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Early detection is a significant piece of the breast cancer puzzle. Susan Cox, Renown Health Senior Director of Cancer Operations, discusses what you need to watch for and how the latest technology can help detect potential cancer sooner. When should women start getting breast exams? It depends on risk factors: Average-risk women: Most medical organizations recommend the first mammogram between 40 and 44. Higher-risk women: Dependent on their high risk, which will dictate when they start screening, but generally around the age of 30 and not before 25 years old.

Read More About Ladies! Get Screened for Breast Cancer

When it comes to your health, tests are not only common but often also required to receive the most ideal treatment plan. From your routine urinalysis to more complex hematology cases, these tests help open the doors to proper diagnosis. Thousands of patients are seen at Renown Regional Medical Center every year, which results in thousands of lab samples needing to be processed every day. So, who rises to the occasion?  Answer: The Core Laboratory team at Renown Regional. With the largest lab workload in our health system, the Renown Regional Core Lab is where compassionate care meets scientific excellence.  While under the care of the Core Lab Team, patients can rest assured that they are in the greatest of hands - literally and figuratively - with every scientist, technical specialist and lab assistant that serves in this department.  A Core Mission of Accuracy and Precision At Renown Regional, the only Level II Trauma Center in the region, the Core Laboratory works on a wide variety of lab tests to help providers diagnose, treat and monitor each patient’s condition. Those testing processes, known as “benches,” include: Blood Gas Chemistry & Immunoassay Coagulation Hematology & Differentials Urinalysis Working together in harmony, each member of the Core Lab team has an equally vital role in our health system, and all share a common goal.  “Our number one priority is to provide accurate results for our patients, ensuring that the providers have all the correct information they need to treat them,” said Lauren Anderson, Manager of Core Laboratory.  As one can imagine, there are several factors involved when it comes to ensuring those accurate patient lab results that Lauren mentioned above.  “Throughout the day in the core laboratory, there are many tasks to be performed for the accuracy and validity of our patient results,” said Jackie Blazquez, Sr. Medical Lab Scientist. “The medical lab scientists perform maintenance on the instruments daily while accommodating patient samples and releasing results. Our clinical lab assistants help the scientists with receiving samples, reviewing patient labels for any discrepancies, answering phone calls and assisting with the automated lab sample line.”  “The roles and responsibilities will vary depending on the bench assignment, but every bench will have one responsibility in common: performing preventative maintenance on our analyzers and running quality controls afterwards,” added Brittany Oliver-Stergiou, Medical Lab Scientist.  From start to finish, there is rarely a dull moment in Renown Regional’s Core Lab. In fact, this capable team can process up to 7,000 samples per day at this hospital alone.  "As a Medical Lab Scientist, for each instrument we use, we have to perform maintenance, calibration and quality control to ensure that the analyzer is ready for patient testing,” said Lauren Anderson. “Once the analyzers are ready for patient testing, we perform analysis on the samples, ensuring that the patient's results are consistent with their condition and no errors are found. Between our inpatient and outpatient centers, we run thousands of samples every day, prioritizing and juggling many tasks at once while producing accurate results.”  “Right when we get in, we are putting samples on the analyzers, reading results and calling critical alerts or recollects,” added Rosalina Lunsford, Medical Lab Scientist. “Our chemistry analyzers have all the analytes one can think of. Each individual chemistry test that the hospital uses is calibrated, quality checked and reviewed by our chemistry maintenance experts.”  Although there are many moving pieces when it comes to the work of our Core Lab experts, these team members work like a well-oiled machine in order to keep patient care at Renown Regional running efficiently.   “I start my shift by reviewing my pending worklist and verifying any outstanding STAT tests; then, I track all my untracked samples for easy retrieval, and I'll go through my pending worklist again to make sure that everything is on track for proper turn-around time,” said Lindsey Randle, Medical Lab Scientist. "I'll retrieve anything that may need further special testing, and before releasing results, I will check the sample for any interferences or contamination. This process is on a constant loop throughout my shift in addition to performing analyzer maintenance and quality control testing at timed intervals. This is all done to ensure that we are releasing precise and accurate test results so that patients can receive proper treatment.”  “We play a major role in keeping the hospital functioning,” added Rosalina Lunsford. “While the hospital doesn’t see us, we keep patient care moving. Core Lab is not stagnant; it is evolving each day. Tests are being added, machines are being updated and policies are changing. We see hundreds of patient results from different departments throughout the hospital. We analyze, question and conclude many times throughout the day and night.”  Think of discovering a diagnosis and monitoring a condition as an ongoing investigation. Our Core Lab professionals are key detectives in the investigation, playing an essential – and often life-saving – role in the diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of each patient’s condition.  “Oftentimes, we are the first to detect a patient's problem and escalate it to their provider,” said Lauren Anderson. “For example, looking under the microscope at a patient's white blood cells, Medical Lab Scientists may be the first to see a patient's leukemia and, with the collaboration of our pathologists, ensure that the next steps are taken towards diagnosis and treatment.

