Welcome To The New Home Of Medical Breakthroughs - St. Joseph ...

Now Open. Experience the Expansion! 

Winter 2009 sjmcmd.org 

Winter 2009 / sjmcmd.org 

Welcome to The New Home of 

Medical Breakthroughs

Winter 2009 

In This Issue 

Cover Story 

3 The New Home of Medical Breakthroughs 

A unique facility redefines the patient experience. 

6 The New Heart Institute 

One-stop premier care under one roof 

On the cover ... 

Everything a patient or visitor needs— 

including valet parking, registration and a 

seven-story elevator tower going to all 

patient floors—is easy to access from 

St. Joseph Medical Center’s new main 

entrance and expansion. 

Special Section 

1A–4A In the Spirit 

Inspired giving through the St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation. 

Featured Stories 

10 Stopping a Silent Killer 

Minimally invasive repair of aortic aneurysm in the chest 

11 Snores Galore: A Wake-up Call for Health Risk 

Sleep apnea can harm the heart. 

12 Meet St. Joseph Cardiovascular Associates 

A world-class team of heart specialists 

housecall is published quarterly by the Marketing 

Communications department at St. Joseph 

Medical Center, a member of Catholic Health 

Initiatives. Information is intended to educate our 

readers and is not a substitute for consultation 

with a physician. 

John K. Tolmie, President and CEO 

Patricia Bosse, Vice President, 

Mission and Institutional Advancement 

Crohn’s and Colitis Patients: One Place—One Plan 

Announcing the new Inflammatory Bowel 

Disease Center at St. Joseph Medical Center, 

which offers a holistic, multidisciplinary 

approach to care in one convenient location. 

This state-of-the art center features a beautiful 

infusion area (see photo at right). Each patient 

receives a personal plan from an expert team 

that includes gastroenterologists, nutritionists, 

nurse coordinators, colonrectal surgeons, 

social workers and ostomy care specialists. 

For an appointment or more information, 

call 410-427-5566. 

Crohn’s Disease and Colitis Support Group 

Meets Tuesday, March 10 & May 12, 7 p.m. 

For information, call 410-337-1479. Free. 

Kirstan Cecil, Director, 

Marketing Communications 

Vivienne Stearns-Elliott, 

Writing, project management 

Patti Wells, In the Spirit writer 

Baltimore magazine Custom Communications, 

Design, layout 

Christine Langr, Mark Molesky, Steve Ruark, 

Stacy Zarin, Photography 

We are an equal opportunity employer and, 

in conjunction with applicable laws, do not 

discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, 

sex, national origin, age, or physical or mental 

handicap. St. Joseph Medical Center accepts 

patients without regard to race, color, national 

origin, disabilities, age or religion. 

Copyright © 2008. 

Comments, requests, change 

of address? 

Contact us at 410-337-1700 or 

housecall@catholichealth.net.

Welcoming Patients 

to a Beautiful, 

Healing Environment 

e On December 8, 2008, 

St. Joseph Medical Center ushered in 

a new era in health care delivery with 

the opening of the new main entrance, 

Heart Institute and spiritual center at 

the front of the hospital. 

e The campus expansion, constructed by 

Whiting-Turner Contracting and designed 

by CSD Architects, covers 110,000 square 

feet and represents a breakthrough in redefining 

the patient and visitor experience. 

The new building provides a peaceful, 

beautiful setting, offering comfort and 

convenience in a healing environment. 

e This is the third historic event in the 

history of the hospital, which originated 

in 1864 with the Sisters of St. Francis 

of Philadelphia when they began their 

mission on Caroline Street in Baltimore. 

The second major event was the opening 

of St. Joseph’s Hopital in 1965 in Towson: 

The new face of St. Joseph Medical Center 

now takes the Sisters’ mission solidly into 

the 21st century. e e 

SJMCMd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center Winter 2009

Enter with Ease 

e “We created this building to center around the patient. Everything 

a patient or visitor needs to begin their experience is close to the 

main door—whether it’s registration, access to the new sevenstory 

elevator that goes to all patient floors, or a short walk to 

services such as lab or radiology,” explains John Tolmie, CEO of 

St. Joseph Medical Center. 

e The experience begins when visitors drive up to the stately 

entrance to drop off patients. Valet parking is available, beginning 

at 5:30 a.m. daily. (Patient discharge has a dedicated nearby exit 

and driveway with a protective canopy to ensure smooth, separate 

traffic and provide patients with respect and dignity.) e e 

Winter 2009 St. JOSEPH Medical center DOCTORS DIRECTORY 410-337-1337

“...nature comes in to greet you 

from almost everywhere you turn.” 

Sly Moore, COO, 

St. Joseph Medical Center 

Graceful Sculpture 

Dedicated to a 

Courageous Spirit 

Whether you are coming for in 

or out-patient surgery or procedures, 

having a baby, or visiting a patient on 

any of the medical center’s units, the 

new main entrance welcomes all. 

Go with the flow 

The lobby’s natural flow guides visitors 

to registration, information desks, 

comfortable waiting areas, entry to The 

Heart Institute or Surgical Services 

and more. Registration features private 

cubicles to ensure patient dignity. 

There is an indoor link to the 

O’Dea Medical Arts building, where 

many physicians have offices. The 

cafeteria, which features an outdoor 

eating patio, and the gift shop are 

directly above the main lobby, on the 

second level. 

Natural light from windows and skylights 

fills the space. Numerous points 

of artistic interest include the reflecting 

pool and garden seen from the 

lobby windows, the elegant rotunda 

with the kinetic, suspended Michio 

Ihara sculpture (see side bar) and the 

Heritage Wall, which features crystal 

glass story panels. 

Healing environment 

“As people move through the facility, 

they’re surprised by the beautiful 

light and nature that comes in to 

greet you from almost everywhere you 

turn. We achieved a calm, soothing, 

healing environment,” says Sly Moore, 

St. Joseph’s COO and the project 

executive for the building. 

“Walking through the building is 

more than just way finding to the 

elevator or registration; it’s a journey 

that’s meant to be inspirational 

and functional,” explains Dave Noji, 

team captain for CSD Architects, 

the building’s designer. “The Ihara 

sculpture serves as one of many 

elements that express the spiritual 

goals of St. Joseph Medical Center.” 

Peaceful, meditative spaces 

Another natural element is the 

healing meditation garden with 

Japanese maples, a pond and benches 

on the second level—it is outdoors, 

yet fully visible through glass walls. 

Adjacent to it is the beautifully renovated 

St. Francis of Assisi Chapel featuring 

restored stained glass panels and a 

Peruvian-carved San Damiano Cross. 

The garden and Chapel are part of the 

Cardinal H. Keeler Spiritual Center, 

supporting the healing of body, mind 

and spirit. 

“Scientific studies show that pleasing 

surroundings promote faster 

recoveries. We designed the building 

by looking through the lens of 

the patient experience,” says Tolmie. 

“We now have the infrastructure that 

matches the high level of patient 

care, medical breakthroughs, clinical 

outcomes and advanced technology 

that have always been delivered by 

St. Joseph’s expert staff. 

“The design expresses the excellence 

of the people who work here,” he says. 

“It fulfills St. Joseph Medical Center’s 

promise to be ‘always expert, always 

personal, and always faith-filled.’” 

Photos opposite page, upper top left 

clockwise: 

Main entrance arch, healing meditation garden, 

restored stained glass in the Chapel, Cardiac 

Unit nursing station, and Heritage Wall. 

“Grace,” the 700-cubic foot, kinetic sculpture 

by Michio Ihara is composed of 

delicate, perfectly balanced, shimmering 

metal pieces that appear to float from 

the rotunda’s ceiling. It cascades into the 

space created by a curving staircase in 

St. Joseph’s new main lobby. 

Ihara is an internationally known artist, 

educated at the University of Tokyo and 

M.I.T, whose architectural sculptures enrich 

public spaces. “His forms dance, vibrate 

and sparkle,” said Gyorgy Kepes of 

the Center of Advanced Visual Studies 

at M.I.T. 

“Grace” is dedicated to the memory of 

Erinn Kathleen McCarthy, through a gift 

from her family and friends. Erinn, who at 

age 14, ended her courageous battle with 

cancer, had a spirit and enthusiasm for life 

in the face of illness that is embodied by 

this sculpture. 


