeyond what the insurance companiesreimburse. It’s an area that St. Joseph’sFoundation is very proud to support.

“St. Joseph’s can now boast of another true center of excellence: the Center forThoracic and Esophageal Disease.”

WHAT IS ACENTER OF EXCELLENCE?(AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?)

By Robert HopkinsVice President

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

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 685

Phoenix, AZ

Documents

St. Joseph's magazine Volume 7, Issue 2, 2011