Utah Valley Magazine » Community

Surgical Robot

contributor — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:51:56 +0000

Da Vinci has brushed its way into Utah Valley.
But we’re not talking about the deceased painter — the newsbreaking da Vinci appearance is a robotic surgery system at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. The multimillion dollar investment will provide surgical patients in the valley with a minimally invasive surgical alternative.
“We want our focus to be on quality outcomes in patient care,” says Ryan White, director of communications for Timpanogos Regional Hospital. “We want patients to have the comfort of less bleeding, which means fewer complications and an overall faster return to normal life after surgery.”
And the da Vinci surgical system can provide just that. The system gives surgeons complete control of four robotic arms with more than 15 different attachments designed to cut, grasp, burn and dissect tissue. The robotic arms are able to rotate 360 degrees, giving them greater range of motion than the human wrist. Surgeons control these arms at a console where they view the patient through a high-definition, 3-D vision system.
“There are a couple of things that stand out about this system, and one is the improved optics and visualization it offers,” says Dr. Jim Crowley, who performed a prostatectomy on Nov. 1, the first surgery at Timpanogos on the machine. “It gives us such precise definition of the anatomic structures we’ll be working with.”
Dr. Crowley says the system also allows surgeons to be very accurate in removing diseased portions of the body while avoiding damage to surrounding structures.
“The da Vinci gives surgeons a higher level of confidence and a lower level of stress. You come out of cases feeling like you’ve accomplished something without having been in a battle,” Dr. Crowley says. “The system makes surgeries safer — easier on the surgeons and easier on the patients.”
Theresa Lugo, clinical coordinator, says the machine can minimize the number and size of incisions necessary for procedures.
“For some surgeries, a normal incision would be eight inches long,” she says. “Now, we can do it with three tiny ports, each an inch or less wide.”
Incision reductions mean minimally invasive surgeries, and that means a whole lot of good things for the people on the operating tables — less scarring, lower blood loss, fewer blood transfusions, lower risk of infection and less trauma overall to patients. The process is better on patients’ bodies and their wallets. Faster recovery times reduce hospitalization costs. For example, hospital recovery periods following a hysterectomy, which will be one of the primary procedures done with the system at Timpanogos, can be drastically reduced.
Dr. David Young of the Central Utah Clinic at Mt. Timpanogos Women’s Center says the robot can be utilized in many procedures that previously required large abdominal incisions.
“By avoiding the large abdominal
incision women are likely to have less bleeding, lower rates of infection, less
pain (thus less narcotics), shorter hospital stays and, in most cases, patients will return to full activity in less time,” he says. “With this technology available the frequency of abdominal hysterectomies should diminish.”
The machine runs extensive safety checks before and during procedures, ensuring that patients and operating room staffs are protected. The thorough training surgeons undergo to learn the technology also keeps patients safe. Some surgeons at Timpanogos Regional Hospital have been preparing for the da Vinci Robot since 2004.
“I’m excited to bring this technology to Utah Valley,” Dr. Crowley says. “I’ve done 200 of these cases. It’s exciting to see this being offered close to home for Utah Valley residents.”
The da Vinci system is used in 1,395 locations worldwide, but Timpanogos Regional brought the first one to Utah Valley. For more information on what procedures the system accommodates, call (866) 887-3999 or visit notbiggerjustbetterhealth.com.

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The Season of Giving

adickson — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:24:17 +0000

Volunteer to spread holiday cheer

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, but for others it’s a struggle. To keep in mind the reason for the season, take a break from the hustle and bustle and lend a hand to one of Utah Valley’s volunteer organizations.

United Way of Utah County
United Way is best known for their Sub for Santa and Angel Tree programs. Sub for Santa is a temporary Christmas assistance program that matches sponsors with families looking for help. After purchasing gifts that will best help the children in need, the true reward comes upon delivering the items.

The Angel Tree allows volunteers to choose one child to donate Christmas to, instead of an entire family. Sub for Santa and the Angel Tree are both great service options for families, since kids of all ages can get involved in selecting and delivering gifts.

Information about United Way’s holiday programs can be found at www.unitedwayuc.org, or by dialing 211.

