May 2026
HonorHealth holds itself to a higher standard by caring for the whole person, not just their symptoms. Through the support of our generous community, HonorHealth Foundation works tirelessly to help solve healthcare’s toughest challenges.
Learn more at HonorHealthFoundation.org
Restoring what was lost: The power of whole-person care
For more than a decade and a half, Shawn’s life was shaped by a diagnosis that wasn’t quite right.
After the birth of her second child in 2001, she began a long and difficult medical journey defined by uncertainty, escalating medications and a growing sense that something deeper was being missed.
Placed on a heavy combination of prescriptions, she trusted the course of care, as most patients do. But over sixteen years, the toll became undeniable. The medications that were meant to help began to feel like they were depleting her energy, her clarity and ultimately, her quality of life.
It wasn’t until 2017, after relocating to California and starting over with a new physician, that Shawn finally received an accurate diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder. By then, the damage had already been done. Chronic, unrelenting pain became part of her daily existence, pulling her into periods of deep physical and emotional hardship. Still, she refused to stop searching for answers.
She pursued care, working with dietitians, rheumatologists, endocrinologists and therapists. She explored acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine and other complementary therapies, guided by her long-held belief that true healing requires attention to the mind, body and spirit. Yet even with that commitment, something was missing. The care felt fragmented and disconnected.
What Shawn hadn’t yet found was a model that brought everything together. But that all changed when she discovered HonorHealth’s Whole Health Institute and Integrative Medicine program.
For years, she believed that care combining evidence-based complementary therapies with conventional treatment was out-of-reach. Coming with a high price tag that put it beyond the means of many patients. But HonorHealth’s decision to offer this care within an insurance-based model opened up new possibilities.
From her very first appointment with Dr. Shalini Singh-Karnik, she knew something was different.
Dr. Singh spent quality time with her, listening, asking thoughtful questions and seeking to understand not just her symptoms, but her story. For the first time, she felt seen as a whole person. Her care plan reflected that. It included a sleep study, coordination with additional specialists and a customized medication tailored specifically to her needs.
The results were profound.
In just five months, Shawn’s sleep improved. Her energy returned. Flare-ups became rare. Her medications were reduced by half. For the first time in years, she wasn’t missing work or important moments with her family. She began to reclaim not only her health, but her life.
Perhaps most importantly, she regained something she had nearly lost: hope. Her story is a powerful reminder that healing is not one-dimensional. It requires time, attention and a willingness to treat the full person, not just a diagnosis.
That is where visionary philanthropy becomes transformational.
Donor support ensures that more patients like Shawn can access this life-changing model of care. It allows programs like this to grow, to reach further and to serve individuals who might otherwise continue to suffer in silence. It doesn’t simply fund appointments, it restores dignity, renews possibility and gives patients a real chance to heal.
She shares, “HonorHealth’s Integrative Medicine program has genuinely changed my life. This approach to care, treating the full person rather than isolated symptoms, has allowed me to heal physically, emotionally and mentally in ways traditional medicine alone could not. I finally feel seen, supported and empowered in my own health journey.”
Today, Shawn looks forward with a sense of stability and optimism that once felt impossible. She is deeply grateful for the care she received, for the team that stood beside her and for the donors who make access like this possible.
Because of that support, her story is no longer defined by years of misdiagnosis and pain. It is defined by healing and by the belief that every patient deserves the chance to feel whole again!
A full circle of compassion — and a legacy of earlier detection
Fourteen years ago, Chirag Patel, MD, was not yet a thoracic surgeon. He was a young father in medical residency, walking a path familiar to many HonorHealth patients — concerned, uncertain and searching for answers.
His infant daughter, Nala, had been diagnosed with plagiocephaly, a condition that causes a baby’s head to develop a flat or uneven shape. Nala required a cranial remodeling device to gently reshape her growing skull. The care she received made a lasting impression on her family, though Dr. Patel could not have known then how profoundly that moment would shape his future.
The device that helped Nala was developed by Cranial Technologies, founded by entrepreneur and inventor Jeanne Hertz. At the time, Jeanne was widely recognized for her innovative leadership in healthcare so much so that she — along with baby Nala — appeared on the cover of an Arizona magazine celebrating innovators and female business leaders. But to the Patels, she was simply someone helping their daughter thrive.
