Barrow #2-2006 - Dignity Health

A magazine for the friends of Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
BARROW ‘JEWEL’
New facility opens
to rave reviews
Pushing Boundaries
Benefactors make
tower possible
20TH ANNIVERSARY
Center for Transitional Rehabilitation
celebrates milestone
•
Volume 18, Issue 2, 2006
Opening thoughts
he new Barrow Neuroscience Tower is truly a marvel of technology, efficiency,
and comfort. Finally, we have the kind of facility our patients deserve-—a facility
that is conducive to the cutting-edge and respectful care we strive to deliver every
day at Barrow Neurological Institute.
“Thank you” does not begin to express our appreciation to the more than 300 benefactors who made the new tower possible by contributing to the Pushing Boundaries
Capital Campaign. Thanks to your generosity, Barrow can continue to serve the
increasing numbers of patients who come here from throughout the world. The
Barrow Neuroscience Tower is equipped with the latest technology, ensuring safety
and high-quality care for our patients. And, the tower’s spacious and private patient
rooms support our mission of providing family-centered care.
As a surgeon, I am particularly pleased with the new Neurosurgery Department. As you will read in
the article beginning on page 7, our new department offers technology found in very few centers anywhere in the world. In fact, our intraoperative 3T MRI is the first of its kind in the country, and our “super
cool” room can be chilled to 55 degrees in just three minutes—an invaluable feature for certain complex
surgeries we perform here.
This issue of Barrow takes you into the world of the Center for Transitional NeuroRehabilitation, celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. The CTN’s work in helping people devastated by brain injuries
return to productive lives is truly remarkable. Also in this issue are articles about several patients—a
young man who suffered a brain injury in a schoolyard incident, a woman who was sidelined by normal
pressure hydrocephalus, and a teenager I treated 14 years ago. How wonderful it was to see that young
man this summer!
You’ll also learn how Barrow’s friends are helping the institute’s work—by participating in the Health
& Wealth Raffle, by sponsoring fundraising events like Celebrity Fight Night and Lou Grubb Friends Fore
Golf, and by investing in our future through planned giving.
It takes a community to build a medical center like Barrow Neurological Institute. Thank you for being
part of our community.
T
Sincerely,
Robert F. Spetzler, MD
Director, Barrow Neurological Institute
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey H. Edmunds’ last name
was incorrectly spelled in the last issue of Barrow.
We apologize for this error.
B
A
V O L U M E
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1 8 ,
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2 0 0 6
2: The future of medicine New tower’s technology,
amenities reflect Barrow’s focus on quality.
4: Pushing Boundaries Thanks to all who contributed
to our beautiful new building!
7: In a league of its own New Neurosurgery
Department offers unparalleled features.
10: Rebuilding an interrupted life The Center for
Transitional NeuroRehabilitation celebrates 20 years of
helping individuals recover from brain injuries.
14: Questions without answers Neuropsychology
helps children and families after brain injury.
16: Sweet recovery Carol Sweet is back at work after
a scary encounter with normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Contents
19: Imagine that Barrow doctors hope to speed up
medical-film delivery with the Dicom Grid.
22: ‘What I did for my summer vacation’ Kansas
teen chooses Barrow for family trip.
26: Why we give Charitable remainder trust honors
beloved brother and makes financial sense for couple.
26: Doc rocks the house Neurosurgeon’s band,
Crosstown Traffic, plays for charity.
28: Big winnings from the Health & Wealth Raffle
32: What’s happening around Barrow
Catherine Menor
Editor/Writer
Catherine.Menor@chw.edu
Sally Clasen, Debra Gelbart,
Sarah Padilla
Contributing Writers
Robert F. Spetzler, MD
Director
Barrow Neurological Institute®
Justin Detwiler
Art Director/Designer
Scott Baxter, Jeff Noble,
Jackie Mercandetti
Photography
Mary Jane Crist, CFRE
CEO, Barrow Neurological Foundation
Steve Woods Printing
• How to Reach Us •
Barrow is published twice a year. We welcome your comments, suggestions and requests to be added to or deleted from our mailing list. Call
602-406-1041 or send mail to Barrow, Office of Philanthropy, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix,
AZ, 85013. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number in all correspondence. Visit us online at www.StJosephs-Phx.com
and www.PushingBoundaries.org.
N E U R O S C I E N C E
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N E U R O S C I E N C E
T O W E R
the future of medicine
New tower’s technology, amenities
reflect Barrow’s focus on quality
sk nurses, doctors and administrators what they • Two new MRIs (in addition to the intraoperative
think of the new Barrow Neuroscience Tower,
MRI), including another 3-Tesla unit.
and the word you’ll hear most often is “more.”
• A spacious 26-bed Pre-Operative Unit and 44-bed
As in more space, more privacy, more technology,
Post-Anesthesia Unit for patient care before and
more comfort.
after surgery.
“I think it will more than meet our patients’
needs,” says St. Joseph’s President Linda Hunt. “A • Special amenities to encourage patient and family
comfort and healing, including family areas and
gentleman tapped me on the shoulder the other day
and said, ‘You know, I’ve stayed in fourstar hotels that aren’t this nice.’”
“The funds raised by the Pushing Boundaries
Many of the extras that set the new
Capital Campaign allowed us to add many of
building apart were possible because of
donors, says Linda. “The funds raised by the features that make this building so special
the Pushing Boundaries Capital Campaign for physicians, nurses and, most important,
allowed us to add many of the features
patients and their families.”
that make this building so special for
physicians, nurses and, most important, Linda Hunt
patients and their families.”
private baths in all patient rooms; a garden; a medWith the addition of the tower’s 144 beds, St.
itation and prayer room; a family education and
Joseph’s is the largest hospital in Arizona. It may also
business center; and several other themed waiting
be the home of the premier neuroscience center in the
rooms.
country. Consider the new tower’s state-of-the-art features:
“It’s incredible to have a building this size, with
• The country’s only intraoperative 3-Tesla magnetic
this many surgical suites and this many patient beds
resonance imaging (MRI) unit in a hospital. The
dedicated to neuroscience care,” says Robert Spetzler,
intraoperative MRI gives Barrow neurosurgeons
MD, director of Barrow. “The size of this facility, comsuperb images of the brain while the patient is still
bined with the state-of-the-art infrastructure and techin surgery.
nology, will allow us to care for more patients with
• Eleven state-of-the-art surgical suites dedicated to more efficiency and more comfort.
“This is a jewel for the residents of Arizona and for
neurosurgery and equipped with MedPresence
video-conferencing capability for just-like-being- the thousands of patients who will be treated here
every year. Our staff, physicians, donors and supportthere educational opportunities.
ers can all take pride in the role they’ve played in cre• A “super-cool” neurosurgery suite that can be cooled
ating this very special place.” ■
to 55 degrees in three minutes for the most challenging brain surgeries.
A
• Sixty-four all-private neuro ICU rooms for Barrow’s
most critically ill patients.
• Eighty all-private patient rooms in units designed
for specific medical problems.
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pushing boundaries
Thanks to all who contributed to this beautiful building!
A view of the Doris and John Norton
Healing Garden, the Ed Robson Family
North Pavilion and the Julie A. Wrigley
West Pavilion.
Julie Wrigley and Michelle Robson co-chaired
the Pushing Boundaries Capital Campaign.
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B A R R O W
ore than 300 people contributed to
the Pushing Boundaries Capital
Campaign. The millions raised by
this volunteer campaign went toward the
new Barrow Neuroscience Tower and other
important renovation projects on the St.
Joseph’s campus. Below we recognize those
benefactors whose major gift is recognized in
a particular area of the campus. Thank you!
M
Note: With renovations continuing throughout the campus, other naming
opportunities are available. Please call Barrow Neurological Foundation at 602406-3041 for more information.
N E U R O S C I E N C E
Volker and Lynne Sonntag Neuro ICU room
T O W E R
Debra and Bruce Downey
Neuro -Rehab Center
Del E. Webb Emergency &
Trauma Center
Doris and John Norton
Healing Garden
Eaton Family Meditation Room
Ed Robson Family North Pavilion
Ervanian Pathology Laboratory
Fair and Steven Radom Family
Waiting Room
Fern McKenzie and Render
Crayton Waiting Room
Annette & Harold Noren
Stroke Unit
APS Heliport
The Founders Foyer and Gallery
Colangelo Family Children’s Playroom
Barrow Neurosurgical Associates
Neurosurgery Unit
Barrow Women’s Board Fountain
Barrow Women’s Board
Waiting Room
Barrow Neuro-Rehab
“Brent’s Gym”
Bruce T. Halle Family Foundation
Surgeons’ Lounge
Colangelo Family
Children’s Playroom
Debi and Jerry Bisgrove/
The Stardust Foundation
Admitting Lobby
Gaskin Family Endovascular
Neurosurgery Suite
John and Doris Norton
Teddy Bear Lobby
Julie A. Wrigley West Pavilion
Kitchell Contractors
Education Room
Marguerite Clark Hobbs
Aneurysm Research Laboratory
Marley Family Neuro ICU Floor
Eaton Family Meditation Room
The Mike Ingram Family/
El Dorado Holdings
Visitors Lounge
Milloy Family Sanctuary
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N E U R O S C I E N C E
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Nancy and Robert Spetzler
Club Waiting Room
O’Gara Spine Unit
Nurse’s charting alcove in Neuro ICU.
