Norton Healthcare

Tomorrow, as some of this year’s finest fillies await their chance to run for the lilies, a group of breast and ovarian cancer survivors will don their favorite pink attire for a walk around Churchill Downs’ famed racetrack. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade features several survivors who also are part of the Norton Healthcare family. In 2021, Virginia Dewitt, EHR technician, noticed a change in her breast. It wasn’t an extreme change but enough to take notice and go for a mammogram. By Oct. 5, 2021, she had an official diagnosis of Stage 3 invasive lobular carcinoma. The cancer was in her lymph nodes, but had not spread to other regions of her body. “In my case the cancer was in multiple spots in my right breast so surgery was recommended first,” Virginia said. “There was also spots of concern in the left breast so I had a double mastectomy.” Virginia was only 45 years old at the time of her diagnosis. Her son, Devin, and a ‘bonus son’ with her significant other, were both 12; her daughter Paige was 4 years old. This single mother leaned on her mother, Susan Dewitt, for support. Susan also works in the Norton Healthcare family as part of Norton Children’s Medical Group – Neurology as a scheduler. “Mom and my significant other was both my rocks,” Virginia said. “I will be forever grateful for all those who reached out or sent me notes and shared kind words.” Ginny also found support in the behavioral oncology specialist who counseled her along the way. “I watched my dad battle lung cancer and I was scared. The behavioral team meet with me over Zoom and in person when I needed it. They helped me learn to accept my diagnosis, work through my fear and also support my kids emotionally through this journey.” After surgery, Virginia endured four rounds of chemotherapy and went on to complete radiation. She is challenged by some of the residual side effects of cancer treatment but overall is doing well. Walking with her in the parade is Virginia’s son, Devin, now 15 years old. They both are looking forward to being a part of the celebration with other cancer survivors. “I fight for my children, they are my strength. I love them so much,” Virginia said.

Tomorrow, as some of this year’s finest fillies await their chance to run for the lilies, a group of breast and ovarian cancer survivors will don their favorite pink attire for a walk around Churchill Downs’ famed racetrack. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade features several survivors who are part of the Norton Healthcare family. 💓 Beth Hubbard, cellular therapy scientists, Norton Children’s Hospital Blood and Marrow Transplant Lab, is excited to be a part of the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade and is taking her youngest daughter, Jennifer, to walk with her. Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. She felt a lump, it was painful too; but her mammogram was clear. She pushed for more testing and after a biopsy, it was determined she had cancer. She chose to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction. “I was given the option of lumpectomy and treatment, but I had dealt with biopsies on and off for nearly 15 years. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I wanted to eliminate as much risk as possible,” Beth said. Pathology confirmed the cancer was central to the breast tissue and she didn’t have to take chemotherapy or radiation. She did take a hormone blocker for five years to help reduce the risk of the cancer returning. Once on the road to recovery, Beth found comradery and support through the Live Strong program at the YMCA. The program includes exercise as well as group activities in and out of the Y. Her group found themselves going to lunch together, community events, even walking in the mini-marathon a couple of times. “It is a group you don’t ever want to need, but when you do need it, the people and friends are amazing,” Beth said. “I valued the program so much, I became a certified instructor in 2023 and teach an evening class at the Northeast YMCA location. If you are recovering or are a survivor, I encourage you to find a Live Strong class near you!” Beth has been in the Norton Healthcare family for 43 years, 31 years in the Blood & Marrow Transplant Lab. “I chose my daughter Jennifer to walk with me because of her support over the years. She nominated me in 2015, just a year after my diagnosis, to walk. She wrote a beautiful nomination letter and while I didn’t get chosen that year, I truly felt like a winner because of my daughter’s encouragement.” 🌸

Tomorrow, as some of this year’s finest fillies await their chance to run for the lilies, a group of breast and ovarian cancer survivors will don their favorite pink attire for a walk around Churchill Downs’ famed racetrack. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade features four survivors who also are part of the Norton Healthcare family. 💓 Teanna Richardson, pre-admission testing, Norton Pavilion, finally went for her first mammography. Her primary care provider had been reminding her to go, but she just kept putting it off. She admits, nurses sometimes make the worst patients. Based on what the medical team saw, the doctor decided to work her in for a biopsy that morning as the first appointment of the day. Three days later she got the call. She had triple-negative invasive cancer. From that point things moved quickly. Within a few more days she had her port implant complete and by Dec. 1, she was starting chemotherapy treatment. Before having a double mastectomy, Teanna endured a total of 16 rounds of chemotherapy. She credits behavioral oncology, the therapist who offers mental and emotional support during treatment, for saving her life. Teanna specially remembers so many great caregivers along her journey. Under the care of Blakely D. Kute, M.D., medical oncologist, and Melissa A. Lorenz, APRN, medical oncology, to Bradford Chumbley, infusion nurse, who administered most of her chemotherapy treatments, everyone was so compassionate. Her experience with the people and facilities at Norton Cancer Institute - Downtown were so impactful that it challenged her to make a career change. After having worked at Norton Brownsboro Hospital for 11 years, she applied and was hired for a position with preadmission testing at Norton Pavilion. “I made this career change near the end of treatment when things were still very fresh,” Teanna said. “And that team welcomed me with open arms. They took me in with such grace and compassion, training me while also helping me heal on my journey. I really appreciate my co-workers.” Walking with her in the parade is her former co-worker and best friend, Leslie Witt. She was the one person Teanna called during the initial mammography to say something isn’t right. Teanna is excited to be part of the Survivors Parade. She said it is a chance to let her hair down, despite it being very short. 🌸

