Volume 25
Number 14
July 11, 2014
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
`` Spirit of Caring winner Tamba Janga (c.) with (from left) Mia Gonzales Dean, Larry McCook and Chaplain David Henfield.
A Little Goes a
K indness
Long Way
Pastoral Care’s Spirit of Caring Winners
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. This quote by Maya Angelou, the late American author and poet, captures the epitome of Pastoral Care at HUP. Patients and families may not remember everything that happens during a hospitalization but they will remember those who reached out to them. Pastoral Care’s annual celebration recognizes all of the chaplains — staff, students, and volunteers — who humanize medicine for our patients and families. “You are all dedicated individuals who do so much,” said Al Black, COO. “Your ability to motivate us all to do better cannot be overestimated.” Pastoral contacts with patients now number over 30,000 a year, including 24/7 coverage for HUP’s approximately 2,500 trauma calls. “I am humbled by what is asked of our chaplains and grateful for all you’ve given,” said Jim Browning, director of Pastoral Care. Each year, Pastoral Care presents the Spirit of Caring Award, which honors staff and volunteers who have made exceptional contributions to HUP’s caring environment. There were two winners this year: Tamba Janga of Patient Transport, and Roy Kardon, a volunteer pastoral visitor.
“I Make Them Smile”
Inside Encouraging Healthy Relationships Between Kids and Grandparents.............2 Mary Rogers Receives MER Award................................3 A Quilt of Love...........................4 Stay Safe!...................................4
Driving Miss Daisy is a movie about the growing friendship between an older woman and her chauffeur. Janga thinks of himself as “driving Miss Daisy” on a daily basis, as he takes patients to and from care units, tests, appointments, etc. “When people are sick, it’s time to reach out,” he said. “I make them smile.” Janga has worked at HUP for over 30 years and his compassion for patients is illustrated in the thank-you notes and letters that fill his employee file. At the Pastoral Care celebration, Larry McCook, director of Patient Transport, told guests, “When I first came to HUP, I reviewed my employees’ records. Tamba’s file had many, many… many complimentary letters in his file. He’s touched so many patients over the years.” (Continued on page 2)
Join the 5K for the IOA.............4
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A Little Goes a
K indness
Long Way
(Continued from cover)
“Tamba touches lives through tenderness, compassion, and respect,” said Mia Gonzales Dean, assistant executive director. “He ministers to our patients and families in a quiet and gentle way.” “We all have to show that HUP welcomes patients and that they have a good experience,” Janga said. “My mom told me to be nice to everyone. She said, ‘If you’re nice, the world opens to you.’ ”
`` Chaplain Denise Statham receives a big hug from Spirit of Caring winner Roy Kardon.
An Attitude of Gratitude As a pastoral visitor for the past seven years, Kardon has become a familiar face on Rhoads 3, an oncology floor. What drew him to HUP — and cancer patients — was losing both a family member and friend to the disease. “I knew I could handle these types of visits,” he said. On his weekly visits, he also stops in to see Jewish inpatients. Two years ago, his visit to a 71-year-old Jewish patient led to Pastoral Care’s partnership with Golden Slipper, a program that delivers challah bread to HUP’s Jewish patients every Friday. Challah is traditionally eaten during Sabbath meals. “Her eyes lit up when she saw that someone Jewish had come to see her,” Kardon said. “I wanted to do something for her. Being in the hospital on Friday nights can be hard for Jewish patients because it’s the Sabbath. Challah is a comfort food.”
You are all dedicated individuals who do so much. Your ability to motivate us all to do better cannot be overestimated.
Kardon also does races, often to raise money for an organization. “An attitude of gratitude” is always on his racing shirt. “These visits to patients are God’s gift to me. They put into focus how blessed you are,” he said. “The good work is being done to me, it’s not me doing the work.” In accepting his Spirit of Caring award, Kardon said, “The patients bless me and touch me so deeply. And I always feel love and goodness when I’m with members of Pastoral Care.”
