Winter Newsletter | December 2023
Hospital News & Updates
Message From the President
Kate Smith
Dear Friends,
As we approach the close of another remarkable year, I am filled with immense gratitude and excitement for the incredible journey we’ve shared together at Saint Francis Foundation. Your unwavering support has been the cornerstone of our success, and it is my pleasure to reflect on the transformative impact we’ve achieved.
Over the past year, your remarkable generosity has empowered us to contribute a total of $2.9 million in grants to Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and the surrounding community. Whether it be for state-of-the-art hospital equipment, innovative programs, or bolstering our ties with local community partners, your invaluable contributions have been instrumental in creating a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of those we are privileged to serve.
In addition, we are delighted to announce that we have secured pass-through grants totaling more than $415,000 specifically designated for burn unit nurse training, mental and behavioral health, as well as innovation and transformation programs. These grants, raised in collaboration with esteemed partners such as Cigna, Merck, Sierra Health Foundation, and the Eugene Lang Foundation, further underscore the impact of your ongoing support. These funds will be implemented in the coming year, contributing significantly to our initiatives in these critical areas.
As we enter the new year, we do so with a sense of optimism and determination. Your continued partnership is crucial as we embark on new initiatives, face evolving challenges, and strive to reach even greater heights. We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and are confident that, with your support, we can build on our successes and create a lasting legacy of positive change.
In closing, I want to express my deepest appreciation for your trust, commitment, and partnership. Together, we are not only changing lives but shaping a better future for our community.
Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a new year filled with hope, happiness, and continued success.
With gratitude,
Kate Smith
President, Saint Francis Foundation
Embark on Joe Marasco’s incredible journey, navigating an inherited heart condition with structural and electrical challenges. From the uncertainty of a transplant waiting list to a life-changing Christmas miracle, Joe shares the physical struggles post-transplant and the gradual path to normalcy through rehabilitation.
“Everyone told me the first year wouldn’t be easy, but thanks to the folks at Saint Francis, I got the best head start on that process you could possibly imagine,” says Joe Marasco.
Highlighting the importance of self-advocacy, Joe praises the dedicated team at Saint Francis for their unwavering support. Dr. Wan Chi, Joe’s physician, expresses gratitude for being part of Joe’s recovery. Join us in this touching narrative as Joe reflects on the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of expert medical care.
As we reflect on the past year, we are proud to have hosted two impactful events addressing crucial aspects of mental well-being in our community.
In May, our Mental Health Salon at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital provided a platform for an engaging and thoughtful discussion on the pressing mental health crisis in San Francisco. High rates of homelessness and substance abuse have heightened the demand for accessible and comprehensive mental health services. The event facilitated insightful conversations among participants, exploring the complex challenges faced by San Francisco’s mental health landscape. Speakers included: Dr. Joanne Azulay, Executive Director at Hyde Street Community Services; Dr. Joanne Sun, Director of the Emergency Department at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital; Dr. Jeff Taylor, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University; and Saint Francis Foundation Board Member, and Dr. Nasratullah Wahidi, Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Medical Director of Behavorial Health at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. While commendable efforts are underway to address these issues, the intricate nature of the problem necessitates ongoing commitment and innovative solutions. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our exceptional speakers and attendees who contributed to these vital discussions.
In October, our observance of Mental Health Day featured a compassionate discussion with esteemed speakers: Kate Smith, President of Saint Francis Foundation; Dennis Smith, Director of the Behavioral Health Unit at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital; Senator Scott Wiener; and San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Raphael Mandelman. This insightful conversation underscored the significance of Mental Health Day, emphasizing the pressing need for compassion, understanding, and collaborative efforts in tackling mental health challenges. The key takeaways revolved around a shared commitment to providing comprehensive care and support for individuals navigating mental health issues.
Together, these events exemplify our dedication to fostering a community that prioritizes and supports mental well-being.
Empowering Communities: A Celebration of Gender Affirming Care and LGBTQ+ Healthcare Access
In a groundbreaking year for gender-affirming care and access, the spotlight shone on two significant milestones: the successful debut of the first annual Gen I Symposium, endorsed by the Foundation, and the grand opening of a new Trans Thrive location in San Francisco’s Lower Polk neighborhood, operated by the San Francisco Community Health Center.
This pioneering event served as a platform for the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and research, fostering collaboration and relationships among professionals. The Foundation anticipates continued success and impact in the years ahead as the Gen I Symposium contributes to enhancing patient outcomes and shaping innovative approaches in the field.
This pioneering event served as a platform for the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and research, fostering collaboration and relationships among professionals. The Foundation anticipates continued success and impact in the years ahead as the Gen I Symposium contributes to enhancing patient outcomes and shaping innovative approaches in the field.
