Dear Friends, I find it hard to believe, but it’s been a year as of June 1 since I assumed the role as president and chief executive officer at Good Shepherd. I felt then and still do that my move here is one of the best decisions I’ve made. My family and I love living in the Lehigh Valley and it didn’t take long to feel like home. And my work here has been immensely fulfilling on so many levels from getting to know our incredible staff, residents and volunteers, to meeting our donors and getting personally acquainted. There’s another milestone date coming up and that’s in July when we mark the five-year anniversary of the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem. Since opening, the unit has cared for almost 500 children, some coming from as far away as Wyoming. It’s an extraordinary resource right here at home and I feel great pride whenever I talk to a parent whose child has been helped by our caregivers. But nothing I say can top the story of Johnny Webb, featured in this issue. Johnny was a micro-preemie, born at 27 weeks. He came to us, incredibly fragile and medically-complex, and after five months left happier, healthier, and stronger. Thank you to his parents, Tara and Chris Webb, who shared Johnny’s story in a video featured at our Gala in the Garden benefit held May 31 benefiting the pediatric unit. It is a story that is both heart breaking and uplifting. You can see it for yourself on the SweetCharityOnline web site and on the SweetCharityOnline Facebook page. Thank you too, to all those who have placed their faith in us these last five years — the parents, for giving us the opportunity to help their children and you, the donors, whose gifts sustain our mission. Last, but certainly not least, thank to our staff, whose unflagging dedication makes miracles happen every day.
Sincerely,
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John Kristel, MBA,MPT President & CEO
COVER STORY
A Warrior’s Story
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Features
Rick’s Mission...................................... 8 A brain tumor nearly claimed his life, but with support from his family and outstanding care from Good Shepherd’s Pocono team of caregivers, Rick Franzo is living life with gusto and gratitude.
On the cover: Chris, Johnny and Tara Webb Cover photograph: Randy Monceaux
IN THIS ISSUE That’s Amore............................12 It was all about love at this year’s Raker resident ball where an evening out and about had everyone looking and feeling glamorous.
20th Annual Sporting Clays............. 19
Gala in the Garden.................................10 More than 450 people came together and gave from the heart, making the 2014 gala the most successful yet – and it all benefits the children.
Honoring the Best of the Best .....................14 Good Shepherd’s first nursing awards recognized extraordinary caregivers doing extraordinary things.
Back in the Game..................................16 Young Maurice Minnifield suffered a severe leg injury after being hit by car, but an upbeat spirit and Good Shepherd have him back in action.
Johnny Webb was born at only 27 weeks. After five months in the neonatal intensive care unit, Johnny came to the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit where he went from surviving to thriving.
This annual event marked two milestones by raising the most money ever in its 20 years, thanks to many faithful friends.
Giving Back............................ 20 — Eugene Anderson, R.N. Gifts of Love........................... 22 Follow Sweet Charity on Facebook! facebook.com/sweetcharityonline
OUR MISSION Motivated by the divine Good Shepherd and the physical and cognitive rehabilitation needs of our communities, GoodShepherdRehab.org
1-888-44-REHAB
our mission is to enhance lives, maximize function, inspire hope, and promote dignity and well-being with expertise and compassion. 3
Clockwise from top: Tara couldn’t hold Johnny for the first week and a half of his life. Johnny struggled for every breath in the NICU.
hen Tara Webb learned in the summer of 2012 she was pregnant, the 35-year old mother of three was overjoyed. Her husband, Chris, was equally thrilled, and the couple began planning for the newest addition to their young family. It was going to be a boy. They named him Johnny. What happened next plunged them into a heart-breaking saga that would test Tara’s fortitude, that of her unborn child, and the couple’s ability to cope with an unimaginable situation. It also brought them to the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem where love and clinical expertise helped both mother and child heal. Tara was 20 weeks into a normal 39- to 40-week pregnancy, when she began losing large amounts of amniotic fluid so essential to sustaining her baby’s life. In a panic, Chris rushed her to the hospital where she was admitted. 4
“Basically, there was nothing they could do,” says Tara. “The put me on some antibiotics and told me to, ‘Cross your fingers, cross your legs and pray that nothing happens.” After 48 hours, Tara and the baby were stable enough to be discharged. Outside, Hurricane Sandy was wreaking havoc. Tara arrived to a house without electricity. Chris rigged up a generator to provide a minimum of power but as a police officer for the City of Easton working the night shift and a fulltime college student, he couldn’t stay home as much as he would have liked. “I’m at home, on bed rest with three kids, trying to hold down the fort,” says Tara. “I felt like I was held hostage. I was afraid to move and lose more fluid so I took a shower once a week and had to eat lying down.” Every day that Johnny remained alive and inside Tara was a victory. Tara was petrified she’d lose the baby. But Johnny wasn’t
giving up without a fight. “When Johnny started kicking, I started sobbing and crying,” says Tara. “It was like he was saying, ‘Don’t worry mom. I got this.’” At about 26 weeks, Tara lost even more amniotic fluid. She was rushed back to St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem and admitted on December 6. She managed to hold on to Johnny for another few days until suddenly Johnny’s heart rate plummeted and it became apparent that he was in distress. “I knew it was time,” says Tara. “I pretty much had no fluid at this point.” Johnny was delivered by cesarean section on December 11, 2012. Even then, his warrior’s spirit was showing. “He wrapped himself around his umbilical cord and he wouldn’t let go,” says Tara. Johnny had made it to a critical 27 weeks, increasing his chance of survival. But at 1 pound, 11 ounces and 13 inches long, Johnny’s fight in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St. Luke’s was just beginning; and so was his mother’s. Johnny was so
medically fragile, neither Tara nor Chris could hold him for the first week and a half of his life. Emotionally, Tara was afraid to get too attached to this tiny creature that fit in both her cupped hands. Johnny’s paper-thin skin was so transparent his veins and tiny ribs were visible. His coloration was abnormally red and a fine coating of blond hair covered his body. Technology, along with exceptional nursing care, was keeping Johnny alive. He required a feeding tube and help breathing with continuous positive airway pressure known as CPAP, a treatment that uses mild air pressure to keep the airways open. “I didn’t understand how a baby like that could live outside the womb,” says Tara. “And I was afraid to love him because I thought I might lose him. When he was in my stomach, we were a team. When he was taken out, I felt lost. Nothing prepared me for seeing him for the first time. The way I handled it…I just never imagined Johnny coming home. In my mind, he was almost a NICU baby, not my baby.” continued on page 6...
