“Over the past month, more than 2,500 patients have walked through our doors for medical care ranging from primary care and preventive screenings to emergency services and inpatient care,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “This facility was built to help improve health equity in West Louisville and make access to care easier. This first month of care at Norton West Louisville Hospital is a major step in reaching a community goal of improving health outcomes.”

“The reviews since opening our doors have been excellent,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative officer, Norton West Louisville Hospital. “Patients love the ease of access, the feeling of community and the attention we’ve given to the details that make a visit go smoothly.

“We will continue to seek feedback, so that we can continue to meet the needs of our community.”

West Louisville is composed of nine neighborhoods and has endured years of disinvestment. The most recent Health Equity Report published by the Louisville Metro Center for Health Equity still shows that life expectancy for residents of West Louisville is 15 years lower than other areas of the city. The report also shows higher rates of death connected to stroke, heart disease and cancer in this area of Louisville.

Norton West Louisville Hospital has a 24/7 emergency department; inpatient treatment; operating rooms; laboratory services; imaging services, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI; and a retail pharmacy. The medical offices inside the hospital house adult primary care providers and specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, pulmonology, surgery, women’s care, oncology/hematology, neurology and neurosurgery. For children, the offices have pediatric primary care providers and specialists in pediatric endocrinology and pediatric oncology/hematology. Both children and adults have access to care from providers with Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, a part of Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s. Having medical office space inside the hospital, rather than in a separate medical office building, is a unique feature of Norton West Louisville Hospital.

The hospital also has a centralized check-in area, community room, a bistro, outdoor green space and a Dare to Care food pantry.

Norton West Louisville Hospital

• Opened to patients on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024
• Numbers from first month of operation (Monday, Nov. 11 through Tuesday, Dec. 10)
• Number of emergency department visits: 1,363
• Number of surgeries: 52
• Number of inpatient admissions: 37

Imaging 1,875 exams

• Number of X-rays: 854
• Number of CT scans: 758
• Number of MRIs: 126
• Number of mammograms: 68
• Number of ultrasounds: 69

Norton Community Medical Associates and Norton Children’s Medical Group

• Outpatient visits total: 579
• Adult: 466
• Pediatric: 113

Additional areas

• Number of people served through the food pantry: 261
• Number of prescriptions filled: 1,623

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“Norton West Louisville Hospital was constructed to provide access to quality medical treatment by eliminating obstacles so all residents can live a healthy and prosperous life,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “While we have adult and pediatric medical offices in West Louisville, this state-of-the-art hospital will help us care for more patients and continue to put health equity in the forefront.”

West Louisville is composed of nine neighborhoods and has endured years of disinvestment. The most recent Health Equity Report published by the Louisville Metro Center for Health Equity still shows that life expectancy for residents of West Louisville is 15 years lower than other areas of the city. The report also shows higher rates of death connected to stroke, heart disease and cancer in this area of Louisville.

“As a dad, I know that when your child is hurt or sick, it’s scary. Every minute feels like an eternity,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Now, thanks to our partners at Norton Healthcare, no one in West Louisville will have to wait, because they’ll have a world-class hospital close to home. Thank you for this investment, which will help Kentucky families for generations to come.” 

“The first hospital built in West Louisville in more than 150 years is long overdue, and I am thrilled Norton Healthcare is making this investment in our community and the people who live here,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I am thankful for Norton Healthcare’s belief in this project and am confident this will improve health, wellness and economic well-being for residents who’ve been underserved for too long.”

Norton West Louisville Hospital has a 24/7 emergency department; inpatient treatment; operating rooms; laboratory services; imaging services, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI; and a retail pharmacy. The medical offices inside the hospital house adult primary care providers and specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, pulmonology, surgery, women’s care, oncology/hematology, neurology and neurosurgery. For children, the offices have pediatric primary care and specialists in pediatric endocrinology and pediatric oncology/hematology. Both children and adults have access to care from providers with Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, a part of Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s. Having medical office space inside the hospital, rather than in a separate medical office building, is a unique feature of Norton West Louisville Hospital.