Heart 

The NEW Heart Institute 

One-Stop Premier Care Under One Roof 

The Heart Institute at St. Joseph is 

Maryland’s busiest and premier heart 

center, providing the most advanced 

cardiac care. It has been recognized 

eight times—more than any other 

Maryland hospital—as one of the top 

100 heart centers in the country by 

Thomson Reuters. 

Same superior care 

Now that care is being centralized in 

a new “heart hospital within a hospital,” 

composed of three levels at the 

front of St. Joseph Medical Center. 

The result is highly efficient care that 

saves steps for families, patients and 

“Once patients and their referring physicians 

have the opportunity to see this place, 

it is going to be the gold standard to which 

all programs in the area are compared.” 

Dr. Mark Midei, director of Cardiac Catheterization 

staff, in a beautiful, quiet and calming 

environment. When heart patients 

enter the hospital’s main doors, 

they see a dedicated, prominent entrance 

in the rotunda with a sign 

announcing The Heart lnstitute. 

From there, they can head directly 

to all cardiac services—including 

the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the 

Cardiac O.R.s, the Cardiac Surgery 

Unit and family waiting rooms. 

The Cardiac Catheterization Prep 

and Recovery Unit has 41 private rooms, 

each with a patient locker. Patients are 

admitted to the same room to which 

they return to recover following catheterization. 

The Cardiac Cath Lab is 

immediately next door, featuring six 

all-digital, state-of-the-art rooms where 

procedures including stent and pacemaker 

implantation are performed. 

Safety and comfort 

“The new Heart Institute is designed 

around the safety and comfort of the 

patient and the family. The facility 

makes patients feel more comfortable 

by providing them with private space 

and access to family throughout almost 

all of their stay,” says Dr. Mark 

Midei, director of the Cardiac Catheterization 

Laboratory. 

“Patients come from neighboring states 

and around the region to St. Joseph for this 

renowned care. Our new, state-of-the-art 

facility helps us to do what we do even better.” 

Dr. Stephen Pollock, chief of Cardiology 

The main level also features the 

dedicated Cardiac Operating Rooms 

with new all-digital imaging and video. 

Level two is designed with outpatients 

in mind. It has a state-of-the-art 

CV Fitness area for outpatient cardiac 

rehabilitation, as well as a beautiful 

Integrated Nuclear Medicine and 

Cardiac Cath Prep and Recovery has private 

rooms with space for family. 

Beautiful Cardiac Unit rooms promote faster 

healing and family privacy. 

Cardiographics department, where 

cardiac stress tests, echocardiograms 

and other advanced diagnostic testing 

are performed. Close by are the 

cafeteria, gift shop, meditation garden 

and Chapel. 

A family zone with pullout bed 

The third level is dedicated to the 

Cardiac Telemetry Unit, composed 

of 30 beautifully appointed, private 

rooms that support faster healing, 

reduced infections and family privacy. 

Recognizing the importance of loved 

ones in the healing process, each 

room has a family zone with a pullout 

bed. Decorative screens and paneling 

hide equipment, creaing a hotel-like 

feeling. So as not to disturb patients, 

linen hampers and shelf stocking are 

done from double-sided cupboards 

opening from the hall. The unit’s gently 

curved halls allow complete views 

of patient doorways and call lights 

from the three nursing stations that 

reduce the steps nurses have to travel 

to patients’ rooms. 


Going for the Gold Standard in Heart Care 

County Executive Thrives After Triple Bypass 

Just as Baltimore 

County’s most celebrated 

native son was speeding 

to his eighth Olympic 

Gold medal in Beijing, 

Baltimore County Executive 

Jim Smith was making 

steady progress 

recovering from triple 

bypass heart surgery at 


in Towson. 

“I can’t thank the doctors 

and the entire staff 

at St. Joseph Medical 

Center enough for the 

outstanding care that I 

received before, during 

and after my coronary 

bypass,” wrote Smith in 

a Towson Times op ed 

piece on August 27, 

2008. “I started feeling really good… 

when Michael Phelps and his teammates 

won the 400-meter relay. That’s 

the moment when I knew my heart 

was as good as new,” said the 66-yearold 

county executive. 

Smith’s wife Sandy recalled that 

the week before his triple bypass they 

had been on “the most demanding 

vacation in North Carolina with our 

children and grandchildren, when 

Jim experienced a full feeling in 

his chest. He asked me, ‘Have you 

noticed me taking deep breaths for 

no reason?’” 

Straight to the ED 

Back home in Baltimore County, the 

feeling persisted. Although her husband 

was packing to go to Ocean City 

to host the annual Maryland Association 

of Counties convention (MACo), 

Shortly after bypass surgery at St. Joseph, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith 

shared a warm moment with Debbi Phelps at the parade honoring Olympians 

Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff. 

“he called his doctor, who sent him 

directly to St. Joseph’s Emergency 

Department,” she said. 

At St. Joseph, Smith underwent a 

cardiac catheterization that revealed 

three blockages. “One blockage is 

called the widow maker,” said Mrs. 

Smith, who added that her husband 

tried to negotiate putting off surgery 

until after MACo. “Dr. Finney (chief 

of Cardiac Surgery) said he needed to 

do surgery first thing the next morning, 

and Dr. Midei (director of Cardiac 

Catheterization) explained why 

this was important,” she added. 

“Overall, my husband and our 

family only have praise for St. Joe’s,” 

continued Mrs. Smith. “I saw professionalism, 

kindness, humor and 

compassion extended to everyone on 

our floor. All our care was handled 

very efficiently.” 

Family history 

trumps fitness 

“My husband’s family has 

a history of heart disease. 

Jim does everything he’s 

supposed to do; he exercises 

and eats right,” 

described Mrs. Smith, 

whose husband is known 

for his high energy level. 

“He is doing extremely 

well now.” 

Dr. Stephen Pollock, 

chief of Cardiology 

at St. Joseph, told the 

Towson Times that the fact 

that Smith never smoked 

and has worked out 

all his life maximized 

his chances for a successful 

recovery. 

Smith was obviously 

in great form when he attended 

and spoke at the dedication 

of St. Joseph’s new expansion on 

December 8, 2008. 

Personalized 

Heart Risk Screening 

This FREE screening can reveal 

your risk for heart disease. 

Includes cholesterol check plus 

chance to take online HeartAware 

test and meet with a nurse. 

You may be a candidate for a 

low-cost $90 calcium scoring 

CT scan! 

Saturday, February 21, 8 a.m.–12 noon. 

Registration required. 

Phone lines open Feb 1. 

Call 410-337-4478 to register. 


Putting Diabetes in Reverse 

How One Man Did It with Diet, Exercise and 

Some Help From His St. Joseph Friends 

James Lud Jones had prediabetes for 

two years, so he was not surprised when 

he was actually diagnosed with diabetes. 

But it was stressful and difficult to 

accept. At the time, Jones, who is five 

feet six inches tall, weighed 177 pounds 

and led a very sedentary life. 

Since he also has heart disease, he 

decided that he wanted to fight both 

these health challenges—which commonly 

occur together—with the help 

of two St. Joseph programs and their 

dedicated staff. Thanks to the Diabetes 

Management Program and the 

Cardiovascular (CV) Fitness Cardiac 

Rehab Program, he was so successful 

that his diabetes went into reverse. 

Here’s how that happened. 

In 1995, Jones underwent coronary 

artery bypass surgery. In 2006, he 

developed diabetes. Then in June 

2008, he was diagnosed with another 

blocked heart artery, which was 

reopened with a stent implanted by 

cardiologist Dr. Michael Pressel at St. 

Joseph’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab. 

The path to success 

Afterwards, the doctor referred Jones 

to CV Fitness for his heart health. This 

monitored exercise program meets 

three times a week for 12 weeks and is 

customized for each person, providing 

education and counseling. 

“I lost 20 pounds through CV 

Fitness,” said Jones. “The women 

who work there are brilliant. They 

motivate you. They noticed that when I 

was exercising, my blood pressure went 

down and my blood sugar went down.” 

Sheila Druck, R.N., CV Fitness, 

explained, “Often when someone continues 

consistent exercise, it helps their 

Lecture Series 

Diabetes Self-Management 

Education Program (monthly) 

ADA nationally recognized. 

