Rogue Valley Medical Center Health Newsletter Spring 

INTHISISSUE
TomoTherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Pediatric Sleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Colon Cancer Therapy. . . . . . . . . . . 8
Colon-healthy Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . 9
TomoTherapy
Bringing hope to cancer
Hospice Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 treatment in our
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 community
page 2
Your Health Goes Green . . . . . . . . . 12
 TomoTherapy Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Now at Rogue Valley Medical
I
t would be difficult to park your car in
your garage with your eyes closed. Now
imagine that someone moved the garage.
Wouldn’t you want to know where it was?
Some cancers, such as prostate cancer, pose a
similar problem for doctors because the cancer
is in a part of the body where it
can shift and move. Doctors
need to know precisely
where the tumor is
to deliver the most
effective dose
of radiation.
TomoTherapy,
the newest form
of radiation
therapy for
2 |
certain cancers, gives doctors that ability, and
it is now available at Dubs Cancer Center at
Rogue Valley Medical Center (RVMC).
“A patient does not have to
go out of town to get the
best treatment available.”
—Jere Sandefur, MD
The TomoTherapy Hi-Art treatment
system combines intensity-modulated
radiation therapy (IMRT)—the most
effective form of radiation therapy—with
the image precision of a CT (computerized
axial tomography) scan to guide radiation
exactly to tumor areas. Patients lie on a table
that moves through a donutlike opening. As
they pass through, the IMRT heads spin
around inside the donut, sending
radiation beams at an infinite number
of angles to reach the exact location
Read more about the new TomoTherapy treatment system at www.rvmc.org, keyword: tomo
of the tumor. This maximizes the radiation
reaching the cancer while minimizing damage
to the surrounding healthy tissue.
“TomoTherapy represents the best
radiation approach for many cancers,” says
radiation oncologist Jere Sandefur, MD.
“We are going to take a scan every day on the
table right before we treat the patient so we
can shift the radiation right to the target.”
Current treatment systems require
getting a CT image of the tumor and then
positioning the body at a later time and
targeting the tumor based on the image. This
works extremely well for most cancers but not
for ones in very sensitive places such as the
spine and the neck or in areas that move such
as the prostate.
“We were already using IMRT and CT,”
Dr. Sandefur says, “but Tomo brings together
all these parts into one package. We see it,
then we treat it at the same time. It is clearly
better, and bringing it to the Rogue Valley
was something we had to do.”

Center
Previously, local patients had to travel either to Salem or
to the University of California at Davis near Sacramento for
TomoTherapy. Thanks to generous and ongoing community
support through the Asante Foundation, this startlingly
successful therapy is now available here.
The cancer specialists at Dubs Cancer Center on the RVMC
campus can help you decide if TomoTherapy is the right choice
for you or your loved one.
For more information call 1-877-789-8666.
CommunitySupport
MakesTomoTherapyPossible
W hen Jed Meese needed care for his prostate cancer, he wanted the most effective
treatment to give himself a winning edge. To do that, he had to travel to
Washington state.
“I am very fortunate. I could afford to leave the area. Some people can’t,” says
Meese. He and his wife, Celia, are supporting TomoTherapy by donating a lead gift
to the Asante Foundation. “It is very important for everybody in the area to have a top-
notch hospital with cutting-edge treatments like TomoTherapy,” explains Meese.
The Asante Foundation will continue to raise funds to cover its cost, says Deborah
Ameen, Asante’s chief development officer. “Our Foundation Board felt that improved
radiation therapy would make a difference to our community’s cancer patients and that
they shouldn’t have to wait or travel hundreds of miles,” she continues. “Donors like
Jed and Celia Meese give to the hospital
because of their belief that philanthropy
leverages partnerships among the hospital,
physicians, and the community. Together
we create a connection of care.”
Jed put it this way: “We have been
very fortunate and we like to give back.
By giving to RVMC, you can make a huge
difference in a lot of people’s lives.”
“And we hope others do the same,”
Celia adds.
Jed and Celia Meese
To make a gi, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: giving | 3
 When It’s a Stroke, Every Second Counts