The hospital also has a centralized check-in area, community rooms, a bistro, outdoor green space and a Dare to Care food pantry.

“Members of our community were instrumental in providing feedback on the services and amenities they wanted to have in their community hospital,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative office, Norton West Louisville Hospital. “We hosted several community forums and collected data from a survey that was completed by more than 4,500 people, the majority who live or work in West Louisville. Norton West Louisville Hospital will evolve to meet the community’s needs.”

Special touches found in the $90 million hospital include three construction beams signed by more than 2,000 employees and residents that are displayed outside of the Gouverneur H. Nixon Jr. Community Education Center. With donations made through the Norton Healthcare Foundation, artwork curated by a West Louisville resident — and many pieces by two West Louisville artists — adorn walls throughout the hospital and medical office space.

A special monument honors the medical pioneers of West Louisville who dedicated their lives to providing medical care to people of color in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The monument was funded by the family of Richard S. Wolf, M.D., through the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, in memory of Dr. Wolf’s life and work as a pediatrician, former medical director at Norton Children’s Hospital and “Mayor” of Safety City. Dr. Wolf was a passionate advocate for access, prevention and wellness for children in our region.   

Norton West Louisville Hospital is located at 850 S. 28th St. on the Norton Healthcare Goodwill Opportunity Campus. It employs more than 350 people in a variety of clinical and nonclinical positions.

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As Norton Healthcare prepares to open the first new hospital west of Ninth Street in 150 years, these early medical pioneers are being honored with a special monument on the Norton Healthcare Goodwill Opportunity Campus.

The monument was funded by the family of Richard S. Wolf, M.D., through the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, in memory of Dr. Wolf’s life and work as a pediatrician in our community. As the former medical director at Norton Children’s Hospital and Mayor of Safety City, Dr. Wolf was a passionate advocate for access, prevention and wellness for children in our region.      

“When we began researching this project, we uncovered so many stories that needed to be told,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative officer, Norton West Louisville Hospital. “Those featured were some of the first to treat citizens in West Louisville or they established a hospital, a medical school and practices that forged a path where none existed.”

These providers include:

• Henry Fitzbutler, M.D., the first Black doctor in Louisville, the first Black student to earn a medical degree from the University of Michigan and founder of Louisville National Medical College.
• Sarah Fitzbutler, M.D., the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in Kentucky after graduating from Louisville National Medical College.
• Artishia Gilbert Wilkerson, M.D., the first Black woman to pass the medical boards and and become a doctor in Kentucky.
• Mary E. Merritt, R.N., the first registered nurse of any race to work in Kentucky, and the recipient of a certificate of merit from President Woodrow Wilson for her service during World War I.
• Mary Etta Porter Potter, M.D., a physician who provided women’s and children’s care out of her home and established the Fraternal Hospital Training School for Nurses.
• John A.C. Lattimore, M.D., a physician as well as organizer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Louisville Urban League.
• Physicians involved in chartering Louisville National Medical College, the only school that accepted Black students. It became known as one of the best U.S. African American medical colleges and the only one owned and operated entirely by African Americans. It later merged with Simmons University, which is now Simmons College of Kentucky.
• Physicians involved in the creation of Red Cross Hospital, a four-bed hospital originally located on Sixth and Walnut streets. It went without gas or electricity for many years and was the only Kentucky hospital to educate Black nurses in the early 1900s.

The monument is on the corner of 28th Street and Garland Avenue, and is surrounded by bricks that were purchased by those interested in providing support to the hospital and this project. In addition to a monument, stories of these pioneers and others can be found at NortonWestLouisvilleHospital.com.

This project also was made possible through input from Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Filson Historical Society, Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, Norton Healthcare Archives, UofL Kornhauser Health Sciences Library and UofL Libraries Archives & Special Collections.

To provide support or purchase a brick, visit Norton West Louisville Hospital Brick Pavers Project (GiveButter.com).

