July 2026
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
Active retiree finds back and neck pain relief, thanks to neurosurgeon at HonorHealth Research Institute
Laureen, a retired certified public accountant (CPA) living near the Verde River, has a very active lifestyle. Her weekly training regimen includes multiple days of Pilates, spinning on a stationary bike and strength training. She also golfs regularly with her husband, Jay, and with other groups. After raising six children, she still likes to cook, walk and hike.
In 2017, Laureen started having pain in the lumbar region of her lower back.
“I was miserable,” she says. “Talking to people in my community, they said I have to go see Dr. Tumialan.”
Luis Tumialan, MD, is an ASU School of Medicine and Medical Engineering neurosurgeon who specializes in spine and neurosurgery in the HonorHealth Research Institute’s Neuroscience Research Division. An expert in his field, he is director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery; chair of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Central Nervous System Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves; chair of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies; and secretary of the International Society for the Advancement of Spinal Surgery.
For Laureen, he conducted a partial discectomy to fix a herniated disc that was pressing on a nerve in her lower back. “I’ve been incredibly impressed with his work,” Laureen says.
Pain in the neck? She knew who to see
When Laureen started experiencing problems with her cervical spine a couple of years ago, she knew who to see.
“The pain that I had was constant. I couldn’t sleep. It would wake me up. I would feel it across my shoulder blades. All the way down my left arm, it was a nagging, constant numbness,” says Laureen, now in her mid-60s. “I had numbness down my left arm all the way to my fingertips. I couldn’t figure out what exactly it was.”
She was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy. She needed disc replacements between the C5 and C6 vertebrae, and between the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Dr. Tumialan performed surgery in April 2024 as part of the Synergy Disc Clinical Trial through HonorHealth Research Institute.
Recovery: full range of motion, no pain
Laureen was amazed how quickly she recovered, regaining her full range of motion without any pain.
“It was so simple. It was quick. It was 100%. It was amazing. I was out for a long walk the day after the procedure,” she recalls.
“There is no describing having your life back with full mobility. I’m an extremely active person. To live my life to the fullest is an incredible gift. I feel blessed to have been part of the study,” Laureen says. “It’s been a very positive experience,” she adds, noting that she is now one of the members of her community who tells her friends where to go if they have back pain.
“I’ve already been telling people when they tell me they have a problem. I say, ‘You have to go see Dr. Tumialan.’”
A legacy that lives on
For Sid Bowman, honoring his late wife Teresa meant ensuring that the calling she loved so deeply would continue to touch others.
Teresa served as an ICU nurse at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea and Thompson Peak Medical Centers, where she was known for her compassion, strength and unwavering commitment to her patients. Nursing wasn’t simply what she did – it was who she was, and among those who influenced Teresa’s love for the profession was Michele Fiore, HonorHealth senior clinical director of critical care and someone Teresa considered a motherly figure. When Teresa learned she was nearing the end of her life, one realization weighed especially heavily: that she would no longer be able to care for patients.
Through a meaningful gift in Teresa’s memory, Sid is helping to ensure her passion doesn’t end there. He directed his support to HonorHealth Foundation’s Nursing Excellence Fund, which invests in the growth and development of nurses across HonorHealth.
“I give so her love for nursing education doesn’t end with her,” Sid shares. “I want her heart for patients and her passion for excellence to live on in the nurses who continue the work she cared about so deeply.”
That legacy is already taking shape in nurses like Chastine Elam, a trauma nurse at HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center. With support from the Nursing Excellence Fund, Chastine attended a national nursing conference that expanded her perspective and strengthened her leadership.
“That experience made me realize nursing is so much bigger than the bedside,” she says. “What we do has purpose beyond the moment.”
She returned to her unit with renewed confidence – sharing knowledge, elevating care and guiding patients through some of their most difficult moments.
It’s a reflection of the very spirit Teresa brought to her work every day.
Today, through Sid’s tribute, Teresa’s legacy lives on – in the growth of nurses, in the strength of care teams and in every patient who benefits from their compassion, skill and dedication.
HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center
Conveniently located in the northeast valley off the 101 Freeway and Shea Boulevard, HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center offers in-depth care from head to toe, including leading-edge inpatient and outpatient care as well as a Level III neonatal ICU and emergency treatment for a variety of injuries and illnesses.
In addition to being accredited as a Pediatric Prepared Advanced Care Facility by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Scottsdale Shea Medical Center is recognized as a bariatric surgery center of excellence, Certified Cardiac Arrest Center, Chest Pain Center, Designated Primary Stroke Center, Heart Attack Center and Total joint replacement center. It's also earned Magnet® designation, the highest national designation for excellence in nursing care.
