Best Medicine Matters Winter 2011

The
Best
Medicine Matters
winter 2011
Fam
Famille
Család
Familia
‫המשפחה‬
Rodzina
가족
‫ةرسألا‬
Gia đình
Familj
家庭
Familja
家族
Perhe
Rodina
A publication of the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation
Pere
Pamilya
News
Welcome to The Best Medicine Matters! As you’ve no doubt
gathered, our theme is family!
Family means many things at Mount Sinai Hospital. Every
year, thousands of people experience their first days as
a family here with the birth of their first child. Family
members are considered part of our health-care team, as
evidenced by our embrace of patient- and family-centred
care. As you will read, patients and family members play a
key role as advisors in departments throughout the Hospital
and also are participating in the design process of Renew
Sinai, our major capital redevelopment project.
Heritage Toronto Commemorates
First Mount Sinai Site
On November 17, staff and donors had the pleasure of
witnessing the presentation of a Heritage Toronto plaque at
the site of Mount Sinai’s original building, at 100 Yorkville
Avenue. It was an honour to be recognized by the City,
and humbling to reflect on the Hospital’s history as a place
of exceptional care and compassion for people from all
walks of life. “The story of Mount Sinai Hospital is one of
remarkable compassion, determination and hope for this
city,” said Eric Slavens, Heritage Toronto board member.
Foodie Fundraisers Meet Chef’s Challenge
Patients and families have inspired our Grateful Hearts
program, telling us they wanted a special way to say ‘thank
you’ to caregivers. Now, you can show your Grateful Heart
by making a donation and sending a card and pin to the
physician, nurse, porter, administrator, volunteer or whoever
made a difference to you or your family member. Go to
supportsinai.ca to show your Grateful Heart!
Family also refers to you, our donors. Like a trusted and
treasured family, you support and sustain and celebrate
Mount Sinai. We are so grateful for all that you do.
Thank you!
Over $1.1 million was raised for breast and ovarian
cancer research at Mount Sinai Hospital last November
in the inaugural Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for
a Cure, presented by World MasterCard®. The concept
inspired fundraisers to raise a minimum of $2,500 just
to attend. The top 50 fundraisers joined teams headed
by celebrity chefs David Rocco, Jamie Kennedy, Lynn
Crawford, Mark McEwan and Massimo Capra, and
prepared food under the eagle eye of Chef Gordon
Ramsay. Team Crawford took home 1st place, winning
the judges over with a delectable crème brûlée.
Continued on page 7
Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation
In This Issue
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
When Care Gets Intensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
ICU staff take care of patients and their families
Ask An Advisor: Wills and Your Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Protect your loved ones with a legal Will
Leading Research a Family Affair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dr. Andras and Kristina Nagy balance science
and family
Family Focus for New Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mother and Baby Unit is expanding
In Your Own Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Left: For Kristina and Andras Nagy, scientific research is a family affair
Drs. Stephen Lapinsky
(left), Tracy Luk (right)
and RN Betsy John
(centre) in the ICU
When Care Gets
INTENSIVE
“It was a frightening experience for
our whole family.” Psychologist Daniel
Goldberg, a teacher at The Toronto Heschel
School, is recalling August 2010, when his
18-year-old daughter Rachel had a seizure
while at camp in southeast Ontario.
Fortunately, Rachel’s mother, Netta Zweig,
worked at the camp and was with Rachel
at the time. The girl was rushed to a local
hospital, but her condition declined and
she was flown to Mount Sinai Hospital.
Her parents followed by car, arriving hours
after their daughter had been admitted to
the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“Dr. Michael Christian at Mount Sinai had
communicated with the local hospital, and
we were reassured knowing that Rachel’s
care would be in his capable hands,” says
Dr. Goldberg. “As soon as we arrived, we
received a detailed orientation regarding
our daughter’s current status, treatment
plan and prognosis, which was still
uncertain. A social worker and chaplain
were there to offer support.”
