SPRING 2018
COVER STORY
Life extended
Whipple surgery offers hope for a longer life and a potential cure for cancer of the pancreas PAGE 4
Another day of sun After treatment for pancreatic cancer, Karen Bluemke makes beach time a priority
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 9
How to manage common discomforts during pregnancy PAGE 10
Our diabetes team on your side We’re closer to you A pullout guide to our services and locations
Imagine
SPRING 2018 IN THIS ISSUE
ON THE COVER
4
3
RHYTHM RESET Catheter ablation procedure restores a young woman’s heart to a regular rhythm.
PIZZA & MORE Dorian Brantley is enjoying her favorite foods again
6
following an endoscopic procedure to treat a swallowing disorder.
READ ONLINE STOPPING SEIZURES Image-guided laser surgery is becoming a go-to option for epilepsy. Diagnosed two years ago with
SPRING INTO EXERCISE
pancreatic cancer, Karen Bluemke went “from devastated to hopeful” after seeking a second opinion and
8
treatment at UChicago Medicine. Cover photo by Matt Stamey
5
Learn more about the Whipple procedure for
How to ease back into outdoor
SILENT EPIDEMIC As many as a third of
people in the U.S. have too much fat
pancreatic cancer.
in their livers, and most have never been treated.
Imagine magazine features stories about life-changing care and breakthroughs in medical research at the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences. Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Sharon O’Keefe President of the University of Chicago Medical Center
VISIT OUR WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION: Adult care uchospitals.edu Children’s care uchicagokidshospital.org
Vice President, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer: William “Skip” Hidlay Editor: Anna Madrzyk Associate Editor: Gretchen Rubin Design: SBDWorks, Inc. Contributing writers
workouts without getting injured.
Find these stories and more on THE FOREFRONT, our new science, health and wellness website at uchicagomedicine.org.
Read Imagine online at uchospitals.edu/Imagine Email us at imagineeditor@uchospitals.edu Facebook.com/UChicagoMed Twitter.com/UChicagoMed
Thea Grendahl Christou, Ashley Heher, Bethany
Science, health and wellness blog
Hubbard, Jordan Porter-Woodruff, Gretchen
This publication does not provide medical advice or treatment suggestions. If you have medical
uchicagomedicine.org
Rubin, Anne Stein, Lorna Wong, Matt Wood, Molly Woulfe
problems or concerns, contact a physician, who will
Main number 1-773-702-1000 Appointments 1-888-824-0200
Contributing photographers David Christopher, John Dickow, Robert Kozloff, Jean Lachat, Michael Satalic, Matt Stamey, Nancy Wong
determine your treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here. For urgent needs, call 911 right away.
When the Chicago Sky chose University of Chicago Medicine as the WNBA team’s exclusive medical provider, they chose one of the nation’s top orthopaedic programs. Our surgeons are shaping national standards of care, and developing new, innovative therapies to help people get back in the game faster. At UChicago Medicine, we’re providing orthopaedics and sports medicine for elite athletes from the Sky – and weekend warriors from throughout Chicagoland, at locations near you. Experience the forefront at UChicagoMedicine.org/Forefront
The University of Chicago Medicine contributed $425.2 million in fiscal 2016 to benefit South Side communities with programs and services targeting key health priorities. Our 2017 Community Benefit Report highlights our initiatives and community partnerships that address the most pressing health needs in and around our neighborhood. uchospitals.edu/community-benefit-2017 Community Benefit
ORT 2017 ANNUAL REP
Imagine that!
REDEFINING STREET SMARTS
NEW APPROACH TO PREVENTION
About 2 million youths are homeless, and the toll on their developing brains may drive risky behavior. Researchers at UChicago Medicine studied 149 young adults age 18 to 24 in two Chicago shelters and measured the group’s levels of executive function (EF), neurological processes that include decision making, inhibition, planning and emotion. Their findings: up to 60 percent of the low EF subjects abused alcohol compared with 10 percent of high scorers. Low scorers also engaged more in drugs and had more sex partners. Assessing levels of executive functioning for homeless youths can help identify which ones might be on the path for more risky behavior and allow for intervention before it’s too late, said Scott J. Hunter, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist and the study’s senior author.
