Journeys | Summer 2023

JOURNEYS

Inside the brain

JOURNEYS

SUMMER

ON THE COVER

Dr. Steven Gogela successfully removed a brain tumor that was impacting his patient’s way of life. See the story on Page 2.

STAY IN TOUCH

We welcome your comments. For more information about Journeys, contact the Advancement team by calling 402-481-8674.

To learn more about Bryan programs and services, visit us online at bryanhealth.org.

Russ Gronewold President & CEO, Bryan Health

John Woodrich Executive Vice President and COO, Bryan Health

Eric Mooss President & CEO, Bryan Medical Center

William Johnson, MD Chief of Staff, Bryan Medical Staff

Bob Ravenscroft System Vice President, CMO & CDO

Kevin Rummel, MD Medical Editor

Paul Hadley Editor

22 Neurosurgery solution was no-brainer for Patty

25 Brain aneurysm treatment options grow at Bryan

27 Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community

10 Report on Giving 2022

Ruhrdanz scholarships honor family’s nursing heritage

Olsson designs infrastructure, supports patient care areas

Five Nines fosters growth at cancer center

Updated chapel is their legacy

15 How we support you Bryan Health 2022 community benefits report

20 Meet the 2023 Trustees

22 Ask the Doctor: How do I help my child with mental health issues?

25 Bryan Heart: Welcome, Dr. Bezzina

26 Brachytherapy option helps Fred avoid heart bypass surgery

28 Bryan Heart: Welcome, Dr. Gallagher

29 Art inspires, calms, heals

30 Achievements

32 Watch our progress!

33 Community calendar Celebrities share their stories during free programs

Thank you, Bryan Foundation 2023 Partners

Presenting Partners: Union Bank & Trust

Sampson Construction

ArtFX Screen Printing & Embroidery

Credit Management Services

DuTeau Chevrolet & Subaru

Eakes Office Solutions

Glass Edge of Lincoln

Inpatient Physician Associates

Latitude Signage & Design

McGill Restoration

MMC Contractors

NRC Health

Runza National

Specialized Engineering Solutions

It’s humbling when one of our community’s most respected organizations puts its trust in you — to transform lives. Humbling and motivating.

To meet the challenge, we’re thoughtfully embracing our own transformation to offer new ways for people to access care. To further improve our quality outcomes. And to grow our workforce of more than 6,500 co-workers so that it reflects the communities we serve. You’ll benefit from this work at the April Sampson Cancer Center opening in early 2024 and at every Bryan facility across the state. Which leads to our annual reports on giving and community benefit, included in this edition. You’ll read about gifts from your friends, neighbors and other corporate partners like Ameritas who

have helped Bryan further its mission. You’ll also meet, on page 20, all of our trustees from throughout Nebraska. These board members share their time and expertise to guide our efforts.

Our total, quantifiable 2022 community benefit of more than $218 million attests to our unwavering promise, as your Nebraska governed, nonprofit health care system, to always be there for all who turn to us for care, including those who cannot afford to pay.

Bryan Health. Forward. Together.

Russ Gronewold President and Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Health

For more than 45 years, Bryan Health has provided hydration and motivation to runners of the Lincoln Marathon. Our crew of more than 100 employee volunteers was there again May 7.

“It’s exciting to be part of a project that can transform so many lives. Bryan Health’s new April Sampson Cancer Center will guide patients and their families through comprehensive treatment and support them with resources in one convenient location.”

Bill Lester President and CEO, Ameritas

Neurosurgery solution

Patty Beutler, 78, of Lincoln, is well-known to our community as a longtime journalist at the local newspaper and for helping launch the Lincoln City Libraries’ One Book-One Lincoln reading project, among many accomplishments.

In Fall 2021, Patty noticed her usually high energy levels flagging, and she felt “a bit off” over several weeks. Thinking she had a stubborn sinus infection, she saw an otolaryngologist in Lincoln, who found nothing wrong.

To be on the safe side, Patty’s family physician Bradley Hohwieler, MD, ordered an MRI scan of her sinuses. “The MRI showed my sinuses were fine,” Patty says, “but it also clearly showed, to my shock, an enormous-looking round tumor in the back of my brain.” Dr. Hohwieler immediately sent Patty to Neurological and Spinal Surgery for further evaluation.

“This sounds a little funny, I know,” adds Patty, “but although this was a serious situation, I didn’t worry very much. I met with neurosurgeons Steven Gogela, MD, and Jeremy Hosein, MD. I had known Dr. Gogela for years — he and my son played soccer in high school, and I sat with his mother at games. I knew I was in expert hands and that the operation had to be done, so I just moved ahead and did it.”

Surgeons remove lime-sized tumor

Dr. Gogela picks up the story from there. “Patty’s brain tumor was indeed very large,” he recalls. “Its appearance on the MRI suggested it was a benign meningioma, a kind of tumor that can have quite a good outcome when it’s removed successfully. But, we couldn’t be sure until we tested

After Dr. Steven Gogela successfully removed Patty Beutler’s brain tumor, she was able to return to her active lifestyle.

was no-brainer for Patty

tissue from the tumor itself during surgery.”

Dr. Gogela performed Patty’s surgery with Dr. Hosein’s assistance. “The tumor was the size of a lime and was indeed a benign meningioma as I suspected,” he says. “That meant it was not cancerous, which was terrific news,”

The doctors’ task was to remove as much tumor as possible while protecting Patty’s brain tissue to preserve her neurological function. Working very delicately around the fragile brain structures nearby, Dr. Gogela took out the tumor in stages, removing it completely.

Afterward, Patty stayed two nights in the ICU and one additional night on the general medical unit at Bryan West Campus before going home. “I felt no pain whatsoever

afterward,” she says. “My nurses controlled pain proactively with acetaminophen while I was in the hospital, then I needed no pain relievers at all once I went home.”

Fully recovered, she’s back on the trail

Her postoperative period was a step at a time, but Patty says she recovered pretty quickly overall.

“My family cared for me at home with regular visits from home health care nurses and physical therapists,” she says. “I used a walker for a few days around the house, but actually felt like I could walk right away once I got home.”

Patty made an excellent recovery. Four months after her surgery she celebrated her longtime love of the outdoors with long,

Patty Beutler’s known Dr. Gogela since the days when he and her son played soccer together as high schoolers — so she trusted him and his surgical team when she needed a tumor removed.

early-morning walks with her daughter in New Mexico, and within less than a year embarked on a hiking tour of Tuscany and the coastline of Italy that she’s looked forward to for a long time.

“It was quite an experience learning I had a brain tumor and going through surgery were enormous challenges,” she says. “But I’m delighted to say that now, a year and a half later, I feel like myself again I really feel no different at all.”

Surgeon and patient appreciate comprehensive brain tumor program

Dr. Gogela says, “Patty’s tumor was huge, but well within the scope of what we manage.

“There’s a big team component to brain tumor patients doing well after surgery,

and we very much have that at Bryan. Our comprehensive brain tumor program is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging and surgical instrumentation, a nursing staff highly experienced with neurosurgical patients in the operating room, ICU and general medical units, and ancillary staff such as therapists who have extensive experience. As neurosurgeons we care for patients with a great variety of brain tumor types.

“At Bryan, expert care of these patients is very much within our wheelhouse.”

To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please contact the Bryan Foundation staff by calling 402-481-8605.

Whether walking in her Woods Park neighborhood or hiking through Italy, Patty enjoys an active life, full of fantastic vistas, adventures and friendships.

Brain aneurysm treatment options grow at Bryan

Neurosurgeon Christopher Hawkins, DO, is expanding options that reduce stroke risk for patients with brain aneurysms.

