Sally Underwood has small, fragile veins that are difficult to locate with a needle. The elusive
vessels often frustrated nurses when she donated blood, but until her cancer diagnosis three years ago,
the delicate veins were never more than a minor hassle.
With frequent chemotherapy the once-minor nuisance became a major frustration. "The nurses at the
Cancer Center often needed a lot of
time to find a usable vein in my arm," Underwood recalls. "And sitting there in the Infusion
Center, I realized that I was not the only one with difficult veins. Other patients had problems, too."
Underwood started asking questions. Cancer
Center nurses told her about one solution — an ultrasound system specifically designed to find
tiny blood vessels. The system could spare patients discomfort and save nurses time, but its price tag
was high: $16,000.
Underwood, a retired community college instructor, talked it over with her husband, Doug, a retired math
professor. After a brief discussion, the Davis couple decided to make a gift of the ultrasound system
to the Cancer Center, its nurses, and
its patients.
"The nursing staff is so wonderful, I really wanted to do something in return for them, and for
cancer patients," says Sally, who continues to receive treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. "It
makes a big difference when you are having chemotherapy treatments to be in a place that not only has
excellent nurses but also is warm, supportive, and friendly, full of laughter and positive attitudes."
About the size of a laptop computer, the SonoSite iLook 25 is mounted atop a rolling stand that can move
from patient to patient. A nurse puts some gel on the tip of a sturdy, hand-held sensor, which is placed
on the patient's arm. Within seconds, an image forms on the screen, disclosing vessels beneath the skin.
Finding a vein is quick and painless.
"This generous donation is greatly appreciated by staff and patients," says Kay Harse, a nurse
manager who helps oversee chemotherapy for some 11,000 cancer patients a year.
Thanks to Sally and Doug Underwood, those treatments will be a little more comfortable.