The sudden illness of a loved one is
terrifying. There is a comfort in seeing that
person safely in hospital, but that relief is
tempered by the challenges of trying to
understand what is happening and coping
with uncertainty about the outcome.
Every member of the ICU team understands
this. “We’re taking care of not just a
single person, but a whole family that’s
going through crisis,” says Dr. Christian.
Betsy John, RN concurs. An ICU nurse who
looked after Rachel, she says it’s important
to build an open relationship. “I listen to
the family and I talk about my experience;
it’s important that they trust you.”
Open lines of communication helped
Rachel’s parents. “Dr. Tracy Luk also
treated Rachel and we appreciated her
patiently responding to our questions
with a perfect balance of candour and
reassurance,” says Dr. Goldberg.
“We’re taking care of not
just a single person, but a
whole family that’s going
through crisis.”
D r . M ichael C hristian
Even as the medical team steps in, the
family has a role. “If the person is awake
and conscious, they’re often scared,
and family members can help to calm
them. If they’re not conscious, they can
sense their family members’ presence
— having that familiar voice can be very
important,” says Dr. Christian.
Families are also advocates. “We’ve
never met the patient,” points out
Dr. Christian. “Some people are more
comfortable on one side, some might
be claustrophobic, and if family tells us
these things we can adapt our care.”
“Patient- and family-centred care has
been our approach for a long time,” says
Dr. Stephen Lapinsky, ICU Site Director.
“We have no restrictions on visiting hours,
and we don’t send families out of the
room during daily rounds. We understand
that hearing information on rounds can
be very meaningful because they see
that the whole team is involved in the
patient’s care.”
Families also participate in management.
“We’ve had a family member on that team
for years,” says Dr. Lapinsky, pointing to
complaints about noise levels that inspired
a study, which in turn inspired change.
“When a patient is relatively well, their
vital signs are taken every two or four
hours through the night, instead of
hourly. We adjusted machines so alarms
are not going off repeatedly. Often the
reasons are innocuous, but families don’t
know that and they worry.”
Happily for Dr. Goldberg and Netta Zweig,
their worries dispelled as Rachel improved.
The Grade 12 student is healthy and
exploring her university options.
“The nurses were wonderful, everyone
was very caring, very professional, very
reassuring,” says Dr. Goldberg. “We are
profoundly grateful not only for the
outstanding treatment Rachel received
at Mount Sinai Hospital, but also for the
shining humanity of the professionals
who treated her.”
3
Ask an Advisor:
Wills and Your Family
Elena Hoffstein
It’s estimated 70 per cent of Canadians do not
have a legal Will. Elena Hoffstein, partner at
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP and a member
of our Legacy Giving Committee, explains why
a Will is important to you and your family.
Q Why is it important to draft a Will?
A Having a Will allows you to control
the destination of your assets. You
can stipulate the persons you want
to benefit and the ages at which
they’re to receive their inheritance.
For example, you can structure a Will
to set up trusts for disabled children
to ensure that they remain entitled
to any government benefits they
are receiving. If you are in a second
marriage situation you can provide
benefits for your current spouse, and
ensure that the children of the first
marriage receive an inheritance.
You can arrange to leave legacies
to charitable organizations. Also,
if properly structured, a Will can
result in probate tax and income
tax savings.
Q What happens if I don’t have
a Will?
A All provinces provide for a legislated
distribution when someone dies
intestate, or without a legal Will.
In Ontario, a preferential share of
$200,000 goes to a surviving spouse,
and the balance of the estate is
divided depending upon the number
of children. If there are no children,
the spouse receives everything.
If there is one child, the spouse and
the child share the balance. If there
4
is more than one child, the spouse
receives one-third and the children
share the remaining two-thirds.
The inheritance of minor
beneficiaries will be paid into court,
which will administer the inheritance
while the child is under 18.
If a couple is living in a common-law
relationship, a non-married partner
does not inherit anything, although
he or she may have a support or
other legal claim against the estate.
