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Article Category: PeopleCare

PhylissCare

Published on October 14, 2020

Last updated 03:07 PM October 23, 2020

Phyliss standing in a museum

From the very beginning, Phyliss had a fighting spirit. She was determined to beat breast cancer and be there for her family for years to come.

As the matriarch of her family, Phyliss Davis has always taken care of everyone before herself. Between a busy schedule and devoting time to her granddaughter Wynter, Phyliss made a habit of putting her own health on the back-burner.

Hoping to check another job off her to-do list, she finally squeezed a routine wellness appointment onto her calendar. But when Phyliss’ medical chart showed no recent mammogram, her primary care physician grew concerned.

"When my doctor asked how long it had been since my last mammogram, I didn’t want to admit that I hadn’t had one in years," Phyliss said, remembering how the medical professional urged her to get a breast exam as soon as possible.

Because I didn’t have a family history of breast cancer, I thought I didn’t have to worry.

Luckily, Phyliss came in at just the right time. Her mammogram caught a concerning lump that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Following a biopsy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Throughout her cancer journey, the grandmother would learn the importance of taking care of her own health and body. And soon, she would truly understand the words her mother told her as a child: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

For each patient, I present the information in an easy-to-understand way. I make sure to discuss treatment options without overwhelming them. I always allow ample time for people to ask questions to allay their anxiety.

- Dr. Sheree Brown

Wellstar Radiation Oncology

Listen to Phyliss' story

Wellstar offered support to Phyliss every step of her breast cancer journey.

Passing the baton

From the very beginning, Phyliss had a fighting spirit. She was determined to beat breast cancer and be there for her family for years to come. There was also no question about who would be on her healthcare team.

"As soon as I was diagnosed, I knew to go to Wellstar. There was a team of people supporting me there, and it was so close to home," Phyliss shared. "Wellstar made me feel like I wasn’t on this journey alone."

Wellstar quickly formed Phyliss’ care team of health experts and advocates, referring her to breast cancer specialists within the robust cancer network.

The health system’s digital patient portal, MyChart, also helped her appointments run smoothly so Phyliss could focus on her care without any added stress. In her MyChart account, all of her medical records were already together in one digital space.

"It was like passing the baton," Phyliss explained the seamless specialty care process. "With MyChart, all my health information was organized and easily accessible. I didn’t have to worry about gathering information or having a copy of my medical chart with me. It was all ready to go as soon as I came to the next appointment."

Between her devoted care team and expert treatment, Phyliss felt as though she was part of a close-knit healthcare family.

"The doctors took the time to answer my questions and told me to call if I thought of anything else when I got home. They said, ‘I don’t want you to be worried about something if I could answer your questions and ease your fears.'"

Wellstar Radiation Oncologist Dr. Sheree Brown became a key player in Phyliss’ cancer treatment. The specialist shared how Wellstar cares for each and every patient throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.

"For each patient, I present the information in an easy-to-understand way. I make sure to discuss treatment options without overwhelming them," Dr. Brown said of her approach to care. "I always allow ample time for people to ask questions to allay their anxiety."

Wellstar’s compassionate care made all the difference. Phyliss left her cancer treatment consultation with peace of mind and a concrete treatment plan in place.


Beating breast cancer

Phyliss’ cancer was caught at an early stage.  But even so, her care team didn’t waste any time and sprang into action so Phyliss would have the best possible outcome. The medical experts quickly created a customized cancer treatment plan, which included surgery to remove the tumor and radiation to prevent the disease from returning.

Following Phyliss’ successful lumpectomy, she received daily rounds of radiation at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. Dr. Brown led the treatment, using her knowledge and expertise to treat Phyliss’ cancer effectively.

"In Phyliss’ case, external beam radiation was delivered using the prone technique. That meant she received treatment lying face down instead of sitting up," Dr. Brown explained. "This particular process allows the breasts to hang away from the body, minimizing radiation exposure to the lungs."