Dr. Hawkins, of Neurological and Spinal Surgery, provides minimally invasive treatments in the new neurointerventional suite at Bryan West Campus, so patients with aneurysms receive care right here in Lincoln, close to their homes and families.

What are aneurysms?

Whether in the brain or elsewhere, aneurysms occur when part of a blood vessel wall weakens and balloons outward. While their exact cause is often unknown, aneurysms are most common among people who have family histories of aneurysms or personal histories of smoking or high blood pressure.

Unruptured brain aneurysms often don’t show symptoms, so most aren’t discovered until imaging is performed for unrelated reasons. If left untreated, the aneurysm may continue to weaken until it ruptures, which can be fatal — nearly 500,000 deaths occur each year due to these ruptures.

“Imagine the blood vessel network in your brain as a tree with branches,” Dr. Hawkins explains. “An aneurysm is like a weak spot in one of those branches. It’s a balloon that forms from the blood vessel wall, and this weakened area can rupture and cause bleeding in the brain.”

He says, “The main goal of treatment is to prevent the aneurysm from rupturing, which can cause a stroke, or even death.”

Offers range of options

But not all brain aneurysms require surgery.

Dr. Christopher Hawkins treats brain aneurysms in the new neurointerventional procedure suite.

Dr. Christopher Hawkins also performs:

• Embolizations of brain AVMs and fistulas (abnormal connections between arteries and veins)

• Embolizations of brain tumors

• MMA embolization to stop bleeding that is causing subdural hematoma

• Epistaxis (nosebleed) embolization

• Stenting procedures to open narrowed vessels, to reduce risk of repeat strokes

• Thrombectomy to remove brain clots

“Aneurysms carry different risks depending on their location and size,” he explains.

“Some aneurysms are small and depending on their location carry a low risk for rupture; these may not need treatment, and these patients are typically monitored by their doctors with a series of imaging.

“Patients with larger aneurysms, or those who have aneurysms at higher-risk locations, may require intervention to prevent the aneurysm from bursting,” he continues.

“This often is accomplished by inserting a small catheter into an artery at the wrist or groin, then treating the aneurysm from inside the blood

vessel with various devices. These range from devices deployed within the aneurysm to seal it off, to stents that remodel blood flow and prevent the aneurysm from filling over time.”

He and the Bryan Radiology Department collaborated to create the large neurointerventional procedure suite that opened in 2022 at Bryan West Campus.

“With the state-of-the-art equipment in this suite, we can provide several important treatments for aneurysms and other vascular malformations in the brain,” says Dr. Hawkins. “These include treatments with coils, where an aneurysm is filled with small platinum threads to seal it off from the blood vessel or embolizations of complex vascular malformations, blocking them from blood supply with a sophisticated glue-like product.

“We also perform stenting procedures, where specially designed mesh tubes are placed in the vessel, so that blood flow is redirected past the aneurysm rather than into it.”

After such minimally invasive, elective procedures patients typically go home the next day.

Bryan Medical Center radiology manager Anne Dorn says, “ We are excited to offer these services for our community and neighbors.

“Bryan is a wonderful place, with skilled, caring professionals, and there is nowhere else I would want to take a family member of my own in need of care.” n

To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please contact the Bryan Foundation staff at 402-481-8605.

Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community

Matthew Authement, MD, pediatrics, is with Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists, 402-473-3898.

Dr. Authement graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, in 2017. He completed a pediatrics residency and a fellowship in pediatric hospital medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota.

He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine.

Lance Bezzina, DO, thoracic surgery, joined Bryan Heart Cardiothoracic Surgery, 402-483-3255.

Dr. Bezzina received his medical degree from the Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kentucky, in 2005. He completed his general surgery residency at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, followed by a thoracic surgery fellowship at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

He is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery in thoracic surgery.

Carol Boelter, MD, family medicine, joined Southeast Lincoln Family Medicine and Internal Medicine, which is part of the Bryan Physician Network, 402-483-8500.

Dr. Boelter graduated from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, in 1999 and completed a family medicine residency in Lincoln. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Eric Boggess, DO, emergency medicine, joined Nebraska Emergency Medicine, 402-481-3142.

Dr. Boggess graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, West Virginia, in 2014. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at Ohio Valley Medical Center, Wheeling, West Virginia. Dr. Boggess is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Peter Gallagher, MD, cardiology/ electrophysiology, has joined Bryan Heart, 402-483-3333.

Dr. Gallagher graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, in 1994. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and continued his training with a cardiovascular residency and electrophysiology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Dr. Gallagher is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology.

Scott Ingham, MD, internal medicine, joined Lincoln Internal Medicine Associates, 402-421-3240.

Dr. Ingham graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, in 2019. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Iowa-Des Moines.

Dr. Ingham is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Lauren J. Maskin, MD, pediatrics, is with Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists, 402-473-3898.

Dr. Maskin graduated from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, in 2008, followed by a pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospital Medicine.

Michael McCann, DO, trauma, is trauma medical director of Bryan Trauma and Acute Surgery, which is part of the Bryan Physician Network, 402-481-4167.

Dr. McCann graduated from Western University, Pomona, California, in 1999. He completed a transitional internship at Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan, followed by a residency in general surgery. He completed a fellowship in surgical critical care at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, and a fellowship in trauma surgery at Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Michigan. Dr. McCann is certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.

Russell (Rusty) McCulloh, MD, pediatrics, is with Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists, 402-473-3898.

Dr. McCulloh completed medical school at University of MissouriColumbia School of Medicine in 2005 and a residency in internal medicine-pediatrics at University of Missouri Healthcare.

He completed a fellowship in pediatric and adult infectious diseases at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. McCulloh is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Hospital Medicine.

Hannah Neuhaus, MD, allergy and asthma, has joined Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates, 402-464-5969. Dr. Neuhaus graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, in 2017. She completed a residency in pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, followed by an allergy and immunology fellowship. She is certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and the American Board of Pediatrics.

Richard Poppe, MD, family medicine, joined Merrick Medical Center and the Central City Medical Clinic, 308-946-3845.

Dr. Poppe participated in the Kearney Health Opportunities Program. He graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha, in 2018 and completed the Lincoln Family Practice Residency Program.

Meyer Schwartz, MD, family medicine, is with Inpatient Physician Associates, 402-481-8566.

Dr. Schwartz graduated from Creighton Medical School, Omaha, in 1982. He completed a family medicine residency at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Joseph (Jay) Snow, MD, pediatrics, is with Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists, 402-473-3898.

Dr. Snow graduated from the Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, in 1994. He completed an internship before serving in the U.S. Army, then returned to complete a residency in pediatrics through the Creighton-

Nebraska Universities Health Foundation including a year as chief resident. He has been a Pediatric Hospitalist at Children’s Hospital in Omaha for more than 20 years. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Andrea Um, MD, vascular surgery, has joined Bryan Heart Vascular Surgery, 402-481-8500.

Dr. Um graduated from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 2017, then completed a vascular surgery-integrated specialty program residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison.

She is certified by the American Board of Surgery in Vascular Surgery.

Amanda Woodward, MD, palliative medicine and hospice, has joined Nebraska HematologyOncology Cancer Center, 402-484-4900.

Dr. Woodward graduated in 2015 from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha. She completed a family medicine residency at Dignity Health Methodist, Sacramento, California, followed by a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at UNMC. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in hospice and palliative medicine.

Cancer specialist Lee died in March

Leonard Lee, MD, died March 8 at age 89. This Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine was a pioneer in oncology-hematology in Lincoln and director of medical education at the former Bryan Memorial Hospital. Dr. Lee graduated from the University of Chicago medical school and specialized in primary care medicine, then oncologyhematology. He retired in 1984.