L
eon Carrau was opening the garage door when, “Whoomp,
I just fell over.” It was a stroke. “I had no pain, but I
was angry because I couldn’t move my left hand and
I couldn’t talk,” he recalls. His wife, Jackie, dialed 9-1-1, and
soon the Phoenix Fire Rescue arrived. They called Mercy
Flights, who got Carrau to Rogue Valley Medical Center
(RVMC), a certified Primary Stroke Center, fast.
“Rapid response is the key,” says Margaret Brewer, RN,
BSN, Stroke Program Coordinator. “During a stroke the flow
of blood to the brain is blocked. With every passing second
during a stroke, more brain function is lost.”
The RVMC stroke team was ready for Carrau and quickly
stabilized him and kept the blood flowing to his brain with
blood thinners. After a stay in the stroke unit, he was moved to
the Inpatient Rehabilitation Center (IRC), where he received
more than three hours of intense therapy every day.
Carrau is a documentary filmmaker who has a keen
sense of detail and continuity. “And the IRC approach is very
effective. They schedule you tightly up there,” he says.
“They don’t mess around, and they are determined, including
the CNAs [certified nursing assistants].”
Today, Carrau is at home, doing his exercises every day.
“I want my mobility back,” he says. “And I can do that thanks

4 | To print a copy of the stroke scorecard, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: stroke scorecard

 BeStrokeSmart
May Is National Stroke Awareness Month EducationClasses
to the people at Rogue Valley Medical Center.” begin brain-saving treatments immediately. MEDFORD
Margaret Brewer agrees: “The teamwork of Only 36 percent of Americans live near Tuesday, May 12
emergency services, the stroke team, critical care, and a hospital designated as a stroke center. In Oregon 5:30 to 7 p.m.
the IRC is what creates success for our stroke patients.” only RVMC in Medford and three hospitals in Smullin Health Education Center
RVMC campus
Portland have Primary Stroke Center certification. Presented by
WHYA“PRIMARYSTROKECENTER”? “Our physicians have extensive specialized training, Juan M. Castillo, MD, FACS
For the 220 patients treated for stroke at RVMC and we have established proven standard protocols Oregon Surgical Specialists, PC
in 2008, it means that they had a better chance that minimize the long-term effects of a stroke,”
YREKA
to save brain function. RVMC has met demanding says Brewer. Wednesday, May 20
treatment standards to fast-track patients 5:30 to 7 p.m.
suspected of stroke so that HOWISSTROKETREATEDATRVMC?
HOW Yreka Community Center
doctors can Docto may open blocked arteries using drugs
Doctors Main Room
or a percutaneous
p coronary intervention (PCI), Presented by
commonly
com known as coronary angioplasty. Mark A. Eaton, MD, FACS
Oregon Surgical Specialists, PC
National
Nat guidelines call for angioplasty within
90 minutes of a patient’s arrival at the hospital. No fee. Please register.
At RVMC the average is less than 60 minutes Call 1-888-688-4920
and
an often 30 minutes or less. From 2003 to or register online at
2007,
2 the mortality rate for angioplasty www.rvmc.org/classes-events.
patients
p from stroke or heart attack was Up to 80 percent of all strokes are
3.1 percent. The national average is preventable, yet stroke is still a
10 percent. leading killer in the United States.
Understanding how to lower your
risk is lifesaving information.

To register for other

ot community health education classes, visit www.rvmc.org, keyword: classes | 5
 Is Your Child Acting Out?

J
ay Reeck, MD, ENT, recalls one distraught
mother who stayed with her child all night, and
every time he stopped breathing she would give
him a little nudge to wake him up.
It was obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder
that blocks the airway, causing wakeful, restless
sleep. A child with OSA may stop breathing for
a moment but will awaken and start to breathe
again. “It really scares parents,” says Dr. Reeck,
“and they should seek medical advice.”
The best place to begin is with a sleep
evaluation and sleep study. Rogue Valley Sleep
Center in Medford, the only pediatric program in
the region, is now offering sleep studies for children
ages three to 17.
Obstructive sleep apnea leaves adults tired and
droopy all day. But it often has the opposite effect in
children, causing symptoms that mimic attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
“If a child is snoring, he might awaken multiple
times a night and have fragmented sleep,” says
Lee Harker, MD, a pediatric sleep specialist and
the chair of Women’s and Children’s Services at