From left to right: Father and son in the NICU; with Jennifer Gossler, R.N., at Good Shepherd; growing stronger and happier.
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Adds Chris, “I think Tara fought more for him when he was inside her. But I felt like I could do more for him when he was out.” Johnny was kept in the NICU for five months. Still small and under-developed, using every ounce of his strength just to breathe, Johnny made it through this crucial stage of his life. Now he needed specialized rehabilitation. Tara and Chris were given the choice of sending Johnny to Hershey Medical Center or to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. A NICU nurse recommended the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit which neither Tara nor Chris had heard of. The Webbs decided to check out Good Shepherd before making a final decision. It was much closer to home, making it easier to juggle the needs of their other three children ages one, two and nine, but would it be the best place for baby Johnny?
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Clockwise from top: Going home after five months; Christmas smiles all around in 2013; with Rosauro Dalope, M.D. at Good Shepherd.
“I wanted to know that he was going to be in a place that was happy and caring, a family atmosphere and not a sterile atmosphere,” says Tara. “I loved it to pieces. But what sold me was at the end of the tour when Jennifer (Gossler, R.N.) asked to see a picture of Johnny. I was really excited at that point and Johnny was transferred less than one week later.” Johnny’s weight had increased to 10 pounds when he arrived at Good Shepherd on May 6, 2013, but he remained medically fragile. “His lungs still required oxygen, he required a number of medications and he was barely doing anything we’d expect for a baby his age,” says Rosauro Dalope, M.D., interim
medical director of the pediatric unit who oversaw Johnny’s case. Now it was time for Johnny to show what he was made of. “We wanted him to be challenged and pushed,” says Chris. And he was. Johnny was given three hours of physical, occupational, recreational, and feeding therapy every day. Chris and Tara dubbed it “Baby Boot Camp,” a fitting name given Chris’s background as a Marine. Within two weeks, Johnny was making great progress. “We saw a different, healthier baby. He was happy, he was smiling, he was interactive, he was chubbier,” says Tara. Adds Chris, “He went from zero to 100 with all the stuff they were doing.” Kimberly Kuchinski, M.D., program director, pediatric physical medicine rehabilitation, heralds Good Shepherd’s integrated team approach as pivotal to Johnny’s success. “All of our nurses, our therapists, our respiratory staff, our dietitians, and our doctors worked closely together to figure out what was the best way to handle Johnny and honor his medical needs to help him succeed and thrive and reach all our rehabilitation goals,” says Dr. Kuchinski. But Johnny wasn’t the only one who needed tender loving care. Tara was broken too in heart and spirit. The Good Shepherd staff responded and spent hours talking with her, listening to her and coaching her in how to care for her baby.
they healed Johnny,” says Tara. “It wasn’t until I got to Good Shepherd that I learned to love him for everything he is and everything he isn’t. I honestly don’t know what was the bigger miracle, how they changed Johnny or how they changed me.” Chris is deeply grateful for the added dimension of care. “I can’t ever thank them enough for what they did for my son and my wife,” he says. “They helped them beyond belief, not just in a medical sense with Johnny but in a personal growth sense with Tara. I’ll be eternally grateful for what they did.” After five months at Good Shepherd, Johnny went home weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces. He’s since put on more weight and clocks in at 19 pounds, 3 ounces. He’s starting to talk, walk and can feed himself. Johnny also only needs two breathing treatments a day and all his other medications have been stopped. Tara and Chris were taught by the pediatric therapy team how to set goals at home and work every day towards achieving those goals. Tara documents Johnny’s progress and vigorously stays on track with daily physical and speech therapy exercises. “Without the education I received from Good Shepherd, I never would have been able to provide what Johnny needed once he got home,” says Tara. “I can’t imagine having sent Johnny any place else. Good Shepherd made all the difference in our little boy’s life, and our family’s too.” See photos chronicling Johnny’s story and watch a video on the web at SweetCharityOnline.org
“Good Shepherd healed me just as much as
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Rick Franzo’s Facebook page is populated with joy-filled photos from his past. There are images of him as a Little Leaguer from 1975, on his wedding day in 1988 to his beloved wife Debbie, and of his two children, Eric and Amanda, in various stages of growing up. There is one other image that marks a troubling milestone in his life. It’s of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test taken in 2009 showing a massive tumor that had been growing for 10 to 15 years, a silent and potentially lethal invader at all the barbeques, family gatherings and vacations that have been chronicled over the years. Its presence became known during a game of horseshoes that ultimately led Rick to Good Shepherd Rehabilitation at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg. Here, a team of therapists and caregivers devoted themselves to Rick’s recovery and a mission where failure was not an option. It was a warm sunny day in May 2009 when Rick and his family gathered with some friends for a cookout. Rick was playing horseshoes when his throws became increasingly erratic and were falling far short of his usual skill level. The right side of his body grew weaker with each toss. Puzzled but not particularly alarmed, on the drive home Rick promised Debbie he would see a doctor that Monday. “I was not much for going to see doctors, but this shook me up enough for me to go,” he writes in his book, How Horseshoes Saved My Life: A tale of two brain tumors. “I probably should have gone to the emergency room, but like I said, I’m not much for doctors.” That would soon change in a big way. 8
“ I saw therapists pull out things for him to do because — Judy Tierney, a licensed practical nurse he couldn’t get enough...” Rick’s doctor referred him to a neurologist who ordered an MRI that would show what, if anything, was going on in Rick’s brain to cause the weakness on his right side. On Friday, May 22, the neurologist called to tell Rick that he had a very large tumor on the left side of his brain. The tumor, which proved to be non-cancerous, was a meningioma that had grown on the outer layer of the brain and was so large it had pushed Rick’s skull out more than 4 centimeters. He was only 43 years old. As frightening as the discovery was, Rick and Debbie were stunned to learn something even more horrifying. “He (the neurologist) told us it was fortunate I was playing that game of horseshoes when the tumor hit critical mass and that I went to have it checked out,” Rick writes, “because if I hadn’t, I would have had two weeks or possibly less to live, because it was probable that I would have had a Grand Mal seizure or just slipped into a coma that I wouldn’t have awakened from.” On Sunday, June 14, 2009, Rick underwent a 10½-hour brain surgery to remove the tumor which was the largest his neurosurgeon had ever seen in his 30 years of experience. When Rick came out of the anesthesia, he was horrified to discover that he couldn’t move his legs. “Once again, something I never considered would happen to me happened. I was paralyzed!” Rick writes in his book.
