LEGACY
FALL 2016
ACHIE V EMEN T S IN HE A LT H C A RE, MEDIC A L SC IENCE A N D PHIL A N T H RO PY
KARE N MO L E AN D HA M P S ON
FAMI LY FO UN DATI O N B E NE F I T
UH E LYRI A ME D I CAL C E NT E R
from Thomas F. Zenty III, Chief Executive Officer, University Hospitals
150
OUR SUPPORTERS’ LEGACIES: 150 YEARS AND GROWING
Each year, more than 1 million patients turn to University
• Jerome and Joy Weinberger, who gave $1.25 million
Hospitals for health care, through an integrated network
to support the cancer research efforts of Julian Kim, MD, at more than 200 locations, including 18 hospitals and
the inaugural Jerome A. and Joy Weinberger Family over 40 outpatient health centers. Our donors have been
Master Clinician in Surgical Oncology.
a significant part of our shared history of health care by
giving to support our growth.
•Jason and Allison Wuliger, who mobilized a grassroots army of more than 150 donors to fund a new
Within this edition of Legacy is a remarkable quote from
global hub of research at UH focusing on a rare
University Hospitals supporter Lorraine Dodero, who said,
hearing-loss disorder.
“Giving is part of who I am.“
More than 75,000 donors from every walk of life sustain
She added, “Our family gives to help others because that’s
UH through financial gifts, volunteerism and support of
what really matters.”
fundraising events such as our record-setting 2016 Ride
Lorraine’s sentiment is a magnificent and meaningful
the Rainbow.
reflection of a core value that she holds, and one shared
The relationship is amazing, and we are grateful and
by our entire UH donor community. Generosity is a virtue
honored to serve these supporters and all who turn to
that defines Northeast Ohio. The people of our home
UH, across Northeast Ohio and beyond. In this 150th
region give to help their neighbors because that is what
anniversary year, our excitement is rising as we draw
really matters.
closer and closer to the $1.5 billion goal of Discover the
For 150 years, UH has been a tangible expression of
Difference: The Campaign for University Hospitals.
that philanthropic spirit. Our donors work with UH to
We understood this campaign was ambitious and through
identify vital community needs and ways to address them.
the generosity, support and vision of our community we
You’ll find many examples within these pages, including:
will soon realize its completion. Thank you for being part
• Lorraine and Bill Dodero, who gave $1.25 million to
support UH’s growing excellence in heart failure and transplantation (and previously provided $3.15 million toward a state-of-the-art infusion suite for our patients
at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center).
•Karen Mole and her family’s foundation, whose
$10.6 million gift of gratitude is an investment into
preventive health and wellness in University Hospitals
Elyria Medical Center’s service area.
of it, and for engaging in our pursuit of our enduring
mission: To Heal. To Teach. To Discover. U H
U N I V ER SI T Y
HOSPI TA LS
LEGACY
VOLUME23NUMBER01
FALL2016
Thomas F. Zenty III
4
contents
10
8
14
20
16
Chief Executive Officer
University Hospitals
Daniel I. Simon, MD
President, University Hospitals
Cleveland Medical Center
Sherri L. Bishop, Esq.
Chief Development Officer
University Hospitals
Phyllis Marino
Vice President, Integrated Marketing,
University Hospitals
Gary Christy
Director, Internal Communications,
University Hospitals
DEPARTMENT S
FE AT U RES
Michele Brown
F rom the Chief
4 Tomorrow is Another Day –
For Advancing Health Care
Director, Donor Relations &
Communications, Institutional Relations
& Development, University Hospitals
Executive Officer
Our Supporters’ Legacies:
150 Years and Growing
Leah Epstein
Manager, Development & Campaign
Communications, Institutional
Relations & Development,
University Hospitals
Ingrid Sprague
Senior Publications Editor, Internal
Communications, Legacy Magazine,
University Hospitals
Dan Bomeli, Mary Champa,
Christopher Dawson, Julie Evans,
Jessica Hagerty, Kristen Kutina,
Jim Nichols, Ingrid Sprague, Holly Yotter
Writers
Keith Berr Productions, Julie Hahn,
Gary Kozminski, Roger Mastroianni,
Jason Miller of Pixelate Photography
& Design Ltd., Dan Milner
Photographers
2
Karen Mole and Hampson Family
Foundation Benefit UH Elyria
Medical Center.
Highlights
10 Listening for Answers
8Discover the Difference:
150 Years of Giving to
University Hospitals –
A Legacy of Philanthropy
14 Advances
20 The Philanthropic Spirit
Families Kickstart a Global Center
for Hearing Loss at UH.
16 Finding Joy in All
Jerome A. & Joy Weinberger Family Master
Clinician in Surgical Oncology Benefits UH
Seidman Cancer Center Research.
25
R eflections
Healthy Community.
Exceptional Medicine.
Better World.
Parente-Smith Design Inc.
Design
On the Web
UHhospitals.org/Legacy
Legacy is published by Institutional
Relations & Development and Marketing &
Communications, University Hospitals,
11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5000.
Telephone: 216-767-8500. Postmaster: Send address
corrections to the above address. Copyright 2016,
University Hospitals. All rights reserved.
LEGAC Y
M AGA Z I N E
www.uhgiving.org on the cover
KAREN MOLE/PHOTO: JASON MILLER, PIXELATE PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN, LTD.
FALL2016
1
Highlights
UH SEIDMAN CANCER CENTER LIFTS OFF U.S. CANCER MOONSHOT PROJECT
President Barack Obama’s Cancer Moonshot project
is no less ambitious than President Kennedy’s 1961
challenge to safely send a man to the moon and
back. This time, cancer is the target and UH Seidman
Cancer Center is working closely with mission control.
The Cancer Moonshot Initiative is pulling together
cancer researchers, clinicians, pharmaceutical
companies and other advocates to help accelerate
cures for cancer. Cleveland-specific initiatives include
reducing smoking rates and increasing vaccinations
for human papillomavirus (HPV).
Stanton L. Gerson, MD,
introduces Vice President
Joe Biden
Vice President Joe Biden came to Cleveland June 30,
2016, on his first stop following the national Cancer
Moonshot Summit in Washington, DC. He met with
leaders from the National Cancer Institute-designated
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, a successful
collaborative effort of the city’s medical resources of
which UH Seidman Cancer Center is a founding member.
Stanton L. Gerson, MD, Director of UH Seidman Cancer Center and Case Comprehensive Cancer
Center, met with and introduced Mr. Biden at the Cleveland summit.
“Vice President Biden’s advocacy, passion and mission have been absolutely remarkable to observe,”
Dr. Gerson said. “Only Joe Biden could have brought together so many for the Moonshot Summit to
seek a significant change in direction and business as usual. Thinking outside the box is the starting point.”
HARRINGTON DISCOVERY INSTITUTE FEATURED IN INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE JOURNAL
UH donors Ron and Nancy Harrington were recently mentioned
alongside some of the world’s most prominent venture
philanthropists in Nature magazine. This highly respected,
peer-reviewed science journal featured Harrington Discovery
Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio – part of
The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development – in an
article about the role of philanthropy in advancing medicine.
The author notes that Harrington Discovery Institute, the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure
are compelling examples of successful funding models for
drug development.
2 L E G A C Y
Of special interest is the institute’s Innovation Support Center
network of pharmaceutical industry drug-development experts,
considered a valuable resource by most Harrington scholars.
The article highlights The Harrington Project’s unique pairing
of Harrington Discovery Institute, a nonprofit organization,
with a mission-aligned for-profit company, Biomotiv.
