Campaign Blog

In the weeks and months that follow, I hope to keep you informed and inspired about how your support of The Campaign for Swedish is making a profound difference in the lives of our patients. In doing so, I hope you will come to appreciate why I think I have the best job in the world. What could be better than working with a group of generous, philanthropically minded people who are eager to promote quality healthcare, help others and share their good fortune in a way that has an immediate and direct impact on our community’s health?Subscribe

Swedish receives $10.1 million gift for cancer and cardiac care

The Swedish Medical Center Foundation announced Dec. 11 that it received a gift valued at $10.1 million from the estate of Robert and Jean Reid that will support advanced cancer and cardiac care at Swedish. The gift — the largest made during the current $100,000,000 Campaign for Swedish — will establish The Robert and Jean Reid Family Innovative Therapeutics & Research Unit at the Swedish Cancer Institute. The Reid Family Research Unit’s goal will be to complement the institute’s integrated care with personalized medicine that has the potential to transform detection, diagnosis, treatments and ultimately patient outcomes. The Reid’s gift will also fund the highest priorities of the Swedish Heart and Vascular Institute.

Swedish feels impact of historic Campaign and community’s tremendous generosity

The Campaign for Swedish has been the most generous and genuine display of giving by our community in the history of our hospital. More than 50,000 individuals have contributed nearly $117 million (and counting), to patient care, research, education, and innovation over the last seven years. As the Campaign comes to a close on December 31, 2013, we are humbled by our community’s generosity and inspired by what this generosity has accomplished. Discover the impact of The Campaign for Swedish and how you can still contribute.

Piper’s first birthday honors Swedish Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Listening to Stephanie Baily talk about her daughter, Piper, turning one year old, you can’t help but hear the pride and gratitude in her voice. Piper was born seven weeks early due to complications with Stephanie’s pregnancy and spent 25 days in the Swedish NICU before she could go home.

Swedish welcomes families at the Lytle Center for Pregnancy & Newborns

For more than a century (103 years to be exact), Swedish has welcomed more newborns into the world than any other provider in our region. In fact, Swedish delivered 10,000 babies last year. Thanks to the ongoing support of the community and our dedicated donors, we’ve added something new to the “Swedish baby” experience: The Lytle Center for Pregnancy & Newborns. The new center, which debuted in July, was created with the complete needs of moms and babies in mind.

To celebrate the opening, more than 200 donors to the Lytle Center gathered for an evening event featuring guest speaker and new grandmother, Christine Gregoire. Guests were able to tour the center and clinic, peruse the retail offerings, enjoy the outdoor patio and warm ambiance of the fireplace and living room, and learn about the important services offered through the center.

Ted Ormbrek – An extraordinary gentleman

Mr. Ted Ormbrek doesn’t require much to be happy. “All I need is my church and my work,” he claims, smiling. Spend any time with him, and you’ll have no doubt that it’s true.

Mr. Ormbrek is the rare kind of gentleman whose work and life achievements (all accomplished without the technology advances of email, internet, Facebook, or twitter) immediately humble you.

Born in 1925 in Woodinville, WA, Mr. Ormbrek and his siblings were raised by their widowed Norwegian grandmother in Ballard. He attended Ballard High School, fought in WWII from ’43-’46 and, under the GI Bill, received a free education at University of WA School of Engineering. He married his sweetheart in 1951, raised three children, retired at the age of 60 as a senior engineer for the city, and all the while shared his passion and talent with the community by singing in the choir of his Presbyterian Church.

But he nearly lost everything he’d worked for in life, due to one devastating secret.

A living legend retires – and starts a new career!

Dr. Saul Rivkin has announced that he will retire from his clinical practice at Swedish in July of 2013 after a 48-year career in medicine. Saul joined Swedish in 1971 as one of the hospital’s first medical oncologists. He received his doctorate from the University of Washington School Of Medicine in 1964. Retirement is an exciting and much anticipated new chapter in an illustrious career because those who know Saul well know that he will not be sitting still once he stops practicing medicine!

Swedish Cancer Institute opens at Edmonds campus

Swedish is committed to providing seamless, personalized care close to home. In response to a growing need from the community, Swedish/Edmonds proudly opened a new two-story, 17,102-square-foot outpatient cancer center on April 1, 2013, offering patients in the south Snohomish and north King County areas increased access to medical oncology and infusion (chemotherapy) services.

The new center, located on the southeast end of the Swedish/Edmonds campus, offers patients high-quality and comprehensive medical oncology services through an expanded infusion unit, laboratory, pharmacy, and access to EPIC, Swedish’s electronic medical record system. As a hospital-based department, patients also have access to social work services, support groups, American Cancer Society navigation and resources, financial counseling, genetic counseling, cancer-specific patient education classes, an education/resource wall, and an enhanced ability to participate in clinical trials.

Art fundamentally contributes to a healing environment

At Swedish, we believe that art fundamentally contributes to a healing environment. That is why our campuses are filled with works of art that convey beauty, drama and sometimes whimsy.

David Bennett’s “Green Dragon” is one of these works of whimsy and wonder. More than five-feet long, this glass and bronze sculpture is a new favorite at Swedish/Ballard, where it now sits at the entrance to the Tallman Building. “Green Dragon” was a generous gift from Dr. Jonathan Chinn and Carol A. Chinn, and it is donations like this that have had a great impact in enhancing the environment at all of our campuses, most recently in projects like the True Family Women’s Cancer Center at First Hill and the Swedish Cancer Institute at Edmonds.

Swedish First Hill Auxiliary – Making a difference

Throughout Swedish’s history, volunteers have played a major role in building and nurturing the atmosphere at Swedish that has made it a place where patients who come for advanced medical care also know they are among people who feel a compassionate concern for them and their families. For more than half a century, one very special group of volunteers has been instrumental in creating this patient-friendly environment: the Swedish Medical Center Auxiliary at First Hill.

This small group of volunteers is made up of eight dedicated board members and Swedish supporters, each of whom also donates an impressive amount of time and energy participating in voluntary activities at the First Hill campus. These activities range from patient reception, assistance, caring and support roles in the hospital to event participation and work in the gift shop.

Nurses: At the core of the patient care team

Nurses are at the core of the patient care team. Whether a patient is diagnosed with cancer, admitted to the Swedish Neuroscience Institute or is delivering a healthy baby, they receive care from a team of highly-skilled and dedicated nurses.

Many of us take it for granted that our nurses will be skilled, competent and caring. But how do new nursing school graduates learn how to be effective caregivers? The following is an interview with Susan Jones, Clinical Educator in the Swedish RN Residency program, an innovative approach to ensuring Swedish is preparing our talented new nurses for a successful nursing career.

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Randy Mann