MARSHALL FOR YOUR HEALTH-DECEMBER 2025

For Your
Health
Caring. Connecting. Elevating.
DECEMBER 2025
Empowering
Your
Comeback
Rehabilitation, Resilience, and Renewal
Reach Out and Read
6 Surprising Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease

Rehabilitation,
Resilience, and Renewal
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“Alone, you are
strong, but together,
you’ll be stronger
than ever!”
When her pulmonologist, Dr.
Ravi Chopra, first referred
Ruth Weeks for pulmonary
rehabilitation, her lung function
was just 19%. She arrived at
her evaluation appointment at
Marshall’s Placerville Pulmonary
Rehabilitation facility on October
26, 2024, in a wheelchair, unable
to walk or drive.
Ruth was determined to be able to
exercise to qualify for the double
lung transplant she was told she
needed. At the time, she did not
qualify for the life-saving procedure
because of her weight. With the
support of family and her medical
teams at Marshall and Stanford
Hospital, she persevered and was
soon able to build up her stamina,
using the rehabilitation clinic’s
NuStep exercise equipment for up
to 40 minutes without stopping.
Session after session, Ruth
increased her stamina as she
worked toward a goal of getting
out of the wheelchair and
reclaiming her independence. With
work, she was ultimately able to
walk more and even drive herself
to appointments.
On March 4, 2025 – just 129 days
after her pulmonary rehabilitation
evaluation – the call from Stanford
came; her new lungs were ready
for transplant. She was packed
and ready, but in a cruel twist,
when the donated lungs arrived
at Stanford, the transplant team
determined they were not up to
standard. Ruth left disappointed
but not discouraged.
The delay was only a matter of
days. Ruth received a successful
double lung transplant on March 8
at Stanford Hospital with her family
beside her. Following the surgery,
Ruth was relying on a ventilator
to breathe and was expected to
be unconscious for three weeks.
After only nine days, however, she
was able to leave the hospital. Her
resilience and the support of her
care network had paid off.
“It took about three days to adjust
to my new lungs once I was taken
off the ventilator,” Ruth said. “But
very quickly, I felt self-sufficient.
Talk about a breath of fresh air!”
Ruth returned to Marshall to
continue her rehabilitation, and
her lung function increased
to 80%. Just months after her
transplant, Ruth was able to climb
the 160 feet of stairs at the bluffto-beach
access point to Seal Cove
beach. She recently went on her
first camping trip in 12 years.
Ruth is especially grateful to her
daughter-in-law Georgia, who
was by her side throughout the
entire journey, and whose support
helped make everything seem
possible. She is looking forward
to enjoying her family, including
a 15th grandchild, and to getting
out and living the active lifestyle
her network of family and medical
partners has helped her achieve.
2 | FOR YOUR HEALTH | www.marshallmedical.org

ABOUT MARSHALL
Marshall is an independent,
nonprofit community
healthcare provider
located in the heart of the
Sierra Foothills between
Sacramento and South
Lake Tahoe. Marshall
includes Marshall Hospital,
a fully accredited acute
care facility with 111 beds
located in Placerville;
several outpatient facilities
in Cameron Park,
El Dorado Hills, Placerville
and Georgetown; and
many community health
and education programs.
Marshall has nearly 220
licensed providers and
a team of over 1,400
employees providing
quality healthcare services
to the residents of
El Dorado County.
For Your Health is
published as a community
service by
MARSHALL
1100 Marshall Way
Placerville, CA 95667
telephone 530-622-1441
or 916-933-2273;
www.marshallmedical.org
It is intended to provide
information about health in
general as well as healthcare
services and resources
available in El Dorado County.
Information comes from a
wide range of medical experts.
If you have any concerns
or questions about specific
content that may affect your
health, please contact your
healthcare provider.
To reach the editor of For Your
Health, contact Fernando
Diaz at 530-626-2675 or
fdiaz@marhsallmedical.org
6 Surprising Facts
About Alzheimer’s
Disease
Here is some lesser-known
information about this
increasingly common condition.
