Winter 2016 by Foundation for Morristown Medical Center

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WINTER 2016

CalendarofEvents For upcoming events, log on to f4mmc.org and select News & Events

MMC turns 125 in 2017 If you have artifacts, communications, or stories from times gone by, we’re interested! Please email regi.diverio@atlantichealth.org

TO COMFORT ALWAYS The main lobby of Morristown Medical Center overflowed with good cheer, October 27, 2015, as 150 supporters of the Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center celebrated its dedication on Simon 3. Finn Wentworth, chairman of Campaign 3SIXTY, served as emcee for the evening’s speaking program, which included Interim President Trish O’Keefe speaking about the growth of palliative care and hospice at Morristown; former Medical Director Dr. Karen Knops recalling how Nancy Weinstein championed the center’s creation early on; the Weinsteins explaining why the center carries such meaning for them and state Senator Anthony Bucco presenting a resolution that paid tribute to the Weinsteins and the hospital. Tours of the 11-bed unit followed.

The Weinstein family at the ribbon cutting and (l-r) Women’s Association President Mary Courtemanche with 2012 Mansion in May co-chairs Dannette Merchant and Nathalie Dennis, whose event raised $1.25M for the center

Becky Bedrosian

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Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Layout: 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 use 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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THE MAGIC OF MUSIC, ART, TOUCH, SUPPORT, LOVE AND LAUGHTER IN HELPING PATIENTS HEAL PG 4 also inside: Cardiology and Oncology’s Smart Partnership | ED Ambassadors | Patient Rights and a Trusted Network of Caring™

UPDATE: FUNDS RAISED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015 TOTAL: $105.5 million

geriatric medicine

BREAK-OUT (funding needs)

$1,146,000 Integrative Medicine $1,037,000 Pediatrics $142,000 Geriatrics

Every eight seconds someone is turning 65. Current Landscape: The senior population is exploding and expected to jump from 12 to 20 percent nationwide by 2030. The elderly will soon make up almost 30 percent of the community in Morris County. As America ages at this unprecedented rate, the demand grows for doctors, health care professionals and facilities that can add quality to those longer lives.

Gang Green for Goryeb A NEW CARDIO-ONCOLOGY PROGRAM While many cancer patients are now more likely to survive well into their advanced years than in past decades, they also have endured radiation and chemotherapy treatments that have the potential to cause irreversible heart damage, with fatal side effects. The good news is that advanced cardiac imaging (echocardiography) can detect early warning signs and circumvent severe and life-threatening heart damage. This technology is available to patients through the CardioOncology Program, formed through a partnership between Cardiovascular Medicine and Oncology. This program monitors patients before, during and after treatment, particularly the elderly and those being treated for breast cancer and lymphoma since these populations have a greater risk of incurring heart-related damage than others. More than $170,000 has been raised toward the $300,000 goal for equipment and staffing needs since the program opened last spring. To offer your support, please contact Director of Major Gifts Hyona Revere at 973-593-2429 or hyona.revere@atlantichealth.org.

Swinging a club instead of throwing a football proved just as rewarding for former Jets players last August at the 2015 New York Jets Golf Classic because helping kids is a cause they can all huddle around. Legendary Jets coach and sports analyst Louis “Lou” Holtz greeted many of the 108 participants as proceeds reached more than $65,000 for Goryeb Children’s Hospital. The funds will go toward the expansions of the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the inpatient unit and pediatric oncology services Pictured above: Jets commentator Bob Wischusen, interim hospital President Trish O’Keefe and Pediatrics Chairman Dr. Walter Rosenfeld

KEYS TO HEALTH Marianne Ehinger lives, eats and breathes the tenets of good health so it’s no wonder that the hospital’s priorities in this area resonate so deeply with her. It’s also the reason she and her husband, Tony, made a $150,000 gift to the Chambers Center for Well Being. Their gift is recognized in the new demonstration kitchen at the Chambers Center, where healthy cooking classes and other nutrition and healthy lifestyle events are held.

