Page 13 - Talk of Tequesta - February '23

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 13

Tampa general news

Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute Awarded

Coveted Accreditation From Commission On Cancer

With multiple locations in Palm Beach County, the established by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
TGH Cancer Institute has experienced tremendous growth With this accreditation, the TGH Cancer Institute is
since its establishment in 2021, providing patients across recognized for meeting 34 quality care standards, taking
Florida with high-quality, compassionate care and the a multidisciplinary approach to delivering high-quality,
lifesaving resources of one of Florida’s leading academic patient-centered cancer care and demonstrating a
medical centers. commitment to improving patient outcomes and quality
The Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute, of life for all cancer patients.
which has several locations in Palm Beach County, “We set out to build a cancer institute of the future
recently earned a three-year accreditation from the that excels in cancer research, clinical investigations,
Commission on Cancer (COC), a quality program prevention and control and we have spent the past
Sitting On A Rainbow

State-of-the-art technology is one of the ways the Tampa
Palm Beach Gardens Book Review: General Hospital Cancer Institute provides the highest-
quality care and improves patient outcomes. The TrueBeam
Taylor Hagood, a Professor of Literature at FAU,
Resident, James Patrick and among other impressive achievements author of the system ensures cancer patients get the exact dose of radiation,
precisely where they need it.
Rooney, Is Proud To upcoming Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country
Music Legend had this to say about Sitting on a Rainbow:
Announce The Release Of This debut novel is full of magic, Irish folklore and several years devoting significant energy and resources
and acquiring the brightest talent to bring that vision to
history, and romance all wound around experiences
His First Novel: Sitting On A of disability and drama inside a high-stakes wealth life,” said John Couris, president and CEO of TGH. “Our
team is tremendously proud of this accreditation, which
management firm in West Palm Beach. James Patrick
Rainbow: A 21st Century Irish Rooney gives the reader a great yarn with intriguing is a testament to the unparalleled expertise and quality
of care we offer our patients and community across the
American Morality Tale characters and a fully realized protagonist whose defeats continuum of cancer care services.”
and triumphs are attuned to an excellent soundtrack.
Jim extends his gratitude to the accomplished Professor TGH’s demonstrated commitment to the highest-
Hagood for his generous comments. quality cancer care is giving new hope and resources to
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American patients across the state. The TGH Cancer Institute has
Morality Tale (ISBN: 9781958729625 /9781958729571) expanded to several Palm Beach County locations staffed
can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, by specially trained physicians and nurses to increase the
Walmart, Books-A-Million, and elsewhere. The paperback community’s access to world-class, innovative cancer
retails for $20.99, the hardcover retails for $29.99, and the care. TGH experts partner with patients to manage all
eBook retails for $6.99. Wholesale orders are available aspects of their cancer care journey – from diagnosis
through Ingram. Review copies, signed copies, interviews, to survivorship and everything in between. Should
and book club appearances may be available upon request. advanced treatment be needed, local patients who see
TGH Cancer Institute doctors in Palm Beach County can
About The Author: now seamlessly transfer to TGH through the TGH Health
First time author James Patrick Rooney was born in Ambassador Program. Patients who receive treatment on
the West Coast return home to receive follow-up care from
Bronx, New York, raised in Westchester County, and has their local doctors.
been living and working in Northern Palm Beach County for “The TGH Cancer Institute is dedicated to providing
his entire adult life. After having been blessed to reside in
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American such world-class communities as PGA National, Admiral’s the most advanced testing, next-generation research,
Morality Tale is a story of severe loss and courageous Cove, Tequesta Country Club, Seminole Landing, and Old therapies, treatment and patient care because we recognize
resilience, financial markets and malfeasances, Irish Marsh, he and his wife, Cindy, now live in the exceptional the importance of treating the whole person, not the
history and mythology, justice served, and broken promises community of BallenIsles. To accomplish this impressive condition. When fighting cancer, every decision impacts
remaining to be mended. array, in sum, they always bought early and sold too soon. patients’ lives and every advantage needs to be identified,”
Set in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the early 2010s, the Young Jimmy’s first loves included sports, particularly said Thomas Rutherford, M.D., medical director of the
novel follows Patrick Connelly, a mid-fifties paraplegic ice hockey, a variety of music and culture, and his adopted TGH Cancer Institute and professor and director of the
who works as a stockbroker and financial advisor at a major homeland of Ireland. When an ice hockey-related injury Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the USF Health
Wall Street firm. The protagonist, whose life experience at age nineteen left him a paraplegic, he turned his focus Morsani College of Medicine. “We are proud of the
oftentimes mirrors the author’s, not only faces the adversity away from the physical toward developing his mind. Soon personalized care plans we provide to patients through our
of disability each day, but also has a front row seat to the after finishing college at (then infamous) “Suntan U” in patient navigation program, which has helped us establish
financial difficulties plaguing so much of society. Through Coral Gables, he began a successful thirty-year career in relationships with local oncologists, radiologists and other
his journey, from disruption in his career to struggles with financial advisory with a major Wall Street firm. At about physicians to manage our patients’ care together. We also
love, powerful friendships to moments of despair at the state that same time, he met his enduring love—his family. continue to invest in growing our services, as well as
of humanity, readers are pulled into a rich, detailed world Married to Cindy ever since, together they’ve raised our physical footprint, to better support and reach more
that combines elements of history, Irish myth, finance, the two superb children—Patrick and Megan—who are now patients.”
arts, and beyond. As the story unfolds, Patrick must take thriving young adults. COC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more
bold action to save his career—and maybe even his life. While managing an ambitious reading group (Old than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed patients with
Complete with a playlist of relevant songs to enjoy Marsh—2005-2014), Jim fell in love with fine literature cancer. The COC accreditation provides the framework
while reading, Rooney’s book is a unique approach to and was inspired to write more competently (i.e., several for accredited facilities to further enhance the quality
memoir, fiction, and education that ultimately digs into college-level creative writing courses and other modes of of patient care through various cancer-related programs
what it means to live a life of joy and purpose. Readers self-learning). To hone his skills further, he wrote short that focus on the full spectrum of cancer care, including
will encounter romance, business, mystery, and folklore in stories, imaginary book reviews for his reading group, prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal
this textured and detailed narrative, and feel inspired by and later edited and authored articles for a now defunct treatment, rehabilitation, lifelong follow-up for recurrent
the main character’s determination to find the magic and lifestyle website (2018-2020). After stepping away from disease and end-of-life care.
beauty all around him. financial advisory in 2014, Jim began working on his first TGH has created a framework of state-of-the-art
With messages of hope, lessons from both history and novel. As is often said, starting with a few core ideas the services for patients in the Palm Beach County and
present day, and a window into the daily experiences of story then wrote itself. Treasure Coast areas, with the expertise and innovation
disability, Rooney’s sweeping story contains eye-opening To learn more, please visit Jim’s related website at: of a preeminent academic medical center.
insights and inspiring moments for readers of all kinds. https://jamespatrickrooney.com/ TGH has been the primary teaching hospital of the
Jim hopes his lighthearted, romantic, suspenseful, and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine since the school
cautionary morality tale will entertain all who come and was created in the early 1970s. Today, more than 700
sit on the rainbow with him. medical school residents and fellows receive specialty
training at TGH in areas ranging from general internal
medicine to neurosurgery. In addition, USF medical,
nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy students all
receive part of their training at TGH. Faculty of the USF
Health Morsani College of Medicine admit and care for
patients at TGH, as do private practice physicians, many
of whom also serve as adjunct clinical faculty at USF.
To learn more, please visit TGH.org/Cancer.