Fall 2013
your gui de to h e a lth & w ellness
The word
“living” must have one billion definitions: to love, travel, serve the poor, serve our justice system, play an instrument, write stories, run touchdowns, run for mayor, raise children, teach children, cut hair, become president of the United States. The world is our oyster, right? When we are “living proof” of something, we become an example of succeeding or surviving a feat or experience. In this issue, we celebrate the survivorship of three Affinity patients – Elaine, Cameron and Vikki. Each was faced with a life-changing diagnosis, and each one has come out on top. We want to honor their challenge and celebrate their health journey. With the combination of our doctors and care teams, support of family and friends, our state-of-the-art
Bill Calhoun
technology, and their own grit and bravery, they were able to rise above – and outlive – their diagnosis. To the living proof: you give us hope and inspire us to provide even better care. Sincerely,
Bill Calhoun President, Mercy Medical Center Vice President, Eastern Region, Ministry Health Care
READERSHIP SURVEY REPORT: In our last issue, we asked you to take a readership survey.
We took your feedback to heart and will continue to produce a magazine you enjoy reading. Here are some of the results!
What actions have you taken as a result of reading @Affinity magazine?
How do you prefer to read magazines in general?
100 Requested information mentioned in the magazine
13.6%
80
Visited Affinity Health System’s website
25.4%
Kept an issue of the magazine forfuture reference
60
30.5%
40
Discussed a topic seen in@Affinity magazine with a familymember or friend
49.2%
20
46.3%
Tried a recipe Found Affinity on Facebook, Twitter
92.1%
0
In print
10.2%
Scheduled an appointment to see an Affinity Medical Group provider
13.6%
11.3%
Online
Tablet/mobile device (iPad, Nook, Kindle, smart phone, etc.)
6.8%
Signed up for a class, program or event
19.8%
Changed my lifestyle (exercise more, eat healthier, addressed ahealth issue) Volunteered with a local nonprofit featured @Affinity magazine
24.3% 2.8% 27.1%
All other responses
0
20
40
60
80
100
80.7% of you feel that @Affinity magazine strengthens your personal connection to health and wellness
AFFINITY HEALTH SYSTEM IS... • St. Elizabeth Hospital ‑ Appleton • Mercy Medical Center ‑ Oshkosh • Calumet Medical Center ‑ Chilton • Affinity Medical Group Clinics • Affinity Occupational Health For a complete list of Affinity clinic locations or to find a physician, go to our website at www.affinityhealth.org or call Affinity NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900.
ealth.org/blog yh it in ff .a w w w : og bl r Ou Follow us:
c o n t e n t s F all 2 0 1 3
F E AT U R E s
Affinity Health System Menasha, WI www.affinityhealth.org
L iving Proof
President, Mercy Medical Center Vice President, Eastern Region, Ministry Health Care Bill Calhoun, FACHE Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Planning, Ministry Health Care Vince Gallucci
We bring you three stories of survivorship – a state one enters after braving a lifechanging event. Meet Elaine, Cameron and Vikki – all three of whom were dealt a difficult diagnosis and did whatever it took, with the support of their care team, to get well. They are proof that a good attitude and expert care can make all the difference between life and death.
Editorial Management Jennifer Wagner Mauk John Egan Alison Fiebig Mayer
E l ai n e Hess 1 l
Volume 3, Number 2 The material in @Affinity is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. @Affinity is published four times annually by Affinity Health System.
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For permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, change your address, discontinue multiple copies or stop receiving @Affinity, please contact us at editor@affinityhealth.org.
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© 2013 Affinity Health System. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from Affinity Health System.
Vikki marchand
ICE RV
Cover illustration by Andy Hayes
INTEGRITY JUSTICE
TEAMWORK CREATIVITY
Mission The mission of Affinity Health System is to live out the healing ministry of Christ by providing services that promote the health and well-being of the communities we serve, especially the poor.
Promise We promise to provide personalized care by listening, treating you with respect and putting your needs and interests first.
Sho rt C lips
4 Got the Itch?
Sure signs of a common skin by the number s
5 Building up breakfast, Turkey Day
diet disbelief, one doctor’s national achievement and the invention of the @ symbol
C hew o n This 6 Infamous for its role in seasonal
décor, the pumpkin is lesser known for its golden health benefits – plus milk matters, stamping out expiration date superstitions, and tips for growing edible plants indoors this winter
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afte r ca r e
18 Healing Waters
A n unusual but uplifting outdoor hobby gives one cardiac nurse the boost she needed to get through rough waters. giving back
20 Homes for Whiskers
An Affinity employee starts
her own volunteer-run, no-kill, foster-home-based animal welfare organization in the Fox Cities
Coming Together
Affinity Health System Foundations reflect on achievements in 2013
lear n & live
22 Finding Independence
Values The way we accomplish our mission is as important as the mission itself. These values of our sponsor, Ministry Health Care, guide our actions.
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D E PA R T M E N T S disorder called eczema
STEWARDSHIP
At Affinity Health System, our mission guides our actions.
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Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
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Mission, Promise and Values
Cameron emmer
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A program new to the Fox Valley called Project SEARCH gives high school students the chance to dabble in medical jobs at St. Elizabeth Hospital
kids @ affinit y
23 Pick-Up with Polly
Help clean Polly’s room by finding hidden pictures in the puzzle! Fa l l 2 0 1 3
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S HOR T
clips
Got the Itch?
Treating and preventing stubborn eczema
Health in Your Hands
By Becky Kopitzke
t r avis f o ste r
It’s hard to put down the smartphone, so why not use it to pick up on tips for fitness and food? We asked a few Affinity staffers to recommend their favorite health app.
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tching, burning, embarrassing skin? If you have eczema, you’re not alone. More than 15 million Americans suffer from this common condition. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by itchy pink or red patches, which may become thickened, cracked or scaly, and can sometimes leak fluid. It typically affects the hands, feet, arms, or behind the knees. Although there is no known single cause, doctors believe eczema may be a combination of inherited traits such as sensitive skin or a problem with the immune system. “Although there is no cure for eczema, there’s a lot we can do to control flares,” says Andrea McDonald, nurse practitioner with Affinity Dermatology on Midway Road in Menasha. Here are some keys to treating and preventing the itch.
Get treatment right away “When someone has a flare, how long it lasts depends on the individual and on how long they wait before starting treatment,” McDonald says. If you seek treatment at the onset, you may prevent the flare from worsening. Treatments run the gamut from overthe-counter ointments to topical steroids, phototherapy and prescription medications. “In our office, we tailor each treatment to the 4 | @Affinity
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individual and try to give the medicine that has the best benefit with the least amount of side effects,” McDonald says. Moisturize In addition to treating flares, it’s important to maintain the skin barrier with adequate moisture from emollients such as lotions and creams. These can relieve discomfort and help prevent flares from forming. Stop scratching “Once you start scratching, the itch intensifies,” McDonald explains. Scratching releases histamine, which can make the irritation worse. Oral antihistamine medicines can help. Avoid triggers For some people, flares are brought about by allergens, perfume, hot showers or harsh chemicals in cleaning products. Steer clear of these triggers, and wear gloves as a barrier when needed.