The 360° Solution:

Mrs. Ehinger, a new Foundation trustee and member of the Women’s Health Philanthropy Council, has also supported the council’s fundraising efforts for the hospital’s inpatient integrative medicine program.

As part of Campaign 3SIXTY, we are raising funds to improve quality of life for the senior members of our community. To begin, we’ve established the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging, a virtual center that takes a multi-faceted approach to assist our aging community. It includes the following:

“All of this work is right up my alley,” says the Harding Township resident, who has practiced meditation, healthy eating and other mind-body practices for more than a decade. “I’ve always been interested in nutrition and have been juicing for a very long time too.”

Geriatric Assessment Center Here, seniors and their caregivers find comprehensive physical, neurological and cognitive evaluations, a medication consultation, and guidance with long- and short-term healthy aging planning. Working as a team, a physician, nurse practitioner, and social worker help patients and caregivers with needed resources and options. The Medicines Company Geriatric Emergency Department On average, 53 elderly patients come into our ED every day. They often require a longer length of stay and specialized care. In our Geriatric ED we offer a standardized approach with proper protocols for geriatric patients. All front-line professionals are trained on core geriatric standards of care.

The Transformation: The Powell Center for Healthy Aging offers an invaluable resource to our aging population and their loved ones. It provides comprehensive assessment and evaluation, better coordination of care, increased clinical trial opportunities, a decrease in frequent hospital re-admissions, and specially trained physicians in the field. Most of all, it allows our seniors to maintain their dignity and improve their quality of life.

Your Role: Our funding goal of $2.31 million is nearly complete, with estimated remaining costs of $142,000. With your help, we can bring this worthy campaign to a close. DONATE NOW: f4mmc.org

The new kitchen is the cornerstone of the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease and the Lifestyle Change Program, both of which teach participants the basics of how to prepare healthy foods for optimal health. “Everyone is responsible for their own health, and I believe there are a lot of things people can do for themselves once they become educated,” says Mrs. Ehinger.

D. Becker Photography

Q&A with Robert Masci, MD Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and Carol G. Simon Cancer Center have recently created the Cardio-Oncology Program, led by Medical Director Robert Masci, which helps patients maintain optimal heart health during and after cancer treatment. Q: This field was founded only 10 years ago; why not earlier?

Q: W hat are some of the heart problems that can occur after cancer treatment?

Q: H ow are these at-risk patients cared for differently during their cancer treatments?

A: B ecause of major advancements in cancer

A: T he most common cardiovascular problem

A: F irst, the patients we identify as at-risk need

treatment in the last two decades, there

is a weakening of the heart, which leads

a more comprehensive surveillance of their

has been a tremendous influx of long-term

to congestive heart failure and radiation-

condition to spot the first signs of cardiovas-

cancer survivors into the health care system.

induced coronary artery disease. Certain

cular disease. Second, any previously existing

By 2020, there will be roughly 18 million

types of chemotherapy can also cause high

cardiovascular disease must be optimally

patients who fit this category, but this comes

blood pressure, which in some cases can

treated, and third, their diet and lifestyle

with a downside. Some of the most effective

be very hard to control. An increased risk of

plans need to be modified to prevent further

cancer treatments can unfortunately leave

blood clots in the legs and lungs is common

risk factors from cropping up. Advanced

patients with significant damage to their

as well as a narrowing of the arteries (known

diagnostic testing (echocardiography)

hearts, which led to the discovery of this

as peripheral arterial disease) that compro-

and medication management also help to

fairly new field of study.

mises proper blood flow.

enhance quality of life and improve longevity.

Q: Are there certain pre-existing conditions that

Q: Are there certain patient populations who are

exacerbate cardiovascular disease during

more at-risk than others for developing heart

cancer treatment?

disease after cancer treatment?