Women at high risk of ovarian cancer sometimes opt to have their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to prevent the disease. After the surgery, some women may experience symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and sexual difficulties. The WISP trial (Women Choosing Surgical Prevention) is evaluating these issues in two groups of patients: those who choose the standard one-surgery approach; and those who have only their fallopian tubes removed, then have a second surgery later in life to remove their ovaries. Recent research suggests ovarian cancer may begin in the fallopian tubes and delaying removal of the ovaries postpones the onset of menopausal symptoms. Iris Romero, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at UChicago Medicine, helped launch the study with researchers from other leading institutions.
READ MORE AT
uchicagomedicine.org
PILL PUZZLE
Researchers at UChicago Medicine looked at prescription rates for oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) between 2010 and 2014, and found that switching to generics instead of name brands could have saved patients $751 million in out-of-pocket costs. A review of prescription rates for OCPs — now covered by health insurers — showed generic birth control pills accounted for 73 percent of OCP prescriptions in 2010, a rate that increased to 82 percent in 2014. The authors estimated in JAMA Internal Medicine that the average patient paid $117.15 annually out of pocket for brand OCPs, almost double the $59.53 spent on equally effective generics. Principal investigator Vineet Arora, MD, called switching to generics a no-brainer “but often difficult due to patient preference, skepticism and clinical inertia.”
Read more on The Forefront, our new science, health and wellness website. It’s your one-stop digital destination for news about UChicago Medicine’s groundbreaking research, discoveries and advances in clinical care.
Come explore THE FOREFRONT with us
uchicagomedicine.org
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In sync Erin Drain was looking for a second opinion on treatment for her heart rhythm disorder. She found an arrhythmia specialist who knows exactly what it feels like when the heart beats out of control.
It almost felt like
I had a rapid
switching gears in a
arrhythmia that would
car, like downshifting
shoot my heart rate
too soon. I would feel
up to about 240
this physical sensation
beats a minute
in my heart, maybe
when I was a
like a skipped beat,
freshman in college.
and then suddenly
When it first
my heart rate would
happened, I thought
just skyrocket.”
I was going to die.”
ERIN DRAIN
RODERICK TUNG, MD
While doing her online research, Drain, 32, came across a story about Roderick Tung, MD, director of cardiac electrophysiology at UChicago Medicine. As a young adult, Tung had undergone an ablation — a minimally invasive procedure to correct an arrhythmia. “I was interested in what someone who had actually been through an ablation would say about the experience,” said Drain, a regional sales manager for a wine importer. In Tung’s case, the procedure cured his arrhythmia and inspired his choice of medical specialty. “It’s easy to say ‘I have been there’ when I really have been there,” Tung said. “I can appreciate how much ablation can totally change the quality of your life.” And because of his experience, Tung feels a real connection to patients like Erin, he said.
Drain was born with a hidden variant of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an extra electrical pathway in the heart. Symptoms include a rapid heartbeat (supraventricular tachycardia), dizziness and lightheadedness. “I would get really dizzy, see stars and sort of pass out every once in a while, or feel like I had to faint,” she said. Sometimes the rapid heartbeat lasted up to 10 hours. During the ablation procedure, Tung threaded a specially designed catheter from Drain’s leg into her heart to locate and destroy the tissue causing the arrhythmia. He routinely performs 3-D mapping of the heart to find the patterns and points of abnormal electrical activity. “When Dr. Tung came out after the ablation — my mom still talks about it,” Drain said. “He walked through the door with a huge smile on his face and said: ‘That went perfectly. Her whole life is going to be different now.’”
After the procedure, Drain realized she felt better than she had in a long time. “I was sitting on the couch and I remember thinking, ‘I feel different’ because I can’t feel my heart beating — which is normal,” she said. Looking back, Drain said the holistic care she received from Tung and his team will leave a lasting impression. “We have a complete team approach to the care of our patients. Any one of our seven attending electrophysiologists, the nurse practitioners, the nurses and the lab technicians is committed to their care and knows their case,” Tung said. “That’s a special feeling.”