Dr. Daniel Tomaszewski, physician at Ministry Door County Medical Center’s Sturgeon Bay Clinic: “Map My Run provides an excellent way to track mileage and routes. I often compare with other runners, and it gives speeds/mileage in real-time.”
Joe Fox, licensed athletic trainer in Oshkosh: “I use Charity Miles, a GPS tracker that measures length and distance of a workout. Based on how far you go, it donates money to various charities that you select. Charities benefit from your physical activity!”
Todd Schneider, senior interactive web programmer: “Fooducate helps you make better choices. Scan your favorite food products and discover healthy and tasty alternatives. It’s a perfect companion to LoseIt, a food intake tracking app. Set your goals and let the app help you through the difficult task of knowing when you’ve had just enough to eat during the day. These apps really do work… I credit LoseIt for my recent 50-pound weight loss!”
Watch the weather Eczema is more common in winter or during periods of extreme heat. Both cold weather and sweating can trigger flares. Consider keeping topical remedies on hand when the seasons change. McDonald says the goal is to get your eczema under control – so it doesn’t control you. If you’re unable to manage flares with over-the-counter products, if your eczema patches become infected, or if you’re embarrassed about your condition, talk with your primary care physician about treatment or a referral to Affinity Dermatology.
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by the
Last year, the Calorie Control Council calculated that the average American consumed as much as calories at Thanksgiving dinner – nearly twice the recommended daily allowance. Remember this when going for that third helping of sweet potato casserole: a 160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours, or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3,000-calorie Thanksgiving Day meal. (Source: American Council on Exercise)
4,500
gobble
Eat your breakfast! From June to October 2012, researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel found in a study of 93 overweight women on 1,400-calorie-a-day diets that those who ate of their daily calories at breakfast lost more than twice as much weight as those who ate 50 percent of their calories at dinner. However, there are studies that refute that evidence. One of our nutritionists jumps in this debate on our blog at www.affinityhealth.org/blog. Decide for yourself!
50 percent
477
The age of the @ symbol. First spotted in a letter written by a Florentine man in , the symbol – which has taken on many different meanings in multiple cultures and languages – grew out of its modern obscurity and found a permanent use in 1971 when computer scientist Ray Tomlinson invented email. While the sweeping denotation revolutionized the way we communicate, we happen to think it looks great in a magazine title!
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one
numbers
Dr. Peter Janu, general surgeon with Affinity Medical Group at
St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Calumet Medical Center in Chilton, is ranked
#1 in
Wisconsin (#5 in the U.S.) for performing a surgery to treat acid reflux called TIFs. w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
Whether it’s been 12 days since you finished treatment for cancer or 12 months, A Time to Heal – holistic rehabilitation program – a is available to help men and women regain physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological and spiritual health after cancer treatment. The program is targeted to those within three years of diagnosis and their caregivers. Register at www.affinityhealth.org/hope or call Affinity NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900. For more information, go to www.hopecancerconnection.org.
12-week,
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chew on this Glass Half Full
Milk does the body good, but what kind is the best? By Alison Fiebig Mayer
@ R andom
Time’s up
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Strict instruction or lax suggestion? Setting the record straight about expiration dates.
t’s hard not to notice the many varieties of and alternatives to milk crowding the grocery store shelves. Here’s a breakdown to help you keep it straight. Cow’s milk: After it is taken from the cow, the milk is pasteurized (heated, then quickly cooled) to kill bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. It’s an excellent source of protein, calcium, and vitamins D and K. Organic milk: Also pasteurized, organic milk is produced from cows that are given organic feed or roam freely and graze on pesticide-free grass. Some organic varieties contain higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Critics argue non-organic milk is just as nutritious as organic milk. Soy milk: Extracted from mature soy beans, soy milk is naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free. It doesn’t have as much protein as cow’s milk because it’s plant-based but it’s safe for people who are lactose intolerant (when the body cannot digest the sugar found in dairy products). Almond milk: Roasted almonds are blended, and the resulting liquid is then enriched with nutrients (like calcium, vitamin D, and the antioxidant vitamin E). Also a good option for those who are lactose intolerant. Rice milk: Created from a mixture of partially milled rice and water. It has no saturated fat or cholesterol, but almost no protein.
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hree-quarters of American consumers mistakenly believe certain foods are unsafe to eat after the expiration date has passed.* The truth is that if a product is stored properly, it should last well beyond the date on the package. Consider this the next time you turn that bottle of mustard upside down: “Sell by” - This label is meant more for the store than the consumer. Refrigerated products should be used within the next day or so and frozen goods can be stored in your freezer for up to three months. “Use by” - Depending on how the product is stored determines if the product can be used by its date stamp. Some canned goods will keep for years if there haven’t been wide temperature fluctuations. Other products, such as high-acid items like canned pineapple, have a shorter shelf life but are still good for a year or longer. “Freeze by” - You might buy a product fresh with this stamp suggesting you can freeze it by the date if you run out of time to consume it beforehand. * Source: Harris Interactive
Eggs keep in the refrigerator for three to five weeks, but pickles can last up to one year – even after opening! For info on the lifespan of other foods, visit www.stilltasty.com.
F
ollow the directions on the seed packets to ensure proper planting. While many seeds require deep soil, others can be placed on or near the top of the soil. Water regularly ovese b asil gen
flat leaf parsley
so soil remains moist. If you’re worried about overwatering, wait until the surface of the soil becomes slightly dry and then water thoroughly until liquid seeps out of the base of the plant. pea s
sage su n
f lo
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green onion
A white winter may be in the near future, but that doesn’t mean you have to put away your green thumb. Here are some edible plants that can easily grow indoors!
er
sprouts
p r u ts o
Legend of the Fall Perched on porches across America, this seasonal standout often gets overlooked for its nutritional worth, but not this year. By Alison Fiebig Mayer
Proportions: A five-pound pumpkin will yield about 4 ½ cups of mashed, cooked pumpkin. One 15-ounce can yields about two cups of mashed pumpkin, which totals about 100 calories making it very diet-friendly!
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here’s nothing scary about a jack o’ lantern’s dietary value. Surprisingly, one serving of pumpkin counts for 300 percent of your recommended daily value for vitamin A, and is also a good source of vitamins C and E, zinc, and iron. Pumpkin is full of an antioxidant called beta-carotene (giving it the orange color also found in carrots). Research reveals that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offer protection against heart disease and some degenerative aspects of aging. Pumpkin also contains tryptophan, which helps the body produce serotonin – the feel-good hormone known to reduce stress levels. The golden orange gourd is incredibly versatile and almost every single part of this fruit is edible: the flesh, leaves, flower and seeds. Known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds are also a good source of manganese, protein, magnesium, copper and zinc (especially if consumed unshelled). Try these easy ways to eat the autumn giant: • Boiled or steamed: Halve the pumpkin; remove seeds, pulp and stringy insides. Cut into small pieces and peel. Cover with lightly salted water; boil for about 25 minutes or until desired tenderness. Mash in a blender or food processor and use in any recipe calling for pumpkin purée. • Roasted: Preheat oven to 400°F. Quarter, peel and seed 2 lbs. of pumpkin and then cut into 2-inch pieces. Place on large tray and coat with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. cumin and salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until pumpkin is soft and slightly browned. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve as a side dish. • Seeds: Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and evenly spread out pumpkin seeds. Roast seeds about 35-40 minutes and toss with a dash of cayenne pepper or cinnamon if preferred. Top off salads, cereal or yogurt, add to sautéed vegetables or your favorite cookie recipe, or grind seeds and add to hamburgers or meatloaf. • Smoothie: Blend ½ cup of pureed pumpkin, ¾ cup milk, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, ⅛ tsp. nutmeg, 2 tsp. brown sugar and 4 ice cubes until smooth. • Main meal: Cook 1 lb. of pasta according to directions on the box and drain. Return pasta to pot and add 2 tablespoons of butter, 15 ounces of pumpkin purée, ¼ cup of water, 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, salt and pepper to taste, and a handful of parmesan cheese.