“Harrington Discovery Institute and The Harrington Project
are increasingly identified with enabling physician-scientists’
focus on improving the standard of care,” said Jonathan
Stamler, MD, Harrington Discovery Institute President.
“To have this featured in Nature is further validation of
the unique model we have created.”
visit us online
TECHNOLOGY CONVENIENTLY CONNECTS
PATIENTS WITH UH
University Hospitals has a proud history
because it keeps looking to the future.
UH is providing patients with an
opportunity to be a part of health care’s
future through the use of new clinically
integrated and personalized technology.
Recent launches of patient-focused
online and smartphone resources include:
• UH Virtual Visit, a technology
platform for receiving 24/7 medical
advice from a board-certified physician
for nonemergency medical issues
without ever leaving home.
Available this fall at UHhospitals.org/VirtualVisit.
UP ON A ROOF: ANGIE’S GARDEN AND
HORTICULTURAL THERAPY SUITE
Generous gifts and determination are proof
that a hospital roof can become much more
than just a barren concrete slab used for housing
air conditioning units.
Char and Chuck Fowler made a $17 million gift in
2011 to honor their daughter, Angie, and further
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital’s national
leadership in adolescent and young adult cancers.
Angie’s Garden, in full bloom on the Horvitz Tower
rooftop during the warmer months, is a welcome
respite for patients and visitors and an integral
part of the Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young
Adult Cancer Institute at UH Rainbow Babies &
Children’s Hospital.
A new horticultural therapy suite, part of Angie’s
Garden and the Theresia G. and Stuart F. Kline
Sky Lounge, was formally dedicated on July 20,
2016. The suite was made possible by a gift from
America’s Credit Unions, honoring Cleveland as
host of the Republican National Convention.
A similar project was dedicated in Philadelphia for
the Democratic National Convention. Janna Ryan,
wife of House Speaker Paul Ryan, cut the ribbon
alongside hospital leadership, patients and families.
A year-round horticulturalist, using new equipment
and activity centers in the suite, works with
pediatric patients to help address social, cognitive,
physical rehabilitation and other special needs.
UHh
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. o r g / G i v i n g • ZocDoc, a 24/7 online tool for patients to schedule appointments
with UH physicians, is available at UHhospitals.org/VirtualVisit.
•The MyUHCare website includes access to your personal
health record (PHR), online bill pay, appointment and medication
refill requests, and health and wellness information and is
available at UHhospitals.org/MyUHCare.
UH SYSTEM GROWS WITH NEW FACILITIES AND SERVICES
UH is investing additional resources to ensure access to services at
convenient locations across the region, including:
•A new Level 1 trauma center at UH Cleveland Medical Center.
UH’s comprehensive trauma system also includes the Level 1 Pediatric
Trauma Center at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and four
Level 3 trauma centers in community settings.
•University Hospitals Broadview Heights Health Center provides
internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and
gynecology, plus specialty services. The center also includes
urgent care and around-the-clock emergency services.
•University Hospitals Avon Rehabilitation Hospital, A Joint Venture
with Kindred Healthcare, offers inpatient rehabilitation for major
illness, injury or surgery.
•University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital added
its 14th community location for Rainbow Emergency Services.
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Tomorrow is Another Day –
F O R
A D V A N C I N G
H E A L T H
C A R E
“Lorain County has
always been my home,
and I want the members
of this community to be
healthy and flourish.”
– Karen Mole
4 L E G A C Y
visit us online
U N I V E R S I T Y
H O S P I T A L S
E L Y R I A
M E D I C A L
C E N T E R
Karen Mole and Hampson Family Foundation Benefit
UH Elyria Medical Center
It’s no surprise that Karen Mole exudes independence
and resilience. After all, she comes from a family
where hard work and a “do-it-yourself” mentality
prevailed. The lifelong Lorain County resident learned
at a young age the value of both entrepreneurship
and philanthropy – two guiding principles that helped
shape her life and led to a historic $10.6 million gift
to her hometown hospital.
Karen, the only child of Bert and Lois
Hampson, was born at Elyria Memorial
Hospital (now University Hospitals
Elyria Medical Center) and grew up
in Eaton Township. Times were not
easy for the Hampsons whose family
home burned down because of a faulty
furnace. Karen was just 11 months
old. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the
fire compounded the financial difficulty
the Hampsons experienced early in
their marriage.
A Time for Love and Tara
In the late ‘60s, Karen reconnected
with a former Midview High School
classmate, Jim Mole. The couple
corresponded via letters while Jim was
stationed in Vietnam and Germany
with the United States Army. Jim
returned home on May 1, 1969, and
just one month later – on the car ride
home after seeing the film Gone with
the Wind – he proposed to Karen.
They were married on August 30.
But, Karen’s dad was full of determination.
With his experience as a machinist
and United States Navy torpedo man,
Mr. Hampson began his tool and die
shop in 1956 in the basement of the
family home. After continued growth,
Hampson Enterprises was established
in Elyria in 1965.
Gone with the Wind – and “Tara,” the
plantation setting for the film – had
special meaning to the couple. When
they moved from Elyria to an 11-acre
farm in Penfield Township in 1977,
they dubbed the property “Tara Farm.”
Karen began working at the family
business when she was just 12 years
old, and drew molds and dies for the
family’s company throughout her teens.
UHhospitals.org/Giving But, as in the film, things were not
perfect at Tara Farm. Just six weeks
before Jim’s 30th birthday, he was
diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s
malignant lymphoma.
Their choice for health care was clear –
Elyria Memorial Hospital.
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U N I V E R S I T Y
H O S P I T A L S
E L Y R I A
M E D I C A L
“My board and I are so pleased that we can help establish a program that guides patients through the steps required
to receive the care they need.”
– Karen Mole
C E N T E R
To accommodate their expanding
hobby, Karen and Jim purchased
84 acres of property just three miles
from their home. This land became the
site of another “Tara” – a sweeping,
white-columned estate that Karen
designed herself – and where she
lives today.
For years, the Moles traveled to
state fairs to show their horses and
carriages, including a team of rare,
black Clydesdales on a six-horse hitch.
This brought happiness to both the
couple and those who encountered
them. Now, Tara Farm is home to one
remaining horse, Karen’s beloved Nikki,
and her cat, Charlie.
A Flourishing Legacy
Unfortunately, in 1996, Jim’s
cancer reappeared. Seeking the
latest advancements in cancer care,
the couple traveled to University
Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
for treatment. Jim fought valiantly,
but succumbed to the disease at the
age of 50. Carved on his headstone
is a column entwined with roses that
reads, “An Era Gone with the Wind.”
Karen with her beloved horse, Nikki
Previously, physicians at their
hometown hospital had successfully
treated Karen’s father for a heart
attack and her mother had undergone
surgery there. “We felt comfortable at
Elyria Memorial Hospital,” said Karen.
“The physicians and surgeons there
were very capable, which is why we
entrusted them with Jim’s care.”
After five years of cancer treatment,
the couple enjoyed Jim’s 14 years
of remission. During that time, Karen
suggested that they buy a horse.
6 L E G A C Y
Although Karen had always been an
animal lover, “The biggest animal I
had owned prior to my horse was a
German shepherd.”
While Jim pondered the idea, they
frequently visited auctions where
they found a carriage and a sleigh.
According to Karen, “We literally
bought the cart before the horse.”
Karen was persistent, and the couple
bought their first horse in 1988.
Eventually, that number grew to a
total of 17 horses and 22 carriages.
Karen kept busy at Hampson
Enterprises and continued traveling –
something she and Jim had enjoyed
immensely. When asked how she
coped with the loss of her husband,
she replied, “We worked together
and we enjoyed hobbies together.
