lighting cancer’s fuse...treating the disease not only means fighting against it through advanced...

THE MERCYtouch 1

www.mercycare.org SPECIAL EDITION 2016

TOMOTHERAPY

FIGHTS HEAD &

NECK CANCER, p.4

LIGHTING CANCER’S FUSE WHOLE AGAINBreast cancer survivor becomescomfortable in her skin, p.14

OVERCOMING ODDSNurses radiatecompassionate care, p.17

Cancer is a frightening diagnosis. The State Health Registry of Iowa’s annual report on the disease projects 1,090 new cancers in Linn County and 520 in Johnson County by the end of 2015. Each new diagnosis sounds a battle cry. An onslaught of treatment plans, surgeries, therapies and tests ensue – all weapons unite to give patients the best possible outcome in their cancer fight. But what’s next? After the last treatment ends, a final lab is drawn and the oncologist clears the warrior for routine care, what happens when their cancer war is won? This is called survivorship; it’s building a new life with new understandings and priorities.

Cancer’s aftermath often leaves the survivor feeling profoundly changed. Sometimes favorite foods no longer taste good. Bodies are physically scarred and minds are shaken (you’ll read about breast cancer survivor Krista’s confrontation with body image on page 7). Anxiety is common and fear of cancer’s return is often unnerving. Many survivors – having fought a deadly disease – simply don’t view the world quite the same as they did before diagnosis.

Relationships with family and close friends are often deeply influenced in cancer’s wake as well. Many survivors will tell you they were flooded with support, empathy and love from caregivers during the battle. Their loved ones spurred them on with messages of strength and inspiration, never doubting, even in the most difficult moments, that the cancer war would be won. As exhausting as the fight is for survivors, it can be equally traumatic for supporters, creating voids and the haunting need to reconnect.

Mercy’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center understands that each cancer patient is on a life-changing journey, physically and spiritually. Treating the disease not only means fighting against it through advanced care, unique treatment plans and specific technologies like TomoTherapy Hi-Art™ (you’ll see TomoTherapy in action through Scott’s story on page 4), it also means helping survivors regain balance and meaning in their lives. Our goal is to provide comprehensive, compassionate care from diagnosis through survivorship. From wellness programs to support groups, massage to salon services, Mercy walks the entire cancer journey with our patients, building positive connections along the way.

You'll learn about the role the Mercy Foundation plays in supporting Hall-Perrine Cancer Center on page 7. If you find yourself moved to support the Mercy Foundation’s cancer funds, a postage-paid envelope is included inside this edition for your giving convenience.

I hope you enjoy this special, cancer-focused edition of The Mercy Touch Magazine. If cancer touches your life, Mercy’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center is here with the advanced skills, technology and compassionate care you deserve.

Thank you for reading.

The Mercy Touch®

magazine is published as a community service for the

friends and patrons ofMercy Medical Center,

701 10th St. SE,Cedar Rapids, IA

(319) 398-6011.

Tim CharlesPresident and CEO

Kelli SandersManaging Editor

Lead Writer

Kelly DeGroot Emily Fett

Art Direction/Design

Sherry CrawfordKaren Vander Sanden

Contributing Writers

Mike Schlotterback Photography

The information containedin this magazine is notintended to constitute

individual medical advice.It is given for general

informational purposes only.You should consult your

healthcare provider todetermine the applicability

of such informationto your situation.

Mercy Medical Center Foundation is a nonprofit

corporation organized and operated exclusively to support

the mission and activities of Mercy Medical Center. Visit

mercycare.org/foundation or call (319) 398-6202 for donation information.

Copyright © 2016Mercy Medical Center

Mercy Medical Center provides healthcare services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, disability, age or ability to pay.

The Mercy Touch® magazine featuresinsightful and practical medical information, warm human interest stories, medical triumphs, medical breakthroughs and new technologies at Mercy Medical Center.