Tomorrow, as some of this year’s finest fillies await their chance to run for the lilies, a group of breast and ovarian cancer survivors will don their favorite pink attire for a walk around Churchill Downs’ famed racetrack. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade features four survivors who also are part of the Norton Healthcare family. 💓 On Oaks Day 2023, Kelly Schweickhardt, nurse clinician, Norton Children's Hospital , was undergoing a bilateral mastectomy. This was the first step in fighting cancer, a journey that would take her through six cycles of chemotherapy, 25 of radiation and treatments, and a few reconstruction surgeries. Kelly’s cancer was detected through her yearly mammogram. At age 45, she was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer. It was invasive ductal carcinoma, a very aggressive form of breast cancer. With no family history of breast cancer, Kelly admits she was living with a false sense of security. She didn’t think breast cancer would be a battle she would be fighting. Battle through it is exactly what she did. She worked through it all! “I pushed through it,” Kelly said in an interview with Maira Ansari, WAVE 3 News. “I embraced the suck. Knew it was temporary.” This May, Kelly says she is doing great and is excited to be walking among 150 women in this year’s Oaks Day Survivors Parade. And for the parade to fall on her anniversary, Kelly said, “What’s a better way to celebrate that? I can’t top it.” 🌸

Tomorrow, as some of this year’s finest fillies await their chance to run for the lilies, a group of breast and ovarian cancer survivors will don their favorite pink attire for a walk around Churchill Downs’ famed racetrack. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade features four survivors* who also are part of the Norton Healthcare family. Meet Judy L. Vilums, patient financial counselor, Norton Cancer Institute. 💗 Judy Vilums works with cancer patients every day. In May 2021, she found herself on the other side of the conversation. Judy found a lump on her breast herself and called her doctor the very next day. After a mammogram and a biopsy, Judy was diagnosed with breast cancer on Oaks Day, April 29, 2021. Her diagnosis was Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma HER2-positive breast cancer and her treatment plan would start right away. “Chemotherapy was very hard on my underlying liver condition and I had to stop treatment early because of it,” Judy said. “The treatments I did have were successful and I was able to move on to reconstruction.” Judy credits her strength to the support she felt from family and friends including the UofL Louisville Cardinals baseball team. Her son Kaleb Corbett, a pitcher, and the entire team participated in a pink out game in honor of Judy and so many others fighting breast cancer. By June 2022, she was finished with treatment and in June 2022 she finished her surgeries. Today she says she is feeling great. For the Oaks Survivors Parade, Judy will be walking with her husband, Scott, and is very excited. 🌸

For the first time, Norton Healthcare’s certified athletic trainers will be stationed at the Norton Sports Health Jockey Care Clinic at Churchill Downs, working alongside sports medicine physicians to support jockey health and patron care. The goal is a successful Kentucky Derby Week with the safety of everyone in mind. 🏇🏾🌹 “We really want to make a positive impact on their lives, in any way we can. We always educate and emphasize to the jockeys, owners and trainers that the goal is for the jockey to ride, but only if they’re safe to do so. We want to support them being their best selves, so they can have their best ride.” - Tiff L. Haub, M.S., ATC, director of Norton Sports Health The addition of certified athletic trainers builds on a partnership that established Norton Sports Health as the official medical provider of Churchill Downs in April 2022.

Exciting News! 💡 Norton Healthcare is excited to be administrating the newly approved drug Sotatercept, a new treatment for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Sotatercept has shown promising results in clinical trials, offering hope for improved outcomes and quality of life for those battling PAH. As a leading healthcare provider, Norton Healthcare is dedicated to bringing innovative treatments like Sotatercept to our patients.

Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s are expanding services in Western Kentucky through the integration of a well-respected primary care practice in the Bowling Green community. The $1.2 million investment to integrate the former Bowling Green Internal Medicine & Pediatric Associates into Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare offices allows for enhanced primary care, building on significant investments already made through Norton Children’s existing specialty practices in the community. “Providing access to health care is essential to our mission,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “High-quality, safe, innovative care should be available to every person across the region. The best way to achieve that vision is to bring care closer to home. Bringing this team into Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare is a great step forward in our goal.”

In April, Norton Medical Group welcomed 11 new providers to our organization. Learn more about each of these new additions here: https://lnkd.in/eGrY6uNz

Norton Sports Health is proud to be the official medical provider for Churchill Downs Racetrack at such a monumental moment in time: the 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby. 🏇🏾🩺 Congratulations to all the jockeys and racetrack personnel who make it possible — day in and day out, furlong by furlong. We’re honored to care for you. And to help some of the most elite athletes on earth stay at the top of their game.