Fall 2013

Fall 2013

ALSO INSIDE: A glimpse into the cardiac classroom A portrait of our HELPers Acts of kindness from ‘cake’ and music makers and some WIFFLE® ball players

In June, eighth graders from a Hoboken charter school witnessed cardiac surgery at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute while peppering the surgeon and his team with questions. In this issue, get a glimpse of the lesson and learn what the cardiac classroom needs as it completes its 17th year.

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

Q&A

with

Photo: Sal Benedetto

Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC

Dr. Guarneri is the new senior advisor for integrative medicine. She is also the current president of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.

ology, focusing on the mechanical fix to coronary disease. If someone was having a heart attack, I could open an artery with a stent and restore blood flow to the heart – but then my patients would return to the lifestyle that led to the heart attack in the first place. This led me to realize we were not doing enough to prevent cardiovascular disease. We needed to be as good at prevention as we already were at intervention.

Q: What do you most want to accomplish at the Center for Well Being currently under construction at our medical complex at 435 South St.?

A: My goal is to create a well-being center that focuses on health and evidence-based treatment options for disease prevention. These are treatment options that are geared toward prevention and get to the underlying cause of the problem. Many of these options are successful at reversing the disease process. For example, if a patient has diabetes, he should most likely receive medication, but we would also look at his nutritional needs, fitness requirements, and stress levels. This process is what rounds out the circle of care for each patient

My approach pulls the best of western medicine and global healing traditions, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, into one practice. It’s not just about modalities and swapping an herb for a drug. My ultimate goal would be to see these ideas become common practice for everyone.

Q: Are there ways we can easily incorporate basic truths about well-being into our daily lives?

A: First, remember to always treat yourself as a

whole person – body, mind and spirit. Look for the underlying causes to a condition instead of only taking medication as the way to heal. I like to tell my patients to imagine their life is like a tree. If a tree has sick fruit then we have to ask ourselves, “Why is the tree sick?” The answer lies in the soil. The essence of integrative medicine is looking at the soil of people’s lives – how someone lives.

I also like to teach my patients that food is medicine. People need to understand the healing powers of leafy greens, fruits, and certain spices and then mindfully begin to use them in a way that strengthens their bodies and builds up immunities against disease and chronic conditions.

Q: What are the greatest challenges facing integrative medicine today?

A: I see no challenges – only opportunities. In

the United States, we spend $2.5 trillion a year on diseases that are preventable. With soaring health care costs, physicians and health care providers are realizing they can no longer do business as usual.

We have truly found a better way of practicing medicine and have the knowledge, research and information available to prevent disease. We are going to make this information available to our patients. Our center, embedded at Morristown Medical Center, will be a leader in bringing this new way of practicing medicine to fruition.

Viewpoint

Q: When did you first realize that western medicine needed a holistic component to complete the circle of care for patients?

A: I began my career practicing interventional cardi-

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PatientPosts

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Pictured above: Kim Belton, clinical coordinator of the PICU; Paul Collins, CPCU, managing partner, Willis; Nicole DeChiaro; Jamie Gecz, child life specialist; KC Chamberlain, vice president of sales and marketing, Willis; and Dr. Juan Gutierrez

In 15 short days, Ella DeChiaroAdamsky paved the way for a lifetime of helping other children. Born with her twin sister, Abigail, at Morristown Medical Center in November 2012, Ella was soon re-admitted to the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with a blood infection that proved fatal.

Ella’s mother and father, Nicole DeChiaro and John Adamsky, remember the tenderness of the doctors and nurses: “They sat with us every day,” says Ms. DeChiaro, who recently gave more than $10,000, which included memorial gifts from friends and family, to the Foley PICU. Willis North America, Ms. DeChiaro’s employer, also donated $2,500.

“From the tragedy, the new Ella Grace Foundation came to be,” says Mrs. DeChiaro. “Morristown Medical Center will be an ongoing beneficiary.

We can’t thank them enough.”

Kindness Comes Back One grateful donor wants the Barbara D. Tomlinson Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff to know what a difference they made when treating her husband of more than 60 years. Her generous donation combined with memorial gifts will bring $28,000 to the unit and help purchase a new ultrasound machine.

In memorializing her husband, David Zenker, MD, Jeanne Zenker says, “The staff made the ICU like a hospice for us. “ Born at the hospital, Dr. Zenker practiced medicine at Morristown Medical Center for more than 40 years and was known for his compassion toward his patients.

