Winter 2017: Revolutionary Pain Solutionslifebridgehealth.org/Uploads/Public/Documents/LBHMag/LBHMag-Winter2017.pdf · LBH BLOGS. Letter from the CEO Winter 2017 lifebridgehealth.org

Winter 2017Winter 2017

Revolutionary Pain SolutionsNew Year, New You

Acting FAST to Treat StrokeEducating Tomorrow’s Health Care Leaders

Artwork by formerpatient Ajay MalghanTurn to page 4 to learn more.

Stay Connected

2401 W. Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD 21215 410-601-WELL (9355)

Deborah Hollenstein Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Communications

Jill Bloom Director, Strategic Marketing and Digital Media

Mary Valle Managing Editor

Sarah Petrosky Copywriter

Kris Jogi Graphic Designer

Scott Wendler Multimedia Specialist

John Macia Senior Graphics Specialist

Devaney & Associates Design and Production

What’s InsideThe Art of Giving Back 4An artist and cancer survivor brings color to cancer patients.

Stopping Pain at its Source 6Regenerative medicine is the newest thing in pain treatment.

New Year, New You 10 We’ve got fi tness and weight loss solutions that work.

Journey to a Seizure-Free Life 14Neurosurgery changed Yvonne Allen's life.

Spo� ing a Stroke FAST 15When it comes to stroke, time is crucial.

Building the Future 16of Health Care Northwest Hospital partners with Baltimore County Public Schools for an innovative new program.

16

10 15

DisclaimerLifeBridge Health Magazine is published by the Strategic Marketing & Communications Department at LifeBridge Health. This publication is meant to give health and wellness information. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice of a physician.

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

Visit lifebridgehealth.org/blogs for the latest from LifeBridge Health.

Cover art by Ajay Malghan

LBH BLOGS

Letter from the CEO

Winter 2017 ■ lifebridgehealth.org 3

Dear Friends, Each January we celebrate the birthday of Nobel Peace Prize-winning American civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”

At LifeBridge Health, our mission is to improve the health of the individuals and commu-nities we serve through compassionate, high quality care. We see health care as more than simply � xing what’s broken; it’s about caring for our communities together, in sickness and in health.

One way we care about our community is by looking out for our seniors’ needs. In order to help seniors get the most from Medicare, we’ve become an equity partner in Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Medicare plan, along with � ve other notable health systems throughout the state. This plan, which includes Johns Hopkins Advantage MD and Advantage MD Plus, covers costs that Medicare does not, and o� ers routine dental, vision and hearing care along with prescription drug coverage. This partnership will provide more and be� er health care options for Maryland seniors who rely on Medicare.

At Carroll Hospital, Carroll Hospice is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Carroll Hospice’s devoted sta� and nearly 300 volunteers do for others every day by providing compassionate end-of-life care. At its recent annual Veterans Breakfast, Carroll Hospice honored our veterans to say “thank you” for their service to our country. (See photo to right.)

Doing for others can take us out of ourselves. In this issue, on page four, you’ll read about Ajay Malghan, a former patient and artist who donated a painting to the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute. Northwest Hospital has partnered with Baltimore County Public Schools to create a health sciences magnet program for middle and high school students in Randallstown, which will empower young people to become the health care leaders of tomorrow. Read more about it on page 16.

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2017.

Sincerely, Neil M. MeltzerPresident and CEOLifeBridge Health

Corinne Costellic, M.D., and Quarry Lake Breast Center staff at the Mammothon

breast screening event.

Northwest Hospital Picture Archiving and Communications System

administrator James McGill enjoys his new fi ve-minute commute, thanks to the

Live Near Your Work program.As part of its 150th anniversary celebration, Sinai volunteers teamed up with Park Heights Renaissance

and Neighborhoods United to build a new playground in Park Heights that will serve more than 600 children in the community.

Del. Susan Krebs, hospice board vice chair, and her father, Bill Wolf, attended

Carroll Hospice’s annual Veterans Breakfast on Nov. 10, where more than 75

veterans were honored and thanked for their service to our country.

4 LifeBridge Health Magazine ■ Winter 2017

Cancer Institute

Ajay Malghan has spent a lot of time in waiting rooms. Diagnosed with ALL leukemia at the age of 20, he spent a decent portion of the next decade in waiting rooms of various types. ALL leukemia (adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. An acquired or genetic injury to the DNA of a de-veloping stem cell causes it to become a leukemic cell. These cells multiply into billions of cells called leukemic lymphoblasts, which are hearty and proli� c and block the production of normal cells.

