Fortunately for Emily and the 1,200 other cancer patients who will be treated at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center this year, our cancer outcomes are equal or superior to national survival rates for the four leading cancers in Whatcom County. Emily’s prognosis is excellent, and she is already looking forward to pursuing a Masters in Teacher Education when she is cancer-free. We are inspired by Emily’s spirit, and proud to be able to provide her with the medical expertise and cutting-edge treatment that will help follow her dreams.

We invite you to join us in helping patients like Emily through a donation to the PeaceHealth Comprehensive Cancer Center. To make a contribution, click on Donate Now or call the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation at 360-788-6866.

Left to right: Senator Maria Cantwell, Medical Center CEO Nancy Steiger, and 2011 Gala Chair Rosemarie Francis

BELLINGHAM – The PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation recently held its largest fundraiser in a large tent pavilion at the Health Education Center and raised more than $250,000 to support Medical Center services, upgrade facilities and provide outreach to the community.

The June 4 Gala hosted more than 440 guests, including U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, State Senator Doug Ericksen, Western Washington University President Bruce Shepard and Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo.

At the Gala, members of the Foundation’s Circle of Care were honored and awards for significant and inspirational contributions were given to:

• Ralph H. Rinne, MD Physician Philanthropy Leader of the Year Award – presented to Ian L. Thompson, MD
• Philanthropist of the Year Award – Mimi and John Ferlin
• Inspirational Leader Award – Mary Frances Brown and Linda Gardner

Major sponsors of the event were Andersen Construction, IMCO General Construction, Mt. Baker Imaging and Saturna Capital. For more information, please call the Foundation Office at (360) 788-6866 or visit www.peacehealth.org/sjhf.

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, which includes a not-for-profit full-service hospital sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, is part of the PeaceHealth system with medical centers in Alaska, Washington and Oregon. In addition to the hospital, Cancer Center and PeaceHealth Medical Group, PeaceHealth’s local services include several Centers of Excellence, a diagnostic laboratory, a joint venture outpatient imaging service, Whatcom Hospice, a specialty clinic in Sedro-Woolley and a critical access hospital being developed on San Juan Island.

READ MORE AT: http://www.agcwa.com/index.php/ListingItem/1908

This year the Mayor is honoring twelve Bellingham residents and organizations who have significantly contributed to the arts in our community. Award winners were chosen based on nominations submitted by community members and members of the Bellingham Arts Commission.

“The continued enthusiasm for the Mayor’s Arts Awards makes me proud of our community’s diverse and flourishing artists and cultural organizations,” Pike said.

Mayor’s Arts Awards will be presented to the following twelve recipients:

• George Drake, Allied Arts of Whatcom County and Al Zimmerman- Spearheading the Sebastian Exhibit in Downtown Bellingham
• Ene’ and Eugene Lewis – Owners of Indian Street Pottery / Educators of the pottery craft;
• Felix Solomon – Advocate for the revival of the Coast Salish style of carving;
• Mike Mathieu and Andrew Conner – The Cody River Show;
• Nancy Steiger and the Medical Center Art Committee – 2010 PeaceHealth / St. Joseph Medical Center Art Exhibition;
• The Amadeus Project – Non-profit music institution providing a concert hall and teaching studio for the community;
• Whatcom Art Guild – Volunteer-driven art organization offering scholarships and sponsoring two annual art shows.

For more information, contact Shannon Taysi, Planning & Community Development Department 778-8360, or staysi@cob.org.

The law, which was originally enacted in 2006, expired at the end of last year, but it has now been renewed for two years, retroactive to January 1, 2010 and ending December 31, 2011.

Transfers within the allowable limit from a standard IRA or Roth IRA to one or more charities will not be included in the taxpayer’s taxable income, and they will count toward his or her required minimum distribution.

If you have not yet requested your required minimum distribution for 2010, and you would like to make a charitable gift with IRA funds, you should immediately take these actions:

• Reduce your required minimum distribution by the amount you would like to contribute to charity. (The non-charitable portion still must be taken by the end of this month.)

• No later than January 31, 2011 instruct the administrator of your IRA to transfer funds to the charities you choose (total transfers limited to $100,000), and advise the administrator that you intend to treat these transfers as if they were made in 2010. Because so little time remains here in 2010 after enactment of the law, taxpayers are given an additional month to make these transfers.