The greater Shea campus is also home to HonorHealth Cancer Care, the Virginia G. Piper Surgery Center and the HonorHealth Research Institute.
That scope and strength of services hit home when Dr. Michael Gordon, Chief Medical Officer at the HonorHealth Research Institute, experienced HonorHealth care first-hand after receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
“It started with three months of combination chemotherapy developed at the Research Institute, which has now become the standard of care in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines,” said Dr. Gordon.
He was a model patient, even following his care team's recommendation for a restrictive ketogenic diet that early studies indicated could be helpful in his situation. One of the most powerful moments he experienced was waiting for his post-surgical pathology report.
“You begin to understand the impact of every minute, every hour, every day of waiting for those results. It’s very different as a patient than it is as a doctor.” When Dr. Gordon received the good news that there was no evidence of cancer, he embraced it fully, from both perspectives. I consider myself now to be a survivor,” he added. “It changes you in so many ways, but it is something that I would never want to lose, because it has impacted me in such a dramatic way.”
Making a difference: HonorHealth NICU
As a nonprofit, philanthropy is central to HonorHealth’s ability to advance programs that deliver on our promise to provide personalized, quality care to our community. But giving through HonorHealth Foundation means you’re supporting more than great care — your contributions improve health and well-being, fuel medical breakthroughs, drive innovative research and much more.
And because HonorHealth is a community-based hospital system, decisions are made locally and the support of our donors remains right here, helping the patients, families and causes that mean the most to you. If you’re inspired by innovation and transformation, you can make change real for our community and even the world — and the HonorHealth Foundation Impact Reports demonstrate how the support of HonorHealth donors helps make it all possible.
The HonorHealth NICU Impact Report reflects the extraordinary power of community, and the difference donors are making in the lives of our tiniest, most vulnerable patients. Thanks to the generosity of our community, our NICU team will continue delivering specialized, lifesaving care, leveraging the latest medical advancements and providing every newborn and their family with the support they need to thrive.
HonorHealth Desert Mission Back to School Backpack Drive
For some children in the Phoenix-metro area, the basics for a successful start to the school year are out of reach.
That’s why we’re partnering with our donors to support the HonorHealth Desert Mission Back to School Backpack Drive, raising funds to build 1,000 filled backpacks for local students who need them most.
Every backpack is packed with everything a child needs to walk into school on day one feeling prepared: notebooks, folders, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue, scissors and more.
Donate today to give a student their best start
Water and Canned Food Drive benefiting HonorHealth Desert Mission
Make a donation of bottled water or canned food and receive a discount on your auto service at Penske Chandler Automall!
Through July 31, bring cases or bottled water or canned food and get up to 12 percent off your service bill, and get an additional $1,800 for your trade.
Learn more about the Water and Canned Food Drive
Shop for a Cause at Dillard's, August 14 - 15
Shop at a participating Dillard's on Friday and Saturday, August 14 - 15, and a portion of sales will be donated to HonorHealth Foundation!
Be sure to use one of the designated check-out registers (look for the balloons)!
Participating Dillard's locations:
Scottsdale Fashion Square
6900 E Camelback Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Arrowhead Towne Center
7800 W Arrowhead Towne Center
Glendale, AZ 85308
Chandler Fashion Center
3101 W Chandler Blvd.
Chandler, AZ 85226
Superstition Springs
6545 E Southern Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85206
SanTan Village
2151 S Santan Village Pkwy.
Gilbert, AZ 85296
NICU Tea and Luncheon: Building miracles every day
Sponsorships on sale now!
Support the 9th Annual NICU Tea and Luncheon by purchasing a sponsorship package. There are fantastic options available from $5,000 to $250,000, and each opportunity includes at least one dedicated table for 10 guests.
Proceeds from the NICU Tea and Luncheon support the NICU expansion at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, allowing us to elevate care for even more infants and families.
NICU Tea and Luncheon
Friday, September 18, 2026
Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Secure your sponsorship today!
Save the date for the Desert Mission Morning of Gold
Join us Friday, November 13, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort for an inspiring morning of connection and impact where your support fuels HonorHealth Desert Mission’s life-changing community programs.
Desert Mission Morning of Gold
Friday, November 13, 2026
Arizona Biltmore Resort
Additional information and sponsorship details coming soon!
Save the date for the Honor Ball - 50th Anniversary Event
With its rich history and 50-year legacy of exceptional philanthropy, the Honor Ball is one of the Valley’s most anticipated galas. Our guests have come to love the Honor Ball’s cocktail reception, dinner and dancing. Please mark your calendar for an evening to remember!
Honor Ball - 50th Anniversary Event
Saturday, February 20, 2027
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
Additional information coming soon!
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