Read More About Department Spotlight: Core Laboratory at Renown Regional Medical Center

Mammograms are an effective means for early detection of breast cancer. Still, many women shy away from them for fear of pain or discomfort. Let us debunk a few mammogram myths that will remove your worries and encourage proactive breast health. Reviewed by Dr. Colleen O'Kelly-Priddy, MD, FACS, breast surgical oncologist at Renown Women's Health. Myth 1: Mammograms Are Painful Reality: Although some women experience discomfort during a mammogram, most say it is not painful. Breast compression, which is important to get a clear image, can cause a sensation of pressure, but this lasts for a few seconds. Let your technician know how much pressure you can handle so you're not uncomfortable. Myth 2: Discomfort Persists Long After the Procedure Reality: The sensation of pressure developed through the compression process diminishes quickly after the procedure. Most women go about their day afterward without experiencing any residual pain.

Read More About Do Mammograms Hurt? 4 Myths Debunked

Cancer can develop at any age, and that’s why the experts at Renown are ready to help you stay ahead of breast cancer, especially if you're in your 20s or 30s. We're talking about early detection, signs to be aware of, and why being proactive is a big deal. Studies show there has been an increase in breast cancer in younger women. Although breast cancer is rare in women under 40, when it occurs, it tends to be aggressive. The tricky part? Many young women don't think it can happen to them, so they don't check for the signs as often as they should. Reviewed by Dr. Colleen O'Kelly-Priddy, MD, FACS, breast surgical oncologist at Renown Women's Health. Early Signs and Symptoms New or Different Lump in the Breast: A lump is probably the most well-known symptom. Breast cancer is usually painless and firm, but it can also be soft. If you find a new lump, don't panic, but don't ignore it either. Changes in Breast Size or Shape: Have you noticed that one breast looks a little different? Whether it's swelling, shrinking, bulging, dimpling, or seems off, it's worth mentioning to your doctor. Skin Changes: If the skin on your breast starts to thicken or turn red, it's time to pay attention. If your skin starts looking like an orange peel (thickened, with prominent pores), that warrants evaluation. Nipple Discharge: Spontaneous drainage coming from your nipple that isn't breast milk—especially if it's clear or bloody—should be checked out. Nipple Changes: If your nipple starts to invert, flatten, or look different, call your doctor. Breast Pain: Continuous pain in your breast or nipple that isn't linked to your menstrual cycle is another symptom to note. However, breast pain is very common and is only rarely a sign of cancer, so don’t panic. Swelling or Lumps in the Armpit: When it spreads, breast cancer usually first goes to the lymph nodes in the armpit, so swelling or lumps under your arm should be on your radar.

Read More About 7 Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Young Women

