Veterans' Health


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Generosity Annual Impact Report 2017

Building Strength for

Veterans’ Health The Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC provides vital services

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Better Care,

Better Health Your generosity directly supports Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN’s) mission of caring for each member of the communities we serve. Caring for the unique needs of those who look to LVHN for quality care is the highest priority for the staff, clinicians and volunteers who call each of our eight campuses home. Just as we strive to meet the individual needs of each patient we care for, we cherish the many thoughtful ways people contribute to the programs, initiatives and services offered throughout the network. From an 11-year-old boy with a huge heart for helping other kids, to monthly contributors dedicated to supporting programs that have touched them personally, to community leaders who step forward to make a difference for veterans, cancer patients and individuals with behavioral health needs, the impact of each gift is significant because it shows we are a caring community and it helps LVHN continue to provide important services to those who need them. We are truly grateful for every generous donor and their passion for making LVHN the premier, quality health care provider in the region. We could not do it without you. For that, we thank you and look forward to a bright future for everyone who benefits from your thoughtfulness. Jane Wrisley Vice President, Office of Philanthropy

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Bill Hecht Chair, Development Committee

GENEROSITY 2017 | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

Donor Impact

2017Report Who Gives to LVHN? $5,371,595

Individuals

$3,920,458

As a not-for-profit health care organization, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) relies on a wide range of donors to help fulfill our mission to heal, comfort and care for the people of our community. During Fiscal Year 2017, your support totaled $13,003,593. Here’s a closer look at who provided that support and how your generous gifts impacted our patients, LVHN colleagues and community.

What Do You Support? $6,908,830

Community Support Programs These gifts support programs like veterans’ health, hospice and homeless outreach (Street Medicine).

Foundations/Trusts

$3,696,174

$

$3,303,092

Unrestricted

Donors request these gifts be applied to the areas of greatest need at LVHN.

$

Business/ Community Organizations

$1,279,727

Research and Education

These gifts support continuing staff education, professional conferences and other initiatives.

$15,366

Government/ Grants

$1,149,954

Clinical Excellence

$361,990

These gifts enhance services in specified clinical areas, such as cancer, cardiology, orthopedics and burn care.

Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital

Thank You.

These gifts help provide comprehensive, leading-edge pediatric care close to home.

Visit LVHN.org/donors to view our Fiscal Year 2017 list of donors. LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Helping Veterans

Access Exceptional Health Care The new Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC aims to ensure veterans of all ages get the care they have earned and deserve The health issues faced by veterans are often quite different from those confronted by civilians. Today, members of the military are serving our country longer than ever in dangerous regions of the world, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s not uncommon for those who have been on active duty for 10 or more years to be deployed up to 10 times throughout their military career. That level of service and sacrifice can have profound consequences. Service members often grapple with a range of injuries and with health problems from exposure to environmental hazards. After surviving combat or spending extended time away from family, many veterans deal with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression – and even suicidal thoughts.

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“Today, veterans are coming home with increasingly complex medical and behavioral health issues that may require 15-20 doctor’s appointments,” says Eric Johnson, the Veteran Health Program Officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and a veteran of the Air Force in the medical service corps. From post-traumatic stress disorder to pulmonary disease, veterans’ medical needs have challenged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to such an extent that veterans can now receive some of their health care in the private sector. In fact, the VA recognizes LVHN as a Veterans Choice Program provider offering health services in partnership with the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center when the VA can’t accommodate patients.

That’s good news. Still, it can be daunting for veterans to understand where to go for care, when to get a referral and which pharmacy to use, especially if they’re navigating among multiple health systems. That’s why the new Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC, which stands for Military and Veteran Resource and Information Center, is dedicated to helping veterans access the exceptional care they deserve.

Richard “Dick” Fleming and his wife, Peggy. Opposite: The new Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC offers a yoga program for veterans that can help with stress-related conditions and allows them the opportunity to stop in after work for the class.

The Veteran Health Program received more than $2.1 million in donor support. LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Services at the Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC include the Veteran’s Closet Project, which provides casual clothes and business attire for those who need it, as well as food and personal care items for some of the most vulnerable heroes in our community.

Learn more

about the Dick and Peggy Fleming MAVRIC at LVHN.org and contact [email protected] for more information about how you can make a difference for veterans.