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LIVING PROOF
Patch
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The comeback of a busy-bee Chilton woman after she faces a life-threatening ailment that required the patching of her 74-year-old heart
By Alison Fiebig Mayer Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
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omfortable in her own skin, especially with a new scar, Elaine Hessil has returned to the busy life she has built over the years. While flipping through her wall calendar, the retired schoolteacher runs a finger over a multitude of commitments and appointments. She also has many hobbies: tending to the garden in the lot next to her house, shucking hickory nuts that she picks from the trees on 25 acres she owns in Jericho, leading school tours through the apple fields at Heritage Orchard in Chilton, directing the bell choir and playing the organ at her church, and teaching piano lessons. Hessil also spends most afternoons with her 96-year-old mother who has dementia. “Trust me, I never run out of things to do,” says the 74-year-old Chilton resident. “That’s what was so hard for me. I had to get back into it again.” Sitting across from Hessil, you’d never know that earlier this year she had emergency surgery for an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm, which is caused by a weakened area in the main vessel that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Looking back on it now, there were few warning signs.
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LIVING PROOF
Uneasy Like Sunday Morning The date was March 3, 2013 – a Sunday no different from any other. Breakfast was the usual banana with a side of peanut butter and a glass of milk. Afterwards, Hessil made her way to church where she found her seat in front of the organ for a quick practice before the service. That’s when she noticed a lump in her throat. The tightness quickly spread down her neck and chest and she began to feel nauseous. Thinking it was her breakfast refusing to digest, she stayed for the church service. “I didn’t feel normal,” Hessil says. “I debated whether to go home and try to nap it off or drive to the emergency room.” Thankfully, she decided on the latter. Dr. Richard Warshell, emergency medicine physician at Calumet Medical Center (CMC), was also grateful. Hessil’s blood pressure was dangerously low at 90/50. An electrocardiography (EKG) revealed she wasn’t having a heart attack, but a chest x-ray showed that Hessil’s mediastinum – the central compartment of the chest cavity between the two lungs – was enlarged. “Her chest pains were radiating to her backside, and with the finding on the x-ray, we figured her aorta might be dissecting,” Dr. Warshell says, adding that with the help and support of his nursing staff, they were able to move swiftly and get Hessil in for a CAT scan. It wasn’t long after that the physician had to deliver some troubling news – Hessil had an aneurysm, and they had to act fast. Her survival depended on it. “Radiology called me back quickly, so I knew it wasn’t good,” the doctor explains. What happened next took place within minutes. He called the heart team at St. Elizabeth Hospital’s Heart, Lung and Vascular Center who told him to send for a helicopter to take her to the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. “He was calm, firm, but very clear,” Hessil remembers. After arriving in Madison, she was rushed into a 12-hour surgery to fix the aneurysm. According to Dr. Warshell, had Hessil decided against going to the emergency room that day, the aneurysm could have ruptured and resulted in life-threatening bleeding. “She’s lucky she got to the emergency room when she did,” he says. “Not many patients do. This is a diagnosis that emergency room doctors fear. It’s not real common, and it’s not something you want to miss. It’s always fatal if you miss it.” The doctors at UW Hospital told Hessil’s sister and brother-in-law, who traveled to Madison to be with her, that there was a chance she wouldn’t survive the surgery. If Hessil did make it out of surgery, they warned, it was possible she would have permanent brain or nerve damage. Hessil made it through surgery. She was barely recognizable having emerged swollen and hooked up to a multitude of wires. Despite her condition, she was squeezing her sister’s hand and opening her eyes on command two days later. “On Friday, they wanted me to sit up,” Hessil remembers. “I sat there like a sumo wrestler. I couldn’t speak and I had a hard time breathing.” Eleven days after surgery, Hessil was released from UW Hospital and accepted into CMC’s swing bed program (inpatient hospital stay for either an acute or skilled level of care in rural hospitals with fewer than 100 beds), where she stayed for 10 days. “I was nervous to leave the team at Madison who I had grown to trust,” she says, “but the staff at CMC was so wonderful.”
diagnosis is critical for survival. A dissection can quickly lead to stroke, but if it's found before that happens and a patient gets the appropriate therapy, they can go on to do really well.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, thoracic aortic aneurysms affect about 15,000 people in the United States each year and are the 13th leading cause of death. Research has shown that patients with untreated, large thoracic aneurysms of the aorta are more likely to die of complications associated with their aneurysms than from any other cause. Once back in Chilton, Hessil saw Dr. O’Brien once a month. After overcoming a few minor setbacks and spending some more time in the hospital due to fluid that developed on her lungs, Dr. O’Brien cleared her for three-month check-ups to monitor her blood pressure and cholesterol. In May, Hessil also saw her primary care provider, Lisa Schabach, an advanced practice nurse practitioner at CMC Clinic. “Elaine was a healthy adult prior to this episode,” Schabach explains. “I didn’t observe anything that wasn’t normal for a female in her seventies, anyway.” As a primary care provider, the majority of Schabach’s job is educating patients on their conditions and the appropriate steps to take in getting back to optimal health. Naturally, Schabach and Hessil talked about what activities she could and could not do at that time in her recovery. “We talked about the science of the aneurysm, the valve repair, fluid on the lungs – everything that had happened to her – and I explained the conditions so she could understand it,” Schabach adds. “I also had to remind her that she had to pace herself because she was not a person who likes to sit and do nothing!”
Lift and Twist
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hat was Hessil’s worst fear – not being able to get back to her usual activities, especially playing the piano and leading school tours around Heritage Orchard where she shares the history of the apple farm and tips on how to pick the fruit (don't pull, but instead lift and twist the apple so it pops right off). “I questioned what I was going to be able to do – if my hands and feet would connect,” she recalls. “The first thing I did when I got home from swing bed was sit down at my piano. I would go over my scales before bed to test my memory. The folks in therapy worked with me on that.” Hessil was approved to start a monitored, outpatient rehab program
Heart and Strength
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bout three years before this incident, Dr. Patrick O’Brien, cardiologist with Affinity Medical Group (AMG), saw Hessil after her stress test results came back abnormal. He detected mild symptoms of coronary disease but it wasn’t significant enough to treat. He saw Hessil again in April 2013, a month after her surgery. Working at St. Elizabeth Hospital’s Heart, Lung and Vascular Center, Dr. O’Brien is one of many AMG providers who also provides outreach care at CMC. “For many, this (thoracic aortic aneurysm) is fatal,” he explains. “A timely
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Above: Elaine sporting one of her “teaching” hats, which she wears during the tours she gives at Heritage Orchard in Chilton. Middle: Elaine shares a moment with her loyal companion, Sasha, in her backyard garden. Far right: The Chilton apple farm that overlooks Lake Winnebago celebrates 35 years of business.