Fee: May be insurance reimbursable. 

Free Diabetes Information Exchange 

First Tuesday every month, 1 p.m. or 

5:30 p.m. 

For more details, call 410-337-1479 or 

see page 14. 

James Jones’ weight loss and workouts 

also lowered his high blood pressure. 

blood sugar come down.” 

Druck also referred Jones to the 

Diabetes Management Program. 

“Mr. Jones was determined to succeed,” 

said Ellen Wallace, R.N., C.D.E., 

diabetes educator. “He also followed 

the meal plan developed for him by 

Megan Lobus, R.D., L.D., diabetes 

outpatient nutritionist.” 

Medication reduced 

After nine weeks, Jones’ medical doctor 

took him off his diabetes medication. 

And his cardiologist reduced 

his high blood pressure medicines. 

“Eighty percent of people with type 

2 diabetes are overweight,” explained 

Wallace. Additionally, there’s a strong 

heart disease-diabetes connection. 

“I’m down to fighting weight now,” 

joked Jones. “I learned what to eat. 

I eat 150 grams of carbs a day, and 

I’ve stopped eating sweets—no cakes, 

no candy. I eat chicken, fish and very 

little red meat. 

“Ellen Wallace is the embodiment of 

the class; she gave me a diabetes testing 

kit and taught me how to use it. I 

measure my blood sugar twice a day.” 

Jones exercises several times a week 

at the Towson Wellness Center at 

Towson University, affiliated with 

St. Joseph Medical Center. He feels so 

energetic that he cancelled his lawn 

service and mows his own yard. 

A Blockage Revealed 

Thanks to HeartAware 

At age 62, Judy Gach appeared to be 

in great shape—she followed the South 

Beach diet and exercised five hours a 

week, doing a challenging “Body Attack” 

aerobics class. Now, Gach realizes how 

close she came to a real body attack— 

a heart attack. 

Last summer, she heard radio ads for 

St. Joseph’s free HeartAware online risk 

assessment along with the possibility of 

a coronary calcium CT score. 

“I scheduled an appointment because 

I have a family history of heart disease,” 

said Gach. 

After taking the online test and opting for 

the low-cost $90 calcium CT score, Gach 

was stunned at her high score of 1082. 

Jean Seiler, nurse manager for HeartAware, 

counseled Gach about her results, and 

Gach immediately accepted a referral to a 

St. Joseph cardiologist. 

“I went to see Dr. Stephen Pollock who did 

a stress test on me, and I failed miserably. 

I was shocked!” said Gach. 

At that point, Gach realized that she’d 

been having chest pain for weeks. “I thought 

it was a common occurrence because of the 

strenuous workout I did,” she said. 

Pollock ordered a cardiac catheterization 

for her. “One of my arteries was 100 

percent blocked,” she said. In the Cardiac 

Catheterization Laboratory, she received 

a medication-coated stent to reopen the 

blocked artery. 

“When Dr. Pollock came to see me in the 

recovery room, he explained that most of the 

time, people with a 100 percent blockage 

have a heart attack. My time in the gym and 

on the diet may have compensated for the 

blockage,” she said. “I felt incredibly lucky.” 

Once she had the stent, Gach rebounded. 

By the end of that week, she was mowing 

the lawn and easing back into exercising. “I 

never missed a beat,” she said. “After the 

stent, I felt really good. I sail through the 

exercise routines now.” 

Learn Your Risk of Heart 

Disease with a FREE 

Seven-Minute Test at 

StJosephHeartAware.com 

One-third of people who die of heart 

attacks have no warning. Don’t let 

your first symptom be your last. 

Take the easy online test and find out if 

you qualify for a $90 calcium CT scan. 

For more information, call 410-337-1110. 


DIn te Spirit d 

Inspired giving through the St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation 

< Friends In Deed > 

Victoria Deyesu, President of FANS, and her husband 

Carmen, Chair of the Operating Board 

an institution is very, very 

fortunate it has a patron 

who so embodies the spirit 

If 

and mission of the institution 

that their commitment 

brings about profound change, enriching 

an entire community. St. Joseph Medical 

Center is privileged to have not one, 

but two such individuals who have been 

shaping the history of St. Joseph Medical 

Center since 1990. 

Guests reflect in the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel as 

they await clergy to celebrate the first Mass in the 

new Chapel. 

While Carmen Deyesu and his wife, 

Victoria, have both been instrumental 

in making St. Joseph a world class 

medical facility, Carmen would argue 

he has a longer history with St. Joseph 

as he rightly claims, “I literally drew 

my first breath at the old Saint Joseph 

Hospital on Caroline Street!” Fast 

forward a few decades when Carmen 

returned to St. Joseph at the request 

of Sr. Marie Cecilia, then president 

and CEO of the medical center, who 

recognized Carmen’s leadership abilities 

inherent in his quiet strength. 

There is hardly a role at St. Joseph where 

Carmen and Vicki have not played a 

part. Since 1996, Carmen has served as 

Chair of the Operating Board as well as 

Chair of “Campaign 2000” which raised 

$14 million for the medical center. 

Together, Carmen and Vicki chaired 

Gala 2003 and will again be chairing 

Gala 2009 to benefit the Orthopaedic 

Institute. Vicki is president of FANS, an 

enthusiastic team that raises $125,000 

annually for St. Joseph. 

With their characteristic commitment to 

hard work, coupled with philanthropy, 

Carmen and Vicki were delighted to 

be part of the new strategic vision for 

St. Joseph, particularly the Cardinal 

William H. Keeler Spiritual Center. 

St. Francis of Assisi Chapel will be named 

in memory of Carmen’s parents, Carmen 

J. and Theresa R. Deyesu. “The Chapel 

has personal meaning for us because we 

were so fortunate to attend a pilgrimage 

to Assisi arranged by the Sisters of 

St. Francis in 1995. My parents had a 

very strong faith, so naming a Chapel 

that represents the Sisters just made 

sense to us,” comments Carmen. 

In addition to the Chapel, the Deyesus 

sponsored the new 17 ft. bronze statue 

of St. Joseph The Worker, the image 

that welcomes all who come to 

St. Joseph. Commissioned by world 

renowned sculptor Danni Dawson, 

the piece depicts St. Joseph at his 

workbench with a young Jesus. “The 

piece serves as a reminder of the 

medical center’s adherence to faith, skill 

and protection of those less fortunate, 

three attributes that have made it so 

easy for us to be so committed to 

St. Joseph Medical Center,” Vicki says 

in conclusion. 

St. Joseph is indeed fortunate that the 

Deyesu name has a permanent place at 

the medical center, in our history, and in 

our hearts. 

Bronze sculpture of St. Joseph and Jesus located 

at the new main entrance provides a comforting 

reminder of the spiritual component of St. Joseph 

Medical Center. 

SJMCMd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center foundation Winter 2009 A

Our Youngest 

“Philanthropist” 

...the spice of life 

McCormick & Company supports board member’s 

commitment to St. Joseph Medical Center 

Madison Clark and her mother, 

India Whitlock, visit the NICU 

and meet with Nurse Manager, 

Kelly Archer, R.N. 

If you saw Madison “Matty” 

Clark today, you’d have a 

hard time imagining her as 

the one pound preemie, 

born at 30 weeks gestation, 

and struggling for life five 

years ago in our Neonatal 

Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 

Matty’s mother, India 

Whitlock, now a branch 

manager for a mortgage 

company, never forgot the 

care that Matty received 

here, or the hardships she 

knew faced single mothers 

with premature babies. 

The mother and daughter 

team decided to start their 

own candy company, 

Matty’s Candy Shop, to 

raise money to help single 

mothers whose babies 

need care in our NICU. 

Kelly Asher, Nurse Manager 

for NICU, explains what 

a five year old’s gift can 

mean to a struggling 

mother. “We used Matty’s 

first gift of $50 to buy gas 

for a mother who couldn’t 

afford to travel back and 

forth from Aberdeen to 

our NICU. It’s amazing 

that a five year old can 

have such an impact on a 

mother and baby in need.” 

When asked what she 

wants to be when she 

grows up, Matty’s answer 

is not surprising, “a doctor 

who helps babies.” In the 

meantime, we are proud 

that she is the youngest 

member of our NICU team. 