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SHOWING THE WAY TO THE RIGHT CARE The MAVRIC is the only program of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. Located at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street in Allentown, the center doesn’t provide direct clinical care. Rather, it offers a team of case managers, social workers and others who are specially educated to help veterans of all ages identify their own physical, emotional and psychological needs. “We want to help veterans get the best possible access, care and outcome,” Johnson says. MAVRIC personnel can provide referrals for all the services that veterans are eligible for, making medical appointments and navigating the VA health system, LVHN, the Department of

Defense and TRICARE, the health care program for uniformed service members and their families. They are also trained to educate veterans about potential medical issues that may arise based on where they were deployed. For example, burn pits were a common way to get rid of waste at military sites in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans exposed to burn-pit smoke may be at risk for pulmonary disease. But regular pulmonary function testing can help identify any problems in the earliest, most treatable stages. In this case, MAVRIC personnel can refer veterans who served in those regions for testing and educate them on the topic. “We help veterans and their providers get ahead of illnesses and diseases that

are warrior-centric,” Johnson says. The center takes a holistic approach, also offering support groups, suicide prevention services, mentoring and programs such as veteran’s yoga and the Veteran’s Closet Project, which provides new casual clothes and business attire for those who need it.

A MOST WORTHY CAUSE The MAVRIC opened on Nov. 10, 2017, a day before Veterans Day, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with no appointments necessary. Planners hope to serve 8,000 to 10,000 patients in its first year. The center is the result of generous support from the Fleming Foundation, which was created in 1989 by the late Richard

(“Dick”) Fleming, a longtime member of LVHN’s board of trustees, and his wife, Peggy. “My parents wanted to share their success with organizations that were going to do new, great and creative things, not just accept the status quo,” says Trinka Arnold, the Flemings’ daughter, who is carrying on the Foundation’s mission. When Arnold learned LVHN was creating a center specifically for veterans, she knew she’d found a good match for the Foundation. “A veteran center fit the Fleming Foundation’s philanthropic guidelines to a T,” she says. Providing support and access to effective health care – both physical and mental – is a true way to give back to those who have given this country so much.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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In-Kind

Donor Spotlight

Subaru Dealers

Love to Care Hospitals can be scary places for children and adults with cancer. But small touches of home, such as a cozy blanket, can help ease fears and provide comfort. In July, Renee Breslin from Ciocca Subaru of Allentown and Mike Hinkle from Piazza Subaru of Limerick, in conjunction with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), each delivered 80 blankets and 12 arts and crafts kits, along with cards from customers, to the new Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center and the Adult Cancer Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest. “Blankets, arts and crafts kits, and personalized messages from customers are a way to bring hope, warmth and light to patients battling cancer,” says LLS spokesperson Monique Riotto. Thanks to these organizations and their customers, these comfy contributions help provide a welcome sense of well-being and optimism to our patients. And that’s a tremendous benefit for all of us.

To learn more about in-kind donations, please visit give.LVHN.org or contact [email protected].

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Sew Comforting:

The Colonial Quilters Guild

Sixth-Grader’s

Game Plan for Fun Being in the hospital can be scary. But Matthew Dietz, an exceptional sixth-grader at Lower Macungie Middle School, thought of a way to make it more enjoyable for others just like him. Last May, Matthew was hit in the nose with a baseball while warming up for a youth league game. Four days later, “I woke up at four in the morning and my nose started bleeding. I couldn’t stop it,” says the Alburtis 11-year-old. After a scary ambulance ride to Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, Matthew underwent surgery to repair a severed nasal artery. “The doctor said Matthew’s nosebleed was one of the worst he had ever seen and that the chances of it happening were one in 1 billion,” says Matthew’s mom, Jennifer Dietz. It took the hospital’s emergency staff three hours to get the nosebleed to stop. By that time, Matthew had lost half of his blood. Fortunately, surgery was a success, and Matthew needed to stay in the hospital for only two days. During his stay, Matthew tried using the hospital’s Xbox, but it wasn’t working well. And that’s when he got an idea: The Nintendo Switch, a new gaming console, was just what the hospital

needed for other kids like him. “You can play the Nintendo Switch by yourself or with someone else right from your bed and you don’t need a TV,” Matthew says. The system offers kids the latest in technology and popular games that most kids are familiar with. After setting up an online GoFundMe fundraising campaign, Matthew and his mom raised $500, which they used to buy a Nintendo Switch, three of Matthew’s favorite games and a carrying case. Children in the Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center now play with the Switch to pass the time. “I thought the Nintendo Switch would be a good thing for other kids because you can play it from anywhere, including in your bed,” Matthew says. And besides, “playing games helps to take your mind off things. I wanted to help other kids in the hospital have fun.”