“David would be comforted to know this was the kind of care also given to him, and it’s there for everyone,” Mrs. Zenker says.

The late

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Dr. Dav

Gamers Get It Zach Rice is not your ordinary 11 year old. While most boys his age like to ride bikes and throw footballs, Zach recently spent his free time raising thousands of dollars for Goryeb Children’s Hospital.

As a patient at the hospital several times within the last few years, the Long Valley resident played with gaming devices to take his mind off the nearly unbearable pain of being treated for a deteriorating hip.

Zach realized he wanted to find a way to buy more gaming devices so that every child would have the benefit of this kind of distraction.

“We rang in 2012 while Zach was having surgery,” says Shannon Sohn-Rice. “What struck me more than anything was that a family had donated a huge spread of food for the holiday. It made a miserable time a little more bearable. It was at that moment we saw how one family could make a huge difference – we wanted to find a way to do the same.”

The Rices came up with the idea of a 5k race, Action for Distraction, to raise money for the gaming systems. With more than 320 runners, the event raised $15,000.

“Everyone got involved when they found out the event was for Goryeb,” says Mrs. Sohn-Rice.

FacesinPhilanthropy

Photo: Media Services

Ella’s Gift

To plan an event of your own, call Michelle Meszaros at 973.593.2417.

Encouraged by friends, Zach Rice #101 completes the 5k

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FacesinPhilanthropy To plan an event of your own, call Michelle Meszaros at 973.593.2417.

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Caring Is a Piece of Cake Most people know about the famous Hoboken bakery of the Cake Boss, but not many have heard of the 14-yearold Basking Ridge artist who makes the cake box.

Skyler McCabe is the creator of these beautiful threetiered cakes whipped up with recycled boxes, ribbons and beads instead of flour, water and eggs.

“I wanted to use my creativity to help others by bringing a smile when they need it most,” says the 9th grader who attends Ridge High School.

Game On Bryan Uzbay loves everything about WIFFLE® ball.

He even built a WIFFLE® ball field in the backyard of his Columbia, NJ, home.

Aptly named Uzbay Field, it was the perfect backdrop for the 2nd Annual Charity WIFFLE® Ball Tournament to benefit Goryeb Children’s Hospital.

Eight different teams, with four to five players each, took turns playing ball on Saturday, July 27. The teams raised more than $1,600 to purchase iPads for the Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Goryeb.

“I was treated at the hospital for asthma when I was younger and wanted to give back to a place that always made me feel cared for and comfortable,” says the 16 year old.

Event Boosts Nursing Many would agree that shopping is good therapy and who doesn’t enjoy a delicious meal out?

These two favorite past times proved to be a winning combination during Hospital Week, which was held last May in conjunction with the Morristown Partnership. Local shoppers and diners were given a 10 percent discount at 27 participating businesses in Morristown. An additional 10 percent was donated to Morristown Medical Center from every transaction in which the buyer mentioned ‘hospital.’ The two-day effort raised $3,500 after expenses for the nursing program.

Non-retail businesses also showed their support through various sponsorship opportunities. The event drew in one gold sponsor at $1,000, three silver sponsors at $500 each, and five bronze sponsors at $250 each.

The cakes have been donated to Goryeb Children’s Hospital and bring joy to patients who happen to be in the hospital on their birthday.

Her cakes can be viewed at thehappycakebox.weebly.com.

PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES AXA Advisors, LLC barre 3 Morristown Be the Medicine Healing, Learning & Coaching Braun’s Automotive Cherish the Moment Del’s Novelty and Party Supply Co. EmbroidMe Enjou Chocolat Express Frames Facelogic Spa George and Martha’s J. C. Reiss Optician Lauren b.

Morris Hypnosis Center Morristown Diner Muscle Maker Grill Pazzo Pazzo Sage Nails Salon Botanique Eco-Chic South Street Creamery and Café Strawberry Fields Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt

Sweet Lucy’s Bakery The Office The Yoga Way Therapy Center Tim Schafer’s Restaurant 23 South Wine Chateau of Morristown SPONSORS Gold Sponsors Welsh Chester Galiney Matone Inc. Silver Sponsors Avison Young LLC Project Management USA Paul M. Banks, DDS and Andrew L. Howard, DMD Bronze Sponsors Allied Beverage Group Morris Hypnosis Center New Jersey Monthly Mark Oliver, MD PA Pazzo Pazzo

Heart of Gold Photo : Med ia Se rvice s

High school junior Carley Peyser has many decisions to make about her future, but she’s sure about one thing – she will always give back.

