LUMINARY CIRCLE UPDATE
FALL 2021
YOUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
INTERVIEW WITH "DR. B."
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Updated pictures of Breast Care at RMC, therapy pool at Healthplex, and the tower at Presbyterian downtown.
Born in Ghana, what led Dr. Agbemadzo to oncology and eventually establishing the first oncology clinic in Sandoval County...
Meet fellow Luminary Circle member Carolyn Green, RN.
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PAGE 3| NEW VP AT PHF
PAGE 3 | ANNUAL LUMINARY CIRCLE "LUNCH IN"
PAGE 2 | DRIVE-THRU FLU SHOT CLINIC
PAGE 4 | LAUGHTER
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A NOTE FROM YOUR LUMINARY CIRCLE TEAM Although things didn't quite "open up" like we had anticipated and hoped this year, we certainly are happy to have been able to see some of you at Laughter is the Best Medicine last month. Moreover, we are really happy to be able to hold our annual flu shot clinic this year as a drive-thru again. Cammie and I love seeing your faces, even if through a car window. Last year, the virtual luncheon was a hit, and we hope we see many more of you join us this year online. It's a great way to feel connected to each other and hear insider information straight from our CEO, Dale Maxwell. It can't be said enough- these are tough times, especially in healthcare. Cammie and I are here to help ease your way, even though we can't always speed things up. Many of you have experienced this first-hand with extended wait times in emergency room and urgent care, having elective surgeries rescheduled, and difficulty getting a timely appointment with a clinician. On behalf of the Luminary Circle liaisons and the staff at Presbyterian, we grateful for your patience and understanding as our clinical staff have work tirelessly to care for our patients during the surge in volume with less than optimal staffing levels.
FLU SHOT DRIVETHRU CLINIC 10/6, 1-3PM 5901 HARPER DR NE 87109 RSVP BY 10/1 Once again, we will be hosting a drive-thru flu shot clinic exclusively for our Luminary Circle members.
We look forward to all the year-end festivities and seeing our members driving by for their flu shots and/or online at our luncheon. We love hearing from you whether or not it is in the context of needing assistance.
As many of you know, our annual clinic is more than just a jab in the arm- it has become quite the social event. These days, who doesn't need to see familiar, friendly faces and get some air hugs?
As always, please feel free to reach out any time. We are here for you.
Hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
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New VP, Hayden between PHF staff members Alicia and Taylor at Laughter event in August
VIRTUAL "LUNCH IN" NOVEMBER 16, 2021
Invitations to this year's Luminary Circle "Lunch In" will be arriving via email in mid-October. Save the date!
HOTLINE REMINDER 1-855-772-7737
We are here for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! The best and fastest way to get assistance when you have an urgent need is to call the hotline to reach a Luminary Circle liaison. For non-urgent requests we encourage you to email us at luminary@phs.org for the quickest response. You are always more than welcome to call Cammie or I directly, however responses may be delayed in the event we are out of the office.
WELCOME NEW LUMINARY CIRCLE MEMBERS
Melanie and Patrick Hitchcock Bob and Pam Jung
NEW VP OF OPERATIONS HAYDEN MARZYNSKI
Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation (PHF) welcomed Hayden Marzynski (they/them) in May 2021. Before accepting the position of Vice President of Operations at PHF, they previously served in similar roles in the San Francisco Bay Area at El Camino Health. Prior to that, Hayden was part of the Development team at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In the Department of Development at Mayo, they had oversight of technology and prospect development aspects of fundraising operations. This experience provided an excellent education, especially in healthcare fundraising, which they are eager to apply at PHF. Hayden's career started in development academic settings. They led fundraising operations teams at both Wayne State and Santa Clara University for a total of 13 years. In Hayden's downtime, they like hiking and exploring all the fascinating aspects of their great new home state of New Mexico. Join us in welcoming Hayden to PHF!
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2021 LAUGHTER RECAP AT THE DRIVE-IN- A NOSTALGIC NIGHT OUT
A little rain could not keep this year's Laughter is the Best Medicine from being another successful event, raising over $384,000 in proceeds benefiting Women's Care, making a critical difference in the lives of mothers and babies. Thank you for coming out and supporting Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation. We loved seeing you and your great 50's and 60's attire! Visit our full photo gallery and recap on Laughter is the Best Medicine by visiting the official site. A special thank-you to our members who donated during the special appeal and gave in-kind contributions towards our silent auction. We appreciate your generosity! We look forward to next year!