Paul Keller Imaging Center
Scott and Laura Eller
Congenital Heart Center
Sister Mary Roqueta Chapel
Snow and Olen Dyer
Neuro Acute Care Floor
SRP Emergency Suite
Stevie and Karl Eller
Operating Suites
US Airways Satellite Pharmacy
Barrow Women’s Board Waiting Room
“The patient rooms are
all private and they're
much more spacious
than our previous
department. Each
room has a family area,
including a couch, so
the rooms are very
family friendly.”
Amanda Oliver, CNRN, BSN,
clinical manager, Neuro
Telemetry
Virginia G. Piper NyICU
Volker and Lynne Sonntag
Neuro ICU
Weil Family MRI Suite
Wells Fargo Waiting Room
Yvette Ward Bryant
Residents’ Education Room
Barrow Neurological Associates Neurosurgical Unit
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N E U R O S C I E N C E
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in a league of its own
Neurosurgery Department offers unparalleled features
by Sarah Padilla
“We're thrilled with the
move into this beautiful
new facility. I've been at
Barrow for 16 years.
Finally, the look of our
building matches
Barrow's reputation in
the community and
around the world.”
Terry Maxwell, RN, BSN, manager
of Neurosurgery Dept
hen you’re standing at the nurses station of Barrow’s new
Neurosurgery Department, it’s easy to see why the staff was so
eager to make the move into the spacious unit. The previous
cramped nurses station and narrow, crowded hallways have been
replaced with wide, pristine walkways, ample storage space, new
offices and a conference room.
What the view from the nurses station doesn’t offer, though, is a
glimpse into the 11 most technologically-advanced neurosurgical operating suites in the world. Aside from a significant increase in space—the
suites range in size from 650 to 750 square feet, about twice as large as
the previous rooms—the operating suites boast several surgical firsts, especially in terms of informatics and imaging capabilities.
“Our new neurosurgical operating rooms provide the best facilities
for performing delicate operations found anywhere in the world,” says
Robert Spetzler, MD, director of Barrow. “I consider our new Barrow
Neuroscience Tower to be the Taj Mahal of neurological institutions.”
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Giant plasma screens in each surgical suite can display what the neurosurgeon sees under the operating microscope.
All of the operating rooms share some impressive
features. For example, all of the monitors and all of the
surgical and anesthesia equipment are stored on booms,
storage devices that are suspended from the ceiling.
The cords and wires run through the booms, eliminating
the need to have anything on the floor and creating a
safer, cleaner environment.
Another feature that boosts efficiency: every room
feeds into one of two employee-designed sterile core
areas where supplies are kept for easy access. One
area accommodates supplies for craniotomies, while
the other stores supplies for spine cases.
A 15-panel screen sits behind the nurses station, giving staff a bird’s-eye view of what’s happening in
each surgery suite. Another large screen includes
patient information for each case, including who is
working on the case and any special notes. The computerized system is a far cry from the old unit’s magnetic and dry-erase marker white boards.
Improved safety and efficiency
Because Dr. Spetzler has helped pioneer the cardiac
standstill, performing more of the complex procedure
than anyone else in the world, one suite is equipped
with a powerful refrigeration unit that can cool the room
to 55 degrees in just three minutes. Another suite, still
under construction, will offer radio frequency (RF)
shielding for cases involving deep-brain stimulation.
A “super-cool” room
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Barrow is the first surgical facility in Arizona to use
the most up-to-date Zeiss operating microscopes with
built-in diagnostic capabilities. The newer microscopes
are capable of not only seeing what’s in the surgical
field, but also of integrating information and data
from other sources into the view screen. Every room
also offers Medtronic image-guidance capability.
At least two giant plasma screens hang on the walls
of every surgery suite. The screens can display virtually any type of medical imaging, ranging from the current view under the microscope to a patient’s previous MR scan to a real-time image from another suite.
Two suites are each outfitted with three plasma
screens, taking the real-time concept to another level.
These rooms are part of Barrow’s revolutionary MedPresence system, a $1.1-million video-conferencing
system that provides an unsurpassed view of a Barrow operating room from the comfort of leather chairs
in a conference room on the other side of campus.
Observers, who may include neurosurgery residents,
visiting neurosurgeons or business executives touring
the facility, can watch live audio and video from a
surgery suite and can even converse with the staff. From
a teaching standpoint especially, this technology is
revolutionary.
“Our mission is to raise the bar of knowledge in the
neurosciences, and MedPresence is one way we can
MedPresence capability
N E U R O S C I E N C E
T O W E R
Above, an intraoperative 3T MRI is located between two surgery suites,
allowing neurosurgeons to check their work before the end of an operation. Lower left, a 15-panel screen allows staff at the nurses station to
keep track of what’s happening in every surgery suite.
share the expertise and talents of our staff,” says Phil
Pomeroy, vice president of Neurosciences. “We’re
truly taking neurosurgery to another level.”
Ultimately, Barrow hopes to expand on MedPresence by helping other medical centers around the
world incorporate the technology. Already, Barrow
has a portable unit that can be shipped to another site
and linked via the Internet to the institute.
Another educational tool enables the staff to record
surgical procedures through microscopes. The recorded information can then be used for educational purposes, whether for surgeons in training or for a consultation with a colleague. The technology is
incorporated into the hospital’s IT system, allowing
physicians to share images via computers in their
offices.
“The ability to use this shared expertise not only
facilitates better care for the patient but also more efficient care,” says Phil.
World’s first intraoperative
3 Tesla MRI
Modern neurosurgery is dependent on diagnostic
imaging technology, and the new department offers
some of the most advanced devices available, including the first intraoperative 3 Tesla (3T) MRI scanner in
the world. The scanner sits in a room adjacent to two
suites and can be used even in the middle of surgery
to get the most accurate, up-to-date images possible.
The powerful magnet can provide views of tissue at
a cellular level and even has the ability to view the vasculature of the brain.
The scanner includes specialized gurneys that allow
patients to be transferred seamlessly from the operating table to the powerful MRI unit mid-surgery, even
while still hooked up to anesthesia equipment. Thus,
surgeons can check to see that they have removed as
much of a tumor as possible, for example, while the
patient is still in surgery.
Another piece of imaging technology that is currently on trial in the OR is a portable perioperative CT
device. The device can be moved into a patient room
immediately prior to or following surgery, as opposed
to having to take a patient to a separate radiology
unit. Similarly, an Iso-C 3D scanner, which has been
in use at Barrow for close to a year, is a C-shaped
device that provides three-dimensional images during
spinal surgery.
Barrow has always been known for advanced
patient care and state-of-the-art technology, but the new
facility has propelled the institute into a league of its
own. And everyone, patients and staff alike, will benefit.
“This technology not only gives us—and our
patients—an added measure of assurance, but it will
continue to open doors for even better approaches,”
says Phil. “Our surgeons now have the best possible
opportunities to deliver the best possible outcomes. ■
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T R A N S I T I O N A L
N E U R O R E H A B I L I A T I O N
Bethany Hopely works on her balance with the help of physical therapist Lori Brickner.
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T R A N S I T I O N A L
N E U R O R E H A B I L I A T I O N
rebuilding an interrupted life
The Center for Transitional NeuroRehabilitation celebrates
20 years of helping individuals recover from brain injuries
by Sally J. Clasen
hen Kim Lundquist woke from a two-day coma caused by a cardiac arrest two years ago, her short-term memory had vanished.
The 30-year-old could not remember the birth of her second
daughter six months earlier or being pregnant. The cardiac event had
starved her brain of oxygen for 30 minutes, which led to an anoxic
injury. Since last summer, Kim has worked on rebuilding her life as a
participant at the Center for Transitional NeuroRehabilitation (CTN) at
Barrow Neurological Institute.
In 2006, the CTN celebrates 20 years of helping people like Kim learn
to understand, accept and realistically adapt to the significant effects of
an aneurysm, stroke, traumatic brain injury, tumor, seizure, infection or
other neurological injury.
“The program has really expanded in terms of breadth and depth,”
says Pam Klonoff, PhD, clinical director of the CTN since 1993. Dr.
Klonoff helped launch the rehab program with founder and then director George Prigatano, PhD, in 1986.
