It has been a busy summer for Minnesota Oncology, filled with caring for our patients, supporting and participating in community events, receiving recognition, and welcoming new providers to our team. Please read on for some highlights from Summer 2017:
Highlights From 2017 Hope in Motion, Minnesota's National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration
Hope in Motion 2017 Highlights
Hundreds celebrated
National Cancer Survivors Day at Hope in Motion on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at Lake Phalen Regional Park in St. Paul. This year we raised over $50,000 which will benefit Angel Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides support and programs for cancer survivors and their families.
About Angel Foundation: Founded in 2001, Angel Foundation helps when cancer strikes providing emergency financial assistance and education and support to Minnesota adults living with cancer and their families. Learn more about Angel Foundation at www.mnangel.org.
Click hereto view photos from Hope in Motion 2017.
Click here to read more about Hope in Motion 2017.
Ben Zhang, MD, recently
joined our Burnsville Clinic. His areas of special interest are renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer. "My role as an oncologist is to empower patients with knowledge about their disease and treatment options, and provide individualized, patient-centered, and evidence-based care to the best of my abilities," Zhang says. "I treat every patient like a family member, and I am fully dedicated to serving my patients' needs and guiding them through this tough journey."
Ryan Funk, MD
Ryan Funk, MD, joined the Radiation Oncology teams at our St. Paul Cancer Center and Maplewood Cancer Center on August 1. "I am incredibly grateful for the amazing people I am privileged to treat," Dr. Funk said. "My goal is to counsel patients about their disease and treatment options so we can partner together to develop a personalized treatment plan based on unique patient needs and evidence-based medicine."
Emily Prendergast, MD
Emily Prendergast, MD,joined our Minneapolis Clinic on August 21. Her areas of special interest are gynecologic malignancies, minimally invasive robotic surgery, survivorship and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes, among other things. Her philosophy of care is to offer compassionate, quality and goal-directed care for women with gynecologic malignancies. "We journey together," Prendergast says.
Jessica Bonden, PA-C
Jessica Bonden, PA-C, recently joined our Minneapolis Clinic team. Her special interests are gynecologic malignancies and cervical cancer syndromes. Bonden has had international research and clinical experience in Tanzania. She worked in Arusha and Mwanza assisting with vaginal deliveries, obstetric and gynecologic surgeries, and the managaement of obstetric specific conditions. She also screened women for cervical cancer and gave cryotherapy treatments to women in rural, under-served hospitals.
Komal Dave, PA-C
Komal Dave, MPAS, PA-C,recently joined the team at our St. Paul Cancer Center. She just relocated to Minnesota from Texas. "I believe that knowledge is power and I strive to educate patients so that they are always in control of their health," Dave says. "I aim to make their journey more comfortable, always ensuring that they have the best quality of life possible. I believe that it is always about the patient - their choices and goals are my choices and goals."
Minnesota Oncology is proud to announce that 17 of our physicians representing all 12 of our clinic locations have been named "Top Doctors" this year by Mpls. St. Paul Magazine.This list represents roughly one third of our physicians, most of whom are honored on other local lists such as Top Physicians for Women, Rising Stars, and Best Doctors.
Click here for a complete list of Minnesota Oncology physicians who were recognized.
Seventeen Minnesota Oncology Physicians Named 2016 Top Doctors for Women by Minnesota Monthly
Minnesota Oncology is proud to announce that 17 of our physicians have been named "Top Doctors for Women" by Minnesota Monthly magazine. This list also represents roughly one third of our physicians, most of whom are honored on other local lists such as Rising Stars, Best Doctors and Top Doctors.
Click here for a complete list of Minnesota Oncology physicians recognized by Minnesota Monthly magazine this year.
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Celebrates 10 Years
Richard M. Schulze Family Hope Lodge® in Minneapolis
Over 23,00 people across Minnesota are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of these patients often spend weeks or months away from home while undergoing required lifesaving treatment at cancer centers in the Twin Cities area.
While dealing with the stresses of cancer care and treatment, spending time traveling to and from treatment centers can pose an additional struggle for patients and their families.
To help combat this struggle, the Richard
M. Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge® opened its doors in Minneapolis ten years ago on December 30, 2007.
Their program provides free lodging facilities that offer a supportive and nurturing environment for patients when their best hope for effective treatment may be away from home.
