Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2017

To say training for an Ironman is difficult is an understatement. The amount of time and energy needed to build enough endurance to complete 140.6 miles of swimming, biking and running is more than most people care to imagine. For Jenn Besenti, the daily training and sore muscles are now welcome after having to postpone her goal due to colorectal cancer. “I started training for Ironman in 2015 and noticed an increase in some bowel issues I had,” Jenn said. “My symptoms continued to get worse until it started to affect my daily life.” Kootenai Health Recognized as Breast Center of Excellence Kootenai Health has been granted a three-year full ac- creditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program ad- ministered by the American College of Surgeons. Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evalua- tion process and review of their performance. During the survey process, the center must demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. The standards include proficiency in the areas of center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accredita- tion has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. Strong as Iron While training for her first Ironman, Jenn Besenti was faced with a challenge she never expected By Andrea Nagel Training interrupted Fifty miles into the longest bike ride of her training, Jenn realized something was wrong. At a time when she should be at her strongest, she felt weak and tired, like she needed to turn around. “Someone in my training group is actually a staff member at Kootenai,” Jenn said. “She stopped to check on me, and I told her about what I had been experiencing. She told me to go see a doctor.” Jenn was able to see Gavin Young, M.D., at Kootenai Clinic Gastro- enterology and Endoscopy, for a colonoscopy. She recalls seeing the facial expressions of staff members as they looked at the results of her exam. “I knew in that moment that it was much worse than I expected,” she said. “Jennifer was diagnosed with a stage 14