Malghan had eight months of chemotherapy. During this time, he had a bad reaction to prednisone, an anti-in¦ ammatory drug, which can cause necrosis, a temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. In Malghan’s case, it was in his hips. He was then living in Rockville, and came to Sinai Hospital for treatment. “I had 12 joint surgeries and 16 total surgeries, including the im-plantation of ports,” he says. “So I was back and forth all the time.”

Through his 20s, Malghan was trapped in a loop familiar to any-one who has su� ered from a serious or chronic illness: treatment, recovery, treatment.

A§ er his last surgery, a total hip replacement, “I had to start from scratch. Other people had se� led down, had families. I had always made art, but it wasn’t a career.” So Malghan stopped tak-ing pain medication, commi� ed to serious physical therapy and went to art school in Hong Kong at the age of 30.

Things That Didn’t ExistIn the summer of 2016, Yolanda Marzouk, the coordinator of

Community and Patient Support at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute, was having some photos made at the imaging and art presentation company where Malghan works, having come to live in Baltimore a§ er � nishing art school. They began to chat and soon made a connection. Marzouk, an artist herself, has brought support services, including music, massage, chair yoga, makeup, art and meditation to the infusion center. She was enthusiastic when Malghan suggested donating a painting to the institute. “Not only was there the Sinai connection with him being

of Giving Backof Giving BackThe Art

“Pure light and color make people happy. People spend so much time in

waiting rooms, but we can make these experiences be� er.”

Ajay MalghanFormer Sinai Hospital patient and artist.


“Not only was there the Sinai connection with him being a former patient, I had also been reading about color therapy, which uses color to promote relaxation and calmness.

Coincidentally, he said he was working on a chromotherapy piece.”Yolanda Marzouk

Coordinator of community and patient support at the Lapidus Cancer Institute, adjusts the painting’s color.

a former patient,” says Marzouk, “But I had also been reading about color therapy [chromotherapy], which uses color to promote relaxation and calmness. Coincidentally, he said he was working on a chromotherapy piece.”

Malghan, who has had recent shows at Notre Dame of Maryland University and the McLean Project for the Arts, says, regarding his work, “I’m interested in creating something that didn’t exist before.” In his photography, he incorporates the darkroom and physical image manipulations to create unique, unplaceable images. In his paintings, Malghan uses spray, acrylic and oil paints along with pigment. Combining the di� erent viscosities of these materials, he adds a textural component to the visual. The painting that Malghan donated to the institute is both complex and simple at the same time. It lights up and has a control so that the color can change. The surface has an organic texture and looks like, depending on whom you ask, landforms as seen from a plane, the silty bo� om of a stream, or something watery on a window.

He made it by applying layer upon layer of watercolor and acrylic paint and MSG (he sometimes incorporates food items) on a piece of Plexiglas with a syringe and le� ing it dry between applications. The layers of paint dry in a way that creates unique

forms that are at once familiar and alien. Malghan then places the painting on a lightbox so that it glows.

‘Pure Light and Color’The e� ect is, as one patient remarked on a recent a§ ernoon,

“like having a window in the waiting room, with the most beauti-ful light coming through it.”

“Pure light and color make people happy,” says Malghan. “People spend so much time in waiting rooms, but we can make these experiences be� er.” Malghan says he would like to place more of his light box paintings in waiting rooms and make a busi-ness of it eventually.

“All of these things,” says Marzouk, “like massage and music and Ajay’s painting, help patients to relax, which can demon-strably lower their blood pressure and help them tolerate their treatment be� er. Anything that can relieve stress, like chromo-therapy, will help them heal.”

“The goal of art is to take you out of yourself,” says Malghan. “Even if only for a moment.”

For more information on cancer support services, visitlifebridgehealth.org/cancersupportservices.

Pain Management


The only way that Timothy Ward, a Baltimore City resident who has su� ered with pain and sti� ness in his hips and lower back, could tie his shoe was to stand in front of a chair, place both hands around his thigh and use his arms to li§ his leg to the seat. With his shoe propped on the chair, Ward would bend down as much as possible, stretch out his arms and, with his shoe barely within reach, tie the laces.

Constant pain raises the focus threshold for basic functioning. We have all experienced the discomfort of pain. But imagine stub-bing a toe, or ge� ing a paper cut, and instead of the pain fading away quickly it remains as harsh and unyielding as when the inju-ry � rst took place, the throbbing, aching and pinching continuing on for weeks, months and even years. This experience is one that the nearly 50 million American adults living with chronic pain or severe pain know all too well.