Fourteen years later, Dr. Patel’s career — and Jeanne’s life — had come full circle.
Now a thoracic surgeon at HonorHealth Cancer Care, Dr. Patel met Jeanne again under very different circumstances. She was facing lung cancer and had been referred to him for care. For months, their connection was purely clinical — physician and patient working together through diagnosis and treatment.
It wasn’t until right before a Continuing Medical Education (CME) presentation, when Dr. Patel was reviewing Jeanne’s credentials in preparation for introducing her, that something stopped him short.
“I saw that her credentials said she was the founder of Cranial Technologies and I thought, ‘no way — this can’t be,’” Dr. Patel recalls.
He still had the magazine from years earlier. Dr. Patel took a photo of the cover and sent it to Jeanne with a simple question: Is this you?
Her reply was immediate. Yes.
“That’s my daughter sitting in your lap,” he told her.
In that moment, the connection was crystallized — not just between two people, but between past and purpose, care received and care now given.
A vision beyond one patient
As Jeanne and her husband, Frank, navigated her diagnosis, they began speaking with Dr. Patel about what could be done to help others avoid a similarly difficult journey.
“When Jeanne first learned that she had lung cancer, she knew she had been chosen for a reason,” Frank shares. “She didn’t know why she was chosen until we met with Dr. Patel and he explained his vision of early detection, care and proactive community endeavors to help people detect lung cancer.”
Earlier detection had become Dr. Patel’s passion. He saw, far too often, patients diagnosed when little time was left. But he also knew that many cases could be caught sooner if systems were in place to identify lung nodules quickly and act decisively.
“He explained his vision,” Frank says. “It was at that time that Jeanne realized why she was chosen. Because she had passion and financial means to assist Dr. Patel in fulfilling his mission.”
That shared vision sparked something extraordinary. Even as Jeanne faced her own illness, she chose to look outward to the patients who would come after her and to the community she loves.
Together, Jeanne and Frank made a $2 million philanthropic commitment to establish the Jeanne and Frank Hertz Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Endowment at HonorHealth. The endowment supports the Lung Nodule Program — an initiative designed to accelerate diagnosis, expand patient navigation, increase screenings and improve outreach, particularly for underserved populations.
Their generosity has already inspired others to act. Close friends Jodi Pederson and Tim Beaudin have already made an investment in the endowment, amplifying its ability to save lives through earlier detection.
Turning purpose into impact
The impact of this philanthropic vision isn’t theoretical — it’s already changing outcomes.
Dr. Patel helped launch the Lung Nodule Program and brought physicians together from across the Valley to focus on what was possible when care moved faster and coordination improved.
“We hosted this CME event last November and about 100 physicians from across the community attended,” he says. “Collectively, we all want to shorten the amount of time it takes to treat lung cancer.”
The Lung Nodule Program ensures that when a lung nodule is discovered — whether in the emergency room, urgent care or a primary care office — it doesn’t get lost in the system. Dedicated navigators track patients, apply clear criteria and move quickly when action is needed.
Since launching, the program has already screened 1,700 patients, seen 500 in clinic, biopsied approximately 300 and diagnosed over 60 new lung cancers — all at Stage I, when treatment is most effective.
One patient’s story captures the difference this makes. A 34-year-old woman with no smoking history, no family history of lung cancer and no significant medical issues was referred after a small lung nodule was detected. Under standard practice, watchful waiting might have been the norm. Instead, HonorHealth pulmonologist, Arooj Kayani, MD, pursued a biopsy.
The diagnosis was Stage I adenocarcinoma. From initial scan to biopsy to surgery, her entire care journey took just two and a half weeks.
Time that changed everything.
A legacy that invites others in
“We all only have so much time,” Jeanne reflects. “It can happen to anyone. We have to find cancer earlier so the journey isn’t so difficult. That’s my hope.”
Through their extraordinary generosity, Jeanne and Frank have transformed that hope into a lasting legacy — one that ensures more patients are diagnosed earlier, treated faster and given more moments with the people they love.
The Jeanne and Frank Hertz Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Endowment stands as a powerful example of what philanthropy can achieve when compassion meets purpose. It’s an invitation to friends, neighbors and fellow community members to invest in earlier detection, better outcomes and a future where fewer families hear the words “too late.”