Understanding and curing Erin’s arrhythmia uchicagomedicine.org/erin-story
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‘Every patient deserves hope’ | A B O V E | Karen and Don Bluemke on the beach in Florida.
Karen Bluemke spends as much time as possible these days soaking up the sun in Florida. After completing treatment for pancreatic cancer, she decided, it’s “time to finally have some fun.” “Why wait for retirement?” said Bluemke, 53. A triage nurse, the west suburban woman is able to work remotely from the oceanfront condo she and her husband, Don, recently purchased.
Bluemke learned she had a tumor in her pancreas in March 2016. “The first oncologist I saw painted a grim picture,” she said. She turned to University of Chicago Medicine and surgical oncologist Mitchell Posner, MD, for a second opinion. “Dr. Posner was fantastic,” she said. “He had so much experience. I went from devastated to hopeful.” Pancreatic cancer is usually detected late, often after the disease has spread, and has a poor prognosis. “A pancreatic cancer diagnosis is life-defining,” said Posner, who has more than 25 years of
experience in the surgical management of the disease. “Our philosophy is, that at the very least, every patient deserves hope, even when there seems to be little. “Karen came to us a young woman with an advanced, but treatable cancer,” he said. “We had something to offer.” The malignant tumor was in the “head” of Bluemke’s pancreas. The cancer had spread to one lymph node and involved the portal vein, but no other organs. After a four-month course of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, Posner determined Bluemke qualified for surgery.
Karen came to us a young woman with an advanced, but treatable cancer. We had something to offer.” MITCHELL POSNER, MD
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In June 2016, Posner’s team performed a Whipple procedure, the most common surgery to remove pancreatic tumors. Unfortunately, only about 20 percent of patients are candidates for the procedure based on the stage of their cancer. The team removed the head of Bluemke’s pancreas, sections of the small intestine and portal vein, her gall bladder and part of her bile duct. The remaining portions of the pancreas, bile duct and small intestine were then reconnected to restore function to her digestive tract, and the
portal vein was reconstructed. After recovering from her surgery, Bluemke had another course of chemotherapy, completing treatment in December 2016. She has regular blood tests and scans to look for signs of the cancer coming back. Posner will follow her for the rest of her life. “All my thanks go to Dr. Posner,” Bluemke said. “What a great person to be with when you get this diagnosis.”
| A B O V E | Karen Bluemke greets her surgeon,
Mitchell Posner, MD, at a follow-up visit.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
The American Cancer Society recommends patients have the Whipple operation at a hospital that does at least 15 to 20 of these surgeries a year. Surgeons at UChicago Medicine perform up to five times that many Whipple procedures annually.
Pancreatic cancer surgeons Mitchell Posner, MD, left, Kevin Roggin, MD, and Jeffrey Matthews, MD
UChicago Medicine is one of the few hospitals in the country that offer the Whipple procedure using both traditional (open) and minimally invasive robot-assisted techniques.
During Whipple Procedure
Pancreas Duodenum
READ ONLINE
Kevin Roggin, MD, discusses the robotic Whipple procedure
Small Intestine
uchicagomedicine.org/robotic-whipple Get answers to frequently asked questions uchospitals.edu/whipple
Watch a step-by-step animation about the Whipple procedure uchospitals.edu/whipple
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Tacos. Pizza. A steak, medium well, with a loaded baked potato. “And a crisp apple,” Dorian Brantley added. “I was eating applesauce, but there’s no comparison.” These were the top items on Brantley’s list of what-to-have-first after surgery for achalasia — a rare digestive disease that makes it hard to eat or drink. Following a successful endoscopic procedure, Brantley, 35, has happily completed her to-eat list.