Working toward her Gold Award with the Girl Scouts, she is collecting DVDs, activity books and movies for the Farris Family Center for Advanced Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP) at Goryeb Children’s Hospital.

A patient at the hospital’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, Ms. Peyser was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 8th grade. She knows firsthand how much a book or movie can help offset worry.

“I know how nerve-racking it is in those moments before going in to see the doctor,” says Ms. Peyser, who is also painting colorful ceiling tiles for the hospital. “I want to help other kids the way I was helped.”

Beautiful Feat It was music to everyone’s ears to hear the thunder of 8,000 feet hitting the pavement this past May, at the 6th Annual Komen New Jersey Race for the Cure at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex.

The 4,000 participants energetically raised funds for Komen including a gift of more than $56,000 toward a hospital outreach program that provides breast health education, screening, and treatment to underserved women in the community through the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection Program grant.

In the past 13 years, Komen has awarded Morristown Medical Center nearly $720,000 to provide women vital information on breast health.

Culturally sensitive educational and outreach programs have helped more than 100,000 women from diverse backgrounds receive breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.

6th Annual Komen New Jersey Race for the Cure

Maternity Medley Matt and Katherine Sheeleigh opened their elegant home to 40 friends this past June to raise awareness of the hospital’s Maternity Center renovation. The Foundation is raising $2.7 million to finish the project.

Guests enjoyed a private concert by internationally acclaimed pianist Min Kwon and world renowned violinist Kyung Sun Lee. A highlight of the evening showcased a piano solo by Mrs. Kwon, who delighted the audience with the story of her daughter Sophie’s birth at the Maternity Center this past February.

To contribute toward the renovation, please contact Mary Ellen Graf, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2405 or maryellen.graf@atlantichealth.org.

Honoring the Elderly How do you commemorate a major milestone in a meaningful way?

Longtime hospital benefactor the Willits Foundation celebrated its recent 50th anniversary by giving $25,000 to the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging at Morristown Medical Center.

Photo: Life in Motion Photography

The monies will go toward the completion of a dedicated Geriatric Emergency Department (ED), opening this fall.

Pictured (l-r) Morristown Medical Center’s Fran Drigun, RN, and Joseph Ramieri, MD; musicians Min Kwon and Kyung Sun Lee; and hosts Katherine and Matt Sheeleigh

“We are thrilled to help older patients ease their trauma during visits to the ED,” says Caroline Jones, trustee of the Willits Foundation. “A renovated ED area for the elderly will be a valuable addition to the hospital.”

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Focus on...

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Seventeen-year-old Sara Landauer, a star athlete from Gainesville, Florida, collapsed at soccer practice in 2011 and died of sudden cardiac death.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people, including competitive athletes. This genetic heart disease thickens the heart muscle and makes blood flow more difficult. In turn, the heart pumps harder. HCM isn’t limited to the young and fit, however; it affects one out of every 500 Americans regardless of age, gender, race and geographic location.

Patients with HCM experience shortness of breath, dizziness, chest discomfort and irregular or palpitating heartbeat. Since these symptoms often overlap with other medical conditions, patients may remain misdiagnosed for extended periods of time.

Not only is HCM difficult to diagnose but treatments are also complex and experts in the field hard to come by.

Because of these barriers, there are only a few dedicated HCM centers in the country and none currently in New Jersey.

tional stature is Martin Maron, MD, world-renowned expert and director of the HCM Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, who agreed to come on board as director of the Mast Center. He will begin seeing patients twice a month in January 2014.

“I want to emphasize the magnitude of Dr. Maron leading this center,” says Mr. Mast. “He and his father Barry, who is the director of the HCM Center at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, are the gold standard in HCM. What we have here is a great coup.”

An associate medical director, nurse practitioner and ancillary staff will work alongside Dr. Maron, covering all aspects of care, including scheduling appointments, explaining tests, following up after procedures, and communicating with primary care physicians. The team at the center also includes a social worker and psychologist who will provide essential psychosocial counseling.