Pictured Top: Top Right: Carol and BC Nowlin with our own Alicia Marcell Middle Right: Foundation Staff sweethearts Teresa Diaz de Lope Diaz, Cammie Witty and Kathryn Richards Bottom Right: Dale and Paige Maxwell Left: PHF staff with CEO Dale Maxwell and comedian, Steve Trevino
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KEEP IT GOING! Send us a photo and include answers to these short and fun questions to be featured in a future edition of our newsletter: Where are you from? Tell us your favorite pastimes
GETTING TO KNOW YOU MEET CAROLYN GREEN, RN
I’m from Omaha, Nebraska and have lived in ABQ since 1985, so I think I’m considered a NM native by now. My favorite pastimes include paper crafting, which includes making notecards and other items using paper and ink. I also dabble in alcohol ink art- this ink can be added to any non-porous surface such as glass or ceramic tiles for vibrant, beautiful flowers or abstract art. Its so fun to do, it’s almost addictive, in a good way. Favorite memory- I adore the weather and vista landscapes of NM, being able to see over 60 miles away. Our sunsets are so spectacular too! I’ve loved working at PHS- our strong, meaningful purpose sets us apart from other organizations within the state. We focus on what’s in front of us as well as where PHS needs to go to be sustainable in the future for our staff and our communities. PHS is the best place I’ve ever worked and given me so many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our patients every day. Interesting facts about me- I’m one of 6 siblings and the only one who lives in NM. My husband and I have been married for 34 years and have one daughter, Dr. Simone Green. She joined our PHS family two years ago as one of our pediatricians at the High Resort Clinic in Rio Rancho. Her panel is open and she’d love to help take care of your children! I support the Foundation because of the support given back to our nurses, our organization and our community. Our clinical teams receive so much support from PHF, in the form of educational scholarships, clinical training opportunities, supporting our staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the future Simulation Center and through Laughter is the Best Medicine funds toward nursing staff resiliency and recovery. After a 35-year nursing career, Chief Nursing Officer, Carolyn Green, RN retired on September 3, 2021. Carolyn and Karl joined Luminary Circle in 2019.
Favorite NM or PHS memory you have Interesting facts about you Why do you support Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation? Email us your photo and responses! luminary@phs.org
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Ruth Connery recently completed 500 hours with Presbyterian Volunteer Services. Ruth is one of a handful of Luminary Circle members who volunteer their time in various areas at Presbyterian. Thank you for your time and dedication! Start making a difference today! Visit phs.org/volunteer to apply or call 505-841-1501 to learn more.
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KEEP IT GOING!
GETTING TO KNOW US MEET BERNARD AGBEMADZO, M.D.
What lead you to oncology? I was born, and had my medical education, in Ghana (west Africa) through the University of Sciences and Technology in Kumasi. After graduation, I had the opportunity to study Microbiology and Virology at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, Germany. I did my residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology at the Cook County hospital (now known as John Stroger hospital) in Chicago, Illinois. I was drawn to the field of oncology and hematology because of the significant advances in research and innovation that had started in the specialty when I was in residency. I realized this was a unique field where you could make a significant impact in the lives of patients, not just by giving them medications, but more importantly, show empathy and compassion. What are some innovations in cancer care you have seen over the years? The field of oncology has seen the most innovation in the entire discipline of medicine in the past 20 years. These innovations span the entire spectrum of oncology from new techniques of delivering radiation therapy more precisely, significant improvement in systemic therapy with minimal adverse effect, harnessing the power of the immune system to target cancer cells, more effective medications for palliation of symptoms for terminally ill patients and better imaging tools for detecting malignancy at early stages. All these innovations have revolutionized the treatment of patients with various types of malignancies. These innovations, as good as they may seem, go only so far. That’s interesting- what else contributes to the care of the patient, and their experience with your program? What makes a significant difference in the lives of patients is still the human touch. This has been the cornerstone philosophy of Presbyterian Cancer Care since its opening in 2007. The patient experience has been at the heart of the success of the Presbyterian Cancer Care program. Patients are treated as individuals with unique needs. Attention is paid to patients’ emotional, psychological and physical needs.
