News from Rex Healthcare FoundationSummer 2011

Celebrating Rex Nurses

Rex Hospital Open:June 9-12

Small Packages,Big Gifts

Angela Brown, R.N., in the Rex Cancer Center

They are the healing hands that impact our lives and the lives of our friends

and loved ones. When you encounter a Rex nurse, it doesn’t take long to

realize there is something extra special about the care they provide; it’s personal.

Each May, we celebrate National Nurses Week. In honor of that celebration, we bring

you the stories of some very special Rex nurses.

Nurses are the Heart of Rex Healthcare!

Cancer Hits Close to Home When she was just 18 years old, Heather Sasser’s (right)

mother passed away from a rare sarcoma tumor after a difficult

decline in health. “She died at home. It was a very hard time in my

life and still is,” Heather recalled. “Watching her decline and the

care, compassion, hope and love that was shown by her caregivers

was so inspirational to me. I wanted to make a difference like that

in the lives of others who were suffering.”

As an oncology nurse at Rex Cancer Center, Heather makes life

easier for those battling cancer.

“I still see my mother in some of my patients and it is hard

sometimes to hold back the tears,” explains Heather. “I treat

everyone as if they were a family member, just the way they

should be treated while undergoing such a scary experience (like cancer treatment).”

“It’s incredible the number of nurses here at Rex who have either experienced cancer first hand

or through a close relative. For us, it is more than a job … it’s a calling,” explains Metra Ashworth,

R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N. (left). Metra was one of the first nurses to be hired when Rex Hematology

Oncology Associates formed six years ago. “I had just accepted this position when my mother was

diagnosed with breast cancer. I was at work one day and I looked over at my mother, sitting in the

chemo-chair. This emotional wave came over me, and I told one of my fellow nurses, ‘I don’t know

if I can work here with my mother sitting there.’ She told me to hang in there – it would make me a

better nurse. I truly believe it has.”

Support Through the Difficult Times After caring for her mother, Metra now works hardest at calming the fears of her

patients. “This is what I do best. I make direct eye contact with my patients and I tell

them, ‘I understand you are scared, but I can promise you, I will take care of you.’

I explain the entire process and I watch them the whole time.”

“The most difficult time for a patient and their family is right after the initial

diagnosis,” Leslie Middleton, R.N., (right) says. “I always remember how I felt when

I was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago. I know how my patients must

feel going through chemotherapy, and I strive to make them feel as comfortable as

possible. If the time is right and it’s the right patient, especially if it’s a breast cancer

patient, I share my story with them.”

At the time of her diagnosis, Leslie’s son was just eight years old. “I was afraid

I might not see him graduate high school,” Leslie recalls, “and now he is in his first

year of college.”

Not a Career but a Calling Cancer not only changed Leslie’s life; it changed her career. Prior to becoming

a nurse at Rex Cancer Center, Leslie was a stay-at-home mom. After finishing her

treatments, she volunteered at Rex for two years before enrolling in nursing school.

Annie Stephenson, R.N., (below left) followed a similar path. “After being a stay-

at-home mom for 19 years, I graduated from nursing school and began my career at

Rex in 2005,” explains Annie. “My father was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer at

age 79. His terminal illness and death inspired me to extend my caregiving beyond

my family and become a nurse, which I believe was God’s intention.” Annie now

spends her days assisting with chemotherapy infusion. She also calls and checks on

patients in between their treatments to see how they are doing.

A Special Someone It takes a special someone to dedicate

their life to others through nursing, especially

as a nurse at Rex Cancer Center. “It takes

someone who wants to fight a battle; a battle

that is very scary,” and, as Heather knows,

“sometimes a battle that’s not winnable.” But

it’s a battle worth fighting nonetheless. “An

oncology nurse must listen carefully to the

patients, we must address whatever needs

arise,” says Annie. “Sincere compassion is

essential and a good sense of humor helps,”

reminds Metra. It can be a challenge to stay

energized, but, as Metra notes, “You have to

laugh some and reflect on the positive.”

Honor Your Rex NurseIn appreciation of their long hours and dedication to the care of others, join us in celebrating National Nurses Week. Send a note of thanks and make a gift to the Rex Healthcare Foundation in honor of a special nurse you’ve encountered at Rex. We will share your kind words with your nurse and your gift amount will remain anonymous.