2 SURVIVORSHIP: LIFE AFTER CANCER

4-6 TOMOTHERAPY’S PRECISION IN ACTION

7 GIFTS TO MERCY FOUNDATION PROVE GENEROSITY HEALS

8 & 13 FACES OF HALL RADIATION

9-12 HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER’S ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

14-16 SENSE OF SELF: REBUILDING AFTER BREAST CANCER

17-19 INFUSION NURSES PROVIDE THE MERCY TOUCH

KEEP INtouchSurvivorship:Life after winning the cancer war

Learn more about Mercy’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center at hallperrinecancercenter.org.

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N 2 0 1 62 www.mercycare.org THE MERCYtouch 3

Tim CharlesPresident and CEO, Mercy Medical Center

“Since this interview,I have had the PET scan and am currently cancer-free — praise the Lord and the caring staff of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center! They were the first to tell us, ‘Happy New Year.’I will have follow-up visits to continue to monitor our success.”Scott Anderson, cancer survivor“I had just been checked out by my doctor about six or

eight weeks earlier,” says Scott. “It came on that fast.”“It” was Stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer

of the head and neck. An extremely aggressive tumor sat at the base of his tongue and wrapped around a carotid artery. Following surgery to remove as much of the mass as possible, Scott placed his treatment in the expert hands of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s Radiation Oncologist Kevin Murray, MD, and Medical Oncologist Jasmine Nabi, MD.

Drs. Nabi and Murray initiated a collaborative effort to pinpoint the most efficient path to damage and ultimately kill the cancerous cells in Scott’s neck.

“We absolutely loved that they were working as a team,” says Joyce Anderson, Scott’s wife of 43 years. “You knew they were in communication. You could feel it.”

“Dr. Nabi helped us realize no two people’s journeys are the same,” she continues. “No people’s treatments are the same because it’s personalized based on many factors like history and cancer type.”

Once a day for 35 days, the Andersons journeyed from their home in Buchanan County to the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, where Scott visited the third floor infusion suites for chemotherapy when needed and Hall Radiation Center for daily treatment from TomoTherapy™.

“TomoTherapy uses thousands and thousands of tiny little treatment fields that aim at the cancer,” explains Dr. Murray. “The goal is to treat the cancer in the throat and miss the salivary glands at the same time, as well as the mandible, other parts of the throat and the roof of the mouth.”

When Hall Radiation’s team of radiation oncologists assessed Scott’s case and different treatment options, TomoTherapy’s multiple precision fields made it the best technology to treat his unique cancer. Using TomoTherapy meant a better likelihood of targeting around his salivary glands, which if exposed to radiation could produce a side effect of ropey, hard-to-swallow saliva “like caramel,” says Dr. Murray.

“TrueBeam™ can try to mimic the same effect of TomoTherapy and it has some techniques to try to do multiple small treatment fields, but it cannot do as many as TomoTherapy,” Dr. Murray continues. “When we’ve done comparisons in the past, we’ve always felt that TomoTherapy can give us a much better delivery of radiation to the cancer problem while avoiding the normal structures at the same time.”

Because consistent head placement is key when treating head and neck cancers, TomoTherapy’s mesh mask is a critical element. Each patient’s mask is custom created to fit their facial structure, maximizing comfort while encouraging stillness during treatment.

A bothersome toothache sent Scott Anderson to his dentist last spring. Whatever the pain was, the dentist determined it wasn’t coming from his teeth. When a lump appeared in Scott’s throat just days later — a lump he could see and feel — he worried.

BEATING CANCER WITH A

Kevin Murray, MDRadiation OncologistHall Radiation Center

Jasmine Nabi, MDMedical OncologistHall-Perrine Cancer Center

THE MERCYtouch 5S P E C I A L E D I T I O N 2 0 1 64

THE MERCYtouch 7

The mask, for Scott, was the hardest part of his prescribed treatment plan. He’s an active person prone to claustrophobia. The radiation therapists understood how mentally draining his treatments were.

“They were ready,” says Joyce. “He never waited. He got into position and they were moving.”

