UPSTATE CANCER CENTER
NEWS WINTER
2013
Cancer accreditation sets Upstate apart
Radiation oncology nurse becomes a patient, experiences the wonders of the gamma knife
The Upstate Cancer Center was re-accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer, a distinction awarded to very few hospitals in the United States.
A young Jeffrey Bogart MD was a new resident in the early 1990s when Betty Brown worked as a nurse in radiation oncology at Upstate. Today he is professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology.
The Upstate Cancer Center is the only comprehensive cancer program in Central New York to receive this distinction. This is especially impressive considering our center currently consists of programs and services that will not be consolidated until the new Upstate Cancer Center is complete in Spring 2014.
Brown remembers in 1998 when Upstate added a new device called the gamma knife to deliver high-dose radiation to brain tumors.
Cancer programs with the accreditation offer a full range of medical services from a multidisciplinary team that includes surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialists. Healthcare providers in accredited hospitals focus on prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evaluation, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent disease, support services and end-of-life care. Richard Kilburg, associate administrator of the Upstate Cancer Center, said the team works diligently to meet the high standards set by the Commission. “It is a point of pride for all of us to provide such comprehensive, high-quality care,” he said. “Our new building is going to provide us with many opportunities to improve the outstanding care our cancer team is already providing.” n
Always healthy, Brown never imagined one day turning to former colleagues to help save her life. But shortly after retiring from a 30-year nursing career, Brown was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was August 2010. She underwent surgery with Kara Kort MD and then chemotherapy. “I was well until this summer, Memorial Day,” recalls Brown, 68, of Fayetteville. “I started having some issues. My family said I was not acting correctly, not talking right, that type of thing.” Her daughter,
a speech language pathologist, feared she was having a stroke. At the emergency room, computerized tomography scans revealed a few small tumors in Brown’s brain. She wasn’t having a stroke. The breast cancer had spread. Brown became a Betty Brown patient of Dr. Bogart, and he recommended two weeks of radiation followed by treatment with the gamma knife, a procedure that is often used as an alternative to brain surgery. The gamma knife directs 192 concentrated beams of radiation through healthy tissue and into a target, usually a tumor.
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New cancer home rises The new Upstate Cancer Center rises five stories high and will encompass more than 90,000 square feet dedicated to cancer care for children and adults. Part of the $70 million project is paid for through bonds. The Foundation for Upstate Medical University is also conducting a capital campaign to raise $15 million.
Syracuse New York
Welcome From the Medical Director Palliative Care is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing relief from symptoms, pain, and stress — Leslie J. Kohman MD whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both patient and family. It is appropriate for people of any age, and at any stage in an illness, whether that illness is curable, chronic or life-threatening. Palliative care can be given at the same time as treatments meant to cure or treat the disease and can continue throughout the survival. In fact, palliative care may actually help recovery from illness by relieving symptoms such as pain, anxiety or loss of appetite during difficult medical treatments or procedures, such as surgery or chemotherapy. It also addresses emotional, social, practical,
and spiritual problems that arise during a health crisis. Any health care provider can administer palliative care, and specialize in it. Palliative care is given by a team of doctors, nurses, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, therapists, chaplains and other specialists. They provide close communication with the primary care team, expert management of pain and other symptoms, help navigating the healthcare system, guidance with difficult and complex treatment choices, and emotional and spiritual support.
Newsletter Staff: Leslie Kohman MD, Medical Director Richard Kilburg MBA Associate Administrator Jeanmarie Glasser FACHE Assistant Director 315-464-5925, glasserj@upstate.edu Linda Veit, Project Manager 315-464-6303, veitl@upstate.edu Heidi Chapman, Staff Assistant 315-464-6065, chapmanh@upstate.edu Upstate Medical University Marketing and University Communications Design and Editorial Support 315-464-4836
Upstate has board-certified Palliative Care physicians to provide consultation for hospital inpatients. So far no outpatient palliative care program exists in Central New York, but the Upstate Cancer Center hopes to form one.
months or fewer to live. Hospice care is about giving patients control, dignity and comfort to assure the best possible quality of life during their remaining time. Hospice care also provides support and grief therapy for loved ones.
Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care for people for whom a cure is no longer possible and who likely have six
Leslie J. Kohman MD Medical Director Upstate Cancer Center
From the Associate Administrator Upstate Cancer Center is partnering with the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer. We have worked together on a number of important community-wide Richard J. Kilburg MBA issues such as the new CPS-3 Study on Cancer, the Tobacco Free Campaign in CNY, patient navigation services, and cancer research fundraising. We both agree that the best way to fight cancer is to try to prevent it from ever occurring. For example, Upstate Cancer Center approves of the society’s three important tips to ensuring a healthier life. The following lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of developing cancer:
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1. Reduce tobacco use. Tobacco use accounts for one in five deaths in the United States. Smoking is a major cause of lung cancer, and the US Surgeon General reports that quitting smoking can lower one’s risk for a variety of serious diseases, including lung cancer, stroke, chronic lung and heart disease. 2. Maintain a healthy weight by eating right and exercising regularly. Physical inactivity, poor nutrition and excess body weight are factors associated with an increased risk for many cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. The society and experts from Upstate recommend limiting high-calorie food intake and exercising at least 150 minutes a week.
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3. Talk with your doctor about proper health screenings. The types of health screenings that are appropriate for you will depend on your age, health history and other factors. By staying informed and up to date, early detection of serious diseases is possible, giving you the greatest chance of survival. For example, the cancer center now offers CT screening for lung cancer. People who have smoked heavily for a long period of time may benefit from such a screening. The cancer center and the society are working together to help people get well, stay well, find cures and fight back. Richard J. Kilburg MBA Associate Administrator Upstate Cancer Center
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Cancer News Whole foods may protect against pancreatic cancer The incidence of pancreatic cancer is growing, and so is the death rate. Some experts project that by 2015 the number of deaths from pancreatic cancer will exceed those from breast and colorectal cancer. Pancreatic cancer would become the second leading cause of cancer death, behind lung cancer. What’s behind the rise? “It’s not entirely clear, but there seems to be a lot of environmental factors playing into this increased incidence,” said Dilip Kittur MD, the division chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Upstate. He noted that our diets have changed, with many Americans not eating enough whole foods. “We eat more processed foods, and that seems to be a big factor.” Add to that the fact that pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat, and the situation seems dismal. Kittur said survival odds are about 5 percent for a person diagnosed with
Retired Nurse Recovering Well From Gamma Knife
Continued from Page 1 Even though the gamma knife does not cut through the skin, the procedure is considered surgery, and Brown prepared by not eating or drinking after midnight. She arrived at the hospital wearing comfy sweats.Nurse Gail Cali gave her medication to help her relax, and then neurosurgeon Walter Hall MD and radiation oncologist Seung Shin Hahn MD fitted her for a helmet-like stereotactic frame. Then
pancreatic cancer, “and that has not really changed in the last 20 or 30 years.” Because the pancreas sits deep in the abdomen, almost on the spine, symptoms are not readily apparent. Often, by the time patients learn of pancreatic cancer, it has already spread. Once pancreatic cancer spreads, patients are not candidates for surgery, Kittur said, adding that the surgery is risky even for patients whose cancer is confined to the pancreas. Most cancers occur in an area of the pancreas that contains many blood vessels, and the organ itself is difficult to handle. Kittur is hopeful that one day a blood test will be able to detect pancreatic cancer, similar to the way a Prostate Specific Antigen test can indicate prostate cancer. For the time being, he said people can reduce their risk of pancreatic cancer by not smoking and by exercising and
Brown underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The scan would show the precise location of the tumors so the two doctors and medical physicist Daniel Bassano PhD could plan Brown’s treatment. Cali explains that the gamma knife team uses the MRI scan “to plan where the beams of radiation will be directed to treat the tumor or tumors. The beauty of this is we can treat one or many tumors that are seen that day on the patient’s scan. This allows for the treatment to be done in one day.” Brown lay down the whole time, her head in a special holder that helped her keep her head still. She listened to a disc of Tony Bennett duets she brought from home. After the procedure, Brown was in recovery for about a half hour or 45 minutes and then allowed to go home.