Dr. Lee and his wife, Jeanne, who died in 2020, are survived by sons Jeffrey (Robin) and Jonathan (Barb), and their children and grandchildren.

Welcome these APPs

These advanced practice providers are working within the Bryan Health system:

Ansley Alberts, PA-C, Ear Nose Throat Specialties

Juanita Alvarez-Hall, APRN-NP, Nebraska Emergency Medicine

Jose Bajo, APRN-NP, Inpatient Physician Associates, Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Haley Blum, PA-C, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Morgan Braden, APRN-NP, Nebraska Emergency Medicine

Taran Braman, PA-C, Bryan Psychiatry, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Taylor Buckminster, PA-C, Bryan Heart Vascular Surgery

Paige Buresh, APRN-NP, Bryan Psychiatry, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Colin Egger, PA-C, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Clara Fynbu Eggert, APRN-NP, Frontier Pediatric Care

Shelby Gowen, APRN-NP, Emergency Medicine, Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Richard Graves, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists

Regina Hancock, APRN-NP, Nebraska Emergency Medicine

Kirsten Hollenbeck, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists

Samantha Hough, APRN-NP, Advanced Medical Imaging

Heidi Kile, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart

Jonathon Korth, PA-C, Merrick Medical Center and Central City Medical Clinic

Mary Metz, APRN-NP, Bryan Neurology, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Lynden McLean, APRN-NP, Nebraska Pulmonary Specialties

Taylor Mowinkel, APRN-NP, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Jane Meyer, APRN-NP, Bryan Psychiatry, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Ryan Nielsen, PA-C, Inpatient Physician Associates, Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Kendall Peterson, APRN-NP, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Kristie Raines, APRN-NP, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Anna Reinholz, PA-C, Bryan Heart Cardiothoracic Surgery

Nicole Schwensow, PA-C, Inpatient Physician Associates, Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Katie Seacrest, NNP-BC, Heartland Neonatology, part of the Bryan Physician Network

Laura Stoner, PA-C, Inpatient Physician Associates, Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Erin Todd, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart

Lynne Ward, APRN-NP, Inpatient Physician Associates

Emily Wheeler, APRN-NP, Kearney Regional Medical Center hospitalist

Melissa Wright, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart Vascular Surgery

Who contributed last year? Use your smartphone to access this QR Code and see the list of donors.

New Foundations begin Grand Island Regional Medical Center Foundation and Kearney Regional Medical Center Foundation are newly established.

Report on Giving 2022: Thanks for your support

Your gifts of time and treasure surpassed $8.3 million in Fiscal Year 2022. This gracious support helps us fulfill our mission, and we are honored to care for your families and communities.

Bold type indicates amounts that exceeded the previous year.

Our supporters

Investing in a health future Total private support benefiting Bryan Health:

Gifts and pledges from individuals, corporations and foundations

How gifts were designated by donors Bryan Medical Center clinical and support

Crete Area Medical Center $1,171,486 Merrick Medical Center $6,105,143

Planned gifts to be received later

Number of confirmed estate gifts in FY 2022 to benefit Bryan Health $1,209,071

Cumulative confirmed estate gifts $1,209,087

Historical average estate gift to the Bryan Foundation $1 122,219

Average amount of confirmed planned gifts received, with a disclosed amount, and to be received at a future date** $1,125,000

* 1,001 volunteers served throughout Bryan Health and contributed 30,286 hours of service in FY 2022, valued at $907,058. The Institute of Philanthropy quantifies the value of each hour of service at $29.95.

** Confirmed estate gifts without a disclosed amount are not factored in the amount listed.

Where your designated gifts will go

Ruhrdanz scholarships honor family’s nursing heritage

Amulti-generational family of nurses is giving back to support the next generation of health care professionals at the Bryan College of Health Sciences.

The Ruhrdanz family Paul and Joyce, their son Michael and his wife, Deb — is funding six scholarships, with the goal of enabling prospective students to pursue health care careers regardless of financial circumstances.

“The only way I was able to go to nursing school was through loans and scholarships,” says Deb, who’s a nurse in the Bryan Specialty Clinic. “We’re in an era now of paying it forward as a way to thank the people who made it possible for us.”

To say nursing runs in the family doesn’t quite capture the extent to which the profession is seemingly in their blood. Deb’s sister, Laurie Schlaman, also is a Bryan nursing graduate. Their mother, Peggy Larson, became a nurse in her 50s and worked in a nursing home for more than two decades. Deb’s mother-in-law, Joyce, and Joyce’s mom, Emma Wall, were both nurses for more than 40 years. Joyce’s aunt (Emma’s sister Margaret Jaeckel) was a nurse, too.

The field has changed dramatically since Joyce graduated from Lincoln General Hospital’s nursing school in 1959 and Deb from Bryan Memorial Hospital’s school in 1983. Instead of learning to insert IVs and esophageal tubes on sophisticated medical mannequins in simulation labs, students back then relied on their peers. “We had to do a lot of trial and error on each other,” Joyce says.

She remembers learning to assess newborns

by studying 35-millimeter photo slides at home. As a neonatal nurse, Joyce closely evaluated infants shortly after birth to spot irregularities like heart murmurs, cleft palates and dislocated hips.

With more than 150 years of collective nursing experience in the family, supporting future nurses was a natural philanthropic fit. Beyond that history, Michael’s ongoing battle with kidney cancer (he was diagnosed in 2011) further solidified that the time was right for the Ruhrdanzes to give back.

As the grandson, son and husband of nurses, Michael has long understood the profession’s rigor and the importance of a quality nursing education. As he’s endured cancer treatments, surgeries and hospital stays, he’s come to appreciate nurses from the perspective of a patient, too. In January, he contacted the Bryan Foundation to explore gifting opportunities.

“We were talking about donating in our wills, but then I got to thinking, ‘Well, why in the world wait until after we’re gone?’” Michael says. “If you can do it now, start helping out.” n

You can support students, too. Please call the Bryan Foundation staff at 402-481-8605 or visit bryanhealth.org/college-gift to learn more.

Family of care givers: Emma Wall, Joyce (Wall) Ruhrdanz, Peggy Larson, Laurie (Larson) Schlaman and Deb (Larson) Ruhrdanz, and (not pictured) Margaret Jaeckel all chose nursing careers.

Michael and Deb Ruhrdanz and Joyce and Paul Ruhrdanz announced six scholarships will go to Bryan College of Health Sciences students.

Olsson co-workers

Jamie Fasnacht, Brad Marshall, Austin Vachal, Travis Anderson and Brian Jueneman are part of the engineering team that designed parking and traffic flow, drainage and other infrastructure at the cancer center.

Olsson designs infrastructure, supports patient care areas

The exterior of the April Sampson Cancer Center won’t be the only part of the facility where Olsson, a Lincoln-based engineering firm, makes an impact. Outside the building, Olsson is the engineering designer, managing key infrastructure like drainage, traffic flow, parking, roadways and accessibility. Inside, through the firm’s gift to fund an infusion bay, Olsson is a generous donor.

“An infusion bay is a place where folks spend a lot of time thinking and contemplating,” says John Olsson, the firm’s executive vice president of consulting services and son of founder John E. Olsson. “They are there for an extended period of time, and we wanted to contribute to a positive element of that experience. Your heart goes out to those who are there. You want them to feel good while they’re in that space.”

For Olsson (the executive) and Olsson (the company), the motivation to donate has personal and professional roots. Olsson’s brother, Bud, died of pancreatic cancer in 2022. Among the firm’s roughly 1,850 employees (about 350 of whom are based in Lincoln), “a number of them have battled cancer and won, a smaller number have lost, and a number are battling with it right now,” Olsson says. “It exists in the workplace, and it affects lives deeply.”