Food & Care Coalition
At the Food & Care Coalition, homeless and low-income families and individuals benefit from the work and donations of volunteers. During the holiday season, donations of giftcards to Costco, Sam’s or other grocery stores are one of the best ways to help.

Many groups also assemble and donate sack lunches for Food & Care’s clients. Providing a special holiday food item for sack lunches or meals served at the Coalition is another way to help make someone else’s holiday season extra special.

Visit www.foodandcare.org for holiday service options, or call (801) 373-1825.

Community Action Services and Food Bank
Community Action provides a variety of programs and solutions to address local needs and issues. Family Activity Night is a fun program for families — each Monday and Tuesday night at 7 p.m., Community Action provides an interactive evening to teach children and families about local poverty and how they can help in the community. Activities include a tour of the food bank, as well as various service projects.

Sorting food is another option at the food bank. Volunteers are also needed to assemble boxes that will go to families in need.

When you’re making plans for your own holiday meal, pick up a few extra items to donate to a less fortunate family. Community Action Services needs more than 2,000 hams and turkeys this year. They also accept vouchers for meat, plus mashed potato and gravy mixes, vegetables, cranberries, or anything else you love to feast on during the holidays.

To volunteer for any of Community Action Services’ opportunities, call (801) 373-8200 or visit www.communityactionprovo.org.

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Eclectic Generosity

contributor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:56:45 +0000

Utah Valley entrepreneur Brandt Andersen makes community outreach his business

  New clothes and toys covered the basement floor of a spacious Provo home just a couple blocks off University Avenue last December. Enough groceries to feed a small army, with cleaning and hygiene supplies to match, were carefully stacked on wooden pallets, overtaking the garage space normally reserved for family vehicles.
Friends, family and employees armed with gift wrap, Scotch tape, scissors and smiles wide enough to fill the local canyons intently worked to meet delivery deadlines set more by the season than the diminutive, yet effervescent leader of this spirited crew — entrepreneur and Utah Flash owner Brandt Andersen.
  Limited to just one word, “eclectic” may be the best way to describe the 30-year-old Utah Valley entrepreneur. “Eclectically generous” if allowed two.
  The Flash Family Foundation, working with Utah County school districts, identified and provided gifts, four months worth of food, and personal hygiene products for 60 Utah County families. Players employed by Brandt’s NBA Development League team, the Utah Flash, stepped up to serve as the delivery arm for the project.
This is the same Brandt Andersen who provided more than 13,000 complimentary tickets to Flash games for local school students. The same Utah Flash whose players made more than 25 visits to Utah Valley schools to speak with kids about service, respect and responsibility — every visit the brainchild of Brandt.
  “The main reason we purchased the Flash was to provide a vehicle for community outreach, particularly to kids,” Brandt says. “Those kids don’t want to hear a guy who builds tall buildings telling them to do right, but when a 7-foot athlete shows up in their classroom, it gets their attention.”
  Brandt’s parent company, G Code Ventures, is finalizing plans for a healthy lifestyles community in Lehi, which will include wakeboarding lakes, residential and commercial ventures, as well as a five-star hotel that will be the tallest building in Utah.
  From sitting courtside in designer jeans at Flash games to meeting with world-renowned architect Frank Gehry about updates to the eco-friendly project in Lehi to playing host to the Iranian Olympic Team at The Factory at the Point of the Mountain, Brandt is equally as comfortable behind the wheel of his F-150 on the way to rappel down a sheer rock face as a member of Utah County Search and Rescue.
We said eclectic, didn’t we?
  “I’ve been privileged to visit many interesting places and meet many interesting people around the world, but Utah County is my home,” Brandt says. “There is no other place where my family feels as comfortable as we do here.”
  So whether it’s delivering a Christmas dinner, treating thousands of kids to a professional basketball game, doing his part for diplomatic relations through sport, or rescuing someone stranded on a mountain peak, every day brings new challenges and opportunities to serve. Brandt wouldn’t have it any other way.
  “It’s not just an honor to give back to our community, but a debt of gratitude I owe,” Brandt says.

