Westfield Magazine December 2022

BRANDON BALTZ Brandon@townepost.com 317.514.9522

FOUNDER/CEO

TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com 317.496.3599

jeanne@townepost.com 317.810.0011

8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: 317-810-0011

Longenecker - Office Manager

HEALTHY PETS, HAPPY PEOPLE

COYNE VETERINARY CENTER IS A FULL-SERVICE PET FACILITY

Writer / Amy Adams Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

From the first day that little Daisy trotted into Coyne Veterinary Center, Barbara Hocker knew she had found the people to care for her 2-month-old puppy.

“When we first walked inside Coyne Vet, I thought it was huge and clean,” Hocker says. “All of the people who work there make you feel so good when you come in, like they are your best friends.”

Coyne Veterinary Center first opened its doors in Westfield on January 11, 2021, with the goal of helping pets and their loved ones

share long, happy lives together.

The facility bears the name of Founder Dr. John Coyne, who has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 45 years. The Westfield location is the fourth facility he has opened in the state, and he operates all of his veterinary centers on the following principle: “Here, you’re not just a number.”

The beautiful, 13,000-square-foot facility provides what Manager Cris Gamboa calls a “one-stop shop” for pets. In addition to medical care from Purdue graduates Dr. Brittany Kraft and Dr. April Cannon, Coyne Veterinary Center offers grooming, as well as space for 35 to 40 dogs in day care and up

to 100 pets for boarding.

“I was so excited to see Coyne come to Westfield,” Hocker says. “We take Daisy to the vet there and we get her groomed there. Honestly I would drive pretty far away to get the quality of services they provide.”

Coyne Health Club wellness plans, starting at $34 per month, keep cats and dogs ahead of any problems that may arise, with free office visits and annual vaccines as well as discounts on services such as spays and neuters, routine teeth cleanings, parasite prevention and more.

According to Gamboa, the center’s walk-in

Andrea

hours and emergency and hospital services set Coyne apart. Veterinary appointments can be made Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Coyne also offers recently extended walk-in hours on Monday and Tuesday during regular appointment hours, and Wednesday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Coming up on its second anniversary, the Westfield office has expanded from

12 employees to 35 and will be hiring as needed to help serve an expanding clientele in the fast-paced clinic.

Kennel Manager Storrey Rogers says her favorite part of working at Coyne Veterinary Center is “being alongside amazing people who share the same compassion as I do for helping and caring for animals.”

The team can be seen around town at

community events such as Egg-Paw-Looza and Barktoberfest, and provides medical care for Westfield Police Department K-9 units.

You can drop by for a tour of the facility at 970 East 181st Street in Westfield anytime during office hours, Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., or Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check out coynewestfield.com or call 317-953-9944 with any questions.

TOURISM SPOTLIGHT

THESE LOCAL EXPERIENCES MAKE THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT

to choose from, guests can customize to their ideal scent profiles.

You’ve made your holiday shopping list, and checked it twice: but what do you get for the person who has it all? Sometimes, the best gifts aren’t things, but experiences. Give the gift of an attraction pass, art class, cooking class and more ideas from Hamilton County, Indiana.

FOR FAMILIES

Step into the story at Conner Prairie yearround with a membership, which includes free daytime general admission to Conner Prairie, discounted admission for select events like Headless Horseman and A Merry Prairie Holiday, and shopping and dining discounts.

FOR THE ART LOVER

Get hands-on with take-home art kits from Caravan Classes, or certificates for a future art class or workshop.

Purchase a gift certificate to a pottery studio, like Kiln Creations or uPaint Pottery Studio, for a future painting experience.

Support Nickel Plate Arts with the gift of an individual or family membership, which allows guests to participate in many of its arts activities for free for one year.

A Center for the Performing Arts subscription offers priority access to events and retains the same seats at performances.

gift certificate for an excursion with White River Canoe Company.

FOR THE FOODIE

Who doesn’t like food? Purchase a gift card to your loved one’s favorite local restaurant –or one they haven’t been to yet, just in time for The Great Dine Out, January 2-31, 2023.