On a corporate level, the company’s

five-member executive team saw the opportunity to support two fellow locally based entities — Bryan Health and Sampson Construction — as a natural philanthropic fit, says Olsson, who’s a Bryan Foundation board member. Olsson’s Executive Vice President of Talent and Organizational Strategy Melissa Newton serves on the board for Bryan College of Health Sciences.

The cancer center is named after April Sampson, who co-owned Sampson Construction with her husband, John, before she died of breast cancer in 2016. “The ties to the Sampson family, that was not lost on us,” Olsson says. “Sampson Construction was founded a few years earlier than Olsson, but the way they want to grow their company and serve their customers is really similar to ours. When their name goes on something, you want to get behind it.”

In their respective spheres, Olsson, Bryan Health and Sampson Construction work in tandem to help make Lincoln a stronger community, Olsson says. “Bryan does infrastructure in a way that complements what we do in bricks and mortar. Bryan improves quality of life through health care.” n

To learn how you can support the April Sampson Cancer Center, call 402-481-8605.

Five Nines fosters growth at cancer center

The story of Lincoln-based IT company

Five Nines and its client Cancer Partners of Nebraska is one of humble beginnings and parallel growth.

Both started small. In 2001, the earliest iteration of Five Nines was a one-man operation, the brainchild of then-recent college graduate James Bowen. He managed IT support for a small practice of providers called Southeast Nebraska Cancer Center (SENHOC), which later became Cancer Partners of Nebraska.

Two decades later, Cancer Partners of Nebraska soon will occupy space at the April Sampson Cancer Center and, when they do, Five Nines will not only be alongside them for tech support the IT company’s name also will be on the wall that honors the many donors who have made the center a reality.

“It’s been a great partnership between two local companies trying to do the best that we can,” says Bowen, now president of his company with 150 employees.

“How nice is it for us and our staff that when we show up at Cancer Partners of Nebraska’s new location, our team will get to see our name there? It’s a reminder that

businesses can support each other, and everybody wins.”

When Bowen, a longtime supporter of the Bryan Foundation, heard of the opportunity to give to the cancer center, it was a no-brainer. He says. “I’m extremely proud to be associated with this project.”

Although Bowen’s family hasn’t been directly affected by cancer, “everybody has been indirectly impacted by it,” he says. The wife of Five Nines chief operating officer Brad O’Dell, Christa, passed away of ovarian cancer in April 2022. A memorial bench at the center will bear Christa’s name.

Having world-class centralized cancer care available in Lincoln will benefit the city, its businesses and its residents, Bowen says, noting that the center is a long-term investment in community well-being.

“If we want to live in a place that has this sort of health care available,” he says, “we should support it and try to foster its success in any way we can.” n

To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please call 402-481-8605.

Five Nines provides IT design and support to Cancer Partners of Nebraska — and they’re donating to the April Sampson Cancer Center project. Some of the Five Nines team include President James Bowen (left), and Brian DunnGossin, Kyle Poulsen, Lindsey Branstetter, Luke Thiele, Atira Meyer, Derrick Adkins, Nery Cabrera, Alan Morrison and COO Brad O’Dell.

Updated chapel is their legacy

The chapel at Bryan East Campus has a new look and will soon have a new name in honor of retired Bryan Chaplain Clarke Mundhenke and his wife, Sharon.

The Mundhenkes made a gift to support the hospital’s pastoral care program and health care employee initiatives. “Pastoral care is an important part of the healing process,” says Clarke, who retired in 2008. “There’s an early Greek philosophy that says body, mind and spirit have to be in harmony for good health.”

In his 37 years as a hospital chaplain, Clarke counseled patients, family members and employees through more deaths, births, tragedies and recoveries than he can count “definitely in the thousands.” Many of those people weren’t Methodist (Clarke is an ordained United Methodist pastor), or Christian or even religious at all.

As chaplain, Clarke’s approach to spirituality was rooted in inclusion, compassion and accessibility. Those will be the same values that make the Mundhenke Chapel a place where people of all faiths or no faith can find comfort.

“My philosophy in terms of spiritual care is that you really need to meet people where they’re at,” Clarke says. “When you’re sick, you start to raise all sorts of questions. ‘Why now? What does this mean?’ Those are pretty profound questions, and as chaplain you get to walk through that with people. A chaplain’s job

is to help people use their own ethical, religious and spiritual beliefs and values to find meaning and purpose and to cope.”

The principles of compassion and inclusion not only shape the role of pastoral care, but they’re also foundational values for a nonprofit hospital like Bryan, Sharon says.

“Bryan is so important in the community,” she says. “People find the support they need there for whatever concern they have — physical, mental or spiritual. It’s a place where you don’t need to declare ‘we are this’ or ‘we are that,’ but rather ‘we need help.’ The help is there for every individual.”

In retirement, Clarke and Sharon live in southwest Florida and spend their free time on the water. Even so, the couple continues to play an important albeit different role for Bryan. Nowadays, they’re benefactors.

“When we have what we need, it’s time to do some gifting and giving,” Clarke says of the couple’s motivation to support the Bryan Foundation. “I spent most of my life in that hospital, and it’s great to see some of that legacy continue through the chapel and programs. Bryan has given us so much. It’s a great facility, great staff, great leadership and cutting-edge health care.” n

To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, call 402-481-8605.

Bryan Health 2022 community benefits report

$218 million

This is the total cost of community benefits provided by the entities of Bryan Health in Fiscal Year 2022 — and that’s $78 million more than we reported in the previous year. The total breaks down like this:

$23 million in charity care. These free or discounted health services are provided to patients who can’t afford to pay and who meet criteria for financial assistance.

$170 million in unreimbursed cost of Medicare, Medicaid and other public programs. This represents the shortfall between the actual cost of providing care and payments received from the government.

$20 million to fund other community programs and subsidized services. These activities and programs improved community health and wellness, and we subsidized health care services that met identified needs in the community.

$4 million for health professionals education. This is how much it cost to provide accredited training and education programs for doctors, nurses and other health professionals through residency education and continuing medical education, plus financial support of the Bryan College of Health Sciences.

$1 million in partnership with other nonprofit organizations for charitable purposes.

Having trouble paying your bill? You may be eligible for financial assistance if you have limited or no insurance and can demonstrate financial need. Complete a Bryan financial assistance application and submit with required federal financial documents. Get an application at bryanhealth.org/financial-assistance or call our financial counselors at 402-481-5791 (toll free 877-577-9277).

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Gifts salute exceptional service

Our patients and their families made Beyond Expectations gifts in honor of these physicians and employees, who went beyond expectations to provide exceptional service in 2022.

