Inside...

•EmployeeMakes HistoryatStaley Museum

•GrantingWishes, GivingHope

•TheManBehind theDMHSleep Study

•PartnersA Publication of Decatur Memorial Foundation •Fall 2019

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Greetings!It’s great to be here! This month,

I stepped into my new role as president and CEO of Decatur Memorial Hospital. Prior to that, I was vice president of operations for Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, the largest hospital in the Memorial Health System. DMH becomes the second-largest hospital in our system, following the successful completion on Oct. 1 of its affiliation with Memorial Health System.

As I prepared for my new role, I spent time this summer becoming acquainted with the hospital and the Decatur community. I am impressed by the many similarities that DMH and MHS share. Our Decatur colleagues will make valuable con-

tributions to the MHS mission of improving the health of the people and communities we serve. I look forward to working with the DMH executive team to manage the day-to- day operations and governance of the hospital and its ambu-latory facilities located throughout central Illinois. It is my intention to ensure

that every patient, every time, gets the quality of care we’d want for our own family members.

This rings true in what I’ve already seen at DMH. I’ve especially been impressed by the passion and commitment that our DMH colleagues

Meet Drew earlyAs of Oct. 1, Drew Early is the

new president and CEO of Decatur Memorial Hospital, which is now part of Springfield-based Memorial Health System. The DMH board of directors approved Early’s appointment as incoming president in July; he took office Oct. 1.

Early has been with Memorial Health System and its flagship hos-pital, Memorial Medical Center, since 2006. In 2016, he was named vice president of operations for Memorial Medical Center, overseeing emergen-cy and trauma services, environmental services, security, facilities design and construction, engineering, food and nutrition services, and biomedical engineering.

Early earned his master’s degree in health services administration in 2006 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. He also completed a bachelor’s degree in health care sys-tems administration from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., in 2004.

Early, his wife, Krista, and their three children recently relocated to the Decatur area.

It is my intention to ensure that every patient, every time,

gets the quality of care we’d want for our own family members.

~ Drew Early

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2 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

Continued from cover page

demonstrate in caring for our patients and providing the best possible experi-ence for them and their loved ones. I’m optimistic about what we’ll be able to accomplish together as we serve the health care needs of the people of Macon County and its nearby communities. It’s clear that those who work here care deeply about this hospital and the patients and families they serve.

It’s also clear to me that this is a very giving community. Many of you reading this publication have given generously to support this hospital through the Foundation. For that, you have my sincere thanks. I want to assure all who contemplate making DMH the recipient of their charitable giving in the future that this new affiliation with MHS will not affect the impact of your support. Donations given to the Decatur Memorial Foundation will stay right here to support DMH, your community hospital. We will continue to have a local Decatur Memorial Foundation Board.

Thank you for the warm welcome that so many of you have given me and my family. This area already feels like home to us, and I look forward to meeting many more of you in the days and weeks to come.

Sincerely,

Drew EarlyPresident and CEODecatur Memorial Hospital

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS2019

Brent McHughChair of the Board

Drew EarlyPresident &

Chief Executive OfficerDMH Health Systems

Karen Schneller, R.N.Executive Director

Decatur Memorial Foundation

Debbie BraggSenior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

DMH Health Systems

Brent McHugh, ChairTanya AndricksRyan Aupperle

Iris BeasleyJoe Caputo

Lakshmi JyothinagaramJim MaseyPen ShadeChris White

Drew Early, ex-officio Karen Schneller, ex-officio

Sue MillardAuxiliary Representative

bOaRD mEmbERS

Drew Early on his first day as DmH President and CEO with DmH employees (from left) Evy Ellis, Jennifer allen and Sharon Norris celebrating DmH’s affiliation with memorial Health System.

13 years at Memorial Medical Center learning about health care from all vantage points—operations, clinical, fiscal, philanthropy and outreach. He brings a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to his new role as our hospital leader. He and his young family have relocated here, and he has invested time becoming familiar with our hospital and its history. I hope you’ll warmly welcome him and his family to our community.

With Drew’s leadership and our new affiliation with Memorial Health, DMH will continue to provide the best in health care for the people of this community. We welcome this important affiliation for the positive changes and opportunities it will bring for our patients and their families in today’s changing world. Thank you for joining us on this journey to continued excellence.

Karen Schneller, R.N.Executive DirectorDecatur Memorial Foundation

3www.dmhcares.com

Y es, change truly is constant. During the more than 100 years DMH has served the Decatur area, change has been frequent as the hospital

addresses opportunities, challenges and changes in cultural norms. Below are just a few examples of previous changes that have improved the

Decatur Memorial Hospital experience and provided more positive outcomes for our patients and their families: a Years ago, ambulances were simply re-purposed hearses driven by funeral home employees to do little more than provide a ride to the hospital. Now, ambulances are mobile intensive care units staffed by highly trained emergency responders who deliver life-saving interventions prior to arrival at the ER.

a Once, heart attack patients were not allowed to use the television or telephone. Men were prevented from shaving in order to “rest” the heart. Now, patients have treatment to correct the issue and begin an exercise regimen to strengthen the heart while still in the hospital.

a Once, we were in the business of treating patients only when they were ill. Now, we also focus on wellness and strive to keep our patients healthy and out of the hospital whenever possible.

“Change does not threaten tradition. It strengthens it. Change is a challenge and an opportunity, not a threat.”

~ Prince Philip of England

the way we were

We now enter a time of change that brings new opportunities to Decatur Memorial Hospital.

As of Oct. 1, DMH is an affiliate of Memorial Health, a five-hospital, nonprofit health care system. At DMH, we welcome this change. It will help ensure that the resources we need to continue to provide excellent care for our patients and families are

in place for generations to come. In addition, our affiliation with MHS will strengthen and build upon the long-held traditions, mission and values of Decatur Memorial Hospital, because we have affiliated with a health system that shares these same basic tenets.

