Volume 27
Number 8
April 15, 2016
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
writ
The P ower of Works hops
ing
Help C ancer Patien Ginge r Brod ts Exp ie feels she to ress Hi like sh ok dur dden E el in much motion of her g treatment ost a year an (which memo d a ha by staff s l r f y i o n o
f throug f the Abram rom that tim cluded chem f her life wh ile bat h writ son Ca o, radi e. But, tling c i n a n gives i an t back g. “You lose cer Center now, thanks tion and a s tem ce cer. The pai .” (ACC) to Wri contro n ll tran , she is ting a l of yo Writin splant killers Life, a ur life able to g a Lif ) b w w lo r r i e t h a ca i e at HU ncer d trieve some ters’ worksh cked P — n allows parti i o o a p f c ot o gnosis ipa cancer ,” she s these memo created thems nly to write nts — all of a r i i es d e w a lv . “The the nu `` Ginger Brodie gets “inspired” to write based mbers es, in a safe bout past ex hom are ca writin ncer p g grou perien on the poems read in the Writers Worshop. and pa enviro ati p ce n rticipa Writin nts flu ment. Up to s but also sh ents receivi g a Lif ng out c are the 14 pat tuate. e sessi campu pati ients p m with ons s. articip You lose control others ent treatme cozy fe Built in 185 are held in ate in nt Kelly W 1, the atures the wo who have house includ stained riters H fought rkshop s e e r l o g v a , l u r e althou of your life with d as t se (K Blackb ass window ge window gh s allow he original WH), a Vic urn, M s. “Thi t h s o i a o S n r n e m W, pat g i n d Laur a a cancer diagnosis. v e t n h i o r c e on ft ot s Servic a Kotler-K ient navigato ment is per unlight to st he Universi tage on the ty cha fect fo es) to l r r e e , i a n w m The writing group , h D plain. University o i create r this g n, bea SW, L worke Its wa u t r C h t d o i e S f u w u W progra With s p m. An , social wor ith Matt Ste .… It’s so re l woodwork rm, up gives it back. d mor , and l v k a directo port from h e xing,” nson e impo coordinato er dire r rtant, r (all i , LCSW, clin said Sandy ctor, H at the of Kelly Wr “it’s no n it House e t a pla the ACC’s P ical social w . Filrei ers House, a ather Sheaff c ork e ati s where b e t o r , LC ut th the tim ook it one they re ent and Fam er, step fu e possibility SW, Blackbu e, we w ily c e i v e treat r th rn of er anothe ments r,” Filr e running a er — he off connecting reached ou .” eis r t to ered bou pat moved by the ecalled. “Bu t 190 percen to hold the ients with th Al Filreis, P t u h t Cance works hop at e writing exp D, r Cent nprecedent , within five capacity wi ed col t er. m t h e h r i e p tise n Penn Tree Giveaway Program....3 r H u ogram t labora Ariell s. I cou ouse. “At tion” b es, we were e Brou r l e e d tween a sse HUP Volunteers: A “Gift” to Debor the Un dy to do it.… not take on ah Bu , the directo iversit I was Patient Care................................3 r r y and n Englis of KW the Ab h, even ham, PhD, H De v ramso a t e s ua so lo was im n A Thank You to Doctors............3 media lly took ove ciate under pment, orig g t i r n ely int r about t a a h d l e ly u r ate ch led t ole. eres the Take Our Children to with a positive eff ted in being “I received a air in Penn he group, bu ect of ’s Dep n proble a Work Day is Coming!................3 e p ma art expres artme t m.” n sive w it,” she said il about the works t of riting . (Contin Be the Match to Save Lives......4 hop an of peo “There’s tre ued on mendo ple wh d page 2 o are i ) ll or d us research Come to the 2016 Philadelphia ealing Science Festival.........................4
INSIDE
Join the 3rd Annual Million Dollar Bike Ride.........................4
1
`` (From left): Sandy Blackburn and workshop participants Millie Evans, Jack Ivey, Bill Marston, Ginger Brodie, and Cara Carroccia look to Deborah Burnham to lead their writing discussions.
writing
(Continued from page 1)
The Power of
For each workshop, Burnham chooses poems that might resonate with the group’s personal experiences with cancer. At the start of each meeting, the group sits in a circle and various people read lines from the poem she brings. “It helps because they’re taking someone else’s experience but thinking about it in terms of their own,” she said. “I’m always surprised at the power of the experience. The gift is that it happens over and over.”
