spring_2008

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spring 2008 $2.95

being a new mom is an exciting and challenging time—as

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HEALTHY LIVING FOR INDIANA’S FAMILIES

the tests you have to have now

win $100 insidehow to stop diabetes before it starts

NEW COLLECTIBLE

BOOK IS A PAGE-TURNER

page 8

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spring

special

54believing in change Diabetes is

not a death sentence, says a group of women who have made it their mission to get the word out about preventing the disease.

❋

contents

features

32baby meets world After becoming a

Mexican soap opera star at age 23, Salma Hayek made her mark in Hollywood. Find out what’s in store for Hayek in her latest role: new mom.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY LIME FOTO vim & vigor · s p r i n g 2 0 0 8 1

4 tie a string around your finger so you don’t forget Women over 40—your annual mammogram shouldn’t be forgotten. Why not to be scared of this sometimes-daunting test.

7 hospital to celebrate 80th anniver-sary St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago opened its doors in 1928 with an ambitious vision.

8 community hospital is a dream come true A group of physicians imagined a hospital for Munster in 1964. Now, a new book celebrates their efforts to get it off the ground.

10 it’s a no-brainer Discover five nutri-ents that will help you stave off dis-eases like Alzheimer’s.

12 9 steps to one healthy heart Get heart smart with these nine easy steps —everything from squeezing exercise into your schedule to just chilling out.

18 joint resolutions Learn what you can do to soothe your aching joints.

22 the power of one Here’s a simple cancer prevention plan that can help you thwart the disease.

28 nothing to sneeze at Watery eyes? Runny nose? Spring into action against these six common allergies.

38 gut instincts Everything you wanted to know about irritable bowel syndrome but were afraid to ask.

42 family style Experts share four simple mealtime makeovers that will benefit those with diabetes, as well as the entire family.

46 is this normal? As you age, some changes are normal, while others signal trouble. Here’s a simple guide that will help you tell the difference.

49 testing one, two, three A list of important screenings you should have—and when you should be having them.

52 the heart of the matter A Community Healthcare System doctor is a best-selling author for his book about heart care.

53 a gift for the future A more than $100,000 donation to the hospital honors one board member’s late wife.

departments2 community

message Medical science is always looking to the future, but this issue, we’re looking back to appreciate our roots.

3 making a difference Kids go into surgery with a fun, new fashion accessory thanks to a caring group of cancer survivors.

56 community update Chicago-area medical students get hands-on surgical experience at Munster, preparing them to give back to the community as doctors.

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IIn this issue, you’ll read about history being made at the hospitals of the Community Healthcare System: Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.

The history of our three hospitals is being preserved in a series of books written by Jane Bomberger. These books document the tremendous efforts by people in our community to support the hospitals’ construction. The books also take note of some of the medical professionals who have made history here in their efforts to bring advanced technology and procedures to our community. This was particularly true of St. Catherine Hospital, which will mark an important mile-stone as it celebrates its 80th year of service this year.

Getting these hospitals started was just the beginning. Also read how members of the community have continued to support our work. Longtime Community Hospital board member Donald Sands will long be remembered for a generous gift he made on behalf of his family. He created an endowment to help fund new technology at Community Hospital and support nursing initiatives honoring the vocation of his late wife, Florence.

On page 54, you’ll meet Women for Change, a remarkable group of women working with St. Catherine Hospital to help stop diabetes. They address one of the biggest challenges in healthcare today—changing people’s behavior so they may live healthier, longer lives.

What about your own health history? On page 49, fi nd information on a number of screening tests and educational programs offered by the hospitals of Community Healthcare System. Women especially should pay attention to pages 4-6, where there’s important information about the benefi ts of mam-mography, and you’ll learn about the role of new screening technologies such as breast MRI. We are pleased to share that we now have digital mammog-raphy at two locations within our healthcare system: the Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center.

We can take pride in the history of service of these great hospitals. With your help and support, we will most certainly continue these good works, building a healthier, stronger community.

community message

our hospitals are making history

COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

President and CEO, Vice Chairman of the BoardDonald S. Powers

Board of DirectorsFrankie L. Fesko, chairman of the board; James J. Richards, secretary; David E. Wickland, treasurer; Steven Beering, M.D.; Joseph E. Costanza; Albert J. Costello, M.D.; Alan Harre, Ph.D.; Richard S. McClaughry; Joseph T. Morrow; Sister Kathleen Quinn; Donald F. Sands; William K. Schenck; Monsignor Joseph Semancik; M. Nabil Shabeeb, M.D.; Donald Torrenga; Robert J. Welsh; Edward L. Williams, Ph.D.; Joe Williamson

Executive StaffJohn W. Mybeck, senior vice president and chief administrative officer; John Gorski, senior vice president of hospital operations; Carole Bezat, senior vice president of home health services; Mary Ann Shacklett, senior vice president of finance and CFO; Donald P. Fesko, O.D., administrator, Community Hospital; Jo Ann Birdzell, administrator, St. Catherine Hospital; Janice Ryba, administrator, St. Mary Medical Center

