TODAY news - August 28, 2003

Thursday, August 28, 2003 TODAY

Loma Linda University Medical Center news

Medical Center employee returns from active duty in Kuwait

Sundar Nambiar, RN, executive director for perioperative services, is photographed in transit to the combat spot hospital in Kuwait he was assigned to during the Iraq War.

For Sundar Nambiar, coming home is a wonderful thing. A nurse since 1990 and working full-time at Loma Linda University Medical Center since 1995 in perioperative services, Mr. Nambiar is also a member of the Army Reserves. He is a captain in the Reserves Nurse Corps. And for the first time he was called to active duty on February 10, 2003, only a matter of days after he was promoted to executive director of perioperative services at the Medical Center.

“ When I first learned I was going I thought: Wow, I’m really going, there’s going to be a war. Wow, I just got this new job. Wow, I could be gone a whole year away from my family,” remembers Mr. Nambiar. He spent nearly a month at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington, going through deployment processing where the Army issued uniforms, gas masks, and other necessary equipment for engagement scenarios. This process lasted about a week, “and then you just wait,” Mr. Nambiar says.

So wait he did, until March 7 when, as he found out as he boarded the plane, the Army was sending his unit to Kuwait to establish a 296-bed combat spot hospital made entirely out of tents. With more than 560 staff, the field hospital Mr. Nambiar was assigned to provided just about every service including emergency medicine, operating rooms, intensive care units, medical/surgical units, a pharmacy, and MRI capabilities.

“ Once we got there on the 8th [of March], our mission was to get set up,” remembers Mr. Nambiar. He worked with a staff of 16 other OR nurses and more than 30 technicians. The manpower was needed.

“ During the main conflicts we were busy,” he recalls. “We saw anywhere from 7 to 15 patients a day.”

Besides treating soldiers, civilian Iraqis, and POWs, Mr. Nambiar and the entire staff at Camp Wolf, as it was known, lived with the fear of the unknown. The camp went through 29 SCUD missile warnings, sending everyone scrambling to put on their gas masks and protective equipment. None ever struck the hospital though.

“ There were good days and bad days for everybody,” Mr. Nambiar remarks. “I think Loma Linda was very supportive. I received letters from OR staff, and care packages from pathology at the FMO. People from all over sent me notes and prayers.”

Mr. Nambiar finished his tour of duty on June 3, thanks to a reservist clause limiting his time in the theater of operations to 90 days. His wife knew he was coming back, but Mr. Nambiar surprised his mother and sisters. Though once back, he was put straight to work at the house hauling renovation scraps to the trash for he and his wife’s home improvement project started just before he left.

Looking back on his time in Kuwait, Mr. Nambiar learned that his faith and his fellow humans were his greatest asset.

“ We have the greatest armed forces in the world in terms of how we can get things going and come together,” he says. “But I thank God that my experience was short and sweet. Throughout it, I had to remind myself God is in control. That made all the difference to me. He is a great God and we have to trust Him.”

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LLUMC success a familiar story

The following editorial appeared in the San Bernardino County Sun on August 1, 2003.

Our view: The world-renowned medical center is a local asset we may never need but should appreciate.

It’s easy to take for granted even the finest resources a community has to offer. Here in the Inland Empire, Loma Linda University Medical Center may fall in that category. We are fortunate it has flourished in our midst.

Long renowned for cutting-edge medicine, the hospital has a new reason to stand proud and remind us of its stature.

A recent report by the Scientific Registry of Transplant shows LLUMC’s liver-transplant waiting list has seen fewer deaths than any other Southern California transplant center. The 2002 liver program mortality rate dropped to 6 percent from 9 percent in 2001—lower than any other transplant program in Southern California.

Translated, the numbers show more patients receive needed transplants, and those awaiting transplants remain healthy in the process. Because LLUMC serves as a trauma center for the area, organs for harvest are more readily available than at other transplant hospitals. Last year, almost 40 percent of the patients awaiting liver transplants at Loma Linda received those transplants within six months, compared to about 25 percent nationally.