When you visit your provider for your annual exam or to address a health concern, or if you’re admitted to the hospital for any reason, lab draws – including blood tests, urine samples and saliva swabs – are common. When it comes to lab draws when you’re sick with a virus, such as strep, flu, RSV or COVID, or routine tests for chronic conditions, such as blood glucose or hemoglobin A1C, the last thing you’d want to do as a patient is wait a long time to get your results back. You’re focused on getting your results, receiving the proper medication and feeling better as soon as possible. Luckily for patients at Renown Health, we have a talented team to meet that need.  Meet the Point-of-Care team at Renown, an important subset of the larger Core Laboratory department. With decades of collective experience in the field and some of the finest point-of-care technology at their fingertips, this team works with our healthcare teams to ensure you have access to fast, accurate test results to help you on a quicker road to recovery.  Pointed Towards Efficient Solutions Point-of-care testing can be defined as exactly how it sounds – lab testing at or near the patient or their care area, otherwise known as “at the point-of-care.” While our clinicians utilize this specialized equipment every day for point-of-care testing on patients, they rely on the Point-of-Care department for training, everyday guidance, quality checks, audits and leadership.   At Renown, Point-of-Care testing is used in nearly every nursing unit across our hospitals and 53 outpatient care locations, including primary care, urgent care, pediatrics and women’s health – alleviating some of the workload of our central lab. Because so many teams rely on this crucial technology and test processes, this team accomplishes a great deal each day, from checking equipment to ensuring test accuracy.  “Our day starts early, with our first team member opening the department at 5 a.m. and circulating on the nursing units to address broken point-of-care equipment issues or supply shortages that could impact patient testing,” said Joni Boury, Lab Program Coordinator. “Once the point-of-care scientists arrive, they will address any charting issues that arose overnight and ensure all test results are correctly charted in Epic. After critical issues are addressed, we visit the testing locations and performing audits to ensure all testing equipment is functioning, clean and being appropriately maintained.”  In order to provide these efficient tests – in minutes! – to patients anxiously awaiting their results, our first step is to make sure our equipment and processes are up-to-code. Point-of-care testing is regulated at both the state and federal levels, and this team never leaves a checkbox unmarked when it comes to testing regulations.  “As a part of the ambulatory side of the Point-of-Care team, I make sure that state and federal licensing is maintained so the practices that perform these tests can continue to perform in-office testing for patients,” said Wende Lane, Clinical Lab Assistant Lead. “I also round in these practices to make sure they are adhering to state and federal guidelines, as well as Renown policies.”  And it’s not just existing equipment that needs oversight – the Point-of-Care department also implements new equipment and processes across Renown. These team members are expert jugglers when it comes to this effort, handling training, collaborating with leaders, recommending the proper placement of equipment and much more.   "Each day, we work on our many deployments scheduled throughout the hospital and outpatient locations,” said Joni Boury. “That work includes meeting with leaders to ensure new spaces are correctly built to accommodate the point-of-care devices, configuring new equipment, training new leaders and device operators and ensuring appropriate ordering and charting of the test results.”  “In being able to perform these tests in the outpatient setting instead of having to send them somewhere else for a test, providers can begin treating their patients within a matter of a few minutes, rather than hours,” added Wende Lane.  For a small-but-mighty team of six employees, the heights this team reaches knows no bounds. They’ve celebrated many achievements and expansions this year, including offering new-and-improved PCR testing across various outpatient practices.  “Our team has had several notable accomplishments over the past year,” said Breanna Van Dyck, Medical Lab Scientist and Lab Program Coordinator. “We successfully rolled out a massive Cepheid PCR testing initiative to over 30 Renown outpatient locations within the community. This expansion significantly improved our testing capacity and accessibility and will help ensure timely and accurate diagnostic tests for respiratory viruses and strep to a broader patient population, including our rural practices.”  By combining cutting-edge technology with compassionate patient care, our Point-of-Care team members are essential to contributing to Renown’s goal of providing efficient, high-quality care tailored to each patient’s individual needs.  Take a Point-of-Care Tour! The Point-of-Care department covers a lot of ground around Renown, reaching Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Fernley and Fallon. Take a glance at the photo carousel below to put yourself in the shoes of our Point-of-Care team members on a regular day!