A: T here are a number of conditions that can

A: Y es, the top three at-risk patient groups are

escalate the likelihood of developing heart-

(1) breast cancer patients who receive the

related problems after chemotherapy, such

chemotherapy medicines Herceptin and

as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol,

Adriamycin; (2) Hodgkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease survivors

obesity, or a history of smoking, coronary

who were treated with high doses of radia-

heart disease, metabolic syndrome or a family

tion and chemotherapy treatments; (3) older

history of heart disease.

patients who, in general, are more likely to have underlying cardiovascular disease. f4mmc.org | Viewpoint

OUR HEALING CULTURE healing /hee•ling/ noun: The process of becoming sound or healthy again. culture /kuhl•cher/ noun: The sum of beliefs that distinguishes one group of people from another. When Morristown Medical Center added these two words in 2009 to the end of its mission statement – ‘Deliver high-quality, safe, affordable patient care within a healing culture’ – they put a name to a model of care that, in the last 20 years, has gone beyond the administering of scans, needles and pain medications and has taken into consideration healing for the mind and spirit. So when a patient walks into the hospital today, they may be soothed by the strumming of a guitar while waiting for immediate care in the Sameth Emergency Department, or benefit from the calming effects of a massage after giving birth, or even feel more balanced after creating a piece of artwork that has helped them process a traumatic event. These “extra” services also include engaging in meaningful conversation and brainstimulating exercises to ward off delirium (the HELP program); receiving guidance through an increasingly complex medical system (Nurse Navigation); having a friendly encounter with a dog while waiting for a family member in surgery (Soothing Paws® Pet Therapy); attending a support group if you’ve conquered cancer (Survivorship Program); losing yourself in the art of play or learning how to talk to your child about a loved one’s death (Child Life). All of these experiences build upon what has been proven time and time again: music, art, touch, support, love and laughter all dramatically improve the healing process and have made Morristown Medical Center’s healing culture a palpable reality for patients, staff and caregivers alike. Lois Myers, an ovarian cancer survivor, believes she is still alive because of her 4 Focus On | f4mmc.org

experiences with the hospital’s Integrative Medicine Program in Oncology. Ms. Myers took advantage of massage, Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Healing through Writing workshops, art therapy and pet therapy and was told by her attending physician, Steven Papish, MD, medical director of the Simon Cancer Center, that “a dose of Jean Marie is better than a dose of chemotherapy.” Dr. Papish was referring to Jean Marie Rosone, LCSW, coordinator of Integrative Oncology at the Simon Center. “I believe I am still here because of Jean’s tender care and also because every time I returned for additional treatments something new had been added to the integrative mix,” says Ms. Myers. That integrative mix extends throughout the entire hospital system, including outpatient services offered at the Chambers Center for Well Being, such as qi gong, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, stress reduction sessions and wellness coaching, among others. As impressive as the variety of offerings is the support that comes from philanthropy. Lead donors* include Gar-Wood Burwell; Annette and Mitch Eichen; the Foley family; The Frelinghuysen Foundation; Ronnie Goldberg; Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey; Robert and Barbara Luciano; Quest Diagnostics Foundation, Inc.; Les and Eileen Quick; The Valerie Fund; Terry Vega; The Jeffrey Frank Wacks Memorial Fund; Walls Trust; The Louise Washington Trust; and Nancy and Skippy Weinstein. These donor dollars and gifts from countless others in the community have translated into life-changing patient experiences, like Sona Shornden’s. Ms. Shornden took advantage of the Jeffrey Frank Wacks Music Therapy Program, which has provided more than $1 million in complimentary music therapy services for patients and caregivers dealing with cancer. Ms. Shornden practiced Healing through Drumming and attended music therapy sessions with Leah Oswanski, LPC, coordinator of the Wacks program. “Music therapy brought me to a state of mind and body that decreased my stress levels and allowed my treatments to really