When most people think of Alzheimer’s
disease, memory loss is the first thing
that comes to mind. But although
it’s true that forgetfulness is a major
symptom, there’s much more to this
condition than simply misplacing keys or
forgetting names.
Alzheimer’s affects the brain in many
different ways, and new research
continues to uncover surprising details
about how it starts, how it progresses,
and what might increase or lower your
risk. Understanding these lesser-known
facts can help you spot early warning
signs, support loved ones, and even
make lifestyle changes that may protect
your brain.
Here are six surprising things about
Alzheimer’s that may change the way
you think about this disease:
1. Alzheimer’s doesn’t always start
with memory loss. Early symptoms
can sometimes show up in areas other
than memory. Changes in language,
vision, or decision-making can
appear first. A person might struggle
to find the right words, misjudge
distances, or make choices that seem
out of character. These non-memory
symptoms are often overlooked but can
serve as early warning signs.
2. Sleep plays a bigger role than you
think. Getting good sleep isn’t just
about feeling rested. It helps the brain
clear away harmful proteins that are
linked to Alzheimer’s. Even one night
of poor sleep can increase the levels of
these proteins. Over time, missing out
on deep, restorative sleep may raise the
risk of developing the disease.
3. Misdiagnosis happens more than
you’d expect. Because symptoms
overlap with other conditions like
depression or vitamin deficiencies,
Alzheimer’s is sometimes mistaken for
something else. In fact, research shows
that as many as one in four diagnoses
may be incorrect. Getting a second
opinion from a specialist can help
ensure the right diagnosis and care.
4. Alzheimer’s can strike younger
people. Although it’s much more
common in people over 65, Alzheimer’s
can appear in people as young as their
40s or 50s. This is called early-onset
Alzheimer’s, and while it’s rare, it can
be especially challenging because
symptoms may be dismissed as stress
or other issues.
5. Women are at higher risk than
men. Almost two-thirds of Americans
living with Alzheimer’s are women.
Part of this is because women tend
to live longer, but researchers believe
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Marshall Announces Partnership
With Reach Out and Read, Bringing
Books Into the Exam Room to Boost
Childhood Health and Literacy
Thanks to generous grants from
Arata Brothers Trust and the Marshall
Foundation for Community Health,
Marshall Pediatrics is launching
an innovative program to promote
health literacy and underscore the
importance of reading among parents
of infants and young children.
In June 2025, Marshall Pediatrics
became a program site of Reach Out
and Read (ROAR), a transformative
nationwide program designed to
intertwine literacy with healthcare by
integrating book sharing and reading
aloud into pediatric care. Through
this program, at yearly check-ups and
kindergarten screenings, Marshall
pediatric providers will discuss with
parents the difference that reading
aloud to their children can make in
their development. Children will then
be given the opportunity to select a
free, age-appropriate book from the
clinic’s library shelf. Marshall’s goal is
to distribute 5,000 books annually.
“Something as simple as a book can
be one of the most important things
I give to a parent,” said Dr. Courtney
LaCaze-Adams, pediatrician and lead
for the ROAR initiative at Marshall.
“With approximately 80% of a
child’s brain development occurring
by the age of 3, early exposure to
reading is pivotal in maximizing
a child’s developmental potential.
Reading aloud improves language
development, increases listening
skills, grows curiosity, and strengthens
families.”
Since the June selection, staff have
been trained, and books have been
purchased. The hope is that the
program can expand throughout
Marshall and its family medicine
clinics in El Dorado Hills and
Georgetown’s Divide Wellness Center.
Focusing on children aged 0-5
years, ROAR leverages the trusted
relationship between medical
providers and families to foster a
culture of reading at home, critical for
early brain development and future
academic success. This initiative is
not just about distributing books;
it is about educating caregivers on
the significance of reading aloud
and its profound impact on a child’s
developmental trajectory.