Many quilts are labors of love. But when you’re creating them to benefit women and children undergoing cancer treatment, they’re passion projects. Just ask members of the Colonial Quilters Guild, who recently donated children’s quilts to Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Muhlenberg and mastectomy pillows with tote bags to LVH–Cedar Crest. They also donated a portion of the proceeds from their annual quilt show to both hospitals. And every October, Colonial Quilters Guild members specifically gather for Mastectomy Day, a Saturday of communal quilting for mastectomy patients. “For our children’s quilts, we use children’s fabrics and try to make them as colorful as possible so it occupies them while they’re receiving their medicine,” says Charlene Weiss, the Guild’s treasurer. “For the quilted mastectomy pillows, we try not to make them cancer specific. We want to take your mind off it. And that’s the whole idea of everything we do, to give you more comfort.”

Visit LVHN.org for more information about cancer services for kids and adults.

For more information about Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, visit LVHN.org/lvchildrenshospital or contact [email protected] to get involved.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Raising the Bar for

Community-Focused Care New facilities provide state-of-the-art support for children, families and the community When you donate to a charitable organization like Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), you may not always know exactly where that support goes. In many cases, donor support funds services, equipment and specialized amenities that don’t make headlines, even though they make a huge difference to patients. But sometimes, you can see the results of your generosity clear as day. In the past year, LVHN has opened three brand-new facilities: the Family Health Pavilion at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Muhlenberg, the Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center at LVH–Cedar Crest, and the Child Advocacy Center at LVH–17th Street. Each of these new centers furthers LVHN’s mission to provide outstanding care and support to patients and the community. And each exists thanks in part to the generosity of LVHN donors.

FAMILY HEALTH PAVILION Last year, LVHN opened the 161,000-square-foot Family Health Pavilion on the LVH–Muhlenberg

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campus. The new facility includes obstetrics and newborn services – the first time babies will be delivered on the campus in its 55-year history – as well as a new Inpatient Rehabilitation Center. The Family Birth and Newborn Center includes 20 private mother-baby patient rooms, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a host of other amenities to support new mothers, infants and their families. State-of-the-art features of the facility include: • Personal nurse liaisons for every mother in labor • Baby cameras on every bed in the NICU so that families can watch their babies from afar • Dedicated family support rooms where families dealing with difficult circumstances can be together in privacy • A children’s play center in the lobby, where children in the waiting area can enjoy learning and play activities while waiting for family in a supervised setting • Private lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers

• Baby baths in every room, where new parents can learn to bathe their newborn before they leave “This project is the result of a five-year effort to create not just a beautiful environment, but an outstanding experience for every mother,” says Mary Bianchi, Women’s and Children’s Service Line Vice President, LVHN. “We know that each mother and family is different and needs support in a different way. We’re committed to providing a personal birth experience for mothers and their loved ones through trusted care, and that philosophy underscores everything we’ve built.” The Family Health Pavilion also includes a new Inpatient Rehabilitation Center for people who have suffered a debilitating event, such as stroke or other trauma. The new center boasts state-of-theart facilities and equipment, including: • A full therapy gym • A Bioness Vector Gait System – a specialized harness for people relearning to stand and walk

• An “activities of daily living” kitchen – essentially, a one-room apartment where patients can practice daily activities, such as cooking or loading dishes into a dishwasher The center also features a skilled team of physiatrists and rehabilitation specialists providing therapy seven days a week. In most cases, patients work one-on-one with their therapists – a level of personalized attention that doesn’t exist in most inpatient rehabilitation centers. “Many of these patients were totally independent prior to a stroke or other traumatic event,” says Robin Fritsch, Inpatient

Opposite: The kid-friendly Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center at Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital features infusion bays with TVs and video games.

The center received more than $125,000 in support from donors last fiscal year.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Rehabilitation Administrator. “With this new facility, we can address every step in the postacute care continuum and help them restore as much independence as possible.” None of these obstetrics and rehabilitation services would be possible without LVHN donor support – in particular, the Auxiliary of LVH–Muhlenberg, for which the family waiting room of the labor and delivery area is named, and the Muhlenberg Summer Festival, for which the pavilion lobby is named.