sink in,” says Ms. Shornden, a three-time cancer survivor. A recent study conducted by the Inpatient Integrative Medicine (IM) department confirmed findings similar to Ms. Shornden’s experience. Patients in the Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units (ICU) who participated in IM sessions reported lower anxiety and pain levels than patients not using these treatments. “IM services are crucial in providing care to the whole person, including their physical, emotional and spiritual components,” says Kristin Ospina, RN, ICU nurse manager. IM techniques, such as Jin Shin Jyutsu, also help patients in the Deskovick Maternity Center. “It is quite amazing to witness how much these sessions help laboring women with anxiety and the discomfort associated with child birth,” says Jody Flegal, an IM practitioner at the hospital. Even after leaving the hospital, a patient can still find the hospital’s healing culture as a touchstone in the larger community. The Healing Arts Program opened a Creative Open Studio to the public last fall at Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute and holds Paint Your Pain workshops, among its offerings. “Unlike most commercial studios, our studio is about healing and ways to explore, grow and create in a community setting,” says Maria Lupo, registered art therapist and healing arts manager. Seventy-six-year-old workshop attendee Michael Fenton is a devout believer in the therapeutic benefits of painting. “I’ve found that doing art, in general, has tremendous mental benefits, not just in dealing with physical pain, but in dealing with the stress of life, of aging, of coping with my spouse’s recovery issues.” As he leaves the workshop, the spring in his step and the smile on his face tell the lasting results of Morristown’s healing culture, come full circle.

*Referring to donors of $100,000 or more

“ IM services are crucial in providing

care to the whole person, including their physical, emotional and spiritual components.” –Kristin Ospina, RN

M ICHAE L CZAJ KOWS K I AN D LU I S G UTI E R R E Z

“ The ED setting cannot be taught or experienced in the classroom. Every day is a new experience.” – Michael Czajkowski There are several reasons Michael Czajkowski and Luis Gutierrez are rising stars in the new Ambassadors Program in the Sameth Emergency Department (ED). For one, they make patients feel like they are the only ones who matter in the world. For another, through casual conversation, they get people’s minds off of where they are and what they may be facing medically.

Although interactions such as these may go overlooked, they reflect the very foundation of family-centered care, a key objective for the ED and for Morristown Medical Center as a whole.

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“I remember a recent trauma victim; everyone was doing everything possible to save this young person’s life,” says the 31-year-old Mr. Gutierrez, a nursing major at County College of Morris who is planning to graduate this spring. “I saw the mother standing alone, so I immediately went over to her and held her hand. She squeezed mine, and I reassured her that her child’s needs would be met to the fullest.”

Luis Gutierrez and Michael Czajkowski

Another patient was able to escape the terror of his circumstances, if only for a moment, when Mr. Czajkowski engaged him in a lively conversation about, of all things, horses. “Although I rarely talk about horses, it seemed to help him forget where he was,” says Mr. Czajkowski, who volunteers three days a week, receiving college credit from Rutgers at the completion of 160 hours.

for six months and work a minimum of one four-hour shift per week. “They offer smiles, distribute warm blankets, help friends and family navigate the ED and provide assistance with meals,” says Julie Sarinelli, RN, clinical coordinator for the ED. But what the program gives back to its volunteers may be far more than the tasks they are asked to perform.

These seemingly small gestures, the very building blocks of the program, are being lauded as part of the reason why patient satisfaction ratings in the ED are the highest in 15 years.

“A front row seat on all of the action involved in ED work is priceless,” says Ms. Sarinelli. “It helps them to decide if they want to pursue a job in this field or not.”

Launched in January 2015, the program was designed to have an extra set of hands on deck for nurses and doctors in the ED, to improve patient flow and to create a more positive patient experience.

Mr. Czajkowski agrees: “The ED setting cannot be taught or experienced in the classroom. Every day is a new experience.”

Currently, there are 37-45 volunteers, mainly college students looking to pursue careers in health care, who enter the program

6 Portrait | f4mmc.org

For Mr. Gutierrez, his involvement here has confirmed a life-long dream: “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse and work with people who are vulnerable because of illness; now I know, without a doubt, that my passion lies in pursuing emergency medicine.”

Sal Benedetto

360 LEADERS On September 10, 2015, Clive and Cynthia Meanwell (pictured) opened their stunning Bernardsville home to fellow Campaign 3SIXTY leaders and to Atlantic Health System CEO Brian Gragnolati and his wife Donna. The Foundation took the opportunity to thank one and all and show them how their generosity has already benefited patients. The program included testimonial speaker Suzanne Herrmann (see her Spotlight on page 14).