Just as impressively, the hospital’s overall success rate is close to 86 percent, surpassing the national average of 83 percent.

Patients believe the numbers are earned, crediting hospital methodology. A network of transplant team members steer patients through the process, from waiting list to recovery, keeping in close contact. Patients say it helps keep their spirits up and hopes high.

We are used to hearing about LLUMC successes—from heart transplants and cancer treatments to its work with Alzheimer’s disease patients and more—so its latest achievement is hardly startling news.

Fortunately, most of us will never have need of its renowned staff or facilities. It’s just nice to remember it’s there, in case we or our loved ones do.

Copyright (2003), The Sun. Reprinted by permission.

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Charity Golf Tournament benefits Proton Treatment Center

Receiving a check from the Foresters in the amount of $37,775.58 are (from left) Albin Grohar, PhD, executive director of advancement, LLU; David A. Bush, MD, assistant professor of radiation medicine; J. Lynn Martell, DMin, vice president for advancement, LLUAHSC; Jerry D. Slater, MD, director, Proton Treatment Center; and Stephen Micklas, president of the Forester’s Southern California and Hawaii regional council.

Close to 100 golfers participated in the 23rd annual Foresters Charity Golf Tournament benefitting the Loma Linda University Proton Treatment Center.

The tournament, played at Rialto’s El Rancho Verde Golf Course on June 1, continues the Foresters’ long tradition of supporting Loma Linda’s research efforts and the Proton Treatment Center, according to Albin Grohar, PhD, executive director of advancement for Loma Linda University.

“ The Foresters began this support effort some three decades ago,” Dr. Grohar says. “Their spirit of generosity on behalf of cancer patients—

especially children—has been unrelenting.

“ This is a wonderful and consistent voluntary effort in support of cancer patients, and of the research and clinical work of Drs. James Slater and Jerry Slater,” Dr. Grohar continues.

To date, the Foresters efforts have netted close to $800,000 in support of research at LLU.

“ It is inspiring to see such selfless and consistent dedication to a cause as what our friends the Foresters show,” Dr. Grohar says. “The men and women that comprise the charitable work of this organization are strong believers in the research and clinical work of Loma Linda scientists in combating cancer.”

The tournaments have through the years been organized by the Foresters’ Southern California and Hawaii regional council, which in recent years has been under the direction of Stephen Micklas. Over the years, the tournament’s chair and organizer has been Lou Consoli, the regional council’s vice president.

Among the most tangible outcomes of the Foresters’ philanthropic efforts has been their support of the investigative work at the Foresters’ Cancer Research Laboratory located in the Chan Shun Pavilion at LLU.

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Palm Springs Corvette Club donation of $4,000 helps fund ALS research

Dale Lake (left), president of the Palm Springs Corvette Club, presents a check for $4,000 to Carmel Armon (right), MD, director of research for the neurology department, and Dee Moses, RN, clinical research director, to help fund research of ALS.

For the second year in a row, the Palm Springs Corvette Club (PSCC) made a donation to the Loma Linda University Medical Center’s neurology research department. This year’s donation, from the proceeds of the club’s April Fun Autocross event, doubled last year’s amount just like club president Dale Lake promised. The check for $4,000 was presented to Carmel Armon, MD, director of research for the neurology department, and Dee Moses, RN, clinical research coordinator.

The club is building a strong relationship with the Medical Center towards researching amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as

Lou Gehrig’s disease. Members adopted the Hearts for ALS program as their charity in 2002, just months after member Judy Aragon died from ALS. The

little-understood disease has received relatively low attention during the more than six decades since Lou Gehrig passed away. The Palm Springs Corvette Club is taking an active step to change that with their donations.

Mrs. Aragon’s husband, Paul, was one of eight club members to attend the check presentation.