It is easy to see why Hamed Faridi, PhD 

finds his career as the VP of Research & 

Development at McCormick and his role 

as a member of St. Joseph Medical Center’s 

Operating Board such a satisfying match. 

Faridi succinctly explains his passions by 

quoting Charlemagne: “An herb is the friend 

of physicians and the delight of chefs.” In 

his role at McCormick, a global leader in 

the manufacture and marketing of spices, 

herbs and seasonings, Faridi oversees studies 

at academic and research institutions to 

expand knowledge of how the human body 

may utilize the nutrients in spices and herbs 

to promote health worldwide. 

He is keenly aware of the importance of the 

work being done both at McCormick and 

St. Joseph to ensure that our community 

has access to research and treatment creating 

trends towards better health. The medical 

center is indeed fortunate to have Faridi 

on our board, not only for his insight and 

enthusiasm for St. Joseph, but also because 

of McCormick’s commitment to support 

organizations where their employees have a 

strong interest. 

John McCormick, Chairman of the Charitable 

Donations Committee for McCormick, 

explains that the company donates money, 

products and many hours of service to a 

wide range of civic, educational, cultural 

and health care organizations. “We are 

particularly interested in making gifts in 

areas where our own employees have a 

passion. Because of Hamed’s involvement 

at St. Joseph Medical Center, we were 

delighted to support St. Joseph’s capital 

campaign, “Investing in Excellence.” 

The Foundation sincerely regrets errors and omissions from 2008 Honor Roll of Giving. The following 

are corrections. 

The Tau Society: Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Serpick 

St. Joseph Society: Center for Eating Disorders, P.A. 

Harry A. Brandt, M.D. and Joanna D. Brandt, M.D. 

Steven F. Crawford, M.D. and Jill B. Crawford 

Sister Pierre Society: Ms. Caroline A. Griffin and 

Mr. Henry E. Dugan 

Friends of St. Joseph Medical Center: Charlene Cochran 

left to right: Hamed Faridi, PhD and his wife, Afsaneh, speak 

with John Tolmie, St. Joseph President and CEO, at the medical 

center’s annual Reception of Honor, held in November. 

Faridi and McCormick, along with the 

Charitable Donations Committee, directed 

the company’s gift to The Heart Institute. 

Comments Faridi, “At McCormick we are very 

focused on excellence and our core competencies. 

We have seen firsthand how The Heart Institute 

has a similar model. This is borne out by 

St. Joseph consistently being named a Top 100 

Heart Hospital. McCormick is proud to be 

associated with St. Joseph Medical Center and 

delighted to have had a hand in the new Heart 

Institute.” St. Joseph is equally gratified to have 

McCormick be a community partner. 

Charlemagne’s words, linking spice, health and 

pleasure, are more than 1100 years old but 

Faridi, and food lovers the world over, would 

agree that his words ring as true today as they 

did in the ninth century. At St. Joseph, we 

couldn’t agree more. 

Gifts in honor of Wealth Advocacy Partners: 

Daneker, McIntire 

SEI 

John Hancock Financial Services 

George Saltz 

Templeton Radiology 

A Winter 2009 St. Joseph Medical Center foundation / sjmcmd.org

“Out Of The Abundance Of 

The Heart…” Matthew 12:34 

Do you have 

a physician 

you would 

like to honor? 


is blessed to affiliate 

with over 1,200 physicians 

who work to provide 

loving service and 

compassionate health 

care to your community. 

left to right: Richard Boehler, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of St. Joseph gives a private tour of the Heart Institute and 

new main entrance to John Cook and his wife, Norma. 

A Grateful Patient Gives Back 

Two weeks before Christmas, 1987, John 

Cook had a sudden feeling there was 

something going wrong with his heart. He 

went into his private office at Northeastern 

Supply, the company he bought in 1972, 

laid down on the couch and had a true 

“heart-to-heart” with God. “I don’t have 

time to die now,” he said. “I have year end 

close-out, inventory, and Christmas. Come 

back in two weeks.” Then Cook got up 

and had his son drive him to St. Joseph 

Medical Center. Someone must have been 

listening because 21 years, two surgeries 

that included 11 bypasses, and a valve 

replacement later, he is hale and hearty. 

Cook and his wife Norma have never 

forgotten the hospital or doctors that saved 

his life. Each year the Cooks make a gift 

to The Heart Institute in honor of their 

cardiologist, Frank Morris, M.D., and 

Cook’s surgeon, R. Stewart Finney, M.D., 

St. Joseph’s Chief of Cardiac Surgery. In late 

October the Cooks made a special visit to 

St. Joseph Medical Center to get a private 

tour of the new Heart Institute and see 

what their gifts, along with many others, 

have accomplished. 

“St. Joseph is home to us so it’s wonderful 

to see this beautiful new Heart Institute. 

We always knew the people and the 

programs were great. Now the space matches 

the talent,” smiles Norma who delivered 

the couple’s two children at the original 

Saint Joseph Hospital on Caroline Street. 

Cook echoes his wife, “I’ve been very 

lucky to have had such wonderful care at 

St. Joseph. Everyone has always gone above 

and beyond for me and now I feel fortunate 

to be in a position to give something back.” 

Owning and operating a thriving business 

for over 35 years, John Cook has learned 

that compassionate people, dedicated to 

excellence in their work, are the true measure 

of success. The mission of Cook’s company 

is “We work harder, doing whatever it takes…” 

What he has seen in his own business he 

has found at St. Joseph Medical Center. 

Perhaps one of these 

doctors has had special 

meaning to you, a family 

member or a friend. If so, 

you might like to send a 

gift in their honor by using 

the enclosed envelope. 

For more information, 

please call the 


Foundation at 

410-337-1397 or visit 

us online at 

sjmcmd.org/giving. 

All of us at St. Joseph 

thank you. 

SJMCMd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center foundation Winter 2009 A

“The silver lining, if you will, of breast cancer, was the completely 

unfettered love I received from my family and my friends.” 

These words, poignantly spoken by 

actress Lynn Redgrave at our special 

event held on October 23rd to support 

The Breast Center at St. Joseph 

Medical Center, set the tone for the 

evening. While the subject of breast 

cancer is quite serious, the evening 

took on a warm glow of laughter, 

compassion and easy camaraderie 

among survivors, clinicians, family 

members, and friends. 

Lynn Redgrave warmly greeted each breast cancer 

survivor before she signed her book, Journey. 

We are grateful that over 250 guests 

were able to be a part of this truly 

special event and have the opportunity 

to meet Lynn Redgrave and her daughter, 

photojournalist Annabel Clark. Over 

$68,000 was raised at the event through 

the support of our generous benefactors. 

Michael Schultz, M.D., F.A.C.S., 

medical director of The Breast Center 

commented on the evening, “With the 

mission of the Center to always consider 

the needs of the patient first, it was an 

honor to have so many survivors and 

their families join with us to hear a 

family who is working tirelessly to 

advocate for a breast cancer cure. It was 

truly a highlight of my 30 years of 

practicing medicine.” 

left to right: Michael Schultz, M.D., F.A.C.S., medical director of The Breast Center speaks with 

photojournalist Annabel Clark while Lynn Redgrave chats with Schultz’s wife, Joan. 

Towson to Tanzania: Global Friendship in Action 

On October 25 a team of 16, sponsored by St. Joseph Medical 

Center, and Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) traveled to Tanzania to 

spend a week delivering insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets to 

70,000 villagers in 21 villages across the Karatu District. In each 

village the visitors from America were greeted with welcoming 

ceremonies that included song, dance and thanks to the team for their 

humanitarian efforts to combat malaria, a scourge in African countries. 

Funding for the nets was provided by a $300,000 grant from CHI 

along with St. Joseph Medical Center employees, friends and donors 

who raised over $30,000 in the past year and have been supporting 

the Village Wellness Program in Tanzania since 2002. To learn more 

about our work in Tanzania please visit 

sjmc.org>Foundation>Tanzania Mission 

John Tolmie, President and CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center, 

shares his feelings about the journey: “Words alone cannot express 

the warmth and beauty of the villagers and the land. The Tanzanians 

are wonderful, faith-filled people. We will forever have a place in our 

hearts for the plight of these people.” 

John Tolmie, President and CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center, looks on 

as the first net is handed to the village chairman in Gettamock Village, 

Karatu District. 

