ADVANCES
Program Spotlight:
Spiritual Care team
2
APRIL 21, 2016
NEWS FROM THE REGION’S PREMIER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER
Donate Life events: Roses and tales of courage
Every April marks a special
time at The University of Kansas
Hospital – the month to honor
organ, eye and tissue donations.
The hospital’s transplant program encompasses approximately
120 physicians, nurses and others
in the Center for Transplantation,
as well as several hundred more
staff on Units 63-64, who care for
patients after transplant surgeries.
Many of them dress in blue and
green on National Donate Life Day
to show their support for donors.
The hospital also hosts a Rose
Ceremony every April, honoring
the lives of organ, eye and tissue
donors from the past year. There
were 98 roses at this year’s event.
Rose Ceremony stories are
sometimes painful but always
heartwarming. Conor Rock, who
has an autoimmune disease that
causes cirrhosis of the liver, told
how donors have saved his life: He
has received two liver transplants
– one in Nebraska, the second one
here in October 2014. He’s now a
nurse associate on Unit 64, caring
The hospital’s kidney transplant team includes surgeon Sean Kumer, MD, PhD.
Roses were given to donors’ families.
for transplant recipients.
Another speaker, Barbara Starr,
recalled how her son, David,
died 25 years ago in an auto
accident. His heart was donated
to a 54-year-old man, eyes to two
people and tissue to 50 others.
Receiving that information,
Starr said, “was a tremendous
blessing to us.”
Such stories are key to April’s
message: Organ, eye and tissue
donations save lives. The word
seems to be spreading, too: For
the first time last year, the nation’s transplant centers surpassed
30,000 solid organ transplants.
While total number of organ
transplants at our hospital remains
strong (see By The Numbers below), the program’s hidden gem is
its level of quality. For instance, average wait time for a liver transplant
here is seven months compared
with 16 months nationally.
Based on the region’s demographics, the hospital also
performs nearly twice the number
By the Numbers: Organ Transplants
The University of Kansas
Hospital’s Center for
Transplantation performed
223 organ transplants in 2015,
most in the region.
3,609
Through April 14, 2016, total liver and
renal transplants since the programs
began (1969 renal, 1990 liver)
To suggest a By the Numbers, email [email protected].
Kidney transplants*
Liver transplants
Liver
Renal*
1,336
2,273
*Includes kidney, simultaneous pancreas-kidney,
simultaneous liver-kidney and pancreas only
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
31
of kidney transplants as expected,
with survival rate “as expected.”
For liver transplants, survival rate
is nearly double what’s expected.
“The transplant center here has
outstanding patient outcomes,”
said Courtney Root, Midwest
Transplant Network coordinator
at our hospital. “You also see it in
the hospital’s culture and the way
staff provide the best care. They
want to ensure they remain the
ultimate choice for choosing a
transplant center.”
48
58
64
74
85
81
91
77
87
114
106
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
72
112
110
114
111
102
108
136
136
*Includes simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants
and kidney with other organs
Events
Head and neck cancer
fundraiser – “A Celebration of
Taste,” the seventh annual tasting
event hosted by The University of
Kansas Cancer Center’s Head and
Neck Cancer Support Group, is
6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, in
the Westwood Campus Atrium.
Local restaurants will provide
samples of their specialties. Guest
speaker is KCTV-5’s Neal Jones,
a cancer survivor. Cost is $20
per person. Information: Jane
Myer or Dorothy Austin, RN, at
913-588-3630 or -6576.
Melanoma research
fundraiser – The Fifth Annual
Outpacing Melanoma, a 5K run/
walk, is 8 a.m. Sunday, May 1, at
Corporate Woods in Overland
Park. Proceeds benefit The
University of Kansas Cancer
Center. Funds support research
and local awareness through
early detection, screening and
prevention. Go to outpacingmelanoma.org for information.
Meditation in nature – Is your
time in the garden therapy time?
