We are pleased to welcome to our staff adult oncology social worker Stephanie Saman. Her role is to work with adult patients and families and encourage them to become involved in our community of mutual concern and support. She develops and facilitates support groups for all adult patients as well as provides individual counseling where she emphasizes the importance of human relationships.
As part of the care team, she consults and collaborates with physicians, nurses and others to ensure the psychosocial needs of patients are met.
Ms. Saman empowers patients and their families to function optimally throughout the treatment process by assisting them in accessing the health care system and community resources available. She engages the community to cultivate enhanced support and resources for adult patients.
Ms. Saman has a Masters in Social Work from Florida State University and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Association of Oncology Social Work.
- compiled by Theresa Edwards Makrush
By Theresa Edwards Makrush
Jacksonville native, journalist and philanthropist Donna Deegan founded the first U.S. marathon dedicated to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer treatment and research. Held each February in Jacksonville Beach since 2008, the 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer has become a staple of the annual events calendar for runners and spectators alike.
UF Health Proton Therapy Institute participated in the Donna Expo at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in downtown Jacksonville on February 12 and 13. Volunteers from the Institute’s staff distributed information about proton therapy for breast cancer treatment. It was a great opportunity to spread the word about proton therapy and to support the cause to finish breast cancer.
We are embarking on an exciting period in our history. This year we will mark the 10th anniversary of the first treatment delivered to a patient. We will publish updated results of our proton therapy clinical trials. And we will begin construction of a new treatment room, expanding our treatment capacity and upgrading our technology. These milestones represent our commitment to treating and curing cancer in a way that preserves an excellent quality of life for our “alumni.” I am excited to share this news with you and encourage you to spread the word by forwarding this message to a friend. Wishing you all the best in 2016 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Stuart Klein
By Theresa Edwards Makrush
The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute is expanding its facility to increase the number of cancer patients and the types of cancer it is able to treat. The estimated $39 million project will include system upgrades that will improve treatment efficiency and technology.
The centerpiece of the multiphase project is the addition of a compact, single-room treatment system. The 10,000-square-foot expansion includes both an accelerator, used to speed up the protons, and a treatment gantry equipped with pencil beam scanning – an advanced delivery technique. Currently, the 98,000-square-foot facility has four treatment rooms – three equipped with rotating gantries and one fixed beam room – all powered by one proton accelerator called a cyclotron. When the addition is completed, the facility will have two accelerators, five treatment rooms – four gantries and one fixed beam room – and will increase patient capacity by approximately 25 percent.
The first phase of the project is underway and includes upgrades to the original system, which will be completed by June 2016. Funded in part by a $5.8 million budget allocation by the Florida Legislature, the first phase includes adding rolling floors under the treatment tables in two of the gantries, a new imaging system and a new treatment planning system. These updates will enhance efficiency, patient and staff safety, and treatment accuracy.
Phase two will encompass the expansion construction and installation of the single-room proton therapy system. Bids for the proton therapy system equipment, construction management and architectural design for the expansion have been issued and vendor selection is expected to take place in January 2016. The project is being managed by the University of Florida Planning, Design & Construction Department.
Phase three involves retrofitting one treatment gantry with a dedicated pencil beam scanning nozzle. Pencil beam scanning is an advanced form of proton therapy delivery using a thin beam of protons. Similar to the way one uses a pencil to color in a shape with back and forth strokes, pencil beam scanning uses back and forth strokes calibrated to the exact shape, size and depth of the treatment area. Pencil beam scanning will offer clinical advantages for treating certain kinds of cancer.
By Theresa Edwards Makrush
Encouragement from her family and friends led Beth Semikin to begin a blog about her experience dealing with a rare and complicated diagnosis of sarcoma. They thought her sense of humor was worth sharing with others. “I think if you can see the funny side of things, it helps to cope,” said Beth whose blog is cheekily named Tumour Has It. It has caught the attention of many cancer patients and news organizations including The Daily Mirror and ActionNews Jax.
She discovered writing about her cancer gave her a way to overcome the fear. “It was something I could do to normalize it,” said Beth in a recent interview as she prepared for her first of nine proton therapy treatments following weeks of conventional radiation at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute.
Beth, who is a 22-year-old physics student at Imperial College in London, said she sees the blog as a way to raise awareness about sarcoma. “There’s a lot of misdiagnosis. Symptoms are overlooked and there’s not much awareness in the general public and the medical community about it,” she said. Her own symptoms began in December 2014 as a tingling sensation in her leg that over a few-week period became very painful. “If you have unexplained symptoms, nerve pain, a lot of trouble walking, it [sarcoma] could be something to consider,” she said.
She describes her time in Jacksonville as a “radiation vacation.”
A friend of hers at home in the U.K. has started a fund to raise money for Sarcoma U.K., a nonprofit organization that provides information and support for sarcoma patients and their families and funds research. So far they have raised nearly £5,000 for the organization through the Beth Semikin Sarcoma Initiative.
You can subscribe to Beth’s blog at http://tumourhasit.co.uk/, and follow her on Facebook.com/TumourHasIt and Twitter @TumourHasIt.