This kind of coordinated care didn’t exist 25 years ago for the Masts. Not only was shuffling from one expert to the next frustrating for them, but it left Chanin unable to create that necessary bond of trust with her physician.

“This is where Dr. Maron excels,” says Mr. Mast. “He has an incredible ability to nurture each patient.”

—Dr. Martin Maron Dr. Maron has worked hard at incorporating all aspects of the patient care experience when treating patients and their families with this disease.

Morristown Medical Center, however, has committed to caring for this vulnerable patient population. With a $1 million gift from the Adam R. and Chanin T. Mast Foundation, the hospital is establishing a center dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of HCM patients. The Chanin T. Mast Center for the Treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy will open its doors in January 2014.

“When our daughter Chanin was diagnosed with HCM in 1987, we were blindsided,” says Robert Mast. He and his wife, Terry, lost their daughter to the disease in 1999. “Back then, there was no orchestra leader to coordinate her care.

We were lost in a maze of specialists all giving us different advice.”

The Mast Center’s location within Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute will give patients convenient access to specialists, imaging and diagnostics, and the latest in devices and treatment options. The center will also provide HCM screenings and community outreach to help protect young athletes, like Sara and countless others, from sudden cardiac death.

“We are enormously grateful to the Masts,” says Linda Gillam, MD, MPH, the Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Gagnon. “There are relatively few people who have suffered a tragic loss who really do something about it. The Masts are not only bringing significant financial support but also their willingness to guide this program from its infancy into a world-class center.”

Another key factor in moving the center toward interna-

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Martin Maron, MD, with a patient.

Photo: Courtesy of Tufts Medical Center

“ Usually diagnosed at around age 40, people live with HCM for a very long time.”

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

“Usually diagnosed at around age 40, people live with HCM for a very long time as opposed to other areas of cardiology where the patients are much older when diagnosed,” says Dr. Maron. “It’s not only about delivering stateof-the-art procedures but providing the right messages about living successfully with HCM that empowers my patients to make the right choices and gives them the confidence to keep going and not let the disease destroy what is otherwise a long, happy and productive life.”

The ability to feel confident about the future is a common problem for many patients dealing with HCM. “I know Chanin was a young woman who wondered what her future would hold,” says Lisa Salberg, CEO and founder of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) based in Rockaway, NJ. Chanin had met with Mrs. Salberg for tea to share her story.

“Chanin needed a clearer pathway.

The Mast Center will organize patient care in such a way that will very simply change outcomes for the better.”

The Mast Center and HCMA are readying themselves for a long and significant partnership.

HCMA is one of the most active patient advocacy and support groups in the country for HCM patients.

“What our partnership will bring to the community is a world-class understanding of an incredibly complex disorder,” says Mrs. Salberg who lost five family members to HCM and is a The late carrier of the disease along with Chanin Mast her daughter and two other family members. “We need to learn how to not just get through the crisis but how to live quality lives. The Mast Center will allow each of us to do that.”

To support the center or for more information, contact Hyona Revere, director of major gifts, at 973-593-2429 or hyona.revere@atlantichealth.org.

Robert and Terry Mast

“ When our daughter Chanin was diagnosed with HCM in 1987, we were blindsided.

Back then, there was no orchestra leader to coordinate her care.” —Robert Mast

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Clubs Trump Pigskin for Charity It wasn’t an ordinary 18 holes at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster on May 13 as golfers putted alongside New York Jet football players and coaches and won prized Jets memorabilia at the New York Jets Charity Golf Classic.

A joint venture between the New York Jets and the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center, this first-ever collaboration attracted almost 200 golfers and raised over $500,000 for charity. Part of the proceeds will go to the Orthopedic Department at the hospital, which performs more than 9,000 orthopedic procedures and treats 1,500 complex trauma-related injuries each year.

Photos: Al Pereira

At the forefront of orthopedic care in New Jersey, the hospital plans to combine all of its orthopedic specialties, including total joint replacement, advanced spinal care and arthritis, and sports injury treatment and rehabilitation, to form the Atlantic Orthopedic Institute.