FOR THE DIYER

From personalized signs to seasonal décor, give the gift of picking your own project with a gift card to AR Workshop or Board & Brush.

Let your loved one customize their own homemade bath and body products with a gift card to Bath Junkie. Guests can redeem in-store and mix and match scents to find the perfect blend. Don’t miss Buff City Soap for bath bombs and other handmade products.

A gift card to Penn & Beech Candle Co. allows the recipient to pour their own soy wax candle. With more than 100 fragrances

FOR THE OUTDOOR ADVENTURER

Koteewi Range offers private lessons for those looking to learn archery or improve their skills, as well as membership for access to the ranges.

The cure for cabin fever? A gift certificate to slide down the sledding hill at Koteewi Run Seasonal Slopes, open December through February. No need to wait for a snowstorm; they make their own snow!

Summer is synonymous with outdoor adventure like kayak and canoe trips. Get a

Do you have a budding young chef in your midst? Sprouts Cooking School is Indiana’s only cooking school just for kids, and they host classes regularly for children of all ages to learn cooking and baking techniques. It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate. Purchase an at-home chocolate tasting kit for a loved one from XChocol’art. Owner Joann Hofer also offers in-person chocolate making classes, too.

FOR THE GOLFER

For the golf lover, there are dozens of renowned golf courses to choose from in Hamilton County, home of Indiana’s Premier Golf. Stuff their stocking with gift cards for tee times and golf rentals.

To keep your golfer busy during the off season gift certificates to Topgolf or X-Golf Carmel will help them keep their skills sharp.

For more events and things to do this winter in Hamilton County, go to VisitHamiltonCounty.com and follow @VisitHamiltonCo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

Photographer / Brian Brosmer

ore and more people are hearing about West Fork Whiskey Co., the 30,000-square-foot agritourism facility that opened in August across the street from Grand Park. It’s one of the largest craft whiskey distilleries in the country, and also offers a great deal more. For starters, it includes the Mash House, a family-friendly restaurant that runs weekly specials and is open for lunch. There is also Stave, a speakeasy cocktail bar with an intimate atmosphere, perfect for relaxing with friends while sipping top-tier cocktails. Plus, West Fork has retail space, an event center and an education center.

“Many folks think this is a whiskey bar, but there’s so much more,” says Kevin Boyd, marketing director at West Fork Whiskey Co. Mash House recently kicked off an all-day Sunday Funday brunch that runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu includes a Chicken and Corncake Waffle - juicy fried chicken served with honey butter and glazed in maple syrup. It’s a cornmeal waffle because they like to highlight local farmers and products. Therefore, they make a lot of “cornforward” products.

“We’re all about the corn,” Ray says.

The Mash House Fries are tossed with parmesan cheese, herbs and seasonings and can be served poutine style (adding gravy and egg). Then there’s the Grand Park Breakfast Platter, with the name serving as a nod to their neighbors. It includes egg and choice of bacon or bourbon sausage, potatoes and toast. The mouth-watering French Toastella is buttered French toast topped with peanut butter and Nutella. The Classic Breakfast Sandwich is a monstrous egg frittata with bourbon sausage and cheese, on an English muffin.

“The menu is really a fun mash-up, no pun intended,” says Megan Ray, program manager.

Every day of the week offers something fun at the Mash House, starting with BBQuesday from 5p.m. 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

“We have a pit master from Tennessee who works here,” Boyd says. “He gets out there at 6 or 7 a.m. and starts smoking meat in our smoker in the parking lot. Our pitsmoker special starts around 5 p.m.”

The middle of the week is a great time to visit because on Whiskey Wednesday it’s $5 off all bottles at the carryout bottle bar, and $8 for an old fashioned. For entertainment, there is Live Jazz from 6:30-8:30pm every other week in Stave Lounge. Thirsty Thursday has an $8 beer and a shot, called “The Dave,” and Half Off bottles of wine followed by live music at the Mash House from 6-8PM.

