In collaboration with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, & the American Cancer Society, this program is facilitated by  the West Michigan Cancer Center.

February Class Cancelled

Next Class:

Tuesday, March 20^th    

5:15 pm – 6:15 pm—Lower Level

“Radiation Therapy”

Speaker:  Tricia Miedema, PA-C

WMCC Physician Assistant/Radiation Oncology

Sessions are designed for newly diagnosed patients and patients in treatment, and their caregiver and are facilitated by the WMCC medical social workers.  We have all heard the phrase: “Knowledge is Power”.  WMCC provides an opportunity to gain knowledge through educational supportive programming. This program prepares patients and their caregivers for situations that may arise during diagnosis and treatment.  There is no charge for this program.

RSVP required—contact Megan Putz, WMCC Social Worker, at 269-384-8629 or email mputz@wmcc.org. 

At West Michigan Cancer Center, we’re in the business of treating and healing people with cancer.  It is also our mission to educate the community about the tools available to prevent cancer before it happens.  That’s why we’ve begun a series of billboard messages aimed at spreading the message of cancer prevention. 

This month, our billboard message is simple:  Sex happens.  Cervical Cancer Doesn’t Have To.  Vaccinate Your Kids Against HPV. 

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month.  This is extremely timely, given the latest recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that both boys and girls beginning around age 9-10 should be vaccinated against HPV (human papillomavirus).  The vaccine protects against most types of HPV that cause cervical cancer.  Sadly, cervical cancer is responsible for more than 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.  HPV is also responsible for a large number (80%) of oropharyngeal cancers, penile cancers and anal cancers.  Recent national surveys show that HPV vaccine rates trail other teen vaccines.  Worse yet, poor and minority teens are less likely to finish the three-dose HPV vaccine series than other teens. 

So if you have children age 9 years and up, talk to their doctor about getting them vaccinated against HPV.   

H a p p y   N e w   Y e a r  !!

Have you made your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking?  Would you like to learn skills on smoking cessation as well as get support from peers?  Would you like 2012 to be a healthy New Year for you and your family?

 The new JumpStart Program is the perfect way to kick off a

 smoke-free 2012!!

 The meetings are quick and easy.  The class is contained to a

One-day, 70 minute session and it’s FREE! 

You will learn about triggers, curbing cravings and resources

 to help you stay quit!

 Date:  Tuesday, January 17^th at 5:00 pm

Place:  Portage YMCA

2900 West Centre Avenue, Portage

 Please call to register at the American Cancer Society, 269-349-8710 and bring friends and/or family members who would also benefit in the class.  Space is limited so please call to reserve your spot!

To:  All WMCC Patients & Caregivers

Now that the holiday season is upon us, I want to personally wish each and every one of you strength as you receive your treatments and also, healing and peace in the coming year.  This is a time of year when everyone appears to be joyful—yet, as a cancer patient, you may feel quite the opposite and find all the celebration difficult to manage physically and emotionally.  It is perfectly understandable and I want you to know that our staff is here to help.  Our social workers can assist you and your caregivers with counseling, support programs and community resources.  In addition, our social workers can introduce you to a volunteer mentor (former patient) who can provide you with support and encouragement during the holiday season and beyond. 

We thank you for entrusting your care to West Michigan Cancer Center.  As a token of our appreciation, you may pick up a special holiday gift from the 1^st floor registration desk, beginning December 19^th.  Santa Claus is also planning to stop by once or twice before the holidays so keep an eye out for Jolly Old St. Nick and his big red suit! In years past, we’ve hosted a holiday party for patients and caregivers.  However, because our numbers of survivors have grown significantly and we’ve expanded our weekday and weekend hours, we’re unable to do so this year.  Our facility just isn’t big enough to accommodate celebrating the holidays with everyone. We are also concerned about interrupting care and spreading colds. 

This time of year presents a wonderful opportunity to share your love with family and friends.  Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, once said, “Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone”.  It is my hope that, as we care for you along your cancer journey, we are able to provide you with all those ‘extra’ things that embody the spirit of the season.  If I can be of personal assistance, please feel free to contact me at 269-373-7414. 

Sincerely,

Joseph Mirro, MD

CEO/CMO

During the holiday season it is easy to overindulge in food, especially comfort foods. Here are some tips and recipes to help you enjoy the foods you love while staying healthy.

Comfort foods don’t have to be unhealthy. Most can be made more nutritious without losing their appeal. Try these suggestions for adjusting your favorite recipes to fit the proportions of the New American Plate.

1. Make Substitutions

• Prepare lower fat or healthier comfort foods by substituting one ingredient for another (e.g. skim milk instead of cream or olive oil in place of butter)

2. Add Healthful Ingredients

• Add healthful ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans to enhance the nutritional quality of the recipe (e.g. Add diced bell peppers and zucchini to spaghetti sauce or a variety of beans to chili)

3. Serve Smaller Portions

• Comfort foods are often served as meals themselves. Instead serve your comfort foods such as beef stew or man-n-cheese as a “1/3”ratio from the New American Plate (www.aicr.org/new-american-plate) which leaves room to add a servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and/or a salad to fill the “2/3” remainder.