We spent more time together than
some couples who are married for
50 years – I feel lucky in that way.”
During these years, Hampson Enterprises
continued to grow. Along the way,
the company had transformed from a
tool and die shop to a plastic injection
molding company, creating parts for
the vacuum cleaner industry.
visit us online
Karen and Jim purchased the company
from her parents in 1990. When Bert
passed away in 2002 and his wife,
Lois, the following year, the idea for
the Hampson Family Foundation was
generated. The foundation was funded
three years later, and on its 10th
anniversary in 2016, the board voted
to dissolve the foundation and gift the
funds to UH Elyria Medical Center.
Benefiting Lorain County
In 2011, a community health needs
assessment for the county was
commissioned by the Lorain County
Health Partners with a mission to
improve health and quality of life
for county residents. Last year,
UH Elyria Medical Center conducted
an expanded community health needs
assessment to better understand how
to address the county’s most significant
health-related challenges: obesity,
heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Responding to these needs, Karen
chose to generously donate the
foundation funds to UH Elyria Medical
Center. The $10.6 million donation –
the largest in the hospital’s 108-year
history – includes a substantial personal
gift from Karen.
The Hampson Mole Community Health
Project at UH Elyria Medical Center
was established as a result of the gift.
The funds – including an additional
gift of $1.5 million from the Elyria
Medical Center Foundation – are being
used to develop and expand programs
that address the most pressing health
care needs of Lorain County residents.
The generous support is recognized
through the hospital’s Hampson
Mole Pavilion.
UHhospitals.org/Giving Accessing Care –
The UH Elyria Medical
Center Patient
Navigation Program
Karen and Jim Mole pose for a vintage
photo during a cruise in 1995.
To help navigate care for complex
medical conditions such as those
described in Lorain County’s
One of the first initiatives is the
UH Elyria Medical Center Patient
Navigation Program. Facing her own
health scare in 2012 when a breast
biopsy showed abnormal results, Karen
is passionate about using the funds to
establish a patient navigation program.
“My radiologist read my mammogram
films and suggested that I follow up
with my breast doctor,” said Karen.
“I didn’t know that there was such a
thing. I’m sure that, like me, there are
many people in Lorain County who
need help navigating the complex
health care system. My board and I are
so pleased that we can help establish a
program that guides patients through
the steps required to receive the care
they need.”
community health needs assessment,
In addition to hospital-based programs,
a committee has been formed at
UH Elyria Medical Center to review
grant requests from Lorain County
organizations. Grant dollars distributed
to community organizations will
address the county’s health care
priorities and will be overseen by
the hospital’s Community Needs
Assessment Committee.
failure, chronic obstructive lung
UH Elyria Medical Center has adopted
the Patient Navigation Program as
the first initiative of the Hampson Mole
Community Health Project.
Sandy Katnelas, RN, MSN, UH Elyria
Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer,
said the Patient Navigation Program is
a health care model designed to reduce
barriers to care and improve outcomes.
“Patient navigators actively respond
to patients’ needs and guide them
through the complexity of the health
care system. This is especially true for
those with chronic and debilitating
disease, such as congestive heart
disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke.
The program scope will provide services
for inpatients and outpatients to
coordinate access and transitions of
care, medication and health education,
routine follow-up, and a connection to
system and community resources.”
“I’ve been blessed in my life in many
ways,” said Karen. “My hope, and that
of my board members, is that this gift
will spur the generosity of others and
potentially will be a pilot for similar
programs across the UH system.”U H
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A Legacy of
Babies Dispensary & Hospital fundraising truck
Hinman Hurlbut
Samuel Mather
From its earliest days, UH has been supported and
sustained by the philanthropic community, setting the
stage for pioneering development of the health care
system’s programs, services and facilities.
The founders of Wilson Street Hospital incorporated in 1866
and raised funds to purchase a house in downtown Cleveland
for the city hospital. To gain community support for what
would become University Hospitals, they organized a tent
festival in Public Square featuring a huge dinner, booths selling
refreshments, fireworks displays and live music – similar to
today’s Ride the Rainbow or Five Star Sensation events.
Hinman Hurlbut, a successful attorney and banker, was the
first president of Wilson Street Hospital. After a brief closure
of the hospital, Mr. Hurlbut guaranteed the future of medical
services by personally paying all of the hospital’s expenses for
the next year and fulfilling the hospital’s mortgage. When the
hospital relocated to the underutilized Marine Hospital, at
E. 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue, Mr. Hurlbut paid for all
renovations and an addition containing an operating theater
and pathology lab. In his will, Mr. Hurlbut left $200,000
to the hospital – the largest gift it had ever received.
In the mid-1890s, industrialist Samuel Mather led the effort
to modernize the then-named Lakeside Hospital and kicked
off the campaign with personal support.
8 L E G A C Y
Lakeside Hospital, 1898
Together with his wife, Flora Stone Mather, Mr. Mather
made tremendous financial contributions to the hospital –
funds to retire the hospital’s deficit, money for challenge
grants and a gift to build nurses’ quarters. Other donations
covered salaries and costs for visiting nurses, hospital gardens,
laboratory expenses, building maintenance, and Christmas
gifts to patients and nursing students. Mather was so well
known to hospital staff that the nurses and orderlies would
say, “Poor Sam!” whenever something broke.
Mr. Mather also volunteered on the hospital’s board of
trustees for a remarkable 46 years, stewarding tremendous
change. Today, UH’s Samuel Mather Society honors donors
whose cumulative giving is $1 million or more.
In 1900, H. Melville Hanna donated $100,000 of stock to
establish the hospital’s permanent endowment. He and his
brother Leonard C. Hanna Sr. joined the board of Lakeside
Hospital, and a member of the extended Hanna family
remained on the hospital board until 2006, when his
great-great-grandson George Humphrey II retired.
When a new home for Lakeside Hospital was needed in
1915, Samuel Mather; his half-brother, William G. Mather;
Jeptha Wade II; Leonard C. Hanna Sr.; and H. Melville
Hanna purchased land in University Circle and donated it
to the hospital.
visit us online
•
••••
•••
ropy
•••
•
University Hospitals’ current Discover the Difference
fundraising campaign, with a record goal of $1.5 billion,
is the largest in the health care system’s history. The success
of the campaign, with over 75,000 donors, underscores
the continuing need for philanthropy and volunteerism,
which have been crucial to the growth of UH.
After World War I, the effort to build the “University
Hospital Medical Group” began to pick up steam. The
plan included new buildings for Lakeside Hospital, Western
Reserve University Medical School and more. In 1923,
a successful one-week Mother’s Day campaign for Babies
and Children’s Hospital and Maternity Hospital raised more
than $2.75 million from 6,250 donors. Two years later,
both hospitals opened and became members of the newly
named University Hospitals.
To raise additional funds for the Lakeside building, nursing
dormitories and Rainbow Hospital in South Euclid, another
whirlwind fundraising campaign was held in 1927. Thanks
to several large donations, the campaign’s $6 million goal
was exceeded, with $8 million raised in just one week.
In 1945, following the death of UH trustee Howard Melville
Hanna Jr., his extended family and employees of the
M.A. Hanna Company made a $1 million gift to establish
a psychiatric institute at UH.
Hanna family support continued in the 1950s, as the
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund donated $20 million to UH and
Western Reserve University, with the institutions splitting
the gift. UH chose to invest the majority of the gift in an
endowment, which has since provided more than $50 million
to support the hospital.
