Best and Worst of Times -- Ringing in a New Year at The Rose

The Rose has been living the “best of times” and the “worst of times.” For that we owe you – our patients and supporters –a thank you and a sincere apology.

Over the past several months, our ancient phone system and limited staff combined with an increase in calls meant reaching us was often difficult. The increase in the number of calls to The Rose is a good thing. Every day more and more women are discovering The Rose’s high level of quality care. And, every insured woman understands that her paid mammogram helps us care for someone without insurance.

But if you or your physician calls and has to hold for very long, that’s a bad thing.

We’re facing two problems -- an ancient, well-used telephone system (actually it’s only 8 years old but in the communications world that’s getting close to ancient) that simply cannot keep up with the higher volume AND a need for more employees to answer and direct those calls.

Believe me, a new telephone system and adequate staff are funding priorities for 2013. Your help or funding suggestions toward reaching that goal are very much appreciated. Our short-term answers – we’ve improved software and we’re making shifts in personnel – are helping. In the meantime, our commitment to our patients compelled us to find ways to remind those who were more than 16 months “late” in scheduling their annual mammogram that it was time to take care of YOU.

I can’t tell you how many women have said they appreciated that extra reminder. For at least two women our call may have translated into a chance for longer survival. Fortunately the cancers we discovered fell into the “early stage” of diagnosis. One woman told me, “Who knows how long I would have waited? Thank goodness The Rose kept at me.”

Every woman deserves The Rose and the quality breast health care we provide. So we promise – with your continued support -- to “keep at it” in whatever way is needed.

Thank you for your patience and support.

 

-- Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and Co-Founder, The Rose

Visit to The Rose Prompts Devotional

Lynnette Ross, pastor of Cathedral of Hope, Houston, wrote the following devotional after a visit to The Rose. We thank Rev. Ross for her permission to share ...

Scripture
“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds” Hebrews 10:24

A Word of Hope
It is the time of year for me when I have what is called my ‘well woman’ physical. A mammogram is one of the components of that physical and for years I had the procedure done at the same place because it was familiar and I came to trust them over time. Several years ago a friend of mine asked me to consider switching providers and to begin having my mammogram done at The Rose, a non-profit breast cancer organization providing mammography screening, diagnosis, access to treatment and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay. As a woman who is blessed to have health insurance, by having my insured mammogram done there I help The Rose provide care to women who do not have insurance or the ability to pay. So yesterday I had my mammogram done at The Rose as I did last year.

It would have been easier for me to write them a check but writing a check would not have impacted by spirit or my heart. Now don’t get me wrong, writing checks to organizations that rely on giving is critical, and I do that as well. Here’s the difference – the act of consciously going to The Rose changes me. It is an intentional act of community for me. The entire time I am there I think of the women whose lives are helped by my being there along with the countless other women who help in the same way. It binds me to them all in a way that is inexplicable. That is what community is all about for me and my friend’s asking me to do it allowed me to engage in a good deed and to love others in a way that forever alters how I look at the world. For me that is the sense of community that Jesus ushered into the world and asked us to live out on a daily basis.

Prayer
God of grace and mercy, thank you for the opportunity to be in community and may you continue to provoke me to acts that change me and bind me to those around me and remind me of your steadfast love for us all.

Creating Goals -- A look at a longstanding tradition at The Rose

Creating goals for the New Year has been a tradition around The Rose for a long time.


Personally, and in my role as CEO of The Rose, the process of writing down my new year’s goals ignites something mystical and fun within my soul. It allows me to “consider the possibilities” and dream BIG.

The process is simple. At the January Staff meeting, we provide envelopes for each staff member. They have been notified weeks ahead of time that they will have an opportunity to write their goals and seal them in the envelopes. My encouragement is usually something like, “Between now and the staff meeting, take some time to dream. What do you want your upcoming year to be like? Imagine enjoying seeing your dreams come true. Envision yourself attaining whatever it is that would make your heart sing.”

During the meeting, we allow a few minutes for the procrastinators to finally write theirs on paper and for the overachievers to add a few more! Afterwards, I collect the now sealed envelopes, tie them with a red ribbon, and put them in a special drawer — where they will stay until January 2014.

Each January I deliver envelopes to those folks who participated the past year. I promise the staff each year that they will be surprised (and pleased) to see which goals were achieved. I promise this because I know it to be true. I’ve seen it happen again and again.

I offer guidelines to help in the forming of goals and was reminded that these tips might be beneficial to our blog readers so I’m sharing them here as well:

Keep the goal in present time and word them as if they are already achieved.

If you write down, “I need” or “I want”, you will continue to “need” or “want” whatever follows those words. Stating “I have” or “I am” is much more powerful and sends signals to the brain that it is already yours!

For instance, saying “I am the perfect weight” is much stronger than “I lose 10 pounds.” (By the way, you also want to avoid the double whammy of using words like “lose”, because our brain is always looking to replace whatever we say we lose. And THAT’s not always a good thing!)

Make the goal measureable but be careful not to place too many limits on it.

“My bills are easily and effortlessly paid on time and there is plenty of money left over in the bank for my other desires!” is good, while “I earn xx amount of money” could limit what happens.

Don’t forget to include “time” goals.

For instance, “I have time for myself every week/month to ______ .“ (Fill in the blank—have my nails done, take a nap, read a book, play with the kids.)

And maintenance goals are always important -- those things you do anyway but want to be sure you do more of or don’t forget: “I call my family every week” or “I see a great movie each month” or “I exercise 5 times a week.”

Adding date measurements is another great reinforcement.

“I replace that old chair by April 2013.”

There really are no limits to the possibilities that lie ahead for all of us—as long as you don’t limit yourself.

Studies have shown that writing the goals down is powerful and when written down, the success rate of achieving them is phenomenal. We all wish for things to happen or change but until we write down that desire, it stays a wish—lost somewhere in the ethers.

I write down no less than 104 goals each year. I include my Personal Goals, Goals for The Rose, Together Goals to be accomplished with my Sweetie. (Please note, however, he has to agree to those for it to work.)

Why 104? I read somewhere that was a good number for goals and it is.

But you don’t have to limit your goals to 104! Whether it is 4 goals, 100 goals or more, start writing.

This time next year you will be amazed!

-- Dorothy Gibbons

We're blogging again!

2013 will be the year The Rose takes on a new look (watch for a newly redesigned website in the coming weeks), some new programs, and a new approach to familiar communication channels ... like this blog! With our emphasis on quality breast health care and the chance to "put a face" on breast cancer prevention, we look forward to sharing with you in the days ahead.