the spirit, fall 2011

giving makes good happen.

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BON SECOURS RICHMOND HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION Good Help to Those in Need®

THE SPIRITFrom the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation

www.bsvaf.org

Virginia Breast Center Revolutionizing CarePhilanthropy supports new center, expanding services at Watkins

Dr. James Pellicane (left) and Dr. Mark Dixon (right) are looking forward to opening the new Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center and Women’s Imaging Center at Watkins Centre.

Inside This Issue…

Uninsured Women Get Critical Cancer Screenings … Page 2

Bon Secours Virginia Breast Cancer Survivorship Program Empowers Women … Page 6

How can I help?Gifts to support the Bon Secours Virginia Breast

Center and Survivorship Programs help:

n Purchase state-of-the-art equipment

n Pursue innovative programs

(See article on page 6)

n Provide education and post-

treatment care

For more information, contact Ann Carpin,

Senior Development Officer, at 804-281-8583

or [email protected].

this city, or most places in the country for

that matter.”

In addition to the breast center and

diagnostic imaging center, St. Francis

Watkins Centre will offer a freestanding 24/7

emergency department, physician offices,

laboratory, physical therapy and sports

medicine services.

The six- to eight-week wait to find out

whether an abnormal mammogram will lead

to a clean bill of health or chemotherapy can

be excruciating. That’s a grim forecast for the

one in eight U.S. women who will develop

breast cancer in their lifetime.

At the new Watkins Centre location for Bon

Secours Virginia Breast Center and Women’s

Imaging Center, which opens in late fall, the

diagnostic process will take 48 hours or less.

“It’s really a special place,” said Dr. Mark

Dixon, Director of Breast Imaging for

Commonwealth Radiology. “We recognized

that bringing our services together

geographically can make all the necessary

transitions for women very smooth. This

streamlines and improves care for women.”

Dr. James Pellicane, Co-founder of the

Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center, added,

“Our partnership with the radiologists

has been one of the keys in making this a

successful model. There’s no turf war. We all

have the same goal. We all work together to

get the patients in quickly.”

That reduced wait is important for any

patient, but especially valuable for those

potentially facing breast cancer. “This is a

cancer that oftentimes affects women at the

busiest point of their lives,” Pellicane said.

“They’re working, they’re raising families.

They have so much going on … You need to

make it convenient for them and quick. If

they don’t have a problem, they don’t have

to stress out for six to eight weeks. If there

is a problem, we can help them address it

quickly.”

“When Polly Stephens and I started the

practice six years ago, we had a vision of

exactly this model,” Pellicane said. “We

wanted to create a breast center where a

woman could come in at a moment’s notice

after detecting a lump and get a complete

work up in a day. That’s really unheard of in

THE SPIRIT

Good Help to Those in Need®THE SPIRIT 2

In each issue of The Spirit, we introduce

you to a board member or volunteer.

This month, meet Sr. Charlotte Lange.

Sr. Charlotte Lange, OSB, a new

member of the Bon Secours Richmond

Health Care Foundation Board, was

recently honored by Catholic Charities

for long-time service to the community.

“Nonprofit organizations count on

compassionate and generous people to support their efforts,” she said.

“They can’t do it alone.”

The Director of Ministry Outreach at St. Mary’s Hospital since 2006, Sr.

Charlotte provides a compassionate presence. Sr. Charlotte is known

not only by the patients and families with whom she’s given her time

and prayers, but by the students whose lives she’s enriched through her

more than 30-year career in education.

New Board Member Profile: Sr. Charlotte Lange

In 2010, Sr. Charlotte celebrated her 50th year in religious life. A

Richmond native, she entered religious life with the Benedictine Sisters

of Bristow, Va., on Sept. 8, 1958, and professed simple vows in April

1960. She returned to Richmond in 1972 and worked at St. Benedict

School and Saint Gertrude High School, where she retired as principal in

June 2005.

Sr. Charlotte, who has studied at Notre Dame, Virginia Commonwealth

University and the University of Virginia, has a Master of Arts in

Counselor Education from Spalding University in Louisville, Ky. She has

worked as a teacher, counselor and principal. Her numerous awards

include the Catholic Diocese of Richmond Principal of the Year Award

and the Richmond Public Schools Good Apple Award.

“Nonprofit organizations count

on compassionate and generous

people to support their efforts.