They even piped in special music to ease his mind.“I did everything to fireworks music,” Scott explains.

“I knew what cue went where. So when they said treatment takes 18 minutes, I knew right where 18 minutes was.”

Yes, fireworks music; the patriotic sounds behind the awe-inducing displays of summer.

Scott Anderson has been organizing local firework shows since the 1990s. Scott and his crew, Penguin Pyro, draw crowds for small-town celebrations in Eastern Iowa. Vinton’s popular Boomtown display originated in the Anderson’s backyard. The July 4 show in Independence, recognized by the Des Moines Register as one of “10 Great Events,” is arranged by Penguin Pyro.

“It’s rewarding once you see how many hours or weeks you put into a shell and it’s gone in six seconds,” he proudly smiles. “It’s an art you create.”

“It really is part of what got him through the treatment; the music, the desire to be there to shoot that show,” says Joyce. “There was only one show this year that his team really set up because it was so hot that day. His crew knew he needed to try to stay out of the sun.”

Scott was able to continue his grand sky shows — inspiring thousands of spectators with jaw-dropping explosions of color — while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He traveled to Wyoming to compete in the annual Pyrotechnics Guild International competition just weeks after finishing treatment and brought the title of grandmaster home with him. He refused to let cancer stop him from doing what he loves.

“We were blessed,” Scott states. “The whole journey was really rewarding. It really was,” he continues. “We never had a thought in our minds that Hall-Perrine Cancer Center wasn’t the right place for us.”

“Do we know it’s gone? Not totally,” Joyce says of the subsequent scopes showing dying cancer cells and Scott’s forthcoming PET scan to help answer lingering questions. “Can it come back? Yes. But you just continue to live each day.”

The Anderson’s best advice to those fighting cancer comes from a fortune cookie Scott opened at the start of his care: “Do not give up. The beginning is always the hardest.”

“You have to be positive. It is what it is,” Scott advises. “We’ve got to beat cancer. I don’t care what kind; we’ve just got to beat that c-word.”

THE PRECISION FIELDS OF HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER’S TOMOTHERAPY TECHNOLOGY HELPED SCOTT ANDERSON WIN HIS BATTLE WITH STAGE 4 HEAD AND NECK CANCER.

“We absolutely loved that they were working as a team.”Joyce Anderson, care partner

Learn about Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s fourcancer-fighting weapons in the center spread of this edition.

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N 2 0 1 66 www.mercycare.org

GENEROSITY HEALS at the Mercy Foundation

The foundation supports areas of care throughout Mercy Medical Center, including the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. With different cancer-focused funds built to support everything from patient needs (Hope Fund, Patient Care Services and Family Cancer

Resource Center), clinical trials and education (Research and Education Endowments), to treatment advancements

(Greatest Need fund), there are opportunities for donors to help in any area they feel most passionately about.

“As human beings, we want to connect, make a difference and contribute to those around us,” says President of the Mercy Foundation Sue Hawn. “We’re moved to help as we’ve been helped and the results are amazing.”

Those moved to give hope to the patients and caregivers of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center may use the enclosed envelope or visit hallperrinecancercenter.org/give-hope to donate securely online.

Sue Hawn, President Mercy Foundation

VISIT MERCYCARE.ORG/WAYS-TO-GIVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MERCY FOUNDATION OR CALL (319) 398-6206.


“This made me whole. This is final. My daughter doesn’t think I’m still sick when she looks at me.” Krista Barnell, cancer survivor

The world no longer revolves around cancer for Krista Barnell or her daughter, Brynlee.

Janet Merfeld, MDRadiation OncologistMedical Director,Hall Radiation Center

When 35-year-old Krista Barnell discovered a lump in her breast during a self-exam, she initially wrote it off as a muscle or a lymph node. The healthy mother of two, with no family history of the disease, never imagined it was cancer.

But it was. Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma — the most common type of breast cancer — was confirmed through a 3-D mammogram after she decided to call her doctor, just in case.

