The newsroom includes access to Council Connect, our twice-monthly newsletter on Hospital Council’s work. Key articles and issues of interest, along with the President’s Message, are included below.
Newsroom
Both Facing Cancer, a Navy Sailor and His Mom Became Each Other’s Lifeline
Gunner’s Mate, Petty Officer Second Class Jay Pena landed in Southern California exhausted but determined, grateful he’d made it home the night before his mother’s surgery. Ana Radjevic had been diagnosed in 2023 with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer, and doctors warned her that her chances of living beyond five years were slim. So Pena quickly secured emergency leave from his deployment in Djibouti, intent on making sure his mother wouldn’t face the fight of her life alone. What neither of them could have imagined was that just 54 days later, Pena would be sitting in a doctor’s office himself, hearing devastating news of his own.
Finding Strength In Solidarity
Richard Mendelsohn and his wife, Barbara, built a life rooted in love, adventure, and community. That life changed dramatically when Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and Richard became her full-time caregiver. Through caregiver support groups at Sutter Health’s Ray Dolby Brain Health Center in San Francisco, Richard found connection and understanding during an isolating journey. Today, he is paying that support forward by helping expand the caregiver group in the Sacramento area — so no one has to face Alzheimer’s alone.
Two Sisters, One Triumphant Transplant
Elisabeth Lucien’s diagnosis with Hodgkin’s lymphoma led to a lifesaving bone marrow transplant at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center — one made possible by her sister, Rebekah Fenton. Her sister’s generosity not only helped bring Lucien into remission, but also inspired Fenton’s career in adolescent medicine at UC Davis Health.
A Walk Down the Aisle Made Possible by Teamwork
After a devastating accident left Bill Bagnani quadriplegic, his future seemed uncertain. Decades later, supported by highly coordinated, specialized care across Sutter Health to support his multiple complex conditions, he achieved a moment he once thought impossible — walking his adopted daughter down the aisle at her wedding.
Stomach Procedure and Comprehensive Care Transform Woman’s Life
Beverly struggled with severe obesity for years. Thankfully, the team at the Metabolic and Bariatric Institute at Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital were there to help.
New Conditioning Treatment Improves Survival Rate for Children Who Receive Stem Cell Transplants
At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital’s Blood & Marrow Transplant Clinic, Christopher Dvorak and his team developed a new conditioning treatment that helps eliminate unnecessary chemotherapy and radiation.
Woman Leaves Eye Checkup with More than A New Prescription
When Doretha left her eye checkup at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, she found housing support as a bonus. Thanks to a resource specialist, she received legal aid and found a new home.
Nurse Overcomes Pregnancy Complications, Delivers Healthy Baby
After learning her pregnancy was high risk, Dana was anxious about her son’s upcoming birth — but the Family Birth Center helped her deliver a healthy baby boy.
Motorcycle Accident Survivor Looks Forward to Future
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
After a near-fatal motorcycle accident, former high school athlete Diego was in a coma for 40 days — until his care team at Community Regional Medical Center used an innovative procedure to help direct air to different parts of his lungs. Following the procedure, Diego awoke from his coma and began various therapies that helped him relearn how to walk, talk, and eat. Today, he’s back to the gym and enjoying outdoor activities with his friends and family.
Cancer Survivor ‘Back in the Saddle’
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Amber’s back pain was caused by a tumor in her large intestine. She turned to the Adventist Health care team for help and is now cancer-free.