“It is not uncommon for someone su� ering from chronic pain to feel physically and emotionally worn down,” says Gwen (Nicky) Lacerda, M.D., who is board-certi� ed in physical medicine and re-habilitation, and is an interventional pain management specialist at the LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regener-ative Medicine.

“Because there are so many extra steps required for a person su� ering from pain to adjust to his or her surroundings or com-

plete a simple task, eventually that person becomes drained not only of energy, but also motivation,” Dr. Lacerda explains.

Masking the SymptomsBefore coming to the center, Ward was prescribed opioids to re-

lieve his pain, which stemmed from several conditions, including bursitis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease and kidney disease. Opioids are medications that bind to receptors in the brain and reduce the intensity of the pain signals reaching the brain, which in turn diminishes the e� ects of a painful stimulus.

“Opioids aren’t how I wanted to deal with my pain. I knew that opioids were helping me live with the pain, but they weren’t actu-ally � xing anything,” says Ward.

The United States is in the midst of a prescription opioid over-dose epidemic. While opioids are frequently prescribed to combat pain, patients can easily become addicted. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, more than 28,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2014, and at least half of those deaths involved a prescription opioid.

“I was on opioids for 14 years,” says Ward. "They made me feel awful.” Long-term e� ects of opioid use can include nausea and vomiting, abdominal distention and bloating, constipation, liver damage, drowsiness, trouble breathing and dependence. A§ er

Regenerative MedicineSTOPS PAIN at Its Source

Scott Brown, M.D., Edward Soriano, D.O., and Gwen (Nicky) Lacerda, M.D. Timothy Ward

GIVEPlatelet rich plasma (PRP) is produced from a person’s own blood.

First, a blood sample is obtained from a patient.

Platelet Rich Plasma Injection for Pain Reduction Therapy

SPIN The patient’s blood sample is put into a centrifuge, a tool that

spins to separate blood into its many components. Platelets and the liquid plasma portion of the blood contain many factors that

are essential to healing.

RETURN The platelet concentrate retrieved from the centrifuge is then

injected at the site of the patient’s injury.


talking to his physician, Ward decided to quit using his opiate-based medications. To help Ward � nd a new approach to pain relief, his physician referred him to the LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine.

On the MendThe body has amazing mechanisms for self-repair. Injured joints, ligaments,

muscles and tendons go through a natural healing process, which is character-ized by in¦ ammation, proliferation (rapid cell reproduction) and regeneration. When this process is interrupted, the result is chronic pain and dysfunction.

Dr. Lacerda suggested a regenerative medicine treatment, called prolotherapy. Prolotherapy uses an irritant, typically a sugar solution, to stimulate the healing of ligaments, tendons and joint capsules. The ensuing in¦ ammation a� racts platelets and restarts the healing process.

Regenerative treatments allow physicians to treat and heal painful con-ditions naturally rather than masking the symptoms, explains Dr. Lacerda. “They help us to provide nonsurgical, long-term solutions, rather than short-term ‘Band-Aids,’ and can dramatically improve the quality of our patients’ lives.”

“I came into the pain center unable to walk more than 10 feet without stopping on a straight path. But within a couple weeks of my � rst prolotherapy session, I was able to walk uphill for four blocks,” says Ward.

Other regenerative medicine procedures performed at the Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine include adult stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.

The body’s � rst response to injury is to increase blood ¦ ow to the area. Platelets secrete growth factors and a� ract stem cells to the injured area.

In PRP therapy, a sample of the patient’s blood is processed to concentrate the platelets. These platelets are injected at the point of injury, promoting the healing process.

Adult stem cell therapy is a similar concept to PRP. A physician performs a minimally invasive procedure to remove cells from a patient’s bone marrow. These cells are processed and injected into the site of the damaged tissue, and the stem cells give a patient’s natural healing abilities a boost and stimulate repair.

“The change in my pain level has been life-a± rming,” says Ward as he begins to get choked up.

“When I think of Dr. Lacerda, I think of Babe Ruth and the way that he would just call his shot by pointing to the seats. She had the same kind of con� -dence in her ability to help me, and she did just that. Dr. Lacerda gave me a shot at a life that’s more than opioids and bed rest.”

If you are su� ering from chronic pain, call 410-601-WELL (9355) to get help today.

Timothy Ward

Gwen (Nicky) Lacerda, M.D., performs a prolotherapy treatment on Timothy Ward.