CAMPAIGN PARTNERS Sal Benedetto

On November 11, 2015, the Campaign 3SIXTY Executive Committee and the Foundation thanked key hospital partners—physicians, nurses and administrators— who helped educate potential donors on campaign projects and helped close a number of gifts. Over 60 people attended the event in the Rathskeller at Morristown’s Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen.

FORUM ON INNOVATION

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Fifty donors turned out for MMC MedTalks, September 30, 2015, at the Morris County Golf Club, rotating among six presenters to learn about newer technologies available to patients. These included a software tool that analyzes movement with a 3D avatar, the world’s smallest pacemaker, a Bioness Arm that delivers electrical stimulation to increase muscle function and strength, and a Vgo robot.

Dr. Greg Mulford and occupational therapists Christine Bevensee and Nellaney O’Brien demonstrate the Bioness Arm to Dorothy Hecht, Linda and Dr. Felix Schletter, and Julia Goldman

Interacting remotely with a pediatric patient, Joann Spera showcases the Vgo robot for Paul and Monique Louie and John Fei (seated)

Happenings | f4mmc.org

gaining

GROUND

The late Emil Bisaccia, MD, spent much of his life helping patients who were told by others that there were no other options left. A recent $731,000 gift from the Support of Light Activated Research Foundation, Inc. (SOLAR), to the

So much research came out of his department and now continuing this research

Photopheresis Center will allow Dr. Bisaccia’s lifework and legacy to continue. The gift names the Emil P. Bisaccia, MD, Center for Photopheresis, a program that began in 1988 by Dr. Bisaccia who was medical director and chief of dermatology at the hospital. The center will now be able to relocate and expand into a 2,350-square-foot space on the Morristown Medical Center campus. Dr. Bisaccia broke new ground when HIV patients began responding positively to photopheresis, a treatment using ultraviolet light to prevent diseased cells from reproducing. People suffering with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma also benefitted from these treatments, and they continue to be the program’s largest patient base. “He was constantly challenging himself to find answers that went beyond what the textbooks stated,” says John D. Fanburg, Esq., president of SOLAR and close friend of the late physician. “So much research came out of his department and now continuing this research into new areas will be limitless.”

into new areas

8 News | f4mmc.org

Becky Bedrosian

will be limitless.

(inset) the late Dr. Emil Bisaccia. Daughter-in-law Megan, son Adam, wife Teresa and son Devon Bisaccia and John Fanburg.

New f4mmc trustees

Elizabeth A. Clemente, DDS, chair, Department of Dentistry, Morristown Medical Center Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

Marianne Ehinger, philanthropist and community volunteer

forward

thinking

Brian Gragnolati, president and CEO of Atlantic Health System, weighs in on

James P. Slater, MD, surgical director, Mechanical Circulatory Support, Morristown Medical Center

the future of health care at AHS hospitals. On Health Care and Patient Rights: Many people say that health care in New Jersey is different, and it is different. It’s also consolidating at a rapid pace, which is interesting. I don’t think it’s right, but it’s interesting. New Jersey is a very competitive market, sometimes for the wrong reasons. With our competitors, I’m not hearing enough about great care. I’m not hearing enough about access. I’m not hearing enough about quality. What really needs to be discussed in the industry is not our profit margin or size but rather how to best provide patients with the right care and quality, at the right time, right place and right cost. These basic patient rights should be our priority instead of how many hospitals we are going to acquire or how big we are going to get. On Being a Trusted Network of Caring™:

Robert Tafaro, president and CEO, GAF

Mary Anne Wood, philanthropist and community volunteer Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

We need to instill a sense of trust in every patient who walks through our doors. Patients need to be confident when they connect into our organization that they will be treated consistently. Physicians, nurses and staff must anticipate what patients need and, above all, focus on their wellness. To achieve this, we need to focus on a triple aim: delivering better and safer care to individuals, working with our communities to improve their health, and driving down costs. On Delivery of Care: Moving away from volume-based to value-based care is our biggest challenge. It will take time to shift the mindset away from what our competitors see as a race. It’s not about who gets the most wins. Instead, we need to invest in research and academics. This will drive excellence and add value to every interaction our patients have with us. Academics keeps everybody sharp, and research gives everybody opportunity. Most of all, it builds a foundation that fosters high-caliber care that we can extend to our patients and our community. Ultimately, this is what we want to be known for.