Our new CEO, Drew Early (see his letter on the front page), spent

THE WAY AHEADTHE WAY AHEAD

Decatur Memorial Foundation • Summer 20144 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

F or the past few years, Staley Museum Director Laura Jahr and Karen Schneller,

Executive Director of the Decatur Memorial Foundation, had discussed creating a Staley Museum exhibit. It would highlight DMH’s historical connections to the community – and of course to A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co. Last fall, that idea became reality through the interest and abilities of Rachael Ward, a DMH employee.

Ward works at the DMH Cancer Care Institute as an assistant to the grant coordinator and community outreach coordinator. However, after earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history, her love and support of

history and historical interpretation is still very much alive. She previously worked at numerous historic institutions throughout Illinois and currently serves on the board of directors for the Illinois State Historical Society.

So, when Ward approached Jahr about doing some type of volunteer work for the museum, Jahr said, “I think I might have the perfect project for you.”

Ward went to work, enlisting her father to build large-paneled frames on wheels so the exhibit would be mobile. And even though she was working full-time and expecting her first child in August, she persevered. Her DMH display opened in June at Staley Museum and “…will be on display at least through the end of the year,” Jahr says. “We’re very pleased with how it turned out.”

“I wanted to show the interconnections of these two institutions and acknowledge the positive impact of the Staley family and especially A.E. Staley Jr. in supporting and helping to shape the hospital,” Ward says. “I also hope this exhibit helps show just how much DMH changed and evolved through the years while still holding true to its founding traditions.”

DMH Employee

Makes History

at Staley Museum

Staley Museum 361 N. College Street | Decatur

regular hours through the end of 2019 are 1-4 p.m., tuesdays

through Saturdays, plus 1-4 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month

in October and November.

admission is $3 per adult; and $1 per youth 17 and under.

Rachael Ward

CONNECTIONS

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5www.dmhcares.comwww.dmhcares.com 5

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C ritically ill children are “not in control of anything,” says Sarah McChesney, DMH’s Assistant to the

President and CEO. “They don’t feel well, and they have a lot of doom and gloom in their lives.”

Sarah knows. In 2004, at age 12, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Ultimately, a bone marrow transplant put her into remission and restored her health after chemo-therapy failed to help. It was a tough few years. But she clearly remembers a bright light during those dark days: Make-A-Wish®.

Since 1981, Make-A-Wish has been granting the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses, giving hope and joy, and – as research has shown – a positive effect on

overall well-being and health outcomes. In Sarah’s case, her wish fulfillment still serves as a gathering place for her, her four siblings and their families, and her parents. It’s the swimming pool in her parents’ back yard.

“I was feeling that everything was out of my control,” she recalls. “It was nice to have something that I had a say in. I wanted it to be something we could all enjoy. And I remember overall just the joy I felt when my wish was granted.”

Today, Sarah volun-teers to bring that joy to another child as a wish-granter for Make- A-Wish Illinois.

“I knew I needed to give back somehow,” she says.

In tandem with another wish-granter, Sarah is currently working with a local 4-year-old boy with a chronic health con-dition and his family to help the boy realize his dream wish.

“His wish will happen this winter – my little guy already knew he wanted to go to Disney over Christmas,” she says. As a wish-granter, Sarah helps to make sure that all the family’s wishes are followed and that everything is taken care of for them.

Now that the plans are made for the trip, Sarah and her Make-A-Wish partner are keeping the anticipation level high for the boy and his family by doing “wish-boosters.” For example, this summer, the two of them took the family to get ice cream and provided tickets to “Toy Story 4” when it first came out.

“We try to include siblings as much as possible,” Sarah says. “You really develop a relationship with the family—not just the child. Even after the wish is granted, wish-granters often stay in touch with the child and family, sometimes for years.”

Sarah is eager to be a wish-granter for more children.“This is probably the most rewarding thing I’ve ever

been involved in,” she says. “Just being able to bring some joy and excitement – and giggles!”

Granting

To learn more about Make-A-Wish Illinois, visit illinois.wish.org

Wishes, HopeGiving

It’s all about bringing hope, joy and a sense of control.

Four-year-old lealand with his wish-granters, Diane Ratliff and DmH’s Sarah mcChesney. both women are volunteers for make-a-Wish®.

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His wish will happen this winter – my little

guy already knew he wanted to go to Disney over

Christmas.” ~ Sarah McChesney

Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 20196

A popular celebrity in a fur coat often visits DMH’s Senior Behavioral Health Services unit, finding her fans waiting for her at the elevator

door. She stops to greet each one, paying special attention to those who offer a treat or a pat.

The celebrity is Willow, the unit’s emotional sup-port dog — a sweet-faced, mellow, 12-year-old golden retriever. In her role, she brings friendly comfort to the unit’s patients, indi-viduals struggling with day-to-day life and daily activities. Willow has completed the requirements of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs to be a certified therapy dog. She is also an emotional support animal (ESA) and is owned by Ashley Ferris, a registered nurse who has worked on the unit since early 2018.

A conversation between Ashley and the unit’s new recreational therapist, Jamie Gillum, led to Willow’s regular visits starting in July.

“Ashley and I really appreciate our pets and the enjoyment they bring to us,” says Jamie, who joined the unit in January. “And we thought we could bring some of that same enjoyment to the patients through regular visits by Willow.”

So Jamie worked through the documentation process that led to approval for Willow’s regular visits while Ashley took the lead on completing her pet’s certification process.

“Willow is absolutely a good addition to the unit,” Jamie says. “Her presence brings about a lot of pleasant reminiscing among the patients; they remember their first pet and things like that.