“One day I’m worried about the day-to-day stressors of being a wife, mother and working full time; to the next day, having my world turned upside down — honestly scared to death — praying for the opportunity for one more day, or more time, to be the best wife and mother I can be,” Krista reflects.

She began researching oncologists and surgeons upon diagnosis. After meeting different area providers, Krista chose the expert care of the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. Leila Kutteh, MD, Medical Oncologist, and Janet Merfeld, MD, Radiation Oncologist, initiated a collaborative approach to build a treatment plan unique to Krista’s specific cancer. She also chose the advanced surgical skills of Vincent Reid, MD, FACS, the only fellowship-trained oncologic surgeon in Cedar Rapids and Medical Director of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. Dr. Reid’s level of expertise gives patients confidence in knowing they’ll receive the highest quality surgical care, resulting in the best possible outcome.

“Dr. Reid was so great,” she says, “I instantly decided I wanted him as my surgeon.”

On July 28, 2014, Krista underwent a bilateral

(double) mastectomy and subsequent breast reconstruction surgery. Following the course of her treatment plan, tests revealed there were no cancerous cells in her lymph nodes. She didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation.

“I feel so blessed,” says Krista. “So many people think you automatically will have chemo and be so sick. That’s not always the case. There’s so much great technology out there.”

Krista’s prayers had been answered. She was cancer-free but she wasn’t the same. Cancer had left its mark, both emotionally and physically. The battle was haunting.

“Patients often struggle with powerful emotions after mastectomy surgery,” explains Dr. Reid. “Some survivors feel as though their body is no longer their own. Familiar breast anatomy is gone; that can be quite jarring and leave some to feel forever altered.”

“Deep down inside, it bothered me every day when I got out of the shower,” Krista says of the physical scars breast cancer left behind. “Every day I looked in the mirror, it was a reminder.”

Krista worried about the body-image perceptions of her then 4-year-old daughter, Brynlee.

“I wanted my daughter to understand my body,” she states. “I didn’t want her to only interpret difference, or sickness, when she looked at me. Cancer is a big concept for a little girl to have to think about.”

Leila Kutteh, MDMedical OncologistHall-Perrine Cancer Center

THE MERCYtouch 7

The mask, for Scott, was the hardest part of his prescribed treatment plan. He’s an active person prone to claustrophobia. The radiation therapists understood how mentally draining his treatments were.

“They were ready,” says Joyce. “He never waited. He got into position and they were moving.”

They even piped in special music to ease his mind.“I did everything to fireworks music,” Scott explains.

“I knew what cue went where. So when they said treatment takes 18 minutes, I knew right where 18 minutes was.”

Yes, fireworks music; the patriotic sounds behind the awe-inducing displays of summer.

Scott Anderson has been organizing local firework shows since the 1990s. Scott and his crew, Penguin Pyro, draw crowds for small-town celebrations in Eastern Iowa. Vinton’s popular Boomtown display originated in the Anderson’s backyard. The July 4 show in Independence, recognized by the Des Moines Register as one of “10 Great Events,” is arranged by Penguin Pyro.

“It’s rewarding once you see how many hours or weeks you put into a shell and it’s gone in six seconds,” he proudly smiles. “It’s an art you create.”

“It really is part of what got him through the treatment; the music, the desire to be there to shoot that show,” says Joyce. “There was only one show this year that his team really set up because it was so hot that day. His crew knew he needed to try to stay out of the sun.”

Scott was able to continue his grand sky shows — inspiring thousands of spectators with jaw-dropping explosions of color — while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He traveled to Wyoming to compete in the annual Pyrotechnics Guild International competition just weeks after finishing treatment and brought the title of grandmaster home with him. He refused to let cancer stop him from doing what he loves.

“We were blessed,” Scott states. “The whole journey was really rewarding. It really was,” he continues. “We never had a thought in our minds that Hall-Perrine Cancer Center wasn’t the right place for us.”