If you have already received your required minimum distribution for 2010, and you do not wish to make any further withdrawals from your IRA at this time, keep in mind that you can make a charitable transfer from your IRA at any point next year and have it count towards your 2011 required distributions.

You can authorize these transfers to any public charity, such as PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation, but they may not be made to a private foundation, a donor advised fund, or a 509(a)(3) supporting organization.

*The full name of the new law is “Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Authorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010.”

McCampbell comes to St. Joseph Medical Center from Seattle, where he served as Interim Executive Director for the Seattle Symphony.  Prior to joining the symphony in 2008, McCampbell served in several fund development capacities at Virginia Mason Foundation, Northwest Hospital Foundation and CRISTA Ministries.

Mark and his wife of 36 years, Bonnie, have two children. Carrie, age 28 and Courtney, age 22, are both graduates of Western Washington University. It was during their children’s college years that Mark and Bonnie developed a fondness of Bellingham and Whatcom County. Mark enjoys personal mentoring and life coaching, swimming, bicycling and running.

Nancy Steiger, on behalf of the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, accepts a $10,000 check from Tom Kenney of Washington Federal Savings. When Washington Federal purchased Horizon Bank earlier this year, Horizon had delivered only a portion of a promised $25,000 donation for the Emergency Department capital campaign. Washington Federal had no obligation to honor that promise, but generously opted to do so.

Left to right: Patrick Michaelis, Pamela Gould, Sara Blaak, (Learning & Development) Mike Kirkland (Office of Development), Lori Wilkinson (Occupational Health), Tim Kuzma (Alpha Modalities)

Alpha Modalities has been partnering with PeaceHealth since 1998 to help us prevent injury to both our patients and our staff, and have been an important resource in not only searching out the most effective equipment available on the market, but also in developing and providing training and problem solving support to our staff.

Tim Kuzma, Director of Alpha Modalities: “The patient lift is one tool in the toolbox for nurses to provide safe, evidence-based and compassionate care to PeaceHealth patients. If a nurse goes home without having a sore back, and still has energy to devote to his or her family, then I have accomplished my goal”.

Volunteer members of the new St. Joseph Hospital Foundation Circle of Care program are available on-call to other Circle of Care members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each of these Healthcare “Navigators” is trained to assist you and yours during a visit or stay.

Navigators may answer questions or steer inquiries to appropriate sources within the Hospital system; they may facilitate contacts, schedule visits, or arrange solutions for a host of other issues. Does a family doctor need notice? Should a neighbor walk the dog? Would you like the Navigator to be with you in the waiting room? Would you appreciate company, a cup of coffee, or help with a restless child?

Healthcare Navigators are not PeaceHealth staff, but Circle of Care volunteers familiar with Hospital layout and protocol. Each has signed a confidentiality agreement and has passed a test addressing issues of confidentiality. The Navigators volunteer their time for the same reasons they are supporting the Hospital financially:

“Because it feels best when you’re giving back”
Lynette Jensen

“I wanted to be part of this important Circle of Care program.”
Mo West

“I’ve hoped for this to happen from Day One. I’m so appreciative it’s happening now…I think this service will make lives easier for patients and staff, that it will make friends for the Hospital, and let people know the importance of belonging to the Circle of Care.”
Joanne Robinson

For information about Healthcare Navigator services, the Circle of Care, or special Circle of Care briefings by physicians, please contact the Hospital Foundation at (360) 788 6866.

“By that I am truly humbled,” confessed Laura Schlenker, Emergency Department Manager, citing a host of impacts already evidenced by the completion of Phase II. Among these: the capacity to handle an increase in ER visits of over 20,000 people this year, 60 more patients per day receiving quality care; a rise in patient satisfaction, also a decline in those leaving before treatment. “And for the pride and hope you have given staff, I have such a grateful heart.”

While numbers suggest the scope of need, Joanne Robinson described how profoundly personal care resonated for a friend battling lung cancer—how important it was that they offered guidance and comfort through what might have otherwise felt like an immense and frightening system. Nancy Steiger shared her own ED experience, soon echoed by murmured stories from around the room.

The gathering was concluded with tours of the remodeled facilities, directing attention to new the donor recognition panels.