“I think she produces a lot of stress relief for the patients — and the staff,” she adds. “Patients and staff both love her and want to pet her.”

A poster outside the unit announces when Willow is “on duty.” Patients and family members who may be allergic to pets or have other reasons to keep their distance are free to opt-out of visits with Willow, who is on a leash while in the hospital and is licensed, vaccinated and insured.

“But no one has said no to this point,” says Ashley, who adopted the retriever from a local shelter when Willow was about 3 years old. Of that time, she says, “I’d been looking at dogs, and when I took Willow outside, she just stayed next to me. I knew then she was the one. She is so wise. Friends tell me how special of a dog she is.”

Which is something the patients and staff of Senior Behavioral Health Services already know.

the funds to provide for willow’s

certification to serve as the

emotional support dog for DMH’s

Senior Behavioral Health Services

unit were gifted to the Decatur

Memorial Foundation from the

edward G. whinnery trust.

the trust, administered by Busey

Bank of Decatur, was created

in 1998 by the late edward G.

whinnery, a long-time Decatur

resident, and its income is to be

used to enhance the quality

of life for the elderly in Decatur

and Macon County.

A StAriS Born

From left: ashley Ferris, R.N., and Jamie Gillum, recreational therapist, with Willow, the emotional support dog for DmH’s Senior behavioral Health Services.

aROuND DmH

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Willow

After more than 20 years of leadership at DMH, including

the past four years as president and CEO, Timothy D. Stone Jr. stepped

down Sept. 30 and moved to the St. Louis area to be closer to family. New President and CEO Drew Early

took office Oct. 1 following the successful affiliation of DMH with Memorial Health System.

In a guest column for the Decatur Herald & Review, Larry Altenbaumer, chair of the Decatur Memorial Hospital board of direc-tors, thanked Stone for his “leader-ship and dedicated service to DMH and our community.” Altenbaumer also noted several specific accom-plishments under Stone’s leadership, including expansion of services and partnerships, DMH’s designation as a Level II Trauma Center and con-sistent ranking as one of the nation’s top 50 cardiovascular hospitals.

“These and the many other rec-ognitions reflect success built on Tim’s leadership and a high-quality, dedicated team of 2,300 employees,” Altenbaumer said, noting that Tim introduced the idea of affiliating with Memorial Health System. “This defining transforming moment will be Tim’s legacy.”

7www.dmhcares.com

Happy RETIREMENT!This year, three respected physicians in the DMH Medical Group retired

after each serving the health care needs of our community for more than 30 years. Please join the Decatur Memorial Foundation in thanking them for their exemplary service to their patients and wishing each one a long and happy retirement!

Saying Goodbye to the Stone Era

Kay Gowdar, M.D., and Prasanna Gowdar, M.D.

After 35 years of treating patients, Pediatrician Kay Gowdar, M.D., and her husband, Family Medicine Physician Prasanna Gowder, M.D., retired from their joint practice in late September.

“We have developed a very friendly doctor-patient relation-ship over the years and as a result, many of you have been with us for decades,” said Dr. P. Gowdar in a goodbye letter to patients. “It has indeed been an honor to take care of your medical needs as we have grown older together.”

Dr. P. Gowdar’s patients may be seen by DMH West Hay Family Medicine, 217-876-6330, and Dr. Kay Gowdar’s patients are encouraged to visit SIU Pediatrics, 217-545-8000. Both offices are located on the DMH campus.

Victor Eloy, M.D.Gastroenterologist Victor Eloy,

M.D., one of DMH’s longest serv-ing physicians, retired in March after 34 years of service to the hospital. In a letter to his patients announcing his retirement, Dr. Eloy noted how he deeply appreci-ated and was moved by the cards and friendly words from patients wishing him well in retirement.

“I will take many memories of all these experiences with me,” he said. “Thank you for your trust over the years. Thank you for allowing me to care for you and your loved ones.”

Sudhakar Sheth, M.D., Richard Dilorenzo, M.D., and Nathan Pyle, DO, continue to offer patient care for the practice in Physicians Plaza West on the DMH campus.

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8 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

T wo paintings gifted to DMH this summer brighten the

entrance to the hospital’s heavily trafficked Volunteer Lobby. Both are finely detailed portraits of DMH; one captures the early days when visitors entered the hospital’s front doors through tall pillars and another rep-resents how the front entrance has looked for several years.

The paintings were a gift from Marie Smith of Forsyth, who turned 97 on Oct. 6. Although her work reflects the skills of a talented artist, Marie didn’t pick up a brush until she

Art was in her 60s and never took an art lesson.

“I never had time to paint before,” says Marie, worked for Sears Co. in Chicago for 39 years before retiring with her late husband to the Decatur area and beginning to paint. This July, her retirement facility hosted an exhibit of several pieces of her art, seven of which Marie donated to four organizations after the show, including DMH. The other recipients included Decatur Public Library, Macon County Historical Society and Staley Museum.

from the heArt“My paintings are kind of like

part of the family, “Marie says. “But I thought it was time to do something with them.”

“She is a delight, and so are her paintings,” says Karen Schneller, Executive Director, Decatur Memorial Foundation. “And she’s still painting, plus writing short stories and poetry. Amazing!”

“I try to keep going,” Marie says. “I have a garden in the back of my home, too. I call it my ‘40 acres.’”

Thank you, Marie, for sharing your artistic gifts with the patients, visitors and staff of DMH!

Karen Schneller and Dianne DeVore of the Decatur Memorial Foundation with Marie Smith and her paintings of DMH.

SkIllS IN aCTION

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9www.dmhcares.com

t least, that’s how the story goes for 27-year-old DMH nurse Holly (Haskins) Shasteen. Still in her wedding dress and married only a few hours, this nurse—always a nurse—saved the life of one of her wedding guests.