NewsofNote

Pictured (l-r) Paul Marmora, Dr. David Shulkin, Joe D’Auria, Jets general manager John Idzik, Kevin Lenahan and left: Richard Diegnan, Gary Fiotino, Dr. William Dowling, Jets center Dalton Freeman, Jets coach Rex Ryan

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Making Strides for New Inpatient Psychiatric Center Philanthropic gifts have exceeded the halfway mark of the $5.7 million fundraising goal for the new Head Family Inpatient Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Center on Franklin 5 East. But the center’s opening can’t happen soon enough for Thomas Zaubler, MD, chair of psychiatry and behavioral health at Morristown Medical Center.

“The shortage of psychiatric beds in our county and state continues to climb,” says Dr. Zaubler. “We have patients in our Emergency Department for days awaiting placement because our unit is completely full and no other facilities have openings.”

Recent contributions include a $500,000 matching gift from the Women’s Association of Morristown Medical Center and donations from Stewart and Megan Massey and Edward and Catherine Hintz.

The third annual Massey Quick Golf Tournament in September brought in an additional $54,000 toward this funding goal.

“I am overwhelmed by the support we have received so that we can provide exemplary care in a state-of-the-art, therapeutic environment and help reduce wait times for those in need of admission,” says Dr Zaubler.

The new 13,000-square-foot facility will provide 24 beds, including single rooms with private baths.

To support Behavioral Health, please contact Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

“We are excited to have forged this new relationship with the Jets,” says David Shulkin, MD, president of Morristown Medical Center. “We are pleased that our first outing was a huge success and look ahead to many more successful ventures that will ultimately help our services and advance our patient-care efforts.”

Behavioral Health

BY THE NUMBERS Americans experiencing a mental disorder in any given year

61 million

Community hospitals with psychiatric units

27 percent

Estimated annual cost of depression nationwide

$52.9 billion

Children suffering from a serious mental disorder

1 in 10

Teenagers experiencing severe mental disorders in a given year

20 percent

State mental health budget cuts nationwide

$4.35 billion

Consumers receiving statefunded mental health services

6.5 million

usne lley K : She Photo

Nausea, shortness of breath or overall fatigue can mean more than a simple case of the flu for many women. These symptoms can sometimes be the onset of a heart attack.

“Women don’t always feel the crushing chest pain commonly experienced by men during a heart attack,” says Claire Boccia Liang, MD, director of the recently opened Women’s Heart Program at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. “Many times it’s a deep exhaustion that is only relieved by resting. Women know their bodies and when they sense something is not right, they need to act on it rather than push it aside.

With education the key in bringing women up-to-speed in heart health issues, the Women’s Association of Morristown Medical Center (WAMMC) recently donated $35,000 to open a resource room. Located in Gagnon’s front lobby, the new space will be a clearinghouse of information easily accessed by visitors. Educational outreach programs will also meet the needs of women in the community.

“This room will be a comfortable place for women to learn about heart issues,” says Dr. Boccia Liang. “Many times women are at our hospital caring for other family members. Now they will have at their fingertips a chance to learn more about their own health.”

Additionally, the Women’s Heart Program gained $20,000 from WAMMC’s Market in May fundraiser and $34,000 from employee basket raffle proceeds, which were matched by the Foundation.

“Having a center of excellence for women’s heart health helps us to diagnose more correctly, treat women more appropriately and participate in key research studies to determine best treatment options,” says Dr. Boccia Liang, noting that Women’s Heart intends to compile patient results in a database of outcomes based on best practices.

“This new database will help us to understand how effective our treatment options have been and show us where improvements can be made in the future.”

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Pumping up Women’s Heart Health

What Can You Count On? Our appreciation. Visit f4mmc.org or use your smartphone or tablet to view a video tribute to our donors.

Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

Pictured above: Market in May proceeds benefitted the Women’s Heart Program

Yarnis Gift to Benefit Cardiac Rehab Glenn Yarnis woke startled in the middle of the night to chest pains and tingling fingers. As he lay there for almost an hour, he realized the symptoms weren’t getting any better.

During his three-day stay at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, physicians put a stent in his heart and set him up with three months of cardiac rehabilitation at the hospital. Although he remembers his entire stay at Morristown Medical Center as positive, it was the staff in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit that made the biggest impression and prompted his and his wife Marcie’s $108,000 gift.

“They were all so nice,” says Mr. Yarnis. “The nutritionist was fantastic.

She gave me some very workable strategies and, nine months later, I have already lost 35 pounds.”