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The hospital, located at 28th Street and West Broadway, will offer comprehensive services, from primary care and surgery to social support, with a diverse team of providers dedicated to meeting the needs of patients.

Keep reading to meet four compassionate providers who share why they chose to work at Norton West Louisville Hospital and their excitement for making a positive impact on the community.

Kalyn Churchill, APRN: Commitment to community health

Kalyn Churchill, APRN, a primary care nurse practitioner who will work with adult patients, feels a strong connection to West Louisville, where her two children attend elementary school.

“I honestly feel called to be in this position,” she said. “There’s no other community that I’d rather serve.”

Kalyn’s husband and his family are West Louisville natives, and she is passionate about supporting patients who have historically faced barriers to accessing quality health care.

“For the years that I’ve been here, I’ve been deeply connected to this community,” she said.

Kalyn enjoys educating patients, helping them meet their health care goals and understanding the importance of taking preventive measures to live longer, healthier lives. She values getting to know her patients and their families on a more personalized level. With a focus on building trust and relationships in her practice, she hopes to create a welcoming environment where people feel comfortable seeking medical care.

Kaylyn says traditionally underserved areas often lack access to health care.

“I believe Norton West Louisville Hospital is here to make that change,” she said.

Melinda C. Ruberg, M.D.: Making health care accessible for all

Melinda C. “Mel” Ruberg, M.D., medical director of Norton West Louisville Hospital, values inclusivity in health care, putting patients at the center of her work.

“We want everyone who walks through the doors of this hospital to feel like they belong,” she said.

Dr. Ruberg will be a family medicine provider, interacting with patients of all ages, and looks forward to creating a compassionate and welcoming environment for all West Louisville families.

“I like putting family in the center of medicine, so if patients want to come in with 11 family members and we go through the entire family medical history at the same time, I’m all in,” she said.

As a lifelong Kentuckian, Dr. Ruberg believes Norton West Louisville Hospital will provide an opportunity for equitable health care access across Louisville. It is the first hospital to be built west of Ninth Street in the past 150 years. She looks forward to helping build up the community, after understanding barriers that have historically existed.

“I had a roommate in medical school who was from the West End, [and] that helped to really take my blinders off, and I attribute a lot of what I know about the West End to him,” she said.

Stephen J. Kelty, M.D.: Bringing surgical expertise to the community

As chief of surgery, Stephen J. Kelty, M.D., brings over 33 years of experience to Norton West Louisville Hospital, with a passion for providing surgical care to those who need it most.

“This opportunity coincided with my interest in medical mission work overseas,” he said.

Dr. Kelty, a Louisville native, is excited about the range of surgical services the hospital will provide, including general surgery and advanced abdominal and esophageal endoscopies.

He looks forward to performing a variety of surgical procedures for patients, including abdominal, breast, thyroid, hernia and gall bladder operations, plus colonoscopy screenings and more.

“The equipment, materials and technology at the hospital are all top-of-the-line,” he said. “Patients can be very assured that they are going to get really good care here.”

Aisha Rucker, LCSW: Addressing social determinants of health

With 20 years of experience, licensed clinical social worker Aisha Rucker, LCSW, has a passion for people.

“There is something in our DNA; once you’re called to serve, you want to go serve,” she said.

Aisha will be the hospital’s manager of social work and care continuum, which is a role dedicated to addressing the social factors that impact the overall health of patients in West Louisville.

According to recent Louisville health equity reports, the life expectancy of residents in West Louisville is more than 10 years less than those living in other areas of town. Disproportionate health outcomes in the Black community also were apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added fuel to Aisha’s passion to serve her community.

“Most of my formative years were here in West Louisville, so it’s kind of personal,” she said. “The West End has more diversity than just the Black community, but the majority of West Louisville is Black people, people who look like me,” Aisha said. “I wanted to serve the people who look like me, and hopefully we can close the health disparity gaps we’ve seen throughout history.”