A Winter 2009 St. Joseph Medical Center FOUNDATION / sjmcmd.org

A Cool Comeback for a Soccer Dad 

On a beautiful fall afternoon on 

October 8, Joseph Roberts rushed over 

from work to watch his son play soccer 

for Archbishop Curley High School at 

Loyola Blakefield. It never occurred 

to him that it might be the last game 

he ever saw. Except for a series of very 

fortunate events, it almost was. 

Other soccer parents suddenly 

noticed Roberts slumped unconscious 

on the bleachers. Two parents 

—orthopaedist Dr. Frank Catanzariti 

and policeman Officer Warren Fluck 

—came to Robert’s aid, revived him 

with CPR; and, fortunately, Loyola 

had an AED (automated electronic 

defibrillator) that they used to start 

his heart while 911 was called. 

Emergency care, hypothermia and heart surgery save his life 

Saved again...and again 

An ambulance rushed Roberts to 

St. Joseph Medical Center, where 

Emergency Department (ED) physician 

Dr. Eric Beauvois feared he was 

dead. Dr. Beauvois and the ED team 

revived the 51-year-old Roberts again. 

Dr. Mark Midei, director of the 

Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and cardiologist 

Dr. Sidney Gottlieb consulted 

on Roberts’ situation and decided 

the only chance to save his life was 

to immediately take him into the lab 

and insert a stent into his completely 

blocked left main artery. “It was a 

temporary fix,” said Midei, “he had 

too much heart disease to rely on the 

stent, but we thought it would restore 

partial flow until he could have open 

heart surgery.” 

At the conclusion of the stent 

procedure, Midei inserted a cardiac 

assist device. “This helped the weakened 

heart continue to provide blood 

flow to the rest of Roberts’ body as 

it recovered from the heart attack,” 

explained Midei. 

Next, Roberts, who was still unconscious, 

was taken to the Intensive Care 

Unit, where pulmonary and critical 

care specialist Dr. John Eppler and 

the ICU team performed induced 

hypothermia, cooling his body down 

in order to save his brain function. 

“This procedure is applicable for 

After Joseph Roberts’ miraculous recovery, he shared a soccer moment with his son, David. 

patients who don’t have a viable heart 

rhythm, are then shocked back to 

life, but remain unconscious,” said 

Barr. “It needs to be done rapidly. 

Hypothermia decreases the brain’s 

metabolic demands.” 

Brain freeze 

The ICU team cooled Roberts’ body 

temperature to between 32 to 24 

degrees within six hours. They packed 

ice under his arms, around his head 

and under the groin, while infusing 

him intravenously with ice cold fluids 

and using a cooling blanket. He was 

placed on a ventilator and carefully 

monitored for kidney function and 

electrolyte imbalance that can go awry 

during hypothermia. 

After 24 hours, his body was allowed 

to naturally warm up, and he awakened—surprised 

to find himself in 

St. Joseph’s ICU. 

“The hypothermia ensured his 

best chance for recovery without 

brain damage,” explained Dr. Stephen 

Pollock, St. Joseph’s chief of Cardiology. 

“Not every hospital has 

an induced hypothermia protocol. 

St. Joseph is exceptional in this.” 

“I can’t believe it,” said Roberts, 

who has no brain damage. “I’m lucky 

to be alive.” 

Stable for surgery 

“A person doesn’t get much sicker 

and much better in such a short 

period of time than this,” said cardiac 

surgeon Dr. Peter Horneffer, who 

performed a quadruple bypass surgery 

once Roberts was stable neurologically. 

At each juncture, he clearly 

had the best medical care,” said 

Horneffer. “The timing and performance 

of the bypass surgery 

was just right. All the elements were 

delivered in a seamless fashion as 

a team.” 

Heart disease runs in Roberts’ 

family: Both his father and younger 

brother have had heart attacks. 

Following Roberts’ event, his middle 

brother had his heart checked out. 

He was diagnosed with two blocked 

arteries that were opened with 

two stents at St. Joseph’s Cardiac 

Catheterization Lab. 

? 

Need a Cardiologist 

or a Cardiac Surgeon? 

Call our Doctors Directory 

at 410-337-1337 

or visit sjmcmd.org 


Breakthrough 

Stopping a Silent Killer 

Minimally Invasive Repair of Aortic Aneurysms in the Chest 

Michael Wilson underwent a life-saving aneurysm repair done by vascular surgeon Dr. Reichman. 

Two years ago, St. Joseph Medical 

Center became one of the first hospitals 

in Maryland to deploy a thoracic 

aneurysm graft (TAG ® ) for a 

patient’s life-threatening thoracic aortic 

aneurysm (TAA). Since this breakthrough 

interventional procedure was 

introduced by Dr. Mark Gonze, chief 

of Vascular Surgery, and his partner 

Dr. Wayne Reichman, more than two 

dozen patients at St. Joseph have 

received these life-saving grafts. 

TAAs are aneurysms in the chest 

portion of the aorta, which is the main 

artery carrying oxygen-rich blood from 

the heart to the rest of the body. An 

aneurysm is a weakening or bulging 

that may result from a tear in the vessel’s 

lining or from hereditary factors. 

Risk of rupture 

Statistics for untreated TAAs are grim. 

Patients with six-centimeter thoracic 

aneurysms have a 90 percent mortality 

rate within two years. Only five 

percent of patients who get to the 

hospital with a ruptured TAA survive, 

so early intervention can mean the difference 

between life and death. 

TAG, which is similar to a cardiac 

catheterization, replaces an invasive 

and complex chest surgery that had a 

three-month recovery and significant 

risks that included a ten percent mortality 

rate and paraplegia. 

“TAG placement is performed via a 

wire delivery system guided into the 

aorta through a small incision in the 

groin. The graft is deployed, opens, 

and sits inside the blood vessel wall, 

sealing the aneurysm. Over time, the 

aneurysm shrinks,” said Reichman. 

Done under local sedation, performed 

at St. Joseph by Dr. Kevin Stiers, head 

of Cardiac Anesthesia, TAG requires a 

two to three-day hospital stay. 

John Ritter’s tragic fate 

Most people had not even heard of 

TAAs until the death of actor John 

Ritter in 1991. Ritter, age 54, suffered 

a thoracic dissection—a type of TAA 

caused when the aorta wall tears. 

“Ritter’s dissection tracked all the 

way back to his heart,” explained 

Reichman. 

“Thoracic dissections can wreak 

havoc and create a false channel that 

goes up to the carotid artery causing 

stroke, to the heart causing a heart 

attack, or even to the abdomen. 

“There are multiple risk factors for 

TAA, including smoking and high 

blood pressure. The inheritance rate 

is ten to 20 percent, so people with 

a family history of aneurysms should 

undergo a CT of the chest, abdomen 

and pelvis once they turn age 50. It’s 

usually the primary care doctors who 

discover a TAA incidentally through a 

CT scan of the chest, a cardiac echo or 

a chest x-ray.” 

The latter is how Michael Wilson’s 

aneurysm was detected. “I had a 

cold, and my internist Dr. Sriram 

Balasubramanian ordered a chest 

x-ray. The aneurysm was as big as a 

peach,” said Wilson, who was surprised. 

“I felt like I was facing a mountain.” 

When TAAs or dissections are caught 

early, the majority are small and can be 

treated medically, assures Reichman. 

“If we can keep the blood pressure 

down, the false channel may heal on 

its own or remain stable.” 

But for larger aneurysms or symptomatic 

dissections, TAG deployment 

is a huge advancement. “Patients can 

live out their natural life expectancy 

following a repair without worrying 

about a rupture,” said Reichman. 

Wilson, who received a TAG, said, 

“I’m thankful for the graft. I felt comfortable 

putting my life in their hands. 

I’m on the road to recovery.” 

? 

Need a Vascular 

Surgeon? 

Call our Doctors Directory 

at 410-337-1337 



Thoracic and Abdominal 

Aortic Aneurysms: 

Could You Have One? 

Presented by Mark Gonze, M.D. 

Thursday, February 19, 7 p.m. 

Call 410-337-1479, to register. 