eating a healthy diet. High alcohol consumption and diabetes are also known to raise a person’s risk. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is calling for an increase in money Dilip Kittur MD directed to pancreatic cancer research. “Funding for pancreatic cancer research lags significantly behind the other current top five cancer killers,” the group said in a recent report, which points out that 2 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s budget is spent on research related to pancreatic cancer. The NCI is the largest source of cancer research funding in the United States. n
Brown had a followup MRI a month later. “The lesions were still there, but very tiny,” she reports. She is taking chemotherapy again, and another followup MRI will be done soon. Cali said the goal is for tumors to decrease in size or stop growing, and that’s what has happened in Brown’s case. “So far, so good,” she says. “Except for a couple of days after the chemotherapy I’m able to do all of my activities.” Those activities include gardening, cooking, doing her own laundry, and golfing. “I didn’t have the strength and energy to play 18 holes of golf, but I played nine holes a week, sometimes twice, and I played in various tournaments.” Brown is grateful for her health, for the gamma knife technology, and for the caregivers and friends she once called colleagues. n
Gamma knife radiosurgery does not involve a surgical incision. Instead, beams of concentrated radiation are directed into hard-to-reach tumors in the brain
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Award-winning C are Electronic medical records will benefit patients
Welcome new staff
By Bonnie Chapman
Constance “Connie” Beauchamp, administrative assistant, Radiation Oncology
Most medical offices at Upstate are using electronic medical records, and all will be within the next year, as Upstate continues rolling out its own EMR system.
Christina Carnovale, hospital patient service clerk, Upstate Breast Care Center, Community Campus
This will benefit patients for many reasons. First, if you go to any medical office within the Upstate system, all of your medical information will be accessible to all of your doctors. Your doctor will be better informed of your history, medications, and test results. Second, if you need a prescription, your doctor can now send the script electronically to your pharmacy. Not only is this convenient for you, but it ensures that all of the detailed information about a medication is fully and accurately communicated directly to your pharmacist. In addition to these benefits is MyChart, a service that allows patients to log into their own medical records from any
computer at any time. The connection is secure, allowing access by password. Patients can view test results, medications, allergies, immunizations, and medical history. They can also send messages to their doctors. Patients receive details about joining MyChart on the “After Visit Summary Report” they are given after medical appointments with Upstate healthcare providers. n
Bonnie Chapman is director of quality for the Upstate Cancer Center.
Cancer center director receives leadership award The Eastern Division board of the American Cancer Society congratulates Leslie Kohman MD for being selected as a recipient of the ACOS, Commission on Cancer's State Chair Outstanding Performance Award. The State Chair Outstanding Performance Award recognizes individuals who exhibit outstanding leadership and make significant contributions to the improvement of cancer care in their state or region. Three awards were given to state chairs in 2012. These individuals are collaborators, innovators, and experts working with cancer programs, professionals, and state coalitions to improve the quality of cancer care. “We are well aware of the quality of Dr. Kohman's work and her dedication to the elimination of cancer as a major health problem, and are delighted that her work has been recognized with this honor," the society said in a news release. n
Mary Ellen Greco MD and Kristine Keeney MD Mary Ellen Greco MD, surgeon, Upstate Breast Care Center, Community Campus Greco is a graduate of LeMoyne College who received her medical degree from Upstate. She completed a fellowship in trauma and surgical critical care at the University of Maryland Medical System/R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Kristine Keeney MD, surgeon, Upstate Breast Care Center, Community Campus A graduate of Boston University, Keeney attended medical school at Upstate. Later she was a Susan G. Komen fellow in breast surgical oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Rose Lisano Valentino NP, assistant director of nursing Valentino has more than 20 years experience in acute care and ambulatory medicine, with a master’s degree in nursing and certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Upstate.
Rose Lisano Valentino NP Leslie J. Kohman MD
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award-winning care Providers earn appreciation Hospice honors Dr. Gajra Ajeet Gajra MD has been awarded the prestigious Anita Award from Hospice of Central New York. He is an associate professor of medicine who directs the fellowship in hematology/oncology. Gajra was recognized for his compassion and commitment to his patients, along with his efforts to teach fellow physicians, healthcare professionals and students about the importance of patient understanding and support when facing lifelimiting illness. The Anita Award was established at Hospice in 1998 by friends and family in memory of Anita Stockman to heighten awareness of the importance of physician communication. It is presented annually to a physician who communicates honestly and sensitively, who respect patient decisions and remains actively involved with the patient in his or her final journey. Nomination letters come from members of the Central New York community.