Dr. Klonoff notes that one of the biggest changes in the program has
been an increase in the number of participants treated. “We have gone
from five to 25 patients per year in the last 20 years with more and different types of neurological problems.” The program has also greatly
expanded in the specialization of services provided by a complement of
multidisciplinary team members.
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Those with brain injury experience a range of difficulties—walking,
thinking, memory loss and personality changes—that makes performing daily activities and going to work and school a challenge.
Kim, who worked at a mortgage company before her injury, has dealt
with the gamut of neurological effects, including job loss, anger, shortterm-memory loss, weight gain and mood swings.
“At first I wasn’t quite clicking. I spent a lot of time sleeping,” she says
of the first year and a half following her injury. She says she received fragmented treatment before attending the CTN.
Holistic approach to traumatic brain injury
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T R A N S I T I O N A L
N E U R O R E H A B I L I A T I O N
Above, Pam Klonhoff, PhD, CTN clinical director, meets
with patient Kim Lundquist, right. Dr. Klonhoff receives
research funding from Barrow Neurological Foundation.
At the CTN, older adolescents and adults learn to
regain function through two main programs: the Home
Independence Program and the Work/School ReEntry Program. A monthly after-care support group for
patient graduates is also available. Participants attend
both group and individual sessions at the CTN four
to five days per week, seven to eight hours per day.
Seventeen different group therapies are available
to help patients integrate successfully into the home,
community, school and work. The average length of
stay is approximately six months, but individuals
attending both programs may spend up to one year
in the milieu treatment environment.
CTN treatment takes place in the milieu, a therapeutic community that includes neuropsychologists;
speech/language pathologists; physical, occupational and recreation therapists; a neurorehabilitation aide;
vocational counselor; psychiatrist; and dietitian.
Treatment addresses all aspects of recovery, including physical, language, cognitive, interpersonal, emotional and spiritual care. The over-arching, holistic
approach, says Dr. Klonoff, a neuropsychologist, maximizes recovery and maintains gains so participants
remain productive long term at work and school.
“Without rehabilitation, the stresses and demands
become overwhelming to individuals with brain
injuries and their loved ones,” Dr. Klonoff says.
While the atmosphere in the CTN is positive and
upbeat, sessions are intense and structured. A major
goal is to help participants understand and accept
their strengths and limitations so they can transition
successfully back into work, school and relationships.
Accepting strengths, limitations
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B A R R O W
Participants learn to compensate for deficits through
re-training of old activities or introduction to new
ones, and work on skills to increase problem-solving
skills and reasoning. To regain memory function and
organize thoughts, participants rely on a date book, a
systematic way to remember appointments, assignments and other daily details. In addition, they attend
educational classes, including a micro-course in neuroanatomy that helps them understand why they
behave and think the
way they do.
“Without rehabilitation,
During a CTN session, Brian Padilla, the stresses and
who fell from a golf demands become
cart and hit his head
overwhelming to indilast October, works
on a word-retrieval viduals with brain
game but struggles to injuries and their loved
spell “quack.”
ones.”
“Words are up
there but scattered on Pam Klonhoff, PhD
the floor,” he says.
Brian also has difficulty talking, reading and writing, but he hasn’t lost
his sense of humor. “I don’t think I ever knew how to
spell that word, even before the accident,” he quips to
his therapist.
The 25-year-old, a revenue and reservations manger
at the Valley Ho in Scottsdale prior to the accident, also
hasn’t lost his career focus. “I want to get back to work
ASAP and work my way up through the company.”
Bethany Hopely, age 20, sits in a wheelchair, her
hands tensed and her speech impaired from a car accident. But her smile and spirit are unchanged. She is
T R A N S I T I O N A L
N E U R O R E H A B I L I A T I O N
CTN’s 20th
Anniversary
Celebration
Speech/language pathologists work with CTN patients on cognitive retraining.
working with therapists to incorporate her weaknesses
into functional leisure activities, which in her case
include a pre-injury interest-—scrapbooking.
The CTN staff members also place a great emphasis on helping participants manage the frustrations
and disappointments of brain injury, as some are
unable to return to pre-injury careers and interests, and
set realistic goals for the future.
“Often times, individuals with brain injuries get in
over their heads and won’t understand the complexity of their injury. They may not realize the behavioral,
emotional and cognitive changes,” Dr. Klonoff says.
“We help them find balance, meaning and a different
kind of quality of life.”
Since brain injury creates a tremendous amount of
stress in interpersonal relationships, the CTN offers the
patients’ relatives help, too, through a weekly educational and support group, opportunities to observe therapies, and family therapy sessions. At these sessions,
family members gain an understanding of their loved
one’s injury and learn how to manage better at home.
Kim, for example, didn’t exhibit any physical signs
of a brain injury, which at first led to confusion and misunderstanding about the nature and extent of her
injury among family members—until they participated in therapy.
“I used to be a peppy, energetic superwoman with
a positive outlook, but I became very depressed and
didn’t quite know what was happening with me,”
Kim says. “I just wasn’t myself.”
Many CTN participants find the real test of living
with brain injury begins after discharge. A CTN grad-
Helping loved ones understand
The Center for Transitional
NeuroRehabilitation is celebrating 20 years of helping
people rebuild their lives after
life-changing brain injuries. A
20th anniversary celebration—
co-chaired by CTN graduate
Susan Goldstein and Dr. Lauren Dawson—will begin at 7
p.m. Saturday, October 14, at
The Caleo Resort in Scottsdale.
For tickets to the event or to
learn how you can support the
CTN’s mission, call 602-9961396. Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Kaplin are the presenting sponsors of the event.
uate, Angela, age 54, gave
current members a reality
check about living with
brain injury during a milieu
meeting in December.
“It’s frightening but brain injury stays with you forever,” she said. “I know I’m not the same person I was
before my aneurysm in 2001. I had to admit I was different. I rely on my awareness and the tools the center taught me to deal with my injury. Now I know there
is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kim admits she is anxious about leaving the CTN
“security blanket” but realizes that embracing her circumstances—and new demeanor—is essential to recovery. She continues to confront memory loss and sees
Dr. Klonoff once a week to deal with other lingering
issues. But she has gone back to part-time work at
her old job and is hopeful about the future.
“It’s been a long road. Dr. Klonoff is helping me to
not dwell on what was and accept the consequences
of my injury. I cannot express how fantastic the CTN
program is and how dedicated and caring the staff is
in helping individuals recover. If I didn’t have their support, who knows where I would be today.” ■
A long road
Center for Transitional
NeuroRehabilitation
To learn more about the CTN, call (602) 406-3473. To learn
how you can support its vital work, call Barrow
Neurological Foundation at 6002-406-3041.
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questions without answers
Neuropsychology helps children
and families after brain injury
by Sarah Padilla
he conditions they face are as varied
as their walks of life, but parents of children with brain injuries have at least
one thing in common—a list of questions
that don’t have answers.
Neuropsychologist George Prigatano,
PhD, has heard them all. When will my
child be back to normal? Why do some children
improve faster than others? How much of my
child’s behavior is a result of the injury?
While he can rarely give definitive
answers to these questions, there is one
thing Dr. Prigatano knows for sure—there
is a void when it comes to helping children
and their families after a brain injury. “A
major distress for parents is not knowing
where their child may be in the future,” he
says.
Davie Lessig, of Surprise, can relate.
After her son Michael, then 9, suffered a
brain injury from being pushed down at
school three years ago, he developed memory problems and academic and social challenges. While Dr. Prigatano
has helped the family understand and work with Michael’s condition,
they still don’t know how much cognitive ability Michael will regain.
“It’s an ongoing frustration for all of us,” says Davie.
T
George Prigatano, PhD, holds the
Newsome Neuropsychology Chair. His
research into traumatic brain injury
receives funding from Barrow
Neurological Foundation.
Since 1985, Barrow’s Department of Clinical Neuropsychology—a specialty that deals with the relationship between the brain and behavior—
has worked with more than 13,500 patients to facilitate recovery from brain
disorders such as traumatic brain injury and stroke. Children, who on
one hand are more resilient, pose certain challenges. “We know less
about how injuries affect the developing brain than we do about how they
affect the adult brain,” says Dr. Prigatano.
In an attempt to better understand how to assess and rehabilitate children after various forms of brain injury, Dr. Prigatano has initiated several projects.
The first project developed a new screening test for children with brain
injuries. The BNI Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions in School-Age Children (BNIS-C) was modified from Barrow’s adult version. The test,
which resembles a deck of flash cards, determines cerebral deficits in children by sampling memory, concentration, and language and problemsolving skills. It has proven useful in providing accurate assessments of
a child’s cognitive ability. The test is being translated into Danish and
Finnish, and several scientific papers are in the process of being published.
How injury affects a child’s brain
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N E U R O P S Y C H O L O G Y
“We know less about how injuries affect the
developing brain than we do about how
they affect the adult brain.”