"Hope Lodge has been a very wonderful part of the healing process," said one patient from Cloquet, MN. "It is just as important to heal mentally as physically and all the people at the Hope Lodge do just that. Their kind words of encouragement and hope are an uplift to EVERY day! There are angels among us, and I truly believe that some of them are residing at the Hope Lodge."
Over 1,200 patients have stayed at Hope Lodge in the past year -- many from Minnesota Oncology's Saint Paul Cancer Center, and Minneapolis, Edina and Maplewood clinics.
Click here to learn more about the Minneapolis Hope Lodge facility and how it has helped our own patients.
Danna Renner, Palliative Care Specialist Gives Facebook Live Talk on Dealing With Pain
Danna Renner, Palliative Care Specialist
Danna shared pain management advice and information with patients in a Facebook Live presentation on July 6, 2017.
Facebook Live allows viewers to watch a video in real time and interact with the speaker by sending in their questions and comments.
Danna's presentation covered a variety of topics relating to pain including why we feel pain, different types of pain, and ways to help describe your pain to your doctor.
Click here to view Danna's full presentation on pain management.
Minnesota Oncology Nurse Awarded 2017 Mpls. St. Paul Outstanding Nurse Award in Cancer Care
Minnesota Oncology is proud to announce that nurse Monica Cook was named an "outstanding nurse" at the 2017 Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's Outstanding Nurse Award ceremony earlier this month at Edina Country Club.
Monica Cook, RN
Monica is a nurse at the Saint Paul Cancer Center and was awarded for her work in cancer care.
Monica and the other award winners will be featured in the December issue of the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. To see a full list of award-winners, check out Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.
These nominees were chosen by four expert nurse judges from a large number of nurses who were nominated by colleagues and supervisors and by patients and families of patients.According to Mpls. St. Paul Magazine: "Nominations were assessed on a seven-point rubric that included: professionalism, bedside manner, patient interaction, credentials and experience, impact on an organization, leadership, and an "it" factor exemplifying kindness, compassion, and empathy. Additional weight was given to those who received multiple nominations from a variety of sources, and to those nominated by their patients or their patients' families."
Minnesota Oncology nurse nominees for 2017 Mpls.St.Paul Outstanding Nurse Awards.
Also recognized for their outstanding care were Minnesota Oncology nurses Deb Daniel (Waconia Clinic), Brenda Korth (Saint Paul Cancer Center), Stephanie Mehrkens (Minneapolis Clinic), and Beth Schmidt (Edina Clinic).
We are thankful to have such an amazing team of nurses at Minnesota Oncology who are recognized for their outstanding dedication and hard work!
Minnetonka Girl Scout Troop Gives Back to Minnesota Oncology's Plymouth Clinic Through Take Action Project
Pictured left to right: Ella Reeths, Joyce Jendro (Girl Scout Troop Leader), Maddie Jendro, Paul Sasik (Minnesota Oncology patient), Penny Sasik and Evelyn Reeths.
In June, Minnetonka Girl Scout Troop 18014, a group of first-fourth graders, carried our their Take Action Project by giving back to the patients and staff at Minnesota Oncology's Plymouth Clinic.
The Daisies, Brownies and Juniors all donated personalized cards and boxes of cookies remaining from their annual Girl Scout Cookie Sales.
The idea cam from eight-year-old Penny Sasik who has a very personal connection to the clinic -- her father is a patient.
The Girl Scout's Take Action Project focuses on service learning which helps the girls understand and address the roots of a problem in their community by developing a project which continues addressing the problem, even after the one-time event is over.
"It's about making our community a better place," Penny said.
Minnesota Oncology Receives Donated Blankets and Messages of Hope From Morrie's Minnetonka Subaru
Almost 500 Subaru retailers across the country are bringing the Subaru Loves to Care initiative to life through their donations.
For the second year in a row, Morrie's Minnetonka Subaru, Subaru of America, Inc., and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society spread love, hope and warmth to local cancer patients and their families through the Subaru Loves to Care initiative. This year, Subaru retailers donated blankets and art supplies to Minnesota Oncology and our patients across the state who continue their fight against cancer.
Click here to learn more about the Subaru Loves to Care initiative.
Notes of Hope Variety Show Returns Sunday, Sept. 10