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at CMC on May 6, 2013. “She came in really incapacitated,” says Ursula Mueller, coordinator of cardiac services and registered nurse at CMC, who helped Hessil. “We worked with her team in Madison to make sure she was getting a continuum of care.” First, Mueller tested Hessil to see how receptive she would be to certain exercises, and to make sure her blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm and other symptoms remained stable. Then they worked together to set goals, which included regaining the strength to do the things she loves. Hessil started on free weights. After four weeks, she progressed to interval training and using the NuStep bike, which also engages the arms. “Elaine worked her butt off,” she explains. “She was sick and weak, but she never gave up and she kept coming back. Rehab isn’t just about exercising; it’s learning. She participated in classroom activities – by sharing things and asking questions. She was able to emotionally bond with others. They’re able to get those answers firsthand from others who have gone through something similar to them.” Hessil’s motivation along the way also proved to be an incentive. “I told myself I couldn’t take my dog back until I could walk around the block,” she says. Before her episode, she adopted a Sheltie named Sasha – “with a wiggy-waggy tail” – who came from a local shelter and had become her loyal companion. While Hessil was in Madison, the shelter agreed to take Sasha in and care for her. When her hospital stay turned into weeks, Sasha was readopted. This is when Hessil says her heart broke for a second time. Weeks passed at therapy and she slowly, but surely, regained the strength to do her everyday activities. Then she received news that Sasha would be returning to the shelter once again, so Hessil jumped at the second chance to welcome the dog home. “Rehab was good for me, for many reasons,” Hessil says. “I was able
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Condition & Procedure Elaine Hessil suffered from a thoracic aortic aneurysm, which is caused by a weakened area in the main vessel that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
to get out and meet other folks who had been through their own health situation. I even met someone who had open-heart surgery. We all compared our notes about our experiences.” Now, Hessil is brushing up on apple agriculture and studying the notes she’s taken over the years about the storied history of Heritage Orchard. “Did you know that the motion of picking an apple makes all the difference in how the tree develops the following year?” she quizzes. “Most folks pull the apple down, but the proper way is to twist and lift it. It’ll just pop off.” Strapped into her bib overalls and tapping her straw hat to make sure it’s secure on her head, Hessil is now back to business. Early this summer, she stopped in the emergency department to see and thank Dr. Warshell for a job well done. He recognized her, sat down and took a moment to recall the day that changed her life. “He walked me through the whole morning, without having records in front of him,” she says. “Madison was so impressed with him; in fact, I was told he kept calling the hospital in Madison to check on me. I could hardly wait to tell him how good I was doing!” But to Dr. Warshell, a story like Hessil's is not easily forgotten. “I remember it so well because I was both concerned and relieved that she was in good hands,” he says. “It was by the grace of God and the help of the emergency department team that we were able to manage Elaine’s condition successfully.” Hessil is thankful for the many second chances she’s been given in life: surviving the aneurysm, companionship with Sasha, and enjoying the things she might not have taken the time to notice before her health scare. “I’ve learned to appreciate the smaller, day-to-day things, and I’ve also been taught to appreciate the human body,” she says. “We take so much of this life for granted.”
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LIVING PROOF
Stepping H
is ear-to-ear smile shows a few holes where teeth used to be. He’s telling a story that ends in “and then,” hardly pausing before starting into the next, which may or may not have anything to do with the story before it. And there’s nothing – not even the fact that he is a cancer survivor – more important than sports. It’s not that Cameron Emmer’s bout with cancer isn’t important. In fact, he’ll tell you how he beat it – just like how his team beat their opponents in Little League the night before.
Remembering When
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hen asked to define cancer, Cameron says, “It’s bad,” but he doesn’t quite remember the difficult diagnosis he faced six years ago like his parents do. He does, however, recognize the good that’s come of it. It was the first week in more than a year that Cameron wasn’t sick. Janal Emmer, Cameron’s mom, recalls the endless ear infections and episodes with asthma her first-born had been experiencing since he was two months old. “As soon as he went to daycare, he wound up with bronchiolitis and was at the clinic almost every week for breathing-related issues," she says. In July 2007, Janal and her husband, Clayt, were giving Cameron (who was 20 months old at the time) a bath when she noticed his left testicle was hard and noticeably larger than the right. Unsure of what to think, she called the “I actually worried that our doctor would think I was some sort of hypochondriac because we were in the clinic with him so much already,” Janal recalls. But Dr. Mary Nordstrom, Cameron’s pediatrician at the Children’s Health Center (CHC) in St. Elizabeth Hospital, didn’t think that. “For parents, piece of mind is worth something,” Dr. Nordstrom says. The pediatrician explains that Cameron didn’t seem to be feeling any discomfort, but his left testicle was about two times the size of the other. Dr. Nordstrom scheduled an ultrasound for July 5 to make sure it wasn’t an enlarged blood vessel. “We had to have something to help us better define what it was,” she adds. A few days later, she got a call from the clinic. A pediatric urologist from UW Madison, Dr. John Kryger, was visiting CHC that Friday as part of an
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By Alison Fiebig Mayer Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
An Appleton youngster battles a big-league diagnosis and, with the help of his pediatric care team and super-fan parents, he hit cancer out of the park
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LIVING PROOF
Families of Children With Cancer “No child should ever have to have cancer, and no parent should ever have to wonder if their child is going to live or die,” Janal Emmer says. A cancer diagnosis impacts the entire family. The Emmers joined Families of Children with Cancer (FOCWC) in Green Bay not long after Cameron’s diagnosis. The group offers support in times of need – after the diagnosis, before surgery, during hospitalization, upon relapse, as death approaches, as a child is taken off treatment, and as a cured child makes his or her way to adulthood. Cameron gets together with other children who have lived through a cancer diagnosis for group activities, such as fishing and sporting events. The family also participates – alongside many others – in the annual Gold Ribbon Run, which raises money for FOCWC. “The emotion is never far from the surface when we remember this experience or talk to others about cancer, but we consider ourselves the lucky ones,” Janal says. “I thank God every day that we were able to get through this.”
outreach program. It just so happened to be the exact day Janal took Cameron back in to learn the results of his ultrasound.