Depression set in hard as Rick struggled with profound fear that he’d never walk again. And he was dependent on others in a way he hadn’t been since he was a baby. “I was a rag doll with the capabilities of a 10-month-old,” says Rick. He couldn’t sit up on his own, bathe or toilet himself, or feed himself without spilling food all over. Rick was transferred to Good Shepherd’s Pocono facility, not far from his home in Paradise Valley, where he says, “I had to check my pride at the door, but they allowed me to keep my dignity.” Terry Fitzmaurice, an occupational therapist, remembered when Rick arrived. “The first night, Hildy (his mom) came in crying,” says Terry. “That got to me, and the severity of the case and all of us being unsure how this was going to turn out. He was very frustrated because he’s a doer and a goer. I think his frustration was worse than the average soul.” Rick had one goal recalls Terry. “The first time I met Rick, his comment to me was, ‘I’m gonna walk out of here.’ And I thought, ‘Wow. I hope we get him to that.’” Rick was terrified, angry and depressed, but his determination was what all his therapists say was critical to his recovery as he launched into an aggressive program of three hours daily of physical, speech and occupational therapy. continued on page 26...
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Stellar weather, fabulous food, great music, and generosity of spirit were the cornerstones for the most successful Gala in the Garden fund raiser ever on May 31 on Good Shepherd’s south Allentown campus. The event was attended by 465 people — many of them wearing funky footwear in keeping with tradition — and raised more than $260,000 for the Good Shepherd Madeline Rose Link, 16, has been playing at the gala for six years.
Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem which celebrates its fifth anniversary in July. Tara and Chris Webb of Easton shared the powerful story of their son Johnny, who was a micro-preemie, born at 27 weeks. Johnny spent five months on the pediatric unit and is now thriving. Gala committee chair, Peter Danchak, regional president for PNC Bank Northeast PA, noted the symbolism of the butterfly which was this year’s “official bug” for the gala. “Delighting in the transformation of the ordinary caterpillar to the beautiful butterfly continues to amaze us,” he said. “We have all come together as individuals and corporations to create, experience and spread the true hope and joy that the miracle of the butterfly represents.” Since opening in July 2009, the pediatric unit has served almost 500 children and teens, expanded to add four private rooms, and added specialized programs such as feeding, neonatal intensive care unit transitions, and complex respiratory care and weaning. Visit the SweetCharityOnline Facebook page and the SweetCharityOnline web site to see pictures of the gala and watch the video about Johnny Webb.
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Left: Johnny, Chris and Tara Webb with Kimberly Kuchinski, M.D., from the Good Shepherd pediatric unit. Below: Wendy Body from Alvin H. Butz, Inc.
Right: Tiffany Till with Rosalin Petrucci, Good Shepherd board member. Below: (Left to right) Gala chair Peter Danchak and his wife Maggie; Good Shepherd board chairman, David DeCampli and his wife Pam; Good Shepherd President & CEO John Kristel with his wife Monet.
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Love Italian-style was all around on April 25 at the annual Raker “That’s Amore” resident ball held at The Palace Center in Allentown. As always, a large contingent of volunteers and staff devoted hours helping to make sure that
each and every resident in attendance was decked out in style. Shopping for just the right outfit began months in advance as helpers scouted out bargains, helping to build the excitement which accompanies every ball. Good Shepherd holds two balls every year; one for residents of
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the Good Shepherd Raker Center and for residents of the Bethlehem home. Your gifts to the Long-Term Care Resident Fund help purchase tickets to the ball, a longstanding tradition that is planned and organized by the recreational therapy staff. Thank you to all our donors whose generosity provides for so many special programs enjoyed by our residents!
King: Ed Miller
Queen: Sarah Behie
Lords and Ladies: Joe Grunt and John Gibbons; Jennifer Britt and Karen Geller
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THE BEST OF THE BEST Anyone who has been treated and nurtured back to health at Good Shepherd knows first hand the extraordinary skill and compassion of our nursing staff. In recognition of that, about 50 people gathered on Tuesday, May 6, for the first Nursing Awards Celebration on Good Shepherd’s south Allentown campus. Among the recipients was Kimberley Livigne, R.N., C.R.R.N., who works at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation at Pocono Medical Center. Kimberley, who is pursuing her BSN through Kaplan University, received the Oberly-Allen Scholarship. Marelise Grobler, R.N, C.R.R.N., who works at the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, Allentown, was honored with the Women’s Circle Scholarship. She is pursuing her BSN at Cedar Crest College.
nurses Elizabeth Oberly and Evelyn Allen during their tenure. Donors are vital to sustaining the endowment. In 2014, significant gifts were received from the Breidegam Family Foundation, the Richard Fleming Family Foundation and a grant from the Mike Caruso Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Read more about the celebration, all the nursing award recipients, and see the photo album at SweetCharityOnline.org under Good News & Great Gifts. For information on how your gifts to the Oberly-Allen Endowment support great nurses and great patient care, call Carol Carpenter in the Development Department at 610-778-1044 or email her at ccarpenter@gsrh.org.