Mark Backencamp

Sam Backer

Karen Bade

Tori Baehr

Grace Bank

Anna Barnes

Gary Barnes

Shelly Batt

McKenna Bauer

Scott Bauer

Madison Beavers

Josiah BeDunnah

Michele Beekmann

Ashley Bliss

James Bondkya

Shelby Bradley

Kristin Carmichael

Shayna Carson

Angela Clark

Valerie Consbruck

Tiffany Crawford

Jim Crowley

Daniel Dallmann

Bradley Decker

Breanna Demaray

Marvin Dillwood

Jessica Drieling

Olivia Dunham

Abigail Eden

Madison Egger

Brittany Elliott

Cindy Essay

Jenny Findeis

Joni Folkerts

Jackie Freise

Matt Gallegos

Mary Gates

Hannah Gustafson

Teri Guthard

Emily Hall

Loretta Hamlette

Andrea Hansen

Leah Harrington

Jacqueline Hemmingsen

Kayla Henderson

Chandra Hicken

Larry Holmquist

Susan Hottovy

Safeta Hurko

Karen Jaber

Jill Johnson

Mary Johnson

Dr. Matthew Johnson

Taylor Johnson

Amy Kassebaum

Katheryn Kathe

Lenita Keane

Jeanie Kenkel

Anastasia Kirsch

Sharyl Klawitter

Grace Knuth

Jessica Kunz

Mary Labadie

Sunny Lambert

Nicole Larsen

Jamie Laswell

Candace Locke

Gabrielle Lodl

Alyssa Long

Elizabeth Loper

Silvia Lucas

Kathy Madron

Annette Marvin

Tiara McCray

Gerald McGaugh

Nicole McKinney

Lynden McLean

Crystal Meves

Rebecca Milroy

Cynthia Mix

Emina Mrkaljevic

Amanda Mundt

Rachael Neukirch

Linh Nguyen

Danell Nicolarsen

Hannah Novotny

Brenden Osborne

Morgan Ouellette

Lexington Owens

Dr. Ross Pacini

Leigh Palmer

Paige Pavlik

Beth Philson

Herson Ponce

Nadia Popova

Tracy Prenosil

Jake Pruss

Angelica Ramirez

Nina Redl

Allison Reeves

Alicia Ridgway

Danielle Root

Lisa Rothgeb

Deanna Sand

Dr. Ryan Santin

Michelle Sarafian

Hailey Schafer

Delayne R. Schuster

Jamie Sejkora

Christine R. Shkolnick

Carol Silverstrand

Erin Skolil

Jaci Slade

Rita Smith

Susannah Stegail

Liz Stensaas

Madison Stokes

Taylor Straube

Alyssa Sullivan

Amanda Taylor

Lauren Thuss

Jordyn Timmons

Susie Vavra

Leticia Velez

Dr. Joshua Vest

Dani Vlcek

Ruth Wanjiru

Lexi Webber

Neleigh Weers

Amber Wheatley

Patricia Willison

Cassie Wilson

Tiffany Wright

Kristen Zeleny

Josi Zimmerman

Bryan partnered with these organizations throughout the community in 2022

American Cancer Society

American Heart Association

Antelope County Healthcare

Beatrice Community Hospital Foundation

Boone County Health Center Foundation

Boy Scouts of America – Cornhusker Council

Bridge Behavioral Health

Child Advocacy Center

Clarinda Regional Health Center

Clinic with a Heart

Crete Area Healthcare Foundation

Down Syndrome Association for Families (DSAF ) of Nebraska

El Centro de las Americas

Fillmore County Hospital Foundation

Food Bank of Lincoln

Heartland Cancer Foundation

HopeSpoke

Indian Center

Jefferson Community Health

Junior Achievement

Karen Society of Nebraska

Kim Foundation

Lighthouse

Lincoln Arts Council

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

Lincoln Children’s Zoo

Lincoln Community Foundation

Lincoln Literacy

Lincoln Lutheran

Lincoln Rotary Club #14

Lincoln Medical Education Partnership

LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors)

Lutheran Family Services

Madonna

Make-A-Wish

Malone Community Center

March of Dimes

Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach

Memories for Kids

Merrick Medical Center Foundation

MLK Youth Rally Fund

Mourning Hope Grief Center

NAMI Nebraska

Nebraska Cancer Coalition

Nebraska Cures

Nebraska Folklife

Nebraska Hospital Association

Nebraska Safety Council

Nebraska Stroke Association

Nebraska Trails Foundation

Our Little Angels

Partnership for Healthy Lincoln

Pender Community Hospital

Pink Bandana (Women under 40 battling Breast Cancer)

Pink Ladies of Lincoln

Project Pink’d Inc.

Saunders Medical Center Foundation

Seniors Foundation

Sewing for Babies Inc.

Tabitha

Team Jack Foundation

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

United Way of Lincoln & Lancaster County

Valley County Health System Foundation

Voices of Hope

We Care Foundation

YWCA

Bryan co-workers at YWCA Lincoln’s Community Health Fair promoted health and wellness, mental health awareness, lung cancer risk assessments, nutrition and Bryan employment opportunities.

Meet the 2023 Trustees

Bryan College of Health Sciences

Laurie Bellows, PhD

Cedric Cooper, MEd

Larry Dlugosh, PhD

Pete Ferguson

David Griffiths

Russ Gronewold

Ashley Kennedy, RN, EdD

Beth Lau, MD, Chair

Rich Lloyd, PhD

Melissa Newton

Caitlyn Schmitt

Lisa Vail, RN, DNP, NEA-BC

Sue Wilkinson

Bryan Foundation

Preeta Bansal

Loel Brooks

Joseph Kam Chiu, MD

Mike Dewerff

Greg Dynek, Chair

Russ Gronewold

Chris Hove

Ben Kiser

Halley Kruse

Reg Kuhn

John Laflin

Quinn Lawton

Judy Lichti

Andrew Loudon

Scott McHam, DO

Jake Muhleisen

John Olsson

Trey Pittenger

Bob Ravenscroft

Deb Schorr

Layne Sup

Eric Sutton

Jenny Tricker

Charles Wilson, MD

Mike Works

Bryan Health

John Decker Jr.

Stephanie Dinger

Greg Dynek

Kathy Farrell, Treasurer

Tony Goins

Russ Gronewold

Shannon Harner

Jasmine Kingsley

Gail Perry

Beau Reid

Chris Roth, Secretary

H. Russell Semm, MD

Aina Silenieks, MD, Vice Chair

Clay Smith

Mark Walz, Chair

John Woodrich

Bryan Medical Center

Lorenzo Ball

Pablo Cervantes

Janet Chung

Connie Edmond

Russ Gronewold

Ken Gross, MD, Vice Chair

Shannon Harner, Chair

Jack Huck, Treasurer

Bill Johnson, MD

Beth Lau, MD

Eric Mooss

Robert Oakes, MD

Adrienne Olson, RN, DNP, FACHE

Erin Pemberton, JD, MSN, Secretary

Gayle Page

Max Rodenburg

Mark Walz

Scott Young

Bryan Physician Network

John Dittman, Chair

Patrick Ganyo

Jessica Heckman, MD

Rubab Husain, MD

Torri Janecek, DO

Eric Mooss

Ben Pankonin

Matt Wittry, MD, Vice Chair

Bryan Health Board members Jasmine Kingsley of Hudl and Farmers Mutual CEO Mark Walz join Bryan Health President and CEO Russ Gronewold in an April 6 panel discussion during Bryan’s systemwide leadership retreat in Lincoln.

Crete Area Medical Center

Lupe Avelar, Secretary

Stephanie Boldt

Jason Hesser, MD

Maria Isquierdo, Treasurer

Justin Kozisek

Eric Post, DVM

David Reese, Chair

Linda Stones, RN, BSN, MS, CRRN, Vice Chair

Grand Island Regional Medical Center

Eric Barber

Luke Biggs, Secretary/Treasurer

Jennifer Brown, MD

Ryan Crouch, DO, Chair

Teresa Grabowski

Russ Gronewold

Cindy Johnson, Vice Chair

Molly Johnson, MD

Brant Luebbe, MD

Tom Werner, MD

John Woodrich

Kearney Regional Medical Center

David Benavides, MD

Brenda Benjamin

Joey Cochran

Sean Denney, MD

Russ Gronewold

Jeff Hinrichs

Mike Morgan

Kari Nickman

Scott Smith, MD

Merlin Wehling, MD

John Woodrich

Merrick Medical Center

Patrick Avila

Brian Buhlke, DO

Shannon Hannappel, Vice Chair

Patrick Ganyo, Secretary

Nathan Perry, Chair

John Woodrich

Here are our Medical Staff leaders

Bryan Medical Center, Lincoln

Chief of Staff William Johnson, MD

Vice Chief of Staff Robert Oakes, MD

Secretary/Treasurer Alissa Clough, MD

Past Chief of Staff Ken Gross, MD

Chief Medical Officer John Trapp, MD

Crete Area Medical Center, Crete

Chief of Staff Jason Hesser, MD

Grand Island Regional Medical Center, Grand Island

Chief of Staff Jennifer Brown, MD

Vice Chief of Staff Krista Stoecker, MD

Chief Medical Officer Ryan Crouch, MD

Kearney Regional Medical Center, Kearney

Chair of Medical Executive

Committee Annette Miller, MD

Vice Chair of Medical Executive

Committee Jason Walsh, MD

Chief Medical Officer Scott Smith, MD

Merrick Medical Center, Central City

Chief of Staff Brian Buhlke, MD

Ask the Doctor: Sian Jones-Jobst, MD, a pediatrician with Complete Children’s Health in Lincoln, shares insights on mental health issues facing children and adolescents.