With a wedding party that included five nurses and 250 guests looking on, Holly and her husband, Jacob, exchanged “I Do’s” on May 25 at Decatur’s St. James Catholic Church. Just before midnight, the bride and groom left the reception at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel and headed to their room.

“We turned down the wrong hallway and I saw Sean lying sideways on a couch and Tammy yelling for help,” Holly explains. Sean McCormick, 61, and his wife, Tammy, were also at the wedding and are lifelong family friends.

“I could not get him to respond, and there was no pulse,” Holly says. “I yelled to Jacob to go back to the reception and get Meghan, Nikki and Alyssa (nurses in the wedding party). I then did my best to get him on the floor and began CPR.

Wedding Day CPR By Laura Hilvety, DMH Publications

Once a nurse, always a nurse. Even on your wedding day.

“After about 20 chest compressions, Sean regained consciousness,” Holly says.

Just then the other nurses arrived on the scene; 9-1-1 was called; and, in three minutes, the quick-thinking wedding-party response team had Sean hooked up to the hotel’s Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) as a precaution and followed Advanced Cardiac Life Support protocols to get him stabilized.

“The paramedics got there quickly,” Holly says.

Sean was taken to DMH and admitted to the Cardiovascular Unit (CVU). Two days later, he was discharged home and told it was a fluke incident that involved both severe dehydration and possibly an arrhythmia.

“I don’t remember anything from that night,” Sean says. “But I do have a thankful heart due to Holly Haskins on her wedding day saving my life. It is comforting to know

that young people are dedicated to their profession and that when help is needed, professionals like these young nurses will stand up to the cause.”

“I appreciate Sean’s kind words and am grateful he’s okay—but I didn’t do anything that every single nurse or healthcare provider that I know wouldn’t have also done,” Holly says.

Holly’s healthcare career began six years ago when she started working at DMH as a certified nurse’s aide on CVU while enrolled at Millikin

University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015. She is currently a second-year nurse anes-thesia student in the three-year Millikin University/DMH Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesia program.

“On my wedding day, I was slightly disappointed with how my dress fit—it was a little too big; but now I know why and I’m thankful,” Holly says. “Had my dress fit prop-erly, it would have been much more difficult to move Sean to the floor and perform CPR.”

Just another day in the life—of a nurse. No matter what. No matter where. No matter how. Saving lives comes first. Even if it’s your wedding day.

Holly (Haskins) Shasteen with her bridesmaids.

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Sean and Holly at DmH

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I n his 15 years working at DMH, Joe Ewald has had perfect attendance. The hospital painter has never missed a day of work. This July, Joe had another perfect record. At the 2019 “Hearts for All” golf

outing at Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course, his team took first place out of 31 teams competing, and he personally won the $400 poker hand and one of several raffle prizes. Overall, the event raised more than $52,000 to support the programs and services of the DMH Heart and Lung Institute.

“I’d never won before,” says Joe, a lifelong golfer who had participated in past Foundation golf outings. “It was a big day.” Others on the winning team included Chris Napoli of DMH Security, former DMH employee Isaac Canaday and Lane Miller.

Joe could have pock-eted all his winnings and headed off to have a perfect night. Instead he immediately shared half his $400, giving $100 to the Foundation and another $100 to the campaign to erect a clock at Hickory Point Golf Course in memory of the late Ann Harshman, a DMH employee and respected women’s golfer (see side bar article).

“I knew Ann,” Joe says. “I’m glad to see something going up in her memory.”

10

A Perfect DayforAll”

“Hearts

GOlF OuTING

From left, Joe Ewald and Chris NapoliP

11www.dmhcares.com

reMeMbering Ann

This year’s DMF golf classic was

dedicated in loving memory of

Ann Harshman, whose 44-year

DMH career began in the medical

records department in 1975. She

died May 26 after a brief battle

with cancer.

Through the years, Ann held a

pivotal role in all areas of what is

now known as health information

management. Her knowledge,

expertise and involvement in a

variety of system implementations

were vital to DMH’s success. As the

Decatur Herald & Review noted in a

headliner shortly after her death,

“…Ann Harshman will be remembered

for her unending positivity,” a sentiment

echoed by those who knew her.

An avid golfer, Ann was the most

decorated woman golfer in Decatur’s

history, winning the Decatur Area

Women’s Open eight times and

the Decatur Senior Women’s

Tournament 10 times.

Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 201912

EvENTS

Caring for the

heartlandHarvest DinnerThe annual Foundation Harvest Dinner was celebrated in August at the 1912 Barn in Niantic. About 40 of those connected in various ways to the efficient management of the Foundation’s farms – owners, managers, tenant farmers and their families among them – enjoyed an evening of fun, food and games. Thanks to all for taking good care of this heritage farmland!

2019 Farm Progress sHowWe care for those who care for the land.This was the message of the Foundation’s booth at the 2019 Farm Progress Show held in Decatur in late August. Those dropping by the booth certainly felt the caring; the Foundation offered several free services, including first aid kits, bottled water, screenings for hearing and pulmonary function, and information about farm safety, strokes and human trafficking. The Farm Progress Show, which is held every other year in Decatur, is the largest U.S. outdoor farm event.

13www.dmhcares.com

The Randall Farm, located few miles south of Cerro Gordo on Rt. 32, was the second of the Foundation’s farms to receive solar lighting for the sign declaring it a Foundation heritage farm. Thanks to Jim Peck, DmH Engineering, for his work in adding this lighting to the signage.

A Forever LegAcyDecatur Memorial Foundation is proud to have been entrusted with the stewardship and preservation of several farms located throughout Central Illinois. These farms are a living legacy for those who have gifted them to the Foundation, and their annual proceeds are invested in programs and services to benefit the patients of Decatur Memorial Hospital.

