April 2024
Cancer can't keep Magdalena down
To meet Magdalena, a breast cancer patient and survivor, is to come into contact with a “force.” She is at once articulate yet expressive, realistic yet hopeful. She has led what most would call an extraordinary life, but one also filled with the agony of a cancer diagnosis.
Magdalena’s journey with HonorHealth began in November 2022 after her mammogram showed cancer clusters in her right breast. She credits her regular mammograms with early detection.
“Healthy people get cancer too. There is no rhyme or reason,” says Magdalena. “I have been active all my life, had mammograms since age 40 and ate a healthy, organic diet all my life — even using organic shampoos — but out of nowhere came this cancer.”
The next step was biopsies, which she had done with her radiologist in Sedona. The results came a few days later when she got the call with the news — “it’s cancer — a carcinoma.” She was immediately referred to Dr. Brenda Moorthy at HonorHealth Cancer Care, who scheduled an appointment to review her case within 30 hours.
“When I heard ‘cancer’ I hung up the phone and dropped to my knees,” recalls Magdalena. “Since that moment life has been divided into before cancer and after cancer.” By the next day she was ready fight. Magdalena met with the team at HonorHealth who walked her through all the treatment options for her particular cancer, breast carcinoma in situ, which affects the milk duct cells. She immediately opted for a double mastectomy and reconstruction, which she knows some may think was too aggressive, but she thought for her lifestyle was the best option. Her cancer care team also recommended genetics testing to eliminate the presence the BRCA mutated genes. The test results were negative, which provided a layer of relief, for both her and her daughter.
HonorHealth Cancer Care touches 45 percent of people with cancer in the Valley. Beyond her treatment plan, Magdalena’s journey included multiple surgery-ready visits, insurance authorizations and visits to Tina’s Treasures for post-surgery products such as compression garments and support bras.
“The process is overwhelming with details, possible treatments needed in future, phone calls, etc. But HonorHealth made it all so easy for me and guided me through it,” Magdalena explained. Once the preparations were made for treatment and surgery, the recovery time preparations began. As a single woman, she will tell you that you really find out who your friends are when navigating the cancer journey. Post-surgery restrictions limited her activity for five weeks during the healing process and she required assistance with daily care, such as bathing, eating, driving to appointments and getting around the house.
True to her nature, her generosity and action didn’t stop there. Magdalena’s new understanding of vulnerability led her to focus her activism and resources to benefit HonorHealth’s Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, which offers financial support to cancer patients in need. Grants help ease necessary financial challenges such as reliable transportation to appointments, post-surgery products, buying medicine and perhaps helping with everyday expenses while rehabilitating.
“It is so hard being in this solo and finding the right help. That’s why I now donate to HonorHealth because I know how overwhelming finding the care you need can be after diagnosis and surgery,” recalls Magdalena. “My own situation helped me realize this — what if my friends couldn’t drive me or help take care of me? What if I didn’t have savings to get the care or relief I needed?
Magdalena is happy to report she is cancer free and has since resumed her active lifestyle. She is a charming yet vocal advocate for screening and early detection, writing articles for her local papers and sharing her cancer journey through her robust social media network. “I am an athlete and I understand the right mental attitude,” she reflects. “Cancer is not a death sentence but it’s not a sprint, it is definitely an endurance race.
HonorHealth earns high grade for patient safety
Honor is at the core of who we are and why we hold ourselves to a higher standard with everything we do.
One way we measure patient safety is by monitoring our Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which are assigned to nearly 3,000 general acute-care hospitals across the nation, twice annually. This safety grade is the gold standard measure of patient safety.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades use up to 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and information from other supplemental data sources to produce a single letter grade representing a hospital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.
2023 Grades
Deer Valley: B
John C. Lincoln: B
Scottsdale Osborn: A
Scottsdale Shea: A
Scottsdale Thompson Peak: A
Sonoran Crossing: A
These grades provide us with a system GPA of 3.7, reflecting a strong collaboration between our physicians, team members and hospital leadership. They also are evidence of HonorHealth’s strong commitment to patient safety and consistently providing the highest quality care to our community.
How does HonorHealth compare to other local hospitals? Visit the Leapfrog hospital safety grades for Arizona to view all of the results.
Carrying too much weight can lead to broader health issues
HonorHealth Obesity Medicine Specialists Can Help
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. It can help you prevent or better manage chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, gall bladder disease, arthritis and even some types of cancer. Yet nearly 42 percent of US adults are considered obese, according the Centers for Disease Control.
America is out of shape.
HonorHealth’s Obesity Medicine Program delivers high-quality care with integrity and respect. If you need to lose weight prior to surgery, have gained weight after bariatric surgery or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or above, our specialists are here to help.
As the latest — and most effective — appetite suppressant takes the nation by storm, medical professionals in Arizona agree the new drug, semaglutide GLP-1, is approaching some weight loss procedures better than surgery. The medication is injected once a week, and when combined with diet and exercise, will help you lose weight and may improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
“Semaglutide GLP-1 makes you think you are full which is why you eat less,” says James Swain, MD, a bariatric surgeon at the HonorHealth Bariatric Center. “This is the first time in modern medicine we have a drug that is comparable to what we do with surgery.”
Allison Steele, DO, is the newest member of the HonorHealth Bariatric Center team. She specializes in obesity medicine and works closely with a team of nutritionists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, nurses and other physicians to help patients meet their goals in a safe and comfortable environment.
Dr. Steele’s areas of focus include chronic conditions, acute issues, preventive care, as well as nutrition and lifestyle counseling. In her work with weight loss management, she offers many specialized treatments and therapies, including providing customized diet plans, medication to help with weight loss and post-bariatric surgery gain.
“I believe in treating the whole person, not just symptoms,” says Dr. Steele. “Our team takes a unique approach with our patients, tailoring each treatment to the individual. I enjoy working as a team with my patients and other specialists as we strive towards shared goals and improved overall health.”
Nonsurgical weight loss plans are also available to help patients on their journey to improving their health and well-being Those options feature nutrition and exercise plans, psychological support and, if necessary, medication.
The obesity medicine program provides comprehensive obesity management with lifestyle changes, nutritional counseling, exercise counseling, evaluation for eating disorders and pharmacologic management of obesity. Dr. Steele also offers medically supervised weight loss visits that are often required before bariatric surgery.
“Working on a weight loss journey is no small or easy task,” said an HonorHealth patient. “Thankfully, the care I get from Dr. Steele is simply world-class. When I meet with her, I feel as though I’m a billionaire — receiving care from the most talented physician in the world.” He continues, “Dr. Steele listens to me and educates me on healthy nutrition and how to successfully manage this process. With her help, I know I will achieve my goals!”
HonorHealth’s team of obesity medicine specialists offer a variety of treatment options, medical expertise and emotional support to help patients make life-affirming changes with lasting results. From the initial assessment to reaching your final goals, the team is dedicated to helping you lose weight and nurture a healthy lifestyle that allows you to keep the weight off.
Hunger has no season
With rising food costs and inflation, putting a nutritious meal on the table has become a real challenge for many of our neighbors.
Will you help HonorHealth Desert Mission with a gift to our April Food Drive? With a match from BOK Financial, every gift is doubled!.
BOK Financial has donated to HonorHealth Foundation since 1998 with more than $260,000 in lifetime giving. BOK provides volunteer and financial support to a variety of organizations that work tirelessly to serve the most vulnerable citizens in our community by meeting their basic needs through providing direct services addressing issues such as poverty, hunger, healthcare, housing and safety.