The Oberly-Allen Endowment for Nursing Scholarships was established to honor the founding legacy of Good Shepherd’s co-founder, D. Estella Raker that was consistently modeled by head
Oberly-Allen scholarship winner Kimberley Livigne, R.N., C.R.R.N., with Russell Allen (left), husband of the late Evelyn Allen and Bill Parsley, son-in-law.
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Estella Laubach died in 2004. This afternoon she’ll help a 2-year-old with a feeding disorder learn to eat like any other child.
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retired first grade teacher, Estella loved children. She was the youngest of twelve siblings and first learned about Good Shepherd during family shopping trips to downtown Allentown. Seeing the residents as her mother drove by made a lasting impression on Estella
that grew into a life-long admiration for our mission. Today, thanks to Estella’s bequest to the Good Shepherd Endowment Fund, children are receiving the most advanced and comprehensive treatment available — even if their families cannot afford the cost of therapy. With advances in rehabilitation treatment and technology, the future for individuals with disabilities is promising. Your planned gift will help a child or adult in ways we cannot yet imagine. Create a lasting legacy of care by including Good Shepherd in your Will or listing us as the beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy.
It’s easy to do! Please contact Jeannette Edwards in the development department at 610-778-1075 for information or visit 1908RakerSociety.org for more gift planning ideas. We’re here to help. 15
just a lot of yelling and screaming to people to pull the car off my son.” Devora used her cell phone to call her husband Maurice Sr., who was in Philadelphia, telling him about the accident and that their son was pinned between two cars. “Then, the phone went dead,” says Maurice Sr. “My mind is racing all over the place. I couldn’t get in touch with Devora, so I called Deja. I asked her, ‘Is he breathing?’ That’s all I wanted to know.”
t was a horrific moment that no parent should ever experience and it was one that Devora Minnifield will never forget. On March 16, 2012, just as she’d done dozens of times before, Devora left the family’s Allentown row home and was crossing the street with her two children, Maurice, 11, and Deja, 15, when an SUV turning the corner spiraled out of control and hit a van waiting at the stop light. It then veered right, slamming into a parked car and pinning Devora and Maurice between that car and another that was parked in front. Devora saw Deja struck in the left thigh by a parking sign pole. But Maurice and Devora were wedged between the cars, leaving Devora helpless and panicking. “We were both caught,” recalls Devora. “Maurice couldn’t move at all but I was able to get my leg out. I don’t remember much,
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Young Maurice was breathing and in fact had remained remarkably calm. “The first two minutes I didn’t feel any pain, because I didn’t realize what was happening,” says Maurice. ”Then I felt my blood get really warm and I wanted to go to sleep.” It took about 20 minutes, but to Devora, it was an eternity before emergency rescue crews and police were able to get one of the cars moved and free Maurice. Mother, daughter and son were all taken to the emergency room where Maurice Sr. found them lying on gurneys. Deja and Devora suffered relatively minor injuries compared to Maurice who needed immediate surgery on his left femur which was badly broken. Surgeons inserted a titanium rod in his leg. Maurice Sr. and Devora were both worried about lasting nerve damage to their son. Would he be able to resume the normal, active life of any 11-year-old boy? Would he walk with a limp? Would greater complications develop? These were just some of the questions they had as the time came for Maurice to be
released from the acute-care hospital and to a rehabilitation inpatient unit. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was one option the Minnifields considered, but when a bed became available at the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem, a quick bit of research settled it – Good Shepherd it would be. When Maurice arrived, he couldn’t put any weight on his left leg. He couldn’t flex his foot or ankle either. Pain was a major obstacle. “I remember him having severe pain, even just putting on a sock,” recalls Cindi Hobbes, a physical therapist on the unit. “We had to work on his sensitivity before we could even work on walking.” After 44 days as an inpatient at Good Shepherd, Maurice was cleared to go home on May 5, 2012. It had been a tough few weeks but Maurice was a champ. “He was walking with a cane when he left and one week later, he was back at school using a rolling walker,” says Devora. continued on page 18...
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Maurice became so attached to his therapists, he didn’t want to leave. “He kept referring to it as his home,” says Devora. “I liked it there,” says Maurice. “All the nurses were nice and therapy was fun.” Maurice still had a ways to go though as an outpatient. And, there were emotional scars as well as physical ones. “When Maurice first came from inpatient, his parents were concerned with his motivation and his post-traumatic stress,” recalls Amanda Kleckner, an outpatient physical therapist in the pediatrics program. “There were times he would show up for therapy 15 to 30 minutes late because he was afraid to get in the car because of the nature of his accident.” Maurice was also nervous about putting more weight on his left foot. Pain and the memory of it still haunted him. Amanda and the other therapists worked to build up Maurice’s trust, in them and in himself. “Amanda was amazing,” says Maurice Sr. “She was very attentive and very caring. She gave 100%. She learned his behavior and how he acts. She would energize him. And all the therapists were constantly on him, making sure he was on point.” When Maurice’s therapists discovered he loved soccer and used to be a competitive hip-hop dancer, they allayed his fears of never returning to those activities by
Maurice Jr. (center) with his parents Maurice Sr. and Devora.
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gradually working in soccer drills and running to build his confidence back. “We knew we were going to have success when he beat his therapist in a race and did a victory break dance,” says Amanda. “His dad said that was the first time Maurice danced since the accident.” Maurice’s therapy ended in the summer of 2013 after 48 weeks. Now 13 years old, and a student at Lehigh Valley Academy, Maurice has since regained his confidence and is doing the things he loves – playing soccer with the Allentown Youth Soccer League and advancing in mixed martial arts. He hopes to become a video game creator one day. “Everyone at Good Shepherd was phenomenal,” says Maurice Sr. “We couldn’t ask for anything else.”