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Freedom and Fun at the Festival

contributor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:33:26 +0000

Provo’s 4th of July celebration is as traditional as Christmas Eve

Orem’s Carol Walker has not missed the Freedom Festival celebration for more than 50 years — she first attended at the age of six months. Growing up, Carol dressed in patriotic clothes to watch the parade — always along with her 26 cousins and grandpa — and she danced in the Stadium of Fire.
“I love the Freedom Festival,” Carol says. “It has taught me the importance of country, of patriotism, and of celebrating our freedom every year.”
Now that Carol has grandchildren of her own, the Fourth of July is a chance for her to continue the traditions of her childhood — by staking out a spot on the parade route, sleeping over with her grandchildren and attending the Stadium of Fire.

Hot air
The Fourth of July means balloons for Bill Talbot, who has overseen the Balloon Fest for the past 25 years.
Bill was looking for an opportunity to give back to the community and was asked to chair the very first balloon festival — even though he knew nothing about balloons. Now, Bill knows all about balloons — he knows that Fox Field is the perfect location for take-off and landing, that balloon pilots have to pay attention to the winds from the canyons and Utah Lake because wind is the only thing that can steer them, and that 30 balloons is the ideal number for the festival.
“I know that I’m helping bring something amazing to the community,” Bill says. “This is pretty special to me, and I hope the community feels the same way.”

Good vibrations
“My family wouldn’t miss the Freedom Festival for anything,” says Kerry Patterson, who has participated in the festivities since he came to Provo more than 20 years ago to get his master’s degree from BYU. His children have grown up and moved away, but they come home every year for the parade, 5K, family barbecue, bocce ball, slip ‘n’ slide, and Stadium of Fire. Though every year has been special for Kerry, his favorite was 1992 when the family watched the Beach Boys live at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

This is the place on July 4
Years ago Brian Neff and his family moved to Utah from San Francisco and were looking for something to do on the Fourth of July — now they can’t imagine being anywhere else but University Avenue for the Freedom Festival parade. Over the past seven years, Brian’s family traditions have grown tremendously — at least 40 people sleep over at their spot the night before the parade, they feed their neighbors dinner buffet-style, and friends play guitar and violin for entertainment.
“The parade lets me be part of an event that is bigger than me,” Brian says. “To have all these people come together for a few hours to watch the parade is very patriotic.”

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Spring Fling

contributor — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:29:16 +0000

3 ways to add a spring to your step this Easter

Spring always brings blooming flowers and April showers, but if you’re looking for something eggstra special this Easter season, check out these three Utah Valley hot spots for candy sweets, natural retreats and decorating sneak peaks.

Not your typical chocolate bunny
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, located in the Shops at Riverwoods in Provo, offers gourmet Easter baskets and the largest selection of chocolate bunnies in the area.
While they have traditional-sized chocolate bunnies, the store also carries two-pound specialty chocolate bunnies, and one select 25-pound chocolate bunny, which Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory donates to a local organization each year.
If you’re looking for variations on the typical Easter fare, the store also sells homemade chocolate-dipped fudge eggs, chocolate tulips, and a variety of other sweets and gummy candies.

Living lavender farms
Young Living Farms, located at 3700 North Highway 91 in Mona, exudes the sweet aroma of lavender.
The farm has been in operation for 10 years and produces and distills essential oils for Young Living Essential Oils.
The farm began hosting events to encourage members of the community to enjoy plants and nature.
To celebrate Easter, Young Living Farms will host its third annual Easter Festival on March 22 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Activities include pony rides, a small petting zoo, crafts, face painting, and wagon rides through the fields to enjoy Easter egg hunting.
All activities are weather permitting.

Subtle spring sunshine
If you’re looking for simple ways to give your home a spring fling, Evans Gatehouse sells spring décor to fit the occasion.
Treat yourself to a sweet treat with pastel retro soda fountain milkshake glasses, ice cream scoops, sprinkles and bowls or add some extra spice to your cooking with retro fabric aprons.
If you’re more the organic type, pick up some tulips or daffodils, or a spring wreath. Potted herbs and birds’ nests also add interest to your shelves or dining room table.
For entertaining, vintage floral table runners, Easter dishware and a beautiful bouquet of cherry blossoms can add the country touch to your home.
To make your mantle a focal point, add elegant floral arrangements, candles or apothecary jars in spring colors.

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