A Changed ManWhen Timothy Ward (pictured left) was a child, his grandfather taught him to pick fl attened pennies off the street car tracks for good luck. Now in his 60s, he still keeps an eye out for loose change, even though he hasn't been able to pick it up in a while. "But," he says, "the last time I saw my primary care physician, I did a trick for him. I took a nickel out of my pocket, dropped it on the fl oor. Then I bent down and scooped it up. That nickel was back in my pocket in no time."

Living with Living with Living with CHRONIC NERVE PAIN



LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative MedicineEveryone experiences pain in his or her own way. Working with physical and occupational therapists, health psycholo-gists and other health care professionals, physicians at the Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine create individualized treatment plans for their patients.

The center off ers interventional pain procedures, regenera-tive medicine therapies and programs for chronic pain.

“Our team of physiatrists are experts in musculoskeletal medicine, evaluating and treating a full spectrum of orthopedic and pain conditions,” says Scott Brown, M.D., chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Sinai Hospital, of which the Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine is a part.

“Our goal is to help patients decrease their level of pain and suff ering, so that they can return to their maximum level of functioning and independence,” says Dr. Brown.

For more information, call 410-601-WELL (9355) or visit lifebridgehealth.org/pain.

“My pain was the � rst thing on my mind every day. Eventually, it was the only thing on my mind,” says Jill Boutin, a registered nurse from Harrisburg, Pa., who has struggled with chronic neu-ropathic pain for four years. Her pain originated from a variety of sources, including a minor car accident and the stress and strain caused by li§ ing patients.

People living with chronic neuropathic pain su� er relentless burning, stabbing, shooting and aching, and must put forth an extraordinary amount of e� ort to get through each day.

“When everything I did was hard for me to do, I began to feel justi� ed in excusing myself from things. I started by opting not to go to social events or see friends, but before I knew it I wasn’t doing much of anything at all,” says Boutin.

Chronic neuropathic pain is complex and typically associated with a tissue injury. With this type of pain, nerve � bers themselves may be damaged, and, because of that damage, send incorrect signals to other pain centers. Neuropathic pain tends to respond poorly to traditional pain treatments and can be one of the most di± cult conditions to treat.

“I was having headaches and I was in so much pain that even my hair brushing the top of my ears would cause me to cringe,” Boutin explains.

Boutin had sought relief through medication, surgery and many other options, to no avail. She felt defeated at the time of her referral to the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute at Sinai Hospital.

Relief at LastBoutin made the two-hour drive from

Harrisburg to Baltimore to see Kevin E. Crutch� eld, M.D., a board-certi� ed vascu-lar neurologist whose specialties include concussions, traumatic brain injury and vascular neurology. Dr. Crutch� eld was able to identify two previously undiag-nosed torn ligaments in Boutin’s neck. He then referred her to Edward Soriano, D.O., a board-certi� ed specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a pain management specialist at the LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regenera-tive Medicine.

Dr. Soriano believed the best course of action to treat Boutin’s pain was pulsed radiofrequency neuromodulation (PRF), an innovative treatment for pain that stems from damaged or irri-tated nerves.

“I was so happy to hear that there was another treatment option available,” says Boutin. “I thought that I had tried everything.”

The PRF procedure involves the application of a pulsed radiofre-quency electrical � eld that blocks a nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals without destroying any tissue. During PRF, a physician uses ultrasound or X-ray guidance to place a needle as close to the damaged nerves as possible. Once the needle is in the proper position, a probe is placed in the needle, which sends an electrical current to the damaged area.

“PRF is providing many patients signi� cant relief, and for many patients it’s the � rst time in the span of several years when they have found something that makes them feel be� er,” says Dr. Soriano.

Since receiving PRF therapy, Boutin has been able to increase her work hours and begin incorporating social activities back into her life.

“PRF worked so well that I forgot how much I could hurt,” says Boutin. “Dr. Soriano was realistic with me. He told me that I’d feel be� er progressively. Right now, I’m going about four months between treatments, but Dr. Soriano anticipates that soon we will be able to go six months between appointments,” says Boutin.

“Dr. Soriano gave me hope, when I thought no hope was le§ . He took the time to listen to me and to reassure me. I really couldn’t have a be� er doctor.”

Kevin E. Crutchfi eld, M.D.

“For many patients it’s the � rst time in the span of several years when they have found something that makes them feel be� er.”