Marshall is only the second ROAR
site in El Dorado County. With more
than 3,700 patients between 0 and 5
years old in 2024, and an anticipated
increase in well-child visits, Marshall
is poised to implement ROAR to
benefit our region’s youngest and
most impressionable residents.
4 | FOR YOUR HEALTH | www.marshallmedical.org

How Diabetes
Affects Your Heart
If you have diabetes, it can
increase your risk of heart-related
issues, but these tips can help.
It’s no secret that managing blood sugar
levels is a key part of staying healthier
when you have diabetes. But do you
know why keeping blood sugar under
control is so important? High blood
sugar can take a toll on many parts of
the body over time, especially the heart.
In fact, people with diabetes are at a
much higher risk for heart disease and
stroke than those without the condition.
The connection between diabetes and
heart health may not seem obvious,
but understanding it can help you
make choices that protect your heart
for years to come. Here is some
insight into how diabetes can affect
your heart, as well as what you can do
to keep your heart healthier.
How Diabetes Affects Your Heart
Diabetes creates changes in your
blood vessels and circulation that may
result in:
• Blood vessel damage. High blood
sugar can injure the lining of the large
blood vessels that provide circulation
to your heart and brain. Over time,
they can become stiff or narrowed,
which makes it harder for blood to
flow freely. This increases the risk of
heart attacks and strokes.
• Weakened heart muscle. Diabetes
also causes narrowing of the small
blood vessels going directly to the heart
muscle, making it harder for the heart
to pump blood effectively. This can
lead to heart failure, which may cause
fatigue, swelling, and shortness of
breath.
• Other health issues. People with
diabetes often also have high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, or obesity.
Each of these conditions adds strain
to the heart and speeds up damage.
Because diabetes can damage nerves,
some people don’t feel classic warning
signs of heart trouble, such as chest
pain. That means heart disease may
be more advanced by the time it’s
discovered.
Steps You Can Take to Protect
Your Heart
The good news is that although
diabetes raises your risk of developing
cardiovascular issues, there’s a lot you
can do to protect your heart. Small daily
habits make a big difference, and these
tips can help:
• Keep blood sugar in range.
Monitoring your levels, following
your care plan, and taking
medications as prescribed all help
prevent damage to your blood vessels.
• See your doctor regularly. Routine
visits give your care team a chance
to check your blood pressure,
cholesterol, and kidney health and
run tests to spot heart problems early.
• Eat with your heart in mind. Fill
your plate with fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, lean proteins, and
healthy fats. Cutting back on
processed foods and sugary drinks
helps too.
• Stay active. Moving your body helps
in many ways. It improves how you
use insulin, lowers blood pressure,
helps control weight, and boosts
overall heart health. Even a daily walk
counts.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Losing
even a small amount of weight can
improve blood pressure, cholesterol,
and blood sugar levels, all of which
lighten the load on your heart.
• Quit smoking. Smoking damages
blood vessels and speeds up heart
disease. Quitting is one of the best
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A Comeback
Story With
Heart
But considering it was less than six
months after Patty’s open-heart surgery,
it was quite an accomplishment!
Patty is an avid cyclist, something she
and her husband have shared since they
met. Parents to six and grandparents to 11,
they rode their birthday and anniversary
years in miles each year. At 57, she started
running because her daughter, Emily,
was training for the CIM and Patty didn’t
want her to run alone. A new passion
was born.
In 2024, Patty was training for
Sacramento’s Shamrock’n Half
Marathon when she underwent a heart
catheterization. The procedure revealed
that although her arteries were clean,
Patty had severe aortic stenosis, a
condition where the valve that controls
blood flow from the heart to the body
becomes narrowed. In March 2025, Patty
had open-heart aortic valve surgery.
Patty wanted her active lifestyle back. Her
doctor was hesitant to refer her to cardiac
rehabilitation because she was such an
accomplished athlete and so, surely, she
could do the work on her own. Patty’s
surgeon and her running coach, however,
strongly encouraged her to enroll in
Marshall’s cardiac rehabilitation program.