What Our Patients Are Saying... “Everyone at the (Regional Oncology Center) was wonderful and very understanding of my condition. I would recommend this facility to everybody.” “The nursing staff gave me the information I needed to manage my symptoms. They were very helpful and extremely knowledgeable.” “The Breast Care Center and the people there are a great community asset.”
Upstate awards two staffers Two of Upstate’s 2012 Nursing Excellence winners work at the Upstate Cancer Center: medical office assistant Lisa Bowers and infusion nurse Darlene Schick-Waller RN. Bowers began working in the Regional Oncology Center six months after graduating from Bryant and Stratton with an associate’s degree in occupational studies with a major in medical assisting. Schick-Waller has been a nurse at Upstate for 32 years. Her career began in 1980 in the Burn Unit. In 1991, she transferred to the Regional Oncology Center, where she has been an infusion nurse for 21 years.
State recognizes tumor registry Under the direction of Kathy St. Onge, the Tumor Registry department at Upstate Medical University has been recognized by the New York State Cancer Registry for Timeliness and Completeness of Reporting. Cancer researchers, planning agencies and public health professionals depend on accurate and timely reports in order to accurately assess the burden of cancer on the people of New York. Recognition for this award is particularly noteworthy given this is the first year Upstate and Community General Hospital have functioned as a merged cancer program.
“The people in Radiation Oncology were all wonderful.” “The (ambassadors) who take my husband and I from the hospital to the ROC are awesome. We have all gotten to know each other pretty well. Everyone always impresses me.” “You and your staff treated him with such compassion. Hearing his options and having a sense he has some control over what is happening to him means so much to him. Thanks again." n
Employees recognized in recent patient satisfaction surveys: Sam Benjamin MD Donna Destefano, patient access service registration clerk Lisa Donovan RN Teresa C. Gentile MD, PhD Janice Grant-Toper, medical technologist Stephen Graziano MD
Julie Grimsley RN Seung Shin Hahn MD Felicia Hayes, phlebotomist Shari Kelley NP Laura Kilburg NP Kara Kort-Glowaki MD Sheila Lemke MD Dena Martin, clinical research coordinator
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Peggy McPhillips RN Bhuvaneswari Ramkumar MBBS Kathryn M. Romano NP Sue Rourke RN Darlene Schick-Waller RN Sharon Sterriker RN Elizabeth Ziolkowski RN
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Award-winning C are Ambassadors assist ‘ROC-ette’ cancer patients Patients with cancer make regular visits to Upstate’s Regional Oncology Center and become familiar to their healthcare providers. Some also bond with the people who help them get from the car to their appointments, the Upstate Cancer Center ambassadors who fondly refer to their ROC patients as ROC-ettes. Strap a pedometer on an ambassador, and he or she logs from 10 to 12 miles per day. Mostly the job entails helping cancer patients from their cars — dropped off at the circle in front of
Upstate University Hospital or in the parking garage across the street — and through a maze of hallways and elevators to get to the Regional Oncology Center, or ROC. “It’s 11 minutes, one way, to get to the ROC from the lobby or the garage,” says Lisa Gaspe. She oversees the ambassadors, employees of the admitting department. Access to the ROC was curtailed when construction began on the Upstate Cancer Center, which is taking shape on what once was the ROC parking lot, and administrators decided to provide ambassadors. They wear khaki pants with white shirts and navy blazers. They complete customer service training and learn from experts in physical medicine and rehabilitation how best to assist patients who are unsteady on their feet. They also receive training in registrar duties. Gaspe says many patients at the ROC and throughout the hospital appreciate the ambassador service, which will soon begin at Upstate University Hospital’s Community campus. Ambassadors cannot accept tips. However, they can point to the container in the hospital lobby that collects donations for the new center. n
Among the Ambassadors are William Works, Jim Dooher and Sue Farrell.