Using this specialized method, Dr. Brown could target the cancer without endangering healthy tissues. For cancer patients, access to innovative treatments and technology is critical to improving their outcomes.

"Wellstar has state-of-the-art equipment available, which allows us to offer many cutting-edge cancer treatments," Dr. Brown said. "We also have multidisciplinary tumor boards to help provide comprehensive treatment plans for our patients."

The radiation sessions were a success. Now after finishing treatment and becoming a breast cancer survivor, Phyliss can focus on being there for her entire family. 

Phyliss encourages women who may be putting off preventative health screenings to take the ultimate step towards practicing self-care.

"Women are the heart of the family. We make sure our loved ones are taken care of, but we need to see ourselves as important too," she said. "Don’t neglect your health. Take the time to go for your yearly physical and mammogram. It’s the cornerstone of your health."

Have you had a mammogram?

Screening for breast cancer at regular intervals can help catch breast cancer earlier — before symptoms appear — for better outcomes. Learn more about mammograms and find a location near you. Or call (678) 581-5900 to schedule your mammogram now.

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Sheree Elise Brown Kennestone Hospital Cancer Care
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Ashley was able to recover from cardiac arrest and walk down the aisle.

PeopleCare

AshleyCare

In March of 2021, Ashley Martin suffered cardiac arrest, which kills about 90% of people when it happens outside of a hospital. Thankfully, she was already at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center receiving the compassionate care she’d been seeking to address a long list of symptoms.

Everything began at a hectic time in Ashley’s life. She was 30 and had just gotten engaged. Wedding planning had started with the help of her fiancé and their two young boys. The hope had been to have the wedding toward the end of 2021. But the unexpected happened.

“I was always healthy,” she said. “I grew up playing sports. I was a runner. I used to get headaches, but that was the extent of my medical history.”

Finding the right care when there is more than one symptom

Symptoms of what would ultimately be diagnosed as Guillain-Barré syndrome began in February of 2021. This rare neurological disorder causes the body’s immune system to attack the nerves. 

Ashley started experiencing tingling in the tips of her hands and feet, which moved up her legs and arms as days passed. When intermittent numbness became a symptom, Ashley went to a hospital near her Peachtree City home. A clean CT and MRI meant she went home with plans to see a rheumatologist.

As she waited for her first appointment, she started feeling numbness in her feet.

“At one point, I took a step down the stairs and went tumbling down to the concrete floor,” Ashley said. 

On another trip to the hospital near her home, Ashley was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, but treatment was unsuccessful. The numbness continued, spreading to her face. She began using a walker and, soon after, a wheelchair.

“The paralysis had moved to my abdomen,” Ashley said. “I went to sleep one night and woke up abruptly gasping for air.”

Compassionate medical care at a pivotal point

 Later that night, an ambulance brought Ashley to Wellstar Kennestone, where she would finally get the specialized neuro care she desperately needed. She was admitted to the Neurocritical Care unit, staffed by physicians, nurses and a medical team with specialized training in neurological conditions.

Upon arrival, she underwent respiratory failure due to paralysis spreading to her diaphragm. She was stabilized, but shortly after that, she experienced sudden cardiac arrest — the abrupt loss of heart function that stops blood flow to the body.

After a critical care nurse administered CPR, Ashley’s heart started beating again. Life support medications were given to keep her heart pumping.

“The neuro ICU nurses and doctors saved my life,” she said.

Later, her attending neurologist explained that the stress of her nervous system and immune system fighting, paired with respiratory failure, caused such high stress that she had a cardiac arrest.

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Doing good CPR is critical to save someone from cardiac arrest.

PeopleCare

KevinCare

There aren’t many people out there who can say they survived cardiac arrest at 30. Kevin Miskewicz can.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 90% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die. Those who survive often have permanent neurological disabilities. But Kevin’s story has an incredibly fortunate ending, thanks to the highly coordinated work of his medical experts at Wellstar.

