Damien Sighaka is a nurse at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. Originally from Cameroon, Damien graduated from medical school in Romania before moving to the United States to pursue medical residency. For the last ten years he has worked to overcome various hurdles that kept him from his goal. “I did apply to a few [residency] programs… but my number one choice was to stay right here,” said Damien, who recently matched with Ball Memorial’s internal medicine residency program. “I got this opportunity ten years after starting down this road. When you do something hard, you collect the reward afterward.”

“Dialysis is the most depressing and time-consuming part of this stormy season of my life,” says Kaci Jackson-Mileham, who has been waiting for a transplant since September 2021.

Jackson-Mileham was diagnosed at age seven with polycystic kidney disease. Her younger brother has the same disease.

“I was told the form of the disease I had would not cause me any problems until later in life,” she says. “I lived a pretty normal life with hardly any complications.”

At the age of 18, Jackson-Mileham partnered with IU Health Arnett nephrologist James Sutton, MD, for her care. He felt her kidney function was good and she had no major issues. Even during her first pregnancy, things were mostly ok.

Baby number 2 changed things

The plan she discussed with Sutton and her IU Health Arnett obstetrician Noel Wallace was to not have any more children due to the impact it could have on her kidneys. But life had other plans.

“I cried when I found out I was pregnant,” says Jackson-Mileham, whose kidneys began to decline by month seven of her pregnancy. “Dr. Sutton was very caring, very hands-on and explained that my disease is my disease. It will progress on its own time. Whichever way it goes, he was there to support me.”

Dialysis becomes a full-time job

On March 25, 2021, after the birth of her second child, it was time to begin dialysis.

“I was scared,” says Jackson-Mileham. Her brother was already on dialysis, so she understood what was coming. “I had a new baby at home. How was I going to do all this?”

When she arrived, Sutton was there waiting for her. He carried her bag to the room and stayed with her while the nurses did their prep work, then escorted her to her first appointment.

“He was very comforting and genuine. He held my hand the entire time, almost like a dad,” says Jackson-Mileham. “Dr. Sutton reminded me that I was so young and had so much life ahead of me. I realized he was right, and I could do this.”

She then transitioned to outpatient dialysis, which takes four to six hours each day — almost like a full-time job for a new mom who was on maternity leave from her full-time job.

“Dialysis is very emotional for me because most patients doing dialysis are near the end of their life,” says Jackson-Mileham. “Dr. Sutton visited me every week.”

Worries for the future

Jackson-Mileham’s brother died in December 2022. The loss has been hard on her — and on her oldest daughter, Abi.

Genetic testing has revealed Abi has the same disease as her mom, but her younger daughter (pictured at top of page) does not.

“This has been really hard on Abi,” says Jackson-Mileham. “When she was seven, she wanted to take my place so she could take away the pain. Now she wants to know if she will end up like her uncle Bubba.”

Abi plans to become a nephrologist like Sutton so she can cure her mom.

Waiting for a transplant

“A transplant would mean the world to me,” says Jackson-Mileham, who spreads the word online with the hashtag #KidneyforKaci. “I could be a better mom. A mom with more energy to do things with her children. I want more than anything to watch my girls grow to be women and fulfill their dreams. I fear without a transplant I’d be robbed of watching them continue to grow.”

Interested in giving the lifesaving gift of a kidney donation? Learn what it means to be a living donor.