The 20th anniversary of the Conrad W. Sporting Clays grossed more than $68,000, making it the most successful sporting clays event to date. Held on Friday, May 2, at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Coplay, support came from 165 participants and sponsors. The presenting sponsor was Al and Ted Douglass of The Douglass Group/ Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Funds support the Conrad W. Raker Endowment which helps Good Shepherd associates pursue continuing education. Clockwise top: Pete and Jayne Hontz of East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc. Far right: Kasey Deslatte of Crystal Signatures. At right: Good Shepherd President & CEO John Kristel (center) with Ted and Al Douglass.
Thank you to all our many friends for their loyalty! Check out the winners, the scores and a photo album at SweetCharityOnline.org or find us on Facebook at SweetCharityOnline.
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Good Shepherd associates give their all on the job but they also volunteer their time and talents to serve others in far-flung places. Here’s a look at one associate who traveled to Bolivia recently to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those struggling with poverty and disease.
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ating wild tapir sausage, slogging up a 75-foot cliff of mud, going a week without a shower and purifying muddy water to drink — sounds like the television show “Survivor”. These were just some of the challenges Eugene Anderson, R.N., network clinical educator, faced during a recent trip to Bolivia with the Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church of Allentown. Eugene traveled to three different villages to help the native people with construction projects and to provide medical care, such as treating intestinal parasites, acute eye infections and other acute problems. Eugene shares some of his adventures.
What was it like traveling throughout Bolivia? After 28 hours of flying, we arrived in the village of Oromomo. The next two villages we visited did not have landing strips and our only option was to travel by boat — actually canoes carved out of trees. Because it was the rainy season, there was a lot of flooding, and large amounts of debris made navigating the river very difficult. One of our canoe trips took an extra two hours because we got stuck and almost tipped. We had to continually bail water out of the boat. Our final ride back from the last village was the worst due to heavy rains one night. The river rose 9 feet in 3 hours. Since we were traveling with the current, the boat was going extremely fast. We didn’t have enough lifejackets and we felt somewhat nervous. But our river guide was amazing and luckily no one was hurt.
What were your living conditions like? We slept in tents, and it was very hot — a constant 80 degrees and humid. Everything in the village was muddy. When we arrived at the second village it was already dark, and all we had were flashlights to navigate. We had to climb up a 75-foot cliff of mud, each carrying over 50 pounds of materials. One of the group members got stuck up to her hips in mud. We ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and beans. Sometimes the native people hunted and cooked for us, and we ate catfish and fried plantains. I even tried tapir sausage, a relative of the rhinoceros. We had to drink river water, which was extra dirty due to the flooding. It was a fulltime job to purify the water. We were always thirsty and truly dehydrated. It rained a little bit every day and there were no showers. I wore the same pants and shirt for most of the trip in the jungle.
What have you learned from this experience? I learned about different lifestyles and culture. For example, I met a 17 year-old girl who already had four children and a man with two wives. The people marry young and children start working at an early age. The life expectancy is much lower due to the harsh conditions. The experience made me appreciate life here and the things we take for granted, such as health care, fresh water and sanitation. I learned that I can stretch myself more than I thought. I was pleased with my ability to adapt to the challenges.
Eugene Anderson, R.N. 21 21
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Tina Aagenes Miss Anita B. Schumack Mr. Russell M. Allen Mr. Darwin Allen Lydia Anthony Dick and Darlene Nothstein Ms. Janelle E. Bergandino Ms. Susan L. Crawford Ivah Betros Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Donald S. Boyhont Barry and Erika Weber Nurse Colleen Breslin Mr. and Mrs. James H. Schubert Migene E. Burkey Mrs. Linda A. Rice Ms. Jenny Lyn Crossman Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Eileen Cyphers Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Ms. Debbie Davis Diane, Phil, Lisa, and Matthew Stein Danielle DeAngelis Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Alan H. Dewar Mrs. Joyce A. Vail Ms. Mary Evans Mr. Samuel D. Miller, III Ronald and Rena Exner Mr. Jay Exner Ms. Barbara A. Follmer Mrs. Joanne M. Broome Mr. and Mrs. Roger A. Broome Ms. Dana M. Germano Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Good Shepherd Patients Mr. and Mrs. Michael Guido Good Shepherd Mrs. Ruth E. Scott Raker 3 Staff Ms. Rita A. Tunnhoff Peggy Gross Elissa Gensiak Mr. Ron Hanish William and Sarabeth Gadd Demetri J. Herron Rev. Suzanne M. Trump James P. Hesson Ms. Melva L. McArdle Ms. Kathleen Johnson Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Mary Kinek Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Ms. Barbara Long Mr. David Osborn Terri Long Mrs. Jeanne A. Dove Ron and Lori Mann Mrs. Joyce A. Vail Lorna Mascarinas Mrs. Jeanne A. Dove Mr. Craig Mittl Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Chiavaroli Ms. Jacqueline J. Nikischer Mr. and Mrs. David G. Boltz Ms. Rebecca S. Oberembt Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Ms. Sharen M. Pasquinelli Ms. Karen Pasquinelli Ms. Shelly Rayburn Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Ann Rogan Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh
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Mrs. Betty Schaffer The Schlenker Family Mr. Phil Skrzat Pam Snyder Nancy Sopko Ms. Alice A. Stephens Bonnie Stubblefield Talan and Caiden Troxel Ms. Rita A. Tunnhoff Ms. Sue Wagner Mr. Christopher Watts Bill and Chris Watts Ms. SueAnn Yurasits
Mrs. Madeline M. Schuler Rev. Dr. George G. Kinney William and Sarabeth Gadd Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Mr. and Mrs. Randy Seip Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Mr. and Mrs. Brandon R. Troxel Ms. Mary E. Lindner Mrs. Ruth E. Scott Mrs. Anneliese Tunnhoff Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh Mrs. Reba F. Marblestone Mrs. Reba F. Marblestone Mrs. M. Patricia Welsh
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Mrs. Ruth Barber Ms. Janelle E. Bergandino Mr. Kenneth J. Schaefer Mrs. Rosalie Snyder
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Mrs. Helene M. Schaefer
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Jasmine Huynh
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DONATED BY…
Kurt, Bonnie and Logan Almasy Karin Fulton Family Mrs. Doris Oliver Kyle and Andrea Oliver Larry and Roxanne Oliver Wayne, Barbara and Emily Sherry Scott and Kelli Thompson
Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry Charles and Ruth Sherry
We thank the generous families and friends who honor their dear ones with memorial gifts and living gifts of honor. These gifts help support Good Shepherd’s mission of service to people with disabilities, many who otherwise could not afford the therapies or long-term care they need.