Recovering from cardiac arrest is something Kevin will never forget. It lives forever as a piece of his health history — one that includes a dedicated healthcare team — and his wife, who was the first to save his life.

There aren’t many people out there who can say they survived cardiac arrest at 30. Kevin can.

CPR to the rescue

Kevin woke up on Labor Day 2017 at 5:30 a.m. to take the dog out. Pausing to adjust the thermostat as he came in, he fell, knocking over a lamp.

He was in cardiac arrest.

With no symptoms and no known pre-existing condition, this was unexpected, but that didn’t stop his wife, Andrea, from jumping into action.

“If it weren’t for me knocking over a lamp when I passed out,” said Kevin, “she would have never woken up and saved my life.”

In addition to calling 911 and unlocking the door for the paramedics, Andrea performed CPR for 10 minutes.

“Kevin’s wife doing good CPR was critical,” said Dr. Arthur Reitman, the interventional cardiologist who was a vital part of Kevin’s treatment team at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “More than five minutes of poor blood flow to the brain can result in permanent irreparable injury from which a patient is unable to recover.”

Coordinating multidisciplinary care to save a life

When paramedics arrived at Kevin’s home, he had no pulse and was not breathing. As the paramedics performed their lifesaving work, he technically died two times.

The ambulance took him to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, where he was initially assessed and treated by Dr. David Jacoboff. The interventional cardiologist implanted an intra-aortic balloon pump to stabilize him. Then, he transferred Kevin to Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center for highly specialized heart care.

When Kevin arrived at Kennestone by helicopter, his heart function wasn’t strong enough to support his body. Dr. Reitman and a team of doctors including a cardiologist, a pulmonologist and critical care doctors worked in tandem to put Kevin on an advanced life support system called veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Better known as VA-ECMO, it took the heart “offline” so it could heal. The technology removed unoxygenated blood from his body, oxygenated it and pumped it back in for the next three days.

“Very few places in the state — only four or five hospitals — have the technology and specialized training to put a patient on ECMO,” Dr. Reitman explained.

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Headshot photo of Mary Chatman, Wellstar and Georgia Hospital Association logos

Newsroom

Mary Chatman, Executive Vice President of Wellstar Health System and President of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, Named Chair-Elect of the Georgia Hospital Association Board of Trustees

Mary Chatman, PhD, RN, executive vice president (EVP) of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) on Nov. 10. Chatman, who has served on the GHA Board since February 2020, will lead the Board in developing strategies for GHA hospital members, advocating for the highest quality care for patients and supporting adequate reimbursement for hospitals. 

“Mary Chatman is a visionary leader whose vast leadership skills have benefited Wellstar hospitals and the communities they serve,” said GHA President and CEO Earl Rogers. “She is a strong patient advocate and we look forward to her expertise and leadership of our Board.”  

In addition to serving as a Wellstar EVP and president of two of the system’s hospitals, Chatman oversees the operations of the seven other Wellstar hospitals. In 2020, she led the opening of Wellstar Kennestone’s new emergency department, the largest in the Southeast.  

Prior to serving in her current role, Chatman was the chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital and its nursing operations. She also served as interim chief information officer for Memorial and completed the electronic health record conversion to EPIC.  

This year, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Chatman to the state’s Healthcare Workforce Commission, where she has helped address challenges in the hiring and retention of healthcare workers.  

Chatman has been recognized locally and nationally as a prominent leader and strong patient advocate in health care. Atlanta Daily World recognized her among the 2018 Women of Excellence. Diversity MBA Magazine named her among the 2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive & Emerging Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her a 2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM award winner. Chatman was recognized by Atlanta Magazine among the 2021 Women Making A Mark honorees and by Becker’s as one of the 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. She was also named the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines for Cobb County, fighting COVID-19 and collaborating with local leaders.   

Chatman is deeply involved in the community, serving as board member for United Community Bank and active in the fight to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

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