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Experience The
St. Joe's
Lung Cancer Program Offers
the Latest Diagnostics, Treatment
By Jack Weiner,
President and CEO
St. Joseph Mercy
Oakland
I
Lung cancer is the most common
cause of cancer death in men and
women combined, but recent treatment
breakthroughs provide ways to earlier
diagnose and better treat the disease.
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland's Lung Cancer
Program offers the latest in diagnostics,
treatment and clinical trials.
Here's why you should seek out St. Joe's for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
We offer:
• A quicker path to diagnosis and treatment with twice monthly multidisciplinary
Lung Tumor Board meetings attended by a team that includes nationally recognized
experts in Radiation Oncology and Thoracic Surgery, along with specialists in
Pulmonary Medicine, Medical Oncology, Pathology, Radiology and others. Working
together, the team develops a personalized cancer treatment plan for each patient
designed to deliver the best outcomes.
• A lung cancer nurse navigator who facilitates care for each patient. She provides
patient education, coordinates appointments and provides additional emotional and
resource support throughout each patient's treatment journey.
• Our nationally recognized specialists have dedicated St. Joe's affiliated lung
cancer practices and are skilled and experienced in the latest cutting-edge
diagnostic and treatment technology.
• Superdimension Navigational Bronchoscopy System, Endobronchial Ultrasound
(EBUS) and Low-Dose Lung CT screening for the latest in detection, diagnosis and
staging, along with da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery.
• A Surgical Pavilion with modern surgical suites that offers the most up-to-date
technological advances in the area.
• Access to nearly 150 clinical trials through our Community Clinical Oncology
Program (CCOP), the same trials accessed by the Mayo Clinic. This means patients
can receive cutting-edge treatment while remaining right in our community.
• Access to educational information in our Cancer Resource and Support Center,
within the Alice Gustafson Center on the hospital campus.
• A Cancer Center that offers an environment of patient comfort and dignity in both
the physician office and the infusion center.
For more information on St. Joe's Lung Cancer Program, call Patti Moore, Lung Nurse
Navigator, at 248-858-3471.
When you're looking for the latest, comprehensive and compassionate lung
cancer care, come to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, where our clinical outcomes speak
for themselves.
Discover Remarkable
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Gadgeel, a lung cancer specialist, is
the leader of the Thoracic Oncology
Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos
and professor at Wayne State
University School of Medicine.
"I was so impressed by his patience
and his compassion:' Turk said.
Turk underwent radiation and che-
motherapy. Four years later, however,
a new spot appeared on her left lung,
requiring two surgeries. Earlier this
year, doctors discovered another can-
cer. Again, she began chemotherapy
and radiation, completing treatments
this summer.
Along with her medical treatment at
Karmanos, aiding in Turk's emotional
recovery have been the supplemen-
tal therapies offered at Karmanos'
Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center on
Northwestern Highway in Farmington
Hills. She has taken part in standard
massage, Reiki (a form of gentle mas-
sage) and art and music therapies
through the Healing Arts Program
there.
"The people at Karmanos are very
special human beings:' she said. "They
respect you, and they understand how
difficult and scary this process is."
Turk said that her ongoing diagno-
ses have affected her family, especially
her son, Ian, 29, as well as the clients
she treats as a social worker in private
practice.
"I worked as much as I could dur-
ing the first diagnosis of cancer:' she
said. "This time, it's been much more
difficult on my patients. The hardest
person to tell was my son:'
with cancer. I recommend to all my
patients that they take advantage of
this beneficial program:'
The program is aided by monies
raised through philanthropy, including
the Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf
Invitational, an annual event of the
Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation,
which was held in June at Franklin
Hills Country Club. Being the golf
aficionado, Turk hopes to play in next
year's outing. A grant from the Jewish
Women's Foundation also assists the
Karmanos program.
POSITIVE THINKING
In addition to taking part in the
Healing Arts Program, Turk said she
has many "remarkable" friends who
all serve as caregivers and helped her
through her diagnoses. Doctors also
credit Turk's positive attitude for her
surviving lung cancer for as long as
she has.
"Cancer is on the periphery of my
life Turk said. "It does not define me:'
Turk says that she grew up with her
positive attitude, thanks to her grand-
mother, Sadie Wilner, who she calls "a
remarkable human being:'
"My grandmother had a strength
about her and had an attitude that you
can do anything you want to. She was
my role model:' she said. "The last
thing she said to me was, when you
come to the end of your life, it doesn't
matter what your accomplishments are
or your wealth. It's about the lives you
have touched. I thought, that's prob-
ably why I became a therapist.
"I love what I do and I think work
has given me tremendous strength:'
Turk said.
"You have to view cancer as not
a death sentence. You can
decide whether to be a survi-
vor or whether you'll die from
cancer.
"I believe I am bigger than
cancer:' *
SOOTHING 'HEALING ARTS'
Despite her ongoing battle with cancer,
Turk enjoyed a summer full of golf,
whether it was on her favorite
course, Moose Ridge in South
Lyon, or Beech Woods Golf
Course in Southfield.
She said she also enjoyed
the Karmanos' Healing Arts
Program, which is funded
by the Leah A. Davidson
Elizabeth A. Katz is the external
A .
Endowment for the Healing
marketing and communications man-
Kathleen Hardy
Arts.
ager with the Barbara Ann Karmanos
Kathleen Hardy, oncology
Cancer Institute.
social worker at Karmanos,
said hundreds of people have been
assisted by the Healing Arts Program.
details
"We include art and music therapies,
For more information about
massage, guided imagery, meditation,
Karmanos Cancer Institute's
yoga, journaling and more Hardy
Healing Arts Program, contact
said. "These integrative therapies have
Kathleen Hardy at hardyk@
been shown to reduce anxiety, depres-
karmanos.org or (248) 538-4712.
sion, stress, muscle tension and, in
To make a donation, visit
some instances, pain.
www.karmanos.org/leahfund
"The workshops are free and open
or call (313) 576-8110.
to anyone in the community living