Regional EditorsMylinda Cane, regional director of marketing and corporate

communicationsKathleen Pucalik, public relations and publications specialist

PRODUCTIONEditorialEditor in Chief, Stephanie ConnerSenior Editors, Jeff Ficker, Matt Morgan, Kari Redfield, Shelley

FlanneryEditors, Kelly Kramer, Amanda Myers, Jill SchildhouseManaging Executive Editors, Steven Beschloss,

Leigh FlaytonCopy Editor, Cindy HutchinsonV.P./Creative Services, Beth Tomkiw

DesignManaging Art Director, Lisa AltomareArt Directors, Kay Morrow, Monya Mollohan, Tami Rodgers,

Jessica Stuart

ProductionProduction Manager, Laura MarlowePrep Specialist, Julie FongImaging Specialist, Dane Nordine

CirculationCirculation Director, Joseph Abeyta

CLIENT SERVICES V.P./Sales and Product Development, Chad Rose,

888-626-8779V.P./Strategic Marketing, Heather BurgettStrategic Marketing Team, Brady Andreas, Robyn LaMont, Barbara

Mohr, Andrea Parsons

ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Sales Repre sentatives New York, Phil Titolo, Publisher, 212-626-6835Phoenix, Soliteir Jaeger, Associate Publisher, 888-626-8779Chicago, Tom Meehan, 312-726-7800Mail Order, Bernbach Advertising Reps, 914-769-0051

ADMINISTRATION Vim & Vigor Founder, J. Barry JohnsonChairman, Preston V. McMurry Jr.President/Chief Executive Officer, Christopher McMurryPresident/Custom Media, Fred Petrovsky

Vim &Vigor,TM Spring 2008, Volume 24, Number 1, Indiana Region 2 is published quarterly by McMurry, McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85014, 602-395-5850. Vim & Vigor TM is published for the purpose of disseminating health-related information for the well-being of the general public and its subscribers. The information contained in Vim & Vigor TM is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treat-ment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Vim & Vigor TM does not accept advertising promoting the consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Copyright © 2008 by McMurry. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S.: $4 for one year (4 issues). Single copies: $2.95. For subscriptions and address changes, write: Circulation Manager, Vim & Vigor,TM McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85014.

Attention: Marketing, 901 MacArthur Blvd., Munster, IN 46321

If you prefer not to receive our magazine or other health and wellness information from Community Healthcare System, please call us at 219-836-4582 or write to Community Healthcare System, 905 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321.

John GorskiSenior Vice President of Hospital OperationsCommunity Healthcare System

vim & vigor · s p r i n g 2 0 0 82

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❋

❋

making a difference

❋ quick response times rewardedSt. Mary Medical Center in Hobart has been selected as a fi nalist in the 2007 BKD Indiana Excellence Awards competition. The honor is given out annually by the prestigious BKD accounting fi rm to Indiana-based businesses and nonprofi t organizations that make measur-able improvements affecting their surround-ing communities. The emergency department (ED) and cardiac catheterization lab teams have been able to remain below the national door-to-balloon time patient care benchmark, set at 90 minutes. Door-to-balloon time refers to the interval between patient arrival to the ED and infl ation of a balloon catheter within the patient’s blocked coronary artery. This standard applies to those patients with ST segment eleva-tion myocardial infarction, or STEMI (heart attack caused by coronary blockage), who come to the hospital for treatment. Studies indicate that reopening clogged arteries by infl ating a tiny balloon at the blockage is the best way to treat a severe heart attack. The procedure, called balloon angioplasty, may reduce a patient’s risk of dying by about 40 percent if it is completed within 90 minutes of the patient’s arrival.

❋ a free rideGetting to and from St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago is now more convenient and

community healthcare system is there when you need itwhether it be prompt care, a ride, or a smile on your child

Monsignor Joseph Semancik blesses the van into service. More than 3,000 trips are provided yearly free of charge.

Surgical nurses Robin Pepkowski, R.N. (left), and Annette Boersma, R.N., talk with a young patient, Michael Porter, before his surgery at Community Hospital.

St. Mary Medical Center door-to-balloon time team includes (left to right) Cheryl Alderson, R.T., cardiovascular radiologic technologist and manager of the cardiac cath lab; Paula Rousis, nurse manager of emergency medicine; Debbie Krejci, R.N., patient care services; and John Mulligan, M.D., emergency medicine. Not pictured: Jack Ziegler, M.D., cardiologist.

vim & vigor · s p r i n g 2 0 0 8 3

comfortable for the patients in our com-munity, thanks to the Care Van.

