MAKING A DifferenceSUMMER 2017 Crippling back pain COMPLEX SPINE SURGERY HELPS A RICHMOND MAN BACK TO HIS FEET NOVEL THERAPY CHANGES THE STORY LINE FOR ONE GYN ONCOLOGY PATIENT UK EMPLOYEE FINDS CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE NEEDS LIFELONG CARE UK IS ONE OF 100 GREAT HOSPITALS IN AMERICA A news magazine featuring the people and patients of UK HealthCare. MAKING A Difference Update from our 2016 issue Michael Karpf, MD Teresa Schladt, Lexington, Ky. SUMMER 2017 A congenital disease — AAT ON THE COVER: deficiency — sent this 45-year-old Pain, posture, poor balance and leg into liver failure. A liver transplant numbness were forcing Dave Lee to ADVANCED addressed the organ failure, but INSIDE retreat from many activities of life. Now after complex spine surgery, he can then Teresa was diagnosed with once again help wife Julie with the MEDICINE advanced cancer. Today, Teresa garden, home repairs and yard work. DEMANDS THE BEST is cancer free and “enjoying life to the fullest with my family,” as FROM ALL OF US she puts it. “Top of my agenda has been to maintain my health 2CHANGING THE STORY LINE Not content with the advice, “Go home and enjoy In this issue of Making a Difference we are privileged to the best of my abilities including practicing yoga and what time you have left with your family,” Annette to once again share the stories of three amazing tai chi and trying to eat as healthy as possible. I also am Osborne opted instead for a new treatment individuals. From recurrent cancer to debilitating enjoying daily walks with my Scottie Madam Curie!” developed at UK for her recurring GYN cancer. back pain to a life-threatening heart infection, these three patients found themselves entirely reliant Natasha, Alan & Natalan on the skills and experience of our physicians, Hendren, Berea, Ky. surgeons, nurses and other health professionals to Natasha and Alan, both UK see their way clear. nurses, found help from the high-risk OB and neonatal teams 8 DISABILITY OR COMPLEX SPINE SURGERY? In my 14 years as the university’s executive vice when Natasha’s pregnancy took A recipient of extensive, but flawed, prior back president for health affairs, I have been impressed a difficult turn and their baby, surgeries, Richmond resident Dave Lee opted for by the level of expertise present within our Natalan, was born at 30 weeks. complex spine surgery to rebuild his back and After 72 days in the Neonatal avoid disability. academic medical center (AMC). Together, we have UK HealthCare supports SOAR Photo credit @ Kellie Carter UK HealthCare and the University of Kentucky transformed UK HealthCare from a small center to ICU, Natalan went home and are proud sponsors of SOAR (Shaping Our one rivalling the nation’s leading AMCs in terms was followed in the NICU Graduate Clinic. Today, the Appalachian Region). We support SOAR’s of volume, level of complexity and statewide impact. family has welcomed another daughter and big sister goals of increasing educational opportunities, improving health and creating jobs for the Natalan, is “the happiest person I know,” said her mother. As I step away from my EVPHA role to focus on citizens of Eastern Kentucky. “We had to learn how to not live in fear and enjoy life,” raising support for programs I hold dear and to she said. Still receiving therapy, Natalan is closing the 16FINDING OUT THE HARD WAY devote more of my time to health services research, gap physically and “interacts like any other kid.” The Thinking he left congenital heart disease back in I commend to you the highly skilled and deeply childhood, UK employee Jason Conn found out Hendrens have spent the last year telling her story, otherwise after an infection of the lining of the caring teams of UK faculty and staff who have a advocating for the March of Dimes and raising awareness heart nearly took his life. passion for quality care, education of our state’s next on prematurity. generation of physicians, and pursuit of discoveries Making a Difference is a publication of to improve the health of our Commonwealth and Reuben Ligon, Warsaw, Ky. UK HealthCare® Corporate Communication. the nation. Plagued by congestive heart For information, write: 2333 Alumni Park disease for almost 40 years, Their unwavering commitment to our patients and Plaza, Suite 330, Lexington KY 40517 Reuben received a heart their families is deeply appreciated. I am confident 24THE LATEST AT UK HEALTHCARE Editor Graphic Designers transplant in 2015. On May 7 he that UK HealthCare is becoming one of the UK named among 100 Great Hospitals in America Jan Taylor Cheryl Conrad turned 60 and had a surprise James Carr Commonwealth’s strongest assets. A pacemaker for the brain Writers birthday party. “The most exciting UK welcomes Shriners Hospitals for Children Vickie Mitchell Photography thing for me is the fact that our Kristin Rattini Shaun Ring Sincerely, UK HealthCare earns GoldPlus