Aisha’s team will support patients by identifying social determinants of health, so the patients continue to have support after they leave the hospital — whether that is via connecting patients with necessary medical equipment or providing other resources for basic needs. The team will work with patients to detect disparities, such as transportation, housing and food insecurity. Patients will have access to a food pantry inside the hospital.

Social workers also can provide therapeutic support for people navigating life transitions or a new diagnosis.

“This hospital is a place of healing,” said Aisha, who believes that hospital leadership and staff share this common mission. “I think people are going to experience that [healing] when they come to Norton West Louisville Hospital.”

Looking ahead to opening day

Norton West Louisville Hospital’s team of experienced health care professionals is excited to serve the West Louisville community. The new hospital will begin welcoming patients on Nov. 11, 2024.

The post Introducing the care team at Norton West Louisville Hospital appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

The new hospital will include a 24/7 emergency department, inpatient treatment, operating rooms, laboratory services, imaging services (including X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI) and a retail pharmacy. Outpatient office space will include adult and pediatric primary care, women’s services (including obstetrics and gynecology), cardiology, orthopedics, diabetes care, behavioral health services and more.

Norton Healthcare broke ground on the new hospital in June 2022, and construction began on what is the first new hospital to be built in West Louisville in more than 150 years. In a partnership with Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, together the two organizations will bring a wealth of services and health care to a single location. Goodwill’s Opportunity Center is part of the campus and provides social services with various community partners.

Based on community feedback, Norton West Louisville Hospital will feature a centralized check-in area, community room, outdoor green space and a food pantry. In addition, work from local artists will be on display in the facility.

Norton West Louisville Hospital has created more than 380 jobs. For more information on available jobs, visit NortonHealthcare.com/NWLH-Jobs.

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The community recently received a sneak peek of the hospital as the building continues to take shape at 28th Street and Broadway. The 86,500 square-foot facility, located on the Norton Healthcare Goodwill Opportunity Campus, is designed to meet the unique needs of the West Louisville community.

“We made a promise to our community that we were going to build an innovative Norton Healthcare facility in West Louisville, and here we stand,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative officer of Norton West Louisville Hospital.

As the first hospital built west of Ninth Street in over 150 years, the state-of-the-art facility aims to improve the health and well-being of the West Louisville community for generations to come.

A welcoming entrance

Upon entering the hospital, visitors are greeted by a centralized check-in area with an abundance of natural lighting, creating an inviting and warm atmosphere that sets the tone for the hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care in the community.

First floor features

The hospital’s first floor includes a variety of amenities, such as a kitchen and bistro that offers refreshments and snacks for patients and visitors. Nearby, patients will find a Norton Medical Group office that will house specialties including primary care, women’s services, pediatrics, orthopedics and other services. An on-site retail pharmacy will provide a convenient one-stop shop for various health care needs.

The hospital actively sought community feedback over the past two years, which inspired a community room. This versatile space is equipped with A/V capabilities, TV monitors and plenty of seating to host community meetings, events or seminars on topics such as finances or nutrition. A chapel can be found nearby.

Additionally, the emergency department, located on the north end of the building, features private patient rooms to help enhance patient comfort and privacy, with the hospital’s imaging and lab services nearby.

Second floor amenities

The second floor houses the hospital’s comprehensive surgical services, including operating rooms and designated pre- and post-operative areas. The hospital has 20 inpatient beds, and each room is designed to further promote peace and healing. Each patient room features 9-foot windows offering views of the private rooftop patio greenspace outside, creating a serene and healing environment.

Patients also can find a food pantry on the second floor, thanks to the hospital’s partnership with Dare to Care Food Bank. Here, a fully stocked and refrigerated food pantry will be available to help support patients in need.