Experts share knowledge with community More than 100 health professionals attended the 8th annual Upstate Cancer Symposium in September. Then in November, dozens of community members attended the 10th annual “In the Crosshairs” lung cancer conference. Both events featured experts from Upstate.
Upstate Cancer Symposium Paul Nathan MD was the keynote speaker for the symposium, and he spoke about the challenges of providing lifelong care to survivors of childhood cancer. Nathan is associate Professor of pediatrics and health policy management and evaluation at the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto. Presentations from Upstate faculty included: Jayne Charlamb MD, assistant professor of surgery, medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, spoke about whether
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vitamin D can help prevent breast cancer. Kaushal Nanavati MD, assistant professor of family medicine in the Department of Family Medicine, spoke about integrative therapy for cancer patients. Michael A. LaCombe MD, assistant professor of radiation oncology, spoke about advances in radiation oncology.
Upstate president David Smith MD spoke at the symposium.
In the Crosshairs Participants at the lung cancer conference learned about a new lung cancer screening program. Speakers from Upstate included:
Barbara Robinson MD, assistant professor of surgery, explained surgical treatment options patients have after receiving an early cancer diagnosis. Aliya Hafeez MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, talked about dealing with the psychological impacts of a cancer diagnosis. n
Ernest Scalzetti MD, professor of radiology, spoke about low-dose CT scans to detect small lung tumors.
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Academic Difference
Juntao Luo PhD got his bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and his doctorate in polymer chemistry and physics from NanKai University in China. He completed post-doctorate work in a biomaterials lab in Canada before working at UC-Davis.
Scientist seeks safer, better way to deliver cancer drugs to tumors Juntao Luo PhD combines his knowledge of chemistry and experience with biomaterials known as polymers to work on a promising new way of shrinking cancerous tumors without damaging healthy cells around them. Luo, 36, who joined Upstate’s pharmacology faculty and Cancer Research Institute in 2011, focuses his research on nanomedicine. He creates nanoparticles made of polymer that can transport chemo-therapy drugs directly into solid tumors. The nanoparticles, invisible to the naked eye, are injected into the bloodstream like any injectable medication. They are programmed to travel through blood vessels to solid tumors. Traditional polymer materials vary in size and don’t integrate well with other materials. However, Luo has invented a way to engineer the structure of a polymer nanoparticle to suit the medication it will carry.
These nanoparticles have been effective against solid tumors in laboratory animals. In one study he was involved in at the University of California at Davis, the size of tumors shrank for days after injection, and one group of tumors in a study subject disappeared entirely. Luo is encouraged by those results and optimistic that his lab work can be translated into a cancer treatment after the Food and Drug Administration approves testing in humans. Because these nanoparticles rely on drugs that are already approved by the FDA, he expects the approval process will not be as lengthy as it would for a new drug. Polymers are made of molecules strung together. How a particular polymer behaves is determined by what molecule structures are included and in what order. “In general, one nanoparticle may not be able to deliver different types of medications. You may need to
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design a nanoparticle for each medication,” Luo says. He adds that nanoparticles may need to be further tailored to individual patients, who may respond differently to medications depending on the stage and markers of their cancer. Luo’s nanoparticles target the medication they carry to the tumor site in 24 hours and release the drug into the tumor efficiently. Remnants of the nanoparticles are flushed from the body through the kidneys. While they are designed to work most effectively in solid tumors, nanoparticles may also help fight some cancers of the blood, Luo says. He says some types of nanoparticles show promise in penetrating the blood-brain barrier, which could lead to new methods of treating cancer in the brain. Recent studies have shown that polymer nanoparticles can be used in the treatment of inflammation and Parkinson’s disease. n
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Supporters Carol M. Baldwin Fund supports five new breast cancer research activities
Fundraising Events
These are the 2012 grants: DeDICateD to Jean aDele aIello
Carol M. Baldwin Five new breast cancer research activities at Upstate will receive grants from the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund’s 2012 allocation. Since 2002, the fund has awarded Upstate researchers a total of $2.75 million to further their studies into the cause and treatments of breast cancer. In addition, the Baldwin Fund also sponsors two annual endowed lectureships focused on breast cancer developments. “It is important to continue the search until a cure for breast cancer is discovered,” said Beth Baldwin, whose mother, Carol, herself a breast cancer survivor, founded the Baldwin Fund. She added that 100 percent of the money raised locally is spent locally on research into finding a cure for breast cancer. The Baldwin family dedicates their research grants and the endowed lectures in memory of women who have been affected by the disease.
Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY research grants for 2013 will be made in memory of the following women: Susan Buckley, Mary Cipollone, Nancy Ann Giangreco, Janice Rothenbert, Amie Shaffer, and Jean Knight Tearney. The two 2013 Endowed Lectureships honor breast cancer survivors Judi Durling and Diane Aloi. n
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David Amberg PhD and Saeed Sheikh MD, PhD will look for genetic vulnerabilities in breast cancer cells that could be exploited to develop new combination drug therapies for breast cancer. The goal is to identify chemotherapy agents that are effective against cancer cells but less toxic to normal cells.
One hundred forty members of Team Upstate raised more than $10,500 at the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in September. Breast cancer survivor Niki Sullivan cut the pink ribbon at the beginning of the walk.
DeDICateD to VICtorIa MUllIGan In work that may lead to new treatments for breast cancer, Diana Gilligan MD, PhD is studying the way proteins that regulate many cellular functions and those that regulate the pH of the cell may work together to suppress breast cancer cell growth.
DeDICateD to laUra MCCartHy FrIeD William Kerr PhD will research ways to target some specific types of breast cancers that are not able to be treated by some of the most effective therapies.
DeDICateD to KIMberly ball Satish Krishnamurthy MD and Jing An MD are focusing their work on a new drug delivery method to manage breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
DeDICateD to JUDy CICIarellI
Upstate health care professionals organized and volunteered at the annual National Cancer Survivors Day event in June with a movie star theme. Pictured are Upstate’s NCSD committee members (from left): Zanette Howe, Tina Evans, Loretta Harris, Colette Zerrillo and Heidi Chapman.
Research into ways of assessing fracture risks in women whose breast cancer has spread will be conducted by Kenneth Mann Phd and Timothy Damron MD.
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Supporters Fundraising Events
More than 235 Upstate students and employees raised more than $6,000 by participating in the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s second annual ‘A Run For Their Life’ in October. The day was rainy but unable to dampen the spirits of those running or walking in memory or honor of loved ones affected by breast cancer. Pictured above are Bonnie Chapman, Linda Veit and Sharon Prior. To the right are some members of Team Upstate.
Outdoor enthusiasts took their canoes and kayaks to the Moose River for a leisurely 2-mile paddle in September in Paddle for the Cure, an event that raised money for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, which supports breast cancer research at Upstate. Paddle for the Cure started at the Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company in Old Forge.
The Upstate Cancer Center turned the War Memorial pink for a Syracuse Crunch hockey game in October. The event was designed to raise awareness of breast cancer and the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. Pictured are: Carol Sluis, Heidi Chapman, Mike Chapman, Dave Howe, Zanette Howe
National Shine-A-Light on Lung Cancer Vigil `For the third consecutive year, Upstate Medical University joined the national “Shine a Light on Lung Cancer” effort by hosting a ceremony Nov. 13 outside Upstate University Hospital. The candlelight vigil was presented by the Upstate Cancer Center and by students in Upstate’s Colleges Against Cancer chapter. Similar events are held nationwide as part of the Lung Cancer Alliance’s campaign marking November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Upstate students, faculty, clinicians and employees were joined by members of the community near the site of the future Upstate Cancer Center. Speakers included Leslie Kohman, MD, Medical Director of the Cancer Center. Lung cancer is the nation’s leading cause of cancer death. It claims more lives than the next four most lethal cancers — colon, breast, prostate and pancreatic — combined. On average, 430 Americans die of lung cancer every day. n
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The event took place at the main entrance of University Hospital, facing the construction site.