UHhospitals.org/Giving Extended Hanna family members at the
Hanna Building groundbreaking in 1954
During the 1960s, UH celebrated its centennial with the
University Hospitals Medical Center campaign, enabling
the hospital to expand Babies and Children’s Hospital to
accommodate its new partnership with Rainbow Hospital,
build an addition to Hanna House, modernize the Lakeside
building, and construct an ambulatory care center and a
four-story general patient unit.
Later, in the 1990s, UH requested support for new facilities,
equipment and technologies. Significant improvements
were made to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital,
and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
expanded to include the Alfred and Norma Lerner Tower,
the Samuel Mather Pavilion and the Leonard and Joan
Horvitz Tower. The growth of UH through the generous
support of donors continues today with Discover the
Difference: The Campaign for University Hospitals.
Every step of the way, UH has cared for Northeast Ohio
residents. Thanks to the community’s financial and
volunteer support, UH has grown from the humble Wilson
Street Hospital into today’s leading academic medical
institution and trusted health care system. U H
To support the historic Discover the Difference:
The Campaign for University Hospitals, go to
www.UHgiving.org or call 216-983-2200.
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G L O B A L
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L O S S
AT
U N I V E R S I T Y
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LISTENING
Families Kickstart
a Global Center for
Hearing Loss at UH
Naomi with her parents Jason and Allison Wuliger
10 L E G A C Y
visit us online
FOR ANSWERS
When Jason and Allison Wuliger learned that their daughter, Naomi, had a rare
hearing disorder that could lead to total hearing loss, they wanted answers.
But they were shocked to learn that little was known about Naomi’s uncommon
condition – enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). Instead of preparing for the worst,
the Wuligers joined forces with a second family to raise money, increase awareness
and stimulate research. Their efforts have resulted in the EVA Research Project,
positioning University Hospitals as a global center for EVA clinical research.
“Thanks to our
partnership with
the doctors and researchers at UH,
we are closer to
getting answers for Naomi and the
thousands of
children like her.”
– Jason Wuliger
UHh
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. o r g / G i v i n g Naomi’s EVA was diagnosed
after her parents brought her to
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s
Hospital for an unrelated condition.
During an appointment with
Todd Otteson, MD, Chief, Division
of Pediatric Otolaryngology,
and James E. Arnold, MD and
Nancy P. and Thomas Seitz Chair
in Pediatric Otolaryngology, UH
Rainbow Babies & Children’s
Hospital, Allison said Naomi
seemed to have problems with
hearing when she had a cold.
Following a thorough exam,
hearing test and CT scan,
Dr. Otteson broke the news that
Naomi had hearing loss due to
enlarged vestibular aqueducts.
“It was very upsetting,” Allison
said. “You don’t want to hear that
your child has a medical condition
that could affect her for the rest
of her life.”
Jason and Allison asked many
questions about the cause, treatment
and outlook for their daughter’s
hearing loss, but Dr. Otteson did
not have many answers for the
worried couple. EVA is classified
as an orphan disease because few
cases exist – less than 200,000
patients worldwide – so little clinical
research exists to explain why
it happens and how it progresses.
Some patients develop profound
hearing loss while others do not.
Hearing loss is irreversible. Some
EVA patients such as Naomi use
a hearing aid in one or both ears
while other patients get cochlear
implants.
“Much of what is known about
EVA comes from small studies
of fewer than 100 people,” said
Dr. Otteson. “Because of this,
there’s a lack of reliable information
we can give patients and families
about how much hearing loss
will occur and how it will – or
will not – progress.”
Keeping Sound
The vestibular aqueduct is a
narrow canal that begins inside
the temporal bone, just above
the ear. The anatomical structures
of the ear are sensitive to the
smallest changes, which can lead
to hearing loss. With EVA, hearing
loss may occur when the vestibular
aqueduct is enlarged to little more
than one millimeter. What causes
EVA is unknown, although genetic
mutations may play a role for
some patients.
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H E A R I N G
L O S S
AT
U N I V E R S I T Y
H O S P I TA L S
For children with EVA, one of
the most urgent questions – how
to prevent further hearing loss – is
also one of the biggest unknowns.
Some evidence has suggested
that head injuries and pressure
changes caused by flying on an
airplane or diving into a swimming
pool can cause partial or even
total hearing loss in children with
EVA. But there is little scientific
data to back up these claims,
causing parents to make agonizing
decisions for their children. Do
they let them swim? Travel by air?
Play soccer and other contact sports?
Raising EVA Awareness
The Wuligers’ search for answers
led them to Mike Tenebruso, a
concerned dad from New Jersey
who had similar questions about
EVA, which affected his son.
Mike, who is co-CIO at Alpine
Associates Management, Inc.,
and Jason, vice president of
Cleveland-based SplashLink.com,
had the business knowledge
and social media savvy to get
something started for EVA
fundraising – but how could
their efforts be put to the
greatest use?
For the Wuligers, it’s a delicate
balance. They want Naomi, whom
they describe as “fearless,” to
enjoy life to the fullest, but they
also want to protect the hearing
she currently has. Naomi, now
8 years old, loves gymnastics,
swimming, cheerleading, music
and many other activities.
Jason and Mike met with
Dr. Otteson and Cliff Megerian,
MD, President, University Hospitals
Physician Services; Chairman,
Department of Otolaryngology
Head & Neck Surgery; Director,
University Hospitals Ear, Nose &
Throat Institute; and Richard W.
and Patricia R. Pogue Chair in
Auditory Surgery and Hearing
Sciences at UH Cleveland Medical
Center, to ask what they could do
– as donors and concerned parents
– to help their children and the
entire EVA community.
“As parents,
we worry, but
Naomi never lets
her condition hold
her back. She is
sweet and kind
and deserves
answers about
her future.”
– Jason Wuliger
Dr. Megerian suggested creating
a place where families and
physicians could go to find
answers – a website dedicated
to EVA, including consumer
information, a patient registry
and a research database.
Dubbed the EVA Research Project,
it also would include the hiring
of a full-time research associate.
But UH couldn’t do it alone.
They would need the families’
help through personal donations
and fundraising connections.
And that’s exactly what the
Wuliger and Tenebruso families
have done.
12 L E G A C Y
visit us online
“We want UH Rainbow Babies
& Children’s Hospital to be know as the center for EVA Clinical Research. The goal is to further education and research. Collaboration is vital.”
– Todd Otteson, MD
could prove to be a rich source
of information for EVA clinical
research. Parents can upload
results from hearing tests and CT
and MRI scans – tests commonly
used in diagnosis. They also may
choose to authorize the release
of Protected Health Information,
allowing their treating physician
to release EVA-related medical
records to the registry.
In addition, Dr. Otteson is inviting
otolaryngologists across the country
to submit patient information to
the registry. In return, Dr. Otteson
and his colleagues at UH Ear,
Nose & Throat Institute plan to
make the EVA patient registry
data available to researchers who
present study proposals approved
by their Institutional Review Boards.
Naomi Wuliger and
Todd Otteson, MD
Through their personal
philanthropy and appeals to
donors using social media and
professional connections –
combined with forward thinking
by UH physicians and staff –
the international EVA Research
Project (rainbow.org/evaresearch)
launched in June 2016, holding
promise and hope for patients
with this uncommon disorder.
“We launched the EVA project
to find answers and spur additional
research,” Jason said. “Thanks
to our partnership with the doctors
and researchers at UH, we are
closer to getting answers for Naomi
and the thousands of children
like her.”