CHILDREN’S CANCER AND MULTIPURPOSE INFUSION CENTER LVH–Cedar Crest also welcomed a new addition last year in the

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form of the Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center. Part of Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, it provides dedicated outpatient chemotherapy treatment for children with cancer, as well as infusion treatment for children with blood disorders, gastrointestinal issues, immunodeficiency disorders and other diseases. The entire facility was created to be a comforting, low-stress environment for children, teens and their families who are often going through extremely difficult circumstances. It includes: • Infusion bays with TVs and video game systems • A teen game room

• A Family Resource Room with dedicated lockers, computers and educational materials for children and their families “In the past, children in the area who needed outpatient treatments like these had to drive to our LVH–Muhlenberg campus, which is more than 10 miles away,” says Nathan Hagstrom, MD, MHCM, Chair, Department of Pediatrics. “Now, we can provide these services closer to home. Children and their families also have easier access to the surgeons, radiologists and other specialists on their care team, and those caregivers have

easier access to one another.” The new center is the result of the generous support of LVHN donors, including Wings 2 Peace, the Carson Kaye Foundation and the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association. “Providing the kind of specialized care that children with cancer and other serious diseases need requires a tremendous amount of support,” Hagstrom says. “It’s amazing to be able to support children in this community and their families with such a great space, with fantastic specialists, and we certainly couldn’t do it without the help of our donors.”

CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER Children suffering from abuse or neglect have acute, multifaceted needs. Many require medical assistance, but protecting them from further abuse also requires a team of experts to assess the degree and severity of the abuse and gather any available evidence. LVHN has long provided medical support for these cases and worked with local law enforcement. In the past, however, medical care was provided in a large primary care clinic. Now, LVHN’s new Child Advocacy Center can provide the

full complement of services to assist children in a single, dedicated center. “It takes a large team to protect these children and do everything we can to detect and prevent abuse,” Hagstrom says. “Doing what’s best for the child requires a lot of joint decision-making among the medical team, law enforcement officials and county youth protective services. The best approach is to have a single facility where everyone can be on site.” The Child Advocacy Center is part of LVHN’s broader commitment to support the community, including its most vulnerable members. And it’s made

possible through the generous support of donors, including the Reilly and Hecht families, as well as the Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust.

A COMMUNITY LEGACY These new facilities are here to serve the community for years to come because of the community’s support. From the families who welcome new babies at the Family Birth and Newborn Center, to those who recover from debilitating events at the Inpatient Rehabilitation Center, to children who receive life-saving treatment at the Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center, to victims of child abuse who are assisted by caring

professionals at the Child Advocacy Center, these new centers will benefit so many in need of compassionate care. And LVHN donors’ generosity will endure in the legacy of these exceptional new services and facilities.

For more information

about these facilities and programs, visit LVHN.org.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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To learn more

about LVHN’s cancer support options, visit LVHN.org. Contact [email protected] for information about how you can join the Andy Derr Foundation in its commitment to assisting kidney cancer patients.

Remembering a

Kidney Cancer Crusader Andy Derr Foundation gift helps establish kidney cancer patient advocacy and education program Joann Derr’s late husband, Andy, was just 53 when he discovered his cancer, which had been in remission in his kidneys for 11 years, had returned. This time it was in his lungs. An electrical engineer turned COO for a computer company, Andy researched his medical options extensively. “We discovered that the best clinical trial was available at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN),” Joann says. Andy enrolled in multiple clinical trials. Still, he wanted to do more. “Through our second bout with kidney cancer, we discovered that no patient support groups were available,” Joann says. “Andy wanted other kidney cancer patients to be able to talk with one another and compare notes.” He also wanted to help expedite kidney cancer research.

LEGACY OF ADVOCACY As a patient advocate, Andy attended the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology conference

with Suresh Nair, MD, Physician in Chief of the LVHN Cancer Institute. “Andy would attend medical and pharmaceutical presentations and co-author a 90-page document to put all the information into patient-friendly terms,” Joann says. Although Andy lost his battle with kidney cancer in 2016 at age 54, his advocacy legacy lives on through the Andy Derr Foundation for Kidney Cancer Research, which his family, including his daughter Megan Derr, MSN, RN, an LVHN oncology nurse, and son Brian Derr, a project manager at Partners HealthCare in Boston, launched last year. With the Foundation’s generous gift, LVHN established a kidney cancer patient advocacy and education program to help kidney cancer patients in the community connect. The Foundation also hosts an annual Oktoberfest to raise funds to support kidney cancer research and initiatives in patient advocacy, education and engagement.