10 Winter 2009 St. JOSEPH Medical center DOCTORS DIRECTORY 410-337-1337

Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z 

Snores Galore– 

A Wake Up Call for a Health Risk 

works with the center’s board-certified 

sleep disorders physicians. The test 

involves placing small electrodes on 

the body to monitor certain indicators 

while the patient sleeps overnight at 

the center. (Daytime sleep tests are 

available for night shift workers.) 

Snoring can be more than a nightly 

nuisance, costing sleep partners a 

good night’s rest. It can be a symptom 

of sleep apnea, a harmful condition 

linked to high blood pressure. 

So before you retreat to separate bedrooms 

or buy earplugs, learn about 

sleep apnea to help determine whether 

a visit to a sleep center is something 

you should consider. 

“Sleep apnea is especially dangerous 

because it increases a person’s risk 

for high blood pressure, strokes and 

congestive heart failure,” explained 

Dr. Jason Marx, medical director of 

St. Joseph’s Sleep Disorders Center. 

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by 

relaxation of soft tissue in the back of 

the neck that blocks a person’s airway. 

Being overweight is a risk factor since 

it contributes to an additional layer 

of fat lining the airway, thus increasing 

obstruction and the tendency 

to snore. 

The first step— 

proper diagnosis. 

At St. Joseph’s Sleep Disorders Center, 

sleep apnea can be diagnosed through 

a painless polysomnogram, called a 

sleep study. The test is performed 

by an experienced technologist who 

The next step is treatment. 

The most effective, non-surgical 

approach is weight loss and a continuous 

positive airway pressure 

machine (CPAP) that keeps the 

patient’s respiratory passages open 

during sleep. Patients wear a mask 

or nose plugs to blow air in through 

the nose. CPAP must be prescribed 

by a doctor. St. Joseph’s center offers 

customized CPAP mask fitting to adjust 

each patient’s air pressure settings to 

ensure comfort. 

?Need a 

Sleep Specialist? 

Call our 

Doctors Directory 

at 410-337-1337 


Untreated Sleep Apnea Can: 

• Increase risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity and diabetes 

• Increase risk or worsen heart failure 

• Make irregular heartbeats more likely 

• Increase work or day-time related accidents 

Sleep Apnea Symptoms 

• Loud snoring 

• Breathing stops during sleep, followed by gasping for air 

• Excessive daytime sleepiness, such as falling asleep while driving, at meal time, 

or at inappropriate situations 


The Puzzle of 

Heart Disease and 

Sleep Apnea 

Presented by Jason Marx, M.D. 

Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m. 

Call 410-337-1479, to register. 

SJMCMd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center Winter 2009 11

Meet St. Joseph 

Cardiovascular Associates 

A World-Class Team of Heart Specialists 

Dr. Sidney 

Gottlieb 

Dr. Gottlieb is the medical director 

of St. Joseph Cardiovascular 

Associates. Prior to that, he 

served as director of Cardiology 

at the Cleveland Clinic Canada 

in Toronto. He has also been 

the director of the Cardiac 

Catheterization Laboratory at 

The Francis Scott Key Medical 

Center/Hopkins Bayview and 

of Preventive Cardiology at 

The Henry Ciccarone Preventive 

Cardiology Center at Johns 

Hopkins Hospital. At Hopkins, 

he was a full-time member of 

the cardiology faculty. 

His clinical interests include 

consultative cardiology and 

preventive cardiology, including 

new cardiac imaging techniques. 

He has authored more 

than 100 scientific articles and 

lectured worldwide. 

Board certified in internal 

medicine and cardiovascular 

diseases, Gottlieb received his 

medical degree from Emory 

University School of Medicine 

and did his fellowship at Johns 

Hopkins Hospital. 

Dr. Stephen 

Pollock 

Dr. Pollock is both the chief 

of Cardiology and the director 

of The Heart Institute at 

St. Joseph Medical Center. 

Board-certified in internal 

medicine and cardiology, he 

specializes in the care of 

patients with heart disease. 

He is a firm believer in being 

aggressive in diagnosing and 

treating coronary artery 

disease early. 

Pollock’s philosophy is that a 

successful cardiology practice 

should ensure easy, prompt 

access to physicians and 

state-of-the-art testing. A 

fellow of the American 

College of Cardiology, Pollock 

graduated from University of 

Maryland Medical School and 

did his internship, residency 

and fellowship training at the 

University of Maryland V.A. 

Medical Center. 

He advocates having life-saving 

AEDs in all public places, 

including work places and 

schools. 

Dr. Stewart 

Finney 

Dr. Finney is chief of Cardiac 

Surgery at St. Joseph Medical 

Center. His primary specialty 

is adult cardiac surgery with 

special interests in aortic valve 

and aortic aneurysm surgery, 

and the MAZE procedure. He 

believes in a system of care 

that ensures cardiac patients 

receive the best and safest 

surgical treatment. 

He has been named one of 

Baltimore’s best cardiac surgeons 

for 2008 by Baltimore 

magazine. 

A practicing cardiothoracic 

surgeon for 14 years, Finney 

did his medical training and 

completed residency training in 

general surgery and cardiothoracic 

surgery at Johns Hopkins. 

He served as a visiting fellow 

in cardiac surgery at Prince 

Charles Hospital in Brisbane, 

Australia. Finney is a member of 

the American Board of Surgery, 

the American Board of Thoracic 

Surgery, the American College 

of Surgeons and the American 

Medical Association. 

Dr. Mark 

Midei 

Specializing in interventional 

cardiology and cardiac pacing, 

Dr. Midei is the director 

of the Cardiac Catheterization 

Laboratory at St. Joseph 

Medical Center, which is one 

of the few in the U.S. that has 

performed more than 100,000 

cardiac catheterizations. He 

is active in stent and other 

cardiac device development 

to ensure St. Joseph patients 

have the best treatments as 

soon as possible. 

Midei believes in treating each 

person as an individual, and 

providing the most state-of-theart 

interventional heart care 

—no matter how routine or 

complex the patient’s case. 

Board certified in internal 

medicine and cardiology, he 

graduated from Northeastern 

Ohio Universities School of 

Medicine, and did his internship, 

residency and fellowship 

training at Johns Hopkins. He 

is a member of the American 

College of Cardiology and the 

American Heart Association. 


St. Joseph Cardiovascular Associates is a group of established, experienced and highly trained 

cardiologists and cardiac surgeons who practice at St. Joseph Medical Center—the busiest heart 

center in the state of Maryland. This group practice features easy, prompt access to outstanding 

physicians who are dedicated to provide patients with compassionate, state-of-the-art diagnosis 

and cardiac treatment. St. Joseph Cardiovascular Associates can be reached at 410-427-2580. 

Dr. Mahmood 

Alikhan 

Board certified in cardiovascular 

disease and internal medicine, 

Dr. Alikhan has been in 

practice for more than 25 years. 

He specializes in cardiovascular 

disease, preventive cardiology, 

cardiac pacing and interventional 

cardiology. He believes 

in responding to patients’ emotional 

needs, as well as their 

cardiovascular needs, and is 

committed to disease prevention 

and quality improvement. 

He received his medical degree 

from Dow Medical College, did 

his internship at Union Memorial 

Hospital, his residency at Johns 

Hopkins Hospital and his fellowship 

at the University of 

Vermont. Previously, he served 

as the director of the Cardiac 

Catheterization Laboratory 

at GBMC. 

Alikhan is a fellow of the 

American College of Cardiology, 

the American Heart Association, 

the American Society of Cardiac 

Angiography and Intervention, 

and the American College of 

Chest Physicians. 

Dr. Peter 

Horneffer 

A cardiothoracic surgeon who 

has performed more than 3,000 

open-heart operations, 

Dr. Horneffer received his medical 

degree from Johns Hopkins 

and trained there in general 

and cardiothoracic surgery. He 

practices all types of open heart 

surgery, with a special interest 

in atrial fibrillation and mitral 

valve disease. 

After a clinical fellowship performing 

heart transplants at the 

Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, 

England, he worked with worldrenowned 

mitral valve specialist 

Dr. Alain Carpentier in Paris doing 

mitral valve reconstruction. 

Horneffer was an assistant 

professor of Surgery at 

Georgetown University. 

Teaching is an important part of 

his care philosophy. He ensures 

that patients are well-informed 

about their options, their surgery 

and the recovery process. 

He belongs to the American 

College of Surgeons and the 

Society of Thoracic Surgeons. 