“Do we know it’s gone? Not totally,” Joyce says of the subsequent scopes showing dying cancer cells and Scott’s forthcoming PET scan to help answer lingering questions. “Can it come back? Yes. But you just continue to live each day.”

The Anderson’s best advice to those fighting cancer comes from a fortune cookie Scott opened at the start of his care: “Do not give up. The beginning is always the hardest.”

“You have to be positive. It is what it is,” Scott advises. “We’ve got to beat cancer. I don’t care what kind; we’ve just got to beat that c-word.”

THE PRECISION FIELDS OF HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER’S TOMOTHERAPY TECHNOLOGY HELPED SCOTT ANDERSON WIN HIS BATTLE WITH STAGE 4 HEAD AND NECK CANCER.

“We absolutely loved that they were working as a team.”Joyce Anderson, care partner

Learn about Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s fourcancer-fighting weapons in the center spread of this edition.


GENEROSITY HEALS at the Mercy Foundation

The foundation supports areas of care throughout Mercy Medical Center, including the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. With different cancer-focused funds built to support everything from patient needs (Hope Fund, Patient Care Services and Family Cancer

Resource Center), clinical trials and education (Research and Education Endowments), to treatment advancements

(Greatest Need fund), there are opportunities for donors to help in any area they feel most passionately about.

“As human beings, we want to connect, make a difference and contribute to those around us,” says President of the Mercy Foundation Sue Hawn. “We’re moved to help as we’ve been helped and the results are amazing.”

Those moved to give hope to the patients and caregivers of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center may use the enclosed envelope or visit hallperrinecancercenter.org/give-hope to donate securely online.

Sue Hawn, President Mercy Foundation

VISIT MERCYCARE.ORG/WAYS-TO-GIVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MERCY FOUNDATION OR CALL (319) 398-6206.

TRILOGY The Trilogy linear accelerator operates with a state-of-the-art computer planning system and provides the latest advancement in image-guided radiation therapy. During this treatment, the patient is stationary while the technology rotates around the site, delivering the right dose to the right place at the right time. Trilogy delivers treatment quickly and with the utmost efficiency, using tight alignments capable of targeting even the smallest tumors.

TRUEBEAM TrueBeam’s advanced imaging and treatment modes expand therapy options for patients battling some of the most complex cancers. Rotating around the patient, this technology delivers prescribed therapy from nearly every angle. Beams of radiation are shaped to match a 3-D image of the patient’s tumor, delivering precise therapy. Most TrueBeam treatments are completed in mere minutes, providing stereotactic radiation therapy in a fast, safe approach. HIGH DOSE RATE

BRACHYTHERAPYHigh dose rate brachytherapy uses a catheter to administer radiation therapy to a localized area, usually into the tumor itself or the cavity where the tumor was removed, avoiding healthy tissue. This therapy can dramatically reduce the number of treatments from the traditional six weeks to a mere five days for early breast cancer, making this a convenient option for patients. High dose rate brachytherapy is also used very effectively for most gynecologic cancers and can also be used to treat some types of lung and esophageal cancers.

TOMOTHERAPY Some types of cancerous tumors can change in size or position from one day to the next. TomoTherapy Hi-Art is the solution to ensure radiation treatment is targeted perfectly. Before each treatment, the radiation therapist can capture a CT scan of the site, verifying the tumor’s size, shape and location. This is called Tomo-Graphy and it ensures each therapy is targeted as it should be. The therapy itself uses a rotating beam that is concentrated to the exact size and shape of the tumor. During the treatment, a couch moves the patient through the TomoTherapy tunnel, applying small beams of radiation from every point on a spiral that can pinpoint treatment to large tumors and multiple sites simultaneously. Prostate and head and neck cancers are optimally treated with TomoTherapy. Hall-Perrine Cancer Center is the only center in Cedar Rapids to offer this revolutionary treatment option.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 TYPES OF CANCER. ONE TECHNOLOGY CANNOT TREAT THEM ALL. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to strategically attack cancerous cells, preventing them from growing and multiplying. Radiation damages the tumor with the goal of slowing, stopping or completely destroying it. Treatments are not painful; they are usually complete within 15 minutes, allowing patients to continue regular daily activities.