Because sometimes, the most meaningful gifts come full circle.
Celebrating Nurses Month: Investing in excellence at HonorHealth
For more than 22 years, nurse Bethany Biardi has built her career at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, most of that time caring for pediatric patients. Drawn to nursing as both a stable profession and a calling to serve, she has spent more than two decades living out that purpose every day.
Today, she serves as a perioperative education coordinator, where her passion for learning and leadership truly shines. In this role, she supports staff development, leads policy and procedure reviews and helps guide best practices across perioperative care.
“I’m truly living my best work life as an education coordinator,” she shares.
Thanks to HonorHealth Foundation’s Nursing Excellence Endowment scholarship, Bethany attended the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) National Conference. The opportunity wouldn’t have been financially possible without donor support. National conferences provide critical continuing education, professional networking and the credits required to maintain specialty certifications.
The impact of that experience quickly extended beyond individual growth. At the conference, Bethany represented HonorHealth by presenting two nursing research projects, including work on urinary catheter patient education and perianesthesia health literacy. This important professional milestone helped her build confidence and validated HonorHealth’s nursing excellence on a national stage.
Just as important, she brought new knowledge home. Inspired by conference education, she helped launch a new initiative focused on perioperative normothermia, improving how patients’ temperatures are managed to enhance safety, comfort and infection prevention. Procedures were aligned with national standards, directly translating learning into better patient care.
“As an education coordinator, I frequently bring back ideas for improvement and new projects,” she says. “The scholarship made that possible.”
Stories like Bethany’s highlight the ripple effect of donor generosity. Scholarship support not only advances a nurse’s career, it strengthens teams, improves outcomes and elevates care for every patient served.
During Nurses Month, we invite you to share your gratitude with an HonorHealth nurse who made a difference by providing high quality, personalized care to you or a loved one.
HonorHealth Research Institute Chief Medical Officer receives Lifetime Achievement Award
HonorHealth Foundation is thrilled to congratulate Dr. Michael Gordon, chief medical officer of HonorHealth Research Institute, who was recognized with the 2026 President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement at HonorHealth.
Dr. Gordon’s compassionate care, extraordinary leadership and commitment to patients, staff and the community make him a deserving recipient of this award, which honors physicians who truly make a difference.
His dedication and example will have a lasting impact, shaping the future of care for patients in our community and beyond.
Learn more about the impact of philanthropy at HonorHealth Research Institute
Making a difference: HonorHealth Military Partnership
As a nonprofit, philanthropy is central to HonorHealth’s ability to advance programs that deliver on our promise to provide personalized, quality care to our community. But giving through HonorHealth Foundation means you’re supporting more than great care — your contributions improve health and well-being, fuel medical breakthroughs, drive innovative research and much more.
And because HonorHealth is a community-based hospital system, decisions are made locally and the support of our donors remains right here, helping the patients, families and causes that mean the most to you. If you’re inspired by innovation and transformation, you can make change real for our community and even the world — and the HonorHealth Foundation Impact Reports demonstrate how the support of HonorHealth donors helps make it all possible.
During National Military Appreciation Month, we reflect on the extraordinary power of community and compassion, and the meaningful role philanthropy plays for the HonorHealth Military Partnership. Through world-class education, advanced medical simulations and hands-on instruction, HonorHealth Military Partnership trains and equips medics and first responders with the critical skills they need when seconds matter most. In 2025, this included a hospital-wide mock-trauma scenario, as well as local and off-site training of hundreds of first responders, including state and federal partners.
Shop for a Cause
Please join us for a charitable shopping event this Wednesday and Thursday, May 20-21, at Ralph Lauren in Biltmore Fashion Park and help bring hope to our tiniest patients and their families!
Ralph Lauren
2502 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Ten percent of purchases made by customers shopping on behalf of HonorHealth Foundation will be donated in support of the HonorHealth NICU!
To schedule a private appointment, kindly contact Lisa.Austin@RalphLauren.com.
Save the Date for the NICU Tea and Luncheon
Mark your calendar for the 9th Annual NICU Tea and Luncheon, benefitting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.
NICU Tea and Luncheon
Friday, September 18, 2026
Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Additional information and sponsorship details coming soon!
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