At one session, they discussed the word “survivor” and decided it didn’t really fit who they were. “We played around with a word that matched what we felt and what we went through,” Brodie said. “We came up with ‘cancer schlepper.’ I’m still getting treatment, I have side effects…. I’m living with it.” Brodie gets “inspired” by the poems she hears in the group sessions. “One poem spoke about the aliveness of walls in the hospital,” she said. “When you’re in the hospital, stuck in bed, you become aware of things like this. When I heard the poem I thought, ‘I experienced that too.’
“I’m very open to talking about things on my mind, like ‘Am I going to die when going through treatments?’… but am I ready to say that to people I love?” Brodie said. “In the group I can talk about things that are tucked way back in my mind, and when they come out, it’s a relief.” Blackburn said she, Stevenson, and Kotler-Klein make sure at least one attends each workshop for “emotional support. There may be tears — but always laughter — at the sessions.” After the initial group reading, the participants separate from the circle to work on their individual pieces — Brodie loves sitting in a comfortable chair by a window — and then they regroup. “We invite people to share their writing but they don’t have to. Sometimes a person might want someone else to read the piece,” Burnham said. “I think it’s a wonderful, bonding experience.” Since its start in January 2015, the workshops have received “tons of positive feedback from patients,” Blackburn said. “In February, it was below freezing and we had a full house.… Patients keep coming back.” Based on the success of this group, Blackburn said they hope to form a second group to meet at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, which is more easily accessible by car than the Kelly House. Burnham plans to lead both groups. “I will continue there indefinitely. I’m committed to the group.” “It’s all about conveying the power of writing,” Filreis said. “It is through writing that we understand our lives.”
PENN TREE GIVEAWAY PROGRAM A limited number of free trees will be given away to interested Penn and UPHS staff and faculty who pre-register. University and Health System employees who live in the City of Philadelphia or in the suburbs in PA, Delaware and New Jersey are eligible for one free tree on a first-come, first-served basis. Unfortunately, we have run out of trees in the past, so registering early is important. Pick-up dates will be Tuesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 5, between 3 and 6 pm in the parking lot at Penn Park — located near the intersection of 31st Street and Lower Walnut Street. You must pick up your tree on one of these two days. To register and learn more, visit www.sustainability.upenn.edu/get-involved/creating-canopy. Registration will close on Friday, April 29, or when we are out of trees, whichever comes first. Questions? Email sustainability@upenn.edu or visit the website.
2
HUP Volunteers: A “Gift” to Patient Care The days of volunteers sitting at information desks, pushing wheelchairs and stuffing envelopes are waning at HUP. The hospital’s resources, processes and regulations make those roles non-existent or unnecessary. A new brand of volunteerism is emerging that focuses on patients and caregivers. The Patient & Family Advisory Council and Family Caregiver Center are established examples of how volunteers contribute intellectually and emotionally to the patient experience. New programs launching this year, such as the Caregiver Coffee Cart and the Friendly Visitor Program, and the continued work of established programs such as Caring Clowns, HUP’s Pups, Musicians On-Call and Reiki Therapy point the way to a volunteer program based on supporting patients and caregivers, not just operational tasks. Volunteer Services celebrated National Volunteer Week (April 11 to 15) with gifts for their volunteers but “the best gift we can give them is a chance to meaningfully contribute. Volunteers are a resource with untapped potential,” said David Cribb, director of Volunteer Services and Video Services. “They are years of experience. They are enthusiasm. They are a connection to patients and families.” If you have a question about a program, have an idea for a volunteer program, or wish to volunteer, please contact Volunteer Services at hup.volunteer@uphs. upenn.edu.