The music is mostly pop classics from the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s - tunes that many people know and like to sing along to. It’s acoustic-forward in the Mash House as artists sit amongst the tables (or, in warmer months, on the patio).

“We want people to come grab a drink and appetizer, then stay for live music and dinner,” Ray says. “Families love the Mash House early in the night, and young professionals and empty nesters take advantage of the evening hours.”

Not only did the Mash House team just put out their new winter menu with tons of new tasty food choices, but the Stave team also just released an extensive makeover cocktail booklet that includes 20 to 25 drinks.

“We have one of the best cocktail programs in Hamilton County because

“WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME GRAB A DRINK AND APPETIZER, THEN STAY FOR LIVE MUSIC AND DINNER.”

—MEGAN RAY

there’s something for everyone, and you don’t have to be a whiskey drinker,” says Boyd, noting that they have their own gin that they call East Spoon, which is a play off of their name. “We are a whiskey distillery but we have to have gin, so to poke a little fun, we came up with East Spoon.”

This is a great month to shop, as West Fork has gift card and package deals available that you can personalize. Check out their winter apparel including sweatshirts, T-shirts and beanies with the West Fork patch on it.

Their bottle bar is in the retail center as well. Guests can sample whiskey or purchase flights. “It’s try before you buy,” Boyd says.

The idea is to come get lunch and shop. It’s also a convenience. Say you’re on your way to a holiday party, and you can pop in and pick up a gift for a white-elephant exchange.

Check West Fork’s website and social media pages for community calendar updates, because Santa will be making some appearances in the event center.

“We are planning to have pictures with Santa as well as cookie decorating,” Ray says. “The kids can decorate a cookie while parents enjoy a whiskey cocktail.”

In the new year, they plan to kick off a West Fork Whiskey winter cornhole league. The games will take place on Wednesday evenings to coincide with Whiskey Wednesday. Participants are invited to come out and enjoy a cocktail or meal, then play in a competitive league.

“It’ll be official with teams registered and wearing West Fork T-shirts,” Boyd says. “If you are interested in playing head to West Fork’s website calendar for team registration.”

At West Fork Whiskey, they have limited bourbon and whiskey releases (typically two each month). These are unique single barrels, not just their standards, and they can only be purchased on-site at West Fork Whiskey.

“You can’t find these bottles at Meijer or Crown Liquors,” Boyd says. It’s all part of a line called WFX, which simply means Westfield Exclusive. “We pick our favorite barrels - ones that customers don’t have access to. If you want the best stuff, you’ve got to come on-site, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

The big takeaway is that West Fork is not just a restaurant, nor is it just a distillery and bar.

“We are community driven, with all sorts of activities, events and programming for all ages and demographics,” Boyd says.

For instance, they have just launched a behind-the-scenes tour of their new facility. Guests get to walk through the distillation processing and production area, then finish the 45-minute tour in the education room with a tasting of the West Fork Whiskey line.

“It’s really unique and super fun,” Ray says.

West Fork Whiskey Co. is located at 10 East 191st Street in Westfield. For more information visit westforkwhiskey.com.

HEALTH SPOTLIGHT

When the temperature goes down, people tend to become more susceptible to sickness and cold weather germs. We want our kiddos to stay healthy year-round, and while we can’t guarantee they won’t get sick, there are several preventative steps parents can take to help children stay healthy during the winter months.

YOUR CARE TEAM CAN HELP.

When your kids need routine primary care—for sniffles, sports physicals, and everything in between – it’s important to have an established relationship with a pediatrician. There are a recommended schedule of appointments to keep an eye on your child’s growth and development. Since children grow so quickly, it is important that you schedule these visits so your child’s doctor can catch and treat any health problems early. If your child

HELP YOUR CHILD STAY HEALTHY DURING THE WINTER

is sick, pediatricians provide quick care to help them feel better. We diagnose conditions and give your child the necessary medications or other treatments. We also help you stay on track with your child’s vaccination schedule and can help you understand which vaccines your child needs and when. Flu shots are essential to get each year as children often have more severe flurelated problems, such as a higher risk of pneumonia, than adults.