Please use the enclosed envelope to send your gift and note of thanks today! Or go online to Rex Healthcare and select Donate & Volunteer.

Your support is critical to providing our nurses with advanced technologies and training in order to improve patient care for all in our community.

Nurses are the Heart of Rex Healthcare!

The Rex Hospital Open...benefiting the new N.C. Cancer Hospital at Rex! A premier professional golf tournament and part of the Nationwide

Tour, The Rex Hospital Open returns for the seventh consecutive year to

TPC Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, June 6-12, 2011. The tournament

raises funds to support programs and services at Rex Healthcare and

provides spectators a chance to see up-and-coming professional golfers

compete for a chance to play on golf’s greatest stage – the PGA TOUR.

As one of the 26 events on the 2011 Nationwide Tour schedule,

The Rex Hospital Open is part of some of the most compelling drama in

sports. Players on the Nationwide Tour compete in a season-long quest

to finish in the top 25 of the Tour’s money list to earn a coveted spot

on the PGA TOUR. With a $600,000 purse, only eight tournaments on

the Nationwide Tour offer a bigger payout than The Rex Hospital Open.

The Nationwide Tour’s impact is undeniable. Two out of every

three PGA TOUR players have Nationwide Tour roots. Nationwide Tour

graduates have gone on to win 287 PGA TOUR events including majors

and PLAYERS Championships and have competed in Presidents Cups

and Ryder Cups.

In addition to providing great golf action, The Rex Hospital Open

has played an integral role in fundraising for

Rex Healthcare. Over the past 23 years, Rex’s

golf events, including The Rex Hospital Open,

have raised millions of dollars for patient

care improvements. Proceeds from this year’s

event will support the new N.C. Cancer

Hospital at Rex.

Thursday, June 9 start of play!Join us for an evening business networking

function. Swing Time at the Rex Open: ‘Cause Golf Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing will feature the Atomic Rhythm

All-Stars band. Interested? Call (919) 784-4471.

Friday, June 10 network on the course!Scoot away from your desk early and join the fun

at Wakefield TPC. Food vendors and fantastic golf

will round out your afternoon.

Saturday, June 11 dad’s day out! Sponsored by

Bring the family! Championship play and

entertainment are in store:

•ArtfromkidsinWakeCountyPublic

Schools on display

•Facepainting

•Freezeframe

photos

•Miniaturegolf

•Jumpybouncehouses

•KidsWorkshopKits,providedby

The Home Depot

•Mobilevideogames,includingWii

•Freesnowcones

•Otherfoodandbeverageisavailableon-site

•Freefitnessassessmentsby

Be Active North Carolina

And, don’t forget the

CONCERT! Join us

on the lawn at TPC

Wakefield Plantation

as country music

sensation Heidi Newfield rocks out.

Lipstick Luncheon Benefits Rex More than 600 women from

across Wake County enjoyed a day

of shopping, networking, lunch

and more at the Mix 101.5 Lipstick

Luncheon March 19. A panel of

Triangle Physician Network (TPN)

physicians hosted a Women’s Health

Q&A, sponsored by Rex Healthcare.

Special thanks to Grace Tang, M.D.,

of Rex Family Practice of Wakefield,

Christine O’Meara, M.D., of Rex/

UNC Family Practice of Panther Creek

and Polly Watson, M.D., of Boylan

Healthcare for participating in the

expert panel. The Rex Healthcare

Foundation proudly accepted a $2,500

check at the event to benefit the new

N.C. Cancer Hospital at Rex, breaking

ground this fall.

Share Your StoryHow do you support the Rex

Healthcare? Every little bit helps!

Share your story with us at

rexhealthcarefoundation@rexhealth.com.

Find Us OnlineSearch for Rex Healthcare Foundation.

Sunday, June 12 service personnel appreciation day! Sponsored by

Active and former military, police, fire and EMS receive FREE admission!

Bring the family for more great family-friendly entertainment:

•ArtfromkidsinWakeCountyPublicSchoolsondisplay

•Facepainting

•Freezeframephotos

•Jumpybouncehouses

•KidsWorkshopKits,providedby

The Home Depot

•Miniaturegolf

•Mobilevideogames,includingWii

•Freesnowcones

•Otherfoodandbeverageis

available on-site

Trophy presentation for the 2011 Rex Open Champion at the end of play, around 5 p.m. (subject to change).