Encouraging Healthy Relationships Eileen Addis, MSS, LSW, of Clinical Resource Management and Social Work, sees her work at HUP as part of her connection to the neighborhoods the hospital serves. She has extended this commitment as a six-year board member of Supportive Older Women’s Network (SOWN), a Philadelphia nonprofit dedicated to providing strong support networks and services to older women in need. Although SOWN focuses on older women, for the past 10 years, it has worked with grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Marypat Tracy, LCSW, SOWN’s director of Programs, estimates that there are more than 22,000 grandparent-led families in Philadelphia. These grandparents play a crucial role in preventing these kids from entering foster care. “This is parenting the second time around for them,” said Tracy. “They might be 75 years old. The world is different. Parenting is different.” `` Penn Medicine CAREs grant winner Eileen Addis (l.) with Marypat Tracy of SOWN.
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Children raised by their grandparents are 32 percent more likely to be obese than their peers. “For a lot of these families, there’s no safe place outside to jump
Heartfelt Thanks `` Mary Rogers, winner of this year’s Maryellen Reilly Leadership Award, with members of her unit.
Mary Rogers Receives MER Award Maryellen Reilly, HUP’s former VP of Clinical and Administrative Operations who passed away three years ago, had a profound impact on the many people who knew and worked with her. “She was a force of good will, with a strong work ethic and positive spirit,” said HUP executive director Garry Scheib. “She listened to everyone’s point of view and made sure they were heard. She taught us how to balance family and work.” To keep alive the celebration of her life, HUP created an annual award that recognizes a HUP leader who demonstrates those qualities. The 2014 Maryellen Reilly Leadership Award went to Mary Rogers, BSN, RN, of Dulles 6. “Mary supports and mentors one of the most engaged shared governance councils in nursing. She consistently receives among the highest scores for nursing management in the annual nurse satisfaction survey,” Scheib said at the presentation. “She always takes the time to connect with people on a personal level. She defuses tense situations with her never-ending smile and calm demeanor. And she always finds time to invest in the professional development of her team members.” Noting that the Dulles 6 team will be moving to PPMC with the Trauma program, he said, “She had a tremendous leadership ability to inspire her team to transfer to PPMC in support of the trauma program. I thank her for her leadership in the most complicated project I’ve ever been involved in.” “I’m proud to have worked here for 27 ½ years and believe that through partnerships we can do great things. I will continue to build that as we go to PPMC,” Rogers said. “Thank you all for your appreciation of what I do every day.”
My sister was flown to your hospital from Stroudsburg. She came with a diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Sadly she passed away. Although there was not a cure, your staff was most accommodating…. One of the nurses spoke with her about her illness, taking time to let [my sister] express her concerns and emotions. Also, one of your security personnel graciously offered to have me follow him up the turnpike to help me find my way home…. I must mention your helicopter gentlemen. They were so polite and giving. When they landed, the sun was setting. They took the time to show [my sister] the spectacular scene. She just loved it! Thank you to all for your compassion.
Between Kids and Grandparents rope, ride a bike, and do what other kids might be doing,” said Tracy. “These kids have already been through something traumatic, so grandmom wants to keep them in the house and keep them safe.” To help improve the families’ fitness level — and their nutrition — SOWN created Philly Families Eat Smart workshops. The classes offer yoga, tai chi, and related activities as well as information about healthy meal preparation, the best place to buy affordable, healthy ingredients, and more ways to live healthy. Addis recently secured a Penn Medicine CAREs grant to provide iPads, on which groups of kids and grandparents can use health apps and activities. These apps can be done not only on the iPads in class, but also at home on an iPad, iPhone, computer, other smartphone or similar device. “The grandparents also get to spend time with their grandchildren and pass on values that they can use for the rest of their lives and pass on to others,” said Addis. “It can be very difficult for some kids to be raised by their grandparent and not get pressure from their everyday peers,” said Tracy. “And sometimes grandmoms are overwhelmed. We’re adding that fitness can be fun factor, that kids can have fun with grandma.” For information on participating or joining the program, contact Marypat Tracy at mptracy@sown.org.
