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SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTHCARE...SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTHCARE...SPIRITUALITY IN

Spiritual Support Aids Healing at Miami Cancer Institute

BY PATTY SHILLINGTON
Miami Cancer Institute chaplains hold regular services in the Institute’s
When Hurricane Irma was swirling chapel, including Roman Catholic mass at 12 noon Wednesdays and 8 a.m.
toward South Florida, Richard and Fridays, and interfaith service at noon on Mondays. A Sabbath of Wholeness
Peggy Pitkin received a phone call amid service offered in collaboration with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is
their storm preparations. It was Rev. held the second Friday of every month. Rev. Escalona also presents a number of
Guillermo Escalona, director of Pastoral programs in English and Spanish, including one called Look Up, There’s Hope, in
Care at Miami Cancer Institute, check- which he helps attendees learn to use their thoughts and feelings to help them
ing in to see if they needed anything. cope. For a schedule of events, visit MiamiCancerInstitute.com.
The call was unexpected and boosted
their morale. It made such a difference
for the Coconut Grove couple to know “In palliative care, we are trained to Wertheim College of Medicine. And he
that Rev. Escalona cared about them. ask our patients about their spirituality teaches continuing education courses to
Not only was the couple bracing for the and use this information to make refer- nurses and other healthcare providers
hurricane, but also dealing with cancer Rev. Guillermo Escalona rals to our spiritual counselors,” Dr. on such topics as “compassion fatigue.”
treatments for Mr. Pitkin, 87, who has a those who have no religious commit- Khawand said. “The spiritual compo- One afternoon while her husband had
bone marrow condition known as ment.” nent of a person is just as important as chemotherapy at Miami Cancer
myelodysplastic syndrome. “The phone Hermis Dominguez, originally a the medical component. The chaplain’s Institute, Mrs. Pitkin attended a “very
call was very helpful,” Mrs. Pitkin Baptist Health employee in construction role is to help bridge medicine and spir- meaningful” service in the Institute’s
recalled. management, was eager to work at ituality so we are helping the patient in chapel. Afterward, she spoke with Rev.
The call wasn’t out of the blue. The Miami Cancer Institute once it opened a holistic way.” Escalona about some spiritual matters
Pitkins and Rev. Escalona had formed a in January 2017. “With all the family Dr. Khawand emphasizes that pallia- and then asked if he could visit her hus-
bond during the couple’s regular visits to history I’ve had with cancer, I knew I tive care addresses the physical, emo- band in the chemotherapy infusion area.
Miami Cancer Institute – Baptist Health wanted to work there,” said the data tional, practical and spiritual concerns He agreed, and the next thing Mrs.
South Florida’s new, state-of-the-art can- analyst with the Institute’s disease man- of patients facing any serious illness. Pitkin knew, her husband and the chap-
cer center on the campus of Baptist agement teams. “I felt I could relate to The specialized field focuses on provid- lain “were totally occupied. It was so
Hospital – where Rev. Escalona oversees a the patients and their family.” ing patients with relief from the symp- helpful to my husband for Rev. Escalona
robust spiritual care program available for After her father died of colon cancer toms of their illness, including pain and to show his interest and come be with
free to all patients, their families and staff. last August (and she had lost her mother stress, and aims to improve the quality him. We almost had to tear them apart.”
“It’s integral to our mission is to provide to lung cancer years earlier), her leader of life for patients and their families. Mr. Pitkin, an accountant who contin-
emotional and spiritual support,” Rev. at the Institute, a physician, reminded Rev. Escalona offers support by help- ues to run his own business with his
Escalona said. “We’re able to do very Ms. Dominguez that she could seek sup- ing patients tap into life’s meaning and wife, enjoys talking with everyone he
holistic work here.” port from Rev. Escalona. She met with purpose, issues that often arise during a encounters at Miami Cancer Institute,
As board-certified clinical chaplains him when she returned to work. life-threatening illness. He asks: “Where especially Rev. Escalona. “I was so
trained to integrate their religious per- “A lot of people in our family have died do you find peace? Where do you find impressed with his openness and friend-
spectives, personal experience, behav- of cancer and we were doubting our hope?” Then he tries to help patients liness,” he said. “Right away we con-
ioral sciences and theological assump- faith,” said Ms. Dominguez, who was access spiritual resources they have nected.”
tions with the realities of patient care, raised Catholic. “Talking to Rev. Escalona within them. Breathing exercises, guided Rev. Escalona assured Mr. Pitkin, who
Rev. Escalona and Father Eduardo made the difference. Not only did he help meditation and using the imagination has chemotherapy treatment five con-
Jimenez routinely walk throughout the me get through this, but, but he also made often are helpful and healing for those secutive days every month that reaching
Institute, making rounds and connect- me feel that it’s OK to have questions, to without a religious model. out to engage with others is a very posi-
ing with patients, families and staff. question religion and know that this is “We draw people out and give them a tive way to cope.
They also counsel patients referred to part of life. It’s not anybody’s fault. His chance to share or vent,” Rev. Escalona “That encouraged me to continue this
them by Institute physicians, hold reli- words were very comforting to me.” said. “We make ourselves available as attitude,” Mr. Pitkin said. “It has been a
gious services in the Institute chapel, Rev. Escalona and Father Jimenez instruments of healing. Sometimes peo- great focus away from my own physical
give uplifting talks, lead a variety of meet regularly with the Institute’s pallia- ple who have never thought of pastoral challenges and toward helping others.”
courses and run programs for employees, tive medicine team — which includes care as appropriate call us for their Rev. Escalona “will meet patients
including a lunchtime “Chat with the palliative medicine specialists Mariana needs.” wherever they are at,” Dr. Khawand said.
Chaplain.” Khawand, M.D., and Suleyki Medina, Rev. Escalona also is part of the core “It’s a really great collaboration and
“We support anyone who calls on us,” M.D., a social worker and a nurse prac- faculty for an end-of-life course for sec- unique because not every cancer center
Rev. Escalona said. “We are trained to titioner — to discuss the broad and spe- ond-year medical students at Florida has that kind of intensive spiritual coun-
work with patients from any faith and cific needs of patients and staff. International University’s Herbert seling service.”