Comprehensive health care services

The hospital will provide a wide array of services, including:

• Emergency department
• Surgical services
• Adult primary care (with extended hours)
• Pediatric primary care (with extended hours)
• Pharmacy
• Inpatient unit
• Outpatient lab and diagnostic imaging (mammography, CT, ultrasound)
• Women’s services
• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Orthopedics
• Behavioral health
• Back and neck pain care
• Hematology
• Neurology
• Pulmonary care
• Pediatric specialized care (asthma and sickle cell treatment)

A community effort

From the hospital’s inception, Norton Healthcare incorporated community feedback, ensuring the final design reflects the needs and desires of the West Louisville community. To further promote diversity on the jobsite, Norton Healthcare partnered with the Louisville Urban League and general contractor Harmon/Messer to provide jobs to women and minorities through the Urban Workforce Development Initiative.

“We’ve done things differently here. We’ve engaged people differently here,” Corenza said. “To see the love this facility is getting, to see people come together to make sure that our kids and our kids’ kids are healthier. We need each other, and to take care of our health — that’s why we’re here.”

Norton West Louisville Hospital is scheduled to open in November.

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“This is one of the most exciting parts of this whole project for me – finding the compassionate caregivers who will make history at this new facility,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative officer, Norton West Louisville Hospital.

Hiring of key leadership roles began late last year as part of a phased approach to hiring. Phase 2 welcomed additional leadership, who will play a role in this new hiring phase.

Available positions include the following areas:

“We’re looking for people who want to make an impact,” Corenza said. “You need to believe in Norton Healthcare’s mission and want to be part of changing health care in our community.”

The post Norton West Louisville Hospital is now hiring appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

At the front of the room, Lloyd Kelly greets his class of about 20 with a fist-to-palm salute. He bows his head and says, “ni hao,” greeting them in Chinese. The class repeats it back to him.

From there, he leads them in a 1½-hour tai chi course. The Chinese art form is known for its slow, intentional movements as a form of gentle exercise and meditation.

For this group, though, tai chi is much more than just a 90-minute class, two times a week. Almost all the class participants have been diagnosed with a neurological condition, and the slow movements are a way to improve balance, stability and movement — all things the neurological conditions have robbed from them over the years.

It’s also a chance to connect with people and form a bond with those who’ve shared similar life experiences.

This class, made possible by Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers and the Norton Healthcare Foundation, is celebrating 10 years in existence.

‘My passion is to help people’

Lloyd Kelly found tai chi at 10 years old.

His father was a pilot in the Air Force. His commanding officer had a passion for martial arts and would practice them on base. The officer loved it so much, he even offered classes for the pilots and their families at the base gym.

Lloyd tried tai chi and was instantly hooked.

“I saw that going on, and I said, ‘I don’t know what that is, but that’s cool,’” Lloyd said.

Lloyd practiced it ever since, and eventually went from student to teacher, quickly earning his certifications and teaching tai chi across the state of Kentucky. Ten years ago, Norton Neuroscience Institute called and asked Lloyd to lead a class for patients with neurological conditions. He agreed.

The first class in 2014 on the Norton Brownsboro Hospital campus had fewer than 10 participants. Ten years later, the class has grown to roughly two dozen people; many haven’t missed a class in years.

“My passion is to help people, so I’m really into the medical aspect of tai chi,” Lloyd said. “It’s been gratifying and life-changing for me, and I have a lot of gratitude to Norton Healthcare, because they had the foresight [to offer this program]. A lot of people see tai chi and they think, ‘Oh, it’s woo woo. It might be alternative medicine.’ This is not alternative medicine. It’s complementary. It’s to complement other medications and therapy. So it’s not to compete. It’s to add on.”

‘It just feels comfortable’

Susan Small was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1985.

Her diagnosis came with a flurry of emotions, but mostly fear of the unknown and the future. Susan was a pharmacist, and scoured libraries to find information about her condition. While she dug for knowledge, she bounced from doctor to doctor, looking for someone who could help her.

At the same time, she began to lose her balance. She fell several times, needing multiple surgeries as a result of her injuries.

In the beginning, it was scary.