A THANK YOU TO DOCTORS March 30th is National Doctors’ Day, a day set aside in which members of our hospital community recognize the contributions, commitment, and dedication of our physicians. On that day each year, members of Medical Affairs offer physicians morning beverages and a small token of appreciation. This year, physicians received a “universal” phone charger. Below, Sumita Nasta, MD, of Hematology/Oncology, receives thanks for her dedication from Scott Stinsman of Medical Affairs.
`` Natalie Meeder is one of hundreds of volunteers who help make HUP a better place for patients and their families.
TAKE OUR CHILDREN TO WORK DAY IS COMING! The national “Take Our Children to Work Day” will be held on Thursday, April 28, this year. Designed to be more than a career day, this program creates an enriching educational experience for our children, exposing them to what a parent or mentor in their lives does during the work day, shows them the value of their education, and gives them an opportunity to share how they envision their future. Employees are invited to bring their sons and daughters, between the ages of 8 to 15, to work to explore their career aspirations and future goals. Participating departments will receive souvenirs, activity materials, meal tickets, and certificates of participation from HR to distribute to the children. You can pick them up at the Human Resources Information Center on Ground Gates at the following times: >> Friday, April 22, from 9 to 10 am >> Monday, April 25, from 2 to 3 pm If your department decides to participate, please email your registration list to murrayph@uphs. upenn.edu or fax to HUP Administration at 215.349.5864 no later than Friday, April 15.
3
`` Staff, patients and family members all took part in the “race” to celebrate lifesaving transplants and thank donors.
Be the Match to Save Lives! Rhoads 7 became a mini racecourse last month, with patients from that unit (as well as from Rhoads 3 and 6) walking with or being pushed in wheelchairs by family members and staff to celebrate their lifesaving transplants and thank their medical teams and those who donate bone marrow and cord blood. Those who couldn’t leave their rooms (patients recovering from or waiting for a transplant have very fragile immune systems) cheered from inside their rooms, holding signs of encouragement for the “racers.”
Join the 3rd Annual Million Dollar Bike Ride
Both events also raise awareness of the importance of registering to be a donor in the Be The Match registry of the National Marrow Donor Program. Each year, more than 12,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with blood cancers like leukemia. For many, a stem cell transplant is their only hope.
The Orphan Disease Center’s 3rd annual Million Dollar Bike Ride (MDBR) will take place on Saturday, May 7. Beginning and ending in the city of Philadelphia, the MDBR is the only charity bike ride of its kind. We expect over 600 cyclists who will ride 12, 33, or 73 miles in support of rare disease research. In just two years, the MDBR has raised over $2 million to fund pilot grants for research on 20 different rare diseases, for which there are no existing cures. Join us to honor the rare disease community and enjoy a special day cycling in the city!
To learn more about becoming a donor, go to https://bethematch.org.
Register today: www.MillionDollarBikeRide.
This is the second year of the unit’s patient walk, which took place just days before the actual Be The Match Walk+Run. Over the last two years, HUP’s team has raised nearly $14,000!
org/cyclist-registration.
Come to the 2016 Philadelphia Science Festival Penn Medicine will again play a leading role in the sixth annual Philadelphia Science Festival, a citywide collaboration showcasing science and technology every spring. The Festival packs more than 100 events into nine days at locations across the region, including restaurants and breweries, parks, libraries, and museums. The Festival, which runs from Friday, April 22, to Saturday, April 30, is a partnership among over 200 of the region’s most influential institutions, museums, and cultural centers working together to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and spark discussion among young and old. The aim is to create homegrown citizen scientists by exploring the many ways that science and technology touch our everyday lives. The historic buildings of Pennsylvania Hospital will play a key part in this year’s Festival by hosting the free event “Medicine 1776” as part of Explorer Sunday on Sunday, April 24. For more info about the Philadelphia Science Festival, go to www.philasciencefestival.org.
4
HUPdate EDITORIAL STAFF Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer Trissy Laurito Designer
ADMINISTRATION
Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Holly Auer Director of Communications CONTACT HUPDATE AT: 3535 Market Street, Mezzanine Philadelphia, PA 19104 phone: 215.662.4488 fax: 215.349.8312 email: sally.sapega@uphs.upenn.edu
HUPdate is published biweekly for HUP employees. Access HUPdate online at http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/hupdate.