“ The character of our club and the success of the autocross really came into maturity when we adopted ALS as our cause,” says Mr. Aragon. “I can’t express the depth of my gratitude, as I know that Judy was the reason ALS was chosen as the PSCC charity.”

Members of the Palm Springs Corvette Club line up in the parking lot A annex for a photo with their cars.

“ When my wife Judy and I made the decision to buy our first Corvette in February of 1999 we had no idea of the impact the purchase of our car would have on our lives,” reminisces Mr. Aragon. “We joined the PSCC in the summer of that year and…we both enjoyed seeing the evolution of our club.”

“ Knowing that other people and local groups have joined the fight against the disease has really lightened the load,” said Dr. Armon as he accepted the check with gratitude for the group’s effort.

ALS is a disorder of the motor neurons and nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control the action of voluntary muscles. In ALS, for unknown reasons, these nerve cells gradually die. As they die, the nerve fibers that travel from them to the muscles die, too, and the muscles that normally receive the signals from these nerve fibers can no longer function.

ALS most often strikes adults in late middle age (55-65). But there are people with ALS ranging from their teens to their 80s. It usually starts in a leg or arm, with weakness, stiffness, or cramping. Sometimes, the trouble starts in the mouth or throat, usually as difficulty forming words with the tongue and lips, or with voice volume or quality.

The Palm Springs Corvette Club has two events planned for next year to raise money for the Hearts for ALS program.

For more information, visit the website <www.palmspringscorvette.com>.

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LAPD presents plaque to LLUMC for excellent care

On behalf of the Los Angeles Police Department in honor of the outstanding care given to a detective in June (from left) Captain Kevin McCarthy; the wife of the detective; Deputy Chief Mike Hillman; and Ben Lopez, patrol officer, make a presentation to LLUMC.

On July 16, several officers from the Los Angeles Police Department flew to Loma Linda University Medical Center to say a big thank you to staff at the hospital treating an injured detective from their force.

“ It’s important that the quality of care at Loma Linda University Medical Center be echoed around Los Angeles,” said Deputy Chief Mike Hillman on the sunny Wednesday morning. “I can’t say thanks enough.”

He and his fellow officers, Ben Lopez, a 3+1 patrol officer, and Captain Kevin McCarthy, presented a plaque honoring the staff at LLUMC for the outstanding care delivered to their comrade during the month of June.

B. Lyn Behrens, MBBS, president and CEO of LLUMC, welcomed the show of appreciation.

“ We consider it a privilege to serve,” said Dr. Behrens. “You serve us as individuals and a community. It is a pleasure to return the favor.”

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Rudy Garcia-Tolson’s BraveHeart Triathlon shows PossAbilities

Runners prepare to take off at the starting line early Sunday morning.

Hope hit the streets on Sunday, July 20, as more than 450 athletes participated in Rudy’s BraveHeart Triathlon along the streets of Loma Linda. The event, a sprint triathlon, had competitors running five kilometers, riding a bike nine miles, and finishing off with a 150-yard swim at the Drayson Center pool.

The triathlon’s namesake, Rudy Garcia-Tolson, a 14-year-old double amputee just above the knees, ran and swam along with his teammate Emmanuel Yeboah, a challenged athlete from Ghana, Africa. The two met at the Challenged Athletes Foundation San Diego Triathlon in La Jolla last November. Since then, Emmanuel was brought to Loma Linda University Medical Center for evaluation of his deformed right leg. In April, doctors at

the LLUMC Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Institute amputated his leg, and Emmanuel has been receiving physical therapy and prosthesis fittings there in preparation for his return to Ghana. His goal is to show people in his country that being disabled doesn’t mean you have to be a beggar.

Emmanuel Yeboah (left), Rudy Garcia-Tolson (center), and Roderick Sewell pose for a picture after they completed the triathlon.

