Mv igh 110 april15

in good April 2015 • Issue 110

Meet Dr. Sunday Asaju See Page 4

MVhealthnews.com

free

Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

The Autism Spectrum 1 in 68 children has autism See Page 3

How’s your calcium?

See Page 10

Cutting-edge Big Brothers Big Sisters

Let’s pay it forward!

See Page 18

Technology at OHC Page 11

When my husband and I were first dating, he introduced me to a unique vegetable: fennel.

It was love at first bite!

Since then, I haven’t strayed. Find out why

Page 10

Women’s Health Edition •Time for spring cleansing •’Fifty Shades of Grey’ •Find out your Pagepassion 14

Youngsters in need of mentors are waiting for that perfect match. Do you have what it takes to become a Big Brother or Big Sister to someone looking for guidance?

Page 20

WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS!

Internist Associates OF CENTRAL NEW YORK

Affiliated with Crouse Medical Practice, PLLC

CNY Medical Center 739 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210 Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

A

s the area’s largest internal medicine practice, we welcome you and your family to our practice of more than 20 highly qualified, board-certified primary care/internal medicine providers — all affiliated with the Crouse Medical Practice care network and conveniently located across from Crouse Hospital.

Monazza Ahmed, MD

Soubhi Azar, MD

Lisa Dorsey, MD

Matthew Marvel, MD

Family Medicine

Internal Medicine

We are pleased to welcome these new physicians to our family, each of whom is currently accepting new patients!

Family Medicine

Internal Medicine

CA L L 315/479-5070 TO S C H E D U L E YO U R A P P O I N T M E N T TO DAY!

CALENDAR of

HEALTH EVENTS

Got a health-related activity or event that you would like publicized? Call Lou Sorendo at 315-749-7070 or email lou@cnymail.com.

Mondays

Support group available for those with OCD The Central New York Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, Inc., a registered nonprofit agency, has offered OCD sufferers in the region a weekly support group since 1997.

The group meets from 6:30-8 p.m. every Monday except holidays at St. Elizabeth’s College of Nursing, firstfloor conference room, Genesee St., Utica.

Meetings are professionally assisted the third Monday of each month.

For more information, call founder Susan Connell at 315-768-7031, email her at info@cnyocf.org., visit www. cnyocf.org or check out Cen NY OCD Support Group on Facebook.

A speakers’ bureau is available at no cost.

Women’s support group to get together

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A women’s support/therapy group is meeting weekly from 5:30-7 on Mondays.

Groups will be held in a confidential location in New Hartford and group size will be limited to protect anonymity.

Topics of discussion may include family issues, stress, anger, relationships, grief, and more.

Clinical therapist Cynthia Davis, who has over 20 years of experience, will lead the group.

To pre-register, contact Davis at 315-736-1231, 315-794-2454 or email cindycsw@yahoo.com.

Tuesdays

hoacny.com

Insight House offers family support group Insight House Chemical Dependency Services, Inc. is offering a family

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

support group meeting from 6:15-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Insight House, 500 Whitesboro St., Utica.

The group is free and open to anyone who is concerned about a loved one’s relationship with alcohol, opiates/heroin, or other substances.

For more information about the group, call 724-5168, ext. 265, from 8:30-4 p.m. weekdays.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Support for the grief stricken Grief Survivors meets from 6-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica. Drop-ins are welcome.

This is a faith-based support group for those suffering the loss of a loved one.

For more information, contact Tanya at 315-735-6210, tanya@thegoodnewscenter.org or visit online at www. thegoodnewscenter.org.

Wednesdays/Thursdays

Overeaters Anonymous plans meetings

Is food a problem for you? Do you eat when you’re not hungry? Do you binge, purge or restrict? Is your weight affecting your life?

Overeaters Anonymous meets from 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Wednesday in Room 101 (first floor) at Rome Memorial Hospital, 1500 James St., Rome.

It also meets from 7-8 p.m. every Thursday at Oneida Baptist Church, 242 Main St., Oneida. Participants are asked to use the rear door.

There are no dues, fees, weigh-ins or diets.

For more information, call OA at 315-468-1588 or visit oa.org.

Continued on Page 14

Cover Story

Autism Mohawk Valley takes to streets to increase awareness

By Mary Christopher

A

pril is Autism Awareness Month and the community is ready to bring attention to the cause and raise funds at The Kelberman Center’s annual Walk for Autism.

The walk was initiated by a group of parents who wanted to create a fun event for the entire family.

All money raised stays in the local area.

Four walks will take place this month throughout the Mohawk Valley: • The Boonville walk on April 11 at the Boonville VFW • The Oneida walk on April 18 at Oneida High School • The Mohawk Valley walk on April 25 at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute Campus Center • The Cooperstown run/walk on April 25 at Glimmerglass State Park “We are very happy to see how much this event has grown,” said Jean Jacobson, a psychologist and director of early childhood services at The Kelberman Center. “One of the goals was to bring people together and that is what happened.”

Parents are so involved with the planning that Jacobson considers the walk to be a “community-led” occasion rather than a corporate event.

“The parents are able to give back so that is nice for them,” she said.

What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others.

It is defined by a certain set of behaviors and named a spectrum disorder because it affects individuals differently and to varying degrees, according to the website www.autism-society.org.

Some of the behaviors associated with autism include delays in learning language, difficulty making eye contact or holding a conversation, difficulty

Walk the talk

F

or more information on The Walk for Autism, visit www.kelbermancenter.org or call 315-7976241.

with executive functioning, poor motor skills and sensory sensitivities.