Emeritus J. Peter Simon, co-founder and co-chairman, William E. Simon & Sons Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

f4mmc.org

| News

MORE FOR YOUR MONEY Shop ‘til you drop took on new meaning with women of the Chatham Twig at their 5th anniversary celebrations last fall. Members and their friends had purchases pile high during fundraisers with Stella & Dot, Macy’s and Vineyard Vines, all to benefit Goryeb Children’s Hospital.

Capehart Photography

More than $1,800 in proceeds helped this branch of the Women’s Association purchase a snack cart that they will stock with a variety of snacks for one year and wheel around the pediatric unit for parents and caregivers to enjoy. Funds will also go toward the purchase of 1,300 sleep sacs for babies in Sam’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Ruth and Ed Hennessy

strong ROOTS KINDNESS COUNTS It is in our difficult moments that the kindness of others resonates most deeply. That kindness is what Bob Iovino remembers clearly about his visits here accompanying his wife, Marcia, who was being treated at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center. His recent gifts to the Cancer Center of Excellence Fund are small tokens of thankfulness, made in loving memory of his wife, who passed last June. “By our second visit, we noticed that the love and attention was not by chance, and it was not just one person; it was all of you,” says the 63-yearold East Hanover resident. “We knew this was a place where we could feel safe, protected and cared for.” Pictured: Marcia and Bob Iovino

News | f4mmc.org

Although mainly living in Florida, Ed and Ruth Hennessy still spend time at their Morristown residence and feel connected to the hospital for many reasons, which made it all the easier for them to choose our Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) as the recipient of a $1 million bequest from their estate. “My wife was hospitalized here in Florida and experienced a lot of confusion due to her age and the severity of her reason for being there,” says the 87-year-old Palm Beach resident. “When she got out of the hospital, she had forgotten how to walk and had to learn all over again.” The HELP program at Morristown Medical Center helps elderly patients like Mrs. Hennessy by engaging them in meaningful conversation and brain-stimulating exercises to ward off delirium, forgetfulness and other symptoms. “I was closely associated with the hospital for years since I was CEO of AlliedSignal and my 3,200 employees were pretty much all serviced there,” says Mr. Hennessy. “Morristown is still our home in many ways.”

A STUDY IN GIVING

BUILDING BLOCKS OF CARE

Their latest footnote: a $200,000 gift to Campaign 3SIXTY for the new 24-bed Head Family Inpatient Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Center. With this latest contribution, Mr. and Mrs. Hawn became members of the Washington Partners Society, a gift club at the Foundation that recognizes donors who give $1 million or more in their lifetime. Mr. Hawn, a former Foundation Board trustee, grew up in a medical family and, while he has never been a patient here, sees the significance of supporting the hospital: “We give what we hope are useful amounts of financial support with the desire that others will do the same when they can.”

THE MEDICINE OF MUSIC Alix Weisz began singing and playing the harp in her youth and now uses these talents, along with extensive schooling in the medical components of music thanatology, to care for patients in their last hours, or in the months leading up to them.

Louis Brusco, Jr., MD, chief medical officer at Morristown Medical Center, has seen a clear difference in hospitals that have a strong philanthropic base and those that don’t. It’s why he whole-heartedly supported Campaign 3SIXTY with a major gift to be used where it’s needed most. “Hospitals that raise money through philanthropy are better able to care for their patients,” says Dr. Brusco. As a physician, he also feels that it is part of his responsibility to give back. “If you have committed to being a physician here, you have committed to giving your patients the best possible care,” he says. “Physicians can help achieve this in many ways, and one way is through philanthropy.” Shelley Kusnetz

What does it mean to be a loyal philanthropist? A textbook definition could easily read: Gates and Mary Ellen Hawn, a couple rallying behind every campaign for the last 25 years, even while living part-time in Arizona.

With a recent $25,000 grant from the Foundation, this palliative medical modality will now reach more patients than ever before at the Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center.