<p><em><strong>A year ago, she celebrated a major accomplishment. Cristina Fontana hiked the summit of Africa’s highest peak – Mount Kilimanjaro. Recently, she celebrated another victory-hiking Everest Base Camp.</strong></em><br></p>
<p><em>By TJ Banes, Senior Journalist, IU Health, </em><a href=”mailto:tfender1@iuhealth.org”>tfender1@iuhealth.org</a></p>
<p>It can be said that Cristina Fontana has been on a journey that began years ago. It can also be said that her journey continues with a focus on raising awareness for living organ donation. </p>
<p>During Donate Life Month, Fontana accomplished a major feat toward that passion. For the second time in two years, she joined a group of living organ donors and advocates to scale a mountain – not just any mountain. Last year, she took a 17-hour flight to Tanzania where she hiked to Uhuru Peak. The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest freestanding mountain is 19,341 feet above sea level. </p>
<p>This month, she took a 16-hour flight to South Asia, where she hiked 17,500 feet to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp.</p>
<p>“As I reflect back on this experience, I’m grateful for my body and health that allowed me to take on this challenge,” said Fontana. Only about 30 percent of the people who start out on the climb are able to complete it due to such challenges as altitude sickness and injuries. “To me, this is a reminder that we can achieve anything we set our minds to as long as we put in the hard work and stay true to our passions.”</p>
<p>Fontana’s passion is bringing attention to the need for organ donation. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 100,000 people are on the transplant waiting list, and 13 people die each day waiting for a life-saving gift. Through sponsorship of mountain climbs, UNOs hopes to create awareness of the need for living organ donation. </p>
<p>For Fontana, it also creates awareness about life after organ donation. Her Kilimanjaro hike included a message: “I have one kidney and I made it to the top of Kilimanjaro.”</p>
<p>Born in Caracas, Venezuela Fontana recalls at the age of nine, her father was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. He died when she was 14. At the time, she wanted so badly to save his life by donating a kidney but age was an obstacle. </p>
<p>“His illness and death forever changed my life,” said Fontana, a resident of Zionsville, Ind. Later, her mother passed of complications from lung disease. She was on dialysis for four months and was not a candidate for transplant. </p>
<p>“The death of both my parents created a heightened sense of need for me to help others,” said Fontana. </p>
<p>That day came on Jan. 25, 2018 when she became a kidney donor. She didn’t know her recipient; she just knew someone needed her kidney. She later learned that “someone” was a 21-year-old Frankfort resident who had been on dialysis for three years awaiting transplant. Coincidentally, Spanish was his first language. The two became better acquainted following transplant. </p>
<p>“The idea of giving life to someone ignited my soul,” said Fontana. Prior to her kidney donation she worked as a nurse at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health and also as a radiation therapist at IU Health Methodist Hospital. Six months after the organ transplant, Fontana became a transplant living donor coordinator at IU Health University Hospital. </p>
<p>She recently changed careers working as a certified health coach and yoga instructor. </p>
<p>“My recent journey to Everest Base Camp was a dream of a lifetime that I had been preparing for both mentally and physically, for close to a year,” said Fontana. “I’m so proud of myself for taking on this incredible challenge and completing it, but more importantly, for doing it for a cause that’s close to my heart – raising awareness on kidney donation and that donors can achieve outstanding accomplishments post donation.”</p>

<p><em><strong>One Occupational Therapy student followed a special interest and made his Capstone project a ‘reality.’</strong></em><br></p>
<p><em>By TJ Banes, Senior Journalist, IU Health, </em><a href=”mailto:tfender1@iuhealth.org”>tfender1@iuhealth.org</a></p>
<p>As he waited for a lung transplant, Robert Stahlhut worked with therapists to strengthen his body for the life saving procedure. </p>
<p>Two of those caregivers were Occupational Therapist, Alex Robinson, and Occupational Therapy student Alex Harris. From the comfort of his room, Stahlhut, a resident of Fort Thomas, Ky., received both occupational therapy, and a little reprieve from his long hospital stay. </p>
<p>Harris is completing his final semester of the occupational therapy doctoral program at IUPUI. As his capstone project, he introduced patients like Stahlhut to the concept of virtual reality. The project aligns with IU Health’s teaching component of the hospital. Robinson, along with Heather Weber were Harris’ mentors on the project. </p>
<p>Capstone projects allow students the opportunity to focus on research and solutions that can be incorporated into hospital settings. Harris learned about virtual reality and how it is used in therapy in a technology class at IUPUI. </p>
<p>In his time with IU Health, Harris worked with more than a dozen patients at Methodist and University Hospitals. The majority of his patients were hospitalized for transplants and ranged in age from 70 to 15. </p>
<p>“We worked closely with the Infection Prevention and IT Departments to introduce virtual reality and we are getting positive feedback from the patients who have used it and how it is impacting their care,” said Shelly Hamilton, IU Health Occupational Therapy Manager. The team also collaborated with the Innovations Lab and the Methodist Hospital Library, said Hamilton.</p>
<p>Sitting in a comfortable chair Stahlhut wore a headset and maybe for a brief moment forgot he was hospitalized. As Harris helped him focus on computer-generated images, Robinson monitored his vitals. </p>
<p>Virtual reality is a simulated 3D environment that allows patients to explore and interact with a virtual surrounding. A beach scene, a game, or a hike through the mountains can transport patients to another place. And while they are exploring those far-off places, they are also receiving necessary therapy. </p>
<p>“There are specific goals for each patient. We may be trying to help lower the anxiety levels by taking them to a beach scene, or we may be working on balance with a more active game,” said Harris, who has trained other hospital occupational therapists in the use of virtual reality. For patients working on upper body strengthening, the virtual reality scene may require a patient to reach out with the controllers to shoot off fireworks. “They are doing the exercises without thinking about it,” said Harris.</p>
<p>Ideal candidates for the use of virtual reality are patients who have extended hospital stays. </p>
<p>“When patients are here for a long time, virtual reality is an interventional tool. It makes their time a little more enjoyable and it also can be used as a distraction from the hospital setting,” said Harris. To gage the success of the project, Harris has collected both quantitive (measuring pain, anxiety and nausea, for example) and qualitative data (what patients report and what therapists observe). The results have been positive enough to keep the program going with the help of therapists like Robinson who has worked alongside Harris.</p>
<p>Robinson earned both undergraduate and master’s degrees from UINDY. He said he became interested in occupational therapy when he was a junior in high school.</p>
<p>“I experienced radial nerve palsy in my hand and was introduced to occupational therapy,” said Robinson, who works with cardio pulmonary patients at Methodist Hospital. “I like helping people get back to what they need and love to do. It sounds simple but it’s something a lot of people take for granted.” </p>
<p>Harris earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from IU Bloomington. </p>
<p>“I didn’t know what I’d do with psychology and when I got the chance to shadow an OT near my home in Muncie, I thought it was cool to see the holistic approach that involves the social, mental and overall well-being of patients.”</p>