Dr. James 

Ricely 

A fellow of the American Board 

of Internal Medicine and the 

American College of Cardiology, 

Dr. Ricely graduated from 

Philadelphia College of 

Osteopathic Medicine, 

completed his internship at 

Albany Medical Center and 

served as chief resident at 

GBMC, followed by a cardiology 

fellowship at University of 

Maryland V.A. Medical Center. 

He served as clinical instructor 

at University of Maryland, 

director of GBMC’s Cardiac 

Care Unit and, twice, chief of 

Cardiology at GBMC. His interests 

include interpretation of 

echocardiograms, nuclear 

cardiology studies, cardiac 

disease in pregnancy, women’s 

health, heart disease in the 

diabetic and preventive 

cardiology. 

Ricely believes cardiac disease 

should be evaluated and treated 

promptly, with an emphasis 

on informing and reassuring 

patients, and brings a passion 

for evaluation and care of the 

total patient. 

Dr. Ronald 

Schechter 

Board certified in cardiology 

and internal medicine and 

trained as an interventional 

cardiologist, Dr. Schechter 

practices a “hybrid” type of 

cardiology. 

He can provide a continuum 

of acute care for patients 

that includes seeing them in 

the Emergency Department, 

performing angioplasty in the 

Cardiac Catheterization Lab, 

and providing follow up and preventive 

care. He prides himself 

on close patient relationships 

that span his 19-year practice. 

A graduate of University of 

Maryland Medical School, he 

completed the first dedicated 

interventional cardiology 

fellowship there. He did his 

residency and internship at 

Temple University Hospital. 

He was a clinical associate 

professor at University of 

Maryland School of Medicine 

and an instructor at the VA 

Hospital. Schechter belongs 

to the American College of 

Cardiology and the American 

Heart Association. 


Community & Family Programs 

Unless otherwise designated, call 410-337-1479 to register 

or schedule your appointment. All activities are FREE and 

held at St. Joseph Medical Center unless otherwise indicated. 

Health and 

Wellness 

Classes 

Yoga 

Offerings vary. 

Registration required. Call for 

times and cost. 

Relaxation for 

People Who Don’t 

Know How to Relax 

Guided meditation for stress 

reduction using yoga, breathing, 

guided imagery and support 

group principles. Registration 

required for each offering: 

FREE INTRODUCTION: 

Saturday, March 7, 

10:15-11:45 a.m. 

4-WEEK WORKSHOP: 

$60 per person/ 

$100 per couple. 

Saturdays, March 21, 28, 

April 4, and 18, 10:15- 

11:45 a.m. 

Don’t Let Arthritis 

Cramp Your Style! 

Come learn about the latest 

treatments! Second Monday of 

every month, 1–2 p.m. February 

9, March 9, April 13, May 11, 

June 8. Call 410-337-1337 to 

register. 

Assertiveness Training 

Class 

Six-session course to help 

develop and use assertiveness 

skills in daily life. Call 

410-337-1584 for times and cost. 

Topics of 

Interest 

Bariatric Surgery and 

Body Contouring 

Information on LAP-BAND, 

gastric by-pass surgical 

weight loss options and body 

contouring after major weightloss. 

Presented by St Agnes 

Hospital weight loss surgery 

specialists, Andrew Averbach, 

M.D. or David von Rueden, 

M.D., and St. Joseph plastic 

and reconstructive surgeon, 

Nassif Soueid, M.D. Third 

Monday every month, 6:30 p.m. 

February 16, March 16, April 

20, May 18, June 15. 

Call toll-free at 866-690-WELL 

(9355) to register. 

Treating Male 

Incontinence and 

Erectile Dysfunction 

Especially for men with 

cardiovascular disease, 

diabetes and prostate cancer. 

Wednesday, February 11, 7 p.m. 

Don’t Let Colon Cancer 

Catch Up To You! 

Learning the latest information 

about early detection and 

treatment makes this cancer 

beatable. Presented by Joshua 

Forman, M.D. Tuesday, April 21, 

7 p.m. 

The Perplexity of 

Pancreatic Cancer 

This little known cancer is 

linked to smoking, diabetes, 

male gender and being African- 

American. Learn the latest in 

prevention, early detection 

and treatments. Presented 

by Richard Mackey, M.D. 

Wednesday, April 22, 7 p.m. 

AWARE for ALL 

Clinical Research Education 

Day: a public education day 

on the importance and benefits 

of clinical research participation. 

Saturday, May 9. Call 

410-427-2548 for more 

information. 

CardiovasculAR 

Health Education 

Thoracic and Abdominal 

Aortic Aneurysms: 

Could You Have One? 

An aneurysm (a weakening in 

the artery wall) develops silently 

and can be deadly if it ruptures. 

Prevention and treatment can 

save lives. Presented by Mark 

Gonze, M.D. Thursday, February 

19, 7 p.m. 

The Association Between 

Attacks: Heart and Brain 

That Is! 

Atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) 

is related to peripheral 

vascular disease (PVD), heart 

and cerebrovascular diseases. 

Lifestyle changes plus medical 

management may even reverse 

it—reducing risk of leg cramping, 

heart attack and stroke. 

Presented by Ruth Linde, B.S., 

R.N. and Jean Seiler, B.A., R.N. 

Wednesday, February 25, 6:30 p.m. 

The Puzzle of Heart Disease 

and Sleep Apnea 

Sleep apnea, often with snoring, 

may predispose you to heart disease. 

Solve the puzzle and learn 

about management. Presented 

by Jason Marx, M.D. Thursday, 

March 12, 7 p.m. 

Pediatric Health 

Education 

Powered by ME! 

Do you know the dangers of anabolic 

steroids, other performance 

enhancing substances and 

energy drinks? Motivate children 

to use the power within to 

excel at sports. Ideal for parents, 

coaches, teachers, counselors. 

Presented by Mike Gimbel, 

director. Tuesday March 3, 7 p.m. 

ADHD and Social Skills 

Presented by Stanley Sack, Ph.D. 

and Susan Finkelstein, M.A.Ed. 

Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. 

Autism, Autism Spectrum 

Disorder, and 

Asperger’s Disorder 

Presented by Stanley Sack, 

Ph.D., and Erin Sapperstein, B.A. 

Wednesday, April 1: 

6:30 p.m.–Signs & Symptoms, 

Diagnosis and Treatment. 

7 p.m.–Skills for Behavior, 

Social and School Situations 

What’s a Girl to Do? 

For adolescent girls and parents/ 

guardians. Make sense of the 

physical and emotional changes 

accompanying puberty and 

menstruation. Presented by 

Marian Malinski, R.N. Thursday, 

May 7, 6:30 p.m 

Pain Management 

Education 

A Promise for Pain 

Management Possibilities 

Chronic pain can impair daily 

life. Learn varied ways neck, 

back, cancer, muscular, or joint 

pain and headaches can be 

managed or eliminated. 

Presented by Gregory 

Hobelmann, M.D. Thursday, 

April 30, 7 p.m. 

Diminish Pain with 

Acupuncture 

Explore how acupuncture can 

relieve pain—especially for 

arthritis, tendonitis, and headaches. 

Presented by William 

Loeliger, M.D. R.Ac. Wednesday, 

May 13, 7 p.m. 

SCREENINGS 

Hernia Screening 

Hernias can occur in the groin, 

navel or incisions. (Not for persons 

already diagnosed with a 

hernia.) Appointment required. 

Monday, February 9, 5-7:30 p.m. 

Heart Risk Screening and 

HeartAware (Calcium 

Scoring Risk Assessment) 

Screening includes blood pressure 

and cholesterol checks, 

plus opportunity to take online 

HeartAware risk assessment 

that helps determine your risk 

for heart disease. Meet with 

a nurse to find out if you are a 

candidate for a low-cost $90 

calcium CT scan. Saturday, 

February 21, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. 


Phone lines open Feb 1. 


Head, Neck, and Oral 

Cancer Screening 

For malignant tumors occurring 

in throat, mouth, nose, thyroid 

and salivary glands. This visual 

examination recommended for 

history of tobacco use or childhood 

radiation treatment. 

Appointment required. 

Thursday, March 5, 5–7:30 p.m. 


Community & Family Programs 

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 

(AAA) Screening 

Aneurysms often cause no 

symptoms until rupture, which 

can be fatal. A painless ultrasound 

test can detect them. 

