- Community, Giving, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen founding members of the Building Traditions Society (BTS) approached Dr. Dan and Sara Sandel about joining the BTS Board, the young physician and his wife welcomed the invitation. With perfect timing, this request came just as Dan and Sara were discussing a desire to become more involved in the community. “Two of our three children were born at AAMC. Our second child was premature and required a 6-week stay in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit),” explains Sara Sandel. “We had a wonderful experience in the NICU and were amazed that such a state of the art facility was this close to home. We are eternally grateful for the care we received there.” Dan and Sara, like 45 other members of BTS, wanted to give back to the hospital that is so vital to their family and friends. They also are excited to work with and get to know a dynamic group of young professionals with similar goals. Dan is a member of the AAMC Medical Staff and a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon with The Sandel Center of Plastic Surgery in Annapolis. “I am proud finally to be at a point in my career where I can start to give back to my community,” says Dan. “I am equally proud of the work that BTS has done over this first year to raise money for the AAMC pediatrics program. We are just beginning to really make an impact together.” The Building Traditions Society is a membership of couples and individuals under 45 years of age who make a contribution of $1,000 a year to AAMC. For more information please contact Lisa Michelsen at 443-481-4735 or [email protected].
- Cancer Care, Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogKaren Jones remembers the fear and frustration she felt after discovering the lump in her breast. The medical care and emotional support she received at the Breast Center at the DeCesaris Cancer Institute helped both her and her husband, Doug, through the difficult time. “The people at the hospital were so reassuring,” says Doug who accompanied her to all of her appointments. “You felt so much more comfortable after you talked to them.” Now that she is cancer free, Karen has become a mentor, sharing her experience with other patients at the Breast Center. “We have the most amazing facility here in Annapolis,” she says. “I’m always the first one to say ‘You don’t need to leave this city or state to find excellent medical care.’” Today, Karen has a much greater appreciation for life’s smallest pleasures; the breeze on her skin, the sound of birds in the trees and the change of seasons. She and Doug are closer than they’ve ever been, and they cherish more moments together. “I’m just glad I have her,” he says. Karen is proud to be able to say she is a cancer survivor, and she uses her experience to help others through their journey. “I feel better than I felt before my diagnosis, and I think it’s because I’m taking better care of myself.”
- Cancer Care, Men's Health, Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogYvette Garity had tried to quit smoking on her own, but it just wasn’t working. So, in 2003, after 42 years as a smoker, Garity enrolled in the smoking cessation program at AAMC. As it turns out, that program may have saved her life. The coordinator of the cessation program, Sue Glover, R.N., recognized that the 58 year-old Edgewater resident’s smoking history suggested a high risk for developing lung cancer. She recommended Yvette for the Lung Screening program. “I thought, that’s good,” Yvette said, “because I will be able to see how much my lungs have improved by quitting smoking.” But on the first scan, they found it, the early stages of lung cancer. Within weeks, doctors had removed half of her left lung. “I had no reason to suspect anything,” Yvette said. “If I had not decided to participate in the cessation program, I would not have been recommended for the screening, and they would not have found my cancer early.” “Lung cancer often has few or no symptoms in the early stages,” said Stephen Cattaneo, M.D., “But our best shot of clearing a patient of lung cancer, is to find it early.” That’s why Dr. Cattaneo urges smokers and patients with a history of smoking to talk to their doctors about their risks and ask if the lung screening program is right for them. “Cancer isn’t just something that happens to other people,” Yvette said. “It can happen to you, and by the time you realize or feel any symptoms, it may be far more difficult to treat.” Yvette was lucky the doctors found her cancer early. She has been cancer free since August of 2003. By the summer of 2012, she had just completed the relay for life, and was preparing to retire from her position as an executive assistant in the Maryland Judiciary. “I’m starting to relax and enjoy life,” she said, adding that she has saved all of her smoking money for cruises. “I’ve been cruising every year for the past five years.” With that extra money, and a cancer-free take on life Yvette cruised to St. Thomas for her nephew’s wedding, and then again to watch her son tie the knot as well. “I have a new appreciation for life,” she said. “Every day is a gift.”
- Cancer Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt had been thirty-six years since Sunny Janin quit smoking, and while asthma had been a problem for her, she had not expected the lung cancer that snuck up on her. At 66, the Stevensville resident had been seeing her doctor for follow-up after knee surgery at AAMC. She had lost weight, and was fatigued and having night sweats. The doctor ran some tests to see what was going on. Because of her history, CT scans revealed a few spots on her lungs that a bronchoscopy and biopsy had missed. She was immediately placed in the lung screening program where she was closely monitored with CT scans every three months. Her original fatigue and night sweats were unrelated to any lung problem, and they quickly passed. She assumed her health was fine. For a year-and-a-half her CT scans remained the same. Then, doctors saw a change in her lungs between one scan and the next. It was stage one lung cancer. “Within three weeks, I was in surgery,” Sunny said. “It was caught so early I didn’t need any other treatment with radiation or chemo.” Her thoracic surgeon Stephen Cattaneo, MD, said regular lung screening with CT for high risk patients like Sunny has been proven to save lives because it can catch the cancer in its early stages when treatment is most effective. “Most lung cancers aren’t found until they’re fairly wide spread within the chest or until they’re metastatic,” he said. “I didn’t have any symptoms. But AAMC is very aggressive about early detection. That was the key for me,” explains Sunny. Now, at age 70, she continues to practice yoga and care for her husband. “I have a full life,” she says, enjoying her grand children, proctoring for the community college, and until recently, serving as a tour guide at the Naval Academy. “It was that early detection that was key for me.”
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Heath Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC), a non-profit community-based hospital in Prince George’s County for almost half a century, joins a premier group of organizations that have received Pathway to Excellence® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The Pathway designation is a global credential that highlights LHDCMC’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued. Luminis Health’s nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team, with a voice in policy and practice. Pathway nurses are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety, and better patient outcomes. As a Pathway organization, LHDCMC leads the effort to enhance quality of care, patient and nursing safety, and the future of healthcare delivery. “Our Pathway to Excellence journey reflects how our nurses’ commitment to excellence is shaping our workplace,” said Crystal Beckford, Chief Nursing Officer at LHDCMC. “Built on years of hard work and dedication, this recognition highlights our focus on shared decision-making, quality care, and professional development, all of which lead to improved patient outcomes.” “We are incredibly proud of this recognition from the ANCC because it highlights our commitment to creating an exceptional work environment for our nurses,” said Deneen Richmond, president of LHDCMC. “As we approach our 50th anniversary next year, we remain steadfast in delivering high-quality care close to home. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.” This distinction comes on the heels of LHDCMC being recognized as a high-performing hospital by U.S. News & World Report and by the American Heart Association for excellence in treating diabetes.
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