“Many people coming to the hospital need special assistance due to wheelchairs or physical diffi culties. The Care Van is a vital tool in linking our community with the hospital’s healthcare resources,” says Jo Ann Birdzell, hospital administrator. “It pro-vides transportation for our patients who might otherwise miss an appointment for treatment.”

The hospital recently purchased the Care Van with a lift, room for two wheelchairs and seats us up to eight people. To request a ride, call 219-392-7110. The service is free.

❋ children’s surgical caps brighten hospital stayTo help children relax before surgery at Community Hospital in Munster, they are given little handmade surgical caps so they can dress up like their doctors and nurses. Cancer survivors from the Cancer Resource Centre’s Knit One … Nurture, Too group began creating the cotton caps last summer, and the project has grown to involve volunteers from the com-munity and area churches. The caps are the same as real surgical caps but, of course, are smaller, and made of colorful children’s prints for pediatric patients.

“The kids really love the caps,” says Marcia Collins, R.N. “They help change children’s attitudes, especially in the stressful situation of waiting for surgery.”

The pediatric patients take the caps home after their surgery. “Parents think the caps are cute,” adds Collins, who manages the surgical holding room. The children pick out the caps, which range in design from Nemo™ to soccer balls.

To continue creating the caps, dona-tions of 100 percent cotton cloth in children’s prints and one-quarter-inch elastic are being accepted by the Cancer Resource Centre, 900 Ridge Road, Suite J, Munster, IN 46321. Phone: 219-836-3349.

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“Being female and getting older are the greatest risk factors for getting breast cancer,” she says. “Only 10 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are linked to a strong family history of breast cancer.”

Family history refers only to close relatives—mother, sister, daughter, father or brother.

❋ don’t freak outAccording to Nicholson and Ruiz, contrary to some beliefs, mammograms are usually not painful but may be slightly uncom-fortable for some people.

“What some women fi nd tolerable, some fi nd uncomfortable,” Ruiz says. Nicholson adds, “Some people may have anxiety, which can cause a less-than-comfortable experience. The good news is that most results are benign [normal], and we try to give results the same day to avoid anxiety.”

There are simple ways to avoid possible discomfort. A woman can take an over-the-counter pain medication before the exam

Pink ribbons are worn around the world as a symbol of unity in the fi ght against breast cancer and the search for a cure. In addition, the well-known ribbons remind women of some important recommendations: Women 40 and older should have a yearly mammogram and an annual breast exam by a doctor or nurse practitioner, and they should do monthly breast self-exams.

Despite new screening tools such as breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and biopsy, the annual mammogram is still the best way to detect cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage. New developments such as digi-tal mammography have made this screening tool even better for certain women.

Suzanne Ruiz, nurse practitioner at the Community Hospital Women’s Diagnostic Center, calls the yearly mammogram, doctor breast exam and self-exam “the hard and fast rules.” She reminds women that breast cancer does not necessarily run in the family.

Mary Nicholson, M.D., breast radiologist and medical director for breast imaging services for Community Healthcare System, agrees.

… and make it a pink ribbon

by Kathleen

Pucalik

stringtie a

around your fingerso you don’t forget ...


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and schedule an appointment at a time when breasts are not tender.

St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago uses a disposable pad with each mammogram. “The MammoPad can give comfort and warmth to the patient,” says Sally Villarreal, coordinator of women’s imaging services. St. Catherine Hospital Auxiliary donates the pads.

Patients also should take comfort knowing that the compression time of a mammogram is short. Each image takes less than three sec-onds; four images are taken—two of each breast. A mammogram can be as fast as four minutes.

❋ the digital age of mammographyCommunity Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center now offer full-fi eld digital mammogra-phy. According to Nicholson, digital mammog-raphy is the preferred examination for women younger than 50, who have dense breasts according to their mammogram, and who are perimenopausal and have not had a period within 12 months.

“Women will notice little difference when going for a digital mammogram,” Nicholson says. “The procedure is similar to traditional

Mary Nicholson, M.D., reviews full-field digital mammogram images to give same-day results to the patient. Same-day results are available at the Women’s Diagnostic Centers at Community Hospital’s Community Diagnostic Center in Munster and at St. Mary Medical Center’s outpatient diagnostic facility in Hobart.


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Breast biopsy is used instead of surgery to check a lump. Local anesthetic is used, and a small incision is made (less than quarter inch). Results are given the same day or next business day. Ruiz says that four out of fi ve times the test shows a lump as benign (noncancerous). The Mammotome is one of a few types of biopsy sys-tems used at the Diagnostic Centers at St. Mary Medical Center and Community Hospital. These biopsy systems allow a biopsy to be less-invasive.

“We offer the same technology and treatments as facilities in Chicago, but we offer same-day results from your mammogram and/or biopsy,” Ruiz says.