George Prigatano, PhD
Social and cognitive
problems
More recently, Dr. Prigatano completed a three-year Arizona Department of
Health Services study on parental perceptions of a child’s recovery and social
integration following traumatic brain
injury. The study found that there is a
reduction in friendships as the severity of
the injury increases. How to help a child
obtain and maintain friendships has
become a major focus at Barrow.
Dr. Prigatano is also involved in ongoing research into why some children make
a good recovery after brain injury and
others do not. By evaluating patients who
have come to Barrow for treatment for
hypothalamic hamartomas (HH) and comparing their neuropsychological test results
with neuroimaging findings, a multidisciplinary physician team has uncovered
evidence that damage to the hypothalamus
may hinder a child’s ability to retain new information
and may affect their emotional responses. This marks
the first time the hypothalamus has been linked to cognitive function.
Maddie Smith, 11, came to Barrow from Indiana in
2004 for HH treatment. While she and her family initially worked with Dr. Prigatano as part of the study,
they now travel hundred of miles each year to see
him. Dr. Prigatano has been invaluable in helping the
family and Maddie’s school understand her abilities.
Building a day rehabilitation
center for children
Working with patients like Michael and Maddie has
only reinforced Dr. Prigatano’s determination to establish a day rehabilitation center for children similar to
Barrow’s Center for Transitional Neurorehabilitation.
He has spent more than 10 years laying the groundwork for a program that he believes would help children function better in school, reduce parents’ distress in managing their child, and help educate the
teachers who work with these children.
Michael Lessig with his mother, Davie. Michael suffered a traumatic
brain injury when he was pushed down at school three years ago.
He makes a compelling case, but Dr. Prigatano
acknowledges a major challenge: no one benefits economically from the rehabilitation of children. Obtaining economic support for such a rehabilitation center,
he says, is crucial to meeting the needs of these families in the future.
In the meantime, families affected by brain injury
can be encouraged by the fact that Barrow physicians
consider neuropsychology to be just as important to
a patient’s recovery as other clinical or surgical services. This is unique to Barrow and critical to moving
the field of neuropsychology forward.
“At Barrow, we have such a diverse patient population and so many talented neurologists and neurosurgeons who are eager to work with us. They understand that neuropsychology can offer patients
additional leadership and support,” Dr. Prigatano
says. “Just as in other disciplines, neuropsychology can
only develop if we continue to see patients with symptoms from which we can learn.” ■
B A R R O W
15
N O R M A L
P R E S S U R E
H Y D R O C E P H A LU S
sweet recovery
After scary symptoms put Carol Sweet out of work, she’s back on the job
again—thanks to treatment at Barrow for normal pressure hydrocephalus
by Debra Gelbart
arol Sweet, Gold Canyon, is one of at least
150,000 Americans with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that causes disturbing symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer’s
and other disorders associated with aging. Fortunately, treatment for NPH is usually very effective.
C
16
B A R R O W
N O R M A L
P R E S S U R E
H Y D R O C E P H A LU S
Neurosurgeon Harold Rekate, MD; neurologist Jiong Shi, MD; and neurosurgeon Joseph Zabramski, MD, are conducting research
to improve diagnosis and treatment of normal pressure hydrocephalus.
In November 2005, Carol, 64, suddenly began experiencing problems with her balance, memory and concentration. Her condition worsened, and in January
2006, she took medical leave from her job in the warehouse of Arizona Correctional Industries in Florence.
She knew something was very wrong.
Her primary-care physician referred her to Barrow Neurological Institute, where she underwent a CT
and an MRI scan as part of her evaluation. “I wasn’t
home an hour after the scans when I got a call from the
neurosurgeon saying I had to be admitted to the hospital immediately,” Carol says.
“We could tell from the images that the ventricles
in her brain were very enlarged,” says Barrow neurosurgeon, Joseph Zabramski, MD.
“The ventricles are the fluid-filled spaces in the
brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF),” he
explains. “Enlargement of the ventricles (called hydrocephalus) occurs when the normal flow or absorption
of the CSF is blocked. Complete blockage of the CSF
pathways results in elevated pressures in the brain and
rapid deterioration in neurological function.
“But if the changes occur slowly, as in NPH, the ventricles gradually dilate to accommodate the increased
volume of fluid, and the CSF pressure remains normal.
We didn’t know why Carol’s ventricles were so
enlarged, but we knew we had to help her right away.”
The hallmark symptoms of NPH are memory loss,
problems with balance and walking, and urinary
incontinence, says Jiong Shi, MD, PhD, the medical
director of the NPH Clinic at Barrow. The condition typ-
NPH causes, symptoms
ically strikes people 55 years and older, and because
the symptoms mimic other conditions of advancing age,
“NPH is very under-recognized,” Dr. Shi says. “It’s been
estimated that about five percent of the three million
Americans with dementia have NPH.” Unlike other
causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, NPH
can be successfully treated.
Neurologists, surgeons working
to improve NPH diagnosis, care
Doctors at Barrow, including neurologists, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons,
are conducting clinical research into NPH. Their goal
is to determine whether a multi-pronged approach to
evaluating patients with these symptoms can definitively diagnose NPH and identify which patients with
NPH can benefit from the recommended treatment.
The hallmark sypmtoms of normal
pressure hydrocephalus—memory
loss, problems with balance and
walking, and urinary incontinence—
are sometimes mistaken for signs
of Alzheimer’s disease.
Treatment involves the placement of a programmable
shunt (one-way valve) in the brain to drain excess
CSF and prevent it from building up in the ventricles.
But before treatment occurs, the patient is carefully evaluated. “We take images of the ventricles, and if
NPH is suspected, we perform a memory assessment
B A R R O W
17
N O R M A L
P R E S S U R E
H Y D R O C E P H A LU S
and a walking and balance test before the lumbar
puncture,” says Dr. Shi, the principal investigator for
the research project. “Then we perform a lumbar puncture and repeat the memory and walking assessments
to see if the patient has improved as a result of withdrawing cerebrospinal fluid.”
“A dramatic response to spinal taps means that
most or all of the patient’s problems are related to
NPH and will improve with a shunt,” says Hal Rekate,
MD, a neurosurgeon at Barrow.
Shunt placement can bring instant, remarkable
results. For Carol, the difference was striking. “It was
one of the most dramatic recoveries I’ve ever seen in
a patient,” says Dr. Zabramski. “Within a week of the
shunt placement, her husband was raving about her
improvement.”
The programmability of the shunt means that if an
adjustment is required, the patient won’t have to
undergo another surgery.
A magnet is used to adjust the setting on the shunt
if it becomes necessary, explains Maggie Varland, RN,
the program coordinator. “We’ve only had programmable shunts for about five years,” Maggie says.
“Before then, successful treatment was more challenging.”
“The programmable valve has decreased the complication rate from almost one in three to one in 20,”
Dr. Rekate says.
A dramatic recovery
“I’m feeling much better.
My memory and concentration are back to normal
and my friends say I’ve
never looked better.”
Carol Sweet
The research project at Barrow is important because
doctors want to make sure that a patient who receives
a shunt will truly benefit from it. “There are risks associated with shunt placement,” Maggie says, “such as
possible infection and hemorrhage. We want to make
sure that a shunt is the best option for the patient.”
For Carol, who returned to her job in May, it certainly has been the best choice. “I’m feeling much better,” she says. “My memory and concentration are
back to normal and my friends say I’ve never looked
better.” ■
18
B A R R O W
In normal pressure hydrocephalus
(NPH),excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in
the ventricles of the brain. This causes the
classic symptoms of NPH—memory problems, balance and walking difficulties, and
incontinence. NPH can often be treated with a
shunt placed in the brain to drain excess fluid
from the ventricles. For more information, call
Maggie Varland, RN, NPH program coordinator
at Barrow, at 602-406-7585.
L E T T E R S
Dear Friends:
Our son, Brett Kehrer,
visited Barrow Neurological
Institute in July 2005. All of
our encounters with your
organization—whether it be
surgery related with Dr.
Spetzler, Dr. Little, Dr.
Shedd, Dr. Forseth and a
host of others; public relations related with Carmelle
Malkovich; or Foundation
related with Catherine
Menor—helped us through
a very difficult time. We
can’t ever match the kind
considerations you gave us,
but we hope this token of
our appreciation can help
others.
We Thank All of You and
God Bless You,
Cathy and Allan Kehrer
Malissa Botwin, daughter of James
Botwin, created this card for Barrow
neurosurgeon Nicholas Bambakidis,
MD. The inside of the card reads:
“Thank you for taking care of my
daddy. You are awesome. You saved
my daddy. Now he is better. I thank
you a bunch now. I want to be like you
- a really good doctor.”