6 | Read more about pediatric sleep disorders at www.rvmc.org, keyword: sleep


It Might Be a Sleep Disorder
Rogue Valley Medical Center. “Poor sleep affects
school performance and certainly can result in
behavior problems.”
If your child exhibits symptoms of OSA, he or she
should be evaluated. A sleep study is the only certain
way to make a diagnosis.
“We can diagnose all pediatric sleep disorders,”
“We have seen remarkable
turnarounds in the behavior of
children treated for sleep apnea.”
—Beth Mortonson
says Beth Mortonson, clinical manager of Rogue
Valley Sleep Center. “And we have seen remarkable
turnarounds in the behavior of children treated for
sleep apnea.”
Even if a sleep disorder is strongly indicated,
parents should get a sleep study for their child before
seeking treatment, recommends Dr. Harker.
CanItAffectMy
Child’sHealth?
Recent studies have shown that children
with sleep apnea are particularly susceptible to
complications after tonsillectomy. “With a proper
A child with OSA may have
poor health and growth,
difficulty concentrating
diagnosis, insurance is more likely to pay for an and/or developmental delay,
overnight stay after a tonsillectomy,” Dr. Harker hyperactivity, and behavioral
explains. “That first night can be pretty rocky. I problems.
recommend you discuss having a sleep study with “Deep sleep releases
your doctor. If your child has true sleep apnea, he hormones necessary for
or she should be watched overnight in the hospital growth and building muscle,”
after surgery.” says Annemarie Day, FNP, a
For the child mentioned at the start of this article, pulmonary specialist. A child
a study at the Rogue Valley Sleep Center diagnosed with sleep apnea may never
his OSA. The pediatrician sent him to Dr. Reeck, reach or maintain deep sleep,
who removed the child’s tonsils, and the OSA preventing the release of growth
stopped. hormone and making his or
“It’s great to have parents come back and her heart work overtime by
say, ‘Oh, my gosh, they are sleeping so well!’ constantly speeding up to try
It’s amazing to see their faces just light to overcome the apnea so
up,” says Dr. Reeck. that the child can breathe.
To get a sleep study for your child,
contact your physician. For more
information call the Rogue Valley
Sleep Center at (541) 774-5750.
| 7
Get Screened and Beat Colon Cancer
R
ogue Valley Medical Center and the American
Cancer Society encourage anyone at average
risk to begin screening for colon cancer
starting at age 50.
According to the 2007 Annual Report to the
Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975–2004, the death
rates from colon cancer dropped 4.9 percent per year
in men and 4.5 percent per year in women between
2002 and 2004.
These declines can be attributed to prevention
and early detection of the disease through screening
as well as to effective treatment. But despite the
progress, colon cancer remains the third-leading
cause of cancer death in both men and women in
the United States.
WHATARETHERISKS?
You have average risk for colon cancer if you
are age 50 or older or have a personal or family
history of the disease. Your risk increases if you
are overweight or have a diet high in red or
processed meats.
8 |
“Health is the greatest of
human blessings.”
—Hippocrates (460 B.C.–370 B.C.)
HOWDOIGETCHECKED?
• Yearly stool blood test (FOBT) or fecal
immunochemical test (FIT)
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years or
double-contrast barium enema every five years
• Colonoscopy every 10 years
To see how you can get screened, consult your
doctor or call the American Cancer Society anytime
toll-free at 1-800-ACS-2345 [1-800-227-2345].
Have you heard the phrase Health begins in
the colon? The colon, or large intestine, is the
final stage of the digestive tract, where a garden
of beneficial bacteria help finish digesting our
food and promote the absorption of vitamins,
minerals, and healthy fats.

Colon cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells
lining the colon. It is imperative to get regular screening
tests done for early detection. When detected
early, cancer can often be cured.
You can also greatly reduce your risk of
colon cancer with some basic lifestyle choices:
• Exercise daily. Find an activity you
enjoy; you’ll do it more often.
• Eat several servings of vegetables daily,
including legumes such as beans, peas,
and lentils.
• Enjoy fresh fruit and whole grains.
• Moderation is the key for all foods. Also,
if you drink alcohol, by all means drink
in moderation. This means up to one
drink a day for women and two at the
most for men. Wine, especially red wine,
is the most healthful.
• Enjoy the sun often but for short periods
and with sun block protection. A vitamin D
supplement is a good idea if your
vitamin D level is low.
Colon-healthyRecipe
• If you smoke, quit. Call the American Cancer Society
at 1-800-ACS-2345 [1-800-227-2345] for help.
Minestrone
Minestrone is a versatile and delicious Italian classic. It can be a light, fragrant soup in
summer or a hearty warming stew in winter.
INGREDIENTS 1 cup cooked beans: black, garbanzo, kidney,
navy, lima, and/or pinto
1 onion, finely chopped
Handful raw or cooked whole-wheat pasta
1½ cups chopped celery and/or ½ cup cooked grains: barley or wild rice
1½ tablespoons olive oil 1 cup greens: spinach or kale (optional)
4 cups chopped tomatoes or 6 ounces tomato salt and pepper to taste
paste with 3 cups vegetable, chicken, or beef stock
½ cup chopped parsley (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano INSTRUCTIONS
2 teaspoons basil • Sauté onion and celery in oil until soft. Add
tomatoes or stock and bring to a simmer.
Pinch fennel (optional) • Add herbs and vegetables. Simmer for 1 hour.
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed • Add beans, pasta, and grains and cook for
2 cups or more chopped vegetables: carrot, 30 minutes.
✃
zucchini, potato, broccoli, green beans, green • Add greens and parsley and bring to a boil.
pepper, cabbage, peas, corn, and/or mushrooms Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy! Serves 6.
For more healthy recipes, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: recipes | 9
Hospice Volunteers Provide a Caring Touch
A
sante Hospice is a life-enhancing support
system of nurses, social workers, care aides,
and volunteers who help patients live well
and at home as they enter the end stages of life.
In operation for more than 17 years,
the Asante Hospice team consists of 27 nurses,
6 social workers, 4 care aides, and more than
45 active volunteers who served more than
750 families in 2008.
“We ease the process for everyone involved,
with emphasis on emotional, social, spiritual,
and physical support for patients as well as their
families,” says Katie Adkison, manager, Asante
Hospice. “And volunteers are an important part
of that emphasis.”
“Volunteers share with me that they are
honored to be present during someone’s end-
of-life journey,” says Sally Melton, director of
volunteers. “Beyond this, they often state that this
shared process helps them face their own mortality
and prioritize their life choices.”
Hospice volunteer Lesley Nelson agrees. “I
was asked by one of my clients why anyone would
10 | Read more about how you can become a hospice volunteer at www.rvmc.org, keyword: hospice
choose to spend even a day of her life to sit with
the dying,” she says. “My first answer was that it
felt natural for me to do this at this stage in my life,
being semiretired with grown children.”
The complete answer, of course, is more
complex, and Nelson says that every client at
the end of life “informs me of something vital
to my own life and my own acceptance of my
own mortality.”
For example, one client expanded the definition
of the word friend for her. Barely able to talk, the
patient whispered, “Friend, I know this is going to
be a long process—can we talk?”
“I’m still touched,” says Nelson, “to be a
companion on a journey rather than a person
separated from the dying process by the need to
be addressed by a given name. It is exceedingly
gratifying to grow and learn to be a friend in this
way to people I might otherwise never meet.”
If you or someone you know would like more
information about becoming a hospice volunteer
or about Asante Hospice Services, please call Sally
Melton at (541) 789-6859.