UHh
go
i vs i pn i gt .aol sr g
. o r g / G i v i n g “Information and education are
vital,” added Mike. “If we can
start connecting some dots,
maybe we can get on a path to
more clinical studies. From there,
we hope to find treatments,
medicines or even a cure.”
UH Hosts EVA Research Project
To date, nearly 150 donors from
the U.S. and around the world
have donated to the EVA Research
Project. These funds have helped
UH build a website and hire a
clinical research specialist, who
administers the project and assists
physician-scientists at UH Rainbow
Babies & Children’s Hospital
performing EVA research.
Central to the website is the
secure patient registry, which
Eyes on the Future Prize
That’s exactly the kind of cooperation
that appealed to the Wuliger and
Tenebruso families when they first
embarked on their quest to find
answers for EVA patients. They
agreed to move forward with the
project even though no one could
guarantee that their own children
would benefit.
“As I did my research, I came
across other stories in which
children were more severely
impacted by EVA than my son.
My motivation is to help all
children and families affected
by this syndrome,” Mike said.
“It’s likely that we will not get
significant answers in time to
help our own kids,” added Jason.
“But through the data repository,
the doctors at UH offered us the
best possible path forward. Our
goal is to provide answers and
help as many patients with EVA
as possible.”U H
FF AA LLLL 22 0 1
06
9 13
An unexpected benefit of the cancer
drug bortezomib is its potential ability
to decrease the risk of blood clots.
This finding is the focus of research
in cell and animal studies conducted
by Lalitha Nayak, MD, hematologist
and oncologist, UH Seidman Cancer
Center and Assistant Professor, Medicine,
Case Western Reserve University School
of Medicine.
Cancer patients have an increased
risk of developing
blood clots, which
is the consequence
of both the disease
itself and the
treatment. In fact,
40 percent of
pancreatic cancer
patients will go
on to develop
a clot. The cancer
patient’s risk of
Lalitha Nayak, MD
developing a venous
thromboembolism, a serious side effect,
is four to seven and a half times that
of the general population. And current
anticoagulation therapies carry a significant
risk of bleeding in these patients. “The
risks of anticoagulants are so high in
these patients that we can’t justify using
them in a preventive way,” said Dr. Nayak.
But, bortezomib, a cancer drug used in
the treatment of multiple myeloma, could
be a new strategy for preventing blood
clots as well as providing a potential
biomarker for the risk of them. “We’ve
known that multiple myeloma patients
receiving bortezomib have a dramatically
lower risk of clotting,” said Dr. Nayak.
Her research has shown that bortezomib
increases clotting time by increasing a
part of the gene known as transcription
factor Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2).
•
Cancer Drug Anticlotting Benefits
This anticlotting capability of bortezomib
also has future potential for the
treatment of other medical conditions
that are affected by an increased risk of
blood clots.
Dr. Nayak’s research is funded, in part,
by a grant from the National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute to Case Western
Reserve University School of Medicine.
She and her colleagues have published
their findings in the journal Blood.
Additionally, Dr. Nayak is currently
monitoring KLF2 levels in pancreatic cancer
patients to test its potential as a biomarker
for clotting risk, and examining the use
of KLF2 monitoring in patients with
antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
“If we can correlate KLF2 levels with
clotting, we might be able to institute
anticoagulation therapy with bortezomib
at certain quantifiable KLF2 levels,”
said Dr. Nayak. “Right now, we wait for
patients to clot, and then we treat them.
They’re in pain; they already have the
clot; and, for cancer patients, we have to
hold chemotherapy, which causes a lot of
problems. Prevention would be so great.”
For more information on this research,
email Dr. Nayak at Lalitha.Nayak@
UHhospitals.org.
Aortic Stenosis Treatable
Extremely elderly patients – those 90
years and older – have shown acceptable
outcomes of surgery for aortic stenosis.
This finding is remarkable now and for
the future, since the U.S. Census Bureau
estimates that the number of Americans
age 90 and older will quadruple by the
year 2050.
The Valve & Structural Heart Disease
Center, part of University Hospitals
Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute’s
Heart Surgery Center now offers
transcatheter
aortic valve
replacement
(TAVR), an
innovative
procedure for
patients with
severe aortic valve
stenosis, who
are intermediate
or high risk or
ineligible for open
Guilherme Attizzani, MD
heart surgery.
TAVR, a minimally invasive procedure
performed in the cardiac catheterization
lab rather than the operating room,
allows the surgeon to place a new aortic
valve within the diseased valve while
the patient’s heart continues to beat.
Other benefits include:
• Fewer days in intensive care
• Shorter time in the hospital
• Faster recovery
• Lower risk of respiratory and cardiac
complications
• Minimal blood loss compared with
open valve repair
14 L E G A C Y
visit us online
“My doctor put a new valve •
•
•
•••••
•
in my heart. Now, I just
wish I was a little younger.”
– Geraldine Pekar, 102 years old
into 90s
Guilherme Attizzani, MD, interventional
cardiologist, Valve & Structural Heart
Disease Center, UH Harrington Heart &
Vascular Institute, and Clinical Assistant
Professor, Medicine, Case Western
Reserve University School of Medicine,
spoke about his findings that were
published in the July 2016 issue of
American Journal of Cardiology.
“When it comes to TAVR, advanced
age alone is not a disqualifying factor,”
he said. Published results of the PARTNER
I trial and other research support TAVR
in those with advanced age.
Geraldine Pekar, 102 years old,
received TAVR in December 2015.
She was discharged a week later to
a skilled nursing facility for physical
and occupational therapy, and is now
living comfortably at home with her son,
Kenneth. “I feel pretty good,” she said.
Feeling younger at heart after her TAVR
procedure, Geraldine’s echocardiogram
showed normal aortic valve prosthesis
structure and function, with no evidence
of aortic valve regurgitation. “She’s
now back to her normal routine,”
Dr. Attizzani said.
For more information about TAVR at
UH or to refer a patient, please call
216-844-3800.
UHhospitals.org/Giving UH Researchers Discover Gene Variant for
Esophageal Cancer
A rare mutation in the gene responsible
for familial Barrett’s esophagus (FBE) and
esophageal cancer has been discovered
by Amitabh Chak, MD, of UH Seidman
Cancer Center and Professor, Medicine,
Case Western Reserve University School
of Medicine, and colleagues, with the
results published in
the July 2016 issue
of JAMA Oncology.
The study is funded through the Barrett’s
Esophagus Translational Research
Network, a $5.4 million grant to Case
Western Reserve University School of
Medicine. The five-year award supports
a research team, led by Dr. Chak,
collaborating to develop an understanding
of the basis of FBE and its conversion to
esophageal carcinoma through genetic,
molecular and physiologic studies.
The gene
responsible for
FBE was studied
in a large,
multigenerational
family. The team,
led by Dr. Chak
along with
collaborating
Amitabh Chak, MD
senior author
Kishore Guda, DVM, PhD, of the Case
Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case
Western Reserve University, used targeted
next-generation gene sequencing to find
a rare mutation (S631G) in FBE in the
gene VSIG10L. This mutation disrupts
normal growth of the esophageal lining.
Senior faculty collaborators on
the research team included Dr. Chak;
Dr. Guda; Sanford Markowitz, MD, PhD,
oncologist, UH Seidman Cancer Center;
Ingalls Professor of Cancer Genetics,
Case Western Reserve University School
of Medicine; and Joseph Willis, MD,
Division Chief, Clinical Pathology,
UH Cleveland Medical Center; Professor,
Pathology, Case Western Reserve
University School of Medicine.
Many more researchers were involved
in the study.