Family takes on autism

Raising a child with autism can bring stress into a family, but there are also many joys that come with caring for a child with special needs.

John and Annette Fleming of Oneida think back to the way they felt when their son Dylan’s pediatrician gave him a heavy diagnosis 12 years ago almost every time they feel pride after seeing how far he has come. “(The doctor) told us, ‘Dylan is autistic, but if we work with him right away, he will most likely be high functioning,’” Annette said. “We were just stunned. As parents, you always think it might be something else or they’re just lagging behind.”

Now 15, Dylan has made huge progress in communication and independence with the help of local programs and a home structure targeted to his needs.

After a period of aggression and minimal verbalization, he has grown into a thoughtful and funny teenager.

His communication skills improved tremendously around age 10 and today he carries on well with his parents and 12-year-old sister, Sophia.

Some of the family’s best moments are spent boating on Oneida Lake, watching their favorite television shows, like “Modern Family” and “Dancing with the Stars,” and being able to share laughs together.

“Knowing that Dylan is enjoying what we’re doing just as much as we are means the world to us,” John said.

Thousands turn out each year to support The Kelberman Center’s annual Walk for Autism.

“There was a time when he couldn’t and that was very, very hard. It made us realize to never take anything for granted and be proud of what he accomplished so far.”

Early intervention key

One of the most crucial elements in treating autism is working with affected children as early as possible, Jacobson said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening at 18- and 24-month check-ups. Early intervention is key for a toddler or child suspected of being on the spectrum because the brain and cognitive system are still developing and can respond to treatment more effectively.

“You can’t ‘wait and see’ what happens,” Jacobson said. “The older the individual is, they are less likely to respond to intervention. There could be a lot of lost opportunity.”

When Jacobson thinks back to when she started working in the field 20 years ago, she can’t believe the progress made, including the erasing of many stigmas surrounding autism. She has also seen a surge in professionals choosing to study the disorder, work within the field and more support offered to families.

“It really is exciting,” she said.

“More and more young people want to intern and it shows that the stigma has changed. Treatments are exponential now.”

What you should know about autism

A

utism facts and statistics: — Autism affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 54 boys.

— Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism.

— Prevalence figures are growing with a 10 to 17 percent increase annually.

— It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States.

— Over 2 million individuals in the U.S. are affected by autism.

— Autism costs a family $60,000 per year on average.

• Source: Autism Speaks, www.autismspeaks.org.

Oneida, Herkimer, Madison and Otsego counties in good A monthly newspaper published

Health MV’s Healthcare Newspaper

by Local News, Inc. 20,000 copies distributed. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 315-749-7070.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2015 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: 4 Riverside Drive, Suite 251, Utica, NY 13502 • Phone: 315-749-7070 Email: lou@cnymail.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Contributing Writers: Patricia Malin, Barbara Pierce, Kristen Raab, Malissa Allen, Mary Stevenson, Deb Dittner, Amylynn Pastorella, Mary Christopher, Traci DeLore Advertising: Donna Kimbrell, Marsha Preston Layout & Design: Chris Crocker Office Manager: Alice Davis No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement — not to take the place of — the recommendations of your health provider.

7 Timmerman Ave. Phone: 518-568-5037 St. Johnsville, NY 13452 Web: www.stjrnc.com

The industry leader in skilled nursing and outpatient rehabilitation services April 2015 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 3

Nearly half-million enrolled in insurance marketplace

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n New York, 408,841 consumers selected or were automatically re-enrolled in quality, affordable health insurance coverage through the health insurance marketplace as of Feb. 22, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Of the consumers with a marketplace plan selection, 74 percent (300,498 people) qualified for financial assistance to help with the cost of monthly premiums.

In New York, 130,829 consumers under the age of 35 are signed up for marketplace coverage (32 percent of all plan selections). And 120,199 consumers 18 to 34 years of age (29 percent of all plan selections) are signed up for marketplace coverage.

“The figures released today tell a story of health coverage consumers rely on for financial and health security,” said Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell.

“In New York 300,498 marketplace consumers qualified for tax credits to make their coverage affordable and accessible. People who come to the marketplace for coverage are actively engaged and shopping for the product that’s best for them and their families.

The Affordable Care Act is working and we’re grateful to the volunteers, assisters, navigators, local officials, members of Congress and many national organizations who joined this effort across the country.”

Nationwide, nearly 11.7 million consumers selected a plan or were automatically enrolled in marketplace coverage. Of those, 8.84 million (76 percent) were in states using the HealthCare.gov platform and 2.85 million (24 percent) were in the 14 states (including New York and Washington, D.C.) using their own marketplace platforms. Nearly 7.7 million individuals with a plan selection in the states using HealthCare.gov qualified for an average tax credit of $263 per month and more than half (55 percent) paid $100 or less per month after tax credits.

Nationwide, more than 4.1 million consumers under the age of 35 are signed up for marketplace coverage (35 percent of all plan selections compared to 34 percent of plan selections at the end of 2014 open enrollment). And nearly 3.3 million consumers 18 to 34 years of age are signed up for marketplace coverage. As in 2014, that’s 28 percent of all plan selections.

Open enrollment in the marketplace ended on Feb. 15. Consumers should visit HealthCare.gov to see if they qualify for a special enrollment period because of a life change like marriage, having a baby or losing other coverage. Enrollment in Medicaid and the children’s healthinsurance program is also open year round.

Visit HealthCare.gov to learn more.