Elite status doctor visits are all routine ones — Coordinator Lee Thomas for stroke care quick, with no issues,” said his Jennifer Wirtz DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital n wife, Janet. “Until the transplant, Hematology/Oncology Clinic has a new home Copyright 2017, University of Kentucky. All rights he and I both did not believe he reserved. An equal opportunity university. Michael Karpf, MD Advanced Eye Care Clinic would be alive to celebrate this No part of this publication may be reproduced without Executive VP for Health Affairs written permission of UK HealthCare Corporate UK HealthCare® / University of Kentucky milestone.” Communication, 859-323-8587. For more information, contact UK HealthCare — 859-257-1000 or toll free 800-333-8874 or ukhealthcare.uky.edu. SUMMER 2017 | 1 Annette Osborne’s quest to uncover Annette Osborne is captivated by stories. family characters was interrupted in 2015 when she learned vaginal The 53-year-old nurse from Winchester, cancer had returned, two years after Ky., has been researching her family’s her last treatment. CHANGING ancestry to find the stories behind the black-and-white photographs of generations past that she inherited a decade or so ago. Her quest has taken her THE to courthouses and churches in Kentucky and Tennessee and unearthed some memorable characters. “My great-granny Parker – seven was so impressed he gave her a never had before in my life,” she rates for these cancers. Compared STORY LINE generations ago – lived in Virginia pair of silk stockings.” remembered. “And I had a lot of to other states, more patients than Creating a new approach to an older procedure, and would host George and Martha bleeding.” not in Kentucky are overweight, UK radiation oncologist Jonathan Feddock, MD, Washington frequently,” Osborne said. Osborne’s own life story includes and we know that obesity is a risk “Apparently, she could dance cotillion two chapters that she would not Her gynecologist had moved out factor for uterine cancers,” said is providing patients whose gynecological cancer with a glass of water on her head and have willingly written for herself: of the area, so she consulted with Feddock. “In addition, cervical has returned with a second chance at life. never spill a drop. George Washington two rounds of vaginal cancer. But a new doctor in March 2013. He and vulvar cancers are frequently thanks to the groundbreaking drew her a picture of what he’d related to human papillomavirus permanent interstitial brachy- found. “There was a tumor on (HPV), which can be detected with therapy (PIB) treatment she top of the vaginal wall,” she said. screenings. Access to health care received under radiation oncologist “Where my other doctor thought and cancer screening has been Jonathan Feddock, MD, and his was a tear, there was cancer.” fairly poor in Eastern Kentucky, care team at UK Markey Cancer and as a result, we see a large Annette Osborne, right, was just about She went through six weeks of out of options when her GYN cancer came Center, Osborne’s story has number of cervical and vulvar back — until she investigated a new therapy chemotherapy and then external taken a dramatically happier cancers and these women tend developed by Jonathan Feddock, MD. beam radiation at a facility and healthier turn and has many to present with more advanced in Lexington. The radiation chapters yet ahead. disease compared to other states.” oncologist thought they had gotten everything, but… “He said FINDING THE TRUE CAUSE Historically, when gynecological OF HER FATIGUE getting full coverage at the top of cancers recur, the patient’s outlook Osborne had long been a caregiver, the vaginal wall can be difficult,” has been grim. Many oncologists not a patient. During her 27-year Osborne said. “He said that if I believe that once a patient has had nursing career, she had worked was going to have a recurrence, it radiation to a certain part of the in many settings, but her favorite would happen within two years.” rotations were in long-term care. body, radiation cannot be repeated. “I valued the relationships that In July 2015, two years to the If a patient’s cancer has not spread you build with your patients,” she month after her last treatment, elsewhere, traditionally a woman’s said. “I enjoyed listening to their Osborne was told her cancer had only treatment options have stories.” returned. been to undergo radical surgery such as a pelvic exenteration, or Her caregiver role continued at GRIM STATISTICS FOR chemotherapy, which are rarely home. In 2012, when her father’s GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS curative. Alzheimer’s disease worsened, he Gynecological cancers are a major moved in with Osborne and her health problem in Kentucky. The “The problem with a recurrence husband, Phil, so she could tend state ranks sixth nationwide in of cervical or vaginal cancer is to his needs.