Research shows that exercise improves the lives of patients with cancer. Now a program at IU Health has expanded to a new space – especially for oncology patients.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

As he lifts weights and takes long strides across the workout room, James Poole talks about living with advanced stage prostate cancer.

Diagnosed 12 years ago at Stage Four, Poole has been in the care of IU Health’s Dr. Nabil Adra. At one point, he said it seemed as though his days were numbered. After undergoing a vigorous treatment plan, Poole is maintaining his health by taking part in a program called, “Multidisciplinary Oncologic Vitality and Exercise (M.O.V.E.). Created by IU Health’s Dr. Tarah Ballinger, MOVE brings together a group like minded healthcare professionals from various disciplines. The goal is to offer supportive oncology services as part of every patient’s journey through survivorship. Physical therapy and exercise are part of those services.

Three times a week Poole comes to IU Health University Hospital where a weight and training room opened in February. There is one exercise physiologist, Danielle Halsey, and one physical therapist, Bryce Showers who work with Poole and other patients. Halsey says she has about 15 patients she sees once or twice a week, either in person or virtually.

Each patient is given a plan that includes aerobic exercise, resistance and strength training. The benefits of strength training include, reducing fatigue, improving physical function, and improving bone health.

Studies indicate that up to 90 percent of patients treated with radiation therapy and up to 80 percent of those treated with chemotherapy experience fatigue. The National Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCN) recommends exercise as one of the most effective non-pharmacologic interventions for patients treated for cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends people undergoing cancer treatment, and cancer survivors, perform consistent physical exercise to decrease fatigue, and improve the ability to perform normal daily activities. Studies show that exercise can improve an individual’s chances of surviving cancer. Physical therapists design individualized exercise and treatment programs to reduce or prevent many cancer-related problems.

“I feel like I’m stronger and have more energy,” said Poole, who has been married for almost 30 years and is the father to twin sons. He is a golf pro and works as a golf coach at Roncalli High School.

An unexpected benefit of the program is camaraderie developed among patients. While Poole worked out he was joined by Jackie Weller, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. She is in the care of Dr. Nawal Kassem and was one of the first patients to participate in MOVE. A retired accountant, Weller said she went through chemotherapy and radiation and is now cancer free. She continues with MOVE because she feels like it has improved her strength and overall well being.

Patients are referred to MOVE through social workers, clinics and oncologists. They may also self refer. In addition to open gym and physical assessments, the program includes small group training and fitness and virtual training. For more information: IUMOVE@iupui.ed. or 317-278-1415.

If you experience worsening hip pain that is making it difficult to move and do the things you want, hip replacement surgery may be an option for relief. Learn more below about what to expect as you explore hip replacement surgery.

The hip joint is a ball and socket that connects the top of your thigh bone (femur) to your pelvis. There is a layer of cartilage between the ball and socket that works as a shock absorber. Hip replacement surgery may be necessary when this layer is worn down by osteoarthritis, injury or other conditions.

“Losing this layer of cartilage in your hip is like losing tread on your car tires. When the car tire is gone, you’re riding on the rim. In the hip joint, the ball starts rubbing against socket bone, which causes pain and stiffness,” says Rory Sandberg, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. “In a total hip replacement surgery, we replace the worn-out ball and socket with man-made materials, which alleviates the pain.”

Most people who have total hip replacement surgery are experiencing pain from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the hip joint. Patients also undergo hip replacement surgery to treat hip fractures, hip birth defects, hip dysplasia, or osteonecrosis, where blood supply to the hip bone is interrupted and causes bone collapse.

Patients of all ages may need hip replacement surgery. These are people experiencing:

• Pain in the groin or at the front of the hip or thigh.
• Pain that gets worse from weight-bearing activities like walking, standing from a seated position or putting on socks.
• Stiffness in the hip that limits motion, such as bending over or lifting the leg.

Most hip replacement surgeries are total hip replacements, although some rare fractures to the upper thigh bone require a partial hip replacement surgery. Partial hip replacement surgery replaces only the top of the thigh bone, and the recovery is similar to total replacement.