Currently in cramped quarters, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit will move to a larger area at 435 South Street early next year. ”This gift is perfect timing with our impending move,” says Kathleen Morgan, nurse manager of Cardiovascular Education/Cardiac Rehabilitation. “We have a lot of older pieces of equipment that need to be replaced and will now be able to purchase new treadmills, bicycles, rowers and much more.”

Pictured right: Glenn and Marcie Yarnis

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Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

Endowment Creates Legacy and Helps Nurses

Dr. Robert Melfi

DIABETES: A Major Threat to Many If you were to visit the hospital and select 100 patients at random, at least 30 of them would have diabetes.

NewsofNote

“It wouldn’t matter if it was at the cancer center, the general medical ward, or surgery – 30 percent would have diabetes,” says Robert Melfi, MD, director of the Diabetes and Endocrine Institute. “This is a staggering number.”

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With this in mind, the institute is looking to hire two new experienced diabetes nurses. The first, a nurse navigator, will help manage the assessment, educational needs and smooth transition to outpatient care for each diabetic patient. The second, a certified diabetes educator, will teach patients how to manage diabetes care on their own, giving them the knowledge and skills necessary to stay healthy.

“When they are not managing their diabetes correctly at home, patients with diabetes are admitted to the hospital more often, have longer stays, and experience more frequent re-admissions,” says Dr. Melfi. “We hope to circumvent these problems with a much-needed expansion to our services.”

To offer your support toward the institute’s $775,000 funding need, contact Noelle Deihl-Harteveld, major gifts officer, 973-593-2409.

Denise Gilmore, RN, a bronchoscopy nurse for the Respiratory Care Department, was recently awarded the second annual Bessin Family Scholarship. Mrs. Gilmore received $2,000 to help defray costs toward a master’s degree she is pursuing to become a gerontological nurse practitioner.

In November 2011, Mireille Bessin donated $50,000 to establish an endowment with the Foundation in memory of her late husband, Rolf H. Bessin, MD. Dr. Bessin, the first vascular surgeon at Morristown Medical Center, practiced general and vascular surgery at the hospital for more than 40 years.

“When donors establish an endowment with the Foundation, they immediately create an enduring legacy that will influence succeeding generations. It is the perfect way to honor someone who has made a significant contribution to the hospital, such as Dr. Bessin,” says Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning at the Foundation. “An endowment produces annual income to help support the programs and services of Morristown Medical Center.”

For more information on establishing an endowment, please contact Ms. O’Donnell at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

Pictured above: Benefactor Mireille Bessin gets a hug from scholarship winner Denise Gilmore, RN

A Life Changer ‘Just don’t do it’ may sound like practical advice, but for smokers trying desperately to quit their cigarette habit, it’s not that easy. Most express a desire to quit, but their addictions to nicotine, and other psychological barriers, prevent them from becoming smoke free.

For many, however, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center’s Smoking Cessation Program has been a life-changing resource.

“It’s the single best thing you can do for your health, no matter what your health status is,” says oncology social worker Lisa Picciuti.

She meets with smokers from the community in this donor-funded six-week program, which is free to participants but requires philanthropic funding of $20,000 each year. Smokers get counseling and support and free nicotine replacement lozenges, gum and patches, which otherwise can be cost prohibitive for many seeking help.

“Most people trying to quit smoking have tried before and failed,” says Ms. Picciuti. “I let them know it is possible to quit. If you have the right support, you can quit and quit for good.”

To support this program, please contact Mary Ellen Graf, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2405 or maryellen.graf@atlantichealth.org.

Questions from the Cardiac Classroom

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

Recently, 8th graders from a Hoboken charter school witnessed a coronary artery bypass graft performed by surgeon Christopher Magovern, MD; physician’s assistant Leonard Vanderhorn; perfusionist Angela DeLong; anesthesiologist Eric Benvenuti, MD; and a team of nurses – Heather Ciavatta, RN; Theresa Haney, RN; and Virginia Kinsman, RN. “It’s not just about one or two of us, it’s the whole team that makes this happen,” says Dr. Magovern as he welcomes the students, and he and his team begin to field questions.

Innovative Program Looks to Upgrade Since 1996, thousands of middle and high school students have had a bird’s eye view of doctors at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute performing open heart surgery. Monitors connect an interactive theater at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City with the hospital’s operating room/cardiac classrooms.

With only three existing cardiac classrooms, participation is limited and waiting lists are long. An estimated $600,000 is needed to expand into a fourth cardiac classroom and to upgrade technology in all four rooms.