About a year ago, Brantley, a nurse at UChicago Medicine, noticed that it seemed to be taking a long time for food to move down her esophagus. At first, she thought maybe her portions were too large or she was eating too quickly. But the condition became more and more uncomfortable. And soon both eating solids and drinking liquids caused pain. “If my patients told me this, I’d be very concerned,” she thought. Brantley tried a soft diet, but it didn’t help. A barium swallow test at UChicago Medicine showed that her esophagus
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wasn’t functioning properly. Gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist Irving Waxman, MD, suspected achalasia. He performed an upper endoscopy to rule out stomach or esophageal cancer. Robert Kavitt, MD, MPH, then did an esophageal manometry study — a test that measures muscle contractions — and confirmed the achalasia diagnosis. Instead of relaxing to let food pass through, the smooth muscular valve at the lower end of Brantley’s esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter) was staying closed all the time. The cause of achalasia is not known.
DORIAN’S DOCTORS Gastroenterologist Irving Waxman, MD, is director of the Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT), which focuses on minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of complex gastrointestinal disorders, including GI cancer. CERT physicians — specialists in diagnostic and interventional endoscopy — look and work inside the upper and lower digestive tract using long, thin, lighted scopes equipped with tiny cameras, microscopes and other surgical tools. uchospitals.edu/CERT
Gastroenterologist Robert Kavitt MD, is director of the Center for
Esophageal Diseases, one of the few centers in the U.S. dedicated solely to conditions of the esophagus, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus. The center’s team includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, pulmonologists and pathologists. These specialists work together to coordinate all aspects of care, from diagnosis to the most innovative treatments. uchospitals.edu/esophageal-center
“But we do know it is a progressive and irreversible disease,” Waxman said. “It can lead to serious problems in the lungs and malnutrition.” Brantley had lost 30 pounds between June and October. Even as a nurse, Brantley had never heard of achalasia. “Dr. Waxman answered all my questions and put me at ease,” she said. In late October 2017, Waxman performed a procedure called peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). Placing a flexible scope into Brantley’s esophagus through her mouth, he created a tunnel between the layers of her esophagus to reach the lower sphincter, where he cut the muscles, permanently opening the valve. “The endoscopic approach, offers patients a quick recovery, no scar and a short hospital stay,” said Waxman, director of the Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT).
After the procedure, Brantley was anxious at first about going back to solid foods.
| A B O V E | Irving Waxman, MD,
and Dorian Brantley
“But Dr. Waxman, his nurse, my coworkers, friends and family all encouraged me to ‘go ahead and eat again,’” Brantley said. “You know what, I did. Everything was delicious.” U C M C O N N E C T 1 - 8 8 8 - 8 2 4 - 0 2 0 0 | UCHOSPITALS.EDU | UCHICAGOKIDSHOSPITAL.ORG » 7
R E V I L R U IS YO ? T A F O O T As many as a third of people in our country have too much fat stored in their liver. The condition, called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is unlike other liver disorders because it’s not related to excessive drinking. Instead, fatty liver disease is linked to a poor diet and an inactive lifestyle. People who eat a fast food diet with a lot of saturated fat, cholesterol and fructose can develop a more severe, progressive form of the disease. This can sometimes lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. Patients with the condition often also have other serious conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and other endocrine problems.
endocrinologist, a hepatologist (liver specialist) and a nutritionist. Patients have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging and comprehensive weight management services.
Michael Charlton, MD, left, and Sonali Paul, MD
“Our team wants to help patients at every stage of the disease, starting with diagnosis and education,” Charlton said. “We emphasize prevention through lifestyle and nutritional changes. But if patients need intervention, UChicago Medicine offers the full range of treatments, including clinical trials of new medications, minimally invasive procedures and, as a last resort, liver transplantation.”
Fast facts about fatty liver disease
“In the last few decades, fatty liver disease has become a national health crisis,” said Michael Charlton, MD, director of the Center for Liver Diseases at UChicago Medicine. “Yet, the majority of people with this complex condition have never been treated for it.” That’s why UChicago Medicine recently opened the Metabolic and Fatty Liver Disease Clinic on the Hyde Park campus. Sonali Paul, MD, MS, directs a team of specialists working to prevent and treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. During their first visit to the clinic, patients will see three specialists: an
UChicago Medicine’s Metabolic and Fatty Liver Disease Clinic is the first program in Chicago — and one of the first in the
Fatty liver disease is the nation’s most common chronic liver condition, affecting between 90 million and 100 million people in the U.S. The Mediterranean diet protects against fatty liver disease. It emphasizes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, lean meat and healthy fats such as olive oil. Most people don’t develop complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. But because so many people are at risk, fatty liver disease is now one of the most common reasons for liver transplantation. Early treatment and changes in diet and lifestyle, including weight loss, can reverse the course of fatty liver disease.