If so, join our meditation teacher
for “The Nature Process,” a deep
meditation workshop. Learn
to connect to nature’s healing
energy to release grief and
negative beliefs. The workshop
is 2-3:30 p.m. Monday, May 2, in
the garden (weather permitting)
at Turning Point: The Center for
Hope and Healing in Leawood.
Call 913-574-0900 to register.
Free skin cancer screening – The University of Kansas
Cancer Center again will provide
what’s believed to be the area’s
largest free skin cancer screening.
“Melanoma Monday,” which is
open to the public and staff, is
1-5 p.m. May 2 in the Dermatology
clinic (level 4 of the Medical Office
Building at the main campus).
Registration is required: Call
913-588-1227 (then press 2).
Go to midwestcanceralliance.org/
mcaoutreach for information.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Spiritual Care’s holistic role among staff
Among the many caregiver roles
at large hospitals, chaplains may
be one of the most stereotyped.
Becky Johnson, one of five
senior staff chaplains on The
University of Kansas Hospital’s
Spiritual Care team, is fast with a
smile and a chuckle – especially
when talk turns to myths about
her profession.
One of the biggest misperceptions? Hospital chaplains are
solely associated with death.
“Many patients fear when a
chaplain visits. They ask, ‘Am I
dying?’” said Johnson, who has
been a hospital chaplain six years,
including four here. “We’re available for many types of support
– but most importantly to listen.”
Another myth, she said, is
chaplains will force their religious
beliefs on you.
“The role of a chaplain is not
to proselytize,” she explained.
“Instead, we meet patients where
they are and support them in their
belief systems. We also learn from
patients and their families and, if
it is important in their care, will
often relay this information and
beliefs to the medical team.”
In fact, chaplains provide both
spiritual and emotional support
The hospital’s senior staff chaplains (from left): Al Henager, Robert Obol, Becky
Johnson, Ashley Huber and Liz Munns.
for patients, their families and
hospital staff. The Spiritual Care
team, which is backed by seven
chaplain residents and three
chaplain interns, is available 24/7
to respond to traumas, codes and
rapid response calls.
They also meet patients in their
rooms, sometime at a patient’s request or simply while rounding on
nursing units. They hear confession
and provide Holy Communion
and other sacramental rites if the
patient requests, such as anointing
of the sick or baptism. Sometimes
they perform weddings for patients
and memorial services.
EXPOSURE
A bridge to ...
Cambridge
North Tower
Since the start of April, workers every
weekend have closed streets on the
north side of the main campus, part of
the pedestrian bridge project connecting
The University of Kansas Hospital’s new
Cambridge North Tower and Center for
Advanced Heart Care. Depending on the
weather, the work will require two more
weekend closures. The double-decker
pedestrian bridge is believed to be the
first of its kind in the area.
Johnson notes she and her pastoral colleagues attempt to provide
a low-stress presence for patients
and their families while listening
to their concerns and fears.
“We do not judge, criticize or
attempt to convert patients,” she
said. “We also can listen to the
medical professionals and make
sure they are speaking in terms a
lay person can understand.
“We’re part of the holistic
care team that includes doctors, nurses, social workers and
therapists,” she added. “I often
tell people I’m here to be a nonmedical friend.”
A recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of
the region’s leading academic medical center
Cancer Center’s latest NCI effort – Kansas City Business Journal,
April 15. The University of Kansas Cancer Center is hoping to attain
Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer
Institute. The application requires 30 written sections, proven community ties as well as varying research and treatment options. Currently,
the cancer center has enrolled patients in 150 clinical trials this year. “We
want to make sure we’re putting at least 10 percent, if not more, of our
patients on clinical trials,” said Roy Jensen, MD, cancer center director.
Study links flavoring to lung disease – KMBC News, April 11.
