MultiCare Deaconess Hospital

10/17/2025

In April 2024, oncology nurse practitioner Karen Gabler, 38, felt a small lump in her breast while changing her clothes.

“I had lots of changes in my breasts with pregnancy and breastfeeding, but they were mostly back to normal, so I thought this was weird,” she recalls.

Gabler underwent surgery a few months later, followed by four cycles of chemo. At the time, she was working in medical oncology at MultiCare Cancer Institute at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital.

“Because I worked with everyone at Tacoma General, I decided to have chemo at the Gig Harbor location, just to have some separation from those I work with day to day,” she says. “I knew I would be in the best of hands no matter where I went within the Cancer Institute.”

What's it like to be a patient in your own field? Nurse practitioner Karen Gabler shares her experience getting cancer treatment where she worked.

10/16/2025

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body’s response to an infection — whether bacterial, viral or fungal — spirals out of control, causing widespread inflammation and damage to organs and tissues.

Here’s what you should know about sepsis, from signs and symptoms to prevention.

Recognizing the signs of sepsis is the best way to keep you and your family safe when treating an infection.

10/16/2025

A cancer diagnosis is life-changing on many levels. It ushers in a whirlwind of questions, appointments and uncertainty, along with physical and emotional changes.

While it’s common to hear about side effects like fatigue, hair loss or nausea, what to expect with sexual health often remains unspoken. For people with cancer and their partners, this silence can lead to misunderstandings and isolation.

But intimacy and sexual health are essential parts of your overall well-being, and they deserve space in the conversation, too.

When caught early, breast cancer is very treatable. The keys to prevention or catching it early: knowing your risk factors, symptoms to look for and when to start screening.

10/15/2025

10/15/2025

MultiCare’s Indigo Urgent Care Fellowship is a 14-week program that brings in physician assistants and nurse practitioners who have recently graduated or are new to urgent care. They work as full-time employees, side-by-side with experienced urgent care clinicians, to learn the ins and outs of the clinic.

MultiCare's Indigo Urgent Care Fellowship offers hands-on training, mentorship, and peer support to help new PAs and NPs thrive in urgent care settings.

10/14/2025

“Health screenings help you stay on top of problems like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, which typically don’t cause symptoms until they become severe,” says James Hrncir, ARNP, a family nurse practitioner at MultiCare Capital Primary Care – Yauger Way. “Screenings are also important for catching diseases like colon cancer that are easier to treat the sooner they’re discovered.”

Staying current with health screenings isn’t just about prioritizing your own health — it’s also a powerful way to show up for those you love.

Wondering what to get and when? Here’s your guide to essential men’s health screenings.

Routine screenings can support your overall health and help you avoid complications from untreated conditions.

10/14/2025

Join MultiCare Cancer Institute for a free webinar that explores the connection between diet and exercise in cancer prevention. With practical ideas for what to eat and what to avoid or limit — we’ll share strategies to help maintain overall nutritional during treatment and review common misconceptions about nutrition and cancer.

📅 October 22 | 🕒 Noon | 💻 Sign up: https://multica.re/4nVi3Wk

10/13/2025

Christopher Breed, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with MultiCare Cancer Institute, says Stephanie Alvarez's case highlights the power of the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy — the most dramatic advancement in the treatment of endometrial cancers in the last 10 years.

“From the end of last year until May of this year, it has been a whirlwind, but MultiCare made it happen,” Stephanie says. “Everyone has been so supportive and helpful. The speed in which I got my treatment helped stop the cancer from spreading.”

One long period seemed normal -- until Stephanie Alvarez's symptoms turned urgent. What followed was a whirlwind cancer diagnosis and a remarkable recovery.

10/10/2025

Respiratory infections are a common foe in the fall and winter months. Just as common are the myths surrounding them.

Does cold weather actually make you sick? Can vitamin C stop a cold in its tracks? Does green or yellow mucus mean you need antibiotics?

Gretchen LaSalle, MD, a family medicine physician at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic – Quail Run dispels some persistent misconceptions about how respiratory infections spread, how to treat them and what prevention strategies are likely to work.

Does cold weather cause colds? Should you take Vitamin C? Learn the truth behind common respiratory health myths and how to stay healthy.

10/10/2025

“Don’t tell anyone until the first trimester has passed” — that’s the recommendation that pregnant people often hear. While this advice is intended to save parents-to-be from the anguish of having to explain a miscarriage to others, it can also contribute to the taboo nature of this topic.

“In our society, we are often encouraged to sweep miscarriage under the rug,” says Lacey Marks, MD, at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic – OB/GYN & Midwifery Center. “But miscarriage can be a devastating loss, and the secrecy surrounding it sometimes contributes to misunderstanding and often leaves people feeling incredibly isolated.”

Learn more about the causes of miscarriage and what to expect after experiencing this loss.

Approximately one in four pregnancies ends in a miscarriage. Understanding why miscarriage happens and reaching out for support can aid emotional recovery.

10/09/2025

Your genes help shape who you are, from your height and hair color to the traits that make you uniquely you. But did you know your genes also hold clues about your health, including your risk for cancer?

“For a lot of people, genetic testing can bring peace of mind,” says Brynna Morales, MS, LCGC, a board-certified genetic counselor at MultiCare Cancer Institute. “The results can help you make decisions about your health and understand if there’s an increased cancer risk that you could pass on to future generations.”

Find out if cancer genetic testing might be right for you and what to expect from the process.

10/08/2025

At the Core is a nonprofit with the mission of ensuring no child in Spokane County goes without food over the weekend. This organization is the point of connection between Second Harvest Inland Northwest — a Spokane-based food bank — and local businesses and churches to sponsor food access for school-age children via the Bite2Go weekend meal program.

Currently, At the Core has secured sponsorship at nearly every school in Spokane County — totaling more than 8,200 meal kits every Friday during the school year. And now the nonprofit is setting its focus on ensuring surrounding schools in rural Eastern Washington and North Idaho receive the same support.

Watch this video to learn more about At the Core and hear from one local business, NAI Black — a commercial real estate brokerage — that has been sponsoring Bemiss Elementary School for years.