What to expect

You will have a pre-operative evaluation prior to hip replacement surgery. This helps ensure you are healthy enough to undergo surgery. You’ll learn what to expect from the surgery and how to prepare your home for recovery. This includes:

• Making sure your home is well lit.
• Removing fall or trip hazards like clutter, rugs or loose carpet.
• Finding a pet sitter for animals who may be underfoot.
• Ensuring the bathroom is accessible with safety bars or an elevated seat.
• Freezing prepared meals for easy cooking.

Also, it’s important to have a close friend or family member stay with you immediately after surgery.

“Although most patients are up, walking on the hip the day of surgery, it’s good to have someone around those first few days,” Dr. Sandberg says. “They won’t need to help change incision dressings or assist you in the bathroom; you just need someone there in case you fall.”

Hip replacement surgeries can be done as an outpatient procedure, although some people may need to stay one night in the hospital. You receive dissolvable stitches that won’t need to be removed. A physical therapist meets with you before you leave the hospital to ensure you can walk using a walker. From there, Dr. Sandberg says walking is the main source of physical therapy for hip replacement surgery recovery.

“After hip replacement surgery, patients don’t need intense physical therapy like they would if they were getting a knee replaced,” Dr. Sandberg says. “Generally, I don’t send people to physical therapy after hip replacement. I tell them to walk. Walking helps improve pain and limping. Patients usually go from a walker to a cane on their own and stop using the cane in four to six weeks after surgery.”

Managing pain

Patients receive a spinal anesthetic for the surgery, which wears off a couple of hours later. To manage pain at home, doctors prescribe narcotic pain relievers plus Tylenol, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and steroids. Most patients stop using narcotic pain medications a couple of weeks after surgery, which is necessary to drive a car. Patients may be able to drive a car if their left hip was replaced, however, the right hip may need six weeks to recover full braking reaction time.

Dr. Sandberg says patients typically feel that their pain improves within a few days after surgery, and the functional recovery of the replaced hip will continue for months thereafter.

“Soon after surgery, people say their hip feels different. They may have surgical pain, but that deep pain they’ve had for years is improved, if not gone,” Dr. Sandberg says. “The most rapid recovery happens in the first six weeks after hip replacement surgery, and data tells us people continue to recover for a full year afterward.”

Shelley Brown is a registered nurse and shift coordinator at the IU Health Saxony Surgery Center. A team member anonymously submitted a surprise compliment to thank Brown for her work.

By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

When Ron Horton began experiencing a stroke, the quick response of his wife and the team at IU Health North saved his life.

Ron Horton was dealing with a separate health issue when his stroke symptoms started. He and his wife of 39 years, Mary, were on their way to their Carmel home earlier this year after the team at IU Health University Hospital put a feeding tube in his stomach.

Ron’s care team had recently discovered he had throat cancer and were concerned he couldn’t consume enough food. The feeding tube was supposed to help.

On the drive home from downtown, Mary noticed Ron, 74, seemed confused. He mentioned they should check out the car, even though they were already in it and it was functioning fine.

Mary thought the comment was strange, but when Ron’s confusion worsened after they got home, she knew he needed medical help.

“I knew something was weird. I may not have known it was a stroke, but I knew something was going on,” Mary said.

She immediately drove him to the Emergency department at IU Health North, which is about 10 minutes from their home. When they arrived, Ron’s confusion worsened.

“I couldn’t complete sentences and was talking nonsense,” Ron said. “I was convinced Mary and all the people around me were aliens.”

After immediate imaging, the Emergency department team determined Ron was having a stroke.

Immediate treatment is key

A stroke occurs when a blood clot or broken blood vessel interrupts the blood flow to the brain. The patient begins to lose brain cells and may experience permanent loss of cognitive and physical function. Strokes can be fatal.

Immediate treatment by physicians can greatly improve the chance of survival and improved health following a stroke.

“Based on his symptoms, his National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of four, and no good reason to exclude him from treatment, Mr. Horton was given the IV thrombolytic Tenecteplase,” explained Susanne Crotty, IU Health North’s stroke and quality coordinator. “This is a “clot-busting” medication, which these kinds of medications are the recommended treatment for acute ischemic stroke. He received this medication 47 minutes after he arrived, which is faster than our goal.”

A stroke is an emergency, so you should call 911 if you experience, or see a loved one experiencing, any stroke symptoms.