A monumental day unfolded with the inauguration of the new Trans Thrive location in San Francisco’s Lower Polk neighborhood, operated by the San Francisco Community Health Center. This expansion, a testament to the ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ healthcare, aims to provide tailored services for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. The larger and thoughtfully designed space cultivates a welcoming environment in a historically LGBTQ+ friendly neighborhood.
The facility offers a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, hormone therapy, sexual health services, mental health support, and an on-site pharmacy. By eliminating barriers and ensuring accessible, culturally competent, and holistic healthcare, the objective is to empower and support the transgender community.
These dual events underscore a collective commitment to advancing gender-affirming care and enhancing healthcare access for the LGBTQ+ community. The Gen I Symposium and the expansion of Trans Thrive exemplify the progress being made in creating inclusive spaces, fostering collaboration, and ultimately improving the well-being of individuals within the transgender and gender nonconforming community.
SPOTLIGHT ON GRANTS
At Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, we proudly unveiled a new state-of-the-art MRI—a significant milestone made possible by the steadfast support of our community. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, marked a moment of achievement and progress in healthcare innovation. This advanced technology not only symbolizes a major step forward for our hospital but also ensures our technicians are equipped with the latest tools for optimal patient care.
During a pleasant afternoon at Boeddeker Park in the Tenderloin district, we had the privilege of donating a van to Code Tenderloin for use as their new Night Navigator Passenger vehicle. Mayor Breed led a straightforward ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark this occasion.
Curry Senior Center’s newly constructed Tech and Wellness Hub+ location is a safe place for older adults to gain further self-sufficiency by imparting new technology skills and providing focused programs to improve mental and physical health. Special guest speaker, Ashton Kotwal, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics at UCSF, provided highlights of current research and solutions to alleviate the impact of social isolation in older adults.
We are thrilled to share that in May, thanks to the generous support of donors, we had the honor of providing breakfast and lunch to the remarkable staff at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. The contributions made it possible to express our gratitude to the hardworking and compassionate healthcare professionals during Hospital Week. The commitment to our cause from our donors enables us to celebrate moments like these, recognizing the incredible impact made by the dedicated staff at the hospital. We hope you take pride in supporting their unwavering commitment to health and well-being.
Hyde Street Community Services (HSCS) and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital have partnered to create the “Hospital Liaison Program,” providing essential support to patients in emergent inpatient psychiatric care. Through this initiative, patients receive clothing, a phone, food, and crucially, a follow-up appointment with HSCS outpatient clinic. The program aims to establish a personal connection, ensuring patient well-being and ongoing communication after leaving hospital care. To date, the program has successfully referred 150 patients, further demonstrating its impact and potential for broader implementation.
Saint Francis Foundation is generously funding a capital project aimed at fostering a compassionate and supportive atmosphere within Saint Francis Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department. This initiative involves the establishment of two new Comfort Rooms, designed to enhance the care experience for patients, particularly those undergoing mental and behavioral health crises. The overarching goals include updating triage and emergency response protocols to cater specifically to behavioral health patients, thereby improving overall care and reducing the incidence of staff injuries related to behavioral health crises.
Once completed, this project will enable the Emergency Department to effectively triage and care for behavioral health patients in a specialized treatment area, distinct and secure within the hospital facility.
Dear Friends at the Saint Francis Foundation,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for sending me to Fenway’s Advancing Excellence in Transgender Health conference a few weeks back. I’ve been hearing about Fenway’s clinical model for years and after a weekend spent witnessing their healthcare system in action, my mind is whirring with ideas and options and incredible perspective. My sense of how the Gender Institute could look, and whom we can serve, feels more expansive and informed after hearing so many Fenway patients speak to the ways that their integrated, comprehensive care has transformed their health. And it goes beyond health, right? Because building systems that patients can trust and rely upon has reparative effects that go beyond health outcomes and impact their self-esteem, their sense of safety, their relationships and sense of their own potential.
The whole plane ride home, I thought about our growing program, who might join us next and who may need us most. And when I returned to the hospital, I saw it with fresh eyes: the nurses excited to share their ideas for improving care, the surprising number of camera-shy colleagues who volunteered to film for TDOR, Champions recruiting new Champions during my absence. We have something so special here, and support from the Foundation makes it possible to keep growing it. And this conference gave me a chance to grow, too, as a practitioner – when so much of my work here is education, it’s invigorating to attend events where I can educate myself and learn from others on similar journeys. I can’t wait to share my new knowledge and restored passion with all my colleagues and appreciate you all for this amazing opportunity.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart,
D. Hilton