HELPING PATIENTS HELP THEMSELVES Last April, the Foundation also held an educational forum for kidney cancer patients. “So much is happening with kidney cancer research. It was a wonderful celebration of the progress that’s being made,” Joann says. “But it was also great to overhear sidebar conversations among kidney cancer patients, such as ‘Oh, you went through that? I did, too.’” Ultimately, “Andy felt strongly that patients have enough knowledge to advocate for themselves so they can partner with their doctor,” Joann says. No doubt, Andy would be proud of his family and the strides his namesake foundation is making with LVHN to help others help themselves and advance clinical research.

Opposite: The Derr family poses with Suresh Nair, MD, Physician in Chief of the LVHN Cancer Institute at the kidney cancer forum sponsored by the Andy Derr Foundation. From left: Melissa Derr, Brian Derr, Nair, Joann Derr and Megan Derr. LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Tuning In to

Our Community’s Needs Behavioral Health Services and LVHN Cancer Institute are expanding thanks in part to targeted donation Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN’s) Behavioral Health Services and the LVHN Cancer Institute are expanding services in ways that will directly impact the community. This expansion is thanks in large part to a targeted donation by longtime community members who worked closely with the network’s administrative and physician leaders to learn about the region’s most pressing health needs.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE Behavioral health conditions are not always well understood outside of the clinical community or those affected. They include: • Obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is characterized by constant, unwanted thoughts and the need to perform repeated actions or rituals • Major depression, a mixture of symptoms that affect the ability to work, sleep, eat and enjoy life

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• Bipolar disorder, a chronic, recurring condition that includes cycles of extreme lows and extreme highs • Anxiety disorder, which can cause constant and uncontrollable worrying LVHN has provided behavioral health services for more than 50 years, offering both inpatient and outpatient care with psychiatrists, psychologists, master’slevel therapists and other clinicians. However, the Lehigh Valley still suffers from a shortage of qualified providers and a lack of understanding surrounding mental health issues. LVHN’s Behavioral Health Initiative (BHI), part of the Department of Community Health, offers consultations on mental health issues to physician practices, school boards and local organizations. “The BHI’s goal is to help educate patients, families and health care providers about mental health issues,” says Edward Norris, MD, Chair, Department of

Psychiatry. “Unfortunately, there’s still a significant amount of stigma surrounding mental illness, which makes people reluctant to seek help. This leads to weeks, months and even years of unnecessary suffering. People need to know that even the most severe cases of mental illness can be treated successfully, and the earlier we can recognize symptoms, the earlier treatment can begin.” A gift from Maureen and Joseph Topper will fund an education-based endowment that will help hire new staff, including licensed clinical social workers who will work with schools and community agencies and organizations to raise awareness about mental health and create new programs. The documentary “Close to Home: Depression,” which was co-produced with the PBS39 television station, is an example of future programs the Toppers’ support will make possible.

“Untreated mental illness brings such loneliness to people’s lives,” Mrs. Topper says. “We felt that by funding educational efforts, we can help people realize that they are not alone, and that there is hope.”

LVHN CANCER INSTITUTE The LVHN Cancer Institute brings the most advanced resources in cancer care to the Lehigh Valley, including targeted techniques to treat and prevent cancer through genetic testing and counseling. Genetic testing may be appropriate for people who are at risk for hereditary cancers or who have an increased risk for cancer due to other health conditions. Genetic testing also can help match patients currently undergoing treatment with targeted therapies that block the mutations that their tumors need to grow. “Genetic counseling, which involves a personalized assessment of risk factors, a review of the benefits and limitations of

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For more

information about both programs, visit LVHN.org.

Lehigh Valley Health Network teamed with PBS39 to coproduce “Close to Home: Depression.” The 30-minute documentary shares intimate stories of hope and healing along with professional counsel on overcoming the disease. Learn more at wlvt.org/television/close-to-home.