Find local help at: Localhelp.healthcare. gov/. Or call the Federally-facilitated marketplace call center at 1-800-3182596. TTY users should call 1-855- 8894325. Translation services are available.

The call is free.

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Lou Sorendo

Dr. Sunday Asaju Sunday Asaju recently joined Slocum-Dickson Medical Group PLLC in New Hartford in the OB-GYN department. Asaju returns to Central New York where he practiced medicine for over 18 years prior to moving out of state. Recently, Mohawk Valley In Good Health Associate Editor Lou Sorendo interviewed Asaju regarding his profession and views on healthcare.

Q.: What motivated you to choose gynecology and obstetrics as a specialty?

A.: While in Nigeria, I had witnessed several times women dying at childbirth, some of whom were relatives and close family friends. More than half of them died of conditions that should not cause death, such as postpartum hemorrhage.

These could be prevented if there were adequate healthcare facilities and personnel close to where the patients live to manage the emergency immediately.

Unfortunately this was not so.

Even though I did not know what the specialty was back then, I knew that I wanted to do something in medicine that would enable me to take care of women’s health. Therefore, choosing obstetrics and gynecology was easy for me.

Q.: Why did you choose to return to Central New York after practicing out of state for many years?

A.: I came to New York in 1986 for my residency and, except for the two and a half years practicing out of state, I have been here since then. I spent the last 18 of those years in Upstate New York in Rome, Syracuse, and finally in Utica where I spent the last 12 of those years.

During those years, I collaborated with some of the best obstetricians and gynecologists closely, including my four colleagues here at Slocum-Dickson.

I was about to start a practice in Kentucky when a recruiter contacted me looking to fill the position at Slocum-Dickson. She contacted me just at the right time.

I thought the position with Slocum-Dickson would afford me the chance to work directly with my colleagues, whom I had good working relationships with over those 12 years that I was in Utica. I had taken care of some of the nicest patients then.

I also believe that practicing at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group is an ideal opportunity to practice as part of an outstanding multispecialty group.

Q.: What are some of the more common conditions and illnesses that you treat? How much of your time is devoted to delivering babies?

A.: I offer comprehensive gynecologic and obstetrical services that include routine OB-GYN annual examination; PAP smear screening and diagnosis and treatment of abnormal PAP smear; well-woman care; pelvic

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

pain; endometriosis; abnormal vaginal bleeding from menarche to menopause; menopause care; premenstrual syndrome; contraceptive needs; cancer screening and complete care for preg-

nancy and childbirth.

I also attend to teen and adolescent care and contraception; treatment of abnormal periods and pelvic pain; uterine fibroids; ovarian cysts; solutions to pelvic support issues and urinary incontinence; sexually transmitted disease diagnosis and treatment; vaginitis including yeast, bacterial vaginosis, atrophic vaginitis and treatments; infertility treatment; and hormone replacement therapy.

I devote about 60 percent of my time to delivering babies.

Q.: What are some of the more common procedures that you provide as an OB-GYN specialist?

A.: Procedures I perform include colposcopy with biopsies; endometrial biopsy; removal of implanted contraceptive device (etonogestel implant); PAP smear screening; dilatation and curettage; hysteroscopy with polypectomy;

Continued on Page 15

Lifelines Birth date: Feb. 10, 1952 Birthplace: Ogbomoso, Nigeria Current residence: New Hartford Education: Undergraduate, Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy (cum laude), Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Houston, Texas; medical school: University of Illinois at Chicago (1986); graduate school, Master of Business Administration, Whitman School of Business, Syracuse University (2001); Master of Medical Management, Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine (2006); fellowship for integrative medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. (2010); training in medical acupuncture, Helm’s Medical Institute, Berkeley, Calif.

(2010) Affiliations: Slocum-Dickson Medical Group; Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare; the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Medical Association; American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians; American Association of Medical Assistants Personal: Married to Margaret; three adult children Hobbies: Daily workout, learning Hapkido martial arts, reading, learning to play guitar

Women’s Health The Balanced Body

By Deb Dittner

Time for spring cleaning

S

pring is in the air!

The birds are chirping, the tulips are blooming, and everyone wants to get outdoors and experience the fresh air, soak up some Vitamin D, and start up the grill.

But first, we must take stock of those things in our homes that we either don’t want anymore or don’t need.

In other words, clear the clutter and move away from stagnation and spring clean. Throw away some of the “stuff” or have a yard sale — who couldn’t use a few extra dollars? — and then say good-bye to the past and welcome in a new and healthy life.

There are actually two homes that we need to spring clean.

First is our physical home, and second is our physical body. We tend to accumulate “things” in the form of outdated clothes, magazines, rusted tools and worn out shoes.

Our bodies also accumulate toxins and old food residue that need to be cleaned out.

Our home environment tells a lot about us: the colors we like, type of furnishings and household goods.

Spring clean the home by removing those items that no longer serve you. Be true to yourself by making your house your home, as this is the true reflection of who you really are.

You also need to look at the toxins in your home that you are exposed to on a daily basis. Some toxins can’t always be controlled but this isn’t the case for everything.

One of the biggest problems in the home environment are volatile organic

compounds.

These are chemicals found in many of your household items such as paint, furniture, carpeting, mattresses and bedding, cleaning products, and more.

Shower curtains, for example, are one thing most people can relate to as the smell of a new curtain is powerful. This smell poisons the air and environment you breathe.

Candles and air fresheners are also adding to the Dittner indoor pollutants. And let’s not forget the cosmetics you use daily. Check your labels for harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates and sodium laurel sulfate.

