OCTOBER 31 • 2019 | 47
‘Next Phase of Life’
Melanoma patient benefi
ted from palliative care
as he transitioned from treatment to hospice.
Health
T
he late Steven Averbuch,
69, of West Bloomfield,
was diagnosed with
melanoma in 2012. Surgeons
removed the melanoma on his
chest and he was cleared of
the cancer, which at the time
had not spread. But then, two
weeks after an all-clear five-
year checkup, the melanoma
returned.
Again, surgeons removed it.
Averbuch received immuno-
therapy for his cancer; but, after
almost a year, he learned the
cancer had spread.
Averbuch went to a differ-
ent health system for a second
opinion and to receive more
extensive treatment. After that
treatment was exhausted, he
was referred to the Barbara Ann
Karmanos Cancer Institute to
go on a clinical trial.
“It’
s an emotional thing to be
told treatment is not working,
”
he had said.
Averbuch benefited from pal-
liative care rather than continue
treatments that were no longer
effective. He passed away peace-
fully at home this summer.
“I tell (people) the word
‘
palliative’
is not a bad word,
”
he had said. “It doesn’
t mean
death tomorrow. It’
s a peaceful
decision.
”
Averbuch, accompanied by
his wife of 41 years, Maralyn,
a member of Temple Shir
Shalom, received palliative
care from Elisheva Newman,
M.D., a member of Karmanos’
Supportive Oncology
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).
The Supportive Oncology
MDT at Karmanos not only
provides palliative care ser-
vices, its team members also
offer psychology/psychiatry
consultations, anesthesia and
pain care as well as spiritual
guidance. Newman practices
out of Karmanos’
Weisberg
Cancer Treatment Center
in Farmington Hills and in
Detroit.
She said many people are
confused by the term “palliative
care.
”
“We like to tell people
palliative care is about work-
ing with patients and family
members who have advanced
disease for symptom control to
improve quality of life,
” she said.
“Sometimes people
need another per-
son to help them
make decisions.
”
Palliative
care also means
Newman can
collaborate with
patients and their
oncologists to improve com-
munication about treatment
plans and goals. She works with
patients on their medication
doses and can assist with health
insurance to clear the approval
process for medications that will
alleviate pain. Plus, she can help
patients determine if a specific
treatment is not helping and
advise them, with input from
their oncologist, if a treatment
should be stopped.
Palliative care is often appro-
priate for cancer patients who
are in advanced stages of the
disease. However, Newman said
palliative care can help many
cancer patients.
“
Any time is appropriate for
palliative care,
” she said. “We
know patients do better with
palliative care. They have a bet-
ter experience with their cancer
and experience less depression.
They spend less time in the
hospital.
”
Palliative care also eases the
transition between a patient
receiving treat-
ment and entering
hospice where he
discontinues treat-
ment and receives
comfort measures,
according to
Newman.
“I can’
t take away their can-
cer, but I have some say in how
they experience cancer,
” she
said. “By far, the most import-
ant thing is the relationships
between me and the patients.
”
For Averbuch, who spent
months in palliative care and
ultimately chose to go into hos-
pice, palliative care gave him
time to spend with his family,
which includes his oldest son,
Aaron, 40; daughter, Elana, 38;
and son, Jared, 33, as well as his
six grandkids.
“Family has always been No.
1,
” he had said. “I have loved
seeing my kids grow up.
”
For information about Karmanos
Cancer Institute’
s Supportive
Oncology Multidisciplinary Team, call
800-527-6266 or visit karmanos.org.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARALYN AVERBUCH
Maralyn and
Steven Averbuch
Elisheva
Newman, M.D.
TIMOTHY J. HAUNERT
ELIZABETH KATZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICES
Karmanos Supportive Oncology
Multidisciplinary Team
(800) 527-6266
karmanos.org
Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy
Network
(248) 592-2687
jewishhospice.org
Ascension Health Care
(various locations)
healthcare.ascension.org
Beaumont Health
(800) 328-8542
(appointment center)
beaumont.org
Children’
s Hospital of Michigan
(313) 745-0883
chmpalliativecare@dmc.org
Henry Ford Health System
(800) 436-7936
(general inquiries)
henryford.com
McLaren Health Care
Palliative Care Service-Flint
(810) 342-2546
mclaren.org
University of Michigan Health
System (Michigan Medicine)
uofmhealth.org
East Ann Arbor Health Center:
(734) 764-6831
Rogel Cancer Center:
(877) 907-0859
Frankel Cardiovascular:
(888) 287-1082
Chelsea Health Center:
(734) 475-1321
Livonia Center:
(248) 473-4300]
C.S. Mott Children’
s Hospital:
(734) 232-9593
St. Joseph Mercy Health
System, Ann Arbor
Inpatient Palliative Care:
(734) 712-6076
Patient Palliative Care:
(734) 712-7255
Visiting Angels Living
Assistance Services
(313) 272-8282
visitingangels.com