Beacon Spring 2011

Supporting Seton Medical Center Williamson, a member of the Seton Family of HospitalsA newsletter for friends of the Seton Williamson Foundation

Meet Our Physicians

201 at the Bar 3 Ranch

Celebrating Growth

A Gift for the Future

Feature:

SMCW Leads the Way in

Trauma Care

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Deborah Kuczek is grateful for every moment she can hold her 27-year-old daughter, Keri, in her arms. In October, Keri suffered a severe brain injury and several bone fractures during a tragic rollover accident in Georgetown. Within minutes, EMS personnel rushed her directly to Seton Medical Center Williamson, where the trauma team was waiting. Keri underwent delicate brain surgery, and doctors warned her family that she may not wake up as the same woman she was before the accident.

“After Keri’s accident, she was in extremely critical condition. If she wasn’t cared for immediately in a trauma center, she may not have survived,” says Deborah.

Read more on page 2

When Every Second Counts

Summer 2011

setonwilliamsonfdn.org

SMCW Bringsdr. NEEL WARETrauma DirectorSeton Medical Center Williamson

Meet Our

PHYSICIANS

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In January, Drue “Neel” Ware, MD, joined Seton Medical

Center Williamson as medical director of the Trauma

Program. Prior to moving to Central Texas, Dr. Ware was

actively involved in the development of trauma services at

Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where his busy

academic medical career spanned 19 years. He is happy to

settle in Central Texas and is very enthusiastic about using

his experiences in major trauma centers to help Seton build

a top-notch program.

“Seton Medical Center Williamson is growing and projections

indicate that the Williamson County population will exceed

Travis County in the near future,” says Dr. Ware. “My hats

off to the Seton Family of Hospitals for having foresight to

recognize the necessity of bringing trauma care to the north

end of Central Texas.”

Dr. Ware is impressed with the focus on patient care, patient

safety and family support at Seton Medical Center Williamson

and says patients and families are very happy with the

care they receive. In addition, he says the medical center’s

relationship with EMS personnel throughout Williamson

County and Marble Falls is strong, which helps the trauma

team’s efforts to expedite the best care for its patients.

“We have one goal in mind at Seton Medical Center

Williamson and that is to take

care of our patients as quickly,

efficiently and comfortably

as we possibly can.”

Keri’s trauma story, continued from cover

The Golden Hour: The 60-Minute Difference Between Life and Death

When a person is critically injured, there is no time to waste. At the moment of her

injury, Keri entered the “Golden Hour” – a term used to describe the brief window

of time in which a trauma patient’s chances of survival are greatest if definitive

treatment is provided. Thanks to an immediate call to 911 by a witness at the scene

of the accident, the speedy arrival of the Williamson County Emergency Medical

Services, and access to a trauma center just minutes away, Keri’s life was saved.

Sixteen days after her accident, Keri began to awaken from her coma and started

a long journey of recovery. For months she received specialized health treatments

and therapies to help her relearn to speak and communicate. Today she continues

speech therapy, is back to work part-time as an art teacher and enjoys playing

volleyball with her friends. Her family is confident that her happy ending is directly

related to her transport to Seton Medical Center Williamson.

What is Level II Trauma Care?

Medical professionals at Seton Medical Center Williamson have been working

towards building a trauma program since the medical center opened in 2008. This

spring, the medical center underwent a rigorous on-site review by the American

College of Surgeons and is poised to become the first officially designated Level

II trauma center in Williamson County that’s prepared to treat many of the most

severe and complex trauma cases in the region.

Seton Medical Center Williamson provides Level II trauma care--the second highest

level of trauma care--by a dedicated team of board-certified trauma surgeons and

specialists who are highly trained in the delivery of trauma care. The trauma team

is on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and see injured patients immediately upon

arrival at the medical center.

Continued on next page

The Kuczek family is especially grateful that the Seton Medical Center Williamson trauma team was there for Keri in her time of need. As a supporter of Seton Williamson Foundation, thank you for the important part you’ve played in the growth and success of the medical center. It’s because of you that lives are being saved, so please continue your support -- find out how by turning to the back cover of this newsletter.