Sounds dismal I know, but there are alternative and healthier choices you can make for your environment.

Consider a shower curtain that is 100 percent polyester, period. You don’t want one that says added mildew resistance as that more than likely means some other toxin has been added.

Use glass containers instead of plastics. For cooking, consider using stainless steel or cast-iron.

If possible, remove carpeting and consider hardwood flooring.

In order to spring clean our body, we may consider either cleansing or fasting.

To cleanse our body, we may reduce our food to simple fruits and vegetables, possibly some whole grains, and lots of water. To fast, we may restrict most foods and drink lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit

• Deborah Dittner is a family nurse practitioner specializing in Reiki and holistic nutrition. Visit her at www.The-Balanced-Body.com.

Locally grown farm fresh vegetables!

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you can afford, and make your kitchen your wellness center.

Let’s not forget to spring clean our heart while we are still in the cleaning mood.

By ridding ourselves of negative thoughts and bad habits, we will be open to receive all of the good things in life that we deserve.

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juices, and soups.

We may then experience more energy for the body and mind since less energy is needed for digestion. Cleansing and fasting can improve concentration, raise spiritual mindfulness, improve our immune function and encourage better digestion.

Whether you are on a special diet or not, you need to pay attention to the products you choose. I encourage purchasing foods with only one ingredient such as broccoli, avocados or tomatoes.

Consider a variety of colors and experiment with new vegetables or fruit frequently.

Avoid processed sugary foods and focus on eating pure whole foods.

Whole foods are packed with nutrient-dense vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, healthy fats, and so much more.

Purchase the best quality of food

To register call 315-235-2540 or toll free 877-269-0355 NOW ACCEPTING DELTA DENTAL

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(315) 363-4940 www.oneidanydentist.com Join Us On FACEBOOK

April 2015 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 5

Women’s Health Between You and Me

By Barbara Pierce

Passion Play

Find your passions to be fully alive

I

f you knew you were going to die one year from today, what would you do with the last year of your life?

Most of us don’t want to think about death. It freaks us out. It won’t happen to us — at least until way, way in the future.

But thinking about our own death surprisingly has a lot of practical advantages.

One of those advantages is that it forces us to zero in on what’s actually important in our lives and what’s just frivolous and distracting.

So says author and life enthusiast Mark Pierce Manson online in “Seven Strange Questions That Will Help You Find Your Life Purpose.”

You might be asking, “Why bother to find out what’s actually important in your life?” “Why does it matter what my passions are?” “And who has the time?”

People who follow their passions live a life of satisfaction, inspiration and joy. They’ve managed to find it and do something in order to make it a permanent part of their lives.

Your passions are what make you feel alive and forget about time; they’re the things you love doing and the activities that make you happy. They are what you ache for, what give you a sense of joy.

You become truly alive when you

activities I had passion about doing.

Now I’m wandering, searching for what is missing from my new life. I need to listen to that voice inside me to guide me to create this new life.

I’ve taken time to think about what are the things I miss most about the life I left behind.

Take a few steps back

catch those energizing moments and follow where they lead.

To figure out your passions, often you have to take a step backwards, a step back from the hustle and bustle and stress of everyday life, to figure out your passions.

It is important to follow your heart, to listen to your instincts, to notice the things that move and inspire you.

We all have a voice inside us; that voice is our instinct. Most of us tend to ignore that voice and it grows fainter and fainter. But it is our truest guide to what is best for us.

I’ve just moved to a new area.

Moved to a new life actually. I had to leave behind the life I had created with supportive people I cared about and

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www.cnyhealingtouch.com Page 6

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

To find your passions and purpose in life, set aside time to relax and refocus, to remind yourself of the priorities of your life, says Matthew Kelly in his book “The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose.”

The modern concept of life respects only action. To be spending your time in a worthwhile manner, you must be doing something or achieving something.

Nothing could be further from the truth, says Kelly. “The truth is, what you become is infinitely more important than what you do or what you have,” he said.

Instead, Kelly advises you to turn your back to the wind, dust the dirt from your feet and your soul, drift and dream, and open yourself to peace and simple appreciation of life. Broaden your horizons.

“The idea of just wandering off to a cafe with a notebook and writing is just bliss,” says J.K. Rowling, author of “Harry Potter.”

“He’s my savior,” said my friend Judy about a second grader she mentors.

“All those moments when I write, even the painful ones when I’m crying as I write, I love it,” says author Isabel Allende.

“We can’t think our way into our life’s passion and purpose, we have to do our way in,” recommends life coach

Shannon Kaiser on Huffington post. com.

“The more we act, the more we get clear on things,” she says, and I agree. It was by actually doing things I learned what really got me excited and what didn’t get me excited.

“So instead of over-thinking it, start trying new things. This will help you get out of your own way. It wasn’t until I started doing that things changed for me,” Kaiser says.

Do those things that call to you, that the little voice inside you nudges you to try. Think of it as an experiment; you can’t fail. Either you’ll like it and want more or it will leave you cold and you can cross it off your list.

For many of us, the enemy is just old-fashioned complacency. We get into our routines. We distract ourselves.

The couch is comfortable. The Doritos are cheesy. And nothing new happens, says Mason. None of us know exactly how we feel about an activity until we actually do the activity.

If someone held a gun to your head and you had to leave the house all day, everyday, where would you go and what would you do? asks Mason.

I encourage you to find one or two things that give you that wonderful feeling of bliss. The website www. oprah.com/.../Who-Are-You-Meanttobe has a quiz and gives you a full analysis that could be helpful.

• Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years’ experience in helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book “If I’m so Fantastic, Why am I Still Single?” or if you have any concerns you would like her to address, contact her at BarbaraPierce06@ yahoo.com.

Rome Hospital Foundation sets dates

R

ome Hospital Foundation will hold four signature fundraising events this year as part of its continued effort to support the mission of Rome Memorial Hospital.

• Kicking off the 2015 event series in May is Rome Hospital Foundation’s Fashion Show, which will feature the theme “All that Glitters is Gold.”

The fashion show will be held at the Beeches Inn & Conference Center from 6-10 p.m. May 1. The cost for the event is $45.

• Rome Hospital Foundation’s Annual Golf Classic, presented by NBT Bank, will be held June 22 at Teugega Country Club in Rome.

Registration and lunch begins at 10:30 a.m. A day of 18 holes of golf will begin with a shotgun start at noon.

Upon conclusion of the golf outing,

a cocktail hour and dinner will take place in the Teugega Clubhouse with an award presentation to follow.

• In the fall, the fifth annual Brew Ha Ha craft beer tasting will take place at Woods Valley Ski Area. The event, presented by Oneida Savings, will be held from 4-8 p.m. Sept. 19.

Admission is $40 per individual or $75 per pair. Admission for designated drivers is $10 each.

• The annual gala is Rome Hospital Foundation’s cornerstone fundraising event and will be held from 6-11 p.m. Nov. 14 at Turning Stone Resort & Casino.

For more information about any of Rome Hospital Foundation’s events, contact Rome Hospital Foundation at 315-338-7181 or e-mail foundation@ romehospital.org.

Women’s Health ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Here’s a hint: It’s not about the sex

P

uzzled by why the book, now the movie, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is a runaway cultural phenomenon?

Or are you one who ran to see it?

Seems people either love or hate the story of a shy, young virgin and the broodingly handsome billionaire who invites her into his wonderful world of hanky spanky that gradually gives way to the darker, kinkier territory of bondage.

“It isn’t a story. It’s loveless sex and degradation. No narrative, no message, no redemption,” says Matt Walsh (blogger, writer, speaker, and professional “truth-sayer”) online.

“In reality, Christian’s all-consuming ‘love’ would warrant a restraining order, and Ana’s refusal to leave him would eventually land her at a battered women’s shelter or dead,” says blogger Kirsten Andersen online.

“It feeds on objectifying and using women for its own self pleasure. She loses her virginity to a narcissistic hollow man who uses her as a sexual object to be dominated,” says Mark Kock of Naples, Fla. Domestic abuse awareness activists hate the film because it portrays stalking, threats and controlling behavior as signs of true love.

At the YWCA Mohawk Valley — where empowering women is one of its key missions — members agree that the way the book/movie portrays women isn’t a healthy one.

In a healthy relationship, both people feel respected, supported and valued; decisions are made together; both have friends and interests outside of the relationship; and disagreements are settled with open and honest communication.

“Teens and young women often don’t have any idea of what a healthy relationship is,” said Kari Procopio, grants and communications director at the YWCA. “We go into the community and talk to young people, primarily teens in schools, about healthy relationships.”

Promoting self-esteem in young women is the key, explained Procopio: Having a sense of self-worth is essential in creating healthy relationships.

“Everyone deserves to be in a safe, healthy relationship,” she said.

Shades of meaningless

The problem with the sex portrayed in this movie, or in any trashy romance novel you find at the airport, or in many other films and TV shows, or in many actual relationships, is that it’s always self-seeking, never honest, never truthful, never trusting, and never protecting.

There is no hope in it, no kindness, no sacrifice. It’s selfish. It has nothing to do with love.

“If love is the story we want to tell, let’s tell it better,” continues Andersen.

She said the lack of self-worth so many women today have is because they grew up in families of divorce. Their lack of a father figure caused an emptiness that “Fifty Shades” temporarily fills.

“But the truth is, anyone who has ever felt unremarkable or invisible for any reason can put themselves in Ana’s shoes and understand her thrill at being chosen — her, of all people! — by a man with so much power he might as well be God, she adds.

“The sex is largely beside the point,” she continues. “Let’s be honest; there’s better-written and much more explicit erotica out there for those who are into that sort of thing.”

The stalking, controlling and threatening behavior in the film is abuse that many teens experience.

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s research, more than one in three (37 percent) of students surveyed report being a victim of psychological dating violence in the last six months.

Nearly one in six (15 percent) of students report being a victim of physical dating violence in the last six months.

Dating and relationship abuse is a major problem for young people.

It stunts their emotional growth and harms them academically. It puts them at risk for long-term health consequences, serious injury and even death.

Prevention needs to be a public health priority.

“We need to be proactive, not reactive,” emphasizes Procopio.

The YWCA Mohawk Valley is a nonsectarian membership organization serving Herkimer and Oneida counties.

The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Its life-changing programs include domestic and sexual violence crisis services, emergency and transitional housing for domestic violence victims, housing and support for runaway and homeless girls, and violence prevention education.

Anyone who suspects he or she is now or ever has been in an abusive relationship is urged to call its 24-hour hotline. Services are free and confidential.

People are eligible for services no matter when the abuse occurred or whether it was ever reported to the police.

The 24-hour number for Herkimer County is 315-866-4120; for Oneida County, its 315-797-7740.

YWCA Mohawk Valley can be found online at www. ywcamv.org/ or on facebook at: www.facebook.com/ YMCAMohawkValley and www.facebook.com/YWCAmveducation.