Edward Soriano, D.O.Pain Management Specialist


Bariatric Surgery

Dixie Leikach“My physician kept encour-aging me to have bariatric surgery,” says Dixie Leik-ach, “because of my high blood pressure and cholesterol.” But she was daunted by the prep time. Leikach, a busy reg-istered pharmacist, was familiar with bariatric surgery, as her husband had had it six years previously. Leikach knew all about the prep – the classes, weigh-ins, medical tests, bloodwork – all of the appointments required to make sure a patient is ready in every way for not just the surgery, but everything else a� er that, too.

But Leikach decided her health was worth it. “It all fell in line,” she says, “and the recovery from the surgery was phenomenal.” Within one week her surgery, she was o� blood pressure and cholesterol medication. At six months out from her surgery, she’s still adjusting to her new eating habits. She has had to learn to eat at speci� c times and to slow down while she eats. Now 85 pounds lighter, she does things she couldn’t have done before, like climbing 700 steps to an ice cave and pu� ing in a 12-hour day on her feet at Disney World. “Before my surgery,” she says, “there were things I a� ributed to age, like constant aches and foot pain. But it wasn’t age a� er all.”

Obesity is an epidemic that has devastating effects on health and emotional well-being. It also comes with comorbidities, which are multiple chronic conditions that occur at the same time. The good news is that there is a solution to get the weight off and keep it off. At LifeBridge Health’s Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, surgeons Christina Li, M.D., and Celine Richardson, M.D., provide surgical and nonsurgical procedures for weight loss, including ORBERA, a temporary gastric balloon.

Obesity is an epidemic that has devastating effects on health and Obesity is an epidemic that has devastating effects on health and Obesity is an epidemic that has devastating effects on health and

Weight Loss for Life

BEFORE

Anthony Ruffi nAnthony Ru� n, 38, was having trouble sleeping because he was worried. His urologist had told him he might not be able to have children because of his obesity and obesity-related conditions. Diabetes ran in his family; his uncle had had his leg amputated because of it. And Ru� n’s life was becoming more di� cult due to the excess weight. “It got to the point where I was having a hard time walking my dog,” he says. Today, more than a year a� er his surgery, Ru� n is down to 180 pounds, and has lost a remarkable 30 inches from his waist. “I have to shop in the boys’ section because it’s hard to � nd a 28-inch waist,” he says.

Trim and enthusiastic, he stays commi� ed to � tness with two hours of cardio and weight li� ing each day, and maintains a strict schedule of eating, drinking water and taking vitamins. Ru� n’s health has completely turned around in every way. Within two months of his surgery, he was diabetes-free and his blood pressure and cholesterol were normal. “If someone’s thinking about doing it,” he says, “don’t be afraid. If I can do it, you can do it.”

Weight Loss for Life


“If someone’s thinking about doing it, don’t be afraid. If I can do it, you can do it.”

BEFORE

Bariatric surgeons Celine Richardson, M.D., and Christina Li, M.D., of the LifeBridge Health Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery Center.

Visit lifebridgehealth.org/weightloss or call 866-404-DOCS (3627) for more information.


Tammie Wallace“I wanted to see my kids grow up,” says Tammie Wallace, a certi� ed medical assistant who has worked at Sinai Hospital for 22 years. Wallace was struggling with obesity and its related comorbidities, including high blood pressure and diabetes, when she happened upon a bro-chure for bariatric surgery in a waiting room. She went to a seminar with Dr. Christina Li, and then decided to have the procedure. By the end of her � rst year, all those comorbidities were gone.

Wallace, a vibrant and � t woman, is a long-term success story: she had a gastric bypass 11 years ago. She maintains her weight loss by hav-ing protein with every meal, taking vitamins, and exercising by using a treadmill, an elliptical and the walking path at Sinai Hospital. She em-phasizes that bariatric weight loss is a lifelong commitment. “It’s the rest of your life,” she says. “Surgery is the tool, but you are the builder.” There are three D’s required for success at anything, according to Wallace: “dedication, discipline and determination.”

“ It’s the rest of your life. Surgery is the tool, but you are the builder.”

Winter 2017 ■ LifeBridgeHealth.org 13

Health and Fitness

Each January, we begin a new year. Many of us also begin diet and exercise regimes, full of good intentions to do it this year for real: get fi t, eat more healthily and establish better habits.

Unfortunately, those good intentions often crash and burn weeks later. How can you start a new exercise program without risking burnout? LifeBridge Health Magazine turned to Hakeem Clark of LifeBridge Health & Fitness for some advice.