“The expansion to a fourth room would include our hybrid operating room, which can broadcast more of our innovative procedures, such as stent graft cases and transcatheter aortic valve replacement cases,” says Christopher Magovern, MD. “And more importantly, with the boom of high definition broadcast capability nationwide, we are eager to upgrade the technology, which is 15 years old, in all of the rooms.”

Q: What can you tell us about the patient?

A: He’s a 71-year-old gentleman with a known diagnosis

To offer your support, contact Hyona Revere, director of major gifts, at 973-593-2429.

Photo: Sal Benedetto

of coronary artery disease. He has had stent procedures in the past and now has multiple blockages in the arteries supplying blood to his heart. He’s at risk for having a significant heart attack, and his only option at this point is bypass surgery.

Q: Will this patient require a blood transfusion during surgery?

A: We try not to waste any blood during heart surgery and practice blood conservation, which attempts to minimize the use of blood products; nonetheless some patients do require blood transfusions simply because of the magnitude of the operation performed.

Q: How long will this patient be under anesthesia?

A: Every patient is a little different, but most patients begin to wake up from their anesthesia in one to two hours after the operation.

Q: Is the heart changed after surgery?

A: We have reconstructed a new blood supply to the heart by sewing bypass grafts onto the blocked coronary arteries. We haven’t taken anything away – just added to it.

Q: Will he need a wheelchair to walk after surgery?

A: No. We don’t do this operation and expect to give patients

handicapped stickers for their cars. We will be sure to have him out of bed and walking on his own in just a few days.

Pictured above (l-r): Watching Goryeb Grow celebrity chef Fabio Viviani with the trophy and the award-winning setting

And the Winner Is… Attendees knew last fall’s Watching Goryeb Grow 10th Anniversary Celebration was a winner and now it’s official: The 2013 Hermes Creative Award went to Faith West Events for its design, branding and creative programming. Faith West Events coordinated the event with the Foundation staff.

The event was lauded for its precision timing, branded décor and unique speaking program, which departed from traditional galas.

Unfolding like clockwork, the celebration turned into a party like no other – delighting guests and making for many lasting memories. f4mmc.org · 13

Portrait

HELP volunteers Every week Montville resident Anthony Mecca can’t wait for Monday night to roll around. It’s not a weekly get together with the guys or a sports game on television that he looks forward to, but his friendly conversations with elderly patients through the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP).

The simple art of conversation, to help an elderly person avoid delirium, is the backbone of volunteer-driven HELP, which is run by the Department of Psychiatry for patients on the medical floors.

Keeping older people oriented to their surroundings while meeting their needs for nutrition, fluids, sleep and movement all play a part in warding off the confusion seen in up to 40 percent of hospitalized elderly patients.

“It’s like each patient is a present to me,” says Mr. Mecca, who has been volunteering with HELP for two years. “Just recently I had the pleasure of chatting with a patient who lived in Estonia as a young girl, fled to Germany, then England, with a final destination of the United States. She became a professional artist and had a book published of her paintings that she happened to have with her, which I had the privilege of leafing through. Our conversation was meaningful and beneficial for us both.”

The simple art of conversation, to help Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

an elderly person avoid delirium, is the backbone of volunteer-driven HELP. ecca thony M nteer An lu o v P L HE

The work of artful conversation – which the 25-strong HELP volunteer staff engages in with elderly at-risk patients – is also beneficial to the hospital. Elderly patients with delirium lead to longer stays, higher costs, and multiple readmissions.

When an elderly patient enters the hospital they are at risk of developing delirium solely because of the unsettling experience of being hospitalized – a new environment, different schedule, and new people with whom to meet and interact. These changes can cause confusion in someone who would otherwise be alert and oriented.

HELP volunteer Lisa Kennedy knows her single purpose is to alleviate this all too predictable confusion: “Reminiscing on their life or talking about current events is a tremendous help in getting them to re-connect with reality,” says the Berkeley Heights resident. “It’s a timeline of sorts – talking about their past and then bringing up current events helps them to remember where they’ve been and where they are now.”

Mrs. Kennedy believes this volunteer work is best suited to someone who can listen well with compassion and understanding. HELP staff can also offer reading materials, art supplies and puzzles for further stimulation and enjoyment. In the last couple of months, therapy dogs and massage therapists have brought added comfort and relaxation for elderly patients interested in these additional services.