One in 5 U.S. teen girls physically, sexually abused while dating National survey finds one in 10 teen boys also experiences dating violence

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any American teens — both boys and girls — fall prey to physical and sexual abuse while dating, a new survey finds.

Among teens who said they dated, one in five girls and one in 10 boys said they’d been abused at least once during the past year. Most teens who reported physical or sexual abuse experienced more than one incident of abuse, according to the study.

Victims — some of whom could also be perpetrators — were at higher risk of problems such as suicidal behavior, bullying, risky sexual behavior and substance use, the researchers found.

“These numbers are very high and also very troubling,” said Monica Swahn, an associate director of research with the Emory Center for Injury Control at Georgia State University.

“These are serious forms of victimization with lasting scars, both physi-

April 2015 •

cally and emotionally,” added Swahn, who was not involved with the new study.

The findings are from the U.S. government’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which has asked a question about physical teen dating violence since 1999. The government revised the survey for 2013 and added a question about sexual teen dating violence.

One question asked about purposeful physical violence in a dating relationship, such as “being hit, slammed into something or injured with an object or weapon.” The new question asked if teens were forced to “do sexual things that you did not want to do.”

About 13,000 students in grades nine through 12 responded to the survey. About three-quarters of boys and girls said they dated. Of those, 21 percent of females reported dating violence within the previous year, while 10 percent of males did.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 7

Women’s Health In vitro births continue to rise

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ore babies in the United States are being conceived by in vitro fertilization, a new report

shows.

Nearly 2,000 more infants were born with the help of this assisted reproductive technology in 2013, compared with 2012, the researchers reported.

Almost 175,000 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles led to the birth of slightly more than 63,000 babies, compared with just over 165,000 IVF cycles that led to the birth of slightly fewer than 62,000 babies in 2012.

Babies conceived through fertility

treatments account for more than 1.5 percent of children born in the United States, according to the report from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

The society also said more women, regardless of age, chose to have a single embryo transferred. The rise in the number of women making this choice was greatest among women under 35.

In that age group, 22.5 percent decided to have a single embryo transferred, compared with almost 15 percent in 2012.

“We are extremely encouraged to see the number of embryos transferred

per cycle continue to go down and that more and more patients are choosing single embryo transfer,” said Dr. James Toner, president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

“The goal of reducing the incidence of multiple pregnancies is extremely important, and patients can see from the data that fewer embryos transferred do not mean a lower chance of pregnancy,” he said in a news release from the group.

Trends noted in previous years continued in 2013, the report said.

There were fewer embryos transferred per cycle among women of all ages, an

increase in embryo implantation rates in all age categories, and an overall decline in multiple births.

The number of twins resulting from IVF fell from 12,436 in 2012 to 12,085 in 2013, and the number of triplets resulting from IVF dropped from 411 to 376.

Teen pregnancies, abortions plunge with free birth control

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eens who received free contraception and were educated about the pros and cons of various birth control methods were dramatically less likely to get pregnant, give birth or get an abortion compared with other sexually active teens, according to a new study.

The research, by investigators at Washington University School of

Medicine in St. Louis, appeared late last year in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The study promoted the use of long-acting forms of birth control, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, because of their superior effectiveness in preventing unintended pregnancies. Among the 1,404 teens enrolled in the Contraceptive CHOICE

Project, 72 percent opted for IUDs or implants. This compares with an estimated 5 percent of U.S. teens who choose long-acting birth control.

In the United States, most teens opt for less-reliable contraceptives such as birth control pills or condoms or no method at all because of cost and other factors.

“When we removed barriers to

contraception for teens such as lack of knowledge, limited access and cost in a group of teens, we were able to lower pregnancy, birth and abortion rates,” said Gina Secura, the study’s first author and director of the CHOICE Project. “This study demonstrates there is a lot more we can do to reduce the teen pregnancy rate.”

Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

Watch helps disclose personal health information

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pple watch. Industry experts believe Apple will sell 30 million of these within weeks of release.

This “watch” is just the latest wearable device that could give insurers information about your vitals (pulse, calories used, steps taken, etc.). This creates “usage-based” insurance where healthy behavior is encouraged and rewarded.

Supposedly, 90 percent of us are willing to disclose this real time personal health information if it will lead to more treatment options. Critics are worried that insurers could use the data for discriminatory pricing. In any event, most view these wearable devices positively if they get people to be more health conscious.

Medicare fraud. While the feds have stepped up efforts to reduce fraud, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported $60 billion, or 10 percent of all payments, were improper.

The GAO issued four recommendations to reduce/eliminate Medicare fraud including, most importantly, removing social security numbers from Medicare cards.

Not providing your social security number to your provider has been previously recommended here. They don’t need it.

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Healthcare disparities plague U.S. system. A recent article in Forbes discusses how quality of care disparities due to race, income, gender and sexual orientation is one reason why the U.S. healthcare system ranks so poorly compared to other developed countries.

Expanded insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act, community outreach efforts and provider education are aimed at eliminating the disparities and improving access to care and outcomes.

Blue Distinction Centers. Several surveys have highlighted the tremendous variances in costs among hospitals, even in the same market, for certain surgical procedures. For example, a knee replacement cost $11,317 in Montgomery, Ala. while the same costs $69,654 in New York City.

In Dallas, the costs range from $16,772 to $61,585. That’s a 267 percent differential depending on your hospital. To help consumers choose safe, high outcome, cost-effective hospitals, the Blues have identified Blue Distinction Centers for certain procedures.