Hang in there! If you stick with exercise, your brain and body will adjust to what you’re doing, and you will enjoy the effects. Some people like

feeling healthier, or like how they look. Exercise provides a lot of stress release. Some people like the community at the gym and look forward to seeing their friends there; it can be a respite from everyday life. For more on LifeBridge Health & Fitness,

visit bestbaltimorefi tness.com or call 410-484-6800.

Find Your FitRight Goals, Right Gym

Start slowly. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they

start going to the gym seven days a week and start a new diet at the same time. Start out slow.

The emotional hurdles are the hardest.Exercise is hard. If you’re not used to exercising, it might not feel good. You might

not feel good about yourself physically, aesthetically or energy-wise. It’s an emotional challenge. That’s why it’s important to go slowly and to fi nd the right gym for you.

You want a gym that will build you up, not break you down.

Find a place that serves your needs.You want to make sure the gym has everything you need, whether it’s classes, weights or activities for people who

are less mobile like chair yoga or aqua fi tness.

There’s no panel of judges. Sometimes people are reluctant to go to the gym because they

feel like people are going to judge them. It’s not really like that. It’s important to remember that everyone is on his or her own journey,

so focus on yourself when you’re at the gym.

Trainers can help. A personal trainer can support you emotionally and mentally,

and create a program based on your wants and needs. A trainer can keep you accountable, and especially for novices,

can set you on a path to enjoying exercise.

Try new things. The right gym will have different options you

can try. You might discover that you like something that you thought you wouldn’t.

Finish

Imagine being unable to speak, swallow or control your body as you lose consciousness, with li� le to no warning. For Yvonne Allen, 45, this scenario wasn’t anything she needed to imagine. Four to � ve times every month, Allen’s epilepsy would cause a sudden surge of electrical activity in her brain, leading to a seizure.

“Epilepsy completely took over my life. I couldn’t drive. I couldn’t remember things. Sometimes I’d just blank out in the middle of talking to someone. I’d come to and know that I know them, but not know their name or why I’m talking to them,” Allen says.

Despite taking more than 30 pills per day, Allen continued to have seizures.

“When I had a seizure, my doctor would adjust my medication, but it never seemed to help. I needed to try something di� erent, so my doctor referred me to the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute at Sinai Hospital,” Allen says.

“A seizure is caused by an abnormal electrical discharge of neu-rons in the brain. Because the lobes of the brain control di� erent behaviors, movements and experiences, the site of the discharge dictates the behavior we see outwardly,” explains P. Jay Foreman, Ph.D., M.D., director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at the Berman Brain & Spine Institute (BSI).

The Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Sinai Hospital has been designated as a Level 4 center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers, which means that the center has the pro-fessional expertise, with fellowship-trained epilepsy specialists, and facilities to provide the highest-level medical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

Because Allen’s epilepsy could not be controlled with medi-cation, physicians at BSI believed the best course of action was surgery to remove the seizure-producing area of her brain.

“I was scared to take such a drastic step, but the doctors and sta� helped me feel more comfortable. And my kids and � ancé encouraged me to go through with the procedure. They worried about me constantly, never knowing when and where I would have a seizure. I knew I needed to take hold of this opportunity so I could get my life back,” says Allen.

On Oct. 15, 2015, Allen underwent a right temporal lobectomy, the � rst surgery of its kind performed at Sinai Hospital.

“To be considered for this type of surgery, patients undergo testing to locate the source of their seizures and to ensure that removing that region of the brain will not impact their speech, mobility or quality of life,” explains Omar Zalatimo, M.D., M.P.H., M.H.A., director of functional neurosurgery at BSI and Allen’s neurosurgeon.

Allen spent less than a week in the hospital, and nearly a year a§ er the procedure, she has not had a single seizure or su� ered any of the facial paralysis or coordination issues that are some-times associated with epilepsy-related brain surgery.

“I still don’t go many places by myself,” says Allen. But time goes by, I’m becoming braver. I would recommend this surgery to anybody who was struggling the way I was. I’m a brand-new me.” Call 410-601-WELL (9355) or lifebridgehealth.org/epilepsyseizure to learn more.


Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute

Yvonne Allen

P. Jay Foreman, M.D. Omar Zalatimo, M.D.

Journey to a Seizure-Free Life

Paul Davis knew something wasn’t right. He and his father, Bernard “Sonny” Davis, were at work on an ordinary evening at Princeton Sports. Mr. Davis was mumbling. He called Sonny’s wife, Judy Davis, a travel adviser.