“There were no [disease-modifying] drugs, no internet, no place for me to go for information,” Susan said. “By the time you get in to see a neurologist, they couldn’t even give you a diagnosis. But at the time, they couldn’t do anything about it anyway. So by then, I just got on with my life and stopped drowning in my condition. I decided, ‘you know what, I’m not going to let this possess me.’”

Determined not to allow her diagnosis to define her, Susan stayed active and eventually came across information about the “Neuro Tai Chi” class. She decided to give it a try and showed up for the first day of class back in 2014.

“I remember the first day of class,” Susan said. “It was so early in the morning. I remember I had to set my alarm, roll out of bed — and my husband made me a huge thermos full of tea. And I was sitting in the chair so tired.”

Despite the early wake-up calls, Susan quickly noticed something was changing. The more she attended class, the more her balance and stability improved. More than that, she felt like her memory was beginning to improve. It was exhilarating. She didn’t miss a class for 18 months.

“This class has helped me in so many ways,” Susan said. “It was like I was eating it up. I couldn’t not come, because I could tell it was helping me. I had to come, even if it was at 8:30 every morning. It was like this drive in me, and I could sense it in my body. It wasn’t just weight distribution and balance. It was my brain. There was something I was sensing that my brain was making the new connections. I can’t even really explain it, but I could do things [that I couldn’t before]. It was like my brain was picking up the signals. Now I know it’s neuroplasticity in the brain, where one side takes over for the damaged cells on the other.”

From there, she began recruiting others to join. Edi Deering was one of them.

Edi, diagnosed with MS in 1986, already had been taking tai chi at a different location. She agreed to try the class at Norton Healthcare. She hasn’t looked back either.

“It just feels comfortable, and it’s very good,” Edi said. “The balance and exercise of it, but the camaraderie of it too: People are very compassionate here, and Lloyd is fantastic about not making us feel bad. He shows us how to do it right and then allows us to do it as right as we can. Because everybody has their own limitations and body mechanics that either work or don’t work.”

‘That is the promise we made’

Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Center was officially established in 2013, as a place to provide help with the day-to-day challenges of living with a neurological condition. It’s part of Norton Neuroscience Institute’s goal to care for the whole person, not just the condition.

The goal is to offer ways to improve access to care, provide information on disease management and address quality of life issues. The support is offered at no cost patients and their families, thanks to the support of donations through the Norton Healthcare Foundation.

“That is the promise we made our community, to give them the support they need free of charge,” said Yvette Cabrera-Rojas, director, Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers. “Without the Norton Healthcare Foundation, we would not be able to offer these incredible classes to our community. It’s plain and simple — without the Foundation, we would not have a Resource Center.”

At Norton Neuroscience Resource Centers, licensed clinical social workers help individuals who are in crisis and work with patients to determine short- and long-term plans. Four nurse navigators are tasked with educating patients and families about their conditions and available treatments, while ensuring there are no barriers between patients and treatment plans. Coordinators are also on staff to create and develop programming for each condition.

“We focus on what [patients] can do and what they cannot do,” Yvette said. “We also give them a platform so they can make friendships with people who share the same life experiences as them. It’s all because they have things in common. These groups truly understand each other. They know.”

Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Center programming is offered both virtually and in person. Offerings include exercise classes, therapeutic classes, educational programs and support groups. In 2023, attendance reached nearly 10,000 across the platforms. Also in 2023, the Norton Healthcare Foundation committed a minimum $100,000 to general programming and support and $64,000 to Parkinson’s disease programming.

’It’s an awesome bond, it really is’

Ten years in, Edi and Susan are still here, practicing tai chi with Lloyd and their tai chi family.

“For me personally, it’s been a wonderful experience,” Lloyd said. “It’s so gratifying to see people doing well, feeling better, be able to have a better quality of life. That’s life-changing to be able to provide that.”

Edi just celebrated her 80^th birthday, while Susan is now a certified tai chi instructor. They’re just two of many who’ve benefited over the years, thanks to Lloyd’s instruction and love of tai chi.

“It’s an awesome bond; it really is,” Susan said. “Because you get to a point where you think, ‘This is the group, and we protect the group.’”