For information about gifting farmland to the Decatur Memorial Foundation, call 217-876-2105.larry landrum and karen Schneller

Sue millard of DmH auxiliary distributing DmF first aid kits

Dianne De vore and Pat Perkins-Jackson

kayla Doty and Joanna Shepard

14 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

A new procedure helps prevent strokes in patients at high risk for carotid endarterectomy and at high risk for standard carotid stenting.

It’s called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization, and DMH is one of only a few hospitals in Illinois to offer it.

This hybrid procedure uses traditional surgical techniques to deliver a stent to the blocked carotid artery directly through a small incision in the neck.

“What makes it so cutting edge is that blood flow from the carotid artery to the brain is temporarily reversed and passes through an external filter before being re-entered into a vein in the groin,” says Vascular Surgeon Jeffrey D. Trachtenberg, M.D., director of the DMH Vein and Vascular Institute. “This minimizes the risk of any dislodged plaque fragments from traveling to the brain and causing a debilitating or deadly stroke.”

That is why this new procedure has a lower stroke rate associated with it than traditional carotid surgery or carotid stenting alone, emphasizes Dr. Trachtenberg.

“TCAR is an important new tool in treating carotid artery disease for certain patients,” he says. “This technology will likely transform how we manage carotid disease in the future.” Current guidelines restrict the use of TCAR to patients who meet certain criteria. These criteria place patients at higher risk for tradi-tional surgery such as a pre-existing heart or other medical condition, previous surgery on the neck, radiation to the head or neck, obesity or advanced age. As the technology becomes more widespread, it is anticipated that TCAR will be available to patients who are lower risk as well.

TCAR patients also typically experience smaller incisions and scarring, spend less time in surgery and recovery, and most go home in less than 24 hours.

TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR)Another Option for Stroke Prevention

For more information regarding the TCAR procedure, call the DMH Vein and Vascular Institute at 876-8272.

vascular Surgeon Jeffrey D. Trachtenberg, m.D., director of the DmH vein and

vascular Institute (center) and his team celebrate the first TCaR procedure

at DmH on July 10.

CElEbRaTIONS

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15www.dmhcares.com

uane and Joan have been active supporters of several local organizations for many years. Their love of their community is almost as endless as their service and support of it. They have especially demonstrated a strong commitment to Decatur Memorial Hospital, both through volunteer service and financial support. The two also show regular support of DMH and other community events with their faithful attendance.

“Joan and Duane Avis are among the top unsung heroes of DMH,” says Karen Schneller, Executive Director, Decatur Memorial Foundation. “We cannot thank them enough for their steadfast support through the years. DMH is the better for all they have done.”

Joan, who once described herself as “always a professional volunteer,” has been tireless in her service to Decatur Memorial Hospital. A graduate

director of the Decatur Memorial Foundation board of directors, she also is a long-time volunteer and previously served three years as presi-dent of the DMH Auxiliary, where she is a lifetime member. She also served three years as director-at-large for the Illinois Hospital Association’s council on volunteers. She was instrumental in the creation of Decatur’s Race for the Cure (now replaced by the annual Come Together Be Empowered event) in support of the fight against woman’s cancers, serving as chairperson of the event’s first steering committee and also serving 20 years on the planning committee. In recognition of her efforts, she was named honorary chair of the 2010 event.

Duane is also a graduate director of the Decatur Memorial Foundation board. He retired in 1994 after a 38-year career at Caterpillar Inc., during which he served as a metal-lurgical technician and purchasing analyst before finishing his career there as a buyer. Prior to that, he had served two years in the U.S. Army. Duane is a member of Golden K Kiwanis and SCORE (Counselors to

America’s Small Businesses). He also served as board chairman at Decatur Earthmover Credit Union for 10 years.

Joan has also served on the Richland Community College (RCC) Foundation board, was past president of the Symphony Orchestra Guild and Chapter GR of PEO, and is a graduate of the Decatur Leadership Institute, among several other service activities. In recognition of her unwavering community service, Joan received the Marie Gray Baker community volunteer award at the YWCA’s 1990 Women of Excellence awards and was also recognized in 2014 as a “20 Over 50” by the Decatur Herald & Review newspaper, recognizing those individuals over age 50 who make a difference in Central Illinois.

Joan established a scholarship at RCC in memory of her late first husband, Frank Rolf, as well as the Rolf Family Scholarship at Decatur’s Lutheran School Association in honor of her four children, all LSA graduates. Together, the couple funded a nursing scholarship at Millikin University and several other university initiatives. Duane and Joan had been in the same class at Millikin, and in 2011, the couple received the university’s Alumnus of the Year Award recognizing their longtime financial and volunteer support of their alma mater.

Duane and Joan had each previously been married for 35 years before losing their spouses to cancer. Between them, they have six children, 16 grandchil-dren and several great-grandchildren.

A Love for Each Other

and for Their Community

A silver wedding anniversary, a lifetime of giving:

The Decatur Memorial Foundation celebrates

Duane and Joan Avis of Decatur, who mark 25 years

of marriage in 2019.

D

w Happy 25th Anniversary to an inspiring couple who love their community! Thank you for your continued, faithful support of DMH!

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16 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

he legacy of Clarence G. Glenn, M.D., a neurologist on DMH’s medical staff for more than 60 years, lives on through the Dr. Clarence G. Glenn Sleep Center on the hospital’s third floor. Originally called the Sleep Lab, it was cofounded by Dr. Glenn and Michael Zia, M.D., in 1981 and was the first in the region. It was remodeled and named in Dr. Glenn’s honor in 2001. Dr. Glenn died in 2012 and would have turned 100 in May.

Even now, several years after he died, the emotion is still strong when those who worked with him speak of Dr. Glenn.