“Instances of esophageal cancer are
on the rise, and the disease has a poor
five-year survival rate of less than 15
percent,” said Dr. Chak. “However, early
detection through screening can prevent
the development of esophageal cancer.”
UH
FBE is a leading predictor of esophageal
cancer, and affects up to 6.8 percent of
the population. Compared with the
general population, patients with FBE
have an 11-fold higher risk of developing
adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
The discovery of this mutation indicates
that patients with the gene variant
should receive early screening and close
clinical monitoring for cancer. “This is a
step forward in combating this deadly
disease as we discovered a new way to
categorize those at risk for esophageal
adenocarcinoma,” says Dr. Chak.
FALL2016 15
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SEIDMAN CANCER CENTER
“Joy had wonderful care
at UH, and, for many
years, we enjoyed our
relationship with the
hospital and with Dr. Kim.
We both wanted to help
Dr. Kim in some way, and
were quite intrigued with
his research.”
– Jerome Weinberger
Joy
FINDING
16 L E G A C Y
IN ALL
visit us online
True to her name, Joy Weinberger sought to bring happiness to
every life she touched – especially the lives of her husband, Jerome;
their children Neil, Gail and Ellen; their children’s spouses; and their
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jerome “Jerry” Weinberger
fondly remembers his late wife and their life together, ultimately
offering a legacy for cancer research and an example of enduring
values for her family.
After Jerry graduated from University of
Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business,
he was drafted into the U.S. Army infantry where
he received further training in their finance school.
Following his Army service, Jerry rebuilt Gray Drug
Stores – founded by his father – with newer,
larger stores offering a greater variety of goods.
Yet, his life would be fulfilled in another way
when he met his future wife, Joy, through a
mutual friend. After dating her roommate briefly,
Jerry asked Joy out on their first date. “I thought,
‘Joy is really the kind of girl I’m looking for,’”
said Jerry. “We had a fairly quick romance of
a few months. It worked out fabulous.”
Jerry’s wife was his joy – in every sense.
While Jerry’s career flourished, Joy decided to
step away from her interest in vocal performance
to raise their three children, paying attention
to every detail of their home life and gracing
them with her singing. Her son, Neil, fondly remembered his mother’s
operatic ability. As an
8-year-old child, Joy’s love
of music was fostered by
a unique opportunity to
sing for Helen Keller, who
placed her hand on Joy’s
jaw to feel the vibrations
of her voice. Later in life,
Joy continued to support
music by remaining
involved in The University
of Michigan School
of Music with the
Weinberger Endowed
Scholarship Fund.
She also served on the Palm Beach (Florida)
Opera Board, as a Cleveland Institute of Music
trustee and with the Women’s Committee of
The Cleveland Orchestra.
Jerry’s professional career included positions
as CEO of Gray Drug Stores, vice president of
Sherwin Williams and founding chairman of JND
Properties, Inc. He also served as the campaign
chairman of United Way of Greater Cleveland.
Among his several philanthropic endeavors, Jerry
helped fulfill his father’s dream of establishing
a new, modern building for the School of
Pharmacy at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Weinbergers were awarded the esteemed
National Scopus Award from the American
Friends of Hebrew University, “the highest honor
bestowed on individuals who demonstrate
humanitarian concerns throughout their lives.”
While Jerry and Joy enjoyed visits with several
presidents of the United States and the first prime
minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion, they also
connected with the people they met along the
way. Joy was said to make every person feel
important. She taught her children to accept
people for what they are and not what you
want them to be, said daughter Gail Stein.
This verve for life and appreciation of others
would help Joy and her family as she fought
cancer under the care of Julian Kim, MD, Chief
Medical Officer, UH Seidman Cancer Center;
Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology, UH Cleveland
Medical Center; Charles A. Hubay, MD,
Chair in Surgery; and Professor, Surgery, Case
Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Joy and Jerome Weinberger
UHhospitals.org/Giving FALL2016 17
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SEIDMAN CANCER CENTER
years and had family members who were
UH physicians. During this time, Jerry and Joy
began exploring and planning their philanthropic
gift to UH – an institution that had provided
care to Joy in her time of need, and also was a
hopeful place where several of her children and,
most recently, her great-grandchildren were born.
Left to right: David Stein, Gail Stein, Jerome Weinberger and Neil Weinberger
Joy’s attitude toward treatment was positive and
she was willing to “do what needed to get done,”
said Dr. Kim. “Joy was extremely memorable.
I recall when I walked in the room to examine
her the first time, she wanted to know about me.
At the time my daughter was getting ready to
be married, and Joy wanted to know the plans
instead of talking about her own next steps
for healing.”
And when she faced treatment for a second
cancer, Joy remained determined. “She was kind
and thoughtful on the surface, and very tough
underneath,” said Dr. Kim. “Her fight with cancer
was emotionally and physically challenging.”
Jerry and Joy felt she was getting the best care
for her cancer with Dr. Kim at University Hospitals.
In addition to their confidence in Dr. Kim’s ability
and his personal concern for Joy, the Weinbergers
had turned to UH for their health care over the
18 L E G A C Y
The doctor-patient relationship that Dr. Kim
shared with Joy was the inspiration for their gift,
said Jerry. Although the couple was still exploring
how to support cancer research and treatment at
UH, “my mother would be beaming and ecstatic”
if she knew it culminated in the Jerome A. & Joy
Weinberger Family Master Clinician in Surgical
Oncology with Dr. Kim as the inaugural appointee,
said Neil. The Weinbergers’ gift provided $1 million,
with an additional allocation of $250,000 from
the Donald J. and Ruth W. Goodman Perpetual
Trust at the Cleveland Foundation.
Dr. Kim and his colleagues are concentrating
their research efforts on the potential of
immunotherapy – where the patient’s own T cells,
as part of their immune system, are used to fight
cancer. Further study will focus on medications
that can weaken cancer cells prior to T cell
infusion, to allow for an improved outcome.
Dr. Kim is pleased that his research was the
impetus for the gift. “The use of immunotherapy
has gone from something never used to
something that is a potential treatment for
cancer,” said Dr. Kim. “It has skyrocketed to
promising cancer treatment over the past two
to five years. There will be an enormous focus
over the next 10 years on how the immune
system can kill cancer.”
Immunotherapy is a new tool in the fight
against cancer, along with chemotherapy,
radiation and surgery.
visit us online
“ It’s people like Joy who fuel my passion to try to
find a better treatment
in my research. Cancer
is devastating, and our
patients give us the energy
to look for a cure.”
– Julian Kim, MD
“The challenge is to try to understand which
patients and what types of cancers work best
with immunotherapy,” he said, adding that
melanoma, kidney, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
lung and bladder cancers have been treated
with some success, and testing in breast and
brain cancer is ongoing. “This field is rapidly
accelerating with testing in every single cancer
you can name, with surprising results,” he said.
Dr. Kim and his team of researchers have
successfully shortened the time it takes to
grow and activate T cells, which are necessary
components of the immune system. “We have
compressed the T cell expansion process to about
two weeks,” said Dr. Kim. “Most T cells take six
to eight weeks to grow. We grow them 500- to
700-fold in just 16 days.”
A Phase 1 clinical trial to study the effect
of infused T cells in patients with stage IV
melanoma is underway at UH Seidman Cancer
Center. “We extract immune cells from the lymph
node, grow them, and give supercharged T cells
back to the patient. We are activating the immune
system outside of the body.”
Julian Kim, MD
If you can arrest the growth of cancer, you can
prolong people’s lives. I’m focused not on a cure
per se, but rather the ability of a patient to live
with cancer and live as long as possible.”