The Community Healthcare System includes the Community Hospital in Munster,

St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in

Hobart. Community Hospital’s Women’s Diagnostic Center is available in two outpatient centers—at the Community Diagnostic Center in Munster and

the Community Hospital Outpatient Centre in St. John. St. Mary Medical

Center’s services are available at an out-patient center on the hospital’s campus.

Additionally, to ensure that breast cancer patients receive the best treatment, medical pro-fessionals meet at each hospital to discuss cases and the newest and latest treatment options for each patient. Professionals in attendance may include a radiologist, surgeon, pathologist, oncologist, radiation oncologist, plastic surgeon, family doctor, obstetrician/gynecologist, cancer research nurses and physical therapists.

fi lm mammography, but the resolution is better. Both use X-ray to generate images of the breast. However, instead of using fi lm to capture and record the image, a digital mammogram uses a special detector to capture and convert X-ray energy into a digital image.”

❋ other ways to test a lumpMammograms may be the best way to detect cancer, but other valuable diagnostic tests also are used. Breast ultrasound may be used when a mammogram does not determine the state of a breast lump. Breast ultrasound imaging can help establish if an abnormality is solid (which may be a noncancerous lump or a cancerous tumor) or fl uid-fi lled (such as a benign cyst).

are you at a high risk?For women who are at a greater risk for breast cancer,

Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary

Medical Center offer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

With MRI, the radiologist can view and manipulate the

images on high-resolution computer monitors that enhance

visualization of the structures within the breast tissue and zoom in on

specific areas.

To help women determine if they may be at high risk for breast cancer,

all three hospitals offer a free risk assessment with every mammogram.

The results of this assessment are sent to your referring physician.

The American Cancer Society recently issued a recommendation for

women to have an MRI in addition to mammogram if they meet the fol-

lowing criteria:

• BRCA mutation (a gene linked with breast cancer; only about 1 percent

of the population has it).

• First-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter, father, brother) with the

BRCA gene.

• Lifetime risk of breast cancer of 20 to 25 percent or more according to a

standard risk assessment.

• Received radiation treatment to the chest between ages of 10 and 30

such as for Hodgkin’s disease.

• First-degree relative who carries a genetic mutation causing Li-Fraumeni,

Cowden or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndromes.

don’t delayTo schedule your next mam-mogram at Community Hospital, 219-836-4599; St. Catherine Hospital, 219-392-7227; or St. Mary Medical Center, 219-947-6436; or toll free, 800-809-9828. Additional information is available at www.comhs.org.

info

“We offer the same technology and treatments as facilities in Chicago, but we offer same-day results from your mammogram and/or biopsy.”


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St. Catherine Hospital has prospered on a foundation of successful partnerships. Many “fi rst-ever” procedures were performed at St. Catherine Hospital because of successful partnerships and collaboration between doctors, nurses, staff and the community. Today we continue to strengthen the quality of care and treatment services available at St. Catherine Hospital and look for opportunities to grow by partnering with our community.

We are celebrating 80 years of providing quality health-care. We plan to commemorate the date with our employees, physicians and volunteers, as well as the business commu-nity and our neighbors.

You, the public, will be invited to join us in celebration, and we look forward to our future in Northwest Indiana.

This year marks a signifi cant anniversary for St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago. On May 17, 1928, the hospital opened its doors thanks to a successful partnership between the Manufacturers Association of East Chicago and the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ (the Ancilla Domini Sisters). St. Catherine Hospital, a modern fi ve-story institution with a capacity of 311 adult beds and 63 bassinets, began to serve the sick in the community.

In 2008, the hospital is celebrating eight decades of saving lives.

“Plans are being made to celebrate with our employees and physicians,” says Jo Ann Birdzell, hospital administra-tor. “We dug through 80 years worth of photos and patient stories to showcase personal achievements to share with the community.”

Although settled in the early 1890s, East Chicago, Ind., was for a long time a city without a hospital. The idea of building a hospital didn’t become reality until nearly four decades later. Heavily populated with industry, leaders real-ized that workers who might be injured on the job were forced to travel a long way for medical care. So, with con-cern for the workingman, the Manufacturers Association of East Chicago appointed a committee to investigate building a hospital in town. Eventually, the idea of a hospital in East Chicago grew beyond simply serving the emergency needs of manufacturers; it would come to be described by its plan-ners as “an institution not only to take care of the plant acci-dent cases, but be a community hospital open to all persons regardless of race, creed or color.”

“We are proud of our roots with the industries and the relationships we continue to have,” says Birdzell. “Several of the original companies that raised funds to start the hos-pital are still here today.” While names may have changed over 80 years, companies like BP, Arcelor Mittal, NIPSCO and Gary Public Transportation will be invited to participate in the hospital’s celebration.

by Kelly Nissan

80thhospital to celebrate

anniversary

“we are proud of our roots”


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meeting minutes; legal documents; and staff member, physician and citizen interviews. “There were days when my desk was piled high with memorabilia. It was fascinating to sort through all that,” she says.