Read More About Department Spotlight: Point-of-Care

This summer, we’re excited to introduce our featured Sterling Silver Club member, Hanley Wong. You may recognize him from the newest Senior Care Plus television commercial that has been airing locally since last October. Hanley happens to be a former employee of Renown Health and worked in the information technology (IT) department for 13 years. Today, he’s enjoying his retirement here in northern Nevada, with the occasional traveling to visit his family.    Looking Back  Hanley was born in San Francisco in 1944. He was in the U.S Army Reserve from 1966-1972, having traveled to various places including North Carolina, Salt Lake City, Long Beach, Hong Kong and Taiwan. While he was in the U.S. Army Reserve, he also attended college part-time and graduated from San Francisco State University in 1970 with a degree in business administration, emphasis in accounting. Hanley went into the IT field after he gained computer experience through his accounting background. “I started learning how to program with computers, then became a systems engineer where I did troubleshooting, maintenance and more,” said Hanley. “I’ve always enjoyed the challenging work in the IT field, and I got to meet all kinds of people.”    Hanley started his first IT job at a small insurance company in San Francisco. He went on to work for the GAP headquarters and met his late wife there, who also worked for the company. They were married for 40 years and had two sons together. The family moved to Reno 21 years ago when Hanley was recruited by Washoe Medical Center, before it became Renown Regional Medical Center. “My favorite part about working at Renown was the camaraderie in the IT department; it was like a big family,” said Hanley. “I enjoyed making employees happy by solving their computer problems.” In 2005, Hanley was part of the team that helped install Epic, Renown’s electronic medical record system. Through that project, he traveled to a few different conferences and trainings with his team.

Read More About Get to Know Sterling Silver Club Member Hanley Wong

Entering the emergency room (ER) is intimidating for any person, let alone when you’re unsure what condition or illness you might have. Many may also spend their time in the ER wondering if they will need to be admitted to the hospital.  Now, let’s say you don’t need to be admitted. That’s great news! But in order to figure out what’s going on in your body, you may need to stay a little longer – say, under 24 hours – for observation, tests or further treatment. This work is done swiftly by a specific team at the hospital to get you home sooner.  That team at Renown Health is the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU). These nursing and acute care professionals seamlessly fill in the gaps between inpatient and outpatient care, helping patients return home sooner through rapid tests and treatment.  Quick Interventions for Efficient Care The key goal at the forefront of the CDU’s patient care philosophy lies in their name: decisions. The team makes quick decisions in order to deliver timely, accurate assessments so they can treat patients efficiently and get them home. Not only do these efforts help reduce the amount of time patients have to stay in the hospital, but they also achieve cost savings for both the patient and our health system. And in cases where patients do end up needing to be admitted, the CDU walks them through everything they can expect during their stay.  The main duties of our CDU team include:  Observation and monitoring, where patients with conditions that are not immediately life-threatening but need closer monitoring Diagnostic testing, including blood work and imaging, to help providers gather critical information quickly Treatment and stabilization to receive treatments like IV fluids, medications or other therapies to prevent the need for inpatient admission Decision-making to determine whether the patient should be admitted for further care or discharged with follow-up plans  Think of the CDU as the ER and inpatient admission go-between. By diverting patients who don’t necessarily need emergency intervention away from the ER, the CDU helps relieve high patient volumes and reduce wait times.  “The CDU offloads patients from the emergency room who require slightly longer observation status to complete more complex testing or exams,” said Kristine Barnes, RN. “You could consider us a ‘limbo’ unit between the ER and admission to the hospital, if required.”  As with many other teams at Renown, every day is different for this team. They enjoy the variety of cases they see and solving the puzzles that present with patient care.  "The CDU is always fast moving, with discharges and admissions all day,” said Tyler Cathcart, Acute Care Technician-Advanced. “As an observation unit, we function as both an extension of the ED and PACU, with Medical, Telemetry and post-op patients. We have a wide range of patients and responsibilities to keep the unit moving quickly.”  “We see a variety of patients and enjoy the variety each day brings,” added Angie Marrale, Acute Care Technician-Basic. “A day in the life as a tech on CDU is full of surprises because we have such a wide variety of patients. It requires all team members to be attentive, hardworking and communicative in order to provide our patients with the care they need.”  If you’re ever looking for an example of a team that moves and acts quickly, the CDU is a shining example of that. Due to their hyper-focused attention, patients are able to embrace better outcomes and higher satisfaction.  “We move quickly to get today's group of patients comfortable, complete the tests ordered, make the appropriate interventions and get them discharged back home or transferred in less than 24 hours; then, we refill the unit, and each patient receives excellent, expedited care,” said Tyler Cathcart. “Efficient patient care within 24 hours is our goal, and we strive to meet that goal daily.”  A place to get extra care and attention without needing to stay for a long time while also having a team of professionals solely dedicated to figuring out what is going on in your body? Sign us up!