4. Save Some Foods for Special Occasions

• Some recipes may be impossible to modify while maintaining the same level of flavor and texture. Enjoy traditional comfort foods less frequently and in smaller portions. You don’t need to completely give up eating the foods you love.

Please click here for a PDF of healthy, delicious recipes!

Kalamazoo, MI – West Michigan Cancer Center, a collaboration of Borgess Health and Bronson Healthcare Group, is pleased to announce the addition of five new mid-level providers to its staff at the main campus in Kalamazoo.

Laura Mullins, RN, MSN, CPNP, CPON, is a Certified Genetic Educator through the Oncology Nursing Society and a Certified Nurse Practitioner. She provides genetic counseling as a practitioner in collaboration with other members of the patient’s health care team. Mullins works directly with patients to provide assessments, counseling, follow-ups and referrals to community resources, if necessary.

A graduate of the Grace Hospital School of Nursing inDetroit, Mullins continued her education and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in Nursing from Grand Valley State University.

Julie DiGiovanni, PA-C, is a Physician Assistant in our gynecologic oncology department, working directly with patients of Dr. Anna Hoekstra.

DiGiovanni received a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University and a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona.

Steve Stone, PA-C, and Jill Noack, PA-C, are Physician Assistants in our medical oncology department who see patients at both Bronson Methodist Hospital and Borgess Medical Center.

Stone received his Bachelor of Science degree, Master of Science in medicine degree and a Certificate in Physician Assistant Studies from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. His responsibilities include seeing and evaluating hematology, medical and radiation oncology patients and conducting consultations.

Noack received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan and a Bachelor of Science, Medicine, Physician Assistant Program, from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Her responsibilities include seeing and evaluating hematology, medical and radiation oncology patients and conducting consultations.

Tricia Miedema, PA-C, is a Physician Assistant in our radiation oncology department, working directly with patients of Drs. Salvador Espinoza, Linda Grossheim and Vera Nigrin.   

Miedema received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Hope College.  She earned a Master of Science in Medicine degree and a Certificate in Physician Assistant Studies from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.  Her responsibilities include working directly with each of the physicians in pre and post radiation management of patients.

Joseph Mirro, MD–WMCC President/CEO/CMO

At this time of the year, when the weather gets cooler, some people think of a beautiful fall, some look forward to football or the World Series (even if you are a Tigers’ fan) other start worrying about the snow but I am unusual in that I worry about the flu. I want to take an opportunity to remind everyone that it’s time to think about getting a flu shot. This is a critically important activity for all of us as it keeps us healthy and prevents the spread of flu. However, it is much more important in the cancer center because our patients are at a much higher risk for adverse events should they acquire the flu.

If you are a patient and you are not allergic, you should talk to your treating physician (either in the cancer center or your primary care doctor) about receiving a flu vaccination.  Even patients on chemotherapy will have an immunological response and be at least somewhat protected against the adverse effects of the flu. WMCC can provide vaccinations to patients at the center.  However, they should check with their insurance carrier first before having vaccines administered at WMCC—some plans do not provide coverage for preventative vaccines. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone six months and older get a flu vaccine.  The 2011-12 flu vaccine will prevent against three different flu viruses:  an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus. 

At WMCC, we work very hard to immunize 100% of our employees. This year, we will also be providing the flu vaccine to our volunteers.  I also encourage everyone to speak with their family members.  Since we all want to protect our loved ones, urging them to be immunized will help them stay healthy and reduce everyone’s risk of the flu. What a wonderful opportunity to help the ones we love.

Kalamazoo, MI – West Michigan Cancer Center, a collaboration of Borgess Health and Bronson Healthcare Group, is pleased to announce the addition of a new radiation oncologist to its staff at the main campus in Kalamazoo.

Vera Nigrin, MD,  joins WMCC after spending eight years as a radiation oncologist in Nebraska and Washington.    

Dr. Nigrin earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Alberta, Edmonton in Canada.  She completed her residency at Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, and two radiation oncology fellowships—the first at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, and the second at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

Dr. Nigrin is board certified in radiation oncology and is a member of the American Board of Radiology and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.  She has special interests in image-guided radiotherapy, prostate brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery.

Kalamazoo, MI –The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to the cancer program at the West Michigan Cancer Center (WMCC). WMCC is the only freestanding cancer center in the state of Michigan and only one of three in the country to earn the prestigious accreditation.

A facility receives a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrates a Commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program. This includes cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement. In addition, a facility receives a compliance rating for all other standards.

“This Three-Year Accreditation which includes seven Commendations by the ACoS continues to move the West Michigan Cancer Center forward in our mission to be nationally recognized for delivering quality cancer care compassionately”, said Terry McKay, WMCC President and CEO.

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.