Glendale Adventist Medical Center Fdtn Adventist Health Glendale Foundation

The Adventist Health Glendale Foundation provides a fundraising function to support the mission of Adventist Health Glendale and programs to improve the quality of life and health in our community. The funds are transferred to the hospital based on the grantors and donors intent. A significant portion of Management and General expenses are paid for by Adventist Health Glendale and accounted for as a department of the hospital in its support of the Foundation. The following story illustrates how Adventist Health Glendale is able to provide quality care for our community and why our Foundation has such a passion for raising funds to continue improving the care we can provide:My family history with breast cancer is long, Vanessa said. My aunts and sister have all had it. So, when I first felt a lump, I was scared.Adding to Vanessas fear was the fact that she was also 24 weeks pregnant. So, the first step in her journey to being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive and deadly form of the disease that requires chemotherapy, was a trip to her OB/GYN to determine the implications for her baby.Because Vanessa was pregnant, the first breast surgeon she visited for treatment would not take her case. He mentioned that he felt it was too risky, Vanessa explained. So, he referred me to another surgeon and then a third surgeon, and thats how I found my way to Dr. Holmes.Dennis Holmes, MD, world-renowned breast surgeon and medical director of the Breast Program at Adventist Health Glendale, was immediately struck by the emotion of the situation. This is a young lady with a potentially deadly breast cancer diagnosis who is trying to have a child, he said. There was this urgency to do something. Before I met Vanessa, it didnt seem like things were happening at an appropriate pace, which was concerning to me for a cancer that is likely to grow and spread if not treated early and effectively. The complexity of her situation bolstered our commitment to work with her.In addition to being pregnant, Vanessa was also found to carry the BRCA mutation, which increased her risk of cancer in both breasts. To receive the treatment she needed, Vanessa was faced with a terrible decision. Knowing that I might have to end the pregnancy way sooner was the scariest thing for me, she said. I just wanted my baby to be okay.Fortunately, Dr. Holmes, along with a team of experts who are knowledgeable in the coordination and management of pregnancy and cancer treatment, laid out a plan for the early but safe birth of Vanessas baby, along with rapid initiation of chemotherapy for her cancer. Baby Raven was born at 33 weeks and, although she had a rough start, she is now healthy and thriving. Vanessas treatment began two weeks later.I started chemotherapy first, and then I had surgery with Dr. Holmes at Adventist Health Glendale, she said. It was hard knowing that I had to have my breasts removed at this age [because of the BRCA mutation], but I could see that everyone was doing everything they could to make me comfortable. And I think its really important for us to know that at that moment, youre going to be safe and comfortable and its going to be okay.Breast cancer treatment is not an easy thing to go through, added Dr. Holmes. Especially for a young woman who is pregnant. Its important to remind women like Vanessa that getting through pregnancy and having a healthy baby are not the only goals theres a life to live after that, for both mom and baby.Today, Vanessa feels stronger after breast cancer treatment and enjoys life with Raven, now 11 months old, seven-year-old son Alexis and husband Juan. If I can get through this, I can get through anything, she said.Compassionate, high-quality patient care; life-saving and life-preserving medical and surgical services; advanced treatments in a community-based hospital; essential emergency services-these are the reasons we are in the Glendale community and why our Foundation raised funds for the Sam and Grace Carvajal Breast Center.For more information on the work that we do, visit us at www.adventisthealth.org/glendale/pages/our-foundation.aspx