There are 427 of these designated centers for hip and knee replacement across the U.S. with four being in Upstate New York: Arnot Ogden in Elmira, Bassett in Cooperstown, Faxton-St. Luke’s in Utica and Highland in Rochester.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

King vs. Burwell. This is the case before the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether or not the provision of federal tax subsidies for eligible ObamaCare recipients in those states that rely on the federal exchange are constitutional. The plaintiffs argue the federal subsidies would be legal in only the 13 states, including New York, that run their own marketplaces/exchanges. The government argues that this provision is key and the intention/ spirit of the law is to provide federal tax subsidies to eligible residents in all states. The problem is if the court decides to overturn this key provision, millions would lose their insurance and there is no backup plan. Hoping the court upholds this key provision of ObamaCare are the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the National Alliance of State Health Co-ops and the American Medical Association.

Price transparency. The Healthcare Cost Institute is working on a website that lists cost information for over 70 common health conditions and elective procedures. It will be called Guroo. com. Cost information is garnered from claims data from several national carriers. It is free and open to anyone

regardless of insurance.

Private exchanges growing. While all the media attention is on healthcare. gov and federal subsidies for care, about 2.5 million people are insured through private commercial exchanges. Industry experts predict that could grow by three times in 2015. A recent Price Waterhouse survey of employers revealed 47 percent of respondents are interested in private exchanges this year and 20 percent in 2016. Skeptics argue there is a big difference between showing interest and enrollment.

ObamaCare. As of this month, 16.4 million are enrolled including 3.4 million young adults aged 19-25. The percent of uninsured Americans has decreased from 20 percent in 2013 to 13 percent in March.

GEORGE W. CHAPMAN is a health consultant who operates GW Chapman Consulting in Upstate New York.

To reach him, email gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

Game Changer Rome senior receives Olivari Lifestyle Change Award

By Patricia J. Malin

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alvatore Grieco of Rome has always had a hardy appetite for Italian food.

He even spent his working life surrounded by food. He was employed for 28 years with the Loblaw supermarket chain in Elmira, Utica and Whitesboro.

When he was manager at the Loblaw’s in Whitestown Plaza, it was located near a restaurant whose specialty was sausage and pork.

He said he feasted on pork steak or sausage at lunch every day and his weight eventually ballooned to 195 pounds.

The sudden death of his father from a heart attack at the age of 37 shocked Grieco and he began to assess his own health and diet. “Then I switched to chicken breast,” he said.

He made the right moves and today, at 96, Grieco exercises daily and maintains a steady weight of 151 pounds.

Grieco recently received the Lifestyle Change Award at the conclusion of the annual American Heart Association’s Heart Run/Walk at Utica College.

Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil and Sovena USA sponsored the award for the fifth consecutive year. Sovena USA’s olive oil bottling facility in Griffiss Park is the United States’ headquarters for the Portugal-based company.

Sovena USA is the country’s largest importer of olive oil, supplying more than 50 percent of all private label olive oil in the U.S. retail marketplace.

Although his “lifestyle change” to a better diet and healthy exercise occurred decades ago, Grieco was still the hands-down favorite for the award.

He lives in an apartment complex in Rome and walks two miles on a treadmill every day. He also survived a battle with cancer 10 years ago.

“The only medications I’m on now is one for glaucoma and one for my thyroid,” he explained.

Marolyn Wilson, a member of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk committee, raises her arms in jubilation after announcing the total of $1,083,187 at the conclusion of the 2015 Heart Run & Walk weekend at Utica College.

Salvatore Grieco, seated, Lifestyle Change award winner, celebrates with Johnathan Batson of Sovena USA. Grieco has four children, including Diane and Barbara Grieco, who accompanied him to Utica College to accept his award; Lorraine Holzburger, and a son, Thomas Grieco.

“I guess I was a sentimental favorite (for the award),” Grieco said with a laugh. “I’m still going strong.”

The Greater Utica Region drew a crowd of more than 6,500 walkers and

KIDS Corner Raise smoking age to 21, U.S. expert panel says

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aising the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 would save hundreds of thousands of lives and substantially reduce the number of smokers in the United States, a new report finds.

Such a change would result in 249,000 fewer premature deaths among people born between 2000 and 2019, and 12 percent fewer smokers by 2100,

according to the report released in March by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

“The public health benefits of raising the age to 21 are substantially greater than raising it to 19,” said Richard Bonnie, chairman of the IOM committee that wrote the report, and a professor of medicine and law at the

runners who helped raise $1,083,187 at America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk.

The top individual fundraiser was Albert Pylinski Jr., who raised more than $46,000 in support of the American Heart Association. He earned top honors in 2014 as well by raising $32,000.

Pylinski, who is vice president, chief financial and risk officer, and treasurer of the Central New York Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Edmeston, has been named chairman of the 2016 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk.

“My family, friends and the greater good for all is why I dedicate my time and effort to the American Heart Association,” Pylinski said in a news release.

University of Virginia.

The IOM is an independent panel of experts that advises the federal government on public health issues.

According to the report, increasing the minimum age to 21 would prevent or delay 15- to 17-year-olds from taking up the smoking habit. The report specifically looked at the benefits of raising the age to 19, 21 and 25, Bonnie said.

Bonnie explained that younger teens often get older teens to buy cigarettes for them — and they may know a lot of friends who are 18 and 19.

However, they are unlikely to have as many 21-year-old friends. That’s why raising the age to 21 seems to have the most public health benefit, he said.