At a reception held for Emmanuel on July 10, his story was told for the first time on video produced by independent documentarian Lisa Lax. Also at the reception Murray Brandstater, MD, PhD, chair of physical medicine at the Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Institute, and Christopher Jobe, MD, chair of orthopaedic surgery, told how inspirational Emmanual was to them.

“ He shows how indomitable the human spirit can be when faced with a challenge,” said Dr. Brandstater.

Before his amputation, Emmanuel had been on crutches for 25 years.

“ I don’t know how to say it. But all you people helped change my life,” Emmanuel said at the reception. “God bless you all. Thank you very much for changing my life!”

At the triathlon’s prerace dinner the PossAbilities club was introduced.

“ The goal of the PossAbilities program is not to focus on limits, but to focus on PossAbilities,” said Michael Jackson, MPH, senior vice president of the Medical Center East Campus. “Tomorrow is a milestone for us. We are so excited to bring people together and connect them.”

At the dinner, Roderick Sewell, also a double leg amputee, presented a surfboard to his friend and mentor Rudy—a gift that really shows there are no limits to the PossAbilities open to challenged individuals.

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LLUMC all-star nurses recognized

On June 30, Loma Linda University Medical Center administration held a luncheon to celebrate and recognize the talent and skill of nursing at the hospital. Joaquina Garcia, RN, nursing marketing and retention specialist, helped coordinate an awards ceremony for the 2003 all-stars in nursing excellence. The event also included a pasta bar where caterers prepared pasta to order.

Liz Dickinson, RN, CNOR, senior vice president of patient care services, presented each of the nurses with a special recognition certificate and gift after reading a few words about the nurses from their peers.

All-star winners

Alane Allbee, RN, acute care pediatrics; Gordon Beardsley, RN, East Campus ICU; Crystal Cranor, RN, coronary care ICU; Margaret Evers, RN, oncology unit 9200; Yolanda Hernandez, RN, oncology unit 9200; Susan Renee Martin, RN, PACU perioperative; Sherilyn Toppenberg, RN, LLUHC Allergy Clinic.

All-star nominees

Lyda Cortes, RN, dialysis; Christine Cullen, RN, NICU; Aurelia Gumangan, RN, PDCU; Joan Heath-Webb, RN, fertility clinic; Martha Hummer, RN, ambulatory infusion clinic; Marian Llagunao, RN, Total Care Birth Center; Christine Myers, RN, acute care pediatrics; Nitaya Soeprono, RN, dialysis; Mary Warrick, RN, Total Care Birth Center; Linda Ziegler, RN, Unit 7300 joint replacement.

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Two LLUMC physicians installed as local medical society officers

Two Loma Linda University Medical Center physicians recently began their one-year term as officers in the San Bernardino County Medical Society.

Samuel G. Wilson, MD, assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine, began his duties as the 111th president of the SBCMS on July 1, after the installation dinner on June 26, announced his new position in the society. Ruchir Sehra, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics who specializes in electrophysiology, was also installed on June 26 as an officer.

The SBCMS honored John Mace, MD, chair of pediatrics at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, with the William L. Cover Award for Outstanding Contribution to Medicine. Dr. Mace was presented the award for his enterprising and forward-looking work in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital in San Bernardino County.

The SBCMS, the California Medical Association Alliance, and the American Medical Association Foundation provided a check of $2,485 presented to H. Roger Hadley, MD, dean of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine to support medical student education.

The SBCMS was established in 1878. It is a professional membership organization comprised of physicians practicing medicine in San Bernardino County. It is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its purpose is to promote and develop the art and the science of medicine, to conserve and protect the public health, and to promote the betterment of the medical profession.

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Barbara West retires after 35 years

Barbara West, administrative assistant to senior management at Loma Linda University Medical Center, retired from her career in July. An open house was held in her honor on July 8 to celebrate Ms. West, who began working at the Medical Center in 1968. She was congratulated for her many years of service in radiology, respiratory care, and administration.

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Thursday, August 28, 2003 TODAY