The specimen repository is one of the treasures of the John Wayne Cancer Institute. The repository is a bank of frozen specimens from cancer patients established by Institute co-founder Donald L. Morton, MD, and collected since 1971. The specimens are linked to a database containing records for more than 14,600 patients.

The repository is a gateway to the world of personalized cancer care—treatments based on each individual’s unique genetic and biochemical makeup. Thanks to a generous gift from the Irene Dunne Guild, the Institute will soon purchase a new, state-of-the-art, subzero storage unit for the continued collection of specimens, carrying on the vision of Dr. Morton.

“The guild voted unanimously to donate toward the specimen repository,” says Dolly Niemann, chair of the Irene Dunne Guild resource allocation committee. “We are excited to see the synergy between the Health Center and the Institute, and we want to support the continued success of the researchers at the Institute.”


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The Irene Dunne Guild recently announced a donation in excess of $100,000 to Saint John’s Health Center that is being used to help fund the Safe Patient Handling & Mobility Program. The gift enables the purchase of equipment to help lift, position and move patients. Safe patient handling is a term that refers to policies and programs that use technology and techniques to allow caregivers to safely lift and move patients without causing injury or unnecessary physical stress.

“We chose to fund this gift because the program strongly supports patients and caregivers at the same time,” says Kate Prudente, president of the Irene Dunne Guild. “This is specialized equipment that enhances the delivery of compassionate care in a manner that is safer for hospital staff and caregivers.

Among nurses, back injuries are the most common type of work-related accidents, Prudente notes. When used correctly, the new devices will help minimize the risk of injuries to caregivers.

Likewise, patients benefit from being moved in a manner most conducive to their safety and comfort. Safe patient handling has become a prominent issue in acute health care settings, she says, with legislation pending in some states to mandate more of these types of programs.

The guild’s gift is part of a larger patient handling and safety strategy at Saint John’s that will include in-depth staff training and support and a specialized lift team, Prudente says.

“The feedback I hear is that the nurses love the equipment, and the benefits for the patients are substantial,” she says. “The lift team is also very impressed with how easily they can move patients and assist all the nursing units in a more timely manner. This is an important program, and the guild is pleased and proud that we were able to help augment it at the Health Center.”

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A recent gift from a private foundation and a second gift from the Irene Dunne Guild have paved the way for the purchase of two Arctic Sun hypothermia devices for the Saint John’s emergency department. Arctic Sun is a temperature management system that is used to cool a patient’s body temperature in a safe and precise manner by circulating chilled water in pads or blankets applied to the patient’s skin.

Hypothermia treatment has been shown to limit damage resulting from cardiac arrest. Cooling puts the body in a slower metabolic state that curtails the cascade of chemicals released when cells are starved for oxygen. These chemicals can lead to permanent injury.

“The Arctic Sun improves the chances of a full recovery,” says Russ Kino, MD, director of emergency

services at Saint John’s Health Center. “Before Arctic Sun technology, hypothermia treatment was more challenging to administer. We can now manage these patients far more effectively.”

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