LE T T ERS
B A R R O W
19
D I C O M
G R I D
imagine that
Two Barrow doctors hope to speed up delivery
of medical films by inventing the Dicom Grid
by Sally J. Clasen
hat’s the result when you
mix two Barrow neuroradiologists with some caffeine?
One imaginative idea. When
Shahram Partovi, MD, and Roger
Bird, MD, shared a coffee break in
2004, they began discussing the
issues that plagued their field,
specifically the way medical imaging studies are transported.
“What frustrated us,” says Dr.
Partovi, who is also medical director of Medical Informatics for St.
Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, “is that we are in a field that
largely hasn’t changed since the Xray was invented in the 1800s. Films
are still being delivered physically
in many cases.”
At Barrow and St. Joseph’s, Xrays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds
and other images can be sent electronically through private networks
and sophisticated systems, such as
PACS (picture archiving and communication system), but not all
physicians and sites on the receiving end of those films are affiliated
with the medical center or have
authorization to access the records.
Imaging studies then have to be
printed to film or copied to a CD
and still hand delivered, either by
a courier service or by a patient.
“It’s a relatively limited pathway.
Once you get outside the virtual
enterprise, the systems became ineffective,” says Dr. Bird, director of
Neuroradiology at Barrow.
W
To improve upon a centuriesold diagnostic process, the neuroradiologists relied on a modern-day
Radiology reality
20
B A R R O W
invention to create the Dicom Grid,
which they believe is a better, faster
and cheaper way to transmit imaging studies from one location to
another.
“The Dicom Grid is a secured
network of interconnected sites and
offices where medical images can be
moved to the point of care over the
Internet,” Dr. Partovi explains of
the software concept. “It improves
the continuity of care because you’re
not limited to waiting for a packet
of film to arrive. The system routes
the medical imaging studies preemptively and rapidly.”
Physicians register to be members of the Dicom Grid and view
“What frustrated
us is that we are in
a field that largely
hasn’t changed
since the X-ray
was invented in the
1800s. Films are
still being delivered
physically in many
cases.”
Shahram Partovi, MD
images for free. Imaging centers
pay a standard monthly fee, plus a
transaction fee for each image transmission. No new equipment is necessary for the physicians to use the
technology. Drs. Partovi and Bird
satisfied federal HIPAA privacy
regulations, which prohibit sending
patients’ personal medical data
across the Internet, by separating the
information from the image while
en transit, making it anonymous
and impossible to copy to a hard
drive.
“After the image is transmitted,”
Dr. Partovi explains, “the physician
must use a secret ‘key’ in exchange
for a patient’s information.”
D I C O M
Dr. Partovi says in less than the
time it takes you to get dressed after
having an MRI, your medical image
can be delivered to your doctor for
evaluation. The impact of such technology in improving patient care
is tremendous for all areas of medicine, but particularly in identifying
and treating neurology complications.
“Imaging is the number-one
diagnostic tool used in neurology,”
Dr. Partovi says. He adds that
because Barrow is an internationally
renowned neurology institute with
a large number of referrals, the
Dicom Grid is a significant resource
Speedy delivery
for patients who travel here and
then return home for follow-up
care.
The expediency of the Dicom
Grid, which improves patient care,
is a primary benefit, but its costsaving potential is another major
advantage over traditional film
processes. “In 2004, approximately
580 billion imaging studies were
performed in the United States, of
which nearly 50 million were couriered,” says Dr. Bird.
Courier rates average $10 to $50
a delivery depending on method
and timing, a charge not reimbursed
The cost of filming
“In 2004, approximately 580 billion
imaging studies
were performed in
the United States,
of which nearly
50 million were
couriered.”
G R I D
by medical-insurance companies.
So, the burden of cost falls on imaging centers and patients. The physicians estimate that the Dicom Grid
will cut delivery costs for outpatient imaging centers by half.
The Dicom Grid will also reduce
the number of films that need to be
reproduced since prior images can be
retrieved on the network. “About
20 percent of imaging studies have
to be repeated because information
is lost or can’t be acquired at point of
care,” Dr. Bird says.
An added feature is that patients
can access their medical imaging
history, regardless of where an X-ray
or MRI was performed, and direct
the information to physicians and
other healthcare providers at any
location. “It’s like an audit trail of
information, much like an online
bank account,” Dr. Partovi says.
The Dicom Grid, which Drs. Partovi and Bird have patented, is currently being evaluated at Barrow
and St. Joseph’s, as well as at Mount
Sinai Medical Center in New York
and Children’s Memorial Hospital
in Chicago. Both say that with technology like the Diacom Grid, it’s
reasonable to envision a future without the need to produce—and deliver—printed films.
Imagine that. ■
Roger Bird, MD
B A R R O W
21
Z E K E
H E N S L E Y
‘what I did for my summer vacation’
Kansas teen chooses Barrow for family trip
by Catherine Menor
ost families plan their summer vacation
around a trip to Disneyland or the beach.
Not the Hensleys of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Jason and Lynn Hensley and their two sons,
Zeke, 14, and Austin, 4, planned their trip this
summer around a stop at Barrow Neurological
Institute.
It was Zeke’s idea. He wanted to meet the man
who saved his life 14 years ago—Robert Spetzler,
MD. “He wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for Dr.
Spetzler,” says Jason.
M
Zeke’s saga began when he was just three
months old. The infant was nursing from a bottle when suddenly he stopped breathing for a
short time. Physicians at a local hospital could find
nothing wrong and advised against taking Zeke
to a hospital in Wichita. But Zeke’s family was
so concerned that they signed an against-medical-advice form, and the infant was taken by
ambulance to Wichita.
After several weeks of hospitalization, physicians there discovered the cause of Zeke’s symptoms—an aneurysm in the infant’s brain stem.
A cerebral aneurysm is a weak spot in the
wall of an artery in the brain. This weak spot can
gradually enlarge, producing a balloon-shaped
defect. As the aneurysm enlarges, the wall further weakens and can eventually rupture, spilling
blood into or around the brain.
A shaky start in life
In Zeke’s case, the hemorrhage was extensive, and blood had penetrated deep into and
around the brain. The child would survive only
if the aneurysm was eliminated, thus preventing
further bleeding.
The surgeons in Wichita were hesitant to operate. The location of the aneurysm and Zeke’s young
age made the procedure very risky, they said.
They recommended that the Hensleys consult
one of two neurosurgeons—one in Texas or Dr.
Spetzler in Phoenix. Jason asked them, “If he
were your child, who would you send him to?”
Their answer was “Barrow.”
Surgery called very risky
Barrow Neurological Foundation supports Dr. Robert Spetzler’s
research into ruptured aneurysms, such as the one Zeke Hensley
suffered when he was just an infant.
22
B A R R O W
Z E K E
H E N S L E Y
“He was a baby with an
aneurysm that had burst.
It was an extremely lifethreatening condition.”
Robert Spetzler, MD
Then, showing Zeke a model of the brain, Dr. Spetzler said, “Your aneurysm was in a very difficult location, here in the brain stem. It was like a tire with a weak
spot.
“There are three things that contribute to a good outcome. Youth and getting rid of the problem are two
things, but a lot of it has to do with your ability to recover, and that varies a great deal from one person to the
next. You were very lucky, and I’m proud of you.”
Top, Jason, Lynn, Austin and Zeke Hensley. Bottom, Zeke
shortly after surgery at Barrow in 1992.
Zeke underwent brain surgery on Sept. 25, 1992,
when he was just one month old—a very young age
for this procedure. The Barrow team made an incision
across the infant’s skull and maneuvered down to the
aneurysm, which was located deep in the brain at the
base of the skull. Dr. Spetzler eliminated the aneurysm
by placing a clip across its base. Aneurysm clips
remain in place permanently.
Zeke tolerated the complex surgery remarkably
well and returned home to Kansas one week later.
The Hensleys spent this Fourth of July driving
from the Grand Canyon to Phoenix. The next day they
met Dr. Spetzler in his office at Barrow.
“He was a baby with an aneurysm that had burst,”
Dr. Spetzler told Zeke’s parents. “It was an extremely life-threatening condition.”
Celebrating July 4th in Arizona
Jason and Lynn told Dr. Spetzler that they are very
proud of Zeke, too. His middle school nominated him
for the Outstanding Student Award for 2006 and presented him a President’s Education Award for academic
excellence. Zeke excels in math, ranking among the top
20 in Algebra 1—despite the fact that the aneurysm was
removed from the area of the brain associated with math
skills. The teen hopes to be a meteorologist some day,
a perfect vocation for a kid who has always been fascinated by Kansas’ trademark tornadoes.
Zeke has undergone two eye surgeries in the years
since he was at Barrow. He was successfully weaned
from anti-seizure medication two years ago. His parents report that his last EEG was clean.