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What are you most proud of with this exceptional cancer team? The amazing staff of the oncology program has made the deliverance of this type of excellent care possible. From the moment a patient is referred to the oncology clinic, a dedicated team of Nurse Navigators contact the patient and start the process of ensuring a smooth transition into the clinic. This is one of the most anxious moments for our patients, so they find it comforting to know that a dedicated oncology team member is there to advocate for them and guide them through their journey. Once these patients get into the oncology clinic, the rest of the oncology team (Patient Visit Specialist, Medical Assistants, Nurses, Dieticians, Social Workers, Financial Advocates, Clinical Research staff, Advanced Practitioner Clinicians and Physicians) get to work to ensure the highest quality care is delivered. The empathy, compassion and attention to detail is what makes the Presbyterian Cancer Care program stand out. Everybody in the oncology team makes a conscientious effort to deliver the best care possible. The staff come in early and stay as long as it takes for patients to be cared for. During the COVID pandemic, staff put off their own activities on hold during off hours just to ensure patients are safe. Physicians and APCs present challenging cases to their colleagues in a multidisciplinary forum for discussion to ensure the highest quality management. Our affiliation with the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) through the Certified Membership Program enables us to discuss rare cases with our colleagues and obtain answers in a timely fashion which saves patients’ a trip outside the state of NM for a second opinion. What else should the community of New Mexico know about Presbyterian Cancer Care? Presbyterian Cancer Care has been certified by several national programs including the Commission on Cancer (CoC), Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) through ASCO, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). We’re so excited about the opening of our Breast Care location at Rust, which will have a great impact to the community. All these achievements and the success of the Presbyterian Oncology program over the past fourteen years would not have happened without generous donors. These donations made a second oncology site located on the westside (Rio Rancho) possible. Other donations have helped in providing various resources to the program including transportation for patients, educational materials, resource center for cranial prosthesis/blankets/scarves and sponsorship of continuing medical education for staff. The goal of Presbyterian Cancer Care is to be the best oncology program in the state of NM and be able to continue
delivering innovative and quality care close to patients. To achieve this requires investing in infrastructure, equipment, technology and human resources. If financial constraints were not an issue, a free-standing cancer center with amenities such as a yoga/exercise center, conference hall for patient/family meeting, a resource center, nutrition/supplement center and investment in clinical research is what we will like to see as next steps. The oncology program has dedicated, and hard-working staff led by my administrative counterpart, Michele Goodman. I am hopeful and optimistic about the future of the program.
Dr. Agbemadzo, M.D., joined Presbyterian in 2007 as the medical director of Presbyterian Cancer Care's hematology/oncology providers. He is board-certified in medical oncology and hematology. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Agbemadzo, please contact Luminary Circle for assistance at luminary@phs.org.
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DUANE & BARBARA TRYTHALL AQUATIC THERAPY NATATORIUM
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES HEALTHPLEX
The Duane & Barbara Trythall Aquatic Therapy Natatorium will provide a warm water pool for aquatic rehabilitation, group instruction and open swim. Project opening: late 2021/early 2022 Meanwhile, work continues on the Presbyterian Robert Wertheim Hospice House near the Presbtyerian Medical Group on Harper. Remember that use of the Healthplex is one of your benefits as a Luminary Circle member!
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL EXPANSION Tower construction is moving along quickly. This photo is taken from the seventh floor of the Presbyterian Hospital's Physician Office Building (POB). At the time of this writing, construction on the parking garage was nearly complete. The POB parking garage has reopened, alleviating parking lot pressure quite a bit, but the new parking garage will do most of the heavy lifting!
PRESBYTERIAN BREAST CARE AT RUST MEDICAL CENTER
This facility is designed to optimize the patient experience by bringing the multidisciplinary care team together in one convenient location where patients can access breast care screening, diagnostics and supportive care. Presbyterian Breast Care opened in August 2021.
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ROBERT WERTHEIM HOSPICE HOUSE
WORK CONTINUES NEAR PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL GROUP ON HARPER
Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation (PHF) recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Robert Wertheim Hospice House in Albuquerque. The Hospice House is projected to open in summer of 2022, with 10 beds that will serve hospice patients who can no longer be kept comfortable in their own homes. PHF has committed to supporting not only the construction of this new facility, but also most of the ongoing costs of operating it. We are excited to offer you a special opportunity to secure a personalized tile on the outdoor memorial wall of the Robert Wertheim Hospice House, while supporting the ongoing operations of the House! There are four tile sizes available, starting at $2,500. Tiles can be personalized with your name or the name of a loved one. Larger tiles have space for a short message. All tiles that are paid in full by December 31, 2021 will be installed during construction and will be available for viewing at the grand opening. If you are interested in securing a tile, please contact Kathryn Richards at krichards8@phs.org or 505-724-7003 and mention you are a Luminary Circle member.