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The phones are ringing. Emails and referrals are coming in from physicians trying to connect their patients with the resources they need outside the doctor’s office.

Patient navigators are meeting with patients, both newly diagnosed or in transition, providing help with the day-to-day challenges of living with a neurological condition.

The entire ecosystem is buzzing.

It’s part of Norton Neuroscience Institute’s goal to care for the whole person, not just the condition.

At the helm is Yvette Cabrera-Rojas, the resource center’s director. She responsible for making sure the office runs as it should.

But for Yvette, this work is more than just a career. It’s personal.

‘I didn’t know what my future was going to look like’

Yvette’s symptoms started in 1989.

She was driving on the highway when — all of a sudden — two lanes became four.

“I had double vision,” she said. “I had pain in my eye. They thought at the hospital I had vertigo, so they sent me home. And then I received a phone call from a doctor at the hospital that I needed to see an ophthalmologist.”

She went through a series of tests, and on the week of July 4, officially was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time, the news hit her hard.

“I was not happy,” she said. “And I didn’t know what my future was going to look like. I was in my mid-to-late 20s, married, the mother of a baby boy, and I was worried about how my life would turn out.”

Yvette knew how debilitating the disease could be. MS made her father quadriplegic, leaving her to care for him for the final 10 years of his life. She also knew that, at the time of her diagnosis, there were no treatments available. Her symptoms continued to worsen.

“The first five or six years were a nightmare,” she said. “It was one MS attack after another. I had lost my vision [at times]. I had lost hearing in my right ear for stretches at a time. I was numb on one side of my body for over a year.  In 1991, I woke up one day and lost the use of my right leg [temporarily]. And the only kind of treatments they could use back then were steroids. They would bombard you with steroids for five days at the hospital. It was very bad. There was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear. No planning for the future.”

But in 1994, Yvette’s world changed forever.

The Food and Drug Administration approved interferon beta-1b (IFNbeta-1b) for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. It became the first disease-modifying medication, but was available to patients only through a lottery. Yvette won it, and traveled to Lexington routinely to receive the intramuscular treatments.

“[The shots] were pretty bad and would give you flu like symptoms,” she said. “But back then, the medication only had a 30% to 34% ability to reduce the amount of relapses, attacks a person would have per year. So I took that 30%. It’s better than zero.”

‘What is MS?’

According to the National Institutes of Health, multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease of young adults, with symptoms usually beginning between ages 20 to 40.

In MS, the immune system cells that normally protect us from viruses malfunction. Bacteria and unhealthy cells mistakenly attack myelin in the central nervous system. Myelin is a substance that makes up the protective sheath (myelin sheath) that coats nerve fibers (axons).

MS affects different people differently. A small number of people with MS will have little to no disability, whereas others will have a steadily worsening disease leading to increased disability over time. Most people, however, will have short periods of symptoms followed by long stretches of relative MS inactivity.

Symptoms of MS can include vision issues (blurred or double vision), muscle weakness and stiffness, imbalance, bladder control issues, dizziness and more. MS also can cause mental or physical fatigue, mood changes and cognitive dysfunction.

There are four main types of MS.

Clinically isolated syndrome refers to the first episode of symptoms, such as eye movement pain or numbness and tingling that lasts more than 24 hours. These symptoms can be caused by inflammation or damage to the myelin that covers nerve pathways. Sometimes there is an indication of MS on an MRI scan, sometimes not. If the diagnosis is a condition known as clinically isolated syndrome, starting patients on medication soon can help improve their condition in the future. In some cases, the condition may warrant close monitoring without medication.

Relapsing remitting MS is the most common form of MS and represents about 85% of patients. Life with relapsing remitting MS means going for periods of no symptoms, then encountering a relapse or exacerbation where symptoms last for more than 24 hours. Symptoms can last for days or months before going away in part if not completely. The level of symptoms after a relapse establishes a new baseline until the next exacerbation. Sometimes the new baseline is no symptoms; sometimes it’s something that lingers that wasn’t there before.

