President's Message

From Alison Lewis

Alison Lewis, BOARD CHAIR

Dear WISH Members,

As we all begin easing into an Arizona summer state of mind, taking vacations or just slowing down a bit, it will be a few months until we’re all together again and we ramp back up in early fall. Plans are already underway for a year-ending slate of activities, including our now-legendary Women’s Health & Wellness Retreat on October 5. I wanted to leave you with a taste of what is currently happening around Banner Health and how the organization is poised to meet the future head on.

At the most recent meeting of the Banner Health Foundation Board of Directors, we learned about Banner’s expansive plans to transform its digital and technological infrastructure for the benefit of patients. Banner plans to invest $1 billion over the coming years in technology to deliver smarter, simpler and more personalized health care. The goal is to modernize every layer of care, connect systems to provide ease in the patient experience, and fuel technology to drive better patient outcomes. This transformation will bring emerging technology to Banner, including new robotic systems used in surgery, remote patient monitoring programs, AI-powered imaging that fosters greater precision in treatment approaches, and the use of AI to improve efficiency across the enterprise. For example, ambient listening technology will be introduced to physician office settings that enables AI to listen to, interpret, and document conversations between patients and providers in real-time, automating note-taking and reducing administrative burdens for health care professionals, which will enhance documentation accuracy and improve patient interactions and the overall patient care experience.

This presentation, quite frankly, blew me away. And reminded me that WISH is part of a bold vision to provide world-class health care for all. I am especially proud that WISH is at the forefront of supporting advancements in patient care. We have invested in AZRA AI to detect breast cancer at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and this innovative technology is already saving lives.

I wish everyone a safe and healthy summer. Please feel free to reach out to me or other Board members during the summer if you have ideas or insight or questions. I hope to see you all at the upcoming retreat and our fall events.

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and dedication to WISH.

Sincerely,
Alison Lewis

Alison is a philanthropist, focused on education and the arts. She is also involved with nonprofit organizations that are innovative and serve a diverse audience with an emphasis on the underserved. Additionally, she manages two family foundations, is the Past Board Chair for Scottsdale Arts, Vice-Chair for the C4 Foundation which supports active Navy SEALS and their families, and a board member of the Banner Health Foundation.

Meet Karen Smith, Senior Clinical Ethics Specialty Program Director at Banner Health

As interviewed by WISH Member Alisa Timm

Q: What motivated you to join WISH?

A: Through the Banner community email, I saw the notice for a lecture about research on stroke and it referred to WISH as the sponsor of the lecture. I like the whole philanthropy idea of women investing in science and health, because I am aware that there is less research on women’s health. Kudos to whoever came up with the idea of WISH. I attended the lunch-and-learn lecture on stroke and decided right away that this was time well spent. I have been very busy getting settled since we moved here from Detroit and started my job at Banner Desert in January 2024, and am now interested in getting involved in the community.

Q: Your title is Senior Clinical Ethics Specialty Program Director, which is a mouthful of words and which sparked many questions in my brain when we met. Describe what you do on a daily basis for Banner and the 22 hospitals you support.

A: Ethics committees really started in the 1960s around the question of “who gets dialysis,” because it was a new protocol and in limited supply. It might not surprise you to know that a man with a family, young children and a job, usually got a yes vote, but women were less likely. In 1992, the Joint Commission, the organization that provides hospital accreditation, required every hospital to have a mechanism for dealing with ethical issues. As medicine advanced to include the iron lung/ventilator (and now many more advanced technologies), one of the results was medical care that kept a patient alive, but perhaps not aware of their own existence – then, dependent upon either machines to stay alive or other people’s decisions to exist when they would never have chosen to remain alive through a machine.

I manage conversations with doctors, families and patients who need to decide what to do or what not to do. Decisions are very, very complex and sometimes the patient cannot express, or the family members do not know, what to do. What you say and how you say it really matters. In America, even if you do not have health insurance, you will likely receive advanced medical treatments once you enter the hospital, which is not true in every country.

We contemplate questions surrounding if medicine and treatment can return you to a better state of health and wellbeing, or are we merely prolonging the dying?

I advise that everyone complete an Advanced Directive and medical power of attorney and update it regularly. This is a legal document that must be witnessed by someone not involved in your health care and not related to you to make it legally valid. This is a gift to you and your family members. Advance Directives allow you to put your wishes and values related to health care decisions in writing and to name a person you trust, who knows your wishes, to make decisions when you are unable to do so.

Q: It would seem overwhelming to me to talk about death every day. What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

A: Because we just moved here, we are enjoying exploring Arizona and love national parks, so one of our visits was to the Saguaro National Park. My 85-year-old father lives near us so we also spend time with him. I love reading books and am looking for a book club to join.

Introducing The Banner Ball: A Celebration of Caring & Cures

Annual gala set for Nov. 1 with new name, venue and beneficiary

Celebrating its 10th year in 2025, the Banner Health Foundation’s signature annual fundraising gala will be bigger and better than ever, with some exciting changes in store.

Previously known as the Pulse of the City Soiree, The Banner Ball: A Celebration of Caring & Cures, will take place at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. WISH members - Mari Lederman and Suzi Hilton will serve as Co-Chairs.
For the first time, proceeds will benefit Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center locations in Arizona, advancing cancer care and services including diagnostic imaging and technology, clinical trials of promising new treatments, community outreach and education, and supportive programming for patients, caregivers and survivors.

It would be marvelous to have a strong showing of WISH members supporting Mari and Suzi’s efforts in making an impact in oncology treatment, care and research. So, please let us know if you are interested in putting together a WISH member table.

Good to know

Short teaching videos, snippets of useful information and what’s trending now in women’s health

It’s time to dismiss these misconceptions surrounding mental illness

Mental health conditions affect millions of people, yet negative stereotypes and stigma around mental health persist. Stigma is linked to shame, lower self-esteem and social isolation. This may lead people experiencing mental health challenges to avoid seeking help. Stigma can be so strong that people may even face difficulties when looking for care. With more understanding, people with mental health conditions may be able to get the support they need more easily.

» Read more

Become a Community Champion

Any community member who hosts fundraising events, organizes assembly of patient kits, sponsors toy drives, or works to raise funds and awareness for Banner Health programs and patients throughout Arizona, is a Community Champion. Whether you're a fundraising pro or a first-timer, we're ready to help you get your ideas off the ground.

» Learn more and get started

Banner Health breaks ground on new medical campus in Scottsdale

We officially broke ground on the new Banner Health Center plus in Scottsdale, which will include a surgery center, Banner Family Pharmacy, Banner Imaging and a wide range of primary and specialty physician services under one roof. It will also be the future site of Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“With more than 50,000 Banner members living in Scottsdale who rely on us of their care, this campus will reduce travel and seamlessly provide outpatient services in one place, giving Scottsdale families easier access to everything from urgent care to advanced cancer treatments,” explains President and CEO Amy Perry.

Get the latest on this exciting new chapter for our Scottsdale community below. 

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Banner Poison Center warns of a newer, stronger opioid danger in Arizona

Synthetic drug may be 100 stronger than fentanyl

A recent drug seizure in Pima County uncovered counterfeit pills that resemble oxycodone, but tested positive for carfentanil, a synthetic opioid up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl.

Learn more and share this important news with friends, family and community.