IN HONOR OF THE RETIREMENT OF… DONATED BY… Ms. Sally Gammon
Mrs. Judith Klein Ms. Vera Owen
IN HONOR OF the Wonderful Care of… DONATED BY… Stephen J. Marzen
Mrs. Sharlene K. Michener
IN CELEBRATION OF…
DONATED BY…
My Family and Friends
Anonymous
IN CELEBRATION OF the Progress of…
DONATED BY…
David C. Fessler
Mrs. Benjamin Bush
IN APPRECIATION FOR the Care of…
DONATED BY…
Miss Paige Kozak Wes Schlauch
Carmel and Sheridan Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Schopf
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Ms. Dianne Johansson Adams Evelyn T. Allen Mrs. Ruth H. Ayre Anna Baker Edwin Baldridge Timothy Bannon John J. Baranko Anthony J. Bartal Joseph W. Benzak, Sr Ruth E. Benzak Richard G. Boos David P. Brewer Donald Brewer Robin J. Brewer Buffy Paul Carr Francis P. Cauley Mrs. Lois E. Cook Claire E. Cressman Mr. Ray Crissey Deceased Loved Ones
Margaret and Mark Franko Ms. Wanda E. Roth Mrs. Hilda H. Price Mr. John H. Baker Mrs. Ruth L. Hensinger Aunt Margaret, Melissa, and Sean Bannon Mr. and Mrs. Leslie A. Matthews Mr. Vincent J. Valentini Mr. David J. Benzak Mr. David J. Benzak Mrs. Irene M. Boos Dr. and Mrs. Louis H. Winkler, III Dr. and Mrs. Louis H. Winkler, III Dr. and Mrs. Louis H. Winkler, III Mr. Dennis K. Wood Mrs. Helene B. Tyndall Mrs. Janet M. Cauley Thomas S. Cook, PhD Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Neubauer Anonymous Mrs. H. Geneva Benson
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Mr. Wilbur J. Dornsife Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Douglass, III Mrs. Mary Dreisbach Ms. Barbara Stearn Connie J. Dries Mr. and Mrs. Dean C. Glase Mrs. Mary Alice Dries Ms. Vera Owen Charles A. and Thelma E. Fellencer Mrs. Thelma E. Rothrock Mr. and Mrs. Tilghman G. Fenstermaker, Sr Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Kravelick Helen Foldes Mr. Joseph N. Foldes, Sr Pauline L. “Polly” Freed Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Billings Carol A. Gackenbach Ms. Hollie E. Deifer Darlene F. George Mr. and Mrs. Harley J. Wenninger Ferrel and Gertrude George Mr. James W. George Mr. Carl Gerhab Mr. Bryan K. Gerhab Mrs. Esther A. Gottshall Ms. Ann L. Walker Mr. Russell J. Gottshall Ms. Ann L. Walker Mr. Roy T. Hadesty Mrs. Hilda H. Price Miss Krista J. Harakal Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Billings Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey D. Harakal Joey Haron Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Haron Thomas Z. Hartenbauer Mrs. Lucy H. Reed John Raker Hudders Mr. and Mrs. James L. Harter Roberta Raker Hudders Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Douglass, III John Carl Johnson Margaret and Mark Franko Rev. and Mrs. John W. Johnson, Jr Alice J. Kerin Dr. and Mrs. Charles T. Bonos III, MD Paul and Betty Derhammer Ms. Robin L. Derhammer Mr. and Mrs. John W. Dickert Mr. Raymond O. Fenstermacher Mr. and Mrs. Louis J. Hershman, Jr Mr. and Mrs. Bruce O. Kelly Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Richards The Rooney Family - Tim, Pat, Michael, and Their Families Mr. and Mrs. Jerone Sefcik Mr. Glenn M. Treichler Ruth and Jamie Washcalis Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Weber
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IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Jessica Kinsley Ms. Katherine C. Kirsch Mrs. Ruth S. Koder Mr. Bruce Kohler John Kohut Joseph Kohut Russell M. Kostenbauder Rose Marie A. Kroboth John Krupa Ms. Irene M. Lendacki Louise Lill Mrs. Lillian A. Loux Dr. Robert W. Loux Loved Ones Ms. Lori Ann Martin Dr. Raymond L. Martin Mr. Michael J. Milot, Sr Frank J. Mohap, Sr William F. Mosser, III Richard F. Moyer Donald P. Mumbauer Robert E. Mumbauer Mr. Richard T. Newman Mr. Elliot Oliver Martha Orlando Charles Orr Edith Orr William and Christine Otto Craig M. Peifly
Mr. and Mrs. Earl J. Kinsley Ms. Aimee Kirsch Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Neubauer Mr. and Mrs. Ernest C. Kohler Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Neubauer Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Neubauer Mr. and Mrs. Ronald K. Smith Mrs. Francine Miranda Mr. and Mrs. Marshall E. Stahl Mr. and Mrs. Cyril J. Lendacki Mr. Vincent J. Valentini Ms. Holly Dietrich Mrs. Kathy Finkel Mr. and Mrs. James V. Fritz Mr. Tyler B. Kupsky Mr. and Mrs. William Kupsky Mr. and Mrs. Michael McFarland Mrs. Kathy Finkel Mr. and Mrs. Lamont Gurskey Mrs. Betty J. Kalbach Ms. Nancy J. Martin Ms. Nancy J. Martin Mr. and Mrs. Kevin L. Baltsar Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Mohap, Jr Mr. and Mrs. Carl R. Lynn Mrs. V. Sue Moyer Mrs. Barbara C. Mumbauer Mrs. Barbara C. Mumbauer Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Sherry Anonymous Margaret and Mark Franko Margaret and Mark Franko Ms. Chrisanne Ondrovic Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon L. Richards