They can’t do it alone.”

Many women are losing their jobs – and health insurance – as a

result of the economic downturn. These women often have to skip

preventative care, including potentially life-saving breast and cervical

cancer screenings, because they can’t afford it. That’s one reason for

the exploding demand for free screenings.

The good news is that last year nearly 700 women who couldn’t

afford screenings got them thanks to Bon Secours Richmond’s Every

Woman’s Life program.

“This Centers for Disease Control program is funded through the

Virginia Department of Health with supporting grants from the

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and the Avon Breast Health

Outreach program,” explained Project Manager Nancy Malone, RN,

BA, BSN.

The Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation secures about

$250,000 annually to fund the program. Individual donations help

ensure the program stays strong and help Bon Secours spread the

word to community members.

Bon Secours facilities and freestanding mammography centers

host the clinics, which include evening and weekend hours. Staffers

provide diagnostic studies to women with abnormal screenings. They

also refer women who test positive for breast or cervical cancer to

With Foundation’s Help, Uninsured Women Get CriticalCancer Screenings

Rene Reams (center) celebrates life with her daughter and

grandchildren. Thanks in part to care and support of Every

Woman’s Life, Reams is a breast cancer survivor.

specialists and help them enroll in Medicaid for their comprehensive

health care needs.

Since 2003, the Every Woman’s Life program has provided more

than 3,600 mammograms for women ages 40-64. Women who are

50 and older also receive a pap test when needed. Clinicians screen

women under age 40 who have documentation of a potential issue.

Qdoba Mexican Grill® and Starlight

Children’s Foundation™ MidAtlantic

dedicated a Starlight Fun Center™ to

St. Mary’s Hospital in August.

The Fun Center™ is a mobile entertainment

unit that includes a Nintendo Wii™,

DVD player and a

Sharp AQUOS™ LCD television.

Pediatric Pick-Me-Up

“Starry,” the Starlight Foundation mascot; Blair Bell, RN; Dr. Sofia Teferi; Susan Dudley, RN; patients Tyvaghn Lewis; Leron Braxton; Hakeem Akinwande attended a recent dedication of a new Fun Center™ mobile entertainment unit at St. Mary’s Hospital.

The infant mortality rate is substantially higher in Richmond’s East End than

it is in neighboring communities, according to government data.

Proper nutrition, prenatal care and education are vitally important to ensure

that babies are born healthy and see their first birthdays.

But many low-income families in the East End lack the resources to help

them and their babies stay healthy through pregnancy and that first

challenging year of parenthood.

That’s one reason Bon Secours Richmond, with the help of philanthropic

support, launched the Center For Healthy Beginnings at Richmond

Community Hospital located in the East End.

The Center connects expectant and new parents with critical resources that

can help the area’s most vulnerable and tiny residents, said Bon Secours

employee Kimberly Glessman, a Community Outreach Specialist.

“We help families link with medical insurance, physicians, housing needs,

school resources – anything a new family needs,” said Glessman. “Even if

you have support and health insurance, preparing for a new baby can be

hard.”

The Center also offers parents education on car seat installation, prenatal

nutrition and stress management. Men can participate in Boot Camp for

Dads, offered through First Things First of Greater Richmond. Families can

take infant CPR, labor preparation and infant care classes, which are part of

the “Love and Learn with Bon Secours” program.

“Our relationships with other community organizations really help us amp

up our services,” said Glessman.

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East End Families Benefit from Foundation-Supported Healthy Beginnings Program

Working with Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the

Richmond City Health District, Healthy Beginnings staffers spread the word

about services to nearby public housing community residents. They also

work with Family Lifeline to provide home visits to Healthy Beginnings

participants.

Right now, the Center is open one day a week, but additional funding

would help ensure its sustainability and perhaps allow for expansion.

One of the program’s many strengths is that staffers and families work

together for several months, leading to solid relationships.

“We really get to know our families. Many parents even call us when they

are celebrating new births and special milestones,” said Glessman. “And

there is nothing like the joy of a new baby.”

Kimberly Glessman (left), Mildred Kenney (center) and Brandon Ken-ney (right) share a smile at Bon Secours’ Center for Healthy Beginnings at Richmond Community Hospital. Mildred says she is grateful for the support center staffers have shown her since she was pregnant with Brandon, who is 1 year old.