“Someone like Dr. Glenn doesn’t become just a part of your life, he’s

Editor’s Note: What’s in a name? Several DMH areas are named for individuals who had a positive impact on the hospital. This article is about one of them.

a part of your heart,” says Rod

Rambo, a Registered Polysomnographic

Technologist who worked with Dr. Glenn for 24 years.

“We would not be here if not for him. No words can describe his drive and contribution.”

Dr. Glenn established Decatur’s first EEG Lab at DMH in 1952, three years after joining the medical staff as a neurologist. A World War II veteran, he also served from 1956-58 as chief of neurology at San Diego Naval Hospital at the request of the Navy before returning to DMH. He retired from private practice in 1994 to run the Sleep Center and earn his board certification in sleep medicine.

Under his leadership, the Sleep Lab became a fully accredited sleep center that conducts approximately 1,850 patient studies for a variety of sleep disorders each year (see related article). Dr. Glenn’s development of the DMH Center was greatly influ-enced by his professional connection to recognized sleep studies pioneer William Dement, M.D., PhD, who co-published with Nathaniel Kleitman, PhD, known nationally as the father of sleep research.

“Dr. Glenn introduced the Decatur area to the then-new medical concept that sleep matters in health and disease,” says the DMH Lung Center’s Steven Arnold, M.D., who worked closely with Dr. Glenn and is also board certified in the field.

The Man Behind the

T t Dr. Clarence G. Glenn

Dr. Clarence G. Glenn Sleep Center

SlEEP STuDy

17www.dmhcares.com

“What happens when we are asleep affects us when we are awake, and what happens when we are awake affects how we sleep.”

“Dr. Glenn’s insight, leadership and careful guidance, along with Dr. Michael Zia’s work in sleep apnea, brought and kept DMH at the forefront of sleep medicine,” says Dr. Arnold.

Chief Polysomnographic Technologist Rose Beach strongly agrees. Rose worked with Dr. Glenn in the Sleep Lab from its inception. She describes him as focused on ensuring that all Sleep Center staff members were provided with the training and tools they needed to be the best in the region.

“He wanted the department to be top-notch,” she says, remembering how he encouraged staff to attend conferences and study new publications in the field. “He always brought something to us that would benefit us in our department.”

Sleep Disorders Often include Sleep Apnea

“Sleep disorders can worsen other health issues,” says Rose Beach, Chief Polysomnographic Technologist at the Dr. Clarence G. Glenn Sleep Center, which has been accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine since 1987. Rose, who worked at the Center with co-founder Dr. Glenn for more than 25 years, cites sleep apnea as the most common disorders they see.

With sleep apnea, breathing stops briefly during sleep, causing the patient to wake up from a lack of oxygen. This can happen several times a night. Chronic loud snoring, often followed by gasping, is common. The disorder can worsen other health conditions and contribute to stroke, heart prob-lems and high blood pressure.

“Approximately 90 percent of our sleep study patients show symptoms of sleep apnea,” Rose says. “It can affect all ages and sizes – babies, children, adults, overweight, thin.”

Getting sleep apnea under control changes lives.“Diagnosing and treating sleep disorders such

as apnea can greatly improve someone’s quality of life,” says Steven Arnold, M.D.. “Before treat-ment, some patients can be so tired from lack of sleep that they lack the energy to enjoy life.”

Other sleep disorders can include insomnia, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome.

“Many people are in denial—they don’t think they have sleep problems, even though they may be having symptoms,” Rose says. Symptoms can include:

• Fatigue • More frequent illness • Irritability or personality change • Impaired concentration and memory • Reduced attention span • Loss of productivity • Depression

In addition to conducting sleep studies screenings at DMH, the Dr. Clarence Glenn Sleep Center is also accredited to provide sleep apnea screenings for adults in their homes. For home screenings, the patient picks up a simple device to wear overnight and brings the device back the next morning for results.

The Center is led by Medical Director Ajay Verma, M.D., Diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and Gina Hoots, Director, Respiratory and Neurodiagnostic Services. For more information, call 876-3602.

Also toward that end, Dr. Glenn established an education fund at DMH to provide opportunities in continuing education for the hospital’s sleep technologists.

“There are not many [sleep centers] that can say a high number of techs in their facility have completed the education needed to be registered. DMH can,” Rod says.

In addition, the Dr. Clarence G. Glenn Memorial Sleep Conference was held for the first time in May to offer continuing education for technologists and respiratory therapists in the area.

“It helps fulfills Dr. Glenn’s desire to invest in staff working in the field of sleep studies, and it also helps ensure that funding can be provided to help DMH technologists earn their registration status,” Rose says.

“His vision, his passion and his investment in education for the Sleep Center staff is still strong today at DMH,” Rod says. “Education for the staff was very important to him, and it’s important to us to continue that effort.”

Both Rose and Rod recall a skilled physician and true gentleman who deeply cared for his patients and staff; his wife of 68 years, Adele; and their two children.

“He wasn’t just my mentor, he was my friend.” Rose says. “It was heartbreaking the day he said he was calling it quits to retire.”

Both Rose and Rod use the word humble in describing their mentor.

“When they wanted to name the Sleep Center for Dr. Glenn, he was against it,” Rose says. “He didn’t feel they needed to do it.”

“What happens when we are asleep affects us when we are awake, and what happens when we are awake affects how we sleep.” ~Steven Arnold, M.D.

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18 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

HIS LEGACY

I n 1999, Anesthesiologist Robert F. Waldvogel, Jr., M.D., joined Associated Anesthesiologists of Decatur, teaching CRNA students in DMH’s Nurse

Anesthesia Program for seven years before his unexpected death. Shortly after, Waldvogel’s parents, Robert Sr. and Eleanor, along with his partners, coworkers and previous students, funded and established the Robert F. Waldvogel, M.D., Student Excellence and Clinical Mastery Award through the Decatur Memorial Foundation.