Mrs. Sally J. Pelaggi Ms. Judy C. Anderson Ms. Marianne C. Baird Ms. Joyce C. Hayes Mr. and Mrs. John L. Hoy Mr. Joseph D. Irr Mrs. Jean M. Mullins Mr. Steven Pelaggi Robert and Bette Ruscitto Mary G. Wirth Gladys Portlock Mr. and Mrs. James L. Portlock Walter and Anna Pypiuk Mr. and Mrs. Terrence H. Pypiuk Estelle Raker Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Douglass, III Mr. Edwood G. Rhoads Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Rhoads Mrs. Ann Sweeney-Rodden Mrs. Kathleen F. Sweeney Mr. Carl G. Rothrock Mrs. Thelma E. Rothrock Scott G. Sandler Mr. and Mrs. Glen Adam Mr. Douglas B. Eberhart Mr. Craig Sandler Mr. Kenneth J. Schaefer Mrs. Helene M. Schaefer James and Donna Schaefer Mrs. Alma H. Scheele Mrs. Hilda H. Price Joseph M. Schlachter Mr. Frank P. Kroboth Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Miranda Anita M and Stanley Schumack Miss Anita B. Schumack James Schweibinz Mrs. Betty P. Schweibinz Joanne K. Sheaffer Mr. Donald L. Sheaffer Michele Shupp Tim and Bonnie Clemmer Barbara G. Sloyer Mr. Stanley D. Sloyer Ms. Marjorie E. Smith Mr. and Mrs. Lewis J. Lengyel Toby Sonstroem Mrs. Marjorie H. Klotz Sparky Mr. Dennis K. Wood Richard A. Spugnardi Mrs. Ferne R. Kushner Marjorie M. Stackhouse Mr. William C. Stackhouse Maureen Ann Steiger Ms. Deborah A. Steiger Mrs. Elizabeth D. Stewart Tom and Cecile Wren Elizabeth R. Stringer Ms. Dorothy E. Murphy Sally B. Strong Mr. Edward W. Strong Rose and Adam Swift Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Sherry Marie A. Tizio Mrs. Martha A. MacNeal
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
IN MEMORY OF…
DONATED BY…
Mr. Paul Tunnhoff Mrs. Carole J. Urbach
Ms. Terri L. Eyer Mrs. Anneliese Tunnhoff Affinity Federal Credit Union Mr. Howard Albert Ms. Isabelle L. Bourdeau Mr. Alex Feuer Bernice and Harvey Feuer Mr. and Mrs. Barry S. Garment Mr. Edward Garment Mr. Martin B. Garment Ms. Helene Jankowitz Dr. and Mrs. Jay H. Kaufman and Family Mr. and Mrs. Barry Kirshner Randy Kirshner-Katz and Marcia Kirshner Susan and Peter Lederman Mr. and Mrs. Martin Levine Betty Mandel and Ron Bidwell Ms. Diane Ostheimer Ms. Janet Parks Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schwartz Ms. Annette Thompson Mr. Clay Webster
Joseph Valentini Ms. Kathleen M. Verrett Mrs. Betty S. Vesely Stephen L. Wagner Geraldine Wenner Salome L. Zheltonoga Rosina Zwingert
Mr. Vincent J. Valentini Mr. and Mrs. Anthony P. Adami Mr. William A. Vesely Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy M. Wagner Mr. Ezra A. Wenner, Jr Mr. Alex Zheltonoga Mrs. Anneliese Tunnhoff
Thank You!
Gifts were received from September 17, 2013 through March 26, 2014.
Find out on the web at SweetCharityOnline and read more about the Golf & Tennis Classic on Monday, September 8 under “You’re Invited.”
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continued from page 9...
“Rick was one of the most determined patients,” says Judy Tierney, a licensed practical nurse who was on the therapy team. “He was on a mission.”
Rick, who was still using the walker and braces, but powered each step on his own. “Good Shepherd did me solid. They’re like family. They really are.”
“We gave him the tools and he just flew,” adds Terry. “I saw therapists pull out things for him to do because he couldn’t get enough. He was like an eager school child.”
Rick, now 48, has long since rid himself of his walking aids and is back to work as a supervisor at The University Store for Barnes and Noble on the campus of East Stroudsburg University. He is a peer visitor on Good Shepherd’s Pocono unit, hosts a radio show on WESS-FM, “Catch the Brain Wave” on Fridays from 6 to 7 p.m., and has a support group on Facebook with 2,400 members from all over the world.
Rick’s wife, daughter Amanda, and mother, Hildy, were all part of Rick’s recovery, spending hours with him every day, and videotaping and photographing his progress. “His family went above and beyond, more than the average,” says Kellea DeFrank, a physical therapy assistant. Two weeks after he arrived at Good Shepherd, Rick was walking with a walker and leg braces, an achievement that amazed his therapists. Five weeks and two days later, Rick did what he set out to do. “I walked out on my own power,” says
“I think that since this has happened, I’m a better father, husband, man, listener,” he says. “I wrote my book so others with brain tumors can see that there’s hope. It isn’t a death sentence.” As for the “two brain tumors” referenced in the subtitle of Rick’s book? On February 7, 2011, an MRI revealed new tumor growth. To date, the tumor is stable and doesn’t require surgery. Rick just keeps forging ahead, grateful for each day. “And so,” he writes, “the journey continues…” (See more photos of Rick’s journey on SweetCharity’s Facebook page. His book can be ordered online at braintumortalk.com or you can find the e-version at Amazon.com.)