My nurses made all the difference in the world for my baby and me. A high-risk pregnancy is very scary, but my nurses were so encouraging and reassuring. When my daughter was in the NICU, the nurses treated her like she was their own baby. They were more than just nurses – they were like family.”

— Kady Fausz, former St. Mary’s Hospital patient shown above, reflects on her care. She was in the high-risk pregnancy unit for three weeks before giving birth

to her daughter who stayed in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for 30 days.

Donor Support of Nursing Education Means Better Patient CareBon Secours Nurses’ Spirit of Caring In this special section of The Spirit, you’ll learn about how continuing education allows

our nurses to combine clinical skills with compassion to make a difference for patients.

You’ll also hear from a few patients who have experienced firsthand the Spirit of Caring

of Bon Secours Nurses.

Here are a few examples of how your generous support to Bon Secours Richmond

Health Care Foundation’s Nursing Excellence CARE Fund provides essential support and

training.

Soul Care for the One Caring

In May, with financial support from the Nursing Excellence CARE Fund, Bon Secours

Virginia offered a tremendous opportunity for more than 350 nurses to participate in the

first of a series of programs for nurses in leadership roles and other critical caregivers.

Dr. Robert J. Wicks, a professor at Loyola University Maryland and the author of 40

books including Bounce: Living the Resilient Life, led the conferences. With more than

40 years of clinical research, Wicks has developed important techniques to reduce stress

for caregivers. Wicks offered insights to help this team strengthen their resilience, focus

on the importance of self-care and prevent secondary stress, which results from the

pressures experienced by those reaching out to others.

Enabling World-Class Professional Development through the Magnet ® Conference

The Nursing Excellence CARE Fund also allows our nurses to attend the annual national

Magnet Conference, which is held in connection with the American Nurses Credentialing

Center (ANCC). The October event’s sessions teach the latest evidence-based practices.

Evidence-based practice means we provide patient care based on proven research and

the very latest advancements in medicine. Equipping our nurses with this knowledge

ensures better care for us all. In fact, our hospitals’ pursuit of Magnet Recognition centers

on the importance of these best practices. (See opposite page for more on Magnet.)

To make a donation to help send a nurse to the October 2011 Magnet Conference, go to

www.bsvaf.org/nursing.

The Nursing Excellence Fund allows us to build upon our mission of being good help by providing our caregivers with the tools and expertise they need to fulfill their call to serve. Nursing is the foundation of our ministry and is continuously evolving. I am proud to work for an organization that values nurses, and I am honored to be a part of our journey to Nursing Excellence.”

— Jill Kennedy, Chief Nurse Executive, Memorial Regional Medical Center

S U M M E R 2 0 1 1THE SPIRIT


My nurses made all the difference in the world for my baby and me. A high-risk pregnancy is very scary, but my nurses were so encouraging and reassuring. When my daughter was in the NICU, the nurses treated her like she was their own baby. They were more than just nurses – they were like family.”

— Kady Fausz, former St. Mary’s Hospital patient shown above, reflects on her care. She was in the high-risk pregnancy unit for three weeks before giving birth

to her daughter who stayed in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for 30 days.

It was like you were their only patient. I’d never go anyplace else ... I know they try at other hospitals, but there’s just something special at Bon Secours. They all seem to enjoy their job. And they all knew exactly what to do as far as taking care of you.”

— Debbie Coberly, a breast cancer survivor, about her experience at St. Francis Medical Center

What makes Bon Secours nurses different?

For starters, we’re a faith-based nonprofit.

We value compassion above profits. We

make room for miracles. You’ll often hear us

talk about our call to serve. That’s very real

for Bon Secours nurses.

We are able to attract outstanding clinicians

who also embody a spirit of caring. They

choose to work at Bon Secours because we

put patient care over the bottom line. They

have the freedom to pray at the patients’

bedside and care for their whole family.

Beginning with their first-year orientation

and continuing throughout their career, Bon

Secours nurses collectively spend thousands of

hours receiving ongoing training and learning

the latest best practices in nursing care.

This is partly why St. Mary’s Hospital and

Memorial Regional Medical Center have

earned Magnet® Recognition from the

American Nurses Credentialing Center

(ANCC), an honor shared by only 7 percent

of U.S. hospitals, and St. Francis Medical

Center and Richmond Community Hospital

have earned the prestigious ANCC Pathway

to Excellence® designation.