The Diagnosis
“T
he urologist told us, ‘It’s a tumor,’” Janal remembers. “He didn’t know if it was cancerous, but he thought it was more than likely. All I wanted to know is if Cameron was going to live.” Like any parent would, Janal and Clayt tried to hold themselves together, but that didn’t last very long. As they broke down sobbing, Cameron crawled into his mom’s lap and said, “I be OK.” “Dr. Kryger told us that if we couldn’t get an appointment right away that he would come in on the weekend to remove the tumor even though he wasn’t on call,” Janal says. “That was when it sank in that it could be cancer, as I wondered what doctor would give up their weekend for a patient they had just met.” The tumor turned out to be a rare type called germ cell/yolk sac. The cause of it is unknown and most often found in children before the age of two. Germ cells develop in the embryo and become the cells that make up the reproductive system in males and females. As the fetus develops, the germ cells descend into the pelvis as ovarian cells or into the scrotal sac as testicular cells. Germ cell tumors are so rare that about one in 2.4 million children develop them in any given year. Cameron’s biopsy and surgery was scheduled for four days later at UW Health’s American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison. In order to ensure the cancer wouldn’t spread to any other organs, Cameron’s left testicle was removed. The doctor came out of surgery to tell the Emmers that the tumor was cancerous but the odds were surprisingly good. Cameron spent some time on the pediatric oncology floor after surgery to recover before going in for a CT scan, which would confirm whether or not the cancer had spread. “Walking through those doors knocked the air out of me, but things improved from there,” Janal remembers. “Cameron was running around within the hour. Nothing keeps this kid down for long!”
Survivor Nights @ the Stadium
This past summer, Affinity Health System teamed up with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for “Survivor Nights” where those who have survived a lifethreatening condition were celebrated at several home games. On June 29, Cameron was invited to throw out the first pitch, run the bases with Fang, and his family was treated to seats and snacks at the game. The announcer shared the boy’s story with the spectators and the Rattlers autographed a bat for him as a keepsake to remind Cameron of his victory over cancer! 14 | @Affinity
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Soon, they were heading in for the scan. The trick was getting Cameron to stay really still, so Janal tagged along. “I sang ‘Wheels on the Bus’ to him as he cried and cried,” she says. But after a few scary days, the Emmers found out Cameron’s cancer had not spread and he would not need chemotherapy or radiation. Cameron could begin the path to recovery.
Returning to Home Plate
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fter getting cleared by the specialists in Madison, the Emmers returned to their lives in Appleton. But it wasn’t like life before cancer – yet. The doctor appointments continued. At first, Cameron was seen once a month by Dr. Nordstrom for a routine physical exam, blood tests, a regular CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen, and a chest x-ray. He had to be sedated for each CT scan to make certain he would stay still. “I’m pretty sure we’ve met every anesthesiologist at St. Elizabeth Hospital,” Janal points out. “One doctor actually sang “Love My Boots” from Dora the Explorer as he put Cameron under. It’s those little things that our caregivers did for us that made all the difference in our minds and hearts.” During those visits, Cameron also started seeing Dr. Carol Diamond, a pediatric oncologist at UW Health in Madison who does outreach at St. Elizabeth Hospital. “These tumors are fairly rare and highly curable,” Dr. Diamond explains. “For Cameron, the tumor was found early and surgery alone was effective. When the tumor is removed, patients can often return to normal, but we monitor blood tests that detect a protein called alphafetoprotein (AFP), which is carried by the tumors. If the cancer comes back, that protein level elevates.” It was an emotional time for the Emmers. Now parents of two boys, they were often hit with the fear that the cancer could come back. For Janal, that was hard to overcome. Little by little, Cameron adjusted to his new routine and he became more comfortable with the tests. The once-a-month visits turned to once every three months, then six months, and before they knew it – the Emmers were only in for the follow-up routine once a year. Now, six years after receiving his diagnosis, Cameron has made what doctors would say is a full recovery. According to Dr. Nordstrom, “He’s a healthy boy and growing! We’re back to business as usual with yearly check-ups.” Cameron doesn’t remember his stay at American Family Children’s Hospital or the many tests and appointments, but he acknowledges that he came out on top when he talks about all the sports and activities he’s able to do today. In a sense, all signs point to this young boy being a champion in every sense of the word. w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
LIVING PROOF
The
Pink E
ven before hearing the words, she knew. Having spent a great deal of her life wavering through health scares, Vikki Wilke Marchand is no stranger to hospital stays and doctor visits. But the 54-year-old Oshkosh resident recently had to overcome the biggest shock yet: “You have breast cancer.”
If Vikki Wilke Marchand was writing a book about her health journey, she would be making final edits on her latest chapter: breast cancer By Alison Fiebig Mayer Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
The Prologue
E
nduring the ups and downs of a tough medical diagnosis is somewhat of a recurring experience for Marchand. When she was 19 years old, she had to have a hysterectomy. In the years to follow, Marchand suffered from chronic abdominal pain and bowel obstruction, which prompted 10 operations in an attempt to curb the discomfort. Multiple surgeries led to the buildup of scar tissue causing her insides to be restricted in movement, which resulted in more pain. Finally, in 2011, Marchand saw a doctor in Rhinelander, where she was living at the time, who performed another surgery called an ileostomy to remove her large intestine. By doing so, a surgical opening is made the belly and the end or loop of small intestine (the ileum) is brought out onto the surface of the skin. Because an ileostomy bypasses the colon, rectum and anus, waste flows out of the opening and collects in an ostomy bag, which must be emptied several times a day. Losing that function, which most people take for granted, was difficult and Marchand had a hard time bouncing back. Later that same year, she moved back to Oshkosh, her hometown. In September 2011, she started seeing Dr. Kelly Krueger, primary care physician at Affinity Medical Group’s Jackson Street Clinic. “When I first met Vikki two years ago, she was recovering from yet another Fa l l 2 0 1 3
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LIVING PROOF
abdominal surgery that led to her ileostomy,” Dr. Krueger explains. “She was dealing with significant depression, so I saw her often. I was worried about her. She was tired of doctors telling her ‘it’s all in your head.’” Marchand had a long list of negative experiences with doctors, so being cared for in such a way was not something she had experienced before. Dr. Krueger made sure Marchand saw her once a month for nine months as a means to support Marchand through her new medical condition. “I feel cared about and loved,” she adds. “I finally found a doctor who really listens.” At her lowest point, Marchand remembers the Jackson Street clinic scheduling hour-long appointments with Dr. Krueger. “My relationship with her is one that even Vikki will say has evolved,” Dr. Krueger says. “When we first met, she was angry, depressed, and mistrustful of health care. As time went on, she really started to turn a corner, her anger dissipated and she started to forgive. We now look forward to our visits together.” For additional support, Dr. Krueger connected Marchand with Heather Klauer, a certified wound/ostomy/continence nurse, at Mercy Medical Center, who runs an ostomy support group in the area. Klauer invited Marchand to join. “When we first met, we discussed how one goes on functioning with an ileostomy,” Klauer says. “It’s hard not to let it consume your life. Vikki has come full circle. She was so ashamed of her body, but I told her she’s living because she has an ileostomy.” With Klauer’s help, Marchand worked hard to break down the “why me” complex she had cultivated over the years. She frequently attends support group meetings and activities, and she even drives an older gentleman who has an ostomy and dementia to meetings. 16 | @Affinity
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“She’s had more struggles than most people,” Klauer notes, “but it has made her who she is today – a wonderful human being.”