Dr. Louis Brusco

Ms. Weisz begins by noting the patient’s pulse, vital signs and temperature of his or her hands and head.

BASKET BOUNTY

“I breathe with the patient and observe them,” she says. “This is when I get an idea of what melody, rhythm and harmony to begin with.” In prescriptive music, there is a relationship between melody and the nervous system, explains Ms. Weisz: “A patient may fall asleep or the body may cool. Many times, family members will also visibly relax. It helps everyone process the passage that is taking place.”

They are Morristown Medical Center employees by day, and foodies, techies, fitness enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs by night. And they got the chance to win merchandise that delighted their alter egos at the 10th Annual Employee Basket Raffle, co-chaired by Conny Beam, RN, and Lorin Mooney, RN, this past October. They came in droves throughout the day as tickets piled high alongside 161 baskets containing items such as mini iPads, Fitbits, wine and champagne, gift cards to local restaurants, bracelets, teeth whitening agents, thanksgiving dinners, flat screen television sets, and more.

Shelley Kusnetz

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Profits of $13,734 were matched by the Foundation for a total of $27,468. All proceeds this year benefited the Head Family Inpatient Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Center.

Conny Beam, RN with Dr. Tom Zaubler, whose center was the raffle beneficiary

f4mmc.org | News Alix Weisz

Shelley Kusnetz

angels AMONG US THE DONOR NEXT DOOR Kathryn Kimber likes to give her time and money to causes nearby, which puts Morristown Medical Center at the center of her radar. That’s why she didn’t think twice about giving generously toward the new nurse navigator position at the Women’s Cancer Center, now held by Karen DeRenzi, RN. Nurse navigators guide patients through the many responsibilities a cancer diagnosis brings, helping to schedule appointments, file insurance claims and coordinate transportation back and forth from the hospital. “Giving locally has a ripple effect on my community,” says the Far Hills resident and former patient who appreciated the care she received at the hospital. Pictured: Karen DeRenzi, RN, and patient Maryann Webb

Raising more than $3,000 for the Cardio-Oncology Program isn’t something Jayne Traurig, RN, enjoys having written into her happily-ever-after story, but she cherishes the fact that these donations are in memory of her late husband. Their story began when Ms. Traurig, a nurse at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, cared for Guy Della Torre after his triple bypass surgery in 1999. Mr. Della Torre told everyone that, when he woke up from surgery, he saw an angel who three years later became his wife. “He told me after surgery that he felt a connection between us and that he really liked me,” says Ms. Traurig. Mr. Della Torre passed away last spring from valve damage incurred after radiation and chemotherapy treatments from his battle with cancer. In turn, Ms. Traurig launched the Guy Della Torre Memorial Fund for Cardio-Oncology, which helps monitor cancer patients with compromising heart issues by using advanced cardiac ultrasound imaging (echocardiography) and by stressing an adherence to certain types of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

CANCER CRUSADER Rama Chatrathi didn’t have to look far for the strength to survive breast cancer because her husband and son were her biggest cheerleaders. Her 13-year-old son, Krishant Putrevu, even took it a step further when he raised $300 for Carol G. Simon Cancer Center in her honor. “After seeing my mom go through a great ordeal for an entire year, I decided to help other cancer patients in need,” says the 8th grade Central Middle School student from Parsippany. Krishant made pink ribbon pins at home and set up a Breast Cancer Awareness table at a local event, selling the pins for $2 each. “I plan to continue my fundraising efforts every year,” he says. Pictured: Krishant Putrevu flanked by his parents, Jai Putrevu and Rama Chatrathi

12 News | f4mmc.org Jayne Traurig and Guy Della Torre

MEANINGFUL MEASURES

A HEALTHY START Becky Bedrosian

Alba Rodriquez Vidal wanted to give her baby the best start in life and, thanks to the Prenatal Obesity Program at the Women’s Health Clinic, she did just that. Her son Mauricio was born at a healthy 8 pounds 2 ounces. Quest Diagnostics, Inc., the George Ohl Foundation and a Foundation for Morristown Medical Center mini-grant contributed $40,000 to this program, now in its second year, which strives to curb the alarming rate of unhealthy prenatal weight gain among underserved women and its connection to obesity in their children.