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On September 13, 2025, Patty Vander
Dussen completed the El Dorado Hills
Gold Country Run. Completing a local “fun
run” might not seem like a tremendous
accomplishment for someone who has
participated in the California International
Marathon (CIM), the Boston Marathon, the
American River 50 Mile Endurance Run,
the Kauai Half Marathon, and a 100K 24-
hour run in San Francisco (she stopped at
62.33 miles – her age at the time), among
countless others.
Marshall’s Pritikin Intensive Cardiac
Rehabilitation has three core pillars:
exercise, nutrition, and a healthy
mindset. For some, adopting a healthy
mindset means establishing new active,
healthy habits. For Patty, however, it
6 | FOR YOUR HEALTH | www.marshallmedical.org

meant slowing down to allow her heart and her chest
incision time to fully heal and recover. Marshall’s cardiac
rehabilitation tailors its program to fit the needs of each
patient, and Patty credits the team with teaching her to
pace herself during her recovery.
“Honestly, cardiac rehab saved me from myself mentally
as well as physically,” Patty said. “I was feeling pretty
down about staying home, hurting, not working, and
doing my regular routine. It was a very emotional time
for me. With the help of a heart monitor and nurses
and qualified medical staff watching me, I knew I was
in a safe place to push myself and see what I could do.
I am forever grateful for this team who lovingly cared
for each one of us in class … all of us on our own fitness
journeys. Through cardiac rehab, I am stronger mentally,
emotionally, and physically. I have an insatiable need to
be strong, and these classes, this amazing team, and the
new friends I have met through this process gave me an
excellent start to getting my strength back.”
...story continued from page 3
there may also be biological and hormonal reasons that
increase women’s risk compared with men.
6. Many people die with Alzheimer’s, but not
necessarily from Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is one of
the top causes of death among older adults, but it isn’t
always listed as the direct cause. That’s because people
with Alzheimer’s often develop other health problems
along the way. On average, someone may live four to
eight years after diagnosis, although some live much
longer.
Today, more than 7 million Americans over 65 live with
Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to nearly double
by 2060. As people live longer, this complex disease is
becoming more common, and the more we understand
about this condition, the better prepared we are to face it
and support those affected.
...story continued from page 5
things you can do for your heart and overall health.
• Manage stress. Chronic stress can raise blood pressure and
make healthy habits harder to follow. Find ways to relax,
such as deep breathing, meditation, or talking with friends.
Diabetes may increase your risk of heart problems, but by
understanding the connection and taking steps to manage
your health, you can help keep your heart stronger. Focus on
what you can control, such as blood sugar management, diet,
activity, and stress reduction, and partner with your doctor to
stay on track. Small choices add up, and each step you take is
a step toward a healthier heart now and in the future.
Healing
Garden
Dedication
Honors Legacy
of Janet
Nachtman
This fall, Marshall hosted a special celebration to honor the
completion of the Janet Nachtman Cancer Healing Garden
at the Marshall Cancer Center, a UC Davis Health affiliate.
What was once a bare dirt field has been transformed into a
serene and beautiful garden, the result of years of planning,
planting, and a true community effort.
Kat Olah, Marshall Infusion Center charge nurse, said, “This
garden brings peace and comfort to our patients and their
families. It symbolizes hope and healing, giving patients a
sense of calm during some of the most challenging times of
their lives.”
The Healing Garden, made possible through countless
volunteer hours and the generosity of donors through the
Marshall Foundation for Community Health, honors Janet
Nachtman, a longtime El Dorado County resident and wife
of former Marshall CEO Frank Nachtman. Janet passed
away from cancer in 2003. Her vision and passion to find
a better pathway for cancer patients laid the foundation
for the Cancer Center itself. The Healing Garden continues
her legacy by offering patients undergoing transfusion and
chemotherapy a therapeutic space to view and enjoy.
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SPRING 2025
*The American Diabetes Association
Recognizes this education service as
meeting the National Standards for
Diabetes Self-Management Education
and Support.