Most people don’t exactly look forward to their annual gynecological exam, especially if it’s time for a pap smear. But these screenings are essential for catching health concerns as early as possible.

Read this Q&A with IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians Obstetrics and Gynecology provider Maryam Egenolf, NP, MSN, WHNP-BC, to learn more.

Why are annual gynecological appointments necessary?

They help facilitate preventative care. As providers, we want to ensure you are up to date on your routine screenings (pap smears as cervical cancer screening, mammogram as breast screening, colonoscopy as colon cancer screening, bone density scan as osteoporosis screening, and STD screenings).

Additionally, it’s important to check in with a provider yearly to ask questions about your health and discuss topics such as your menstrual cycle, family planning, and personal healthcare goals.

What is an annual appointment like?

I want to know what matters most to the patient, so I address any questions or concerns and then discuss the care plan.

Next, I like to ask if I should know anything to facilitate patient comfort (ex: anxiety, history of trauma, pelvic discomfort). Typically, I will listen to a patient’s heart and lungs, palpate their thyroid/ surrounding lymph nodes, offer a breast exam, and offer a pelvic exam.

The patient has the right to defer any portion of their examination.

Why are regular pap smears important?

Pap smears are a screening test for abnormal cells that could indicate cervical cancer. They are typically given every 3 – 5 years, or sooner, depending on the patient.

What is the pap smear process?

A speculum and light are used to see the cervix, and a soft brush collects a sample of cells. This process is typically painless, but I encourage patients to tell me if they are experiencing any discomfort throughout the test.

How can people prepare for a pap smear?

No preparation is needed. It is OK if you are on your period, just as long as the flow is not too heavy.

When should someone start getting pap smears?

Cervical cancer screenings typically start at the age of 21 but may need to be started sooner if the patient is immunocompromised.

When should someone make an appointment outside of their annual exam?

Anytime a patient has questions or needs regarding their health.

When should someone start getting an annual appointment?

There is no specific time. I like to see patients before they become sexually active to discuss the HPV vaccine and safe sex practices.

What is HPV?

Cuman papillomavirus (HPV) is sexually transmitted and can result in cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against future exposure to nine of the most common HPV infections.

What else should people know?

Healthcare should be a collaboration between the patient and their provider. Shared decision-making empowers patients to feel they are in control of their care. The provider and the patient have the same goal: The patient’s best interest.