A New Diagnosis
O
n Saturday, June 15, 2013, Marchand felt a suspicious lump on her right breast. She called the clinic that following Monday. During the exam, Dr. Krueger found a hard mass and ordered an urgent mammogram. The team at Mercy Medical Center’s Phyllis Leach Breast Center saw Marchand later that same day and performed both a mammogram and biopsy. It had been four years since her last mammogram. “I was overwhelmed with having to do one more thing health-wise,” Marchand remembers of the last time she considered going in for the yearly screening. “I kept putting it off.” After the mammogram and biopsy, something told her she was going to receive some not-so-good news. When Dr. Michael Foley, general surgeon at Mercy Medical Center, called to discuss her test results, the fear was confirmed – she had stage 1 breast cancer. “I felt like I knew before they even called to tell me,” she explains. On July 3, Marchand saw Dr. Foley to discuss the biopsy results. “I asked questions about her health history, family history, and walked her through the characteristics of cancer,” Dr. Foley explains. “I performed a physical exam, and there were no signs of locally-advanced disease.” He recommended a lumpectomy, which is a surgery to remove the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue. Marchand had the tumor removed and tested on July 9. A few days later, Dr. Foley called Marchand with the news that she would need to consult with an oncology team. They met again to discuss the pathology report and the next steps. w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
October is breast cancer awareness month
Left: Deemed the best technology available today, the TrueBeam Linear Accelerator radiotherapy machine at the Michael D. Wachtel Cancer Center in Oshkosh can confirm the location of a tumor by doing a CT scan of patients immediately before treatment. It then provides a precisely sculpted 3D radiation dose as it rotates 360 degrees around the patient. Above: Donna Rogers, oncology nurse, and Heather Klauer, wound/ostomy/continence nurse, both at Mercy Medical Center, share a laugh with Vikki on the beach at Menominee Park in Oshkosh. Vikki credits her providers for saving her life.
From there, she met with Dr. Thomas Klinkhammer, medical oncologist, and Dr. Rick Davis, radiation oncologist at the Michael D. Wachtel Cancer Center. Dr. Klinkhammer administered a genomic, diagnostic test called Oncotype DX, which analyzes the activity of a group of genes that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment. The test helps Dr. Klinkhammer and Dr. Davis determine a woman’s risk of early-stage, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer coming back (recurrence), as well as how likely she is to benefit from chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery. “It’s a useful tool to predict who is going to benefit from chemo and who is not,” Dr. Klinkhammer explains. “The test comes back with a low-recurrence score or high-recurrence score; most women fall into low-recurrence score. It has saved many women from having to go through chemo.” Marchand’s score was low-recurrence, so she was given a regimen of radiation and will likely need to receive hormonal therapy after radiation, which helps reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after surgery.
The Epilogue
M
archand started radiation therapy on August 29, which took place five days a week for 30 days. Once a week, she sat down with Dr. Davis to discuss how she was feeling and ask questions. After treatment, Marchand saw him for follow-up appointments to make sure she wasn’t exhibiting side effects from treatment, such as skin redness and fatigue, which usually fades after two to three weeks. In April 2013, Mercy Medical Center installed and began treating cancer patients with the TrueBeam Linear Accelerator, a state-of-the-art
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Every two minutes a woman is told “you have breast cancer.” At Affinity Health System (AHS), we're working to reduce the number of women who hear those words. AHS offers breast cancer patients in Northeast Wisconsin advanced treatment, support and hope at our Breast Center locations in Appleton, Oshkosh and Chilton. In addition to monthly self-exams, professional breast exams and mammograms are important steps to take for breast cancer screening. Women age 40 years and older should have a mammogram every one to two years and a professional breast exam yearly. As mammography screening rates have increased, more cases of breast cancer have been found at earlier stages when chances of survival are highest. Call (920) 236-1880 in Oshkosh, (920) 8311200 in Appleton, or 920-849-2386 in Chilton to schedule a mammogram appointment. For more information, visit www.affinityhealth.org/cancer, and click ‘Breast Cancer’ in the column on the left. As Vikki Wilke Marchand says, “Don’t wait to do it.” Source: American Cancer Society.
radiotherapy machine that can synchronize radiation dosage, real-time tumor tracking and imaging. It can confirm the location of the tumor by doing a CT scan of patients on the treatment couch immediately before treatment, and then provides a precisely sculpted 3D radiation dose as it rotates 360 degrees around the patient. The treatment is generally delivered more quickly than less advanced radiation treamtnet machines. The system allows for a higher, more effective dosage amount without additional risk of side effects, including damage to normal, surrounding tissue. “For someone receiving radiation treatment for breast cancer, they must lay on their back on the table with their arms above their head,” Dr. Davis explains. “For someone who has a bad back, arthritis, or is simply uncomfortable – they don’t have to be there for long. The technology allows us to be more efficient, and therefore quicker. It enhances patient comfort and the experience in general.” Marchand agrees, saying, “All I had to do was walk in, put on a gown, lie down, put my arms above my head, and jam out to the music they put on for me.” Today, she stays focused on the positive. But if there’s one ounce of advice she has for other women, it’s this: get a mammogram. She admits she used to be “one of those women” who didn’t want to do it. Looking back on her health journey, Marchand knows she has survived in more ways than one. But the most recent battle demonstrates she is living proof that a compassionate and skilled care team close-to-home can empower people to “fight the good fight” and outlive the diagnosis. “I was scared, but I left it up to God,” she says. “Being a survivor means believing – believing that you can beat it. I felt really secure with everyone on my care team. I needed that support, I needed them.” Marchand also believes that the diagnoses she has received over the years have made her who she is today, but she needs her health in order to create new chapters in her life. Her book isn’t ready to be published yet. Fa l l 2 0 1 3
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after c@re
Get to know your care provider
By Paul Nicolaus
Healing LaDonna Henslee, cardiac nurse at Mercy Oakwood Medical Building in Oshkosh
A
When life overflowed with unexpected turns for a motherof-four and breast cancer survivor, she chose to take that metaphoric cue to heart and began photographing waterfalls.