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F o un d at ion f or Up s tat e DONOR SPOtLight: April Stone and CNY infusion Services April Stone's gift to the Upstate Cancer Center through her company, CNY Infusion Services is only the most recent demonstration of her generosity and commitment to Upstate Medical University in a partnership spanning 15 years. The interactive flooring in the playroom of the pediatric area of the cancer center will be named in honor of her grandson, Jacob. This is only fair, in this grandmother’s mind, since a hematology/ oncology patient room in the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital is named in honor of Jacob’s sister, Emily. “I was driving with my grandchildren in the car and we passed by the Children’s Hospital. I pointed to it, and told 8-yearold Emily that there was a room named for her,” Stone said. “She obviously didn’t totally understand what I was talking about, but that was when 5-yearold Jacob asked if he had a room with his name on it. I began to think that something should be named for Jacob.” Stone, who owns CNY Infusion Services, firmly believes in giving back to her community and is passionate about supporting children's issues and healthcare concerns in Central New York. She wants to instill these values in her young grandchildren. So, when Stone was approached about a gift to the Upstate Cancer Center campaign, she didn’t hesitate. “I’ve been waiting for you to talk to me,” was her response. “What can I name in honor of my grandson?” Stone has been a member of the Children’s Hospital Advisory Council since its inception in 2009. She serves as secretary
and chair of the governance committee. Through a gift from CNY Infusion Services, Stone established a fund at the Foundation April Stone, CEO of CNY Infusion Services for Upstate called Emily’s Fund for Child Health Advocacy to support the Healthy Lifestyle Family Program, which offered overweight children a family-centered approach to healthy eating and physical activity habits. Previously, when her company was named AJ Stone Infusion, Stone established the Eileen M. McShane Nutritional Fund, to help solve pediatric obesity. CNY Infusion Services specializes in high-tech home infusion treatments and has been treating patients in the comfort and safety of their homes since 1994. As an industry leader, the company delivers the highest quality of care using the latest technology in home infusion treatments. Stone has been honored locally and nationally for her work in providing quality home infusion treatments throughout Central New York. She is the proud recipient of the 2005 Syracuse Women in Business Award, 2006 Syracuse University’s WISE Ann Michel Distinguished Entrepreneur Award, and she was honored as the 2009 Woman of the Year in Home Health Care by the National Association of Professional and Executive Women. n
Anniversary event NewsChannel 9 donated nearly $5,000 to the Upstate Cancer Center, proceeds from the TV station’s 50th anniversary community celebration on Sept. 27. News anchor Carrie Lazarus interviewed associate administrator Dick Kilburg, and she and news anchor Rod Wood interviewed Upstate President David Smith MD. n
Ron Wood, Carrie Lazarus and President David Smith MD.
Awareness reception Ruth and Stuart Schwartz of Fayetteville opened their home to family and friends when they co-hosted an awareness reception in October with Dick and Bonnie Scolaro. More than 50 guests enjoyed the hospitality of the two couples while learning about the plans for the new Upstate Cancer Center. Upstate University Hospital Chief Operating Officer Paul Seale and Leslie Kohman MD, medical director of the Upstate Cancer Center, spoke about the Cancer Center, the status of the campaign and the need for private contributions. n
Can drive brings in cash Faculty, staff and students from the College of Health Professions continue to collect and return soda and water bottles and cans to benefit the Upstate Cancer Center campaign. More than 4,000 have been turned in so far. Pictured are Doreen Spencer, Linda Curry, Diane Conklin, Sheila Singleton-Best, Susan Miller, Said Salawu, Joan O'Brien, Sandra Banas and Susan Burke. n
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F o un d at ion f or Up s tat e Campaign nears 95 percent of goal The Foundation for Upstate Medical University has raised gifts and pledges totaling $14,339,641 — 95 percent of the $15 million goal — from 3,194 individuals, corporations, foundations and organizations. Members of the “Upstate Family” have contributed more than $3.6 million. That includes gifts from the Foundation board members, Upstate Council, faculty, medical staff and other employees, Upstate Advocates and volunteers. Members of the Central New York community at large have contributed more than $2.33 million, including 982 tribute gifts. Revenue also comes from community fund raisers such as golf tournaments, walks and runs, auctions, bowling tournaments and sporting events. Generous individual donors have contributed more than $4.67 million, and corporations and foundations have contributed more than $1.44 million. The major corporate and organizational supporters with pledges of $30,000 or more include the Advocates for Upstate Medical University, Bart-Rich, Carroll’s Corporation, CNY Infusion Services, COR Development Co., Eastern States Hyundai, Greater Syracuse Realtors/Mortgage
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Bankers/Home Builders, Hancock & Estabrook, Harrison Center Associates, Hotel Skyler, Key Bank, M&T Bank, McLane Northeast Grocery Distributors, PPC, Price Chopper Supermarkets, SEFCU, Sutton Real Estate Company, TOPS, Upstate Department of Neurosurgery, Upstate Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Upstate Department of Pathology, and Upstate Department of Radiation Oncology. Examples of some of the major foundation and associate supporters with gifts or pledges of $30,000 or more are the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, Golub Foundation, Hope for Heather, Horwood C. & Alene S. Jones Foundation, Jewish Community Foundation of CNY, Kinney Drugs Foundation, Kiwanis Club Ontario Division, Lockheed Martin Employees Federated Fund, Lukie’s Soul Foundation, Miracle Ride, More Than a Game Foundation, Paige’s Butterfly Run, Inc., Salt City Club, The Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, The St. Agatha Foundation, Upstate Medical University Foundation, Walmart Foundation and Wegman Family Charitable Foundation. n
For information about the campaign or how you can be involved, contact the Foundation at 464-4416.
