2
SOUTHWEST
health
Shaun Harper, MD
PeaceHealth Southwest Heart &
Vascular Center Cardiology
200 NE Mother Joseph Place
Physicians’ Pavilion, Suite 400
Vancouver, WA 98664
360-514-4444
Ashok Modha, MD
Rebound Orthopedics
and Neurosurgery
200 NE Mother Joseph Place
Physicians’ Pavilion, Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98664
360-256-8584
Health and
wellness
Did you
know?
PeaceHealth Southwest is
among the nation’s elite
hospitals that practice
the rapid response and
treatment of heart attack
and stroke patients.
DE ENA ARCH I BEQUE HAS BE EN BAT T L I NG A
brain tumor for almost two decades. She has recovered
from three surgeries and a round of radiation and
chemotherapy and is now in her second round of
chemotherapy, and yet, she feels so blessed.
“I have a lot of support, and I have a lot of faith,” she says.
Her surgeon is Ashok Modha, MD, a board-certified
neurological surgeon with fellowship training in neuro-
oncological neurosurgery. He removed her anaplastic
astrocytoma in 2006 and again when it returned in 2011.
He monitors the tumor with regular scans
—
and he listens
to her fears and reassures her. He works closely with her
neuro-oncologist, and they make all treatment decisions
using a team approach with Archibeque.
“Dr. Modha is a tremendous doctor,” says Archibeque.
“He is so soft-spoken, kind, and gentle. But he tells you the
way it is. He makes me feel very at ease.”
Archibeque first discovered she had cancer 18 years ago
when she blacked out at work from a grand mal seizure.
“The surgery went really well,” says Archibeque. “I had
radiation for six weeks and was fine for 11 years.” In 2006,
she began to have small seizure episodes and soon was back
for another surgery. Dr. Modha monitored her for the next
six years and, slowly, the tumor grew back. In 2011, her arm
and leg began seizing; Dr. Modha operated once more.
Archibeque still has some weakness on her left side and
trouble walking. But through it all, she and her husband,
Andre, have raised two small children and, for the last 10
years, she has managed her own business.
“I owe it to my faith, support frommy family and friends,
and having such excellent physicians taking care of me all
these years,” says Archibeque, who will be evaluated soon
for radiosurgery, a noninvasive brain tumor treatment also
available at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. “I’m
really hopeful right now.”
Act
fast
for heart attacks
WHEN SOMEONE HAS A HEAR T AT TACK
or stroke, it’s crucial to get help right away to protect
the heart or brain from permanent damage—or death.
The closest hospital, however, may not be equipped to
handle this type of life-threatening emergency.
Your best bet for getting to the nearest heart hospital
is to simply call 911. PeaceHealth Southwest’s Heart
& Vascular Center is among the 7 percent of hospitals
nationwide that demonstrates a streamlined approach to
cardiac and stroke care between emergency responders,
the emergency department, and interventional cardiology
and neurology teams.
“By calling 911, a patient who is diagnosed in the field
and brought in by ambulance can be taken directly into the
catheterization lab for immediate intervention,” explains
Shaun Harper, MD, PeaceHealth Southwest Heart & Vascular
Center cardiologist. “Once we stop the heart attack or stroke,
we can work on fixing whatever may have caused the attack.”
MINUTES MATTER
According to national guidelines, heart attack patients
should be in the catheterization labs and undergoing an
angioplasty or other interventional procedure to open
a blocked coronary artery within the first 90 minutes
of arrival at the hospital. This yields the best results for
survival. PeaceHealth Southwest has an average time of
less than 65 minutes from the time the patient arrives
at the hospital until the blocked coronary artery has
blood flow restored.
Take this lesson to heart—even if you’re not sure you’re
having a heart attack or stroke, have it checked out. Calling
911 is the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment, as our
region’s emergency response system is designed to make
sure you get to the right facility right away. When it’s the real
deal, every second counts.
A
battle
in the brain
PAT I ENT P ROF I L E
Deena’s
brain
tumor
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