Pictured above: Laura Bernfield’s husband, Jeff, and her sister-in-law Bonnie Waters.

Laura Bernfield was more than a nurse. She was more than a teacher. She was a beloved friend and mentor to many in the Monticello community, as devoted to her team and patients at IU Health White Memorial Hospital as she was to her students at Twin Lakes High School.

When she was faced with a terminal diagnosis—incurable brain cancer—she thought not only of herself and her family. She also thought of how to make sure that the health sciences educational programs she had worked so hard to build during her 25-year teaching career would live on, for the benefit of local students who wish to pursue careers in healthcare.

A request from the heart

In a heartfelt video message to Connie Jordan, manager of the inpatient unit at White Memorial Hospital, Bernfield expressed her wish for how the program could expand. In her message was a request for support from IU Health to help furnish a classroom that students could thrive in.

“Let’s make it good for the next generation,” says Bernfield in her message to Jordan, which was recorded in September 2022, near the end of her life. “Of all the people I know who could possibly make this happen, I’m pretty sure you can do it.”

It was a labor of love for Jordan and many others at IU Health White Memorial, IU Health Foundation, Twin Lakes School Corporation and the Indian Trails Career Cooperative to bring that dying wish to life.

Now, two years in the making, Bernfield’s wish is becoming reality.

Honoring a legacy

“Laura was a beloved part of the White Memorial team for many years before she pursued her second calling as an educator,” says Jordan. Bernfield was a full-time obstetrics nurse before transitioning to her second calling as an educator.

According to her obituary, “[Bernfield] adored her students and found tremendous joy guiding younger generations to achieve their career goals and serve their community in the fields of healthcare and nursing.”

“Her dedication to the community and the nursing world is unmatched,” says Renea Smith, chief nursing officer at White Memorial Hospital.

With $50,000 in support from IU Health Foundation and close collaboration among the school, the career cooperative and the White Memorial team, a revamped Health Science Education classroom at the Twin Lakes Career and Technical Building in Monticello officially opened in Bernfield’s honor on Wednesday, April 10.

More than 100 types of equipment were purchased to outfit the classroom, including everything from hospital beds, anatomically correct mannequins and stethoscopes to patient gowns, isolation signage and linens—everything that would be present in a real-world patient care environment, to ensure that students in the classroom can learn in a contemporary environment with modern, new equipment.

This new setup will take the program from one practice bay for students to three. The previous equipment was 25-plus years old, much of it broken and outdated and no longer serving student needs.

“We have been so excited to see this classroom come to life over the past few years,” says Jess Horlacher, assistant director of career and technical education at the Indian Trails Career Cooperative. “Now, to see it officially open, is not only a dream come true for Laura, but also for the rest of us who had the privilege of knowing her and get to carry the torch forward in her honor.”

“It will be so special to welcome graduates of the program to our team at IU Health one day and know that they are a direct result of Laura’s lasting impact in our community,” says Smith.

It was late October 2023, and Matt Wingler was working his regular shift as Deputy Chief of Owen Valley Fire Territory in Spencer.

He and his team were performing routine hose testing when the water pump abruptly ruptured, sending a large hose and metal coupling into his leg.

“I immediately got away from the truck,” says Wingler. “However, I couldn’t move my right leg without severe pain.”

His leg immediately started swelling to a concerning size, so his crew took him to a local hospital that confirmed severe soft tissue trauma but no fracture to the bone.

“I was discharged from the ER with no follow-up plan or pain management,” says Wingler. “After getting home, I knew it was worse than they thought since the pressure was building in my leg.”

He called his IU Health Primary Care provider, Margaret Pejeau, NP, and she and her team helped him manage the pain, but the continued swelling in his leg tore into an open wound.

That’s when Pejeau referred him to IU Health Wound Care.

“After the referral, things went so much better, and I will forever be thankful for the Bloomington wound care team,” he says.

“We have an excellent team that provides emotional support and detailed explanations on how wound care works,” says Wauneta Armstrong, FNP-C, who was part of Wingler’s Wound Care team. “The team here goes above and beyond every day to make sure our patients are comfortable.”

Wingler was sent for a CT scan to evaluate the severity after his first Wound Care appointment and the nurse practitioner called him after her shift to share the results so he’d have peace of mind over the weekend.

Within a month of weekly follow-up care by the IU Health Wound Care team, the open wound finally healed with no further complications.

Armstrong credits her team’s educational efforts on the importance of rest and wound care for the successful healing of this particular injury.

“I would just like to share my appreciation for the incredible, compassionate service provided by the IU Team,” says Wingler. “Every member of the IU Health team really showed compassion and a shared goal of healing my leg quickly so I could return to full duty.”

Norda Ratcliff’s decades of caring for others in the United States and abroad started in 1979 in the Emergency department at the legacy hospital in Bloomington.

“We shared life and death and so much in between,” says the adult nurse practitioner. “I wanted to fix everyone and everything, and I still do.”

Then came the burnout, which led to her discovering Cardiac Rehabilitation.