<p><em><strong>After suffering with kidney disease for more than 20 years, this Brownsburg resident received a new lease on life from an unexpected living donor.</strong></em><br></p>
<p><em>By TJ Banes, Senior Journalist, IU Health, </em><a href=”mailto:tfender1@iuhealth.org”>tfender1@iuhealth.org</a></p>
<p>Like many people needing a kidney transplant, Gary Sinclair turned to his family first and then social media. </p>
<p>“Family helps family when they can. The process went beautifully until a complication during the last stage made donating too great a risk,” Sinclair wrote. His story was shared through a first-person account published in the March issue of Brownsburg Magazine. </p>
<p>With no immediate familial options, Sinclair and his wife, Jackie, turned to social media. The couple has been married for 47 years and are the parents to two children. They also have six grandsons. </p>
<p>It was a Facebook post that caught the eye of Annette Brown, also a Brownsburg resident. At one time, Brown’s husband, Pete Brown, and Sinclair were on the worship team together at Ben Davis Christian Church. </p>
<p>Annette Brown had something else in common with Sinclair. She too had experienced the challenges of kidney disease. Her mother received a kidney transplant from a family donor. </p>
<p>Brown was motivated to give back and began testing as a possible match. </p>
<p>Living donors undergo an initial screening, multiple tests and evaluations. </p>
<p>Living kidney donors reduce or eliminate the need for patients to start dialysis and a healthy kidney from a living donor can function better and last longer than a kidney from a deceased donor. A living kidney donor isn’t necessarily related to the recipient. Compatibility is based on blood type and tissue typing. Age and size are also taken into consideration.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before Sinclair learned that Brown was a near-perfect match. On Dec. 14, 2022, Brown gave her kidney to Sinclair. The two were in the care of IU Health’s <a href=”https://iuhealth.org/find-providers/provider/chandru-p-sundaram-md-9570″>Drs. Chandru Sundaram</a> and <a href=”https://iuhealth.org/find-providers/provider/william-c-goggins-md-6322″>William Goggins</a>. </p>
<p>“We are convinced that God did a major miracle in bringing us together at just the right time, in the right place. It was extra special that we both happen to live in the same community,” wrote Sinclair. </p>
<p>“I received a gift worth millions that I plan to take care of and always be grateful for.”</p>

From working in the cafeteria on the tray line in high school to now supervising the IU Health South Central Region Rehabilitation Resource Pool, Meredith Southern, OTR/L, CLT, MBA, has deep roots in the region. In fact, her connection to IU Health Bloomington is a family affair.

“My mom was a nurse, my dad did security, my sister works here as a nurse, as does my sister-in-law,” says Southern.

She started working at the legacy hospital when she was 16 years old before going to school for occupational therapy (OT) while working with the rehabilitation team as a technologist. Southern earned her OT license in 2004 and became a full-time OT.

And then, one week before COVID-19 hit, she transitioned into her supervisor role. Southern now splits her time between caring for patients and her supervisory role, and she is always ready to step in to help with patients in Bloomington, Bedford and Paoli.

OTs are integral for discharging inpatients. After all, they help prepare these individuals to care for themselves outside the hospital.

“I tell my patients our focus is making sure they can do everything they need to do,” says Southern. “That includes your activities of daily living—we want to make sure they can get dressed, go to the bathroom, fix a meal if they need to—things in the home.”

One of her favorite parts of the job is seeing the smile on a patient’s face when they do something as seemingly insignificant as brushing their teeth for the first time in days because before then, they couldn’t do it on their own.

OTs provide other services, including therapy for recovering from an injury to return to work and outpatient care focused on what is important to the patient.

“We touch on many different areas for a lot of different people,” says Southern. “Our goals depend on where they’re at and what they’re focusing on.”

And her team is there to help each other all along the way, collaborating on how to serve their patients best.

Danielle Dowden and Morgan Haney knew they wanted to be occupational therapists at a young age. For Occupational Therapy Month, the two women explained what their job looks like at IU Health Saxony–soon to be IU Health Fishers–and how they help patients regain independence.

Terri Stuart, 69, and her husband John, 74, have been attending IU Health Ball’s free community skin cancer screening for over ten years. When their daughter, Amber Wheat, radiation therapy supervisor at the hospital’s Cancer Center, told them about the opportunity to be checked for skin cancer at the yearly free screening, they decided to make a date of it and have continued to do so every year since.

“The screening is a great way to detect any abnormalities or suspicious growths at an early stage,” said Terri. “The events are always very organized, with several local professionals volunteering their time and knowledge.”

Increased sun exposure on unprotected skin can cause burns to the skin’s surface, which causes skin to age at a faster rate and puts you at an increased risk for developing skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with 1 in 5 Americans projected to develop skin cancer by the age of 70. It’s also one of the most preventable cancers.

Skin cancer can show up in the form of new spots that appear anywhere on your body, a spot that doesn’t look like anything else on your body, a sore that doesn’t heal, redness or swelling beyond the boarder of a mole, surface changes to a mole and itching, pain or tenderness in an area that doesn’t go away or repeatedly comes back.