By Theresa Edwards Makrush
We are pleased to introduce Molly Dworkin, director of development at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. She hit the ground running last fall just in time for our annual Play Golf. Fight Cancer.® Classic and she has kept the momentum going. Responsible for securing philanthropic gifts and donations to further the clinical and research programs at the institute, Molly is building relationships with proton “alumni,” proton friends and others in the community. Among her recent initiatives are an annual fund appeal and a campaign to raise funds to renovate the pediatric recovery and infusion room.
The Pediatric Recovery and Infusion Room Renovation Campaign will transform the area to reflect the exceptional level of care we provide. The proposed renovations will incorporate soothing colors and child-friendly elements, a more dynamic layout and visual attractions such as LED lighting, video screens and other technology, providing optimal comfort and privacy for our youngest patients and their families.
If you are interested in supporting this cause or other aspects of clinical care or research, please contact Molly at (904) 588-1519 or mdworkin@floridaproton.org.
A poem by Ruth Munglani
Editor’s note: At a recent Wednesday patient luncheon, 22-year-old Ruth Munglani shared a poem she wrote to commemorate her proton graduation day. She had spent several months in Jacksonville having proton therapy for Ewing sarcoma and has returned to her home in the U.K. We thank Ruth for the opportunity to publish her work.
When lying asleep in the depths of my chemo,
The doctor popped into my room.
She beamed at me and patted my shoulder,
‘You’ll be going to America soon.’
‘America? Why would I go there?’ I replied,
I looked at her with dismay.
My friends, my family, my whole life was here,
All I wanted to do was stay.
The doctor explained to my chemo-addled brain
About protons and all of that.
To be honest, I wasn’t really listening to her,
I got distracted by the fact
That America was so very far away;
Across an entire ocean.
And that I would have to spend a few months there
Getting some form of radiation.
The day for the flight dawned bright and early,
I woke up filled with dread.
More treatment abroad was not appealing,
I pulled the blankets over my head.
The first few days were stressful for my mum;
She cried on the I-95.
The speed limit, it appeared; merely a suggestion,
We were glad to get home alive.
But the protons really have been fine.
I hop up on the bed and relax,
Listen to the chatter and the music,
What would make it perfect: some snacks.
We have enjoyed our down time too,
Lots of trips to the beach and the sea.
One thing though I am looking forward to:
A good old English cup of tea.
I’ve made some really good friends since I’ve been here;
People who smile and care,
Who stop and ask ‘How’s your day going?’
A sense of community is shared.
There have been many memorable moments,
Expressions like ‘Happy Friday’ and ‘Y’all’,
But mostly I’ll remember the kindness of everyone
And the little things, however small.
And now at last it is ending.
I find myself sad to go home.
It has felt like a holiday being here,
Full of friends, never alone.
So thank you to all who have made it
A truly wonderful experience for us.
Treatment has never been so positive.
I think you’ve got it sussed.
Joe McGee was inspired to be a Santa by the children at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute and the memory of his late brother who was the “original” Santa in his family. As a proton alum, he has generously made a special visit each December since 2014 to hear the children’s Christmas wishes and deliver presents. As a professional Santa in the Atlanta area, he sets aside the proceeds from his appearances and returns in January to deliver a donation to the UFPTI for the Children Fund. We thank him for his gift of time, talent and treasure. You can book him for a Santa appearance in the Atlanta area by contacting him at www.facebook.com/santajoemcgee or email at santajoemcgee@gmail.com.
People, especially those who go above and beyond the expected, make the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute a special place. In this month’s newsletter, you will read about exceptional actions by remarkable individuals who put others before themselves and make the world a better place.
On behalf of all of us here at the institute, best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy holiday season.
Sincerely,
Stuart Klein
The first ever UF Health Proton Therapy Institute Award for Excellence was presented to Jeff Rexford, IBA Site Manager, during a ceremony last month. IBA is the manufacturer of the proton therapy system and Jeff leads its staff of on-site engineers who operate and maintain the system. Beginning in 2006 when Jeff was named site manager, and throughout his tenure, he has demonstrated a commitment to excellence that goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Jeff is the most knowledgeable in-house expert on what is widely considered within the health care industry the most complex piece of medical equipment in use today. He is the reason that the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute system has the best performance of all IBA systems. When issues arise, Jeff and his team are unstoppable in resolving the issue, often developing creative solutions that are unconventional, but effective. The system performance and reliability makes it possible for the facility to treat, on average, 100 patients each weekday, from 6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
The award was established to show appreciation for an individual’s exemplary service and to inspire others within the proton family to the same level of excellence. The honoree is someone who has made a significant contribution to the culture of excellence and patient care at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. Anyone within the proton family, for example, employees, vendors, volunteers, or philanthropists, is eligible for consideration for the award. The individual who receives the award demonstrates the hallmarks of excellence: expertise, consistency, innovation, leadership and generosity.
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Proton Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer
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The Precision Newsletter is an electronic-only publication that is distributed by email. Each issue is sent monthly to patients, alumni patients and friends of the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute. As the official newsletter of the Institute, the content is compiled and prepared by our communications representative and approved by the editor Stuart Klein, executive director of UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. Special bulletin newsletters may occasionally be prepared when timely topics and new developments in proton therapy occur. If you would like to send a Letter to the Editor, please click here.
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