❋ a sneak previewBomberger tells a variety of interesting stories in the history book. Here, she gives a taste of those tales.

“For example, people in the dietary depart-ment grew fresh mint outside the building on hospital grounds and garnished the plates of patients with it,” she says. “Also, there was no helipad in the early days, so the helicopters landed on a sectioned-off part of MacArthur Boulevard.”

The fi rst day the hospital opened, 100 physi-cians and 27 employees were ready for work. “The hospital was ready to go, equipment was in place, but no patients showed up,” Bomberger says. “One man showed up, and was asked, ‘Can I help you?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, but I’m the mailman.’ On the second day, only one person showed up again, and the admissions person was so excited she asked if the patient would like a private or semiprivate room!”

Bomberger is also writing history books about the Community Healthcare System’s St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.

St. Catherine Hospital – A Family is available in conjunction with the hospital’s 80th anniversary this year. The books are designed by Joseph A. Gonzales, Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana graphic artist.

In 1964, a group of physicians had a “dream” about building a new area hospital. That dream became reality when The Community Hospital opened in Munster in 1973. Now, the dream is the subject of a recently published book, The Community Hospital – an Impossible Dream.

“I’m just a messenger of a lot of years of history—over three decades of people coming together to provide quality health-care in Northwest Indiana,” says author Jane Bomberger, director of special projects for Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana.

“In those early days, a group of physi-cians from the Hammond Clinic formally pro-moted the idea of another hospital in this area,” Bomberger says. “Their efforts sparked enthu-siasm among the townspeople, debate at times, and eventually a plan to go forward and locate The Community Hospital where it is today.”

Bomberger obtained information from warehouse scrapbooks; offi ce attic fi les; board

new book

documents

history

by Kathleen

Pucalik

President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana Donald S. Powers and author Jane Bomberger pore over the first copy of the new book.

is adreamcome true

community hospital

great gift idea!The Community Hospital – An Impossible Dream, a 300-page, hard-

cover, jacketed book is available for $30 at the following locations:

Community Hospital’s Red Garter Gift Shoppe;

South Shore Arts Gift Shop in the Center for Visual

and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster;

and the Cancer Resource Centre, 900 Ridge Road,

Suite J, Munster.

You also can purchase the book by mail. Please

send a check or money order (made payable to

Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana)

for $35 ($30/book plus $5/S&H) to: The

Community Hospital – An Impossible Dream, 905 Ridge

Road, Munster, IN 46321. Please allow two weeks for delivery.


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T

System: Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart are working together to raise awareness about health issues faced by over-the-hillers.

The three hospitals regularly offer health and wellness programs. Residents of all ages are encouraged to take advantage of preventive out-patient tests and screenings, some of which are free. By increasing early detection and lowering disease rates, Northwest Indiana residents can enjoy longer, healthier lives.

❋ the first step—getting screenedGautham Viswanathan, M.D., internist with St. Catherine Hospital Care Network, says, “Screenings can detect common diseases and chronic conditions, which, if found early enough, can receive proper treatment; some prevented altogether.”

Mark Feldner, M.D., family practice physician at the Community Care Center in St. John, says

The ever-appreciated phrase “over the hill” is sometimes used to describe an age when one has “peaked,” and the body begins to show signs of aging.

During this second half of life, people are more prone to have diffi culties with various body functions and develop chronic or fatal diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

As unpleasant as that all sounds, this is a time in one’s life when staying on top of your health is more important than ever. That’s why the hospitals of the Community Healthcare

screenings after 40 are

more important than ever

testingone,two,

threeby Elise Sims

vim & vigor · s p r i n g 2 0 0 8 49

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he looks to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) age recommendations for preventive screenings, based on current clinical fi ndings and information.

“The recommendations are only a guide for physicians as everyone is different,” Feldner says. “We look at each patient—their family history, their increased risk factors for disease—and then we form our prevention plan or treatment regimen. The AAFP’s recommenda-tions should be used with the understanding that additional research may result in new knowledge and point to other indicators down the road.”

❋ the big ‘c’“One screening strongly recommended for patients 50 years of age and older is the colorectal cancer screening,” Viswanathan says. “Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer. It is also the third leading cause of death in women and second in men. But, most importantly, it is preventable.”

It has been estimated that if everyone older than 50 had regular screenings, at least one-third of deaths from these cancers could be avoided. Five primary tests are used to screen for cancers of the colon and rectum; the fre-quency and the type of test recommended depends on the person’s level of risk. The most common is the annual fecal occult blood test. A patient picks up special cards, called Hemoccult cards, from the doctor’s offi ce and mails them back for testing after three consecutive speci-mens are collected.

The American Cancer Society and other medical groups also recommend individuals older than 50 undergo a sigmoidoscopy every fi ve years or a colonoscopy every 10 years. These procedures, performed on an outpatient basis, enable physicians to examine the lining of the colon to check for and remove abnormalities. Many times these abnormalities can be removed before they become cancerous.