Dr. Kim said he felt honored that he was chosen
as the inaugural appointee of the Jerome A.
& Joy Weinberger Family Master Clinician in
Surgical Oncology. “It had a lot of meaning
because of my relationship with Joy,” he said.
“Obviously, it was a little bit of a surprise.
You develop relationships and you never expect
anything in return. I was just happy to have
known Joy, Jerome and the Weinberger family.”U H
There will always be a need for cancer research,
said Dr. Kim, and his hope is that cancer will one
day become just another chronic condition that
can be managed with medication. “This is a very
achievable goal, especially with immune therapy.
UHhospitals.org /Giving
FALL2016
19
P hilanthropicS pirit
the
“Our family gives to
help others because that’s
what really matters.”
– Lorraine Dodero
A TRADITION OF GIVING
For Gates Mills residents Lorraine and Bill
Dodero, family and friends mean everything.
So, it was only natural that the couple was
spurred to action when the health of their dear
friend, Norman Hadad, took an alarming turn.
Norman managed a heart condition for
years, but he and his wife, Toni, were in
complete dismay in 2013 when his health
inexplicably began to decline. Fearing the
worst for their friend, the Doderos called upon
UH for help. Their research led them to the
office of Guilherme Oliveira, MD, Director of
the Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Center
and the Onco-Cardiology Program at
UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.
In July 2014, Norman successfully underwent
heart transplant surgery and remains in
excellent health. “Before coming to UH,
I was not getting a solution to my problems,”
said Norman. “But Dr. Oliveira did not waste
a minute. He got to the bottom of it
immediately and left no room for error.”
In February 2015, in a profound display of
gratitude, the Dodero family established the
Lorraine and Bill Dodero Master Clinician in
Heart Failure & Transplantation.
20 L E G A C Y
Bill and Lorraine Dodero
“We had known that UH was building a
strong and innovative heart program,”
explained Lorraine. “But after meeting
Dr. Oliveira and seeing how he’s truly at
the forefront of research and development –
it really opened our eyes.” Dr. Oliveira, inaugural appointee to the
position, is thankful for the family’s ongoing
support. “Through this endowment, I will
be able to fund the most promising
physician-initiated investigations in heart
and vascular medicine,” he said. “Lorraine
and Bill’s vision will advance science and
solidify UH’s role as a leader in the field.
Most importantly, their generosity will
help us more expertly care for our heart
failure patients.”
Reflecting on her late father, Sam Frankino,
Lorraine shared, “Giving is part of who I am.
I remember my dad saying ‘Give with
no expectations.’”
In 2011, Lorraine and Bill also supported
UH’s Discover the Difference campaign
with the creation of the Frankino-Dodero
Family Infusion Suite at UH Seidman Cancer
Center – a lasting tribute to her father and
his wife, Connie.
visit us online
the
P hilanthropic S pirit
ADVANCED TRAINING FOR ADVANCED NURSING
Nurses have a profound impact on patient satisfaction, speed
of recovery and care management – which is why UH is committed
to developing and retaining exceptional nursing professionals.
With this goal in mind, two generous philanthropic gifts were
recently given to UH, each supporting advanced practice training
for certified nurse practitioners (CNPs).
Former UH Cleveland Medical Center Board Chair Pat Mullin
and his wife, Amy, a dedicated nurse, created the Amy B.
Mullin Advanced Practice Nursing Scholars, a training and
placement program for CNP candidates from Kent State
University’s College of Nursing. “We feel that what separates
UH from other health care providers is the quality of its
nursing care,” said Pat.
Grateful patient Doug Ralston could not agree more. “After
my bout with cancer and receiving excellent, concerned nursing
care we decided to do something for the nurses,” he explained.
Doug and his wife, Corey, who are firm believers in education,
established the Ralston Advanced Practice Nursing Scholars –
a clinical training program in collaboration with Case Western
Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
“In the coming years the demand for highly skilled CNPs
will continue to grow,” said Kim Schippits, RN, PhD, Marian
Shaughnessy Endowed Director of Nursing Education. “By helping
our nurses advance professionally, these gifts will have a
tremendous impact, ensuring better care for the countless
patients and families they serve throughout their careers.”
“ W E H O P E T H AT T H O S E S E E K I N G C A R E AT U H
R E C O G N I Z E T H AT G R E AT N U R S E S
R E A L LY M A K E A P R O F O U N D D I F F E R E N C E . ”
– Pat Mullin
Left to right: Event Co-Chairs Terri Kennedy,
Elizabeth Spencer and Jill Harrington
RIDE THE RAINBOW:
MOVED TO GIVE
Over 1,000 supporters of UH Rainbow Babies
& Children’s Hospital joined together at the
Cleveland Public Auditorium to dance, dine,
bid and give at this year’s Ride the Rainbow
2016 Do What Moves You event.
“Thanks to our incredibly generous supporters,
Ride the Rainbow 2016 was record-breaking.
We are proud to say that all of the money
raised stays right here in our community to
benefit the children and families in Northeast
Ohio,” said Elizabeth Spencer, Ride the
Rainbow event co-chair.
Master of ceremonies Jim Tressel, president
of Youngstown State University and former
Ohio State University football coach, cheered
on guests to raise a record-setting $1.5 million.
Hosted by Rainbow Babies & Children’s
Foundation and chaired by trustees Jill
Harrington, Terri Kennedy and Elizabeth
Spencer, the seventh biennial event celebrated
healthy lifestyles with attendees who enjoyed
moving entertainment by Your Generation
in Concert, Inlet Dance, DJ MIMO, Cleveland
Metropolitan School District All-City Arts Choir,
Cleveland Browns Drumline and Youngstown
State University Cheerleaders. For 125 years, the women of the Rainbow
Foundation have been doing what moves them
– and the results of their passion, dedication
and generosity have been extraordinary. Since its inception in 2004, Ride the Rainbow
has raised over $6.9 million to benefit UH
Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
UHhospitals.org/Giving FALL2016
21
the
P hilanthropic S pirit
GRATEFUL PATIENTS’ ESTATE GIFTS SUPPORT UH DIGESTIVE HEALTH INSTITUTE
University Hospitals Digestive Health Institute’s
Endoscopy and Bronchoscopy Suite, located on
the first floor of Mather Pavilion at UH Cleveland
Medical Center, will soon have a new look.
Upon completion of the renovation, the suite will
feature state-of-the-art equipment, additional
advanced procedure rooms and mobile storage
to offer an open environment for patient care.
The renovation will allow the institute to advance
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of digestive
and liver diseases.
Inspired by UH’s investment in the UH Digestive
Health Institute, grateful patients Cheryl and Bruce
Waller were motivated to give back in recognition
of the years of excellent care that Cheryl received at
the institute.
Through a charitable bequest in their trust,
the Wallers will leave behind a legacy that furthers
the mission of UH Digestive Health Institute.
To honor Cheryl and Bruce for their planned gift,
a plaque is displayed in the newly completed,
spacious waiting room.
“She would not be with us today
if it weren’t for UH physicians.”
– Bruce Waller
GIVING TO IMPACT MEMORY DISORDERS
In 2011, Virginia and Irving B. “Buddy” Spitz made a $1 million
gift to establish the Spitz Brain Health Innovation Fund at
UH Neurological Institute. Under the direction of Anthony
J. Furlan, MD, Chairman, Department of Neurology;
Co-Director, UH Neurological Institute; Gilbert W. Humphrey
Professor of Neurology, University Hospitals; and Professor,
Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of
Medicine, the gift supports the innovative, patient-applicable
discoveries of clinical and basic scientists – deemed “Spitz
Scholars” – who are focused on improving prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other
disorders that affect brain health and memory. The number of
Spitz Scholars grew from 12 in 2011 to 16 researchers today.