How does my gift help Bon Secours nurses provide outstanding care for patients?

With donor support, we are able to invest

deeply in people, processes and technology

so that Bon Secours nurses receive the

ongoing education needed to consistently

deliver excellent patient care.

Giving to our Nursing Excellence CARE

Fund, helps ensure:

� Our nurses can attend the Magnet

program conferences for training on state-

of-the-art techniques and technologies.

� Nurses receive vitally important education

to continue learning, obtain specialty

certifications and stay ahead of a rapidly

changing health care landscape.

� Our health care ministry has more

resources available to help those in need.

The Path to Nursing Excellence Begins with Your Generosity

The nurses took extra special care of her, making sure she was comfortable. But they also took good care of me. Those last few days are stressful. I really appreciated the nurses, who gave me advice and explained what to expect.”

— Veronica Bates-Gomez, Fleur-De-Lis member, speaking about the care Bon Secours Hospice nurses gave her mother, a lung cancer patient, in her final days.

For more, go to www.bsvaf.org/nursing.

THE SPIRIT


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S U M M E R 2 0 1 1THE SPIRIT


Because cancer and its treatment can

have long-lasting effects on the body,

the Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center’s

(VBC) Breast Cancer Survivorship

Program offers support, help with

treatment, and education in the years to

come.

Through the VBC Breast Cancer

Survivorship Program, we provide

individualized care plans that empower

survivors with knowledge about their

cancer diagnosis and treatment,

address the chronic effects of cancer

and its therapy, provide monitoring

recommendations to allow for early

identification of treatment-related

effects and promote health-protective

behaviors.

It is clear that these behaviors, including

proper diet and exercise, decrease

breast cancer mortality and can, in some

situations, prevent a first breast cancer

in some women.

Donor support will help us offer events

and lectures designed to provide general

education on a variety of the late and

long-term effects faced by cancer

survivors after treatment is completed.

One of the innovative programs we hope

to offer in the next six months is a Breast

Cancer risk reduction program.

The program will help cancer patients

build muscle mass and strength, increase

flexibility and endurance, and improve

their capacity to perform daily activities.

It will instruct patients in proper diet

and exercise programs shown to reduce

breast cancer risk. The program will

Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center’s Survivorship Program Empowers Patients

work to reduce the severity of cancer

side effects, prevent unwanted weight

changes and improve participants’

energy levels and self-esteem as well.

Mary Baker, MSN, RN, FNP-C, CBEC,

a breast cancer survivor and manager

of the Virginia Breast Center Breast

Cancer Survivorship Program, earned

her Master of Science in Nursing from

the University of Virginia and is board-

certified as a family nurse practitioner

by the American Academy of Nurse

Practitioners. She is also certified in

clinical breast exam by the National

Consortium of Breast Centers.

“As a breast cancer survivor, I am

passionate about the unique needs of

this population and want to share my

skills and knowledge to empower breast

cancer survivors to live their lives to the

fullest,” she said.

Cancer survivor Karen Jennings poses with her daughters, Amanda and Ashley. A patient of Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center, Karen says exercise and building strength were an important part of her post-treatment recovery.

Board of DirectorsThe Bon Secours Richmond Health Care

Foundation owes much gratitude and

thanks to our Board of Directors. Below is

a list of our current board members who

donate their time and resources, which

contribute to our success.

Toni R. Ardabell

Jenna J. Atwood

Kathleen Burke Barrett

Peter J. Bernard

Carmella Maurizi Bladergroen

William C. Boinest, Chairman

Peter W. Brown, M.D.

Diana F. Cantor

Barry J. Case

Dennis A. Diersen

Virginia G. DiStanislao

Susan Y. Dorsey

John W. Fain

Andrew C. Foldenauer

May H. Fox

Peter F. Gallagher

Kirsti A. Goodwin

Vernard W. Henley

Dougal G. Hewitt

Charles M. Jones III, M.D.

Sr. Charlotte Lange, O.S.B.

J. Stephen Lindsey

C. Gregory Lockhart, M.D.

Sr. Anne Marie Mack, C.B.S.

John J. Muldowney

William T. Patrick, Jr.

Nancy A. Plageman

Malcolm M. Randolph

Corbin K. Rankin

J. Sargeant Reynolds, Jr.

Linda F. Rigsby

William H. Schwarzschild III

Sr. Victoria V. Segura, M.D., C.B.S.