You should be examining your skin regularly to notice any new growths or changes, but with so many ways skin cancer can appear, it’s important to leave the diagnosing up to the professionals. Some primary care doctors may do an examination during your regular check-up, but it’s suggested that you also meet with a dermatologist annually for a visual skin cancer screening. You—like the Stuarts—can also take advantage of free skin cancer screenings that are offered locally throughout the year.

For their inaugural free screening at Ball, the Stuarts brought along John’s father, who had several spots and bumps from being a farmer and spending a lot of time outside in the sun, for a full body check. John, meanwhile, had spot checks done on his ears and nose. The Stuarts say that the screeners knew exactly what they were looking for and provided business cards with dermatologists’ names and phone numbers for convenience. Some years have yielded follow-up appointments with a dermatologist, and the Stuarts say the doctors are always grateful when they are handed the documents from the free community screening.

“The opportunity to detect and catch early warning signs of cancer is what keeps us coming back all these years later,” said Terri. “You may think nothing of a spot, but it could actually be an issue you didn’t know you had.”

Terri and John encourage their fellow community members to call and make a scheduled appointment for the skin cancer screening, to bring a loved one, and to write down any questions or concerns in advance. They also advise bringing a pencil and paper to write down any information the doctor may tell you.

“We encourage others not to be hesitant or afraid to sign up for this cancer screening,” Terri said. “They are so helpful to your health, and it’s important to do it for yourself. Plus, you can make it a family trip together and go out for dinner after like we do!”

IU Health Ball, in partnership with area dermatology offices, will be sponsoring a free skin cancer screening Thursday, May 18 with appointments beginning at 6 pm at the hospital’s Cancer Center. Space is limited, so make an appointment today. To make an appointment or for more information, call 765.751.2727.

She started her role with IU Health working in the transplant unit and has continued moving up with new roles.

By TJ Banes, Senior Journalist, IU Health, tfender1@iuhealth.org.

She never really thought about working in the medical field. It just happened.

Catina Harris started her career at IU Health working as a receptionist in the transplant unit in 1996. Over the years, she has worked as a data clerk, a database specialist and now as a project coordinator in quality control.

Harris credits her personal and professional drive with the family that raised her. She was born in Indianapolis, and at the age of nine, moved with her brother and mother to Mississippi.

“My grandma had 11 children in Mississippi and my mom was next to the last. She didn’t finish high school. Living in Mississippi in the 60s was very hard. Some of my mother’s other siblings had already moved to Indianapolis, so that’s when she decided to pack us up and move there too,” said Harris. “You’d never know my mom didn’t have a high school diploma; she was a hard worker and inspired me to always do better.”

When Harris and her mother moved back to Indianapolis, her mother worked at Brightwood Community Center, dedicated to building stronger families and vibrant communities. Through her membership with St. Paul United Methodist Church, her mother helped out in the local food and clothing pantry. “She was a facilitator for a program teaching young women about survival skills. I always admired her way of giving back to the community, her drive and her love and support,” said Harris.

Back in Indianapolis, Harris graduated from North Central High School and enrolled in Central State University in Ohio.

“I was a mama’s girl and I didn’t like being away from home so after a year I came home and started looking for work. That’s when I ended p at IU Health,” said Harris. She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Martin University – working and going to school full time.

“One thing led to another and something hit me upside the head and I decided to go for my MBA,” said Harris. She enrolled in the University of Phoenix and continued working at IU Health.

She lost her mother two and half years ago and says she has been surrounded by strong women. Many are part of Sigma Gamma Rho, a historically African American sorority. The organization was founded in 1922 by seven educators on the Butler University campus. Harris has been involved in numerous service projects with the sorority, some involving health initiatives.

Over a span of 27 years, Harris said she’s learned more than she ever thought possible about IU Health’s transplant program.

“I’ve been behind the scenes and I’ve seen the outcomes of patients who come into the department very sick and then are transplanted and their lives improve,” she said. She describes her current role as “the compliance police,” making sure nurses are completing all medical record documents correctly during the entire patient transplant phase, and audits all the organ transplant procedures at IU Health, including kidney, liver, heart, lung, intestine, and pancreas. “I was 22 when I started and they’ve been with me through highs and lows. The team members genuinely care personally and professionally.”

Outside of work, Harris enjoys family time, line dancing, sorority activities, and spin classes. She also loves being a fur mom to her dog, “Miss Bianca.”