LEARN ABOUT FLU SHOTS.

The flu shot is still the most effective way to avoid the flu, and the flu vaccine can be given beginning at six months old. Influenza is highly contagious. It is carried in the air and by direct contact. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, sore throat, cough and extreme fatigue. A complication of flu is pneumonia. Studies show that the flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness by between 50 percent and 60 percent among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu

viruses are like the vaccine viruses.

HELP PROTECT YOUR CHILD’S IMMUNE SYSTEM, AVOID GERMS.

Millions of families every year travel home or abroad for the wintertime, and we all want to do our best to keep our children healthy over the holidays. While we can’t avoid all germs, there are some general prevention steps we can take. Make sure your child is properly dressed for the temperature outside. Keep hand sanitizer in your car and diaper bag and make a habit to use it each time you enter your car. Disinfect “high touch” surfaces, such as car door handles or toys, and make sure everyone in your family washes their hands after going to the bathroom or coughing and before eating.

For more information or to schedule a wellchild visit, go to RileyatNorth.org.

Writer / Dr. Joshua Richey, pediatrician, Riley Children’s Health at IU Health North Hospital

Dr. Richey Joshua

UNBELIEVABLE SELECTION

UNBEATABLE PRICES

STRETCHLAB CARMEL

Give more than a gift…give an experience they’ll love! One-on-one assisted stretching from StretchLab will help them move, feel, and live better. Gift cards available for single sessions or packs.

2462 E. 146th Street, Carmel, IN 317.689.0842 / stretchlab.com

$300 MINI SESSIONS ALL WINTER SEASON

BRIANNA RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY

With a focus on capturing your unique and personal story through a lens because these moments are so fleeting - complete contact form on website to capture special winter memories (offering outdoor and indoor sessions). I look forward to working with you! www.briannarichardsonphoto.com

THE 12 STOUTS OF CHRISTMAS

FIELD BREWING

A variety pack of 12 unique holiday variations of our award winning Black Friday Stout. 303 East Main Street, Westfield 317-804-9780 / fieldbrewing.com

OFFICE / RETAIL SPACE FOR RENT

New development, prime location. Large bright office/ retail suite is 893 sf and includes large patio overlooking woods, 3 entrances, and optional warehouse space.

Call 317-352-9147 for details.

16156 Spring Mill Road, Suite D200, Westfield

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FOR SENIORS

own holiday-themed family photo shoot for grandma, grandpa and the whole family to enjoy!

Storyworth: This is a great gift for engaging a parent or grandparent’s memory. With a Storyworth subscription, they are emailed a question each week, and at the end of a year, Storyworth will bind their life stories into a beautiful hardcover book. “I love the book because it brings back good memories and allows my loved ones to share them with future generations.” Go to storyworth.com to start a book for your loved one.

— Jen Barnhart, Director of Product Integration & Business Development

Holiday shopping can be tricky. Do you lean more towards practical or personal presents? Older loved ones can be especially hard to shop for, as they seem to have it all — lifetimes of knick-knacks and keepsakes. How can you shower them with gifts that are new and different but also avoid cluttering their homes?

To keep up with its mission of being “local, helpful and personal,” CarDon & Associates — an Indiana-based senior living management company — compiled these staff picks of presents for seniors this holiday season! From space-saving gifts with universal appeal to Hoosier-specific ideas, you’ll surely find something for your loved ones on this list.