John N. Simpson, Sr.

Thomas W. Sokol

William B. Thalhimer III

Paul M. Thompson

James S. Watkinson

D. Kyle Woolfolk, Jr.

“Forensic nurses cannot have an

agenda. They must be objective fact

finders,” said Randall.

“They are the best in the area. Their

training, preparation and the quality of

their work help me do my job better.”

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When a victim of sexual or physical

abuse completes an exam, she is given

clean clothes so her soiled clothing can

be used for evidence. When a child lacks

the words to explain what happened,

he is given a stuffed animal, pillow and

crayons to help. When patients arrive

with no loved ones, they can rely on

trained volunteers in moments of need.

These are just a few ways that

community support makes a difference

for the St. Mary’s Hospital Forensic

Nurse Examiners Unit. The unit’s nurses

stand by 24 hours a day to treat victims

of sexual and physical abuse. Last year,

they cared for more than 700 patients

from more than 20 localities. They also

train their peers across the region in this

advanced practice nursing specialty.

A generous donation of $24,000 from

the St. Mary’s Volunteer Auxiliary

enabled the nurses to move to a new,

larger space earlier this summer.

Before this gift, the nurses worked in a

small, crowded office that made their

challenging work even more difficult.

Families couldn’t wait during their loved

ones’ examinations because there was no

space. Patients had to traverse through

the hallways to use the restroom. Nurses

had to interview the fragile patients in the

small physical exam room.

“It was a blessing,” said Bonnie Price,

Clinical Coordinator of Forensic Nurse

Examiners, of the $24,000 gift, which

helps pay the rent. The nurses recently

moved the unit to the new space, which

now includes a special pediatric room.

“Our new place has a vibe of peace and

safety,” she said.

The unit’s many supporters include the

Board of Women’s Health, the Richmond

Academy of Medicine Alliance, Operation

Fuzzy and many individual volunteers.

The impact of the nurses’ tireless work

extends far beyond the patients, said

Toni M. Randall, a former defense

attorney who now prosecutes violent

crimes for the Commonwealth’s

Attorney’s Office in Richmond. In both

roles, she has relied on the reports from

the nurses.

Community’s Generosity Helps Forensic Nurses Serve Abuse Victims

Forensic Nurse Examiner Shirley Shaneen, PRN, Stacie Vecchietti with Safe Harbor (left) and Richmond Police Detective Marshall M. Young attended the open house of the new location for St. Mary’s Hospital Forensic Nurse Examiners Unit.

Forensic Nurse Examiner Betsy Martin RN, BSN, SANE-A (left) shows Joan Burton the clothing kits assault victims receive. The kits contain a T-shirt, pants and personal care items for victims to use if they have to leave their clothing for investigators to recover evidence.

Bonnie Price, Clinical Coordinator of Forensic Nurse Examiners (right), shows the examination room to Richmond Academy Medicine Alliance members Pat Merson, Bonnie Davis and Holly Garnet during the open house in August.

As children head back to school, I am

reminded that our Care-A-Van mobile

free health clinic was launched to

provide pediatric immunizations —

helping children get ready for school.

Now, we take care of entire families.

This is one

example of

how Bon

Secours sees

a need in the

community,

meets it and

then grows

to address

more needs.

Many stories in this month’s Spirit

look at ways our donors, through the

Bon Secours Richmond Health Care

Foundation, support children’s and

women’s health.

Next month is National Breast Cancer

Awareness Month, which highlights the

need for breast cancer education and

research.

I have a special appreciation for

these efforts as my daughter works

with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Foundation. Bon Secours helps provide

mammograms and free services for

women through Every Woman’s Life

(page 2).

Supporting Women’s and Children’s Health

A Letter from Foundation Chairman Bill Boinest

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BON SECOURS RICHMOND HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION

5875 Bremo Road, Suite 305

Richmond, Virginia 23226

(804) 287-7700 • www.bsvaf.org

Good Help to Those in Need®

BON SECOURS RICHMOND HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION Good Help to Those in Need®

Thank you for your support,

William C. Boinest

Chairman, Bon Secours Richmond

Health Care Foundation

We have the privilege to support the

doctors, nurses and all caregivers who

dedicate themselves to alleviating

suffering.

the spirit, fall 2011

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