Read More About Department Spotlight: Clinical Decision Unit

One of the most crucial aspects of maintaining health and wellness is staying proactive about regular cancer screenings. Early cancer detection significantly increases the chances of successful treatment and survival. The multidisciplinary care team at the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute at Renown Health provides compassionate care and support to the community for early detection and diagnoses. This comprehensive guide outlines the various cancer screenings available for breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, prostate and skin cancer. Breast Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Mammograms are recommended starting age 40 for those considered at average risk for breast cancer. Women with a family history or other risk factors should discuss appropriate screening options with their healthcare provider. Women under 40 with a family history should discuss risk factors with a healthcare provider. Screening Methods Mammogram: This provides an X-ray of the breast and can detect tumors that are not yet palpable. Breast MRI: This type of scan is recommended for women at high risk for breast cancer due to genetic factors or family history. Screening Breast Ultrasound: This scan can help in identifying masses in denser breast tissue that might not be visible on mammogram. It is recommended in addition to a mammogram for patients at a higher risk for breast cancer. What to Expect During a mammogram, the breast is compressed between two plates to capture X-ray images. Some pressure or discomfort may be felt, but the procedure is brief and critical for early detection. Colorectal Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Adults aged 45 to 75 should undergo regular colorectal screenings. Some adults under 45 may need to be screened earlier depending on family history or other genetic risks. Those over 75 should consult with their healthcare provider to determine if continued screening is necessary. Screening Methods Colonoscopy: This procedure uses a flexible tube with a camera to examine the entire colon. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT): A non-invasive test that detects hidden blood in the stool. CT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy): Uses Computed tomography (CT) imaging to provide detailed views of the colon. What to Expect A colonoscopy can detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Screening is usually advised every ten years, but if you are at risk, screening may be recommended every 3 to 5 years after your initial colonoscopy. Colonoscopy preparation includes bowel cleansing the day before and sedation during the procedure. FIT is a simple at-home test requiring no special preparation. Lung Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Adults aged 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history (20 pack years or more) and who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening Methods Low-dose Computed Tomography (LDCT): A CT scan with low radiation doses to create detailed images of the lungs. What to Expect LDCT is a non-invasive scan that requires you to hold your breath for a few seconds. Cervical Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Women aged 21 to 65 should undergo regular screenings. Women aged 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 should have a Pap test and HPV test every five years, or a Pap test alone every three years. Screening Methods Pap Test (sometimes called a Pap Smear): Collects cells from the cervix to detect precancers. HPV Test: Identifies high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types that can cause cervical cancer. What to Expect The Pap test involves collecting cells from the cervix using a small brush. Some discomfort may be felt, but the procedure is brief and crucial for early detection. Prostate Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Men aged 50 and older should discuss screening options with their healthcare provider. Men at higher risk (African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer or are a BRCA2 gene carrier) should begin discussing screenings  at age 40. Screening Methods Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test: Measures PSA levels in the blood. Digital Rectal Exam (DRE): A physical examination where the provider feels the prostate through the rectum to detect abnormalities. What to Expect The PSA test is a simple blood test. The DRE may cause slight discomfort but is quick and essential for early detection. Skin Cancer Screening Who Should Get Screened? Anyone with a suspicious lesion or abnormal area on their skin. Individuals with more than 50 moles or dysplastic moles. Those with a personal history of melanoma or history of other skin cancers. Those who have more than one member of immediate family with a history of cancers (melanoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer) or a family member who was diagnosed with melanoma before they were 50 years old. Positive gene testing for BRACA2, Lynch syndrome genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 or EPCAM). Screening Methods Skin Exam: A visual examination by your provider to check for unusual moles, birthmarks, or other skin changes. Biopsy: Removal of a small sample of skin for testing if an abnormal area is identified. What to Expect A skin exam is non-invasive and visual. A biopsy involves minor discomfort and local anesthesia if needed. Expert Advice Although the cadence of these skin screenings may or may not be annual, as one's age increases, the risk of many cancers rises. Everyone benefits from attentive sun protection, including avoiding direct sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. by seeking shade and wearing hats, clothing and sunscreen. When purchasing sunscreen, look for SPF 50, UVA/UVB broad spectrum. Questions to Discuss with Your Healthcare Provider What is my risk level for different types of cancer? Which screening tests do you recommend for me and why? What are the potential risks and benefits of each test? How often should I get screened? What steps to follow if a test result is abnormal? Importance of Cancer Screenings Regular cancer screenings are vital for maintaining your health and catching cancer early, when it is most treatable. Renown Health is dedicated to guiding you through the process and providing the highest quality of care. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate screenings for your specific needs and to take proactive steps toward a healthier future.