There were plenty of smiles in Dr. Spetzler’s office
on July 5. After all, patients with extremely difficult conditions like Zeke’s are what Barrow is all about. ■
Now a top student
B A R R O W
23
P L A N N E D
G I V I N G
why we give
Charitable remainder trust honors beloved brother
and makes financial sense for Phoenix couple
by Catherine Menor
“This is about my
brother John. He is
the one who inspired
us to make a gift to
St.Joseph’s.”
Jane Fausel
he charitable remainder trust
that Jane Fausel and Donald
Fausel, PhD, have set up to
benefit St. Joseph’s Foundation
makes a lot of financial sense for the
couple.
“The money will go to St.
Joseph’s after we both die,” Jane
says. “Meanwhile it is generating
income for us, and we received a
tax break on the capital gains. Our
accountant told us it’s the best thing
we ever did.”
But these benefits pale next to
the real purpose of the Fausels’
gift—to honor Jane’s beloved elder
brother John Li, who died a year
ago of prostate cancer.
“This is about my brother John,”
says Jane. “He is the one who
inspired us to make a gift to St.
Joseph’s.” Donald adds, “John was
the Li family hero.”
T
24
B A R R O W
P L A N N E D
John immigrated from China to the United States
in 1999—long after his parents, two brothers and three
sisters had found their way here.
By then, John was 63 and in poor health. His troubles began when Mao Tse-Tung and his communist
regime came to power after World War II. John’s family was branded as traitors because his father had
been an officer in the air force of Chiang Kai Sheck, president of The Republic of China. Everyone in the family fled the country to Taiwan —except for John, who,
as Chinese tradition dictated, stayed behind to care for
his grandparents. He was just 12 years old.
The new communist government in mainland China
sent John to a hard labor
camp, where he was imprisoned for 17 years. “The conditions of the labor camp seriously affected his health,”
Jane says.
Eventually, John was
released, but he had lost all
contact with his family in Taiwan. It was not until the late
1970s that Jane finally found
her brother and began the difficult task of bringing him to
the United States to rejoin the
rest of the family.
A life of trials and triumphs
G I V I N G
John felt he owed a special thanks to radiation
oncologist Christopher Biggs, MD, and the staff at St.
Joseph’s for the cancer care he’d received.
“My brother John said he owed the hospital and our
country so much that he would never be able to pay
back,” says Jane. “He was very proud when he received
his American citizenship in 2004 and remained thankful for the care St. Joseph Hospital provided in his
two major illnesses.”
John died at home in October 2005. Hospice cared
for him at the end, and his family was there to lend their
support. John left behind his wife, Sue, and two grown
daughters, Linda and Laura, both of whom earned master’s degrees at ASU. John
took great pride in his daughters’ accomplishments for
they were truly an American
success story.
The perfect
solution
Soon after John’s death,
the Fausels learned about
charitable remainder trusts.
By then, Donald had retired
from his position as Associate
Dean of the School of Social
Work at ASU and begun
teaching part-time at Walden
University’s long-distance
PhD program. Jane was tired
John Li with his wife, Sue, and daughters, Linda and
A new life in
of her role as “property manLaura.
ager,” especially after tenants
America
In America, John earned very little income and ini- trashed one of their properties.
So, when Kathy Kramer of Barrow Neurological
tially was not eligible for insurance. And, a law passed
in the late 1980s required immigrants in John’s situa- Foundation suggested that the couple consider using
tion to wait five years before they could be eligible for one of their investment properties to set up a charitaMedicare coverage. Fortunately, John was able to enroll ble remainder trust, the Fausels realized they had
found the perfect way to honor John and simplify
in St. Joseph’s Mercy Care for a low monthly fee.
Mercy Care turned out to be a godsend. When their lives.
Both Jane and Donald want their charitable remainJohn suffered a stroke in 2003, Mercy Care doctors
found the cause—a ruptured aneurysm—and arranged der trust to be a legacy to John’s memory and an
for surgery. Barrow neurosurgeon Joseph Zabramski, acknowledgment of the medical, emotional and spirMD, even donated his services. “The doctor was so itual care that the Li family’s “number-one brother”
received at St. Joseph and Barrow. ■
wonderful. He saved John’s life,” says Jane.
John also received care at St. Joseph’s for prostate
cancer, which had been diagnosed years earlier in
China but left untreated. By the time John began receiving treatment at St. Joseph’s, the cancer had spread and
a cure was impossible.
“John was a very humble man, a very lovable guy,”
says Donald. “We were very impressed and grateful
for the care he received at St. Joseph’s and Barrow.”
B A R R O W
25
T H E
D O C
R O C K S
the doc rocks the house
Neurosurgeon Curtis Dickman plays for philanthropy
in his band Crosstown Traffic
by Sally J. Clasen
Curtis Dickman, MD—surgeon by day,
rock star by night
“We joke in the
band that this isn’t
brain surgery.”
Curtis Dickman, MD
hen Curtis Dickman, MD, ran an ad in the New
Times in April 2005 seeking musicians for a band,
he had no ambition to launch a celebrated rock-’nroll career. He simply wanted to rekindle a lifelong love
for music—and find an outlet from his day job as a neurosurgeon at Barrow.
“The ad read: 40-something male with family and real
job looking for talented musicians who want to play music
for passion and not to pay the rent,” Dr. Dickman says. He
sorted through several “interesting” responses and auditioned 30 people before settling on six band members. The
group’s name, Crosstown Traffic, represents the diversity
of the performers—a mix of doctors, lawyers and business
professionals—who live across the Valley.
W
Covering classic rock, blues and vintage tunes from
the 70s and 80s, Crosstown Traffic has landed a regular spot
in the local music scene, playing a few weekend gigs each
month at various venues. “The band places a strong emphasis on vocal capabilities,” says Dr. Dickman of their style.
Crosstown Traffic also puts a value on community
causes. Proceeds from most band appearances support a
‘Will sing for philanthropy’
26
B A R R O W
T H E
range of philanthropic efforts, including Barrow and St.
Joseph’s, Not My Kids, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
and the Pat Tillman Foundation.
Crosstown Traffic’s first event, the Barrow Masquerade in October 2005, raised $65,000 for spinal-cord
injury research at Barrow. On New Year’s Eve, the band
opened for Blues Traveler at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Block
Party in Tempe, which benefited multiple sclerosis
research. Performing to a crowd of 150,000 was “a
thrill,” says Dr. Dickman, whose influences include the
Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Santana, Pink Floyd, John
Coltrane and Chick Corea, among others.
The native New Yorker learned to play the tenor saxophone at age 8 and the guitar at 12, and performed in
rock bands and jazz ensembles before focusing on a
career in medicine. “I did want to be a professional
musician but realized it would be too difficult,” Dr.
Dickman says. “I also had a passion to practice medicine, which I felt would be more realistic and valuable
to society—and a healthier lifestyle.”
That decision didn’t stop Dr. Dickman from achieving a certain rock-star status in his chosen field. He is
the director of Spine Research and associate chief of Spine
Surgery at Barrow, as well as a pioneer in endoscopic
and complex spine procedures. In 2002, Dr. Dickman
used a groundbreaking technique he co-developed to
reattach the skull to the spine of an 18-year-old Phoenix
man severely injured in a car accident.
Playing in Crosstown Traffic, which he manages,
gives the accomplished surgeon a chance to decompress
from the intensity of his day job. “I love my work but
I wanted to pursue something outside of neurosurgery
that also makes me happy.”
While the professions have obvious differences, Dr.
Dickman says similarities do exist between the two.
“Playing music is much more a right-brain occupation,
but both are creative, involve constructing something
and require that you work as a team.”
Though he had not performed publicly for 25 years
as a musician, returning to the stage was a natural leap
for Dr. Dickman, who provides vocals and plays guitar and sax in the band. “As an academic neurosurgeon,
I speak to up to 5,000 people. Being a physician who does
public speaking and being a musical performer is a
transferable skill.”
With offers to play in Las Vegas and California,
Crosstown Traffic could gain a larger following but the
band will remain a “garage” band that keeps a limited
schedule, according to Dr. Dickman. “We joke in the band
that this isn’t brain surgery,” he says. “We have jobs and
have no intent of becoming the next Rolling Stones.” ■
D O C
R O C K S
“I love my work but I wanted
to pursue something outside
of neurosurgery that also
makes me happy.”
Curtis Dickman, MD
A natural-born performer
T h e B a rr o w M a s qu e ra d e
What:
Costume party and dance featuring
Crosstown Traffic
When: October 28, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Country Club
Why: To raise funds for spinal-cord injury
research at Barrow
Tickets: $100 per person
Info:
Call Barrow Neurological Foundation, 602-406-3041.
Crosstown Traffic will
also be performing at
the 20th Anniversary
Gala for the Center for
Transitional NeuroRehabilitation on October
14 (see page 13).