Skylight Frame: “Imagine a digital picture frame with rotating photos added in real time, and you have the Skylight Frame! To capture and share life’s many happy moments as soon as they happen, family members can simply email photos to the frame, where they will show up in a matter of seconds. This is an especially great gift for keeping loved ones connected to festivities if they won’t be able to visit during the holidays.” With a premium subscription plan, you can also include photo captions, create photo albums and send videos. Perhaps best of all, a digital frame is a great space saver for collecting memories. You can order this product directly from Skylight as well as Amazon or Walmart. — Kendra Fauth-Edwards, Chief Marketing Officer

The Simple Music Player: Reminiscent of an old-fashioned home radio, this music player instantly takes listeners down memory lane. Research shows that listening to familiar music improves mood and awareness in older adults facing memory loss. This music player works right out of the box with pre-loaded American classics, but gift-givers can also upload songs themselves, gathering all of their loved one’s favorites. “We loaded a mixture of my mom’s favorite songs, and she absolutely loves it! It keeps her company and brightens her spirits. We can also enjoy it together by reminiscing about when we first heard and fell in love with these songs.” Manufactured by SiMPL Technology, the Simple Music Player is available on Amazon, and it also ships for free from the MindCare Store and the Alzheimer’s Store. — Susan Bonner, Director of Marketing

Photo Shoot: The Internet has made it easier than ever to book photographers. Try Honeybook or PhotoSesh, and plan your

Personalized Picture

Blanket: Go online or head to Bed Bath & Beyond or Walmart to wrap your loved one in a warm blanket of memories over the holidays. What better way for them to curl up on the couch than with a cozy collage of pictures? This is an ideal gift, as it’s practical and personal, and it doesn’t take up as much room as photo albums.

The Gift of Experience: Make new memories over the holidays with experiencebased gifts for your loved ones. These are great alternatives to material gifts if you’re having trouble filling their stockings. “Visit the Indiana Historical Society’s Festival of Trees with them or take them to the Indiana Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration. Getting tickets to fun, festive events like these will surely help make the season bright!” — Beth Cattoi, Regional Director of Marketing Book Club for Two: A book is a more traditional, physical gift, but you can make it special by sharing the reading experience with your loved one. Buy a copy for yourself, set mutual reading goals and schedule a time to meet with them — either virtually or in person — to discuss the book. What a beautiful way to bond!

Splurging on Something They Wouldn’t: “I love to find dependable splurge items for my parents — stuff they’d never spend the money on. Ugg is my go-to brand for slippers and cozy blankets. My parents fussed at me for ‘spending so much on slippers,’ but now it’s something they can’t live without. The slippers are nonslip, durable and super warm and fuzzy! The following year, I found the Ugg sherpa blanket for my dad, and it was another winner.”

—

Laurie Lasbury, Director of Community Engagement

For more information about CarDon & Associates, visit www.cardon.us.

RESERVE NORTON

Blackhawk Winery’s Reserve Norton is a special treat for dry red wine lovers. Aged 2 years in American oak, fruit meets balanced tannins in a robust dry red.

SEYVAL BLANC

Enjoy the light citrus of this delightful Seyval Blanc. Vinted from grapes grown in our vineyards, a truly special, local treat.

SHERIDAN

Blackhawk Winery is the only winery in the world selling Sheridan wine! A fruity rose with notes of cherry and watermelon - versatile and pairs with cheeses and poultry! Perfect partner to the holidays.

LEMON

Find out why Blackhawk Winery’s Lemon is the most popular wine in the tasting room. Made from pure lemon juice, this wine brings liquid sunshine to the colder days.

Sheri Ikerd opened Collective Beauty Salon & Med Spa in August of 2019, in a 100-yearold building. What the space offered in charm, it lacked in size and accessibility.

In October, Collective Beauty moved to a different location on East Main Street in Westfield.

“As we were growing, we quickly realized we needed more space,” Ikerd says. “We also needed better parking accommodations and an ADA-accessible space. Some of my

clients were having issues with stairs, so we needed a space we could design to fit our needs.”

The new location offers an ample parking lot and an elevator. Ikerd and her employees went from 2,200 square feet of usable space to 4,500 square feet. This allowed Ikerd to increase the number of employees on staff.

The full-service salon and med spa offers services for hair, facials, waxing, make-up and hair services, massages, laser treatments, Botox and filler, lashes, as well as bridal and

Writer / Renee Larr Photographer / Brian Brosmer

special events. The idea to be a one-stop location for all things beauty began with spa weekends Ikerd would share with her daughters.