An existing Will is nullified by
marriage. Even if you change
nothing, you should make a new
Will prior to your marriage, but it
must state that it has been made in
contemplation of the marriage.
Q Should a Will be updated?
A You should review and update
your Will regularly. Your personal
circumstances may change: you may
retire, a child may become disabled,
family members may move to other
jurisdictions, etc.
Q What are the benefits of leaving a
charitable gift?
A The main benefit is that you’re
supporting a cause that is important
to you, but there are also tax
savings because of the availability
of charitable tax credits, which are
enhanced in the year of death.
Certain assets trigger tax and
there may be tax advantages to
leaving certain assets as bequests,
for example, RRSPs. In addition,
there are potentially additional tax
benefits to making charitable gifts
through your corporation.
Q Where should a Will be stored?
A This is an important document, so a
safe deposit box is recommended,
or your lawyer may be able to
accommodate storage of your Will.
Q What is your opinion on Will kits?
A Planning a Will is complex and
unfortunately Will kits generally do
not accommodate the necessary
complexities. Ambiguous language
may create confusion, resulting
in a lack of understanding of the
terms used, and potential litigation
following your death. Do-it-yourself
Wills are often filled in incorrectly
or not signed properly. People
think they are cost efficient, but
they may end up being a very
costly option.
Do you have a question? Send it to
[email protected]
Leading
Research
a Family
Affair
Kristina and Andras Nagy with 5-year-old
Daniel and 3-year-old Emily
For researchers Andras and Kristina Nagy, science brought
them together and unites them still, making their collaborative
research efforts a true family affair.
The couple hail from Hungary and met at a research workshop
in Germany 10 years ago. The Nagy lab at the Samuel Lunenfeld
Research Institute has produced some of Canada’s most innovative
work in stem cell biology, and even with the non-stop demands
of research, Andras and Kristina find time for their children.
“We have a very simple lifestyle:
no separation between professional
and private.”
D r . A ndras N agy
The Nagy duo collaborate not only in the lab, but in their home
as well. “Our whole lives are one big collaboration — family,
work and everything in between,” says Kristina. “We have six
children in Toronto and overseas. The way we balance things is
by doing everything we can together.”
Andras, a Senior Investigator world-renowned for his
pioneering work in generating Canada’s first human embryonic
stem cell lines as well as an innovative, non-viral method to
reprogram skin cells, believes that their team approach to
brainstorming and creative problem-solving is the essence of
their success both at work and home.
“We have a very simple lifestyle: no separation between
professional and private. After the kids are in bed, we talk
about our latest ideas, and how we can solve problems that
we hadn’t predicted.”
Kristina explains that through their team approach to research,
she and Andras have been able to generate specific stem cell
lines that have enabled deeper understanding of stem cell
biology. For example, they worked together to explore the
process of changing fully mature cells of the body (known as
somatic cells) into a pluripotent state (i.e., cells that can develop
into most other cell types), and understand the molecular and
genetic changes that occur during the cells’ reprogramming.
“After a lot of brainstorming and through the myriad of
connections with other research laboratories that Andras has
established over the years, we finally achieved a breakthrough,”
says Kristina.
Andras notes that having a wife who is also a researcher is a
key advantage. “We constantly challenge each other, which
serves as great feedback for both of us to optimize the next
steps in our work. Kristina truly understands what commitment
to science means.”
“After we’ve talked to the kids about their days and gotten
them off to sleep, our conversations drift into what’s happening
in the lab,” says Kristina. “We discuss everything: research plans,
manuscripts, grant applications, problems and joys.”
“After dinner we pull out our computers, sit opposite each other
and concentrate on work,” says Andras. “Occasionally we email
each other! And at 11 pm or midnight, we close down the day:
no separation between weekdays and weekends.”