For a complete list of
Crosstown Traffic’s
appearances, log onto
www.xtowntraffic.com
B A R R O W
27
H E A LT H
&
W E A LT H
R A F F L E
big winnings
Health & Wealth Raffle supports research,
education and patient care at Barrow
n May, the Board of Trustees of Barrow Neurological Foundation approved 135 requests for funding
during FY07 at Barrow Neurological Institute. Sixtyseven of those requests are being funded by proceeds
from the Health & Wealth Raffle.
The requests receiving funding from the raffle total
more than $6 million and encompass a wide range of
research, medical education and patient-care projects.
Most involve neuroscience research.
“The impact of the Health & Wealth Raffle is enormous,” says Mary Jane Crist, CEO of Barrow Neurological Foundation. “With this infusion of new money,
we are able to fund many more requests than we have
in the past.”
The Health & Wealth Raffle is not traditional philanthropy, stresses Mary Jane. All prizes and services
to run the twice-a-year mega raffle are purchased,
including marketing, call-center, accounting and website-management services. The net revenue after these
expenses are paid goes into Barrow Neurological Foundation and St. Joseph’s Foundation.
Once in the foundations, raffle proceeds are treated like other foundation funds. Raffle funds are allocated to projects only after a careful process, which
involves a formal application for funds, thorough
review of applications and final approval by the BNF
or St. Joseph’s board. State law mandates that raffle proceeds be used only for medical education, research or
care for those in need, so raffle dollars are awarded only
to projects meeting that criteria.
Although the purchase of a ticket is not considered
a gift to the Foundations—and the IRS says that the cost
of the ticket cannot be claimed as a charitable contribution—participation in the Health & Wealth Raffle is
a great way to support Barrow and St. Joseph’s, says
Mary Jane.
“Raffle players get the excitement of being entered
into drawings for some phenomenal
prizes and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping raise
money for an important
cause. Plus, the raffle
invests many dollars into
businesses throughout
Arizona,” Mary Jane says.
“We think it’s a win-winwin proposition.” ■
I
Leslie Baxter, PhD, is one of the scientists at Barrow who are receiving
funding thanks to the Health & Wealth Raffle.
Fal l raf fle t icket s goi ng fas t
The Fall 2006 Health & Wealth Raffle launched on
Aug. 30 with more than 11,000 prizes and a new ticket package.
“Now, you can purchase seven tickets for $500,” says
Kathy Rice, manager of the raffle. “Our three-tickets-for$250 option has been so popular that we decided to offer
an even better deal.” Single tickets are also available for
$100 each.
This season’s prizes—with a total value of more than
$5.8 million—include these grand prizes:
• A $1-million prize package featuring a mountain town
home in Prescott, an Audi Q7 SUV, a golf membership
and $200,000.
• $500,000 in cash
• $250,000 in cash
• A 2007 Maserati Quattroporte plus $35,000 and a twonight stay at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.
Tickets were still available at press time. To purchase
yours or learn more, visit www.HealthWealthRaffle.org
or call toll-free 1-866-390-9034.
28
B A R R O W
W I L F R E D
S M A L L W O O D
Good works across
the globe
by Debra Gelbart
Wilfred Smallwood
30
B A R R O W
od is mysterious,” says Wilfred Smallwood, a 38-year-old native of
Liberia who credits the Almighty with bringing him to Barrow Neurological Institute just when he most needed help.
Since the beginning of the Liberian Civil War in 1990, Wilfred lived in
a refugee camp in Ghana. In 2003, he volunteered to go to the tiny African
nation of Sierra Leone to serve as a missionary for the Baha’i faith.
He had been in Sierra Leone for about a year when one day, “I fell onto
the floor and felt very weak and dizzy. I was sent back to Ghana because
I wasn’t feeling well. Then, one morning in 2005, I had to be rushed to a
hospital.”
There, he was diagnosed with an extremely large benign brain tumor
called a meningioma. He underwent a nine-hour surgery in Ghana, but
only a small portion of the tumor was removed
Wilfred’s symptoms of dizziness, weakness, vomiting, paralyzing
headaches and visual disturbances persisted. About a month after his
surgery, resettlement personnel arranged for him to travel to the United
States for further treatment.
“
G
W I L F R E D
S M A L L W O O D
“Our responsibilities as doctors go beyond our
borders. As we continue to develop technological
advancements and sharpen our skills, we have
an obligation to share those whenever possible.”
Nicholas Bambakidis, MD
In September 2005, Wilfred traveled more than 7,200 miles to St.
Joseph’s and Barrow.
“His tumor had grown so large
that it was life-threatening,” says
Barrow neurosurgeon Nicholas
Bambakidis, MD, of the baseballsized lesion. “A more typical meningioma is about half the size of his.
His tumor was located close to the
base of his skull and basically took
up the entire right side of his brain
and temporal lobe. Thankfully, we
were able to completely remove the
tumor.”
Wilfred spent the next two weeks
in the hospital, “recovering slowly,” says Dr. Bambakidis, who specializes in spinal and skull-base disorders. Wilfred’s only complication
was hydrocephalus.
“Because of the location of the
tumor,” says Dr. Bambakidis, “he
was suffering from an abnormal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, so
we inserted a shunt in his brain to
normalize the situation.”
Baseball-sized tumor
A nearly perfect
recovery
Wilfred was discharged to an
inpatient rehabilitation facility, where
he spent another three weeks.
“Today he has virtually no residual
problems,” Dr. Bambakidis says.
“I have no more weakness and
no pain,” says Wilfred. “I’m strong
and I have lots and lots of energy. I’m
sure God brought me here to
Phoenix for a spiritual purpose.”
Wilfred’s only problem is his left
eye. The vision in that eye is “about
75 percent of what it should be,” he
says. Although his vision may not
improve significantly, this limitation doesn’t seem to interfere with
his life.
In May, Wilfred took a job with
a food concessionaire at Sky Harbor
Airport. “I work in the warehouse,
sometimes 11 or 12 hours a day and
sometimes lifting boxes that weigh
200 pounds. But I feel great.”
He lives in an apartment in central Phoenix with two roommates,
one Sudanese and one Liberian.
Now that he has recovered from his
medical ordeal, Wilfred expects his
14-year-old son Oliver to move in
with him soon. Oliver, whose mother died in 1999, came to Phoenix
with his father and was in foster
care while Wilfred underwent surgery, rehabilitation and recovery.
Helping refugees
like Wilfred
Wilfred’s continuing adjustment
to life in the United States is facilitated by Catholic Charities, which
has managed many of the non-medical aspects of his life—such as finding housing—since his arrival in
Phoenix.
“We attend to refugees’ needs
with regard to adjustment, acculturation and language services,”
says Barbara Klimek, director of
refugee programs for Catholic Charities in Phoenix. Catholic Charities
operates under the auspices of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“It’s so rewarding to be able to
help someone like Mr. Smallwood,”
Dr. Bambakidis says, “especially
given the kind of situation he came
from. It makes me especially appreciate the access to advanced medical
care and technology that we have in
this country. In Ghana, there’s a lack
of advanced technology and even
basic equipment. We can be so grateful for what we have here compared
to the developing world.”
“I have a burning desire to serve
God and humanity, and now I’ll be
able to continue to do that,” Wilfred says. “I feel like Dr. Bambakidis
and all of the other doctors and nurses who helped me are all chosen by
God to do special work.”
“Our responsibilities as doctors
go beyond our borders,” says Dr.
Bambakidis. “As we continue to
develop technological advancements
and sharpen our skills, we have an
obligation to share those whenever
possible.”
“There is a saying in my tradition,” Wilfred says. “Put your trust
in God and God will send you
relief.” ■
Global responsibilities
Nicholas Bambakidis, MD
B A R R O W
31
N E W S
what’s happening around barrow
Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf
makes another hole in one
The 2006 Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf two-day
event attracted 500 guests to the “Golfing in Paradise” dinner and auction on April 20 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa and 200 golfers to the tournament
the next day at McCormick Golf Ranch Club.
The dinner and auction featured a new putting
raffle with 10 executive putting greens. Prizes for the
putting raffle included Ping golf clubs courtesy of In
Celebration of Golf, clothing from Tommy Bahama and
watches from Schmitt Jewelers. Each golfer received
a new Ogio golf bag, a shirt, cap, golf balls and photo
sculpture, courtesy of Kitchell Contractors, Xerox,
DPR Construction and In Celebration of Golf.
Lou Grubb raises money for
Barrow through his annual golf
tournament as a way of thanking
Robert Spetzler, MD, for saving
his life. Right, Anne Robbs tries
out the new putting raffle at the
2006 event.
32
B A R R O W
For nearly 20 years, Lou Grubb has been raising
money for Barrow as thanks for the care he received
as a patient in 1986. To date, the tournament has raised
more than $3 million.
The 2007 LGFFG is scheduled for April 19-20.