Community Healthcare System staff physi-cians regularly offer free PSA blood tests (pros-tate specifi c antigen) and digital rectal exams for those who meet certain criteria: men 50 or older, or age 40 and older who have a family his-tory of prostate cancer or are African-American.

“I think it is important for my patients to adopt healthy habits and be aware of their own health histories,” Viswanathan says. “Through regular checkups and screenings, we can better manage problem areas and sustain good health and wellness.”

Other important cancer screenings that are available from the hospitals of Community Healthcare System include annual mammogra-phy and skin exams.

Mark Feldner, M.D.Gautham Viswanathan, M.D.

“One screening strongly recommended for patients 50 years of age and older is the colorectal cancer screening.”


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❋ heart care 101Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America, with stroke running a close third. However, heart disease can be kept in check through proper diet and exercise, and by keep-ing blood pressure and cholesterol levels within normal range.

“We treat cholesterol abnormalities in patients with or without heart disease to prevent heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular condi-tions,” says Mary Tilak, M.D., lipidologist, who also is an internal medicine physician on staff at St. Mary Medical Center Care Network practices.

A simple blood test can determine if you are at risk for heart disease. The test is offered regu-larly through Community Healthcare System hospitals for a $30 fee. A Coronary Health Appraisal includes a cholesterol test (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), blood sugar, meta-bolic syndrome, blood pressure, body mass index and a Heart Health profi le. For this par-ticular test, a 14-hour fast is necessary to obtain accurate results.

Tilak says her treatment regimen focuses on diet, exercise, weight loss and medications.

find the timeTo access a complete listing with times and dates of preventive screen-ings, visit us online at www.comhs.org, then click on the hospital of your choice and “Calendar of Events.” You also can call 219-836-3477 or 866-836-3477 for information on screenings, educational programs and physician referral offered through the hospitals of Community Healthcare System.

info

“I won’t hesitate to pursue ideas that can improve on the quality of patient care, and ultimately help my patients gain what is rightfully theirs—a normal, everyday life,” she says.

Physicians on staff at Community Healthcare System hospitals also offer blood pressure screenings at no charge.

❋ diabetes can be stoppedAlthough type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed in record numbers, the good news is that the disease is preventable through education and adapting a healthy lifestyle.

Diabetes education classes are offered by all three hospitals of Community Healthcare System. Classes at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital are recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education and teach patients how to follow a special diet, exercise and monitor their glucose levels.

Glucose screenings also are conve-niently offered at no charge through most of Community Healthcare System Care Network physician offi ces. In addition, St. Catherine Hospital offers free glucose screenings from the Community Outreach area of the lobby at 4321 Fir St., East Chicago.

Also available are screenings to test for peripheral arterial disease, a circulatory condi-tion commonly seen in diabetics. The screening helps to determine if there are blockages in leg arteries.

Mary Tilak, M.D.

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Wbest-selling author is one of ours

by Elise Sims When you think about Barnes & Noble’s best-sellers, authors like J.K. Rowling and James Patterson might come to mind. But joining those well-known names on that list for a while was a Community Healthcare System doctor.

Thach Nguyen, M.D., medical director of car-diology at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, fi rst published his best-seller Practical Handbook of Advanced Interventional Cardiology in 2003, where it rose all the way to No. 4 on Barnes & Noble’s online best-seller list before a second printing sold out.

Another title, Management of Complex Cardiovascular Problems: The Evidence-Based Medicine Approach, also authored by Nguyen and edited by several Community Healthcare

System cardiologists, is a best-seller on the car-diotext® website—a site specifi cally highlighting cardiology books.

Although readers consist mostly of the medi-cal community, Nguyen’s Practical Handbook is not solely used by cardiologists—which may be a contributing factor to its best-selling status.

“I gave it to a family physician, and he liked it because it is easy to understand,” Nguyen says. “I use simple terms—concise copy that features real-life cases that occurred at the hospital over the past 10 years.”

Nguyen says one such case features a patient who had a heart attack while driving down the I-94 freeway. The patient subsequently got into a car accident and fractured his left leg, which was bleeding at the wound site. The surgeon on call refused to operate because the patient was bleed-ing and having a heart attack at the same time—a deadly combination. When Nguyen arrived on the scene, he determined that the patient’s artery was not lacerated and that it was safe to perform the angioplasty.

“This was a fi rst—a pioneering breakthrough,” says Nguyen. “No one had ever before performed an angioplasty on a patient who was bleeding. That is the part of my work that I really like. It’s very rewarding.”

Although it took Nguyen one year to pen his manuscript, he says it is a labor of love and a rewarding experience, one he has been able to accomplish with a lot of help from his colleagues and experiences from his patients.