T he N agy l a b will expand their research expertise
later this month, when part of the fourth floor at
25 Orde Street is transformed into a centre for research
into stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
Sharing the space will be Dr. Marc Grynpas’ team,
allowing for new collaborations and research into
bone-related diseases and their possible treatments.
Family Focus for
New Families
“The care at Mount Sinai is excellent, but sometimes the
accommodations aren’t so accommodating.” Toronto writer
Erin Dym is recalling the birth of her first son, Ari, in 2009. “It was
very difficult trying to breastfeed, sleep and host visitors in
a semi-private room. There was too little space and too little
privacy at a time when I needed it most.”
“We hear that a lot. Happily, soon our moms will have a
much better experience,” says Alison Gilmour, Nursing Unit
Administrator, David & Stacey Cynamon Mother and Baby Unit,
which in mid-2011 will be the first occupant of the sparkling
new Lawrence and Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and
Infants’ Health (the Centre).
Redevelopment of the Centre will modernize its technology,
equipment and environment, and increase its square footage
by 60 per cent. The expansion is essential: in the last decade,
this patient population has almost doubled and our program
has grown into the largest and most comprehensive in the
province, with no change in physical space.
The Mother and Baby patient rooms will line the perimeter of the
16th and 17th floors, to take advantage of the healing qualities
of natural light. Along with more physical space, everything has
been carefully designed to provide mom, baby and significant
other with room to bond. For example, wall-mounted equipment,
such as oxygen and infusion pumps, will be on articulated arms,
easily stowed out of the way when not in use.
“More space will increase the privacy and make it easier for
new moms while they’re learning to care for their baby,” says
Alison. “It will also help us to keep the partner and close family
members involved. Our nurses really work at education. It’s so
overwhelming when you have a new baby, and including the
partner is really important.”
“The environment is less medically focused,” says
Dr. Mathew Sermer, Associate Chief, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
“The whole design mimics the home environment as much as
possible. It’s comfortable, yet with all the necessary safety features.”
The redevelopment team incorporated evidence-based building
design to create a state-of-the-art facility that is therapeutic,
supportive of families and efficient for staff. Research has
shown that patient-friendly buildings can reduce stress, improve
safety and positively affect the quality of patient care and
health outcomes. An abundance of natural light, soothing colour
schemes, thoughtful placement of equipment and provision of
well-designed family spaces adds up to a thoroughly modern,
healing environment.
6
Alison Gilmour, Nursing Unit
Administrator, Mother and Baby Unit,
looks forward to providing new families
with a brand-new environment
“Everything has been carefully designed
to provide mom, baby and significant
other with room to bond.”
alison gilmour , nua
Dr. Sermer remembers when nurses and physicians
designed labour and delivery rooms. “Now we have family
representatives for every area and they have a strong impact.
For instance, they made sure fathers will have a place to stay
in the Mother and Baby Unit and that family lounges include a
play area and kitchenette.”
Moms like Erin Dym say more private rooms will make a big
difference. “I had a private room when my second son, Josh,
was born,” says Erin. “I could have family and friends visit and
have time and space to bond with my new baby. I could have
stayed in one for a week!”
Dav id & Stace y C y n a m o n M other And
B a by U nit E x pa nds
The new space will house:
• 40 patient rooms, of which 26 are private,
up from the current 10
• Bigger, more comfortable patient rooms.
For example, the 12 semi-private rooms
will be up to 68 square feet larger
• A comfortable lounge with waiting area,
kids’ zone and kitchenette
• Dedicated rooms for breastfeeding support,
hearing screening and procedures such as
circumcision, wound and infection care
News Continued
First in Geriatrics Care
Mount Sinai has
become the first
major academic
health sciences
centre in Canada
to announce
Geriatrics as a
core strategic
priority. Recently
appointed
Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics, is
overseeing a number of initiatives, including
a new Acute Care for Elders medical
inpatient unit for seniors at high risk for
functional and cognitive decline. As well,
Mount Sinai will soon become Canada’s
first hospital to offer all frontline staff three
levels of training in geriatrics education.