“It’s so rewarding to see so many of the hospital staff in action with these patients,” says Mrs. Kennedy. “It’s endearing to me when you see everyone’s genuine concern. It’s nice to witness that kind of caring interaction every time I come to the hospital.”

The Marion E.C. Walls Trust, the Head Family Foundation and the Healthcare Foundation of NJ have generously supported the HELP program. If you would like to make a philanthropic donation, please contact Bonnie Gannon, director of corporate and foundation relations, at 973-593-2419 or bonnie.gannon@atlantichealth.org.

14 · f4mmc.org

Photos: David Nufrio

A bracing downpour cooled stifling temperatures just enough to make the crowd of 100 comfortable on June 25, 2013, as they witnessed the dedication of the new Farris Family Center for Advanced Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP). Lead donors Dave and Jill Farris were surrounded by family and friends for the occasion, as they spoke of their faith in Morristown Medical Center, its dynamic medical teams and the promise CAMP holds for patients suffering from chronic diseases and complex illnesses. They were joined at the podium by Foundation Chairman J. Peter Simon, hospital President David Shulkin, MD, Chairman of Pediatrics Walter Rosenfeld, MD, and patient Chelsea Aihini. The CAMP theme came alive with checkered tablecloths, red lanterns, guitarists round the ‘fire’ and goody bags of grahams, chocolate and marshmallows, promising s’more to come for Goryeb Children’s Hospital.

Happenings

Happy CAMPers

Clockwise from top: Dave and Jill Farris with the CAMP statue they donated; ribbon cutting with their grandchildren; Jim Quinn, Dr. Walter Rosenfeld; Peter Simon; and Dr. David Shulkin; the Farrises with friends and family inside CAMP; Barbara and Chelsea Aihini with Dr. Joel Rosh

f4mmc.org · 15

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Photo: Media Services

Putting Life in Perspective The Women’s Health Philanthropy Council’s VIP reception, sponsored by JP Morgan, was all abuzz last May when Today co-host Hoda Kotb dropped by to mingle and sign copies of her just-released book, Ten Years Later.

Afterward, the Malcolm Forbes Amphitheater drew a capacity crowd for this year’s women’s health event as Ms. Kotb, a breast cancer survivor, shared from her book true life stories of tragedy to triumph. The event was sponsored

by Cardiology, the Center for Well Being, Executive Health, Oncology, Rippel Breast Center, Sports Health and Women’s Services.

“We’ve all wondered about a ‘what will happen if I…’ and wished for time’s guidance,” says Ms. Kotb. “We want time to say to us that we have made the right decision, before we even embark on the journey.”

This concept of pondering the what-ifs in her own life spurred her idea for a book: “What if I asked other people to take a look back at their greatest challenges after a decade’s worth of perspective?” says Ms. Kotb. “The days, months and years eventually reveal a clear picture of how significant events and decisions ultimately shape our lives.”

To opt out of receiving this communication and all others from the Foundation, please contact us at f4mmc@atlantichealth.org or 973-593-2400.

Luncheon Garners $70,000 for Women’s Health Clinic With a steady increase in patients over the years, the Women’s Health Clinic has a list of needs that also continues to grow. The clinic provides high-quality comprehensive care for Morris County women in dire economic circumstances or who lack adequate health insurance.

At a recent luncheon and tour of the clinic hosted

by Women’s Health Philanthropy Committee members Shari Bunks Geller and Mary Ann Storms, a group of 10 donors and friends of the hospital donated $70,000 to help with staffing needs, equipment, specialty medications, community outreach and nursing education.

“We work hard to make sure our patients receive the same care here as they would at a private practice,” says Clinical Coordinator Joanne Strauss, RN. “Donations keep our clinic furnished with the very best equipment and technology available.”

For more information or to make a contribution to the Women’s Health Clinic, please contact Mary Ellen Graf, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2405 or maryellen.graf@atlantichealth.org.

Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Layout and design: Susan Falcone, Envoi Design

The Foundation for Morristown Medical Center is a nonprofit public foundation whose mission is to inspire community philanthropy to advance exceptional health care for patients at Morristown Medical Center. Our objective is to utilize philanthropy to preserve and expand the hospital’s programs and services in direct patient care, clinical research, medical and public health education and preventive medicine.

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