“When they were growing up, we would travel to different towns for different beauty treatments,” Ikerd says. “We would go one place for one type of treatment, and one place for another type of treatment. I thought how nice it would be to go to one location for all those services.”

Collective Beauty employs 22 staff

members including cosmetologists, massage therapists and aestheticians. The new location’s significantly larger size allowed Ikerd to hire more employees. She says each provider brings their unique talents to the group. The stylists range from level one to master stylist.

“Stylists range from beginners to masters,” Ikerd says. “As they meet certain criteria, they move up in level. The higher the level, the more experienced the provider. This means costs can vary depending on their experience level.”

Ikerd is also a certified nurse practitioner

and injector. She’s skilled at Botox, filler and Alma laser treatments. Alma Harmony XL Pro services include ClearLift laser treatments, to stimulate collagen below the skin’s surface.

“This technique utilizes pixelated laser beams to penetrate up to five millimeters into the dermis,” Ikerd says. “This causes damage under the skin’s surface, and the body responds. During this process, collagen is produced. Collagen gives our skin its tone and firmness, but as we age, we lose collagen. The recommendation is once a month for the service, and each treatment builds on the previous treatment. The

results are permanent.”

Ikerd says we can’t prevent aging, but can reduce the signs of aging that have already occurred. DyeVL is another unique laser treatment. This green-light therapy evens skin tone, by eliminating redness or brown spots.

“As laser technology has advanced, so have these types of procedures,” Ikerd says. “In the past, laser treatments were painful and required downtime to heal. Now, that is no longer the case. The staff stays updated on the latest technology by attending continuing-education seminars.”

The salon offers Kérastase hair products by L’Oréal. Ikerd says her providers and clients love the line, which originated in Paris in 1964. Collective Beauty also offers Surface organic hair products. Ikerd says it’s vital to offer professional skin and hair products in her salon. She sells PCA SKIN and Eminence Organic Skin Care products.

“The benefits of professional-grade skin products are fabulous,” Ikerd says. “As you start investing more in your skin with treatments like Botox and filler, it’s critical to invest in a product that carries forward those treatments.”

She says her team members are experts in their fields and well versed on their products. Ikerd says her stylists and aestheticians offer free consultations to help determine what clients may need, or answer any questions they may have.

“Sometimes clients may have an event coming up, so we need to work a little quicker,” Ikerd says. “Sometimes we have clients who want to avoid injections altogether. We can tailor a path for each client based on what they want or need.”

Inside the new location is a boutique that carries perfume, jewelry, scarves, candles and unique gifts. She says her boutique manager takes pride in researching and finding women-owned companies of high integrity that use quality products and support great causes. Ikerd says she’s happy her boutique manager has found organizations, such as RusticCuff, Diff eyewear, PixieMood, Qudo, and Simple Goodness, to bring into the salon and spa.

Collective Beauty also offers bridal and special event services. Ikerd says different packages are available, for the bride only or the entire bridal party. She says brides are brought in for a consultation to get a feel for their needs.

“My goal is to offer as many services as possible so that busy moms and working professionals can come to one location and have anything done they need,” Ikerd says. “Our environment is what sets us apart. From the moment our clients walk in, we welcome them by their first name. We’ve built relationships with our clients. Additionally, we, as a staff, all get along so well. I think our customers recognize and appreciate it.”

Ikerd says the new location is only a few blocks from the previous one, which was a massive factor in the move. She says the blank space allowed her to collaborate with her staff and clients on what they wanted and needed in a salon and spa.

“Our clients have been so great and have shared this journey with us from the beginning,” Ikerd says. “We’re just down the street from where we were, so it’s been a pretty easy transition for them.”

Ikerd says she is always looking to add more professionals to her staff. She is looking for cosmetologists, and offers booth rental and commission stations.