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genetic testing, and a thorough analysis and interpretation of the results, is the focal point of any genetic assessment,” says Suresh Nair, MD, Physician in Chief of the LVHN Cancer Institute. “Although the tests themselves are often covered by insurance, the counseling usually isn’t.” The Toppers’ gift will be used to fund enhanced genetic counseling services, which are provided currently through The Gregory and Lorraine Harper Cancer Risk and Genetic Assessment Program. “Dr. Harper was my colleague and an LVHN oncologist who established the fund that created the genetics counseling program,” Nair says. “The Toppers’ gift will enhance the program’s services and have a long-term impact in decreasing the burden of cancer in this community.” Mrs. Topper, who underwent genetic testing for the BRCA gene as part of her treatment for breast cancer at LVHN in 2014, remembers how

vital genetic counseling was. “The process gave us a lot of knowledge about our family’s cancer risk,” she says. Personalized cancer assessments and targeted treatments are a key focus of the LVHN Cancer Institute’s participation in the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance. MSK, the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center, collaborates with clinical teams from LVHN to develop standards of care, provide treatment expertise, and give LVHN patients access to investigational treatments and a robust clinical trials network. “We had always felt that LVHN was a top-notch institution,” Mr. Topper says. “And after meeting with Dr. Norris and Dr. Nair, two physicians who feel so strongly and speak so eloquently about their core missions, we are even more convinced of LVHN’s ability to bring excellent, advanced medical care to our region.”

Third-Party

Fundraisers Hitting the Road to Help Others As a quartermaster for the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, John “Big Daddy J” Pitts embraces the open road. He and his wife, Betty (“Little Mama”), take their Can-Am Spyder Limited, a three-wheeled bike, on multiday trips to the club’s events. “Buffalo Soldiers events in Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland keep us riding all summer long,” Pitts says. But there’s more than just adventure and camaraderie on the itinerary. Buffalo Soldiers originally rode on horseback as part of the Western Union, escorting and protecting wagon trains and stagecoaches. In keeping with their namesakes’ legacy of public service, Pitts recently made a donation on behalf of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of Pennsylvania to Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital. “Buffalo Soldiers have a mantra – ‘If we can, we will,’” Pitts says. “We’re riding for the cause.”

To learn more about supporting Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, contact [email protected] or visit LVHN.org/lvchildrenshospital.

Teaming Up for Carson’s Cause Carson Kaye was just 4 months old when he died of a rare congenital heart defect. “I was devastated, but I wanted to do something to help other children,” says Erik Kaye, Carson’s dad. Enter the Carson Kaye Foundation, which holds an annual benefit hockey tournament in Bethlehem in Carson’s honor. Starting this year, the Foundation has pledged $100,000 to be raised from tournament proceeds over the next five years and donated to the children’s play area at the Children’s Cancer and Multipurpose Infusion Center, part of Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital. “The bulk of the donation money comes from people who love playing hockey and want to do it for a good cause,” says Erik, a self-described “hockey nut” who joined a league when he moved to the area nearly six years ago. But corporate sponsors, such as Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem, where the event is held, and the rink’s restaurant, Steel Pub, play a big part in making the event a success, too. Hats off to the organizers and participants who score for the kids of our community!

To learn more about Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, visit LVHN.org/lvchildrenshospital, and mark your calendar for the spring 2018 Carson Kaye Memorial Tournament, tentatively scheduled for the third week of May.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Teaching Future Physicians

to Be Healers and Leaders SELECT program promotes professional development and emotional intelligence

Medicine is both an art and a science. To meet the changing health needs of society, it’s also a profession that can benefit from effective leadership. Created by the partnership of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa in 2009, the SELECT program supplements a medical student’s education with professional-development coaching and additional curricula in leadership, values-based patient-centered care and health systems. During the four-year program, each of the 50 students selected annually spend two years at USF and two years at LVHN. During that time, they’re paired with faculty coaches from both campuses. “In medicine, there’s a need for leadership skills in the patient room, the boardroom, the classroom and the operating room,” says Robert Barraco, MD, PhD, Chief Academic Officer for LVHN and Associate Dean for the SELECT program. However, leadership hasn’t traditionally been taught in medical school. The SELECT program is aiming to change that.