Secondary progressive MS is the type of MS that comes later in the disease’s progression. Rather than sudden onset, symptoms are more gradual. Patients may develop new brain lesions or more disabilities and other symptoms.Generally, secondary-progressive MS represents a transition from relapsing-remitting MS over time.

Primary progressive MS affects only about 10% to 15% of patients. Rather than stair-step symptoms of relapsing remitting MS, primary progressive MS gradually progresses without remissions or relapses. These patients often will have trouble walking or will have another symptom that gets worse over time. It’s typically difficult for the patient to pinpoint a specific episode of worsening or improving symptoms.

‘A one-of-a-kind organization’

In the 30 years since interferon beta-1b was introduced, treatment has changed drastically for patients with MS. There are now roughly two dozen disease-modifying therapies readily available. They can be given orally, through injection or even through infusion. Even more, treatment plans can be tailored to the individual, to manage their specific symptoms.

It’s a far cry from where things stood when Yvette was first diagnosed in 1989.

“I think of all the people who have suffered, of those who were diagnosed before any of the medications were available to us,” Yvette said. “And, you know, for me it’s sad, because it all boils down to timing. My father had MS at a time when nothing was available to him except steroids. He would not live to benefit from these new treatments. What we know today, and what we have available in treatment options, are all due to advancements in science. And who knows? Twenty years from now, maybe today’s medications [will be] naught compared to what will be available in the future.”

Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers have developed into regional leaders in providing help to patients with the day-to-day challenges of living with neurological conditions. More specifically for MS, the Hussung Family Multiple Sclerosis Center provides a full range of patient support options, including remote and in-person classes, on-demand patient education videos and a well-rounded team with expertise to provide care for the whole person.

The clinic is recognized as a Center for Comprehensive MS Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The resource center is a one-of-a-kind organization,” said Andrea V. Rogers, R.N., patient navigator for patients with MS, Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers. “And that’s the thing with chronic illness. It’s not just, ‘Hey, take this medicine and go about your way.’ There are so many other factors. So it’s been huge, you know? We’ve gone from having essentially no hope [30 years ago], to patients living a completely normal life. They get to plan vacations, have children and all sorts of other things.”

Each year, they help thousands of people gain that hope of living their lives to the fullest. And while progress sometimes can be hard to quantify, there is proof the work is paying off. To see it, just ask the person who’s experienced it herself over the past 30 years.

“It feels wonderful to witness the progress,” Yvette said. “I mean, this is my purpose.  I have a quote up on my wall that says, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’ And that’s what I wanted to do. I saw a void in the community with all of these individuals living with MS, and I didn’t want anyone to go through what I had gone through. And so it feels good. It’s been healing actually. Helping people is a way to heal.”

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Welcoming visitors to the hospital from the corner of 28th and Garland streets will be a special tribute to medical pioneers who were some of the first people of color to serve the area west of Ninth Street. Funded by generous donations by Richard S. “Dick” Wolf, M.D., through the Norton Healthcare Foundation, this unique tribute will include rare images from the Filson Historical Society, stories and accounts of true trailblazers in health care more than a century ago.

Now, you have the opportunity to be a part of this special feature by donating a brick that will be part of the walkway to the new hospital, which will open in fall 2024.

There are three brick options available:
           
Dimensions given are in inches.

• 4 by 8 brick (includes two lines per brick, 18 characters per line) – $500
• 8 by 8 brick (includes four lines per brick, 18 characters per line) – $1,500
• 8 by 8 brick with engraved custom logo – $2,500

Purchase your brick now

Learn more about Norton West Louisville Hospital, including career opportunities and the latest news.

To discuss a certain area at Norton West Louisville Hospital or a health equity initiative in West Louisville that you’d like to support, call the Norton Healthcare Foundation, (502) 420-4299.

The post Purchase a brick and be part of history at Norton West Louisville Hospital appeared first on Norton Healthcare.