Alba Rodriquez Vidal and son Mauricio

Ilissa Howard and her husband, Greg Austin, are very happy to give $25,000 from the Howard Family Foundation to Sam’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) because this place felt like home at a time when they needed it most. Expecting twin boys, Rocky and Rhys, they found themselves unexpectedly in New Jersey away from their home in Hong Kong when they had to go to the NICU for help. “All of the NICU staff, from the cleaning ladies to Dr. [Gaines] Mimms always had time for us,” says Ms. Howard. “Unfortunately Rocky passed away in the NICU,” she says. “But we treasured our time with him and now every day we have with his beautiful brother, Rhys.”

Individual health assessments, psychosocial counseling and behavior modification are offered as participants focus on nutrition, exercise, water intake and reduced television and computer screen time.

“They called me every week to check that I was staying on track,” says Mrs. Vidal, who began the program when she was four weeks pregnant. “They also talked to me about breastfeeding and why it’s a good option for my child.”

Greg Austin, Ilissa Howard and son Rhys

#UNPROMPTEDGENEROSITY

A GIFT TO GIVE A lump sum of $100,000 from her father Francis Carey’s IRA was a generous gift for Frances MacMaster to receive, but his directive to donate it to a charity she felt passionate about made it all the more valuable to her. There was no doubt for Mrs. MacMaster that the lucky recipient would be Goryeb Children’s Hospital. “We have a long history with the pediatric department,” says the Madison resident, whose four children have used various services, including the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Gagnon Pediatric Emergency Department (ED), while growing up nearby.

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be what employees talk about around the water cooler after Thanksgiving, there is another event on the first Tuesday of December that has people snapping photos and emptying their wallets. On #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving now in its fourth year, the hospital gained $1,700 through online giving and employee payroll deduction. At a photo booth set up in the hospital’s Motown Café, employees took ‘selfless selfies’ telling why they give.

The gift will go toward renovation of the pediatric ED, including refurbishment of the lobby area, and the construction of safe rooms specifically geared to help children with autism or emotional and psychological needs when they come into the hospital for treatment. “I feel so blessed that this facility is in our backyard,” says Mrs. MacMaster. “I would drive un-ending miles to a place like this.”

Employee Dolly Mabin

f4mmc.org

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SPOTLIGHT ON the Geriatric Assessment Center Frank and Suzanne’s Story “I know my memory is gone, but if I can help anyone, please tell my story.” Frank Herrmann, known to one and all as a brilliant chemical engineer, an exuberant swimmer and a New York Times crossword aficionado, began grappling with memory loss and other challenges seven years ago. He and his wife, Suzanne, tried to ignore it, but as Suzanne says, “Dementia only goes in one direction.” Today, her husband of 27 years finds himself challenged by tasks we do without thinking – turning up the heat, changing light bulbs. And Suzanne, a social worker in private practice, is his primary caregiver. Both have found resources at the Geriatric Assessment Center that changed their life. The center, part of the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging, takes a broad integrative approach.

Becky Bedrosian

“They look at the total person,” Suzanne says. “My needs were more psychological, Frank’s more physical. For both of us, quality of life is the emphasis. It has made all the difference.”

Suzanne and Frank Herrmann

UPDATE: FUNDS RAISED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015 TOTAL: $105.5 million

geriatric medicine

BREAK-OUT (funding needs)

$1,146,000 Integrative Medicine $1,037,000 Pediatrics $142,000 Geriatrics

The 360° Solution:

Your Role: Our funding goal of $2.31 million is nearly complete, with estimated remaining costs of $142,000. With your help, we can bring this worthy campaign to a close. DONATE NOW: f4mmc.org

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WINTER 2016

CalendarofEvents For upcoming events, log on to f4mmc.org and select News & Events

MMC turns 125 in 2017 If you have artifacts, communications, or stories from times gone by, we’re interested! Please email regi.diverio@atlantichealth.org

Becky Bedrosian

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

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