“I found myself coming home from work with sore face muscles,” she says. “It was from laughing and smiling so much. I’d never experienced a job like this before.”

Reinvigorated, the nurse returned to school for her Master of Science in Nursing degree. That’s when she found a little clinic in Jamaica where she could get much-needed clinical hours while helping those in need. On her first day, people lined up down the rural country road, with one young man carrying his elderly mother on his back for seven miles to get there.

The clinic was a small building with no electricity, water or working toilets, but the team was an organized group that helped many in need. And through these experiences, Ratcliff fell in love with the Jamaican people.

She worked at the clinic three times during her schooling and returned as a volunteer after graduation.

“I wanted my friends and others to experience the vast contrast in medical care that made such an impression on me, as well as the culture and professional staff I had grown to love and care about,” says the nurse. “My dream became MISSION JAMAICA.”

These medical missions included nurses and volunteers giving lipid checks, glucose, reading glasses, condoms, medications and education such as CPR training. During the missions, they visited a boys’ orphanage annually to donate essentials such as medical supplies, food, clothing, games and hygiene products. They also educated them on first aid, CPR/choking, splinting, and counseling.

“I still struggle with reverse culture shock,” says Ratcliff as she thinks of the differences between her experiences in Jamaica and the United States. “It is a struggle to return and function in a system where we have everything we need and desire to care for our patients knowing many others don’t have basic healthcare opportunities.”

That’s why she tries to decrease supplies waste and expenses as much as she can when caring for patients back in the States. And while she has decided to slow down a bit as a PRN with IU Health Occupational Services in Bedford, she’s not quite ready to retire.

“I don’t want to work every day, but I’m not ready to give up a career that I worked so hard for and has blessed me in so many ways,” she says, explaining how she doesn’t want to miss anything with her grandchildren.

She’s also not ready to stop contributing to the country that has meant so much to her.

“The orphanage recently moved since the original building burned down, and due to COVID-19, I haven’t been able to visit the new facility. But maybe this year I will.”

Stephen “Steve” Gentili had been healthy most of his life until he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. During “Donate Life Month” he shares his story.

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

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Stephen “Steve” Gentili was a year-round athlete. Baseball, basketball and football were his seasonal sports. In high school, he fell in love with football and balanced his training with weightlifting.

On the field he played safety and eventually moved into the spot of linebacker. After high school he moved to California, enrolled in UCLA, and continued playing the sport he loved.

Then, his life took a sharp turn.

“I had a series of incidents. My mom and sister passed away within a year. That was tough. I didn’t realize it then, but the game my sister watched, ended up being my last,” said Gentili. A torn meniscus took him out of the game. Even though he recovered, his heart wasn’t in it when his mom passed of complications from cancer and his sister died in a car accident three weeks later.

At 38, Gentili has spent most of his adult life pursuing powerlifting and has been recognized as a world-class powerlifter. At one point he could squat more than 800 pounds, and bench press 600 pounds.

When his body began to ache and his blood pressure elevated, doctors originally thought it was a symptom of Gentili’s physical workouts.

“They’d say something like, ‘you’re a young, healthy guy. Get some rest,’” said Gentili. “After a while I was so fatigue, I thought I’d lost my passion.” Along with competitive powerlifting, Gentili became a personal trainer at a gym in California. He moved to Indianapolis in 2018. Last November, he opened Indy City Barbell, a 24-hour gym on South College Ave.

At the time he opened the gym, Gentili was also experiencing declining health.

In 2019, he was diagnosed with Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a disease that causes scar tissues to build up in parts of the kidney that filter waste from the blood. Inherited genes can case a rare form of FSGS.

“My sister has a different type and my cousin was diagnosed after me. Because of me other family members discovered they have it. My grandpa died in the 60s and all we knew was it was related to his kidneys,” said Gentili, who is the youngest of six children.

In July 2019, Gentili ended up at IU Health Methodist Hospital. He spent a week in ICU. He was told then that his kidneys were so compromised that he would need to go on dialysis within a few months.

“After my hospital stay, I made a few adjustments to what I was eating, and rebounded a little. I started going once month for bloodwork and was stable but not great,” said Gentili. “Then COVID hit so I stayed away from the hospital. When I went back, I was going down hill fast. I felt sick and tired.” Within hours of new bloodwork, Gentili received a call from his doctor advising him to go to ER immediately.

After four years on dialysis, Gentili needed a new kidney. His sister, Susanne Gentili, a year older than Steve, was a match. A resident of Greenfield, Wisc., Susanne Gentili went through her donation remotely. Her kidney was shipped to IU Health where Steve received a transplant on Jan. 18, 2024. He was in the surgical care of IU Health’s Dr. William Goggins.

“The IU Health team was great and I had an immediate connection with Dr. Goggins. I liked his approach and his honesty,” said Gentili. “I’ve had eight orthopedic surgeries and the healing was a lot faster. The team at IU Health has been proactive and I’m doing everything they say to keep this kidney healthy.”

By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

IU Health, in collaboration with Bolt for the Heart, donated three automated external defibrillators to Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Centers. Each Susie’s Place location will receive one of the devices.

Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Centers have three new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) thanks to IU Health and Bolt for the Heart. Representatives from the three organizations gathered at IU Health West for the donation of the devices.

An AED is a lightweight, portable medical device that can help someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs can analyze the heart’s rhythm, determine if it’s abnormal and provide an electrical shock to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. According to the American Heart Association, a person’s chance of surviving drops by 7% to 10% every minute a normal heartbeat isn’t restored.

Susie’s Place conducts more than 1,500 forensic interviews each year with children who are suspected victims of abuse or neglect, attended by multidisciplinary teams of detectives, prosecutors, Department of Child Services professionals and more. The organization also provides critical support to children and families at their three locations in Avon, Bloomington and Terre Haute. One AED will be placed in each Susie’s Place location.

“Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Centers are designed to be safe places for children and families during their times of need,” says Emily Perry, executive director. “On more than one occasion, Susie’s Place has had to call 911 to respond to a crisis situation. IU Health’s donation of AEDs to our Avon, Bloomington and Terre Haute child advocacy centers helps Susie’s Place ensure that no matter what the crisis is, we are equipped to respond and potentially save a life.”

IU Health has a long-standing collaboration with Bolt for the Heart, a non-profit that raises money to provide lifesaving AEDs to those who can make an impact. When someone goes into cardiac arrest, an AED can provide extra time for that individual to make it to trained medical professionals.

“Minutes matter when someone experiences a cardiac arrest,” explains Cathy Stoll, executive director of Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region. Stoll also serves on the board for Susie’s Place. “Effective CPR and utilization of an AED, followed by great EMS care to get someone to the hospital where our highly skilled doctors can take over can make all the difference. Having an AED at Susie’s Place locations creates peace of mind in what can be an extraordinarily emotional and stressful setting. The donation also positions Susie’s Place to be a good neighbor to the businesses immediately surrounding their locations when and if someone is ever in need of an AED.”

22-year-old Jonathan Avalos is a patient on hospice at Methodist Hospital. He’s also a student at Purdue University. He and his friends have been enjoying watching the Purdue men’s basketball team make a deep run in this year’s NCAA tournament. When the team made the Final Four, Jonathan’s nurses planned a watch party for him and his loved ones. On Saturday evening they watched Purdue march to victory while sharing stories and eating delicious food catered by St. Elmo Steak House. “It means a lot seeing his family and everyone here being here for him,” said Alexa Gomez, one of Jonathan’s life-long friends. “It means a lot for me to see that he knows that there are people here for him… everyone’s here for him.”

By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

Cynthia Schafer, a Labor and Delivery nurse at IU Health North, created special hats to gift to babies born the same day as the solar eclipse.

When Felisha Canillas and her husband Nate found out her due date was April 8, they didn’t immediately realize it was the same day as the upcoming solar eclipse.

“People started telling us, and we liked the significance of the date,” Felisha says.

The couple came to IU Health North early that morning for Felisha to be induced, equipped with a moon outfit to match the theme. What they didn’t know is that they would also receive a special gift from one of the hospital’s team members.

Rowan Canillas was born a few minutes after Felisha’s induction in a quick and easy delivery. He weighs 7 pounds and measure 19.25 inches long.

After the delivery, the Labor and Delivery team presented the couple with a special eclipse hat, crafted by one of the nurses on the unit for babies born the same day as the solar eclipse.

Cynthia Schafer creates hats for babies born on all the major holidays throughout the year. When she heard about the eclipse, she decided to create hats for the big event as well.

“It is a once in a lifetime event so we thought it would be nice to make it special,” she says.

Felisha and Nate were surprised and touched by the gesture.

“I just love that it’s a little moon and sun,” Felisha says. “I think it’s very sweet she does that. That’s a very kind, loving heart.”

Now, the Canillas family is looking forward to introducing Rowan to his big brother and sister, ages six and four. The siblings are planning on bringing him a stuffed moon toy to match the theme of his birthday.

Ben Withers is a nurse on Methodist Hospital’s cardiac medical critical care unit. He cares for some of the sickest patients in Indiana. He’s also part of the hospital system’s nursing professional governance team that works to improve nursing and patient care in our hospitals. “I just love the nurses that I work with. They are so passionate and, especially at the level of care that we are, we have to be on our game and I just love being able to trust my coworkers that they have the knowledge and the desire and the work ethic and the team work to not let me drown when things are getting rough. I would go to bat for these people any day.”

Pamela Bryant was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. Fifteen years after her treatment, a routine examination found she had it again.

A double mastectomy removed the cancer, but there were complications with her attempted reconstruction. That’s when plastic surgeon Elizabeth Lucich, MD, came to her aid.

“Part of the reason I became a physician is to take care of patients like Pamela who have some sort of surgical issue they need to take care of in order to move on with their life and to get back to normal,” says Lucich, who works in Bloomington.

“It’s been a long journey, but one that’s so well worth it,” says Bryant. “To find a doctor who understands and has the compassion that Doctor Lucich has—I’d wish that for everyone.”