Learn more: Read a Q & A about fatty liver disease with Michael Charlton, MD
nation — to bring together a team of specialists for the
uchicagomedicine.org/fatty-liver
prevention and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Make an appointment today:
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1-888-824-0200
Easing the discomforts of pregnancy UChicago Medicine midwife Morgan Michalowski, RN, CNM, gives tips for managing common discomforts — and when to call the doctor or midwife
First trimester
Second trimester
Third trimester
NAUSEA AND VOMITING
CONSTIPATION
HEARTBURN
What to do: Try eating small, frequent meals. Other remedies include eating ginger, drinking chamomile tea or wearing an anti-nausea wristband.
What to do: Maximize your hydration by drinking at least 2 liters of water each day. Consider adding herbs or fruit to make water more appealing or drinking sparkling water. Foods with high water content include watermelon and cucumbers. Adding fiber to your diet can also help. Good sources include bananas, oranges, apples, mangos, kale, spinach, beans, legumes and whole grain bread.
What to do: Don’t lie down immediately after eating. Allow at least 60 minutes for your food to digest. Avoid acidic foods, and eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. For additional relief, consider asking your doctor or midwife about trying papaya enzymes or over-thecounter medications that are safe to take during pregnancy.
When to call: If you don’t see improvement, ask your doctor or midwife about safe anti-nausea medications. If your symptoms are so severe that you can’t eat or drink for 24 hours, go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
When to call: Discuss at your next visit.
When to call: Contact your doctor or midwife immediately if you have persistent heartburn along with nausea and vomiting, a headache that doesn’t go away with Tylenol or caffeine, or spots before your eyes. Right upper belly pain that feels like heartburn along with any of these could be a sign of preeclampsia.
ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN
BRAXTON HICKS CONTRACTIONS
What to do: Yoga, stretching or working with a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique can help manage round ligament pain, which occurs when the ligaments on either side of the uterus stretch to accommodate your growing belly. Be sure to get clearance from your doctor or midwife before trying any new activity.
What to do: Remember to drink 2 liters of water each day. Your uterus is more likely to contract when you are dehydrated.
Iron supplements can increase your risk of constipation. Consider increasing hydration and fiber and starting an overthe-counter stool softener to help reduce or avoid constipation.
When to call: Discuss at your next visit.
| L E F T | Family Birth Center
patient Kasia Kuras
When to call: These painless contractions are not worrisome unless you have more than four in an hour and they don’t go away with rest and hydration. If this occurs before 37 weeks, notify your doctor or midwife right away.
More advice from our midwife on pregnancy discomforts uchicagomedicine.org/pregnancy-tips
We’re baby friendly! The University of Chicago Medical Center has been designated a Baby-Friendly facility for providing exceptional care to breastfeeding moms and their babies. Baby-Friendly USA recognizes facilities that offer moms the information, confidence and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies. Designated 2018-2023
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They keep me in check and give me that push. They tell me the truth but they’re also my friends. No one’s ever given me the care they’ve given me.” MICHAEL LUSTRO
| A B O V E | Endocrinologist Farah Hasan, MD, left, Michael Lustro and Donna Ellis, RN, APN, diabetes advanced practice nurse
Diabetes care: It takes a team Michael Lustro, 52, knew he hadn’t managed his type 2 diabetes well since being diagnosed in 2007. He started to worry he wouldn’t be around for his three young grandchildren. A phone call to UChicago Medicine’s outpatient location in Orland Park turned his life around.
“Michael first came to us in May 2017, not newly diagnosed, but also not having followed a treatment plan for several years,” said Donna Ellis, RN, APN, diabetes advanced practice nurse. “He just wasn’t feeling well and wanted to take charge of his life and feel better.”