For more information about the Seton Medical Center Williamson trauma program, contact Marsi Ferris at (512) 324-4360.

rauma patient Keri Kuczek (center) visits with the trauma team that saved her life. It takes a trauma center to give accident victims their best shot at survival and recovery, and the trauma team at Seton Medical Center Williamson was behind Keri and her family every step of the way. “When Keri walked through the door, it was rewarding to see how far she had come in her recovery,” said one team member.

T

setonwilliamsonfdn.org 3

to Williamson County

Seton Trauma Network in Action

The Seton Family of Hospitals is building

a strong network of trauma care in

Central Texas. As a member of Seton, the

trauma team at Seton Medical Center

Williamson is able to utilize the advanced

specialty expertise from the region’s only

Level I trauma centers, University Medical

Center Brackenridge and Dell Children’s

Medical Center of Central Texas.

Dr. Ware describes a recent patient, John

Knobelsdorf, as a perfect example of the Seton trauma network

in action. John and his wife, Mary Jo, live in San Antonio and

were visiting their property in Burnet County when John took

a serious fall off a 12-foot ladder, suffering several breaks in

his ribs and jaw. Mary Jo drove John to the

emergency room at the Seton-affiliated

Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, where

he was promptly assessed and stitched up.

The emergency staff then transported him

by ambulance to Seton Medical Center

Williamson, where he spent two nights as an

inpatient under the care of its trauma team,

specifically equipped to provide definitive

trauma care.

“Staying at Seton Medical Center Williamson was the smart

thing to do,” says John. “They did an outstanding job caring

for me. Mary Jo and I feel better knowing that good health

care is available to us near Burnet County.”

John and Mary Jo Knobelsdorf

Level II Trauma Care

As an employee, I’m proud to be associated with Seton and

truly believe my destiny was to work at Seton Medical Center

Williamson.

I lived the first 50 years of my life in California, where my wife, Jan,

and I shared a strong connection to our home, our family and our

friends. For 25 years, I worked as a nurse in the hospital where I was

born, and where my father, my children and my grandchildren were

all born.

Jan and I felt it was time for a new adventure and decided to move

to a different part of the country for the latter part of our careers.

We chose the Austin/Round Rock area because of its high quality of

living and solid economy. Jan is also a nurse, so when we arrived in

2007, we began working in various medical centers throughout the

Seton Family of Hospitals. After one year, I was offered a hospital

supervisor position to help open up Seton Medical Center Williamson

and later became clinical manager of the fourth floor. Jan works as a

nurse in Dell Children’s Medical Center’s Intermediate Care Unit.

I‘ve met some of the most polite human beings that I’ve ever known

in my life, right here in Central Texas. As an employee of Seton, it’s

been a rewarding and enlightening experience to watch how Seton

lives out its mission, vision and values. It’s one thing to write it down

on paper and hang it up on a wall, but it’s another thing to actually

see it translate into a true engagement with the community and the

people who live around each of the Seton organizations.

Jan and I wanted to leave a piece of our estate to an entity—an

organization that will put it to good use and have the best interest of

the human beings that they interact with at heart. We are happy to

include Seton Medical Center Williamson and Dell Children’s Medical

Center in our will. With our gifts, we feel as if we are making a viable

difference in the lives of people in Central Texas, today, and in the

future.

Why I Included Seton Williamson Foundation in My Will

Leave a Legacy

By including Seton Williamson Foundation in your will, you can ensure good health for future generations. For more information, contact Seton Williamson Foundation at (512) 324-4090 or online at www.swflegacy.org.

By Tom AlexanderFourth Floor Clinical ManagerSeton Medical Center Williamson


Tom Alexander


Leave a Legacy

Seton Medical Center Williamson Celebrates

Three Years of Growth

Your donations are making a huge impact on the lives of people who live in and around Williamson County.

We ask you to please continue your support to help ensure future success.

For more information, turn to the back cover of this newsletter.