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Immunizations save thousands of lives each year by preventing serious illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. They also protect those who can't be vaccinated, like young children and the elderly, through herd immunity. Renown Pediatrician Dr. Kristin Wilson highlights the crucial role of vaccines. Immunizations Your Child Needs (and when) Birth to 6 Months Hepatitis B: Shortly after birth, first vaccine dose Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP), Polio, Haemophilus Influenza (HiB), Pneumonia, Hepatitis B and Rotavirus: Ages 2, 4 and 6 months, boosters and vaccines One Year to 18 Months MMR and Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: Age 1, first vaccine dose Hepatitis A, HiB and Pneumonia: Age 1, booster DTaP: 15 months, fourth vaccine dose Hepatitis, second dose: 18 months Flu Vaccine: 6 months and older, annually* *In the year after receiving their first dose, an infant will need a booster one month later. Four Years Old MMRV, DTaP and Polio, final dose: Four years of age Pre-Teen and Beyond Tdap and Meningitis: Before starting middle school, children receive these vaccines. They are also old enough to start the HPV vaccine, an essential vaccine for all young adults to protect against cancer, genital warts and cervical dysplasia.

Read More About Why Childhood Immunizations Are So Important

Janelle Wood’s life has been filled with moves across several states, travel, different jobs, multiple hobbies and best of all – her big family. She is very close to and proud of her entire family, including her six children, six grandchildren and extended family members. New Chapters Janelle was born in 1950 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She lived there her entire childhood and attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville where she received her Associate degree in Accounting. She then moved a few different times to various states including Louisiana and Arizona. In 1981, she and her family moved to Reno where she worked for a construction and mining supply company. In 1993, they relocated to a small town in southern Georgia called Thomasville, where Janelle worked for another mining and manufacturing company. “I was ready for a change of scenery and wanted to explore living in a new area,” said Janelle. “I was intrigued by moving to a smaller town to raise my children.” She and her family lived there for about 10 years when she eventually got transferred to Chicago for her job, to work at the company’s headquarters. “I was once again excited for another change and was happy to experience living in a big city,” said Janelle. “I loved my job and getting to travel as much as I did.” Janelle worked for the company in Chicago until 2014 when she decided to retire and move back to Reno to be closer to her son, daughter and grandchildren. Living to the Fullest Today, Janelle lives in Damonte Ranch in south Reno. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the mountains and by the water. Her other hobbies include reading, cooking, doing puzzles, playing computer games antique shopping and something very unique – exploring old graveyards. “I love how they’re full of history and each one is different – I also enjoy reading what the headstones say, and the stories they tell,” said Janelle. “When I travel, I like to explore the old cemeteries that are nearby.” Janelle’s son even bought her a book called 129 Cemeteries to Visit Before You Die. She’s been to a few of them. As for traveling, Janelle’s favorite destination she’s been to is Catalina Island – she loves the history there. She also loves Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Canada and Mexico. “I’m always up for going someplace new,” said Janelle .  Janelle Wood hiking to Rainbow Falls in Mammoth, CA When Christmas rolls around, Janelle loves to decorate. Her family finds it interesting just how crazy about Christmas she is. “I have 31 totes of Christmas décor and a dozen large decorations,” said Janelle. “My entire storage room is full of Christmas decorations. I start decorating the day after Thanksgiving and it takes me about 2 to 3 days to put everything up.” Janelle said Halloween is her second favorite holiday, which she also loves to decorate for. Family Values Above all else, Janelle’s favorite thing about being retired is having so much free time to spend with her children and grandchildren who live here in Reno. “I love helping my grandkids with their schoolwork and attending their sports and activities,” said Janelle. She has been volunteering at her grandchildren’s schools here in Reno ever since her now 14-year-old grandson started kindergarten. “Family is the highlight of my life,” said Janelle. She also makes sure to stay in contact and visit as often as possible with all of her family that lives out of state, including three of her children, one of her grandkids and some of her extended family. “One of my great nieces, Madison Marsh, was recently crowned Miss America, and another one of my great nieces, Madeline Bohlman, will be competing this summer for the title of Miss USA, as the current Miss Arkansas USA,” said Janelle. “I’m very proud of both of them for using their platforms to further such important issues; pancreatic cancer research and mental health, respectively.”