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The South Side resident had been seeing his family physician but had never visited a specialist to discuss common health issues that affect people with diabetes. “I was eating what I wanted, I drank alcohol regularly and I just wasn’t living the lifestyle I was supposed to be living,” he said. “So I ended up needing shots of insulin.”
We are delighted to have Dr. Hasan and her team as part of the University of Chicago Medicine Kovler
TEAM MICHAEL
Diabetes Center. Kovler at Orland fulfills our mission to provide comprehensive diabetes care, education and community outreach.”
Farah Hasan, MD, endocrinologist (diabetes specialist). Hasan is the first person on the team each patient visits, and she oversees all care.
LOU PHILIPSON, MD, PHD DIRECTOR, KOVLER DIABETES CENTER
At the Orland Park clinic, Lustro met with endocrinologist Farah Hasan, MD, the first point of contact for new diabetes patients. Following a thorough evaluation, Hasan told Lustro that his blood sugar levels were too high and needed immediate attention. She quickly set him up with the rest of the diabetes care team: Ellis, the diabetes advanced practice nurse he now sees regularly for follow-up appointments; certified diabetes educator Elvia Ortiz, RN; dietitian Kimberly Kramer, RD, LDN, at the UChicago Medicine Ingalls clinic in Flossmoor; and ophthalmologist Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, and podiatrist Paul Lantz, DPM, both at the Hyde Park campus. The team also referred him to a new primary care physician, Stephen Bennett, MD, at Orland Park. “No one specialist can provide all the care necessary to maintain health in a patient with diabetes,” Hasan said. “With a team approach we’re able to give every patient more time and a more personalized approach.” Lustro, a parking enforcement supervisor for the city of Chicago, works an overnight shift, making it hard to maintain a good schedule for meals, sleep and monitoring his blood sugar levels.
“I told my UChicago Medicine team that whatever they tell me to do, I’m on it,” Lustro said. The group helped him with daily meal planning, dietary restrictions, an exercise program and adjustments to his medications. Using advanced imaging technology, Skondra diagnosed Lustro with early signs of diabetic eye disease in his retina that needed prompt, specialized treatment to prevent vision loss. In less than a year, Lustro lost 30 pounds. His A1C level — a test that measures average blood sugar levels over two or three months — dropped dramatically, from a dangerous 12.5 to 7, his target level. “I feel like a different person,” said Lustro, who chokes up when talking about the care he’s received. “I don’t think I’d be here if it wasn’t for the team. I’m not a big fan of going to the doctor, but now I look forward to it.” Ellis said all patients dealing with diabetes deserve information and good care. “They really need the support,” she said. “It’s not a disease where you can make one office visit. It requires a lot of work on the part of the team and the patient.”
For more information, visit kovlerdiabetescenter.org
Donna Ellis, RN, APN, diabetes advanced practice nurse and certified diabetes educator (CDE). Ellis assists patients with medication, education and followup care with other specialists and other needed screenings. Kimberly Kramer, RD, LDN, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. Kramer advises patients on all aspects of nutrition, from meal planning to carbohydrate counting and an exercise regimen, and how to fit them into their work schedule and lifestyle. Elvia Ortiz, RN, nurse and certified diabetes educator. Ortiz talks to patients about their goals for blood sugar control and diet, and teaches them how to use insulin and/or other medications and how to monitor blood sugar. Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, ophthalmologist and retina specialist with expertise in management of diabetic eye disease. Diabetes is the main cause of blindness in working-age Americans and early management of eye involvement is crucial for vision preservation. Paul Lantz, DPM, podiatrist. Lantz focuses on prevention and treatment of foot problems that are common in people with diabetes, including numbness, ulcers and slow healing.