Mount Sinai Role in Ontario
Health Study
A team of Mount Sinai Hospital researchers
and clinicians, in partnership with
universities, medical research institutes
and hospitals across Ontario, is conducting
a new health study on the population of
Ontario, with support from the Canadian
and Ontario Governments. The Ontario
Health Study is aimed at investigating
the factors that increase individual and
community risk of developing cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer’s
disease and other common illnesses.
“We will follow people across their entire
adult lifespan and we hope that this
study outlives those of us who started
it,” said Professor Lyle Palmer, Executive
Scientific Director of the study, and a Senior
Investigator at the Samuel Lunenfeld
Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital.
Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of
Canada Establishes Fellowship
The Sarcoma Cancer Foundation
of Canada held its official launch
at Mount Sinai and announced a
$250,000 gift to establish the Vera
Arajs Clinical Research Fellowship in
Sarcoma at Mount Sinai Hospital.
“This generous gift will allow us to train
new sub-specialists in the best sarcoma
treatment practices who can then go
out across Canada and elsewhere in
the world to provide the highest level
of cancer care in their communities,”
said Dr. Jay Wunder, Surgeon-in-Chief,
Head, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Rubinoff-Gross Chair in Orthopaedic
Oncology and Leadership Sinai Chair in
Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Mount Sinai a Multiple
Award-Winner
2010 was a banner year for awards!
Mount Sinai was recognized as an
exceptional place to work when it
was named a Top GTA Employer
in The Globe and Mail for the fifth
consecutive year. We won the Energy
Efficiency Award at the 10th Green
Health Care Awards, sponsored by the
Ontario Hospital Association (OHA)
and the Canadian Coalition for Green
Health Care. Mount Sinai was one
of four Ontario hospitals to win a
Platinum Quality Healthcare Workplace
Award sponsored by the OHA and the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
HealthForce Ontario. One initiative
contributing to this award was our role
as the first North American hospital to
conduct a workplace census.
Upcoming Events
April 10
Yoga in
Motion
April 28
Hold’em for
Life Charity
Challenge
May 4
Da Vinci Gala
For information about these and other events,
please call 416-586-8203 or visit the Calendar
of Events at www.mshfoundation.ca
June 9
Corrado Family
Golf Tournament
June 13
The Classic: 17th
Annual Mount
Sinai Hospital Golf
Tournament
In Your
“
Own Words
”
“As a team, the Sarcoma Unit doctors gave
us all the medical information they could
and allowed us to understand it, absorb
it and respond to it. If something took a
while to absorb, they understood if we
came back later with questions. Towards
the end of Ken’s treatment, Dr. Gladdy
took the opportunity at the end of her
day to respond to our questions. She was
more than giving; she was so generous
with her time. Her patience and her
compassion and her eagerness to have us
understand were absolutely outstanding.”
— Gail Gortmaker
“I went to Mount Sinai Hospital for day
surgery and want to sincerely thank
everyone for their care, compassion and
sensitivity. I had put off seeking medical
help for a long time due to my own
insecurities and worries. Having not had
a medical procedure for years and years,
being scheduled for surgery, even just
day surgery, was a scary thought. But I
found everyone at the Hospital to be so
caring and sensitive that the day went
by easily and with less anxiety than I
had thought. I really thank everyone for
having dedicated their lives to helping
others. You all really do.”
— Nicole Adesoye
“When I think of my experiences with
Mount Sinai I weep with gratitude. They
say you can’t put a price on health care
and they are right. Your staff is priceless.
They are every bit as skilled in dealing
with people and emotions as they are in
the medical field. You make a difference
every single day, you certainly did for us.
Thanks for really seeing us, the patients,
and for healing not only the physical
wounds but the emotional ones as well.
You are all angels to me.”
— Heather Sneddon
Share your story with us! Send an email
to [email protected] or contact
us via Facebook or Twitter. We look
forward to your comments
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