“Once a stroke begins, you have limited time to get the most helpful treatments,” Crotty said. “It is important to remember the time of the first symptom because some treatment options are only available within one to four and a half hours of the start of symptoms. Other treatment options can be available up to 24 hours after symptoms first start. Sometimes symptoms may go away, but a person should still seek medical attention.”

For Ron, his wife’s quick actions potentially saved his life.

“I think from the time we left downtown to when we were at the emergency room, it was an hour and a half to two hours,” Mary recalled. That put Ron within the time window to receive the Tenecteplase.

“Mr. Horton had an MRI of his brain done during his stay to evaluate for any ischemic damage, and the MRI did show that he had a stroke affecting his frontal lobe, which would explain the symptoms he came to the Emergency Department with,” Crotty said. “If he had not received Tenecteplase, he could have had long term effects from his stroke.”

On the road to recovery

According to Mary, Ron began recovering almost immediately after treatment, though he did have a few lingering symptoms. He stayed at IU Health North for a few days so his care team could keep an eye on him.

“By the second full day, he started coming back around. He was pretty calm and starting to understand. It did take a couple of days to understand the whole alien thing,” Mary said. “His speech took a little bit longer. It took three or four days before he could answer the basic questions.”

“I couldn’t do math. I didn’t know who the president was. I was in a bad way for a while. It took several weeks before the full memory came back,” Ron added.

After four or five days, Ron was released from the hospital to continue his recovery at home.

“Reflecting on the entire experience, Mary and I want to thank the ER and ICU staff, along with the specialists involved in my care, for truly saving my life,” he said.

Now, he has fully recovered from his stroke and is focusing his energy on other health conditions.

He is scheduled for a scan at the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center in Carmel in July to confirm that his throat cancer is gone. He also plans to return to IU Health North later this year for a heart procedure.

Know the signs of a stroke

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Ron and Mary share their story in hopes that it will educate others on the signs of a stroke and to seek immediate treatment.

“When you think about the symptoms of a stroke, think ‘sudden.’ The warning signs and symptoms of a stroke can happen very suddenly,” Clotty explained. “A person may have sudden weakness or numbness of their face, arm, or leg on one side of their body. They may have sudden trouble speaking or finding words, or sudden trouble seeing in one or both of their eyes. A person may also experience sudden trouble walking or loss of balance or coordination.”

If someone experiences any of these symptoms, it’s also important to B.E.F.A.S.T. The IU Health team uses that term for people to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke.

B.E.F.A.S.T. stands for:

• Balance
• Eyes
• Face drooping
• Arm weakness
• Speech difficulty
• Time to call 911

Other stroke symptoms include a sudden severe headache or sudden confusion, which is what Ron experienced.

“Just be knowledgeable of the signs,” Ron said. “I wasn’t aware of what my problem was. It took my wife to identify and take quick action.”

“I think the big thing is being aware if something weird is going on,” Mary added. “Don’t hesitate to get to the emergency room.”

It’s been quite a month for IU Health trauma patient, Bailey Rogers. A couple weeks ago Bailey was able to reunite with the Methodist Hospital care team who helped save her life. Now fast forward to this weekend’s running of the Indianapolis 500. An IU Health LifeLine helicopter flew Bailey above the crowds and onto the track so she could deliver the iconic green flag to the starting line. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing that’ll happen. I hate that it will happen because of what happened to me, but it’s still really cool.”

They spend hours inside the hospitals caring for patients and some days, they even volunteer their time in others ways.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

On a recent rainy week day morning, Nurse Barbara Irwin-Herman left her 12-hour shift at Riley Hospital. She drove just a few blocks away where she began cleaning out a rose garden at a place known to IU Health patients as a “home away from home.” Irwin-Herman, who has been an anesthesia nurse for 53 years, was joined in her volunteer efforts by Lesley May, a social worker with IU Health.

“I refer patients here. I volunteer because I appreciate this place so much,” said May, who has worked at IU Health for nearly two years.

The place May referred to is called “Fair Haven at Ada’s Place,” a free lodging space providing 12 rooms for patients and families needing housing close to IU Health. Ada’s Place opened in 2021 and is the second location for Fair Haven. In 2007, Amanda Milner, a former IU Health employee, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, realized the need for out-of-town patients to find adequate housing while remaining close to the hospital for ongoing care. She opened the doors to Fair Haven, providing 10 private rooms.