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Students learn about health policy and insurance plans so that they are well versed in the modern health care environment. However, the core of the program is its foundation in emotional intelligence competencies, says Margaret Hadinger, EdD, MS, Director of Medical Education at LVHN. With the guidance of their faculty coaches, students learn subtle leadership skills, such as how to manage crucial conversations with colleagues and patients and how to motivate patients to follow their treatment plan. Students pay to participate in the program, which doesn’t receive government funding. But your pledge can help defray the costs. “Making a donation can help more people get a quality medical education without going so far in debt,” says Hap Wagner, who created the Marcia and Hap Wagner Endowment Fund for Medical Education for that purpose. “The SELECT program is a very worthwhile cause.”

Learn more

about the USF SELECT program at LVHN.org/select and contact [email protected] to discuss opportunities to support the program.

USF SELECT students are supported in part through Endowment Funds created by LVHN donors.

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How Your Giving

Makes a Difference Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Annual Fund provides resources where they are needed most A dollar here, a dollar there – do small donations really matter? It might seem like writing a check for $5 – or even $500 – is just a drop in the bucket. But those smaller gifts add up to make a huge difference for our patients and community. They’re all part of what Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) calls the “Annual Fund.”

WHAT IS THE ANNUAL FUND? It’s almost easier to describe what it’s not. The Annual Fund doesn’t include major gifts, such as million-dollar donations to fund a new hospital wing. Instead, it includes every single smaller donation, from $1 all the way up to $10,000. Those funds come from a number of sources – direct-mail and email campaigns, The Leonard Pool Society, United Way contributions, third-party fundraisers and more. Together, they support a long list of essential programs

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that have a profound impact on our patients and community, including those most in need. “LVHN relies on each and every gift to help us remain on the leading edge of medical advances and provide quality care to the communities that we serve,” says Amy Burrows, Annual Fund Officer. “When you give to the Annual Fund, you can be confident that your gift will be used to make sure that the programs most vital to our community are fully funded.”

WHY GIVE TO THE ANNUAL FUND? When you contribute to the Annual Fund, you’re supporting LVHN’s core mission – to heal, comfort and care for people in our community. Through restricted donations (those collected to fund a specific program) and unrestricted donations (those used to meet pressing or unexpected needs), Annual Fund dollars support important care and services that LVHN otherwise would not be able to provide.

In the past year, unrestricted giving to the Annual Fund helped support: • Capnography for postoperative patients (this is a machine that monitors the concentration or partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the respiratory gases) • A new cardiac catheterization (cath) lab • A new da Vinci robot for surgery • Labor and Delivery anesthesia machines • An infant security system for the new Labor and Delivery Unit at the Family Health Pavilion at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg • A mobile stroke unit, which is a specialty ambulance equipped with stroke treatments and specially educated crew members – the first one in Pennsylvania and one of only 11 others across the country These initiatives – and many others – are made possible in part thanks to the

support of Annual Fund donors. “There’s sometimes a misconception that fundraising for an organization like LVHN is all about large donations, but that’s not the case,” says Jennifer McGorry, Annual Fund Officer. “A gift of five dollars may not seem like a lot, but if thousands of people donate five dollars, think of what that money can do. It becomes a pool of resources we use to create new programs, purchase large equipment, and directly help our patients and community.”

MAKE A DIFFERENCE Don’t think small contributions will matter? To LVHN patients and thousands of people across the Lehigh Valley, Annual Fund donations have a major impact. It’s not just the big dollars that make a difference – all donations play a vital part in supporting the care for the community provided by LVHN.

Last year, community members chose LVHN as the recipient of their United Way support. Thanks to their generosity, more than $42,000 was pledged to support pediatric programs, hospice care, dementia and Alzheimer’s programs, our Reach Out and Read children’s program, and affordable temporary housing for people with family at the hospital.

Through direct mail, we raised more than $84,000 last year from hundreds of donors to support veterans’ health, hospice services, Street Medicine and areas of greatest need (General Fund).

LVHN employees see the value in giving back to organizations that make a difference for members of our communities. As such, last year, LVHN colleagues

contributed more than $259,000 through the United Way giving campaign.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Societies

Help Address Pressing Needs Many people in our community hold their own fundraisers – golf, 5K races, toy drives and others – to support LVHN’s mission. Last year, those events raised more than $250,000 to support breast cancer education, adolescent behavioral health services, support for amputees, our AIDS Activities Office and much more.

Learn more

about how you can support LVHN and our community, visit give.LVHN.org/annualfund.