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`` Mary Walton (c.) with the quilt she created for the chemotherapy infusion unit in the Abramson Cancer Center. At her side are her doctor, Kevin Fox, MD, of Hemotology-Oncology, and Marie Walton, OCN, of Oncology Nursing.
A Quilt of Love Mary Walton, who has twice been a cancer patient at HUP, wanted to give something back. “Everyone here was wonderful. God puts people in your path,” she said. “Like ‘Footprints in the Sand’, He provided people to help me through, both times.” She decided to make a quilt because, in Hawaii, where she grew up, it is considered spiritual. Walton is no novice in this undertaking. She has made quilts for family members, celebrating births, and one in memory of her father. The Hawaiian quilt she made — named the “Healing Love Quilt” by her two young daughters — is both peaceful and spiritual and representative of her experience. The navy border represents plants used to make chemotherapy: periwinkle, Pacific yew bark and Asian happy tree. The ribbons symbolize both breast and oncologic cancers. And the butterflies represent the inner strength and beauty inside each person who has to fight the disease. “It’s important that patients remember that hope is here,” she said.
Stay Safe! To help patients, visitors and staff stay safe outside of the hospital, HUP Security offers escorts to the parking garages and streets surrounding the hospital. Call 215.662.COPS (2677). For areas beyond that, Penn Walking Escorts are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, between 43rd and 30th Streets, and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue. Escorts are also available from 10 am until 3 am between 50th and 30th Streets and Spring Garden Street to Woodland Avenue via the University’s partnership with the University District Ambassador Program. To request a Penn Walking Escort:
• Ask any Public Safety Officer on patrol or inside a building.
• Call 215.898.WALK(9255) or 511 from Penn campus phone.
Helping People All the Time
Congratulations to the March winners of the Helping People All the Time raffle. To nominate someone, go to http://pennpoint.uphs.upenn.edu/sites/HUP/hupse/ and click on “HUP Service Excellence Nomination” and then “New” at the top of the chart. You can also submit a name on a paper form, available at various locations throughout the hospital. Edward Franklin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravdin 6
Stacy Ann Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SFAS
Cheryl Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silverstein 10
Belinda Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silverstein 11
Courtney Hartney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silverstein 10
Shannon Maier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology
Alison Kuzma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SICU
Bradford Dungan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology
Janae Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pharmacy
Melissa Farley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology
Henry Turner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Security
Jim Pisaturo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ED
Becky Cunningham. . . . . . . . . . . . . Founders 12
Jean Marie Sullivan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 7
Alex Popa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICU
Antoinette Edwards. . . . . . . . . Infection Control
Shannon Reynolds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ED
Jonathan Crincoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology
Kerrie Kelly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silverstein 8
Dawn Namiotka. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CICU
Helena Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patient Transport
Lauren Kranenberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICU
Sharlette Rowe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICU
Sandhra Thekkumthala . . . Cardiology EPS Lab
Sunny Paulose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Founders 11
Join the 5K for the IOA Mark your calendars for Penn’s Third Annual 5K for the IOA and Memory Mile Walk on Sunday, September 21. The event will be held on Penn’s campus, starting at Shoemaker Green between the Palestra and Franklin Field, and running through Penn Park, with its skyline views of Center City Philadelphia. The 5K Run will begin at 8:00 am and the Memory Mile Walk will begin at 8:10 am. Proceeds will help further innovative research by Penn’s Institute on Aging through the Pilot Grant Program, to fill funding gaps and foster exploration of new directions in research in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Please visit PennMedicine.org/5kIOA to sign up, volunteer or donate.
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• Use one of the many building and
blue-light ephones located on and off Penn’s campus.
In addition, Penn Transit Services provide mobile escort services for all members of the Penn community, from 6 pm to 3 am daily, operating within the following boundaries: 20th to 50th Streets, between Spring Garden Street and Woodland Avenue. Call 215.898.RIDE (7433).
HUPdate Editorial Staff Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer Trissy Harding 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.