How do I help my child with mental health issues?

Q: National news stories report youth are facing a mental health crisis. What behavioral health trends are you noticing in your practice?

The number of youth reporting significant symptoms of anxiety and depression continues to rise. The latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control was alarming.

From 2011 to 2021, high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased from 28 percent to 42 percent. For female students, the numbers rose to 57 percent. When high school students were asked if they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, rates increased to 22 percent overall, and to 30 percent for female students.

Q: Some suggest isolation during the pandemic and pressures to conform to online opinions of attractiveness and success may be impacting youth suicide rates. How are children different from (or similar to) patients you saw when you began your career?

I wish there was a single reason affecting suicide rates, but it’s an issue with multiple underlying causes. Our world is much more interconnected than when I began practicing medicine. Children and adolescents are always “on stage” and face enormous pressure.

School, sports, social interactions with family and peers and social media all play a part.

For preteens and teens the normal social stressors today are combined with the almost unlimited immediate access to people and information through those handy devices in all our pockets. Despite the ability to connect to people digitally at any hour, many youth

feel socially isolated. Many of their interactions are digital rather than verbal or in-person.

Those electronic interactions just don’t have the same impact, and the pandemic exaggerated the imbalance between inperson and digital social interactions.

When schools closed and interactions with peers and extended family were suspended, children lost many natural in-person social interactions. Older adolescents went through physical and emotional changes without the normal social interactions that typically accompany them. Many, many children lost family members and loved ones due to illness. That is still particularly hard for children and adolescents who seek safety and security in their lives.

I’m not exaggerating when I say being a kid these days is hard.

Q: What traits and/or symptoms of mental health issues do you watch for?

Children and adolescents may be irritable and withdrawn, have trouble sleeping or change their eating habits. School or sports performance may decline because they are having trouble concentrating or lack motivation. Some children show more sadness or crying. Some family members don’t notice anything. It’s not unusual to see results for youth depression screenings completed by a parent/teenager pair that don’t match.

Adolescents are good at hiding what is going on. It may be friends, coaches, teachers or extended family members

who notice changes. We screen patients at wellness visits, and sometimes you just get a feeling that something isn’t right from what you hear or see in the room.

Q: How do you assure parents and their children that you’re on their side and that help is available?

Talking openly about mental health is much more acceptable today than for previous generations— but some stigmas remain. Stigmas sometimes keep parents and youth from seeking help. Other times, I find adolescents don’t want to be a bother or worry parents or other adults. Or they may think the way they feel is “normal.” In the clinic, we try to identify youth with risks of depression, anxiety and suicidality by using standardized screening tools at wellness visits. It puts those symptoms and feelings into a non-judgmental format and tells patients and families that mental health is just as important as knowing what your growth curve looks like. The most important piece is asking youth how their lives are going, listening to learn and developing relationships with the patient and family over time. It makes it much easier to talk about mental health.

Q: What are the next steps if there is a mental health concern? To whom do you refer the patient?

Children and adolescents who have significant mental health concerns almost always benefit from seeing a psychologist or mental health therapist. Sometimes that’s for diagnostic evaluation to make sure we are treating the right thing. For example, is their anxiety primary, or is it really due to

Dr. Sian Jones-Jobst is with Complete Children’s Health, 402-465-5600.

Ask

Finding answers to mental health questions

undiagnosed ADHD or a learning disorder? For that we refer to a child and adolescent psychologist. Some patients may need referral to a therapist or psychologist who can provide evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression and suicidality.

At Complete Children’s Health, we recognized the importance of the mental health component many years ago, so we incorporated several child and adolescent psychologists into our practice to work sideby-side with families. We appreciate their work so much!

The hard part is meeting the need. There is a significant shortage of individuals trained to care for young patients’ mental health.

Medication also plays a role in treatment. Pediatricians regularly prescribe and manage youth with common diagnoses like ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and major depressive disorder. When we are concerned that typical treatments aren’t helping, symptoms are severe or life-threatening or the diagnosis is something we see infrequently, we usually refer to psychiatry.

We are fortunate to have the child and adolescent psychiatry unit at Bryan West Campus for inpatient care, and the addition of Dr. Brendan Brodersen to the outpatient clinic at Bryan is great news for Lincoln.

Q: In what ways do you remain part of the health care team following a referral for a mental health concern?

We still want to follow along as the family’s primary care provider. We do that with any patient who needs to see a specialist. Often we are just “keeping on top” of things as they progress. It’s not unusual for patients to

see improvement and not need to see their psychologist or therapist anymore — in those cases if we notice things are sliding backward we encourage families to get back in with psychiatry or psychology.

Q: What do you like most about your job? What keeps you busy outside of work?

I love being a pediatrician — mostly because of the relationships I develop with children as they grow and entire families.

It’s rewarding to work in an environment truly dedicated to helping children be the healthiest they can be. You are surrounded by incredible people who love what they do. Even in hard situations, the close bonds with families make it immensely rewarding.

In my free time I love to spend time with my family. My husband Michael and I have two girls, in middle and high school, who keep us super busy.

I also love to cook and travel, and when I travel I try new cuisine. I’m originally from the United Kingdom and emigrated to the United States as a child — my parents and I are from Wales, and I’m excited to go back (for my girls’ first time!) this summer to share some local delicacies, like Welsh rarebit and Glamorgan sausage.

We also have two fun-loving dogs, including a very silly Welsh Corgi added to the family during the pandemic.

Our plate is full! n

If you have questions related to your child’s behavioral health, please consult your primary care provider. To learn how you can help support the work of Bryan Health, contact the Bryan Foundation staff at 402-481-8605.

Welcome, Dr. Bezzina

Thoracic surgeon Lance Bezzina, DO, of Bryan Heart Cardiovascular Surgery grew up in Detroit. He says, “I was fortunate. I’ve always known I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t know exactly which field I wanted to go into until I was in general surgery residency. A mentor guided me into cardiothoracic surgery.”

As a thoracic surgeon, Dr. Bezzina performs various kinds of surgeries in the chest, including anything from the top of the diaphragm to the neck. He most often operates on the heart and the lungs.

While the technical nature of cardiothoracic surgery first attracted him, Dr. Bezzina views his work as an art form, a 50/50 combination of science and art. He says, “It’s beautiful to watch the heart work after you’ve operated on it. I think it’s the only organ that you can actually watch as it functions. You can see the change.”

Dr. Bezzina approaches his patients the way he would want to be treated if the situation were reversed. He says, “I know this sounds like a cliché, but I try to treat people the way I would treat a member of my own family. My guiding principle is that at the end of the patient-physician interaction, both of us should feel better. No matter what news we have to break, we have to get a plan together and hopefully, at the end of the interaction both of us feel better than we did at the beginning.”