t the age of six , L a D onna Henslee already sensed something magical about the movement of water tumbling downward. “There’s a small, cascade-type waterfall that goes from the rocks into the ocean,” she recalls of her first sighting at Reyes Beach in California. “I just loved looking at it.” And now, nearly 400 sightings later, her hobby of waterfall photography has morphed into a full-blown passion and heart-healthy hobby, which suits her well as a cardiology nurse practitioner specializing in heart failure at Affinity’s Mercy Oakwood in Oshkosh. In fact, she recently returned from a five-day trip that took her from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in New York and included 62 miles of hiking and 79 waterfall sightings. Listen to Henslee chat about this interest of hers and you’ll hear of “bucket-listers” and attempts to spot rarities, such as the elusive moonbow at Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. She reminisces about a frozen Multnomah Falls in Oregon. She points out that Niagara on the Canada side is spectacular. She names the upper and lower falls at Yellowstone as her all-time favorites. She is also quick to mention lesser-known notables she has discovered along the way, like the unique set of falls within Watkins Glen State Park, and she’s been blown away by the sheer number that reside nearby and often get overlooked. “Minnesota, upper Wisconsin and Michigan have a significant amount of waterfalls,” she notes. From the outset, this became a group venture. “I started out taking the family,” she says, mentioning her triplets and her son, who is 11 months older. “We went as a group because they shared the interest in the outdoors and they liked the waterfalls, too.” It also turned out to be a useful means of helping her triplets, who have autism, adjust in a variety of ways. “Autistic kids have issues with sounds and sensations, and you have
“Whether a large volume of water going over a cascade or a small tunnel going through a glen... in that moment of time, life is not so hectic.” —LaDonna Henslee
Waters to get them used to certain things,” she says, adding that the sightings became one way of helping her children grow accustomed to sounds and fluids. “It helps to increase their awareness and decrease their sensitivities, and it helped me share a moment that couldn’t possibly be created in any other way.” In 2002, Henslee began keeping track of the falls she visited to see how many she could capture on camera. “Photography helps me remember that moment in time when I was there,” she says. “You have to really sit there and understand the power of that monumental thing that’s in front of you.” From then on, any planned getaways tended to include or revolve around waterfalls, but this past-time passion grew into something even greater as she leaned on nature’s beauty during her struggle to overcome breast cancer. Worn down by the diagnosis, the surgeries and the inability to do the things she wanted to be able to do, she gathered up enough gusto to head out on a short trip to Munising, Michigan, as soon as she was able to handle the physical activity. There she sat at Miners Falls and looked out on a Lake Superior sunset. “When you look at it and you think about not being able to see that in the future, you really do fight to be the person that you want to be and maintain the life that you want to live and survive a deadly diagnosis like breast cancer,” she says. Now two years cancer-free and proud to be able to share her survivor story with others, Henslee continues to turn to waterfalls time and again as a form of exercise, adventure, relaxation and renewal. “Everything on Earth is formed by water and its movement, so it’s
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calming to me,” she says. “Whether it’s a large volume of water going over a cascade or a small tunnel of water going through a glen, it puts perspective on a very hectic life. Yet in that moment in time, it’s not so hectic.” So what’s next on the docket? Henslee has her sights set on a springtime trip to Havasu Falls and its vibrant blue-green waters set against a backdrop of red rock walls located on Havasupai-owned land within the Grand Canyon. In preparation, she has been running 10 miles a day to ensure she’s able to handle the rugged hike and take on her next big aqua adventure. Snap shots below taken by Henslee at Yosemite National Park.
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giving b@ck
By Natalie Nelson, marketing manager, Affinity Health System
Homes for Wh Each issue, we share the story of an Affinity Health System team member who volunteers at a local non-profit organization. Affinity is committed to supporting local organizations and charitable events aligned with our mission of providing services that promote the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve.
Natalie Nelson with a kitten named Steven that she and her husband, Alex, are fostering. To see a list of WISH’s adoptable pets, visit www.wishuponapaw.org.
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Rewind seven years. My husband, Alex, and I had just moved to Neenah, and I was in the process of getting my master’s degree from UW-Milwaukee. I studied during the day. At night, I went for long runs in and around our subdivision. On one run, I stumbled across a local animal shelter and decided to stop in for a quick water break. I was shocked to see so many animals in stacked cages. Some were sneezing, others were crying. It was a lot to take in. The facility appeared to be old and there was even standing water. It was at that very moment I knew I had to do something to help this little shelter. In the weeks that followed, I met many of the volunteers and made some new friends who I still work with today. We made it our goal to spread the word about this tiny shelter that needed help. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for animals. When I was growing up, my dad was in the U.S. Navy and we moved just about every year until I was in high school. I leaned on my family and our two cats to be my support network. Today, I often reflect on my connection with animals and how it came to be. Helping this shelter became a passion, and then, my mission. I dove
in head first, learning the ins and outs of the business. I helped put processes and policies in place, created databases, solicited help from local veterinarians, and developed relationships with other local rescues and shelters. I learned how to draw both vaccines and blood, and identify common ailments in cats and dogs. There were good days, and then there were the bad days. Animals were surrendered, dropped off in a box, tied to the front door, or brought in by the local police department. It was emotional work and many times it was just plain hard, but in the end, I loved nursing animals back to good health and finding them a safe and secure forever home. It was about this time that I also realized this one little shelter, though we tried so very hard, couldn’t keep up with the increasing w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
In three years, WISH spayed and neutered more than 800 cats and kittens.
iskers demand and decreasing financial aid from the community. I saw a need to create a rescue that would support shelters like this one and help to adopt out cats and dogs that had been waiting a very long time. I wanted to focus on not only helping the animals, but pooling resources from local businesses and local shelters. I joined forces with a few other hard-working women to start a small, local rescue in the Fox Valley that focuses on adoption efforts for domestic animals in a cage-free environment. Not long after, I founded Wish Upon a Paw in 2011 with my friend and now co-director, Emily Anderson. Together with a group of volunteers, we work to decrease the number of homeless and unwanted companion animals in Northeast Wisconsin and ease the burden on humane societies, other rescues and taxpayers. One of our primary focus areas is the only scientifically proven method of decreasing the homeless outdoor community cat population: Trap Neuter Return (TNR). In order to stop the continuous flood of cats coming into shelters across Wisconsin, we had to go to the source. We needed to reach the cats that weren’t being seen by a vet and were multiplying so very rapidly in farms and in cities. So, we created a TNR program and began outreach to lowincome areas in our community in 2011. Since then, we have spayed and neutered more than 800 cats. I love helping homeless, abused or unwanted animals to find a better life. Alex and I are in constant awe of an animal’s ability to provide unconditional love (we should know, we own four cats – Rufus, Nacho, Nemo and Edward, and our dog, Kaiya). We work hard to return the love through our mission of finding each cat a loving, healthy home.
SNAPSHOT: Wish Wish Upon a Paw is living proof that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can truly change the world. In three years, the organization has spayed and neutered more than 800 cats and kittens, and has rescued and rehomed nearly 450 cats and dogs - making an impact on the staggering homeless pet population epidemic in Northeast Wisconsin. Wish is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on in-kind and monetary donations to fund its low-cost spay/neuter program and care for the homeless cats and dogs in foster homes. The organization will host its annual fundraising event, Hope for the Holidays, on Thursday, November 21 from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. at Bridgewood Resort in Neenah. The evening will include dinner, music, a caricature artist, silent and live auction, and more. To buy tickets, view the adoptable pet list, or make a donation to Wish Upon a Paw, visit www.wishuponapaw.org.