Community Foundation helps to create infusion ‘playroom’ The Central New York Community Foundation awarded the Foundation for Upstate Medical University $100,000 toward construction of the infusion playroom at the Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders to be housed in the new Upstate Cancer Center outpatient facility. Upstate was among eight charitable organizations in Onondaga County to share $320,030 in grants from the Community Foundation’s unrestricted and field of interest funds.
Upstate provides the only comprehensive care for children with, and survivors of, childhood cancers and blood disorders within a 21-county region. n
The hallmark of the new Dr. William J. Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders will be the infusion “playroom” with three distinct areas designed and furnished with the interests of infants and toddlers, children and teens in mind. The space will be unique from floor to ceiling. Vibrant, interactive park and city-scape panels will surround the space, and flooring featuring an inlaid vinyl “river” with interactive medallions will flow through the space. Overhead, a light-filled treetop, cloud and sky canopy completes the room’s transformation into a cheerful, park-themed experience. These creative design elements and special features will welcome the Cancer Center’s youngest patients into a kidfriendly, non-threatening environment where they can play, socialize with peers or relax during their chemotherapy and infusion treatments.
Pictured are Olive Sephuma, program officer, community grantmaking, and Peter Dunn, president and CEO of the CNY Community Foundation.
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Recent Events Save the dates! February 2, 2013 Carol M. Baldwin Save the Peaks February 12, 2013 Father-Daughter Valentine Ball*
Children paint masks of hope and healing Thirty-one patients from Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital decorated masks for display in the 12th floor art gallery in October. The exhibit, called “Masks of Hope and Healing,” provided a symbolic way for the artists to tell their stories of pain and healing, said medical art therapist Lucy Barbera PhD. n
May 11, 2013 Carol M. Baldwin annual gala
Mackenzie, 10, (left) wanted to be outside on a beautiful day, instead of stuck in the hospital. Art therapy gave her a project to concentrate on, and she painted this mask entitled "Nature Spirit."
May 18, 2013 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® June 2, 2013 National Cancer Survivor’s Day* June 8, 2013 Paige’s Butterfly Run* June 14, 2013 American Cancer Society Relay for Life July 13, 2013 Lukie’s Holes for Hope* July 21, 2013 Carol M. Baldwin Gillie Girls Triathlon August 25, 2013 Ride for Cancer Care* September 22, 2013 Carol M. Baldwin annual Golf Tournament September 23, 2013 Upstate Cancer Symposium*
Kani (far right), 9, and her 8 year old friend enjoy painting masks, which is creative and therapeutic, and helps keep their minds off the not-fun parts being hospital patients.
* Upstate Medical University sponsored events
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Logan, 6, of Cato; Mackenzie, 10, of Jamesville; and Meghan, 10, of Marcellus with art therapist Lucy Barbera PhD at the Oct. 23 opening reception of “Masks of Hope and Healing,” the first exhibition of works by young artists who have been patients at the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. The exhibition featured approximately 60 masks created by 30 children. The exhibition included original masks, photos of masks and photos of the children making the masks.
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