The award is presented each fall to a qualified DMH CRNA student who meets the criteria of exhibiting “Rob’s personality and interests,” says Rhonda Gee, CRNA and Director of DMH’s Nurse Anesthesia Program. Among those attributes are genuine concern for patients and fellow students, kindness, perfectionism, courtesy, professionalism and knowledge.

The memory of a respected young anesthesiologist whose life was tragically cut short in 2006 at age 40 lives on through DMH’s Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA) program.

DmH CRNa students (top) wear T-shirts honoring the late Robert F. Waldvogel, Jr., m.D.,

at a recent educational workshop held in his memory. The shirts

were provided by the Decatur memorial Foundation.

The late Robert Waldvogel, Jr., m.D.

lEGaCy

19www.dmhcares.com 19

HIS LEGACY

DMH’s Nurse Anesthesia Program

Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Nurse Anesthesia Program educates certified registered Nurse Anesthetists (crNAs). each December, about 14 crNAs complete the 36-month, full-time program.

Since 2010, this accredited program has been offered through a partnership with Decatur’s Millikin University. graduates receive the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree: certified registered Nurse Anesthetists. This clinical doctorate prepares nurses who already hold a bachelor of science in nursing degree to move to the highest level of clini-cal expertise and advanced nurs-ing practice.

To learn more about the program, call 217-876-2578.liveson

This September, Dr. Waldvogel’s legacy was further enhanced at DMH through the addition of a regional workshop for the program’s students. At the two-day work-shop, three speakers presented the Robert F. Waldvogel Memorial Lectures, which focused on peripheral nerve blocks as a method of relieving pain and avoiding the use of opiates as much as possible. “This mandatory work-shop allowed us to reach more students with valuable information reflecting the future direction of the field of anesthesiology,” says Gee.

Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Waldvogel’s parents and the leadership of the DMH Nurse Anesthesia Program, his legacy of excellence lives on at the hospital. It’s a fitting memorial for a caring physician and teacher who was born in 1965—the same year the Nurse Anesthesia Program was formed at DMH.

i

PDr. Waldvogel’s parents, Robert Sr. and Eleanor Waldvogel.

20 Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

PoSTcArD PUzzLe

A Sticker on Your Fridge

Could HelpSave

Your Life

I f you have a health crisis while alone at home, you may be unable to communicate your medical information to emergency responders.

Let DMH’s Cold Facts program do the talking for you with just three easy steps:

1) Fill out the Cold Facts card, listing chronic illnesses, medicines and other important medical information.

2) Slip the completed card inside a Ziploc bag (provided) and put it inside your refrigerator freezer on the right side.

3) Adhere the Cold Facts sticker cling (DMH’s has a penguin logo) on the upper right corner of the outside of your refrigerator door.

Done! (Be sure to update as needed.)

“I am a true Cold Facts believer,” says John Althoff, DMH Emergency Preparedness Manager, a paramedic. “I’ve seen firsthand how it can save time and save lives.”

Emergency responders can glance at the fridge; if there’s a Cold Facts sticker, they’ll know where to look for medical info.

“This is also a very good program for those who don’t speak English or are deaf,” says Shawn Stahulak, R.N., Clinical Nurse Educator, DMH Emergency Care Center.

Shawn is sharing Cold Facts information with DMH staff, area EMTs, case workers, pharmacy techs and other healthcare personnel. Cold Facts cards and stickers, which are provided by the Decatur Memorial Foundation, are also being distributed to area residents through physician offices, healthcare events and fairs, and other venues.

“It doesn’t cost anything, and it’s not time consuming,” Shawn says. “It’s a standardized way to get critical healthcare information to emergency responders quickly.”

For more information or to get your cold Facts

card and sticker, call John at 876-3058. you can also reach Shawn at 876-3063

for more information.

GOOD NEWS

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21www.dmhcares.com

hen a heart stops beating, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can help shock the heart back into a normal heartbeat. In recent years, many organizations and busi-nesses have installed the lightweight devices. They are easy to use and include step-by-step instructions for use in an emergency. They save lives.

This summer, the Boys & Girls Club of Decatur received their first AED, a gift of the Decatur Memorial Foundation.

“The Club did not have an AED, and the Foundation donated one that was not in use at the hospital,” says Shawn Stahulak, R.N., BSN, TNS, CEN, DMH Patient Educator and a certified Basic Life Support instructor. “Along with the donation, several Boys & Girls Club staff members completed four hours of training on how to use the equipment.”

Shawn led the training, also teaching the staff in adult/child CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

DMF Gifts Defibrillator to Boys & Girls Club

W

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 Americans – including about 7,000 children – experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital setting each year.

he vintage postcard of DMH shown on this page was recently mailed to the hospital from Stockton, Calif. But why? And by whom? The card itself was blank, but the letter sent with it told the tale.

Turns out the sender was Lowell Joerg, 91-year-old Stockton retiree who has made a hobby out of finding and sending antique picture postcards to their “rightful owners” for more than 25 years.

This time it was DMH’s turn to receive one.‘I was at an antique store here and found this 1930

picture card showing your beautiful hospital of that era,” Joerg wrote. “It’s an old time classic for sure, so I said to

PoSTcArD PUzzLemyself, ‘By golly, I think I’ll send it home where it can be appreciated’ … our heritage is important and should be preserved.”

Joerg calls his postcard hobby a “distribution of happiness.”

DMH distributed some of that hap-piness right back as Karen Schneller,

Executive Director, Decatur Memorial Foundation, took time to reply to thank Joerg and reimburse him for the $6 cost of the card.

“It was fun to open the letter and find this 89-year-old gem inside,” Schneller says. “It’s a reminder of our roots and how far the hospital has come.”