Happy 70th Birthday to the USO!

First 500 receive a free hat!

Rex Society Donor Spotlight by Dominick Corbacio

My wife, Vivian, had been in remission from

ovarian cancer for 10 years. When it returned, we knew

we had to find the best possible treatment to help

her fight this terrible disease. We were fortunate that

Jeffrey M. Crane, M.D., of Rex Hematology Oncology

Associates was able to become her healthcare provider.

In the two years that my wife fought this cancer,

Dr. Crane and his staff provided excellent care. From the

front desk to the nurses and doctors, the atmosphere

was always positive. A two-year battle with this disease

can be frightful, but Dr. Crane always assured Vivian

that they would do everything possible for her. With his

help and her determination, she was able to live those

two years in relative comfort until the very end.

I give to Rex to remember Vivian and to recognize

and thank Rex Hospital for the top notch care that she

received. Secondly, I believe in supporting Rex to keep

it a “first in class” cancer center. Hopefully a cure to this

disease will be found soon, but until then, we need to

support Rex’s expansion and its ability to provide care

to an increasing number of patients in our area.

When a member of your family needs support, you

want to be able to help them. After two years of visits

to Rex, you feel like a member of their family and they

should be supported, especially for what they do.

Not a Rex Society Member Yet? Consider joining this dedicated group of people

and organizations that support Rex Healthcare each

year with a gift of $1,000 or more. As a member

of the Rex Society, you can celebrate the impact of

your gift with others this June at the Rex Society

Recognition Event to be held at Rex Hospital. For

more information, please contact Carson Gilbert at

(919)784-4718orKathyStokesat(919)784-4475.

Small Packages, Big GiftsThe Money Maker’s ClubWhenKyleYalch,9,toldhismom

that he and his friends had started a

Money Maker’s Club, “I just thought

he was going to save up money for a

new toy. I was totally surprised when

he wanted to give the money away,”

Tammyexplained.Kylewantedtoraise

money to support kids at Rex, the hospital where he and his

brothers were born.

Kylecollectedmoneyeverywherehewent.Everyseatcushion,

grocery store aisle, or sidewalk was carefully searched for coins

toaddtohiscollection.AlltogetherKylecollected$100forthe

children at Rex Hospital.

KyleexplainedthatifhisfriendsevercametoRex,hewould

want them to have the very best care. “I just did it out of the love

inmyheart.Itfeelsgreat!”Kyleexplained.

WhenKyleisnotoutraisingmoneyforRex,helikestostay

active with Cub Scouts, play basketball and practice karate. His

favorite subjects in school are math and reading.

Royalty Visits Rex The Rex Boardroom

took a playful turn when

the Jumping Joeys Y

Princess Tribe came to

present a donation to

Rex Hospital.

In January, fathers and daughters of the Y Princess Tribe were

looking for a meaningful service project. Hannah Bateman, a

second grader, came up with a bright idea to collect pledges for a

special bike ride. With the help of their fathers, the girls planned

a five-mile ride at Lake Lynn and called on family and neighbors

for donations. The girls also completed chores around their

homes and donated all of the money they earned. Then on a cold

Saturday in February, the girls strapped on their helmets and rode

two laps around the lake, celebrating the accomplishment with

hot chocolate and brownies.

The Jumping Joeys collected an incredible $1,564 in donations

to benefit the new N.C. Cancer Hospital at Rex, which will break

ground this fall. “It was wonderful to meet an amazing group of

girls with such giving hearts,” said Rex Healthcare President David

Strong.

Rex Healthcare Milestones, Activities & Opportunities

Becker’s Hospital Review named Rex

Hospital as one of the top 50 best

hospitals in the nation – one of only

three hospitals in North Carolina to

receive this distinction.

Rex Looks to Expand Rex Healthcare submitted three

Certificate of Need (CON) applications

to the North Carolina Division of Health

Service Regulation on April 15:

•50-bedacutecarehospitalatRex’s

Holly Springs campus, including a

birth center and cancer center.

•40-bedacutecarehospitalatRex’s

Wakefield campus, including a birth

center and existing cancer center.