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GENEROSITY 2017 | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

Among the biggest contributors to the Annual Fund are The Lukens Loyalty Society and The Leonard Pool Society As the name suggests, The Lukens Loyalty Society honors our most loyal donors – those who have supported LVHN every year for at least five consecutive years, regardless of donation amount. Collectively, the more than 600 individual and organization members contribute tens of thousands of dollars each year. In addition to donating funds, members also donate their time and talents – for example, knitting more than 6,000 hats given to our new babies. Since 1997, members of the The Leonard Pool Society have contributed more than $3.25 million through an annual gift of $1,000 or more to its fund. At the group’s annual meeting, members vote to determine how their aggregate membership dollars will be spent. The pooled resources enable The Leonard Pool Society to make significant gifts that have the greatest impact for LVHN and the community. In fiscal year 2017, members contributed more than $275,000 to support: • Rehabilitation programs – Pediatric Hearing Aid Program and Vision Therapy Program • Community programs – LVHN at Home Program • Veteran health programs, including personal care emergency kits and support groups • Cancer education, research and program development • Miles of Smiles mobile dental clinic • GlitterBug hand-washing program, which travels to elementary schools to teach kids how to properly wash their hands • No One Dies Alone Program, a program to ensure that terminally ill patients are never alone at end of life

Consistent

Giving

Supporting a Haven for Traveling Caregivers Linda Mencarini was one of the first guests at the Hackerman-Patz family lodging house the week it opened on the campus of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in 2011. She had traveled from Maryland to care for a cousin who was undergoing surgery, and the house was a convenient and affordable home away from home. She remembers the warm welcome she received from the staff. “Everyone I encountered was so nice and helpful,” she says. “They really made it easier to help me keep my focus on my cousin.” Mencarini realized that the house could use some financial support in providing for the incidentals that would make guests’ stays a little more comfortable. “I immediately pulled out $100 for their petty cash fund,” she says. “That was my first contribution.” Ever since, she has donated $100 a month via automatic payment deduction. “I know that 100 percent of the funds go toward this place that helped me so much during a difficult time and serves such an important purpose,” she says. “It’s a wonderful way to honor my cousin and one of the best uses of my money.”

Bringing Care to the

Streets

As a home hospice nurse, Gabby Neske, RN, knows firsthand how important it is to treat her patients “with compassion and care, and meet them where they are,” says the Hellertown resident. So when Neske learned about Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Street Medicine Program that delivers primary and urgent care to people who are homeless in the Lehigh Valley, she knew she wanted to contribute. Neske and a group of other like-minded people donated blankets, tarps and sleeping bags. But she wanted to do more. For nearly two years, Neske has supported the Street Medicine Program with an automatic monthly contribution. “I know money can make a difference and that no amount is too small,” Neske says. She gives to the Street Medicine Program, but it also gives back to her. The program means so much to her that she saves every thank-you letter she receives from the program in a shoe box. “It’s a donation I will continue to make for the Street Medicine Program for as long as I live because being able to get basic health care is so important,” Neske says.

Learn more about the Street Medicine Program at LVHN.org/streetmedicine and contact [email protected] to learn how you can help.

To learn more about the Hackerman-Patz House, visit LVHN.org/familylodge and contact [email protected] to set up your automatic payment deduction to support a program that means the most to you.

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Fundraising Events Nite Lites On Sept. 23, 2017, attendees of the 23rd Annual Nite Lites gala reminisced about their childhoods and enjoyed a “Color Outside the Lines” theme. Guests danced the night away, indulged in their favorite childhood foods and played games including Skee-Ball! The highly anticipated premier black-tie event raised more than $1.2 million to benefit Lehigh Valley Health Network. Save the date for next year’s event: Sept. 29, 2018.

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GENEROSITY 2017 | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

Save the

Dates!

Golf and Tennis

Classic

The 25th Annual Golf and Tennis Classic was held on May 15, 2017, at Saucon Valley Country Club, a venue that has hosted six United States Golf Association national championship tournaments. In addition to enjoying a world-class golf and tennis venue, participants came together to raise more than $380,000 to benefit patient care services at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Lukens Loyalty Society BBQ | June 6, 2018

Save the date for next year’s event: May 21, 2018.

1899 Society Dinner | May 10, 2018

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK | LVHN.ORG/GIVING

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Making a bequest to Lehigh Valley Health Network is an investment in our community’s future health.

Learn more:

Contact Debra Khateeb, Major Gift and Planned Giving Officer, at 484-884-8731 or [email protected].