The radiation oncologists of Hall Radiation Center develop a treatment plan for each patient on one of four advanced technologies available at Hall-Perrine Cancer Center—TomoTherapy Hi-Art System™, Trilogy® linear accelerator, TrueBeam™ and high dose rate brachytherapy—ensuring patients receive the most effective treatment for their specific cancer type.

MEET HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER’S WEAPONS FOR FIGHTING THE CANCER WAR...

Read the cancer center’s 2015 annual report at hallperrinecancercenter.org/HPCC2015 to learn even

more about our oncologists and technologies.

THE MERCYtouch 1211109


“This made me whole. This is final. My daughter doesn’t think I’m still sick when she looks at me.” Krista Barnell, cancer survivor

The world no longer revolves around cancer for Krista Barnell or her daughter, Brynlee.

Janet Merfeld, MDRadiation OncologistMedical Director,Hall Radiation Center

When 35-year-old Krista Barnell discovered a lump in her breast during a self-exam, she initially wrote it off as a muscle or a lymph node. The healthy mother of two, with no family history of the disease, never imagined it was cancer.

But it was. Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma — the most common type of breast cancer — was confirmed through a 3-D mammogram after she decided to call her doctor, just in case.

“One day I’m worried about the day-to-day stressors of being a wife, mother and working full time; to the next day, having my world turned upside down — honestly scared to death — praying for the opportunity for one more day, or more time, to be the best wife and mother I can be,” Krista reflects.

She began researching oncologists and surgeons upon diagnosis. After meeting different area providers, Krista chose the expert care of the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. Leila Kutteh, MD, Medical Oncologist, and Janet Merfeld, MD, Radiation Oncologist, initiated a collaborative approach to build a treatment plan unique to Krista’s specific cancer. She also chose the advanced surgical skills of Vincent Reid, MD, FACS, the only fellowship-trained oncologic surgeon in Cedar Rapids and Medical Director of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. Dr. Reid’s level of expertise gives patients confidence in knowing they’ll receive the highest quality surgical care, resulting in the best possible outcome.

“Dr. Reid was so great,” she says, “I instantly decided I wanted him as my surgeon.”

On July 28, 2014, Krista underwent a bilateral

(double) mastectomy and subsequent breast reconstruction surgery. Following the course of her treatment plan, tests revealed there were no cancerous cells in her lymph nodes. She didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation.

“I feel so blessed,” says Krista. “So many people think you automatically will have chemo and be so sick. That’s not always the case. There’s so much great technology out there.”

Krista’s prayers had been answered. She was cancer-free but she wasn’t the same. Cancer had left its mark, both emotionally and physically. The battle was haunting.

“Patients often struggle with powerful emotions after mastectomy surgery,” explains Dr. Reid. “Some survivors feel as though their body is no longer their own. Familiar breast anatomy is gone; that can be quite jarring and leave some to feel forever altered.”

“Deep down inside, it bothered me every day when I got out of the shower,” Krista says of the physical scars breast cancer left behind. “Every day I looked in the mirror, it was a reminder.”

Krista worried about the body-image perceptions of her then 4-year-old daughter, Brynlee.

“I wanted my daughter to understand my body,” she states. “I didn’t want her to only interpret difference, or sickness, when she looked at me. Cancer is a big concept for a little girl to have to think about.”

Leila Kutteh, MDMedical OncologistHall-Perrine Cancer Center

THE MERCYtouch 17

10xper month

4 hrsper session

Jeanette Ernst has made it through thyroid ablation, knee replacement, gallbladder removal, colon repair, cornea transplant surgery, several intensive care visits and close brushes with death. But it’s her 1992 battle with colon cancer that still haunts her today.