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Decatur Memorial Foundation • Summer 2014Decatur Memorial Foundation • Fall 2019

MARCH through JULY 2019

One Life Enriches Many

Decatur Memorial Foundation received contributions as memorials in honor of the individuals listed. For more information on how to submit a memorial, p lease call Karen Schneller at 876-2105.

22

AUXILIARYMarie C. BauerPauline CarterEstel “Greg” GregoryIngrid Cravens Smith

CANCER CARE INSTITUTE/RESEARCHGary D. Ward

R. HELEN CLELAND FUNDJoan Brummet Mees, R.N., ’53Margie Jean Rickey, B.S., CRNAEileen Sampson Summers, R.N., ’60

DMH FAMILY LODGERobert “Bob” Schloz

DMH/MILLIKIN SCHOOL of ANESTHESIAMargie Jean Rickey, B.S., CRNA

DMH WOMEN’S HEALTH and BREAST CANCER CENTERLeon Langhauser

mEmORIalS

FOUNDATIONGretchen Peters-HantelSheila A. McClungDenise “Dee” Mennel

HOSPICEVivian GrimesJohn C. “Jack” HerbertOwen D. SamplesStanley “Stan” ThompsonJudith D. “Judi” BaumPauline CarterGeorge W. CastellBarbara “Bobbe” Long

23www.dmhcares.com

•

Restricted Funds by CategoryDesignated funds support a spectrum of healthcare needs, from education and research to specialized equipment and services. If you would like more information about any of these funds, or if you would like to create a new fund, please call the Decatur Memorial Foundation at 217-876-2105, or email Kschneller@dmhhs.org.

u Richard and Dorothy Ammann Funds from this annual tournament go the Heart and Lung Institute for education and equipment.

Cancer Care Services

uAlice M. Allen Memorial Fund Funds for the care of cancer patients and cancer research.

u Cancer Care Institute Fund Funds attendance to nursing conferences; supports research projects.

uDinah J. Nordholm Memorial Fund Funds for breast cancer prevention, detection, and education programs.

uDr. G. Richard Locke Memorial Fund Funds for support of patients receiving radiation oncology treatment.

uGilbert W. and Marian E. Gallagher Memorial Fund Funds for research in medical and radiation oncology, training for oncology staff, and equipment for facility development.

uJudy Mason Memorial Fund Funds support local cancer research; assistance for under-served patients.

u Kelly Elaine Crowdson Estate Funds for cancer patients and research.

uKerbyStrong – Treatment Funds for cancer patients in immediate need of financial assistance with transportation, prescriptions, medical equipment, etc.

uKerbyStrong – Navigation Funds for staff education and for educational material to educate and improve the lives of cancer patients.

uMichael Radford Memorial Fund Funds for cancer research; patient treatments and education.

Cardiac Services

uCardiac Rehab Fund Funds to support education and certification for the DMH Rehab staff.

u The Heart Fund Funds to support endeavors in the cardiology service line.

Geriatric Psychiatric Services

u Braun Family Fund Funds to secure items and equipment that will enhance the care and therapy for patients on this unit.

Golf Tournament

u Hospice Fund Funds utilized for patient-related activities not covered by the Hospice budget; including, but not limited to, education and equipment.

Funds for the annual One Light To Remember service of remembrance; assistance for hospice patients and education for care providers.

Hospice Services

u Jane Schonert Shelby Fund Funds for patient services for those having undergone liver transplants.

Liver Transplant

u Dr. Ronald and Jan McGregor Fund Funds for purchase of medical journals and on-line subscriptions to educational publications for the Medical Staff Library.

Medical Staff Library

u Alumni of School of Anesthesia Education Fund Funds scholarships for nurse anesthesia students.

u Dr. Robert Waldvogel Memorial Fund Funds for School of Nurse Anesthesia award for the student who excels both clinically and in their personal interactions with patients.

uSchool of Anesthesia Education Fund Funds for School of Anesthesia Scholarships, education, and equipment.

Nurse Anesthesia Education

u Cleland Fund Funds for nursing education.

u Dr. Richard H. Fritz Memorial Fund Funds for nursing education.

u Dr Robert Kraus Memorial Fund Funds for nursing education.

u Dr. Thomas Samuels Memorial Fund Funds for nursing education.

u Forensic Nursing – Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Funds for education of nurses who provide care to victims of sexual assault, and for purchase of specialized equipment for forensic nursing.

u Lindsay Family Fund Funds for nursing education.

Nurse Education

u Fannie Bassett Memorial Fund Funds for purchase of toys for the play room on Pediatrics, which is where Fannie worked as an Auxiliary volunteer.

Pediatric Services

Family Lodging Services

u Family Lodge Funds for upkeep and facility improvements to the Family Lodge.

lEGaCy SOCIETy

NoNprofitorgaNizatioN

U.S. poStage

paiD Decatur, iL

permit No. 180

Partners is a publication for friends of

Decatur Memorial Foundation.

President & Chief Executive OfficerDMH Health Systems

Drew Early

Executive DirectorDecatur Memorial Foundation

Karen Schneller

Fall 2019 PartnErS

Copywriter: Deb KirchnerArt Director: Tracy Gramm

2300 North Edward Street Decatur, Illinois 62526

217/876-2105www.dmhcares.com

2019Saturday,Feb. 8, 2020

Café DMH

Hearts Around the WorldBest of the Best

The International Affair of the Year

Benefitting

Decatur MemorialFoundation

Decatur Memorial foundation has added a special touch to the holiday season with the

“One Light to Remember” program. the memory of your loved one will shine through

a single light at the Barnes Lobby entrance at the Hospital, enriching the spirit of the season, and the lives of others through the Hospice way

of caring at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Thursday, Dec. 5

• SAVE the DATE •