Mrs. Davis, a former occupational therapist, is well-versed in the signs of stroke. She asked Paul the FAST (face, arms, speech, time) questions experts recommend when someone might be having a stroke: Is his face drooping? Have his arms gone numb? Is his speech slurring? Since time is vitally important when it comes to stroke, Mrs. Davis said, “It sounds like he’s having a stroke. Call 911.”

“When a stroke occurs, a blood vessel that goes to the brain is blocked or has a rupture. When blood doesn’t reach the brain, a part of the brain is deprived of oxygen and the brain cells begin to die. It can happen to anyone at any time,” says Adrian Goldszmidt, M.D., chief of the department of neurology at Sinai Hospital.

Mr. Davis had improved on his own by the time the EMS arrived, but that is common with stroke. “Any symptoms of stroke require immediate treatment,” says Dr. Goldszmidt. Having been alerted, Sinai’s brain a� ack team was waiting for Mr. Davis at the Emergency Depart-ment. About an hour later, Mrs. Davis noticed that he was mumbling, had a drooping face and that his arm was lowering. She said, “I grabbed somebody and said, ‘he’s having another stroke!’”

Mr. Davis was treated immediately with tPA (alteplase), a clot-busting drug, and a§ er a ba� ery of tests, went home the next day.

“Don’t ignore the signs of stroke,” says Dr. Goldszmidt. “A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment is delayed.”

“Dr. Goldszmidt took good care of me,” says Mr. Davis. “All’s well that ends well.” The Primary Stroke Center at Sinai Hospital provides 24/7 care. It is certi� ed by

The Joint Commission and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems as a primary stroke center. Northwest and Carroll Hospitals also have been recognized, award-winning primary stroke centers. Call 410-601-WELL (9355) for more information, or visit lifebridgehealth.org/stroke.

“Don’t ignore the signs of stroke.”Adrian Goldszmidt, M.D.


KNOW THE SIGNSOF STROKESpo� ing a Stroke FAST

Sinai’s Primary Stroke Center Is Always On Call

FACE DROOPING Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the

person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?

ARM WEAKNESSIs one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both

arms. Does one arm drift downward?

SPEECH DIFFICULTYIs speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak

or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence

repeated correctly?

TIME TO CALL 911If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the

hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the fi rst symptoms appeared.

911

Bernard "Sonny" Davis

Journey to a Seizure-Free Life


Building the FutureOF HEALTH CARE

“I am particularly energized about Northwest Hospital’s role in mentoring

students at both magnet schools because they are truly the future of health care.”

Brian White Northwest Hospital president and LifeBridge Health senior vice president

In our Communities


Northwest Hospital and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) have joined forces to o� er students at the Northwest Academy of Health Sciences (NAHS; formerly Old Court Middle School) and Academy of Health Professions at Randallstown High School a close-up, in-depth look at health care careers.

The Northwest Academy of Health Sciences prepares students for health and biomedical technology careers. As the program rolls out, Northwest Hospital will continue to work with NAHS to increase health sciences programming. Students who com-plete the middle school program will automatically secure a spot at the Academy of Health Professions.

“I want to be a sports doctor,” shares Justin Aninakwa, a sixth grader in the program. “The classes are a lot of fun, and I like that my friends and I are learning all of this together.”

The Academy of Health Professions provides students with project and problem-based learning, clinical experience, and classroom and lab instruction related to the � eld of health care. Students may also participate in a supervised clinical experience course, have the opportunity to design and participate in an in-ternship and enroll in prerequisite courses at a local community college.

Ninth grader Re’Niya Avery wants to be a general surgeon. Her current course load includes honors biology and chemistry, geometry and Algebra II.

“This year I’ve mostly been taking foundational courses, but we’re also learning about time management and memorization tricks. Next year, my classes will be more focused on health care. I truly believe that this program is taking me to where I need to be,” says Avery.

“I am particularly energized about Northwest Hospital’s role in mentoring students at both magnet schools because they are truly the future of health care. My goal is to help the students become the next doctors, nurses, pharmacists and researchers,” says Brian White, president of Northwest Hospital and senior vice president of LifeBridge Health.

White also hopes that the partnership will introduce students to careers they may not have known about.

“While many students know about doctors and nurses, a big part of our program is also to introduce these young people to jobs they may not know exist, such as respiratory therapists, CT scan technicians and pathologists,” says White.

As part of the partnership, students from both schools will study and have hands-on experiences at Northwest Hospital throughout the program’s ever-evolving curriculum. Shadow days, lunch and learn events, internships and medical talks will begin next year.

