March 7, 2014 | Volume 14 | Issue 10
Young woman gains valuable
insight through cancer diagnosis
Dana Miller was a normal
19-year-old before she was
diagnosed with melanoma. She
had graduated from high
school, gotten a “real job” and
was thinking about what her
future might hold. She was
healthy, active and never really
one to get sick. She had no
noticeable symptoms until a
coworker noted that her neck
looked a bit swollen. Shortly
after, Dana could feel a small
ball forming in her neck. It
scared her, so she didn’t go to
the doctor until she started to
feel light-headed whenever she
would turn her head.
Hearing that she had cancer
was truly a worst case scenario
for Dana. When you’re a
teenager, you don’t and
shouldn’t have to think about
Dana Miller was a typical 19-year-old until she was diagnosed
being diagnosed with cancer.
with melanoma.
Telling family was difficult, but
showed plenty of concern, but didn’t baby me,
proved to be a blessing. “Once I
which I really appreciated.”
realized what was happening, I was terrified.
I called my mother right away. I needed
As she went through treatment and her
support and am blessed to have such a
condition improved, Dana gained a new
wonderful family.”
perspective. “Through this journey, I’ve
learned to listen to my intuition more. If you
Another source of support after her diagnosis
believe everything will turn out for the best
and during her treatment were her employer
– it probably will.” Her advice for others
and co-workers. “I looked forward to having
struggling with a cancer diagnosis? “Eat when
someplace to go every day where I was
you’re hungry, sleep when you’re tired, have
important and normal. My co-workers raised
fun when you want to, and cry when you need
money to help pay for living expenses and my
to. Being sick doesn’t omit you from the
company was flexible with my hours. They
human experience.”
Youth summer volunteer
program for families of Mercy
staff starting in June
The Volunteer Services department
at Mercy Medical Center–Des Moines
will begin offering a Summer Youth
Program in June of this year.
The program will provide exposure
to the healthcare environment for
young people who may be exploring
future career opportunities. Program
eligibility is limited to children of
Mercy staff who are at least 14 years
of age by the application deadline
(March 21, 2014) and no older than
15 years. Admission will be on a
first-come, first-served basis.
To request application materials and/
or additional information, please email,
volunteerservices@mercydesmoines.
org.
The application deadline is 4:30 p.m.
on Friday, March 21.
Save 20 percent on scrubs,
shoes and more March 13-14
Join the Mercy Auxiliary and Valley
West Uniforms for a special uniform
show/sale in the East Tower
Auditorium at Mercy’s central campus
from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Thursday and
Friday, March 13 and 14. Save 20
percent on scrubs and 10 percent
on shoes and accessories. Payroll
deduction is available.
Mercy College presents 2014 “Lunch
Unplugged” concert series downtown
The Downtown Community Alliance
(DCA) and Des Moines Performing Arts are
pleased to announce the lineup for the 2014
“Lunch Unplugged” concert series. Now in
its fourth year, Lunch Unplugged infuses
culturally-rich programming with local
flavor into the downtown workday at an
affordable price. Take back the lunch hour
with choice local entertainment in the
beautiful setting of the Temple Theater.
Mercy College of Health Sciences is the
series presenting sponsor again in 2014.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in
advance online at www.lunchunplugged.
com, by phone at (515) 246-2300, at the
Civic Center Ticket Office (221 Walnut
Street), or at the Temple Theater ticket
office 30 minutes prior to the show.
Concert attendees may bring their own
lunch to eat in the theater.
All Lunch Unplugged concerts are held from
noon – 1 p.m. in the Temple Theater at the
Temple for Performing Arts, 1011 Locust
Street in Downtown Des Moines.
The Lunch Unplugged concert series will
kick off Feb. 27 with local artists Parlours,
and will include six individual concerts
through April 17.
Annual employee survey
to begin March 10
2014 Concert Lineup:
Thursday, Feb. 27
Parlours – Indie Folk/Pop
Thursday, March 6
Roxi Copland – Jazz/Pop
Thursday, March 13
The River Monks – Indie Folk/Rock
Thursday, March 20
Ballet Des Moines – Dance
Thursday, April 3
Comedy & Magic with John & Patrick (of
Triple Espresso)
Tuesday, April 17
Annalibera –Electronic Pop
Mercy Night at the Iowa Wild – $5 tickets
on sale online and at central campus
You won’t want to miss Mercy Night at the Iowa
Wild hockey game – Sunday, March 16, 5:05 p.m.
Tickets for the game are available for $5 each by
clicking on this link: Iowa Wild Mercy Night
March 16th.
Iowa Wild representatives will also be selling
tickets from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday,
March 6, and Tuesday, March 11, outside of the
Marketplace & Grille at Mercy’s central campus.
Stop by and pick tickets up for you, your family
and friends!
From March 10-31, all Mercy staff
members are encouraged to
complete the annual online
Employee Survey. The survey is brief
and simple to complete – it should
take less than five minutes of your
time – and answers are completely
confidential. Your individual
responses will not be tied to any
personal information and will remain
totally anonymous. Once the results
of the survey are compiled,
managers will receive reports of
results for their areas and information
about how their area compares to
others. This information will be
shared with employees in late
spring. The link for the survey will
be shared in an upcoming email
message and in a postcard mailed
to your home. Be watching for
updated information soon!
The Bulletin is published weekly for employees
and friends of Mercy Medical Center, 1111 6th Ave.,
Des Moines, Iowa 50314-2611.
Editorial Staff
Lisa Jones......................................... Editor
Mark Baldwin. . ............................ Contributor
Amy Bentz. . ................................ Contributor
Heidi Feltz.................................. Contributor
Allison Hay................................. Contributor
Gregg Lagan............................... Contributor
Matthew Meyer. . ......................... Contributor
Kaitlyn Summitt........................... Contributor
Sarah Todd.................................. Contributor
Laura Vanden Bosch......................... Director
Beth Pargulski.................... Graphic Designer
If you are interested in submitting information
to be printed in the Bulletin, send it to PR and
Marketing or call 515-247-3050.