Dr. Bezzina graduated from the Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kentucky, in 2005. He completed his internship and general surgery residency at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, and continued his training in a thoracic surgery residency at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Dr. Bezzina is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery in thoracic surgery.

Dr. Bezzina and his wife, Kate, are both

from the Midwest and lived in Iowa 10 years before coming to Lincoln. During their free time, the couple enjoys international travel. n

To watch an introductory video about Dr. Bezzina, go to bryanhealth.org/DrBezzina.

Dr. Lance and Kate Bezzina moved to Lincoln after he practiced in Iowa for a decade.

Brachytherapy option helps Fred avoid heart bypass surgery

It was Fall of 2022, and Fred Snyder, 71, of Lincoln, was tired of thinking about heart surgery.

Fred, who retired recently after many years as pastor of Lincoln’s historic Saint Paul United Methodist Church, was contemplating yet another heart procedure to delay heart bypass surgery.

“Over the past couple of decades, my doctors placed several sets of stents, which are tiny mesh tubes, into the vessels of my heart to keep it beating well, because those vessels had gotten clogged,” Fred says. “And that worked great — my symptoms got much better, and I soon had my energy back.”

But now, the stents themselves had begun to clog, and Fred’s symptoms — periodic chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath — gradually returned. This time, things had taken a new and concerning turn — interventional cardiologist Natraj Katta, MD, of Bryan Heart told Fred there were no more vessels in his heart where

new stents could be placed.

So, with his best previous option no longer available, Fred sat down with Dr. Katta to consider heart bypass surgery — an operation that takes up to six hours and requires a hospital stay and many weeks of recovery time.

There was however, Dr. Katta explained, a procedure called intravascular brachytherapy that had proved successful at extending the useful life of stents that become clogged. The procedure, which is performed by a cardiologist and radiation oncologist working together, is now provided by the physicians at Bryan Heart in partnership with radiation oncologist Joseph Kam Chiu, MD, of Cancer Partners of Nebraska.

It’s a stroke of good fortune that Dr. Chiu is living here in Lincoln. He was part of the original team of physicians who researched intravascular brachytherapy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in the early 1990s, and has provided the procedure to over 1,000 patients, making him one of the most experi-

Retired Pastor Fred Snyder benefited from brachytherapy as recommended by his heart doctor, Natraj Katta, MD.

enced physicians in the country.

“Our first concept for coronary brachytherapy came to my colleagues and me as a bolt of inspiration while we were having coffee,” recalls Dr. Chiu. “We conducted basic scientific research, animal testing and human trial, and it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late 2000.”

Intravascular brachytherapy went on to be widely used, and has been shown in medical studies to reduce or delay further procedures in 90 percent of patients.

Dr. Chiu explains, “Using a surgical catheter placed into the circulation through a vein near the patient’s hip, we place an extremely tiny source of radiation — about the size of a grain of rice for a specific number of minutes within the heart stent after it’s opened by angioplasty. This short radiation exposure to the inside of the stent modifies scar tissue formation within the stent, which is the major cause of stent blockage.

“Intravascular brachytherapy was used widely in the United States until a new generation of stents that contain medications arrived on the scene. Brachytherapy remains an

essential option, however, for patients like Fred who can receive no more stents.”

Although improvement after brachytherapy is more gradual than that experienced by many patients after stent placement, Fred was relieved with the results and to be able to delay heart bypass surgery. “Three months after the procedure,” he says, “my chest pain is gone and the shortness of breath and fatigue are steadily improving.”

He adds, “Heart bypass is always an option for me. In the meantime, the brachytherapy intervention helped me get back to feeling better without a hospital stay and the long rehabilitation process you have after heart bypass. I see that as an undeniable advantage.”

Dr. Katta agrees, noting, “My colleagues and I are very pleased to be the first to offer intravascular brachytherapy here in Nebraska. It’s a good option for patients who can’t have new stents placed, and it will help a lot of people delay heart bypass surgery.” n

To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please call 402-481-8605.

Brachytherapy pioneer Dr. Joseph Kam Chiu discusses the procedure with interventional cardiologists Dr. Natraj Katta and Dr. Brock Cookman of Bryan Heart.

poses with his wife Margo, their daughter Sophia and Romeo, the family’s Akita puppy.

Welcome, Dr. Gallagher

electrophysiology," he says.

“I began hanging out in the EP lab, watching cases, reading books and articles, and thought this is what I would like to do.”

His training continued with fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and electrophysiology cardiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. He is Board certified in cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology.

He's seen many advances in electrophysiology since he began practicing more than 20 years ago. “In the early days, the focus of treatment was mostly on medications. As smaller and faster computers were developed, then pacemakers and defibrillators, the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms with ablation was born," he notes.

Since everyone’s situation is unique, Dr. Gallagher treats each person on a case-by-case basis. He says, “For some people, medications may be the answer, while procedures might be more appropriate for others. My goal is to help patients reclaim their lives and get back to doing things they want to do.”

Electrophysiologist Peter Gallagher, MD, grew up in Omaha, where his father was a physician and his mother was a nurse. He says, “Growing up in a medical family, I got some perspective on what it would be like to be a doctor. I knew that medicine would be my calling.”

He graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine in 1994 and completed his internship and internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

During his residency, he decided to pursue cardiology. “I was interested in computers at an early age, and as I progressed through my medical training, I learned there was a division of cardiology that used a lot of very interesting computer technology to help people — that was

Dr. Gallagher has worked in the Lincoln area for more than 15 years and says, “I am honored to be working here amongst such skilled and dedicated health care providers. The facilities and resources at Bryan are second to none and that reflects a true commitment to helping patients.”

Dr. Gallagher and his wife Margo have been married for almost 24 years. Their daughter Sophia is a sophomore at Creighton University. When he isn’t working, Dr. Gallagher enjoys hiking, golfing, skiing, playing guitar and photography. n

To watch an introductory video, go to bryanhealth.org/DrGallagher.

Dr. Peter Gallagher of Bryan Heart

“Evolving Journey” by Shelly Bartek welcomes patients and visitors to the hospice unit at Bryan West Campus. A gift to the Bryan Foundation provided this artwork in memory of longtime Bryan Volunteer Nancy Hester.

Art inspires, calms, heals

Two commissioned artworks will perpetually commemorate sacrifices and dedication during the pandemic. Local artist and University of Nebraska Professor Eddie Dominguez created the three columns at Bryan West Campus (right) and his art at Bryan East Campus will be installed later this year. Gifts to the Bryan Foundation made this possible.

Six acrylic paintings grace an Emergency Department exam room ceiling at Bryan West Campus (below). Tom Meyers created the tiles in conjunction with the Lincoln Arts Council.

New paintings brighten an exam room for patients seeking treatment for abuse.

You can help the Bryan Art Committee provide sculptures and paintings that help each of us on our journeys!

To learn how you can contribute, please contact the Bryan Foundation team at 402-481-8605.

These tiled columns by Eddie Dominguez commemorate dedication and sacrifices made by staff, families and patients during the pandemic.

Bryan entities earn praise for exceptional care

Newsweek named Bryan Health one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies in 2023, recognizing high levels of consumer and employee trust.

“There are few words more important than trust,” says Bryan Health President and CEO Russ Gronewold.

“Trust is in everything we do. It’s important the public trusts the care and health information we provide. It’s important our medical staff trusts us to surround them with outstanding nurses and clinical support. And it’s important our students trust us to provide a quality education.”

He adds, “We do not seek recognition like this; however, this acknowledgment honors the 6,500 employees across our health system who are educated here and provide care for so many Nebraskans and people from surrounding states.”