Finding Spirituality in Doing the Right Thing In and Out of the Work Place

Parents often tell their decisions that I will make, myself or my family? If I can answer yes, This cultural change will help us
children to do the right and lastly thank Him in then I am doing the “right thing”. A improve patient care, customer satisfac-
thing or to make good advance for placing the good example of doing the right thing is tion, and overall image in the communi-
choices. Teachers tell stu- right people in my path. escorting a lost visitor to the right direc- ty. We want to continue to be known as
dents to do the same. You see I purposefully tion instead of pointing (customer serv- the organization where doing the “right
Employers have jumped make a vow to do the ice) or pulling a staff to the side and redi- thing and making good choices” is not
on the bandwagon asking “right thing” in my daily recting him or her to wash one’s hands just another slogan but the way we prac-
employees to do the right activities in and out of the (infection control). You may stand-alone tice and live. Once the virus of doing the
thing. But no one clearly workplace. or you may not win the popularity con- right thing and making the good choices
defines the “right thing,” Understanding the daily test, but we should never grow weary of contaminates everyone, it becomes a part
which leaves it up to you choices and decisions I doing the “right thing” because doing the of our fabrics.
to decide. Hence, doing make can either have a “right thing and making good choices” is I challenge you to purposefully make a
the “right thing” for some favorable or unfavorable contagious. vow to do the “right thing” in your daily
people is subject to inter- BY MARIE-MICHELLE impact on those that I By choosing to make a good choice activities in and out of the workplace
pretation. ROUSSEAU, LHRM, come in contact with. before my day begins I am leading by before your day begin.
I believe “making a CPSO, CHSP Here are some foods for example in hope that staff will notice and
good choice” is doing the thought. Would God be follow. The ultimate goal of doing the
“right thing,” and doing the “right thing” pleased with my actions or inactions? “right thing and making good choices “
is a choice. Are my actions lawful and / or morally based on our facilities’ policies and pro- Michelle Rousseau, Risk Manager,
My morning routine is to wake up and sound? Are my actions in accordance cedures and the Golden Rule (treating Catholic Health Services -Villa Maria, can
first thank God for waking me up and with the organization’s policies and pro- others the way you want to be treated) is be reached at (305) 891-8850 ext. 5244 or
second ask Him to guide me in the daily cedures? Is this what I would want for that it becomes contagious like a virus. mrousseau@chsfla.com.

24 December 2017 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News