“I made it. I don’t think anyone expected me to,” Jeanette says when reflecting on the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments of 23 years ago. “It’s amazing. I found a picture of myself taken at the end of my six months of chemo and I couldn’t believe it was me.”

Today, Jeanette’s body is dependent upon infusions of magnesium and potassium as a result of her battle against colon cancer more than two decades ago — her tissues no longer absorb the macrominerals. Ten times per month, nearly four hours per session, Jeanette visits the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center to receive her therapy.

“Both magnesium and potassium play important roles in the body,” says Deborah Wilbur, MD, Medical Oncologist at the center. “A depletion of either or both can result in many clinical problems, including cardiac arrhythmia.”

Dr. Wilbur suggested Jeanette enjoy the lounge-style chairs and sun-drenched spaces of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s third floor infusion suites to lift her spirits during what could be long, depressing treatments. A floor built with the wants and needs of cancer survivors in mind, the treatment areas offer private and semi-private spaces, patient-controlled temperature and natural lighting, as well as heated infusion chairs and floorboards — all comfort elements designed to encourage a relaxed environment.

“I’ve been coming up here for over two years now,” Jeanette says. “I’ve been to other places. They don’t hold a

candle to this facility or this staff.”When Jeanette travels, she must arrange infusions

along the way. She’s visited centers in Rhode Island, Texas and Minnesota.

“There’s no spot in the United States that is as good as, or better than, this place right here,” Jeanette enthusiastically states. “The facility is superb. These nurses are unbelievable. Every nurse, no matter how busy they are, treats each patient as if they are the only patient here. I’ve never seen anything but kind voices, respect and tender care.”

Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s infusion nurses are never far away from their patients — nursing stations are centralized on the third floor, allowing quick access.

Jeanette continues, “They work together as a magnificent team and it isn’t just the nurses. It’s the staff at check in. It’s the employees who help you make appointments. They all share a little bit of their lives with me and I share a little bit of my life with them. It just brings tears to my eyes.”

“When I am at work, my patients come first,” says Laurie Burke, RN, a cancer-care nurse for more than 20 years. “I am here to help them cope and get them through this stressful situation as much as I can. The patients at Hall-Perrine Cancer Center become like family.”

“Nursing, to me, is caring for the patient as a whole,

Deborah Wilbur, MDMedical OncologistMedical Director,Medical Oncology

“Patients often struggle with powerful emotions after mastectomy surgery. Some survivors feel as though their body is no longer their own.” Vincent Reid, MD, FACS, Medical Director of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center

That’s where local tattoo artist Jason Evans stepped in. Jason is the owner of popular Neon Dragon studio, a seven-year winner of KCRG’s reputable A List, an honor recognizing outstanding businesses. He uses his award-winning talent to help breast cancer survivors re-create esthetics the disease took away.

“Krista specifically stressed that she didn’t feel like herself when she looked in the mirror,” says Dr. Reid. “The change in her physical appearance bothered her on many levels and hampered her ability to heal emotionally. Because Hall-Perrine Cancer Center strives to help our patients through the entire cancer journey, including life after treatment, we had recently assessed the Neon Dragon

studio to learn about their breast reconstruction artwork and ensure they surpassed health regulations.”

As part of her survivorship journey, just two weeks shy of the anniversary of her diagnosis, Krista chose to heal her self-esteem through anatomically accurate, 3-D, artistic enhancements of her breast reconstructions.

The concept is not new; some plastic surgeons have used simple 2-D tattooing techniques to represent missing breast tissue for years. Utilizing the skilled techniques of a professional tattoo artist however, results in a 3-D, extremely realistic re-creation of a natural, whole breast. This option is gaining in popularity among breast cancer survivors as a way to esthetically heal an often broken view of self.

“Just like any tattoo, this is important to the person,” Jason says. “It means something to them. It helps them be able to feel good when they look in the mirror.”

Through Jason’s use of natural colors, drawing and shading techniques to create a realistic optical illusion on her skin, Krista felt more “normal again” and less like cancer’s victim in mere minutes.