Harvard researchers found a link between a chemical in e-cigarette
flavorings to a chronic lung condition known as Popcorn Lung. “The
very, very smallest parts of the lungs can’t transport air anymore
because they’re swollen,” said Tama Sawyer, PharmD, director of the
Poison Control Center at The University of Kansas Hospital. The chemical,
diacetyl, was found in 39 of 51 flavors that claimed to be diacetyl-free.
How to conquer allergy season – Lawrence Journal-World, April
5. Pollen can make life miserable for those with allergies. “If we have
patients who are symptomatic all season long, we try to start them
on daily preventive allergy medication prior to the onset of their bad
seasons,” said Selina Gierer, DO, allergy and immunology specialist at
The University of Kansas Hospital. “If they start allergy medication prior
to the onset of their bad seasons, they will typically do better.” Other tips:
Avoid early mornings outdoors, shower every night, wear a mask when
doing yard work and clean furnace filters monthly.
MS Center has new home – Fox 4 News, April 5. The MS Achievement
Center, which helps multiple sclerosis patients fight the muscle weakness and fatigue that come with the disease, opened this month in
the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Landon Center on Aging.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the medical center assisted with
funding, allowing the new space to double its size to 100 members
(clients). It will also serve as an educational background to physical and
occupational therapy students.
Big men, little patients
Twenty former Chiefs players, known as Chiefs Ambassadors, visited patients
and staff April 6 at The University of Kansas Hospital. In Pediatrics, Ambassadors
Jan Stenerud (from left), Dave Lindstrom and Chris Penn brought smiles to
17-month-old Sophie Helvey and her mom, Bridgette Oldridge.
News Briefs
In the News
Magazine profiles patients, innovations
The spring issue of Good Medicine magazine is available
online at kumed.com. Among the stories in this issue:
• The cover article
focuses on Damesha
Seawood. Physicians at
The University of Kansas
Hospital performed an
innovative treatment
eight hours after she
suffered a stroke.
• Just 23, Rebecca
Buseman has faced
years of gastrointestinal
challenges, most recently
stage IIIC colon cancer.
Following surgery and
chemotherapy, she’s
focused on healing and
her ‘new normal.’
•Philanthropists Joel
and Judy Cerwick explain why they are donating to the
hospital’s new Cambridge North Tower.
• Providers in The University of Kansas Physicians are partnering to deliver even more efficient care by using one medical
record system and streamlining billing and scheduling
processes.
• Professionals with Turning Point: The Center for Hope and
Healing, are traveling through Kansas to provide a two-day
training program for caregivers focused on heart failure.
Good Medicine is produced three times a year for community members, donors and friends of our hospital. The
magazine also includes information about innovative treatments, fundraising events, giving opportunities and health
and wellness tips.
Can supplement impact preterm births?
A National Institutes of Health-funded study led by
University of Kansas Medical Center researchers could lead to
a reduction in early preterm births – those before 34 weeks of
gestation – which are a concern for mothers worldwide.
Susan Carlson, PhD, AJ Rice Professor of Nutrition in the
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, and Byron Gajewski,
PhD, professor of biostatistics, are co-principal investigators
along with Christina Valentine, MD, a visiting professor at
the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The five-year
study explores the role docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays in
the prevention of early preterm births.
The $3 million study will examine approximately 1,200
women to determine if giving them daily doses of a DHA
supplement, an omega-3 fatty acid available over the counter,
during the last half of their pregnancies can aid in preventing
premature births.
The study, titled “Assessment of DHA on Reducing EarlyPreterm Birth (ADORE),” is funded through the NIH’s Eunice
Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development.
The Phase III clinical trial will take place simultaneously at
our medical center, the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio
State University.
Our People
Student rotation in China a milestone – It was a medical student’s
dream come true – a clinical elective rotation in China.
Maria Iliakova, a fourth-year student at the University of Kansas School
of Medicine, in January spent a month in Shijiazhuang, China, working and
learning at a 3,000-bed hospital in a city of 10 million people.