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Celebrating five years of the Center for Care and Discovery On February 23, 2013, the staff at UChicago Medicine moved the first patient into the Center for Care and Discovery — a new 10-story, 1.2 million-square-foot adult hospital. Since then, the hospital has become the bustling hub of our medical campus, providing a home for specialty and advanced care with a focus on cancer, gastrointestinal disease, neuroscience, surgery, cardiology and high-tech medical imaging. 5 FAST FACTS ABOUT OUR FIRST FIVE YEARS:
5
weddings performed by the Spiritual Care Department
More than
Our network is growing A Flossmoor medical practice that provides primary and specialty care, including management of diabetes, endocrine disorders and kidney disease, has joined UChicago Medicine’s expanding network of medical providers and locations. The practice formerly associated with Horizon Healthcare Associates — includes three family practice physicians, an internist, four nephrologists and an endocrinologist. These highly skilled, compassionate physicians will provide a full range of care in a community setting while also helping their patients access UChicago Medicine’s world-class specialists more easily.
THE FLOSSMOOR PRACTICE Located at the Ingalls Family Care Center 19550 Governors Highway Suite 2000. For appointments, call 708-957-8750 or visit uchospitals.edu/flossmoor to learn more.
Coming from out of town? We can help.
500
musical performances in the Sky Lobby
It can feel overwhelming to travel a long distance for medical care. Introducing our new concierge service — Destination: UChicago Medicine — now helping patients and families who come from across the country for care on our medical campus in Hyde Park.
120,000
About total patient admissions
Our dedicated team of navigators can assist with:
More than
600
organ
transplants
» Travel and hotel arrangements » Scheduling medical appointments » Gathering medical records » Getting around the medical center
Approximately
910,000
total patient days
» Other special requests before your arrival and during your visit Email us and let us know how we may assist you: DestinationUChicago@uchospitals.edu
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A FOUNDATION OF GIVING
Couple carries on a legacy of support for leukemia research Walk through downtown Chicago and you’re more than likely to come across something built by F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen. The construction company, founded in 1975, has touched nearly every aspect of infrastructure in the Windy City — from CTA stations to airports to hospitals. But the company’s philanthropic impact on the city is just as great as its physical presence. President and CEO Jim Blair attributes this tradition of giving to the company’s founder, Frank H. “Bud” Paschen, whose great-grandfather began building in the city after the Great Chicago Fire, and grandfather and great-uncle founded Paschen Brothers Construction Company in 1902. “He was always giving,” said Blair, who took leadership of F.H. Paschen more than 10 years ago. “And he created an organization of guys who walk in that shadow.” F.H. Paschen supports a range of charitable organizations and has well-established mentorship programs for minority- and women-owned businesses, and a future engineer program for Chicago Public Schools students. Cancer research is also at the top of the list for very personal reasons. In February 1996, the son of Bud’s first employee was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 3, and passed away just six months later. Bud and F.H. Paschen began giving to the Leukemia Research Foundation in the family’s honor.
Paschen’s dedication to giving back to the community is a legacy that has been a part of the company since the early 1900s.” JIM BLAIR
| A B O V E | Jim and Donna Blair
Then, in 2014, Bud himself was diagnosed with leukemia and sought treatment from Michael Thirman, MD, at the University of Chicago Medicine. While undergoing treatment, Bud and his wife, Dianne, gave $25,000 to establish the Thirman-Paschen Fund in support of leukemia research. They gave an additional $50,000 shortly before Bud passed away in December 2016. Jim and his wife, Donna, have honored Bud’s legacy with gifts of their own, donating a total of $50,000 to the Thirman-Paschen Fund in the past two years. “We wanted the opportunity to try to make a little difference in the world,” Jim said. The Blairs were particularly inspired by a visit to UChicago Medicine, where they toured Thirman’s lab. Seeing the research process up close gave them a great appreciation for the work that happens behind the scenes and the financial support needed to turn breakthroughs in the lab into the newest treatment options. “I know Dr. Thirman has had some success in the last year or so, and that’s just the type of motivation that we need,” said Jim, referencing Thirman’s groundbreaking creation of the first laboratory model for the most common form of infant leukemia. “I think that if people just focused some energy towards the research, there’s got to be a cure out there.” The Blairs, like Bud, are passionate about philanthropy and hope to inspire others to give. “Always give back — it’s part of life,” Donna said. “We are all called to give generously if we can and not for affirmation. We want to teach our children the same.”
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