Rick Franzo with (from left) his mother Hildy Franzo, wife Debbie, and daughter, Amanda, 16. Not pictured is his son, Eric, 25.
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Summer 2014 Official Publication Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Allentown, PA Volume 107, Issue 2
BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD REHABILITATION NETWORK DAVID G. DeCAMPLI, MS, Chair, Allentown SANDRA L. JARVA WEISS, JD, Vice Chair, Haverford SCOTT A. BAKER, MBA, Secretary, Schnecksville LAURIE K. STEWART, BS, BA, CPA, Treasurer, Center Valley PATRICK J. BRENNAN, MD, Havertown ALVARO DIAZ, Allentown ROBERT E. GADOMSKI, MS, Bethlehem F. MARK GUMZ, Bethlehem ELSBETH G. HAYMON, M.Ed, Allentown KATHERINE (Kassie) HILGERT, BS, Bethlehem JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, President & CEO, Allentown JAAN NAKTIN, MD, FACP, Center Valley ROSALIN PETRUCCI, New Jersey KAREN SENFT, MD, Allentown GARY SCHMIDT, Orefield DONALD W. SNYDER, Esq., Orefield THE REV. DAVID R. STROBEL, M.Div., Bowers
DANIEL J. WILSON, PhD, Allentown Trustee Emeriti JOHN V. COONEY, MS, Allentown NELVIN L. VOS, PhD, Maxatawny THE REV. DR. HAROLD S. WEISS, M.Div., Allentown BOARD OF TRUSTEES GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, Chair, Allentown SAMUEL MIRANDA, Jr., MS, RN, NEA-B.C. Vice Chair, Allentown JAMES J. DALEY, MD, Center Valley PETER T. ENDER, MD, Center Valley WILLIAM GOULD, MD, Bethlehem SUSAN L. LAWRENCE, MS, CPHQ, Bethlehem GREGORY WUCHTER, MSN, RN, Easton
FACILITY MEDICAL DIRECTORS SCOTT K. EPSTEIN, MD Good Shepherd–Wayne Memorial Inpatient Rehabilitation Center CLINTON C. HOLUMZER, MD The Good Shepherd Home–Bethlehem CATHERINE GLEW, MD The Good Shepherd Home at Conrad W. Raker Center GOOD SHEPHERD SPECIALTY HOSPITAL PROGRAM MEDICAL DIRECTORS JAMES J. DALEY, MD PETER ENDER, MD WILLIAM GOULD, MD JAAN P. NAKTIN, MD ADMINISTRATION JOHN KRISTEL, MBA, MPT, President & CEO MICHAEL A. BONNER, MBA Vice President, Neurosciences FRANK HYLAND, MSPT Vice President, Rehabilitation Services Administrator, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital FRANCES IANNACCONE, RN, CRRN, MSHA, NHA Administrator, The Good Shepherd Home at Conrad W. Raker Center CYNTHIA LAMBERT, M.Ed., Vice President, Government and Community Relations DAVID F. LYONS, CFRE Vice President for Development SAMUEL MIRANDA, Jr., MS, RN, NEA-B.C. Senior Vice President, Patient Care & Chief Nursing Officer, Ethics & Compliance Officer
RONALD J. PETULA, CPA Vice President, Finance JOSEPH SHADID, MBA, MSN, RN, NHA Administrator, Good Shepherd
SWEET CHARITY IS A PUBLICATION OF: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Good Shepherd Plaza 850 South 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103 1-888-44REHAB GoodShepherdRehab.org DEVELOPMENT David F. Lyons, CFRE Vice President for Development Major & Planned Giving Officers: Joie L. Barry Carol Carpenter, CFRE Jeannette Edwards Andrew B. Block, MPA Major Gifts & Sponsorships Officer Jannette Saegar Grant Coordinator EDITOR, WRITER Elizabeth McDonald PHOTOGRAPHY Randy Monceaux Elizabeth McDonald GRAPHIC DESIGN Klunk & Millan Advertising To make an address correction, or remove your name from our mailing list, please call 610-776-3146.
Home–Bethlehem
LAURA M. SHAW-PORTER Vice President, Human Resources SANDEEP SINGH, MD Division Medical Officer, Vice President of Medical Affairs
Good Shepherd serves persons with disabilities on the basis of need regardless of ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex or religious creed and is an equal opportunity employer. Sweet Charity is printed by Kutztown Publishing Company
HAROLD M. TING, PhD, FACHE Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Development GREGORY WUCHTER, MSN, RN Administrator, Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and its affiliates are tax exempt organizations as provided by IRS regulations. Pennsylvania law requires us to inform you of the following: The official registration and financial information of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
USPS-530800. A bi-monthly publication of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, Good Shepherd Plaza, 850 South 5th Street, Allentown, PA 18103, 1-877-734-2247, a non-profit corporation, founded February 21, 1908, by the late Rev. John H. Raker, D.D. Incorporated by decree of the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1909, under the corporate title of “The Good Shepherd Home.” Postage paid at Allentown, PA, and at additional mailing offices.
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Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Lehigh Valley, PA Permit No. 158
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Good Shepherd Plaza 850 South 5th Street Allentown, PA 18103
You can help wish the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit a Happy 5th Birthday! Share your well wishes on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ GSRNPediatrics or on Twitter #GSRNBirthday. Not a social media user? You can email your birthday message to communications@gsrh.org. We’ll make sure to share your message with the staff at the pediatric unit.