“The dinner event at the Biltmore will be a festive
evening of putting for prizes, dining with friends and
enjoying some extraordinary surprises,” says Debbie
Castaldo, director of Annual Giving Programs. “The
Lou Grubb day of golf is a Valley favorite with a
friendly format at McCormick Ranch Golf Club. What
a great way to enjoy a day of fun while benefiting
Barrow and the Heart & Lung Institute at St. Joseph’s!”
For information, contact Debbie at 602-406-1031 or
Debbie.Castaldo@chw.edu.
N E W S
Celebrity Fight Night donates
$2.3 million to Muhammad Ali
Parkinson Center
The 12th Annual Celebrity Fight Night netted $4 million for worthy charities, including $2.3 million for the
Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow. It was the
largest contribution the event has ever made to the
MAPC. More than 1,200 guests attended the sold-out
event on March 18 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge
Resort and Spa.
One of Celebrity Fight
Night’s most memorable
moments came early in the
evening when a bald eagle
soared over the heads of
amazed guests at the conclusion of “God Bless America.”
Another highpoint occurred
when guests asked Garth
Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
to sing a duet. Brooks quickly pledged $250,000 for his
wife to sing a solo instead,
but she insisted that he sing
with her. As the dynamic duo
finished “Walkaway Joe,” the
band segued into Brooks’ hit,
“Friends in Low Places,” and
the crowd went crazy.
A long list of celebrities
joined Muhammad Ali for the
fundraiser. Muhammad Ali
Awards were presented to Jim
Carrey – ”The Muhammad
Ali Entertainer Award,” Robin
Williams – ”The Muhammad
Ali Humanitarian Award,”
Magic Johnson – ”The
Muhammad Ali Sports Legend Award,” Sir Richard Branson – ”The Muhammad Ali
Visionary Award” and Tony
Hawk – ”The Muhammad Ali
Among the many celebrities at the Entrepreneur Award.”
12th Annual Celebrity Fight Night were
Jimmy Walker started
Robin Williams and Tom Chambers; Celebrity Fight Night in 1994
Steve Nash, Muhammad Ali and Magic to raise money for local charJohnson; and Reba McIntyre. ities through a celebrity event.
For more information, visit
www.celebrityfightnight.org.
New officers, members
named to BNF board
The Barrow Neurological Foundation Board of
Trustees elected officers and three new members at their
May meeting. Elected to two-year terms as officers were
Tom Reahard - chair; Dennis Sage - vice chair; Mac
Magruder - treasurer; and Patti Boyd Gentry - secretary. New trustees are Richard Nagler, Cassandra Groh
and Guy Inzalaco.
Other members of the BNF Board of Trustees are
Jane Alfano, Greg Anderson, Mary Jane Crist, Wayne
Doran, Gee Gee Entz, Armen Ervanian, Lee Hanley,
Linda Hunt, Mike Ingram, Frank Leonesio, Stanley
Levine, William Long, Jean-Pierre Millon, Herman
Orcutt, Anne Robbs, Robert Spetzler, MD, Timothy
Vollmer, MD, and Daryl Weil.
Day on the Lake holds
10th annual event
On June 2-3, Day on the Lake celebrated its 10th
anniversary as the only major adapted water sporting
event in the state of Arizona. Nearly 100 people with
disabilities and 80 volunteers participated each day.
Day on the Lake has helped provide adaptive water
sports for hundreds of people with physical and neurological disabilities, enabling them to experience
something many never thought they could do. The
Recreation Therapy Department
thanks everyone who has
helped this event
touch the lives of
so many.
B A R R O W
33
N E W S
St. Joseph’s first in state to earn
JCAHO stroke certification
Volker Sonntag receives
prestigious teaching award
Volker Sonntag, MD, the program director for Neurosurgery and Spine chief at Barrow, has received a
Parker J. Palmer Teacher Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME).
In recognizing Dr. Sonntag, the ACGME noted that
“Dr. Sonntag has always put patient care at the pinnacle of the educational value pyramid. He encourages
residents
to
become personally involved with
patients and families so they can
understand the
person and not just
the diagnosis. He
has demonstrated
the value of offering patients hope,
which unlike any
other treatment is
the one thing that
sets him apart as a
truly courageous physician teacher.”
Richard Houseworth retires from
active BNF board service
Dick Houseworth, a long-time member of the Barrow Neurological Foundation Board of Trustees, recently stepped down from active board membership. He
will remain on the board as a trustee emeritus.
Dick joined the board in 1967, just six years after BNF
was founded. Over the years, he has served in many
capacities and has contributed significantly to BNF.
Dick was the Superintendent of Banks for the State
of Arizona for many years and also served as the
chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. He has held several national positions, including
consultant to the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for
International Affairs. He is now the Director of Government Relations at Capital Bank Corp in Phoenix.
34
B A R R O W
St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is the
first hospital in the state to be granted certification as
a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO),
the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and
accrediting organization in healthcare. St. Joseph’s
received the designation from JCAHO after a thorough
analysis of the hospital’s Robbs Stroke Center in April.
St. Joseph’s is also recognized as a designated stroke
center by the American Heart Association.
“This national recognition is evidence that we are
a leader in providing care to stroke patients in our community,” says Amanda Oliver, CNRN, BSN, clinical
manager of the Annette and Harold Noren Stroke
Care Unit.
St. Joseph’s child neurologist
receives
national
award
V i n o d h
Narayanan, MD,
a pediatric neurologist at St.
Joseph’s Children’s
Health
Center and Barrow Neurological
Institute, recently
received the 2006
International Visiting Professor Award from the Child Neurology Society (CNS). Dr. Narayanan will use the appointment to
promote child neurology in India by establishing relationships with several medical and research institutions
in India.
“My dream is to establish a child neurology training program in India that is staffed year-round by
physicians from Barrow to teach new residents in the
field,” Dr. Narayanan says.
The objective of CNS’ visiting professor award is
to promote the discipline of child neurology in countries in which the existence of a child neurology subspecialty is just beginning to emerge. Dr. Narayanan
was selected for his established academic and clinical
reputation in the field of child neurology.
U.S. News & World Report
names Barrow a top center
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35
G I V I N G
without donors, volunteers
a lost civilization
by Robert Hopkins
hirty-six years ago, Erma Bombeck penned a little essay that bears repeating. She wrote often
about giving and volunteering … herewith an
excerpt:
T
“I had a dream the other night that every volunteer in
this country, disillusioned with the lack of compassion, had
set sail for another country. The hospital was quiet as I
passed it. Rooms were devoid of books, flowers and voices.
The children’s wing held no clowns, no laughter. The reception desk was vacant. All the social agencies had closed
their doors, unable to implement their programs of scouting, recreation, drug control. The health agencies had a
sign in the window: “Cures for cancer, birth defects, MS,
heart disease have been cancelled due to lack of interest.” Flowers on the church alter withered and died. Children in day
nurseries lifted their arms but there was no one to hold
them in love. I fought in my sleep to regain a glimpse of the
ship of volunteers, a glimpse of civilization as we were
meant to be.”
Thankfully, it was only a bad dream. We are richly blessed in this country, and in the city of Phoenix,
to have so many who choose to give their time, talent
and treasure to help others. To all volunteers and benefactors … our heartfelt thanks.
Interested in contributing to St. Joseph’s and Barrow’s
mission? To learn about volunteer opportunities, call
Jeanette Hermann in Volunteer Services at 602-406-6747.
For information about making a charitable gift, call Barrow
Neurological Foundation at 602-406-3041. You can reach
Robert Hopkins, vice president of BNF, at 602-406-1037.
36
B A R R O W
BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE
Named Centers
A.B. & Anne-Merete Robbs Stroke Center
Ina Levine Brain Tumor Center
Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center
Endowed Chairs
Alumni Spine Chair
Volker K.H. Sonntag, MD
Atkinson Pain Chair
A.D. “Bud” Craig, PhD
William Pilcher Pediatric Neurology Chair
John Bodensteiner, MD
Evelyn and Lou Grubb Neurovascular Research Chair
Cameron G. McDougall, MD
J.N. Harber Neurological Surgery Chair
Robert F. Spetzler, MD
John and Betty Van Denburgh Neurology Chair
Timothy L. Vollmer, MD
Karsten Solheim Dementia Research Chair
Patricio Reyes, MD
Kemper & Ethel Marley Neurology Chair
William R. Shapiro, MD
Newsome Neurology Chair
David M. Treiman, MD
Newsome Neuropsychology Chair
George P. Prigatano, PhD
Newsome Neurosurgery Research Chair
Mark Preul, MD
Spetzler Neuroscience Research Chair
Robert F. Spetzler, MD
B A R R O W
37
CHW Arizona
Barrow Neurological Foundation
350 W. Thomas Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85013-4496
www.stjosephs-phx.org
www.PushingBoundaries.org
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