Since then, thousands of patients have stayed at Fair Haven facilities – fully furnished suites that include all appliances linens, cable television and Internet. Both facilities offer laundry rooms, a community kitchen, and chapel. In addition to housing, several churches and volunteers assist in providing families with meals, transportation and other support services.

Ada’s Place is also available to patients and families who don’t require housing but just need a place to shower, do laundry, and refresh away from the hospital.

The rooms have names such as “Mercy,” and “Goodness,” representing the overall mission of Fair Haven – to lift a burden for these families and share the love of Christ through gracious hospitality and compassionate support.

“We have transplant patients who are just five days post surgery. We try to make it as warm and homey as possible because these people have been through so much,” said Milner. Patients with compromised immune systems have the option of dining in their room with the aid of a kitchenette, or joining other residents for a community meal. Milner said a majority of patients come to IU Health for oncology or transplant care.

Ada’s Place offers outdoor areas for fresh air including comfortable seating, and a basketball court.

Volunteers were needed recently to help spruce up the outdoor space. Joy Norton who works in physician referral services and Danielle McClain, a social worker spent time weeding the flower beds.

And inside Ada’s Place, volunteers from Riley Hospital – Andrea Clark, Julie Gardner, Jeri Bennett, and Chelsea Kai baked cookies for residents.

“We are always needing extra hands to help with garden work and to serve meals to our residents. We appreciate every act of kindness,” said Milner.

Learn more about Fair Haven here.

They are often working quietly behind the scenes. These three chaplains are a vital part of IU Health’s community care team.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

It’s an ongoing initiative aimed at holistic health – caring for patients’ physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. Three outpatient chaplains are working in six primary care clinics providing an extra layer of support through spiritual counsel.

“We started hearing that one in five people visiting primary care clinics experience social isolation and loneliness,” said Megan Boardman, project manager of IU Health’s Congregational Care Network (CCN). A multi-faith program, CCN connects chaplains, churches, parishioners and neighborhoods throughout the state. The effort is part of IU Health’s community health outreach to help reduce social isolation.

Healthcare providers at IU Health’s Dunlap (formerly Family Medicine Center), Eagle Highlands, East Indy Connected Care, Georgetown, and University Primary Care clinics can connect patients with a chaplain upon request.

Dustin Hite has been a chaplain with IU Health for a year. He said his journey to healthcare chaplaincy has been a winding road, that began two decades ago.

“I’ve been in parish-based ministry for almost twenty years, and have been given the opportunity to support people as their pastor in the moments of greatest need. I have also had the privilege of serving as a chaplain with two public safety agencies. In both of these settings, I’ve seen how beneficial it is to have someone walk with you through the trials of life. But, for too many, spiritual care has been elusive and inaccessible to them. In the healthcare space, I have been given the chance to walk alongside patients as they strive for wholeness, not just for healing. It’s a unique gift I’ve been given, as patients have welcomed me into their lives. I could not feel more blessed.”

Notoshia Howard has been a chaplain with IU Health for seven years. She has been in the ministry for more than 30 years.

“I knew that God had called me to pastor and do ministry, but the route to get there and be in ministry was a struggle. I have always loved serving and being present with people. Praying for people, listening to people, and offering grief support to people whose grief was complicated or just trying to process the loss of a loved one, or cope with a new diagnosis,” said Howard. She was working on her Masters of Divinity at the same time her husband was completing his Clinical Pastoral Education Internship. “He thought it would be a good program for me to be able to do the type of ministry and care I loved doing. So, I completed a CPE Internship (IU Health Methodist Hospital), a yearlong CPE Residency Program (IU Health University Hospital).” She went on to complete a Clinical Pastoral Education Fellowship with IU Health.

“This program opened the door for me to bring Chaplaincy Ministry and Congregational Ministry together,” said Howard, who became the Congregational Care Network’s first chaplain fellow. During her time with IU Health, Howard has worked at the Family Medicine Center and in the emergency room, connecting patients to local congregations. She also pastors a congregation in Brownsburg, In. and is working on her doctoral degree at Christian Theological Seminary.

Robert “Rob” Brown has been a chaplain with IU Health for five years.