Community Healthcare System interven-tional cardiologists, neurologists and internal medicine practitioners who contributed to these best-selling books include: Prakash Makam, M.D.; Rupesh Shah, D.O.; David Jayakar, M.D.; Feliz Gozo, M.D.; Vijay Dave, M.D.; Olabode Oladeinde, M.D.; Adolphus Anekwe, M.D.; Mark Simaga, M.D., and Sanjeev Maniar, M.D.

Dr. Thach Nguyen, well-known international author and diplomat (third from left), recently traveled with a group of American cardiologists/delegates to the Central General Hospital of the Chinese Liberation Army.

theheartof the

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many Community Hospital expansion projects,” says Donald S. Powers, president and CEO of Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana, the parent company of the healthcare system.

Sands is a retired Amoco Oil Co. executive who has served on the Community Hospital’s board of directors for more than a decade. Since 2001, he also has served as a member of the board of the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana. His late wife, Florence, was a nurse, a Community Hospital volunteer and member of the Community Hospital Auxiliary.

A veteran of World War II, Sands moved with his wife to Northwest Indiana nearly 60 years ago, begin-ning his career as a mechanical engineer with Amoco. A longtime resident of Munster, he has been

a part of many projects in the town, including the building of Westminster Church, Hartsfi eld Village and the Munster school system. The administrative center for the School

Town of Munster is named in honor of Sands, a 13-year school board member.

The donation from Sands represents one of the largest made by a single individual in the hospital’s 34-year history. Sands is also among the fi rst individuals to contribute to a newly created endowment giving program. Gifts to endowments are never spent and instead are invested to generate a lasting source of funding for essential healthcare services in the community.

“Community Hospital could not have been built without fi nancial support from private individuals, businesses and com-munity groups,” says John Mybeck, senior vice president and chief administrative offi -cer of Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana. “Today, at a time of escalating health-care costs, such donations will play a vital role in ensuring that our hospitals remain strong, and are able to fulfi ll their mission to the com-munity, serving needs of all people, including the poor and disadvantaged.”

A generous donation of more than $100,000 by longtime Community Hospital board member Donald F. Sands means that the Munster hospital can look forward to much growth and development for years to come.

Sands says he recognized that the hospital has become a vital part of the community and wanted to leave a gift that would make a difference. Having watched the hospital spend millions of dollars over the years to expand and add new services, he says he felt it was important that the hospital begin to “save for a rainy day.”

The creation of the Donald and Florence Sands and Family Endowment Fund totaling $102,300 will provide a lasting source of sup-port of new projects, including nurs-ing initiatives honoring the lifelong vocation of his late wife, Florence Sands.

“We feel very privileged to accept this generous gift from Donald Sands, who has already contributed so much as a board member, providing guidance and advice on

how endowments supportA gift to an endowment fund is a gift that keeps giving—the original gift is

never spent, rather the interest is used to fund projects.

Endowment funds have been established at each of the three hospitals of

the Community Healthcare System. Initial funds have been designated to sup-

port the acquisition of medical technology for Community Hospital; screen-

ing and education initiatives and new diagnostic technology for St. Catherine

Hospital in East Chicago; and an expansion of surgical services for St. Mary

Medical Center in Hobart. A general endowment also was created to support

the needs of all three hospitals and another for the Community Research

Foundation and its support program, the Cancer Resource Centre in Munster.

In addition to the newly established Endowment Program, the not-for-

profit Community Healthcare System has begun to offer other options for

charitable contributions, including planned giving, donations of real estate,

paid life insurance policies, annuities, and bequests from wills and trusts.

For more information, call the parent company, Community Foundation of

Northwest Indiana, 219-836-0130.

a gift for the future sands family donates more than $100,000 to endowment fund

Donald F. Sands donated more than $100,000 to create an endowment fund in support of projects such as a nursing initiatives in honor of the vocation of his late wife, Florence.

by Mylinda Cane

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CHANGE. How many of us would like to take up this cause? For a remarkable group of women in East Chicago, change is the only choice and the path by which they believe they can create a better community.

A better and healthier community is the focus of a new partnership between Women for Change and St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago. Together, the two groups are working to raise funds and awareness to combat diabetes. Since 2004, rates for diabetes have increased 28 percent in East Chicago.

Helping people diagnosed with diabetes—and those at risk—change their lifestyle is at the heart of STOP Diabetes, a community outreach initia-tive started by St. Catherine Hospital. With the support of Women for Change, the hospital will be able to educate and support more people in making changes to prevent long-term complica-tions, such as heart disease, stroke, or conditions of the eye, foot and kidneys.

Hilda Pabey, first lady of East Chicago and chairwoman for the Women for Change third annual fundraiser, welcomes guests to the dinner benefiting the Center for Diabetes at St. Catherine Hospital. Funds raised support diabetics in the community who need self-management education, exercise and counseling services.