The school’s students often
participate in international education, but the rotation in China was
a first for the University of Kansas
Medical Center in approximately
20 years. While KU and China had
been exploring more academic
exchange, the opportunity for a
medical student expanded last fall
when Aihong Meng, MD, PhD,
For her rotation in China, Maria Iliakova
a pulmonologist from China, par(left) worked closely with pulmonoloticipated in a physician exchange
gist Aihong Meng, MD, PhD, her main
program here.
preceptor. During surgeries there, 10 to
Knowing of Iliakova’s interest in
20 people often are in the OR to observe.
China and Meng’s in mentorship,
Kimberly Connelly, senior international officer of the medical center’s
Office of International Programs,
got the ball rolling. Meng served as
Iliakova’s mentor, facilitator and host
in China.
“International experiences change
students for life,” said Connelly. “It puts
students in a vulnerable situation,
which helps them develop compassion that transforms them not only as
practitioners, researchers and healthcare providers, but also as human beings.”
Iliakova, whose drive to go to China stems from an interest to use healthcare data to improve delivery and outcomes, agrees it’s essential to create
working relationships worldwide.
“It was an irreplaceable opportunity to learn firsthand some of the challenges,
pitfalls and successes of a healthcare system set up to serve the world’s largest
population,” she said of her three rotations at 2nd Hospital of Hebei Medical
University. “It was surprising how similar healthcare in China is to the U.S.”
Immediately after China, Iliakova spent her rural rotation back in Kansas –
in Plainville, which has nearly 4,000 residents. She graduates next month as
an MD and then starts her residency in surgery at Carle Foundation Hospital
in Urbana, Ill.
Her experience in China, she knows, will be long lasting. “It impacted my
perspective of healthcare access and delivery in the U.S.,” she said. “I was also
struck by the bravery, resilience and resourcefulness of Chinese patients and
providers. I expect to keep in contact with the Chinese colleagues I met and
worked alongside for years to come.”
ADVANCES
is a biweekly publication produced by:
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Corporate Communications
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Westwood, KS 66205
Send story ideas to [email protected].
@kuhospital
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Bob Page, President and CEO
The University of Kansas Hospital
Doug Girod, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kirk Benson, MD, President
The University of Kansas Physicians
‘Grande’ awards for faculty – Last month’s 17th annual A Grande Affair
awards honored University of Kansas School of Medicine faculty. Students
nominate and vote on the awards. This year’s recipients:
• Rainbow Award – Joseph
LeMaster, MD, MPH, associate
professor in Family Medicine. The
award honors individuals who
exemplify the attributes of professionalism in medicine – altruism,
accountability, excellence, duty,
service, honor, integrity and respect
for others – and share those qualities with the students they mentor.
LeMaster is particularly interested in refugee and other marginalJoseph LeMaster, MD, MPH, won this
year’s Rainbow Award.
ized populations and in improving
care for the underserved. He is
fluent in the Nepali language and works with the Nepali population in Kansas
City. He also has specialized clinical experience in promotion of physical
activity and management of type 2 diabetes and its complications.
• Excellence in Residency Award – Jake Kenyon, MD, and Lance Larson,
MD. The award honors residents who demonstrate exceptional student
mentoring.
• Ad Astra Outstanding Volunteer Physician Award – Sharon Lee, MD. For
many years, volunteer physicians throughout the state of Kansas have
played host to KU medical students.
• Sunflower Part-Time Faculty Award – Vernita Hairston-Mitchell, MD.
With the award, students recognize outstanding part-time physician educators, who are especially prominent on the Wichita and Salina campuses.
Fact:
More people
who come
here live.
The University of Kansas Hospital routinely treats the
sickest of the sick – patients who were not expected
to live. But more of them come here and survive.
Call 913-588-1227 or visit kumed.com/advancing.
Staff:
Mike Glynn, Editor
Kirk Buster, Graphic Designer
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