Bryan Health was the only health care organization in Nebraska recognized. To learn more and view the entire list of honorees, visit newsweek.com.

This is one of many accolades earned by Bryan entities in recent months.

Press Ganey presented 2022 Human Experience Awards to several entities for outstanding achievement in physician and employee engagement.

Bryan Medical Center earned the Pinnacle of Excellence Award in Physician Engagement. It’s based on extraordinary achievement; Bryan Medical Center has been ranked in the top five percent of health care providers over multiple years.

Crete Area Medical Center and Merrick Medical Center each earned the Guardian of Excellence Award in Physician Engagement. Bryan Heart received the Guardian of Excellence Award in Employee Engagement. These entities ranked in the 95th percentile for sustained performance during the year.

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma reverified Bryan Medical Center as a Level II Trauma Center, certified Kearney Regional Medical

Center as a new Level III Trauma Center and reverified Crete Area Medical Center as a Level IV Trauma Center.

There are only four Level II, seven Level III and 39 Level IV Trauma Centers in the state.

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) certified Bryan West Campus Inpatient Rehabilitation for three years. This is CARF’s highest level of recognition.

The inpatient rehab team provides comprehensive and customized care for patients who have experienced a stroke, brain injury, trauma, spinal cord injury, orthopedic injury or amputation or limb deficiency.

Crete Area Medical Center and Merrick Medical Center each received the Performance Leadership Award for Quality from Chartis Center for Rural Health.

The National awards honor top rural hospitals and are based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance Index.

Kearney Regional Medical Center was voted Best Place to Work in the annual Best of Kearney community vote. KRMC also was voted Favorite Medical Clinic and Surgery Facility.

Education coordinator Barbara Dethlefs, general surgeon Jason Walsh, MD, and Alicia Beetem, CNA, were recognized as Healthcare Heroes as part of a community-wide contest.

KRMC also was reaccredited as a Primary Stroke Center and was one of only two Nebraska hospitals to receive the top “A” rating for patient safety from Leapfrog.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care again certified KRMC for demonstrating dedication and commitment to meeting standards related to stroke care.

KRMC was the only hospital to receive the top Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade two years in a row. “This represents our commitment to keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors,” says CEO Bill Calhoun. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff.”

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services saluted the Bryan Family Birthplace team for achieving Lactation Across Rural Nebraska (LEARN) Campaign goals. The campaign enhances support for breastfeeding.

DHHS honors baby safety advocates

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services recognized Crete Area Medical Center as an Abusive Head Trauma/ Shaken Baby Prevention Education Champion.

The DHHS provides education to parents as well as to hospital staff to help ensure the safety of newborns.

“CAMC nurses are passionate about supporting this campaign to strengthen awareness of the life-altering effects of head trauma and Shaken Baby Syndrome,” says Acute Care Nurse Manager Lori Baumann. n

Calhoun is Grassroots Champion

Kearney Regional Medical Center

CEO Bill Calhoun received a Grassroots Champion Award from the American Hospital Association. This honor recognizes his work with the Nebraska Hospital Association’s Transitions of Care task force. The AHA salutes leaders who are tireless advocates for hospitals and patients and who effectively educate elected officials on issues affecting the hospital’s role in the community. n

College salutes Bentjen and Schwehm

Bryan College of Health Sciences

saluted Melinda Bentjen, EdD, RN, and Jeff Schwehm, PhD. Dr. Bentjen received the annual President’s Award, and Dr. Schwehm earned the Outstanding Faculty Award.

Dr. Bentjen is an associate professor in the undergraduate nursing program. Her nomination notes, “She’s made a difference for many. Her skills, knowledge, willingness to mentor, to do the right thing when no one is looking, and her good

heart and dedication to our college and community make her an excellent choice.”

Dr. Schwehm is an associate professor in the School of Healthcare Studies.

“He certainly prepares students to practice lifelong learning and exhibit service-oriented citizenship,” his nomination reads. “His kind and approachable demeanor helps support students in all academic areas, and his research exemplifies how to encourage learners to be curious and find answers.” n

Organ donor organization cites Garito

Live On Nebraska surprised Shawna Garito, APRN-NP, of Bryan Trauma and Acute Care with a Green Cape Award.

The nonprofit organ procurement organization honors those who help in its mission to heal lives through organ, tissue and eye donation.

“She provided consistent and meaningful updates; her intentional language with the patient’s family provided the groundwork for a positive approach,” the award notes. n

Watch our progress!

The April Sampson Cancer Center is expected to open in south Lincoln in 2024. Watch our Bryan website and the next Journeys magazine for more details about this exciting project.

Kearney Regional Medical Center and Cancer Partners of Nebraska plan new center

with the NCI clinical trials network , and the practice provides comprehensive cancer care in Lincoln and 11 other communities.

Cancer Partners of Nebraska and Kearney Regional Medical Center will provide outpatient cancer services in a new 25,000-square-foot center in Kearney. They expect to open the cancer center between KRMC and Yanney Heritage Park in 2025. It will provide radiation and medical oncology, infusion and chemotherapy services, a linear accelerator, and CT and PET imaging.

“This has been many years in the making,” says Bill Calhoun, CEO of KRMC. “We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve found the right partner in Cancer Partners of Nebraska.”

Cancer Partners of Nebraska is the only community oncology practice in Nebraska to become an MD Anderson affiliate institution

“Having recently joined the Bryan Health system ourselves, we’ve watched the April Sampson Cancer Center project take shape with Bryan and Cancer Partners of Nebraska,” Calhoun continues. “This model truly embodies our core values: trust in local management and improved access to the highest quality care.”

As like-minded health care organizations, Cancer Partners of Nebraska and KRMC are committed to bringing greater benefit to communities they serve.

Cancer Partners of Nebraska Executive Director Justin Rousek adds, “By opening this Kearney-based cancer center, we can decrease travel time for patients in central and western Nebraska, allowing them more time to focus on treatment and recovery close to home.” n

Celebrities share their stories during free programs

Tom Farley: Laughter, loss and beating addiction

Thursday, Sept. 7 – 6:30-8 p.m.

Motivational speaker Tom Farley, brother of beloved comedian Chris Farley, shares insights on substance abuse prevention and mental health.

Thanks to his brother’s legacy, Tom’s laughter-filled approach has made him a hit with young audiences.

Tom ran The Chris Farley Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to substance abuse prevention. He’s also the author of the New York Times bestseller

“The Chris Farley Show.”

Tom’s work has been featured on major outlets like The Today Show and Good Morning America. As a motivational speaker and community relations coordinator, he leads the charge in behavioral health services with nationally recognized addiction treatment programs.

Cost: Free, but pre-registration is required

Where: Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M St.

Register: bryanhealth.org/tom-farley

Aly Raisman: Fabulous, fierce and finding strength

Thursday, Oct. 5 – 6:30-8 p.m. with Health Fair 6-6:30 p.m.

Aly Raisman, the third-most decorated American gymnast of all time, explores the realities of depression, anxiety and the pressures she’s experienced both on and off the mat.

As captain of the gold medal-winning Women’s Gymnastics teams in 2012 and 2016, Aly captured the hearts of millions as the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the floor exercise. But her journey was not without its challenges. In her New York Times best-selling memoir, Fierce, she shares her highs and lows throughout her career, including her survival of sexual abuse.

Join Aly and Dr. Dave Miers, senior director of behavioral health services at Bryan Health, for an informal fireside chat. They will discuss mental health and the importance of self-care while championing positive body image and advocating for yourself.

Cost: Free, but pre-registration is required

Where: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 8550 Pioneers Blvd.

Register: bryanhealth.org/aly-raisman

Before and after the program, attend our free Health Fair!