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Foundations for Giving Back
Coming Together
By Alison Fiebig Mayer
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here are few causes more important than good health and excellent health care for all people. St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation (SEHF) in Appleton and Mercy Health Foundation (MHF) in Oshkosh aim for just that – enhancing the health and well-being of those in the Fox Valley and Calumet County communities. The Foundations operate as the philanthropic arms of Affinity Health System (AHS) – including St. Elizabeth Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Affinity Medical Group (AMG) clinics and Calumet Medical Center – and aim to meet patients’ needs by raising and distributing funds for equipment, endeavors and programs. After serving as the executive director of SEHF since 2008, Tonya Dedering was recently named regional director of AHS Foundations. She now leads the philanthropic team in providing support for annual program needs and capital needs at Affinity Health System and other community health care needs. “Our goal is to contribute to all aspects of patient care through charitable giving,” Dedering says. “We are so blessed that we can continue to work to meet patient needs through your support of various efforts – be it our golf outing or a neighborhood lemonade stand. It all makes a difference.” Each spring and fall, Affinity Health System employees apply for grants within the Foundations to fund critical department needs to better care for our patients. Here are some examples of the many ways the Foundations gave back in 2013: • This past spring, 12 departments received more than $153,000 to support a variety of needs within St. Elizabeth Hospital and Affinity Medical Group (AMG) clinics in the northern region. Some of these grants included: $24,000 to the Basic Needs Program, which is designed to provide the poor, homeless, under-insured and uninsured in our area with transportation, clothing, medications and other items; $29,336.10 to AMG for a portable ultrasound machine used on new obstetrics patients to determine fetal viability, view fetal positioning, confirm dating and diagnose gynecological problems $10,195 to the Health and Wellness Grant promoting all aspects of individualized care for the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit at St. Elizabeth Hospital. • The MHF is closing in on its goal of $1.7 million, making it possible for Mercy to purchase a new TrueBeam Linear Accelerator and wide-bore CT scanner simulator. Gifts to the Foundation are also funding a new cancer care coordinator position, enhanced palliative care services, a new survivorship program and the PEACE Exercise and Relaxation program for cancer patients and survivors. All are part of Mercy’s vision of a comprehensive cancer program that allows all cancer patients to continue their life journeys and always be aware that they are more than cancer. • Grants totaled $108,879 in 2013 at Calumet Medical Center: $10,640 to fund two new cardiac rehab treadmills, $16,618 to improve patient experience in the emergency department, and $2,500 to Progressive Agriculture Safety Days in Chilton, just to name a few.
To make a tax-deductible, charitable donation to the Foundations, visit www. affinityhealth.org and under ‘About Us’ click on ‘Foundations.’ To learn more about the ‘Fight Cancer with Mercy’ campaign, go to www.fightcancerwithmercy.com.
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le@rn & live
Educational Opportunities
By Paul Nicolaus
Finding Independence S t. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton recently became the first health care institution in Northeast Wisconsin to jump aboard Project SEARCH and help bring its benefits to the local community by matching students with intellectual or developmental disabilities with jobs at hospitals and other businesses. The idea was developed in 1996 by Nurse J. Erin Riehle, then the director of the emrgency department at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. It provides technical assistance to Project SEARCH worldwide. As the host site, St. Elizabeth Hospital works in collaboration with the Appleton Area School District (AASD), Valley Packaging, Community Care, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. “The goal is to help use our hospital as a medium to teach, learn and train, and to get people to realize that they are part of something that is bigger than them,” says St. Elizabeth Hospital President Travis Andersen. “The program simply fits our mission and values as an organization, and I’m very proud of our entire team for making it operational and making a difference.” Eight high school seniors ranging from ages 18-21 have been selected to take part during the 2013-2014 school year, including Spencer Benotsch, recent graduate of Appleton West High School. “I am so happy to have the chance to be part of Project
Heber Herrera
SEARCH,” Benotsch says. “I will be able to build my resumé during this experience so I can eventually have a career independently either at St. Elizabeth Hospital or another place of employment.” This chance to gain lifelong skills that are used in a variety of fields within the workforce also appeals to Heber Herrera, an Appleton East High School graduate who says he’s eager to dig in. “I’m very thankful that I got to know of this program,” he adds, “because I believe it’s making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities who don’t always get the same opportunities that other people have.” Interns will work four to five hours a day, Monday through Friday, rotating through three different work sites throughout the school year. Both an AASD teacher and job coach from Valley Packaging will provide onsite support each day, and program mentors will also be available to answer questions. The ultimate objective is to find gainful employment that will put these newly refined skills to good use following the internship. “We want them to get a job that is good and competitive,” says Tonya Dedering, regional director of the Affinity Health System Foundations. “They are highfunctioning kids; they just need someone to help them so they can hone their skills and get a job.” Spencer Benotsch
Quit for Good
H tr av i s f o s ter
ave you dreamed of breaking free from the nagging grip of tobacco but just can’t seem to stop on your own no matter how hard you try? Call It Quits could be the solution. Run by Sandi Breu and Angela Hoffman, RNs and community outreach coordinators for Affinity NurseDirect, this cessation program offers education and support for people who are ready to kick the habit. “We have a free telephone program that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” notes Hoffman. “It’s one-on-one, and it can work around an individual’s schedule.” Participants have access to educational materials and are contacted regularly for continued assistance and encouragement. For those who feel they would benefit from an in-person group format, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh offer classes that can help you assess your tobacco habit, identify triggers and develop a personalized plan. Studies have shown that using a formal quit program increases your chance for success compared with trying to stop on your own, and Breu and Hoffman note that the Call It Quits program has even higher success rates than the national average. For further details or to get started, call NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900.
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According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet about
43.8 million
Americans still smoke cigarettes – nearly 1 in every 5 adults. By quitting – even just for one day – smokers take an important step towards a healthier life. On Thursday, November 21 – the Great American Smokeout – make a plan to quit.
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ki d s Pick-Up with Polly
L i n da dav i c k
Help her find the hidden objects in the picture below. Be sure to color in the item in the key as you locate each one!
car
football
acorn
pencil
leaf cup
horn
magnifying glass
w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
drum
pumpkin
robot
sock Fa l l 2 0 1 3
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@Affinity
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Affinity Health System 1570 Midway Pl. Menasha, WI 54952
sn @ps
O) Oshkosh (UW ity of Wisconsin us organizations rs ive Un e th staff from g at vario Residence life noon every year volunteerin ents as volunteers. The er ud st aft e e iliz on ut ds at en group th sp ses 23, the UWO about busines and, on August y eas and to learn more ar Da of ip ty sh en rie in a va d Citiz program is calle Medical Center’s volunteers cy ts. shadowed Mer g patient char e time cleanin m so t en sp so al
Affinity Medical Gr oup’s Little Chute clin ic ce Hietpas, who was dia gnosed with Hodgkin lebrated 15-year-old Anna finished chemo this lymphoma in March past August and mo 2013. She re recently finished treatment. Anna’s mo radiation ther, Sara, works at the clinic as a Medic service rep, and he r co-workers wante al Home d to show support for they decided to we An ar “Team Anna” shi rts every Monday. An na, so team is community na's support -wide, with so many family her every day. Good luck Anna! We are pra and friends to encourage ying for you.
ty Day riculture Safe Progressive Ag e Calumet th at 16 ly Ju took place on n. unds in Chilto County Fairgro Center sponsors ical Calumet Med nual fun-filled event an the hands-on, ildren ages 8-12 on ch ol, that educates n at home, scho t tio en ev pr ry ju en in ev ’s ar ye is . Th and on the farm Arboleda, a music x opened with Re enah, and his awardNe teacher from m called fitness progra e nc da g in nn wi ” e. Groov “Move to the
We do n’t jus t care we’re p for the roud t comm o be an unity, Here i active s a glim p art of pse of activit it. some o ies in t f our r he com ecent munit ies we serve.
al 21st Annu osted the and h n o ti a d ital Foun nefit on August 5 Assault eth Hosp St. Elizab olf & Luncheon Be Hospital’s Sexual d & th G hil Women’s ,169 for St. Elizabe m and Inpatient C t: Lynn 0 gh ra raised $10 iner (SANE) Prog nit. From left to ri wley. U e am Nurse Ex Behavioral Health an Krey and Lisa K V nt Adolesce enee Read, Tamara R Swanton,