Community Health Education
Visit www.rvmc.org or call 1-888-688-4920 to request the Community Health Education events calendar.
BE STROKE SMART
Medford | Tuesday, May 12 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Smullin Health Education Center, RVMC
Presented by Juan M. Castillo, MD, FACS
Oregon Surgical Specialists, PC
Yreka | Wednesday, May 20 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Yreka Community Center, Main Room
Presented by Mark A. Eaton, MD, FACS
Oregon Surgical Specialists, PC
Breast surgery: yesterday,
today, and tomorrow
Presented by Stephen Lovich, MD
Medford | Tuesday, May 19 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Smullin Health Education Center, RVMC
BecomeaPart
ofYourCommunity
Is It Alzheimer’s?
Presented by Patrick Gillette, MD
A sante is a community-supported
organization. To support the work
we do at Rogue Valley Medical Center
Yreka | Wednesday, May 27 | 5:30 to 7 p.m. or Three Rivers Community Hospital,
Yreka Community Center, Main Room to honor someone, or to learn about
planned gis, contact the Foundation
Treating and Beating Cancer
in Medford at (541) 789-5025, in
Presented by RVMC Cancer Services
Grants Pass at (541) 472-7300, or
Yreka | Wednesday, June 3 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Yreka Community Center, Main Room online at www.asante.org—click on
Medford | Tuesday, June 30 | 5:30 to 7 p.m. make a donation.
Smullin Health Education Center, RVMC
A Closer Look at the NICU:
Taking Care of the Little Ones
Presented by Lee Harker, MD
RVMC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Medford | Tuesday, June 16 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Smullin Health Education Center, RVMC

All classes are free. Please register. Call 1-888-688-4920 or register online at www.rvmc.org/classes-events.

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact Asante Communications and
Marketing at (541) 789-4241. Articles in the RVMC Your Health newsleer are intended for general information
only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. For diagnosis and treatment of specific conditions,
consult your physician.

To make a gi, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: giving | 11

 RVMC Heals
the Environment Too

R
VMC is becoming more environmentally
friendly. The hospital is using “green”
cleaning supplies, reducing plastic and
paper use in food service, making the change
to paperless medical records, and developing an
all-new facility plan to become LEED certified to
significantly lower its use of water and energy.
As part of this plan, this newsletter is now
printed in a smaller size on all-recycled paper made
from farmed trees, using eco-friendly soy-based
inks. In doing so, every issue of the new Your Health
newsletter is saving 256 cubic feet of wood while
using 64 percent less energy and water and creating
74 percent less air pollution. Another benefit: this
smaller size saves more than $25,000 annually in
postage, freeing funds for improved patient care.
RVMC

View Your Health online at www.rvmc.org, keyword: newsleer