“I chose hospital/health care chaplaincy because I have a love for all people and like to help all people,” said Brown. “I knew early in my life that people like to gravitate to me. I knew that God was calling me to be a safe space and encouragement to people in need and suffering. If I can put a smile on a patient’s face or offer hope in their time of grief. I believe that I am following the second greatest commandment” ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Team members and patients at Methodist Hospital got a special surprise this month when IndyCar driver and central Indiana’s own, Ed Carpenter stopped by to meet some of the people who make this hospital special. “I was talking to a young man who is here waiting on a heart and kidney transplant, putting in the work to be prepared for that,” said Carpenter. “I put so much into a race and it does change your life, but we [as drivers] are not fighting for our lives so to be here and see people who are putting in work to extend their life or give themselves a better quality of life, the perspective is humbling.”

“I have always known I wanted to go into healthcare, specifically nursing,” says Ella Hobbs, a Senior at Harrison High School. “So, I decided why not start now.”

Since January, Hobbs has worked as a patient care assistant in acute care on floor 6 (AC6) at IU Health Arnett Hospital.

“When the age to work at Arnett changed to include high school age students, I immediately thought of Ella,” says Susan Appleton, manager of clinical operations on AC6. “I knew her overall goal was to become a nurse and I knew she would be a perfect fit on AC6.”

On Sunday, June 4, Hobbs will graduate from Harrison. Along with her high school diploma, she will have her certification as a Medical Assistant (MA). She has been taking MA classes through the Greater Lafayette Career Academy the past year and passed her certification test on May 17.

“I love the impact I can have on other’s lives,” says Hobbs on working in healthcare. “Helping someone through their most vulnerable state – that is what healthcare means to me.”

Hobbs traded in her active sports life to focus on her future. Being involved in sports taught her time management skills which will work in her favor as she continues her pursuit of a career in healthcare.

“I am interested in the medical surgery area of study, but I may end up in the operating room or the Emergency department,” says Hobbs. “There is such an adrenaline rush being in the Emergency department.”

“Ella has exceled at her job and is moving into becoming a preceptor for new hires,” says Appleton. “I am so proud of the work she has done in healthcare – and will continue to do.”

Hobbs plans to work full time during the summer before she heads to nursing school at Ball State University – where she fell in love with the campus and the medical facilities. And she will continue with her career at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital while attending Ball State.

Once she graduates, it is back to Arnett Hospital.

“I enjoy working at Arnett,” says Hobbs.” Everyone here is willing to jump in and help with patient care. It is a family outside of your family.”

Matthew Sanders doesn’t know the phrase, “That’s not my job.

This neurodiagnostic technician performs and assists with neurological testing throughout the south-central region, and his team knows they can always lean on him for help.

Helping others is very personal for Sanders. After all, he saw his grandfather regularly putting others before himself.

“To this day, I have memories of him giving up his coat in winter to those that did not own one, going and buying food, sleeping bags, and fresh clothes for people without homes, him waking up at midnight and driving to help those in distress or that just needed someone to be with them,” says Sanders. “I have grown up knowing that if I could even do half of what he did to help others, I will be very successful and happy in life.”

His team recently relied on that helpful nature to surprise him.

Fellow neurodiagnostic technician Cherie Patton called Sanders the night before his day off, asking for assistance the next morning, and he agreed.

Only when he went to the break room did he realize it was a setup.

“I was going into our breakroom for coffee when the door opened, and all my coworkers, family members, and IU Health leaders yelled surprise in a fully decorated room,” says Sanders.

The group was there to present him with a Partner in Care Award.

His nominations recounted many examples of Sanders’s living the IU Health values. For instance, his dedication to compassion reflects in the regular patient feedback he receives about how relaxed and welcomed he makes them feel in the office.

Sanders also took the value of team a step further last year when his leader had a leave of absence. From assisting with staffing, helping to guide and implement the Cerner model change, scheduling technician shifts, answering questions, solving problems, and more—Sanders was the team’s go-to during this time.

And even when the spotlight is on him, Sanders is driven to shine it on others.

“I am so thankful to have received the award, but what makes me even more thankful is there are so many people I can think of that are also deserving of the award,” he says. “I am so proud to be a part of the south-central region team and to have met such amazing and selfless people.”

Please share your kudos in the comment section below.