Buddy and Virginia Spitz
22 L E G A C Y
Since the creation of the Spitz Brain Health Innovation Fund,
Buddy Spitz has passed away, but Virginia has kept his memory
alive by remaining actively connected with the scholars.
“I am grateful for the exceptional care Buddy received at UH.
It was our desire to help advance this field and it is an honor
to see our legacy in action through the work of these bright
scholars,” said Virginia. She was so pleased to see the impact
of their gift – including the publication of more than 25
peer-reviewed medical journal articles – that in 2016 she
made a second generous gift of $1 million to sustain the
work of current and future scholars.
visit us online
the
P hilanthropic S pirit
Left to right: UH Connor Integrative
Health Network Leadership Council
members John Hexter, Sara Connor,
Dan Silverberg, Sheila Wyse, Fareed
Siddiq, Mary Ann Hexter, Mary Smith,
Linda Rocker Silverberg, Bob Valente
(Not pictured: Paul Carleton, Jamie
Cole, Chris Connor, Ensign Cowell,
Rand Curtiss, Patti Dery, Jill Harrington,
Eric Hurwitz, Bill Kilroy, Jackie Osborne
Fisher, Kathy Pender, Daniel Serbin, Bob
Sill, Jerry Sue Thornton, Adam Vertes)
OPTIMIZING HEALTH AND WELLNESS
In response to the Northeast Ohio community’s growing demand for care that serves the
mind and soul as well as the body, UH embraced a holistic approach to health in 2011
by launching the University Hospitals Connor Integrative Health Network through the
generous support of Chris and Sara Connor. The initiative, which set out to bridge traditional
medicine and complementary therapies, now boasts a full range of programs, services and
educational instruction that promote optimal health and healing for the whole person.
“We have made tremendous progress in taking the idea of integrative health from
conception to operation,” explained Francoise Adan, MD, Medical Director, UH Connor
Integrative Health Network. “Our vision is to fully integrate complementary medicine with
traditional medical care throughout the UH health care system.”
To achieve that vision, UH celebrated two announcements in May 2015 – the formalization
of the UH Connor Integrative Health Network Leadership Council and the new Christopher
M. and Sara H. Connor Master Clinician in Integrative Health.
Consisting of over 20 volunteer leaders, the UH Connor Integrative Health Network
Leadership Council was established through the ceaseless dedication and passionate advocacy
of Linda Rocker Silverberg and Ensign Cowell, who served in co-chair roles from 2013 to
2016.
For Dr. Adan, who was named the inaugural Connor Master Clinician in Integrative Health,
the importance of her new position cannot be overstated. “The Connor Master Clinician
energizes me to work to extend our program to a broader patient population and to build
stronger partnerships with our providers,” she said. “Chris and Sara’s ongoing support,
advice and friendship have fueled me – and this program – every step of the way.”
UHhospitals.org/Giving FALL2016 23
the
P hilanthropic S pirit
Left to right: Nicholas Negroponte,
Deborah Porter, Steven Wiesenberger,
Trudy Wiesenberger, Margot Case,
Rob Wiesenberger, Susan Hyatt, Joel Hyatt
(not pictured: Scott Case)
NEW GALLERY HONORS FOUNDING CURATOR
On June 24, 2016, over 200 people gathered
at UH Cleveland Medical Center to recognize
and honor the enduring impact of founding
art curator Trudy Wiesenberger.
After establishing UH’s art collection nearly
30 years ago, Trudy served as curator until
her retirement in 2011. “She knew intuitively
that appropriate, well placed art could create
a sense of security and peace of mind that
would make a difference in the hospital setting,”
said Fred C. Rothstein, MD, past President,
UH Cleveland Medical Center. “A growing
body of research has confirmed and reinforced
what Trudy always believed about art’s
healing power.”
In tribute to her transformation of the visual
aesthetics of UH and her commitment to
the healing power of art, Trudy’s husband,
Steven, with family and community supporters,
made a gift of $1 million to renovate and
name the new Trudy Wiesenberger Gallery on
the ground floor of the George M. Humphrey
Building at UH Cleveland Medical Center.
24 L E G A C Y
It was fitting that the inaugural exhibit in
the new gallery featured Trudy’s own recent
artwork, a collection of photolithographs
titled “Vignettes & Vistas,” with all proceeds
from sales of art donated to UH to create an
audio tour of the permanent art collection.
Alongside the dedication of the gallery,
UH debuted the book Artwork from
the Collection of University Hospitals,
written pro bono by Trudy Wiesenberger,
which highlights selections from the
health care system’s fine art collection.
Complementing well-chosen works
with thoughtful insights, Trudy eloquently explores the soul-soothing
and therapeutic power of art in a book that is, itself, a captivating
work of art.
For information about charitable giving, contact
Institutional Relations & Development at 216-983-2200.
visit us online
Daniel I. Simon, MD
President, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Healthy Community.
Exceptional Medicine.
Better World.
As a cardiologist, I often emphasize that the key for each
Exceptional medicine: UH physicians are advancing
of us to stay healthy is to be active and engaged with the
standards of care. We’re replacing complex open-heart
world around us.
surgery with simple, minimally invasive valve replacements –
That’s also a secret to the vigorous health of University
Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center: We keep moving ahead
and staying active. We’re stepping up to the evolving needs
of a fast-changing health care universe. And we’re rallying
around a vision of a new kind of academic medical center
that can deliver the leadership our community needs –
locally, nationally and globally.
UH Cleveland Medical Center, our academic medical
center, is the heart of our growing, super-regional
health care system. Our vision is simple: Healthy community,
exceptional medicine, better world.
in patients who are awake and talking during the procedure,
and who often go home the next day! We’re mapping the
human brain to find new ways to use implanted “deep
brain stimulation” electrodes to control Parkinson’s disease,
epilepsy and perhaps even mental illnesses. We developed
the most advanced imaging technology to distinguish
tumors from healthy tissue in ways that are safer, less invasive
and more useful than biopsy.
Better world: Patients worldwide benefit from UH Cleveland
Medical Center’s active leadership as an engine of discovery.
With greater than $170 million in annual research funding,*
we engage in more active clinical trials – with 1,014 open
Healthy community: Our emerging UH Rainbow Center
clinical trials at the end of 2015 – than any other medical
for Women & Children in Cleveland’s MidTown neighborhood
center in Ohio. Physicians and other caregivers come here
is just the latest example of how we improve access to
from around the world to learn from our experts and keep
health care and work with our community to help residents
abreast of the latest breakthroughs. This commitment will
to get the right care, at the right time, in the right setting.
flourish as a new affiliation agreement with Case Western
We’ve asked about two dozen community advisors and a
Reserve University School of Medicine opens new frontiers
host of government and nonprofit agencies to help design
for collaboration.
the UH Rainbow Center for Women & Children around
community needs. We’ll augment primary care with
complementary programs, such as nutrition, parenting,
and behavioral and mental health. Our shared goal is to
foster communities of health.
UH Cleveland Medical Center is indeed a strong heart. It is
growing even stronger through the guidance and financial
support of a philanthropic community that is expanding in
both size and generosity. We’re grateful for our community’s
trust, and we commit to earning it anew every day by
moving actively forward in pursuit of our mission: To Heal.
To Teach. To Discover. U H
UHhospitals.org/Giving *National Institutes of Health research funding awarded to Case Western Reserve
University School of Medicine.
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It’s another way our over 200 cancer experts are using the most advanced,
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