Read More About Meet Janelle Wood: Family, Hobbies & Everything In Between

Celebrate Leap Day by leaping into the world of Pathology at Renown Health! Think of discovering a diagnosis like solving a mystery: the condition is the suspect, the nurses are the frontline police force and the doctors are the lieutenants or captains finalizing the results of the case. You may notice that one crucial role is missing on this list – the detectives. In the diverse network of healthcare, the detectives are a significant part of each patient’s mystery-solving care team and represent many roles across our health system. When it comes to figuring out the elaborate details of a growth, disease, organ abnormality or cause of death, one team of detectives, quite literally, goes as deep as possible. Those detectives are the team members within Renown Pathology. For each specialized field within medicine or surgery, the Pathology department is here to play a crucial role in accurate diagnoses. With each slide examined and each test meticulously conducted in their bright laboratories, these dedicated professionals shape a path towards wellness and recovery.  Meet Your Anatomy Experts  Whether you have a chronic disease that needs consistent testing, a high-risk birth that requires placenta testing, a suspected cancerous tumor that needs a biopsy or a gall stone that must be removed (or anything in between), Renown’s Pathology team steps in to provide biological answers to your body’s questions. This department offers the most comprehensive in-house diagnostic testing in the region, from routine histology to full pathology.  As the busiest pathology department in northern Nevada, this team boasts the fastest turnaround times from respected experts, including:  Pathologists Pathology Assistants Histotechnicians Histotechnologists Clinical Lab Assistants Let’s break down the complex nature of these team members' jobs by walking through their everyday responsibilities at work!  Pathologists  Pathologists are medical doctors who specialize in the study and diagnosis of disease. With every slide they scrutinize and every sample they analyze, pathologists unravel the mysteries of disease with precision and compassion. Their responsibilities include interpreting laboratory tests, analyzing tissue and fluid samples (obtained from a variety of different sources, including biopsies and surgeries), staging cancer diagnoses and providing diagnostic insights that guide treatment decisions.  “Our job is to help the patients and their doctors figure out what’s wrong,” said Dr. Christie Elliott, Pathologist and Medical Director of the Clinical Laboratory at Renown Regional Medical Center. “As the bulk of our cases deal with cancer, almost every day we start with a tumor board alongside fellow surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and geneticists. From there, we order extra studies, run through our cases to make diagnoses, review slides and ensure all information goes into the charts, which is especially important as 70% of data in medical charts is from the lab. A patient’s history is everything.”  Pathology Assistants With the steadiest of hands, pathology assistants, also known as PAs (not to be confused with physician assistants), guide the diagnostic journey from patient specimen to diagnosis. They can typically be found processing surgical and biopsy specimens (includes accessioning, gross examination, description, and sampling for microscopic analysis), preparing tissue samples for microscopic evaluation, helping the pathologist determine a cause of death for autopsies by conducting organ dissections and maintaining detailed records of all diagnostic findings.  “As a PA, I still impact patient care without being directly patient-facing,” said Andrew Whitner, Pathology Assistant. “I handle 300-350 small tissue blocks a day. During dissections, I identify landmarks, document what I see and turn those landmarks into slides, looking for things that don’t look normal.”  “Our job is 90% all about gross specimens, and we also do eviscerations for autopsies,” added Leslieann Haffner, Pathology Assistant. “We are trained on what normal looks like; our goal is to find the abnormal.”  Histotechnicians Histotechnicians work behind the scenes to help transform ordinary tissue into extraordinary windows of insight, revealing the inner workings of the human body. As vital members of the Pathology team, histotechnicians embed tissue specimens in paraffin wax blocks (a process that preserves the tissue's structure for examination), cut thin sections of tissue from the paraffin blocks using a microtome, mount tissue onto glass slides and stain the tissue slides using histological stains to highlight structures or cells.  “With all the patient specimens we work with, we get to see a lot of organs and learn what is causing the abnormalities,” said Reiny Hitchcock, Histotechnician. “I enjoy the opportunities to expand my knowledge, especially while working alongside the doctors.”  “Our job can change by the week,” added Jessica Fahrion, Histotechnician. “One week I’ll be in the grossing room, and the next week I might be training in cytology." Histotechnologists In a world where every slide holds the key to a patient's future, histotechnologists are the champions of progress. One career ladder step above histotechnicians, these team members often have a broader scope of responsibilities, including more complex laboratory procedures, developing and validating new techniques, managing laboratory operations, interpreting results and troubleshooting technical issues. You can count on histotechnologists for validating antibodies and handling orders from pathologists, oncologists, emergency physicians and more.  “My day always involves looking into cases, reading reports, getting orders together and working with pathologists to help them with their diagnoses; I also work a lot with immunohistochemistry, helping out with routine slides,” said Charles Koeritz, Histotechnologist. “I especially enjoy doing validations, which help maintain the integrity of lab testing and our diagnostic processes.” Clinical Lab Assistants Our pathology clinical lab assistants are the masters at “filling in the blanks,” assisting in whatever area needs it most, especially in cytology and the grossing room. They are essential aspects of the Pathology team, collecting and storing specimens for further testing, assisting in managing test results, gathering data, managing supply inventory and more.  “As a Clinical Lab Assistant, I can be scheduled anywhere, from tissue cassetting to grossing,” said Ellie Somers, Clinical Lab Assistant. “Working in cytology is one of my favorite parts of my job. It’s very rewarding to work with the doctors to uncover what treatments will help each patient. We do cytology very well here.” The Bottom Line Even though the Pathology department doesn’t always experience a lot of patient face-to-face time, they interact with patients in a different way – by uncovering the story that is the inner workings of the human body, one slide and one sample at a time.  “It’s important to remember that the slide IS a patient,” said Dr. Elliott. “We are constantly learning from every case so we can continue to provide the best patient care possible.”  Take a Photo Tour of the Pathology Lab!