In 2008, Seton Medical Center Williamson opened to serve residents in Williamson County and surrounding areas. Three years later—and

thanks to your generous philanthropic support—the medical center continues to grow and expand its healthcare programs and services.

The medical center offers advanced healthcare services and has recruited highly trained medical professionals who are using the most

advanced technology, all to better serve patients. In the Seton tradition, every patient who walks through the doors of Seton Medical Center

Williamson, regardless of their ability to pay for services, will be treated with the highest quality of person-centered care.

• Provides Level II trauma center services in Williamson County with the ability to treat a majority of the most severe and complex trauma cases.

• Is home to the first da Vinci® Surgical Robotic System in Williamson County, offering patients effective and minimally invasive surgical options for a variety of conditions.

• Is home to the first Super Dimension, the most technologically advanced device that detects lung cancers much earlier and enhances treatment options.

• Was recently designated as a Primary Stroke Center and offers advanced techniques for heart attack and cardiac care patients and those suffering traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries.

• Is an accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention, or angioplasty), the highest national accreditation for emergency cardiac care.

• Earned Pathway to Excellence nursing designation, ensuring the highest educated, most experienced and most qualified nursing staff.

Seton Medical Center Williamson:

Diamond Mary and Troy Rodriguez

EmeraldSuzy and Jeff Rusk

Sapphire Harden’s Family of Companies:

TRISUN Healthcare Girling Healthcare Lighthouse/Voyager Hospice Care

Mason Health, LLC

PearlAlpha Painting & DecoratingAustin Radiological AssociationAustin Regional Clinic Capital Surgeons

Group & Southwest Bariatric Surgeons: Nancy Marquez, MD; Patrick Dillawn, MD; Mario Longoria, MD; Jinne Bruce, MD

Capitol Anesthesiology AssociationMelissa and Mark DietzEmergency Service Partners, LP

H-E-BReitpath PathologySierra Microwave Technology, LLC

Opal Beth and Charles AverySusie and Jim AwaltBBVA Compass BankChampion Site Prep / Ramming Paving Co Crave Catering Embree GroupExtraco Banks Marsha and Bryan FarneyFirst Texas Bank – GeorgetownFirst Texas Bank Round Rock / Baker AicklenShana and Dan Gattis, Jr.Independent Bank –

Round Rock / GeorgetownNyle Maxwell Family of DealershipsPatti and Jim SchwertnerSeton Brain & Spine Institute at WilliamsonTexas A&M University System

Health Science Center Foundation

Seton SupportersAcadian AmbulanceAero CentexKaren ColeKathy and Charles CulpepperFirehouse Subs / Kristin and Sean StevensGX Creative CommunicationsHowry Breen & Herman, LLPKA Hickman ArchitectsKaren Kahan and MariBen RamseyBetty LordJill and Paul MarshallJudge Orlinda Naranjo and Jim EwbankJessica and Robert PelachePlains Capital BankQuenan’s JewelersSouthwestern UniversityT. Stacy & Associates, IncTECO-Westinghouse Motor CompanyTexas Oncology – Seton WilliamsonJoan and Gregg WatkinsWells FargoWilliamson County Sun

1 Suzy and Jeff Rusk

2 Troy and Mary Rodriguez and Kenneth Allshouse

3 Suzy Rusk and Melissa Dietz

4 Brian Aldred, MD (center) with Robin Couch, Marybeth Thompson, and Mark

and Janet Minor from Mason Health

5 Sandy Lantz, Mark Duncan, Debbie and Tracy Weems from Harden Healthcare


201 at the Bar 3 RanchCelebrating Success at the Fourth Annual Seton Williamson Women’s Development Board Event

The Seton Women’s Development Board hosted its fourth annual event, 201 at the Bar 3 Ranch, located in the beautiful hills of

Georgetown. Guests enjoyed an evening of gourmet dining, friendship and fun and helped raise more than $245,000 to support

building and equipment needs at Seton Medical Center Williamson. Seton Williamson Foundation extends its sincere appreciation to

Event Co-Chairs Melissa Dietz and Suzy Rusk, Honorary Chair Mary Rodriguez, President Judith Manriquez, and their enthusiastic event

committee for their tireless dedication to the event’s success.

Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsors

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4

1 2

5

1

Gwen and Joe Kale 1

Paula and Harlan Fisher 2Sandy and Rich Shinn 3


Members of the Lago Vista/Northshore Outreach Associates hosted their 12th

Annual event, A Starry Starry Night Gala, at the K-Oaks Clubhouse in Lago Vista

and raised more than $14,000 for Seton Medical Center Williamson. Guests

were greeted by Board Officers Gwen Kale, Paula Fisher, and Sandy Shinn and

enjoyed a fantastic evening of dinner, dancing and a fabulous silent auction.

A Starry Starry Night Gala

“Whether guests were dancing to the sounds of Reuben Rivera or competing for their

favorite auction items, a great time was had by all,” says Lago Vista/Northshore Outreach

Associates President Sandy Shinn.

Special Thanks to Our Gala SponsorsAssisted Living in Austin

Edward Jones Investments

Gwen and Joe Kale

Debbi and John Highbarger

Mary Rugaard

Yes!

Organization (if applicable)

Email

Phone

Address

Name

$1,500 $1,000 $500 $250 $100 Other $____________

Please make checks payable to Seton Williamson Foundation.

Credit Card:

Visa MC DiscoverAMEX

Card Number Exp

Name

Signature

You may also give online at setonwilliamsonfdn.org

Cut here.

2

3

I want to support building and equipment needs at Seton Medical Center Williamson, including the da Vinci Surgical Robotic equipment and surgical suites.

ENJOY fun events while supporting Seton Medical Center Williamson.

• Seton Williamson Women’s Development Board event on Saturday, November 12, at the Schwertner

Ranch in Schwertner, Texas

• 2nd Annual Seton Circle Celebration on Tuesday, May 24, at Seton Medical Center Williamson

• Lago Vista/Northshore Outreach Event (date to be determined)

GIVE a safe online donation at setonwilliamsonfdn.org or mail a donation in the attached

envelope.

PLAN for the future and make a lasting gift by including Seton Williamson Foundation in your

will. For more information, call Donna Budak at (512) 324-4060 or visit setonwilliamsonfdn.org.

VOLUNTEER your time – our patients and staff need you and appreciate your help! Call

(512) 324-4298.

You can ensure good health for your friends and neighbors in Williamson County! For more

information about how you can support the good work at Seton Medical Center Williamson, call

(512) 324-4090 or visit setonwilliamsonfdn.org.

201 Seton ParkwayRound Rock, TX 78665P 512.324.4090 F 512.324.4657setonwilliamsonfdn.org

Change Service Requested

Philanthropy makes the difference between a good hospital and a great one.

We need you!

Seton Medical Center Williamson(512) 324-4000

www.seton.net/williamson

Board of TrusteesJim Schwertner, Chairman

Charles Avery, IIINancy CrouseBryan FarneyDan Gattis, Jr.

David HaysKeith HickmanFrank KrenekDon MartinSteve Peña

Laura RobinsonTroy Rodriguez

Jeff RuskBonnie Sells

David Singleton

Ex-Officio MembersCharles BarnettDonna Budak

Chad Dieterichs, MDKenneth L. Gladish, PhD

Mark Hazelwood

Community Volunteer Leadership

Nancy CrouseCraig McCurdy

Seton Circle

Mary RodriguezSeton Women’s Development Board

On the cover: Keri and Deborah Kuzcek

Beacon is published twice each year for donors and friends of Seton Medical Center Williamson. It is a publication of the Seton Williamson Foundation, Donna Budak, executive director.

The newsletter is compiled by the production team of Sharon Reynolds, MarrGwen Dickson, Jim Lincoln Photography, Alison Plueckhahn, and various staff photographers.

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome at [email protected]. For more information about support provided by the Seton Williamson Foundation, visit setonwilliamsonfdn.org.

The Beacon is also available on our website at

setonwilliamsonfdn.org.

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Beacon Spring 2011

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