Collective Beauty is located at 380 East Main Street in Westfield. Call 317-3997872 for additional details. Also visit collectivebeautysalonspa.com for more information or to book online.

Sheri Ikerd

Stephanie Miller

Ali Beeman

SPONSORED BY:

LONDYN HOFFMAN STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Londyn Hoffman, age 7, of Westfield, has been inspiring the Westfield Middle School football team this season because of her devoted spirit as a loyal fan.

Londyn, who has a rare form of cancer, is a familiar face at the football games. She even shows up after the chemotherapy treatments she undergoes.

Londyn’s mom, Jenna, says Londyn was diagnosed in May 2021 with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of sarcoma and cancer of soft issue.

“It can appear anywhere in someone’s body, but for Londyn, it is behind her eye,” Hoffman says. “We noticed her eye was protruding, and that’s when we knew something was wrong and urgently went to her local ophthalmologist, Dr. Gavin

After being declared in remission in November of 2021, Londyn relapsed eight months later in July of 2022.

“Londyn started back up on chemo right away, and sadly has to have a life saving surgical procedure done called an exenteration to remove her orbit, all of its contents and in effect, the mass that is attached to it,” says Hoffman. “We depart for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Nov. 3 for her surgery that will take place on November 7. We will spend two weeks in New York City away from her big brother and big sister. It will definitely be hard for her to be away from them.”

INSPIRING OTHERS

Londyn has been regularly inspiring both the Westfield Middle School team and the Westfield community.

“One could say Londyn may have inspired the team, because even when she’s been at her weakest after a long day of chemo, she would still show up to the games…standing up in the bleachers at the fence cheering them on,” she says. “She has a ‘never give up attitude’ and always faces each day’s challenges with a smile.”

Londyn also has an undiagnosed genetic condition that comes with cognitive and physical disabilities.

Roberts, of Midwest Eye Institute in Carmel.”

“We feel her challenges have been a silver lining to all she’s been through these past two years as she really doesn’t understand that she has cancer, nor does she understand how big of a feat it is that she has made it through so many medical challenges that most don’t make it through – let alone with a smile on their faces,” Hoffman says. “Nonetheless, people, especially kids, make her so happy. She just loves being around other kids, whether in the classroom, or at sporting events, or at home with her big brother and big sister – she is the happiest, truly.”

Londyn doesn’t like toys, but she loves music and being at big events where other people are around her.

“She loves saying hi to everyone, even complete strangers and will proceed to ask them what their names are,” she says.

CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Hoffman notes that as part of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Westfield Middle School football team, led by Coach Zach Zimmer’s efforts, hosted a ‘Tackle Childhood Cancer,’ Alex’s Lemonade Stand campaign and raised $7,482 to date, not just in Londyn’s name, but for everyone impacted by childhood cancer.

“Gold rally towels were also sold, and funds raised were contributed to the Tackle Childhood Cancer campaign,”

she says. “Special thanks to Primrose School at Bridgewater, G&G Custom Homes, Gorman & Bunch Orthodontics, ComForCare Home Care, 185 Promotions & Apparel and Holstein Property Group, who sponsored the towels so that all proceeds could go to the Tackle Childhood Cancer campaign for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The community also rallied together and hosted a Friendsgiving Fall Festival in support of Londyn and our family.”

You can learn more about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer at www.alexslemonade.org.com.

Cancer treatment is always evolving. Staying up to date with the latest advances means our patients receive care that is personalized for you.

Advanced therapies offered through the IU Health Schwarz Cancer Center include:

■ Radiation oncology

■ Medical oncology with infusion services

■ Surgical oncology

■ Patient navigation

■ Genetic counseling

■ Clinical trials

■ Additional support services, including pharmacy and lab

Lisa Landrum, MD’s areas of clinical interest include early stage endometrial cancer with high intermediate risk factors for reoccurrence; robotic surgery; palliative care; and disparities in care for women with cervical cancer. Her practice philosophy is to always engage the patient in their goals for care, and to serve as their advocate.

Call 317.688.4800 to schedule an appointment.