September 2025
HonorHealth holds itself to a higher standard by caring for the whole person, not just their symptoms. Through the support of our generous community, HonorHealth Foundation works tirelessly to help solve healthcare’s toughest challenges.
Learn more at HonorHealthFoundation.org
Tiny fighters from the very start
Following a challenging pregnancy, twin girls Taylor and Alexa entered the world weighing only 3.6 and 3.9 pounds. Their delicate bodies cradled in the skilled hands of HonorHealth’s neonatal specialists.
The beeping monitors, gentle hum of ventilators and warm touch of caring nurses became the rhythm of their lives for four long weeks. Every breath they took was a milestone and every ounce they gained a victory.
But they were never alone. Surrounded by their loving parents, cutting-edge technology and the unwavering dedication of a world-class NICU team at Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, these tiny twins defied the odds, one heartbeat at a time. Their family, once filled with fear, found hope in the hands of those who nurtured not just their tiny girls, but their spirits as well.
Now, years later, those same babies are thriving teenagers — laughing, learning and chasing their dreams. They play volleyball, speak fluent Mandarin and volunteer at their church. Their journey from the NICU to now is a testament to the power of expert care and the kindness of professionals who loved Taylor and Alexa like they were family.
Because of their compassion and dedication, and through the philanthropy of strangers, these once-tiny miracles are living proof that even the scariest beginnings can lead to the brightest futures!
Learn more about the NICU at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.
Aviation safety inspector regains strength through clinical trial
The next time you fly on a commercial airline, it just might be on an aircraft inspected by HonorHealth patient, Jeff. In fact, he might be on the flight with you.
An Arizona native, Jeff, 66, has spent his entire 47-year career in aviation, most of that time as an aircraft mechanic. The past 19 years he’s worked for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including the past decade as a safety inspector.
He travels across the country conducting evaluations of the maintenance facilities of the major airlines. “I could be on (a flight) with you,” he says, “observing on the flight deck with the pilots, or observing in the back with the flight attendants.”
Thirteen years ago, while eating dinner, he began to have trouble swallowing. His wife, Michelle, and his colleagues noticed that his speech was becoming slurred. That was soon followed by blurry vision and eventually a droopy left eye, a tell-tale sign of an auto-immune disease known as Myasthenia Gravis.
Returning from a 2012 Mother’s Day visit to Sun City with his wife, his vision was so bad they decided to stop in at HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center, where medical personnel ran a series of scans and tests.
“I thought I was having a stroke,” says Jeff, a robust man who has been active his whole life as an avid softball player and bow hunter.
One scan detected a relatively large, but non-cancerous, tumor in his left temple. The tumor was removed but he continued to have symptoms.
Another scan found that Jeff’s Thymus — a small gland that helps produce immune system T cells — was inflamed and several times normal size. When his Thymus was removed, his symptoms — droopy eye, difficulty swallowing, blurry vision and slurred speech — cleared up and his disease remained in remission for nearly a decade.
But a little more than two years ago, he suddenly had difficulty walking. He noticed it first during a javelina bow hunt near the northwest Arizona mining town of Bagdad. Later, he found he had difficulty walking through an airport.
“I started dragging. I went from being Hercules to being nothing. I could barely pick my legs up,” he says. After meeting with several doctors, Jeff was referred to Suraj Muley, MD, a Myasthenia Gravis specialist who works in the Neuroscience Division of HonorHealth Research Institute (HRI).
He was placed on various medications, but they failed to relieve his symptoms after a few weeks.
Dr. Muley suggested that Jeff was a good candidate for a clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of a new drug combination.
Now, nearly a year after beginning the clinical trial, he says he’s getting progressively better, overcoming fatigue and shortness of breath over the past six months.
“I’ve definitely gotten better. I feel better. I have my ups and downs. But I’ve gotten better,” he says. “My strength has gotten better. My legs have gotten better. I feel a whole lot stronger. My wife says I’m 100% better.”
Jeff says he is hopeful for the future. He plans to continue the study for at least three more years, and he praises Dr. Muley and the Research Institute staff for the way they have cared for him.
“(The staff has been) sensational. They’re just top professionals; top of the line. Caring. They call and check how I’m doing,” he says. “And Dr. Muley is very personable.”
New pancreatic cancer treatment increases hope for survival
HonorHealth Research Institute was the first site in the world to administer a new Acoustic Cluster Therapy (ACT) treatment for pancreatic cancer, combining the power of targeted drugs and ultra-sound technology to shrink the tumors of patients whose cancer has not spread to other parts of the body but is too advanced to allow safe surgical removal.
“This process increases the amount of drug that reaches the tumor, increasing its effectiveness, without increasing the amount of drug affecting the rest of the body, where it potentially could cause systemic toxicity,” said Erkut Borazanci, MD (pictured), medical director of the Research Institute’s Oncology Research Division. “If the patient’s tumor shrinks, these patients then might be candidates for surgical removal of the tumor, which gives them the best chance for survival.”
Make Your IRA Work for Good
If you’re 70 ½ or older, you can donate up to $100,000 from your IRA to HonorHealth tax-free through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD).
If you’re 73 or older, your IRA requires you to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) each year. A QCD from your IRA can count toward your RMD and won’t be taxed — saving you money while helping HonorHealth!
You can use your IRA to change and save lives! Benefits of making a QCD gift to HonorHealth Foundation include:
✅ Reduce taxable income
✅ Satisfy your RMD
✅ Support the work of HonorHealth
Learn more about making a Qualified Charitable Distribution.
Questions? Contact HonorHealth Foundation at 480-587-5000 or Foundation@honorhealth.com. We’re here to help!
Shop for a cause at Kendra Scott!
Join us at Kendra Scott at Chandler Fashion Center or Scottsdale Quarter on Thursday, September 25 from 5 – 7 PM, when 20 percent of your purchase will benefit the NICU at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.
Can’t make it in-store? Shop online September 25 and 26, using code GIVEBACK-JXIAM at checkout.
Thank you for supporting our tiniest patients!
It's almost time to go to Ready. Set. Grow!
The 8th Annual NICU Tea and Luncheon is this Friday!
We’re looking forward to gathering for a beautiful event featuring silent and live auctions supporting our most vulnerable patients in the NICU at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center. These special babies need innovative and precision care — made possible through your generosity.
The NICU Tea and Luncheon takes place this Friday, September 19, 2025, from 11 AM – 1:30 PM at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort.
Unable to attend the event? You can still be a blessing in the lives of our tiniest patients and their families by making a donation.
Join us on the catwalk!
Join Macy’s, HonorHealth Foundation and emcee Terri O. from ABC15 for a morning of fashion and purpose at the "cancer catwalk," where hope never goes out of style.
Every ticket purchased supports breast cancer patients on their journey to healing. Proceeds benefit HonorHealth Cancer Care and will provide cooling caps to help prevent hair loss in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
This fun and fashionable soiree will be held Friday, October 3, from 8:30 - 9:30 AM, at Macy’s at Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Seats are limited, so get your tickets today!
Register today for the Desert Mission Morning of Gold
Join your friends at the Arizona Biltmore Resort on Friday, November 7, from 7:30 – 9:30 AM, for a very special event that delivers a message of hope and inspiration to help you rise and shine for the rest of your day.
Desert Mission serves members of our community of all ages through Desert Mission Food Bank, Lincoln Learning Center and Adult Day Health Care — and it's your support that helps make it all possible!
Get your tickets or secure a sponsorship today!
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