•11bedsaddedtoRexHospitalin

west Raleigh, and begin Rex’s Vision

2030 plan by moving at least 100

beds to a new bed tower to be

constructed on the main campus.

If approved, these expansions will help

meet the growing health care needs in

Wake and neighboring counties. We

thank everyone who submitted a letter

of support on our behalf.

Rex Primary Care of CaryRex Internal Medicine of Cary is now

Rex Primary Care of Cary with two

board-certified physicians, Mamatha

Ramaswamy, M.D., and Vendana P.

Devalapalli, M.D. The practice has

a special focus on women’s health,

geriatrics and diabetes, and Medicare is

accepted. For appointments, please call

(919) 387-3176.

We’ve Got Heart!•Rex Heart & Vascular Specialists,

the UNC Center for Heart &

Vascular Care and Wake Heart &

Vascular Associates are now formally

affiliated. This partnership will expand

the scope of cardiovascular services

and provide the most comprehensive

cardiology care in our region.

•InpartnershipwiththeUNCSchool

of Medicine, Rex hosted the 22nd

Annual Update in Cardiology,

providing practicing clinicians with

information on new treatment

and prevention methods for

cardiovascular diseases.

•WakeChapelChurchofRaleigh,

winners of Rex Healthcare’s Power

Gospel choir competition, performed

at the 26th Annual Triangle Heart

Ball. Rex President David Strong

also chaired the American Heart

Association’s annual fundraiser.

Awards/Honors•RexHealthcare’s

Healthy Way

Program received

the Boone Merit

Award from the

Medical Fitness Association (MFA),

which recognized Ashley Honeycutt,

R.D., L.D.N., and Shelly Wegman,

M.S., R.D., L.D.N., for significant

contributions in defining benchmarks

for the medical fitness industry.

•SterileRecoveries,Inc.(SRI)honored

Rex with the Eco Sense Award

for reducing its environmental

footprint through the purchase of

environmentally-friendly surgical

products.

Cancer Care•Rexrecentlyhostedthe17thannual

Living With and Beyond Breast

Cancer conference which was

attended by hundreds of Triangle

breast cancer survivors.

•RexpartneredwithAlliance

Medical Ministry to increase access

to preventive health services by

sponsoring a free Pap smear for

uninsured women at an annual event

in Raleigh. More than 125 uninsured

women received the free cancer

screening.

Join Our Team!Rex is a proud

sponsor of

theKomen

Race for the Cure.

If you’re interested in joining the Rex

team, contact Latanja Avery at (919)

784-6247. Anyone who wears their

race bib to Wakefield TPC will get FREE

admission to The Rex Hospital Open!

Why My Dad’s SpecialIn honor of Father’s Day and The Rex

Hospital Open, Rex is hosting a special

event called “Why My Dad’s Special.”

Kidsunder12areinvitedtocomeout

to Crabtree Valley Mall on Saturday,

May 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to

share why they think their dad is top

dog on camera in 30 seconds or less.

Video entries will be shown at The Rex

Hospital Open on Saturday, June 11.

Gifts to Rex Healthcare are made through the Rex Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3). The Rex Healthcare Foundation can be reached at (919) 784-4424.

4420 Lake Boone TrailRaleigh, North Carolina 27607

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDRaleigh, NC 27607Permit No. 1234

chosen for excellence

Gates Open at 8 a.m. Thursday-SundayFree parking & shuttles at Rex Healthcare of Wakefield11200 Governor Manly Way, Raleigh

Thursday, June 9First Round

Friday, June 10Second Round

Saturday, June 11Third Round / Dad’s Day Out

Sponsored by The Home Depot

Activities for kids & families

7 p.m. Heidi Newfield Concert

Sunday, June 12Final Round / Service PersonnelAppreciation Day

Sponsored by Golden Corral

Active & former military, police, fire & EMS receive free admission

Celebrating the USO’s 70th birthday

Immediately following play Trophy Presentation

Proceeds benefit the newN.C. Cancer Hospital at Rex

BUY TICKETS ONLINE NOW!

$10 Ground Pass Valid All Week

$50 VIP View Box Access includes access to viewing on Holes 9, 11, 15, 16 & 18

and Food & Beverage

Kids16&UnderAdmittedFreeRexHospitalOpen.com