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Dana and Mark Combs met through mutual friends and had a long friendship before they became a couple in 2009. They were married in 2011 in a private ceremony at a small Reno chapel, and a few months later had a big celebration with their family and friends.   Encouraging Others to Succeed  Over the years, the happy couple has spent much of their time volunteering and giving back to others in their community. Twenty-six years ago, Mark became a bilateral lower limb amputee. For the past 10 years, he has been a prosthetic consultant, helping other amputees learn how to cope with various challenges and encouraging them to keep living life to the fullest. “Mark is great with helping people,” said Dana.   Dana also does a lot of rewarding work through a Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O). She is an advocate for raising money to help women ages 18 and up gain an education. Dana also enjoys tutoring English as a second language.   Enjoying Quality Time, Hobbies & Travel When Dana and Mark aren’t helping others, they are spending time with their family and friends, their dog Mia (a 3-year-old Maltipoo) or enjoying one of their many hobbies. Some of Mark’s favorite things to do include playing Solitaire and strumming on his guitar.  “I love to garden and play crossword puzzles and word games,” said Dana. “I’m really looking forward to the springtime to spend more time in the garden.” She loves to work out and has a membership at the UFC gym in Reno through her Senior Care Plus gym benefit. Dana also has her own online Etsy store, where she sells homemade jam jars, candle holders and vintage dolls. “Last summer I sold my first edition Barbie that I got when I was 9 years old,” said Dana. “I made quite a profit on it.”

Read More About Sterling Silver Club Shining Stars: Mark & Dana Combs