Recommended for males, age 

65 or older, especially with history 

of hypertension, tobacco 

use or family AAA history. 

Appointment required. Tuesday, 

March 10, 5–7:30 p.m. 

Breast Cancer Screening 

FREE clinical breast exam and 

screening mammogram for 

women 40 years and older, who 

have not had a mammogram 

within the past year and do not 

have breast disease or implants. 

Appointment required. Saturday, 

April 18, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. 

Skin Cancer Screening 

For detection of melanoma and 

other serious skin cancers. 

Appointment required. Tuesday, 

April 28, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. 

Stroke Screening 

Carotid artery ultrasound can 

detect clogging that could lead 

to stroke. Screening recommended 

for those ages 60 and 

older with high blood cholesterol, 

hypertension, tobacco 

use, or personal or family history 

of stroke or heart disease. 

Appointment required. 

Tuesday, June 2, 5–7:30 p.m. 

TRAININGS 

AARP Driver Safety Program 

Two half-day sessions. 

Classroom course to improve 

driving skills. Ages 50 and older. 


AARP Members: $12. Non-members: 

$14. Saturdays, March 21 

& 28; April 18 & 25, or 

May 9 & 16, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. 

Brief Intervention Training 

Health care providers may 

enhance skills to help patients 

stop smoking. Updates on pharmaco-therapies 

and resources. 

CEU, CME, and Social Work 

credit awarded. Registration 

required. $25. Tuesday, February 

10, 8–11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 

16, 1–4:30 p.m. 

CPR for Health Care Providers 

For those responding to cardiorespiratory 

emergencies. Registration 

required. $50. Saturday, 

February 7, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Heartsaver CPR 

For lay rescuers requiring 

credentialing documentation 

(Nursing technicians, licensed 

daycare providers, lifeguards, 

security personnel, etc). 

Registration required. $50. 

Saturday, April 11 or May 2, 

9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Infant and Child CPR for 

Friends and Family 

For general public, parents, 

grandparents & unlicensed 

babysitters. Registration required. 

$45. Saturday, March 7 

or June 6, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

ONGOING DIABETES 

PROGRAMS 

Call 410-337-1382 for information 

and to register. 

Diabetes Self-Management 

Education Program 

ADA nationally recognized, 

one-hour individual assessment 

and nine hours multidisciplinary 

taught group classes. Fee: May 

be insurance reimbursable. 

Diabetes In-Check 

Two-hour annual follow-up for 

those who completed 2008 

training. Fee: May be insurance 

reimbursable. 

Diabetes Information 

Exchange 

Monthly meeting offers variety 

of diabetes topics. First Tuesday 

every month at 1 p.m. or 5:30 

p.m. February 3, March 3, April 

7, May 5, June 2 

SUPPORT GROUPS 

Caregivers’ 

First Thursday every month, 

7 p.m. February 5, March 5, 

April 2, May 7, June 4 


Crohn’s Disease and Colitis 

Tuesdays, 7 p.m. March 10 & 

May 12. Call 410-337-1479 to 

register. 

Ostomy 

Sundays, 2–4 p.m. March 8 & 

May 17. Call 410-337-1845 for 

information. 

Mood Disorders 

For persons affected by major 

depression, affective or bipolar 

disorders, manic depressive 

illness. Call 410-337-1584 for 

dates and information. 

Pregnancy Loss 

First Monday every month, 7 p.m. 

February 2, March 2, May 4, 

June 1 (none in April) 


Widow/Widower’s 

Six-week evening series for 

those whose spouse died more 

than three months ago. 

Registration required. Mondays: 

February 2–March 9, 5–6:30 p.m. 


SMOKING 

CESSATION 

Freshstart–Smoking 

Cessation Program 

Six-week program. Stop smoking 

quickly and stay stopped. Learn 

techniques to end need to 

smoke while avoiding triggers 

for starting again. Registration 

required. Wednesdays, 6–7:30 

p.m. March 4–April 8. April 

22–May 27. June 10–July 15 

No Butts About It–Smoking 

Cessation Support Group 

Professionally led group to help 

quitters maintain a tobacco-free 

life and provide those considering 

quitting with motivation and 

guidance. Wednesdays, 6–7 p.m. 

February 25, April 15, June 3 

RAISE–Teen Smoking 

Cessation Program 

Required Adolescent Intensive 

Smoking Education helps break 

the formation of a lifelong 

addiction. Registration required. 

Sliding scale fee. Three-session 

series. Times vary. March 15, 

18, & 19. May, 10, 13, & 14 

SPIRITUAL 

OFFERINGS 

Call 410-337-1109 for more 

information on these offerings: 

Memorial Mass for 

Deceased Patients 

Hospital Chapel 

Tuesday, March 3, 7 p.m. 

Pregnancy Loss Burial 

Service 

Holy Redeemer Cemetery 

Wednesday, April 22, 1 p.m. 

Family Programs 

Call 410-337-1880 for information, 

dates and times, or to register. 

Taught by registered nurses with 

maternal-child health nursing 

experience, certified in their fields. 

Childbirth Classes 

Breastfeeding Class 

Certified lactation consultant reviews 

basics including breastfeeding 

advantages, how-tos, special 

considerations and more. $20 per 

couple. Second Saturday monthly 

1–3:30 p.m. February 14, March 

14, April 11, May 9, June 13 

Childbirth Education Series 

In-depth instruction about labor 

and delivery, breathing techniques 

and relaxation, plus Cesarean birth, 

pain management and postpartum 

care. $60 per couple. Tour included. 

Offerings (Call for start dates): 

5-week series, Mondays or Wednesdays. 

3-week series, Thursday 

evenings or Saturday mornings 

Childbirth Review Class 

For couples who completed 

childbirth classes. Reviews labor 

and delivery, breathing techniques, 

plus sibling preparation. Tour not 

included. $20 per couple. Call for 

dates and times. 

Grandparents’ Class 

For those expecting their first 

grandchild at St. Joseph. Covers 

latest trends in maternity and infant 

care, including infant CPR. $10 per 

person. Held monthly, 6–8:30 p.m. 

March 5, April 16, May 21, June 25 

Family Ties 

Infant Massage 

For parents and newborn babies 

through six months old. Benefits 

include bonding and attachment, 

relaxation and stress reduction. 

Babies experience sense of trust, 

while relaxing to their parent’s 

gentle touch. Three weekly, 

90-minute classes. $45. February 13, 

20, & 27. March 20, 27, & 

April 3. May 8, 15, & 22 

Kangaroo Kapers 

For children ages 3–7 with families 

expecting new siblings. Includes 

mother/baby unit tour. $10 per child. 

Second Saturday monthly, 10:30– 

11:30 a.m. February 14, March 14, 

April 11, May 9, June 13 

Mothering Matters 

Free support group for new moms 

and their babies. Meets every 

Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–noon. 

Call for meeting location. 


Dedication of the New Home of Medical Breakthroughs! 

On December 8, 2008, supporters, friends, and staff of St. Joseph Medical Center joined community leaders in celebrating 

the dedication of the new main entrance, lobby, Heart Institute and The Cardinal William H. Keeler Spiritual Center 

that are now bringing world-class comfort and care to the region. 

2 

3 

4 

1 

1 Rabbi Mark Loeb, Cardinal William H. Keeler and Imam Earl El-Amin blessed the 

new space as John Tolmie, President and CEO of the medical center looked on. 

2 Denise and Mark Midei, M.D., interventional cardiologist, (second & third from 

left) and family in front of The Heart Institute Registration Area, named in honor 

of both of their parents. 

3 Cardinal Keeler talked with his close friends, Lillian and Willard Hackerman. 

4 Over 600 guests attended the ‘Heart and Spirit’ ceremony held beneath the 

Michio Ihara sculpture, aptly named “Grace.” 

5 Cardiologist Frank Morris, M.D., (left) and cardiac surgeon Stewart Finney, M.D., 

(right) with Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith. 

5 

Non Profit Rate 

US Postage 

PAID 

Mechanicsburg, PA 

Permit No. 301 

S p e c i a l O p e n i n g C e l e b r at i o n I s sue 

Free Heart Risk Screening: 

February 21. 

See page 14.

Welcome To The New Home Of Medical Breakthroughs - St. Joseph ...

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