A pinning ceremony on Nov. 17 at NAHS celebrated the inaugural classes of NAHS and the Academy of Health Pro-fessions. NAHS Principal Katina Webster, and Randallstown High School Principal Aubrey Brown greeted students and their families at the event. Kregg Cuellar, community superintendent for Zone 1 of BCPS, o� ered students words of encouragement, describing the partnership as a symbol of commitment between the school system and its students. Cuellar assured students and their families that they will have the support of leadership and asked the students to work hard and study hard to achieve their dreams. The superintendent of BCPS, S. Dallas Dance, also ad-dressed students, urging them to explore their interests and live their passions. White o� ered the � nal message of the evening, encouraging students to rise to meet challenges and to continue to push themselves toward greatness.

As the magnet programs at both schools evolves, Northwest Hospital and BCPS will continue to develop programming and instruction to give students the tools they need to become tomorrow’s leaders in the health care industry.

“Northwest Hospital employees will be great teachers because they are skilled, dedicated and compassionate,” says White.

Brian White with Katina Webster, Ph.D., principal of the Northwest Academy of Health Sciences.

Magnet program students.

SurgicentersLifeBridge Health has partnered with surgicenters in Owings Mills and Ellico� City. These ambulatory surgery centers provide a convenient alternative to hospital-based outpatient procedures. The SurgiCenter of Baltimore has � ve operating rooms and two treatment rooms for procedures, including: ENT, general surgery, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pain management, plastic surgery and podiatry. Surgeons at the Ellico� City Ambulatory Surgery Center specialize in gastroenterology, general surgery, gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, neurology, pain management and podiatry. For more information, contact the SurgiCenter of Baltimore at 410-356-0300 and the Ellico� City Ambulatory Surgery Center at 410-461-1600.


What's New

Q. Is it too late to get a u shot?

A. No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends ge� ing a ¦ u vaccination as long as the ¦ u virus is circulating. Flu activity peaks between December and March, and can possibly last until May.

Foundry RowLifeBridge Health is excited to be a part of the new Foundry Row development in Owings Mills. As the primary provider of health care at Foundry Row, we are pleased to o� er easily accessible, high-quality care to patients that is convenient to where they live and work. LifeBridge Health at Foundry Row will feature primary care, pediatrics, orthopedics and more.

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Community Calendar

Calendar of EventsLifeBridge Health offers events, screenings, support groups and webinars throughout the year to help you stay happy and healthy. Check out some of our winter highlights below. Then go to lifebridgehealth.org/communitycalendar for a complete listing of events near you.

Diabetes Support GroupThursdays: March 16, April 20 and May 18, 2017, 6 – 7 p.m.Weinberg Park Heights JCC

Get helpful tips and support on coping with diabetes from the knowledgeable registered dietitians of Sinai and Northwest hospitals. This free support group is open to the community.

Weight Loss SeminarsWould you like to achieve a healthy weight in 2017? Join us for a free information session to learn more about bariatric surgery. Sessions are held monthly at Sinai Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Ellicott City and Carroll Hospital. Call 866-404-3627 (DOCS) to register.

Our Jewish Heritage, Our Health Thursday, March 23, 2017, 7 – 8:30 p.m.Weinberg Park Heights JCC

Get up-to-date information on the genetic conditions that occur most frequently in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. We will focus primarily on the most common Jewish genetic disorder – Gaucher disease, including its signs and symptoms.

Bariatric Surgery Program

New Year, Healthier YouChristina Li, M.D., F.A.C.S., and Celine Richardson, M.D., F.A.C.S., of the LifeBridge Health Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery team offer surgical and non-surgical treatment options combined with personalized care to help you meet your weight-loss goals.

Now offering ORBERA, a non-surgical weight management program that combines the placement of a temporary gastric balloon with customized coaching.

lifebridgehealth.org/weightloss

To find out if you’re a candidate, or to schedule a free ORBERA consultation, call 410-601-WELL (9355).

2401 W. Belvedere Ave.Baltimore, MD 21215

Stay Connected

Ben and Peggy Schapiro

Four years ago, LifeBridge Health board member Ben Schapiro had to go all the way to Utah to get a revolutionary new treatment for his debilitating nerve pain. Thanks to Ben’s determination to bring this technology home, the LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine now provides breakthrough solutions for pain right in our community. Donors make our leading-edge health care possible. To learn about gi� planning opportunities, call 410-601-GIFT (4438) or visit lifebridgehealth.org/give.

For more information about the pain center, please call 410-601-WELL (9355) or visit lifebridgehealth.org/pain.

Everyone has a legacy… what will yours be?

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