❋changebelieving

a group of women pioneer to end diabetes

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❋assistance so those who don’t have insurance or resources can enroll in classes. STOP Diabetes also will be expanded to include a special exercise program for diabetics as well as coun-seling at St. Catherine Hospital’s Daybreak Center for people who need help coping with the diagnosis and overcoming feelings of anxiety or depression.

“We’ve been fortunate that with a grant from the East Chicago Community Development Foundation, 85 area residents have completed our self-management program at no charge,” Nissan says. “Thanks to the generosity of Women for Change, we’ll be able to continue to reach out to more people diagnosed with diabetes.”

“We’re a group of women in the community who believe change can happen, but it has to be pushed from the bottom up by regular people who live and work here,” says Hilda Pabey, East Chicago’s fi rst lady and a member of the group.

❋ diabetes hits homePabey, who chaired the group’s fundraising event in November to kick off the effort, has seen the effects of the disease in her own fam-ily. Her daughter, Lisette, was diagnosed with diabetes and came to the realization that major changes in her lifestyle were needed to combat the disease.

“Diabetes is not a death sentence,” says Lisette, also a member of Women for Change. She says she believes many Hispanics diag-nosed with diabetes overreact and think they are going to die. “Only if you don’t know what to do—that’s why we’re raising funds for anyone in our community who needs to be educated about diabetes.”

❋ how change happensSTOP Diabetes helps to provide everyone diag-nosed with diabetes the education and support for making the necessary lifestyle changes to keep the disease in check. The hospital also promotes early detection by hosting a number of screenings.

“We know many people in our community do not know how they can live well with diabetes or how this disease can be prevented,” says Julie Pena-Ruiz, diabetes educator. “We are working to support and empower people to learn more and to control diabetes before it controls their health and their life.”

To address barriers to learning, STOP Diabetes is taking education into area churches and community settings, according to Kelly Nissan, director of marketing, community and business relations at St. Catherine Hospital. Partner churches include Tabernacle Missionary Baptist, New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist, First Baptist Church, Mission of Jesus Christ and Greater First Church International.

With the support of Women for Change, the hospital will be able to stretch its fi nancial

“We’re a group of women in the community who believe change can happen, but it has to be pushed from the bottom up by regular people who live and work here.”

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DDoing procedures typically reserved for fourth-year residents, third-year OB/GYN residents from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago may be a step ahead of their colleagues by gain-ing real, live, hands-on surgical experience.

Community Hospital in Munster is advancing medical education by giving residents a hands-on education. These young doctors can then use these skills as they give back to the community performing procedures now, and when they become practicing obstetricians/gynecologists.

Through Community Hospital’s rotation for Rush, residents have the opportunity to perform abdominal and vaginal hysterectomies, lapa-roscopic surgery on tubes and ovaries, tubal ligation and Essure (a permanent birth control procedure). Residents have an attending physi-cian at their side at all times providing hands-on supervision during procedures.

“There is always a need for residents to get plenty of clinical experience and always a need for surgical experience, which is usually monop-

olized by four-year residents,” Don Henry, M.D., site direc-tor, says. “Here, there is no competition, so residents can take their pick of cases and get valuable experience they nor-mally wouldn’t get before their fourth year.”

One plus for the residents is learning to perform the vaginal hysterectomy.

“It’s an art,” Henry says. “It takes time and experience to learn it.”

Kristia Patsavas, M.D., third-year resident, is pleased with the opportunity. “At Community Hospital you do a lot of vaginal

hysterectomies that you wouldn’t have the oppor-tunity to do at Rush,” she says. “The OB/GYN attendings are very good and let you do surgery, and they’re always teaching.”

❋ always there to helpThe residency program began in July 2005. Third-year residents from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago rotate for two months at Community Hospital. The focus is primarily on surgery, with some obstetrics. Community Hospital’s goal is to work with a well-established academic program and upper-level residents (third year) who do not require constant supervision. Henry says that doctor and patient participation is voluntary, and participation is rarely denied.

“I’m very pleased with the program,” Henry says. “The residents get good reviews by attending physicians. They seem to like to work here.”

“What has impressed me the most is how nice everyone is,” Patsavas says. “No matter where I turn, someone is always there to help me. I went to the pathology offi ce to get pathol-ogy reports on patients that we operated on, and the pathologist dropped what he was doing and went over the reports. He even let me look at slides under the microscope and explained them.”

In addition to clinical skills, the residency program focuses on professionalism and main-taining good relationships with other physi-cians, nurses and patients.

According to Henry, residents are restricted to an 80-hour workweek, which is typically what they work, including night call. In addition, residents are another resource for assistance in emergency cases such as a C-section coming through the Emergency Department.

community update b y K a t h l e e n P u c a l i k

munster’s future doctors get hands-on surgical experience earlycommunity will benefit from expertly skilled physicians

Don Henry, M.D.


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