“This made me whole. This is final,” Krista says through tears. “My daughter doesn’t think I’m still sick when she looks at me. It marked the end.”

Later this year, another Neon Dragon artist plans to attend professional training to help expand the breadth of this specialized tattooing option at their studio.

Vincent Reid, MD, FACSOncological SurgeonMedical Director, Hall-Perrine Cancer Center

Learn how Hall-Perrine Cancer Center supports survivors at hallperrinecancercenter.org/cancer/support-resources.

Award-winning tattoo artist Jason Evans uses his professional

training to help survivors find comfort in their bodies after battling breast cancer.


THE MERCYtouch 19

NURSES ON HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER'S THIRD FLOOR PROVIDE THE MERCY TOUCH TO JEANETTE AND ALL THEIR PATIENTS.

providing support and understanding to patients and family members, along with making them feel comfortable, empowered and, most important, safe while they are in my care,” says Kristina Amerman, RN, one of the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center nurses who care for Jeanette. “My main goal is to take care of them like I would my own mother or father.”

This compassionate attention helps motivate Jeanette to embrace life, health challenges and all.

“I feel like I have come so close to death so many times,” Jeanette reflects. “And I keep surviving. I know God has a purpose.”

She knows exactly what that purpose is: Grateful Grannies — a small nonprofit organization founded by Jeanette and husband Jack to make sure underprivileged high school students and their younger siblings have holiday gifts to open. They also help ensure basic needs are being met for teens forced to live on their own, those with few clothing items and families struggling with food insecurity.

“Teens don’t know how, or who, to ask for help and are often too embarrassed to reach out,” says Jeanette. “Grateful Grannies recognized years ago that the needs of teenagers often fall through the cracks.”

The Ernsts reached out to aid one Jefferson High School student 35 years ago. Last year, they served 138 children in schools on the west side of Cedar Rapids with the help of nearly 60 volunteers. Jeanette’s efforts with Grateful

Grannies have been recognized locally through KCRG’s 9 Who Care award, and she’s been a national contender for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award honoring public service.

“Nursing, to me, is caring for the patient as a whole, providing support and understanding to patients and family members...”

Kristina Amerman, RN, Hall-Perrine Cancer Center

Take a virtual tour of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s amenities on the home page of hallperrinecancercenter.org.

Kristina Amerman, RN Hall-Perrine Cancer Center

Laurie Burke, RN Hall-Perrine Cancer Center


“GRATEFUL GRANNY” JEANETTE ERNST DEPENDS ON THE CARE OF HALL-PERRINE CANCER CENTER NURSES TO HELP HER STAY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

“I’ve been to other places. They don’t hold a candle to this facility or this staff.”Jeanette Ernst, cancer survivor

Despite life-threatening disease and huge health hurdles, Jeanette remains focused on what she considers the Lord’s calling: caring for the children of Cedar Rapids. The caregivers of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center will continue to provide Jeanette with the compassionate services she needs to carry out her purposeful mission.

“I just can’t imagine being any place but here at the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center,” she says. “As long as I have to go through this, I could not be at a better place.”

These symbols are assurance of the highest quality of care, from diagnosis and surgery, through chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Here in Iowa, only the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center has earned them all.

hallperrinecancercenter.orgVincent Reid, MD, FACSMedical Director, Hall-Perrine Cancer CenterSurgical Oncology

Deb Wilbur, MDMedical Director,Medical Oncology

Janet Merfeld, MDMedical Director, Hall Radiation CenterRadiation Oncology

These national accreditations mean patients receive the gold standard in cancer care.

Quality Cancer Care: Recognizing Excellence

RADIATION SURGERY CHEMOTHERAPY NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS CERTIFICATION

A cancer center’s reputation can’t be built.It must be earned.

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCedar Rapids, IAPermit No. 253

701 10th Street SE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403(319) 398-6011 www.mercycare.org

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