Raising the age to 25 has some additional value, but a smaller one because there is already a lot of social overlap among 21-year-olds and 25-year-olds, Bonnie said.

The committee found that there would be about 3 percent fewer smokers by 2100 if the age were raised to 19, and 16 percent fewer smokers if the age were increased to 25.

April 2015 •

“It is through research, education, good nutrition and exercise we all will become a more healthy society.”

“Albert is a long-time supporter of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk,” said Jennifer Balog, executive director of the Greater Utica American Heart Association. “We are excited to see him take on this important role for the organization and proud of all his work to improve our community’s health.”

Pylinski has served as a board member of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and The Friends of Bassett. NYCM is a corporate partner of Bassett Healthcare.

In 2014, the Heart Run & Walk drew 6,443 walkers and runners and raised $1,092,129 during Heart Run/ Walk weekend.

If someone is not using tobacco by age 26, it is highly unlikely they ever will, the panel added.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 9

Diet & Nutrition Your Serving of Dairy News

Calcium Crusade!

Are you getting enough calcium?

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ccording to a recent Better Homes and Gardens article, 75 percent of Americans are not getting enough calcium.

To increase your intake of calcium, just simply consume dairy. Yes, there are supplements of calcium you can take, but why not receive calcium a natural and delicious way?

Try making your oatmeal in the morning with milk instead of water. Put a slice of cheese on a sandwich for lunch, have yogurt for a snack, make a yogurt fruit smoothie, or just simply drink Treadwell a glass of milk.

Everyone needs at least 3 servings of dairy a day. Did you know only less than 10 percent of women aged 19-50 are getting the recommended 3 servings of dairy a day?

Adults aged 19-50 need at least 3 servings of dairy. Adults 50 and older should be getting at least 4 servings of dairy daily.

The older you are, the frailer your bones become, so help them stay strong by consuming dairy.

Children 4-8 years of age need at least 3 servings of dairy a day. Children 9-18 need at least 4 servings of dairy a day.

Children and teens are growing so they need calcium to help their bones grow strong.

Remember, dairy should be served daily with the other recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein.

SmartBites

Yogurt Fruit Smoothie 1 banana ½ cup plain yogurt ¼ cup pineapple juice 1 cup strawberries 1 tsp. orange juice 1 tsp. milk Blend together in blender and enjoy!

• Victoria Treadwell is one of 35 county dairy princesses involved in the New York State Dairy Princess and Promotion Program. The purpose of the program is to promote the dairy industry and increase milk and dairy product sales, and is funded by local dairy farmers through their check-off investments in the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc.

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Why fennel deserves fan base

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hen my husband and I were first dating, he introduced me to a unique vegetable: fennel.

It was love at first bite!

Since then, I haven’t strayed.

I’m sweet on the taste (slightly licorice), I dig the texture (super crunchy), I’m crazy about the calorie count (only 30 per cup) and I’m smitten with its nutritious spunk.

While pale green fennel may never achieve the superfood status of some of its more brightly colored comrades, it can certainly march down the “goodfor-you” aisle with its feathery fronds held high.

Similar to other plant-based foods, fennel is packed with antioxidants — those magical molecules that can help prevent a host of maladies, from heart disease to arthritis. In animal studies, one of fennel’s antioxidants in particular, anethole, repeatedly reduced inflammation and helped prevent the occurrence of certain cancers. Go, fennel!

Fennel deserves a shout-out for its bounty of vitamin C. In addition to its antioxidant benefits, vitamin C, which is needed to build collagen, is super good for your skin. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Page 10

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calories per cup, as mentioned above, deserves a standing ovation.

Helpful tips: Choose whitish to pale green bulbs that are firm and solid, minus any splitting, bruising or spotting. Fresh fennel has a fragrant aroma, smelling slightly of licorice. Although fennel can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, it’s best to consume as soon as possible. The longer it languishes, the less flavorful it will be.

Fennel Salad Nutrition, in fact, found that higher vitamin C intakes were associated with skin that had fewer wrinkles and aged better.

This bulb-shaped vegetable also boasts a decent amount of fiber — both soluble and insoluble.

Insoluble fiber promotes regularity, while soluble fiber helps us stay healthy by ferrying artery-clogging cholesterol out.

In addition to its fiber, fennel rocks with two nutrients that also promote heart health: folate (a B vitamin) and potassium. Folate helps to derail vessel-damaging homocysteine; and potassium can lower your risk of high blood pressure.

Lastly, this aromatic vegetable warrants a round of applause for having no cholesterol, next to no fat, little sodium and a smidge of protein. The 30

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

with Celery and Toasted Pine Nuts

Adapted from Bon Appetit Serves 4-6

¼ cup pine nuts or chopped wal-

nuts 2 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced 1 red pepper, thinly sliced ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, lightly chopped 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt, coarse black pepper (to taste) ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8

minutes; let cool.

Toss fennel, celery, red pepper, parsley, and toasted nuts with lemon juice, zest, and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Serve salad, topped with Parmesan.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes.

She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.

Breathing easier

Oneida Healthcare offers innovative LungGPS™ technology for patients with suspected lesions

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neida Healthcare Center, as part of its comprehensive lung health program, now offers a minimally invasive procedure that may aid with earlier diagnosis for patients with lung lesions.

Cancer can get treated as soon as possible and patients with benign conditions can potentially avoid surgery, OHC reports.

Pedro Del Pino and an Oneida Healthcare surgical team recently launched the hospital’s navigational bronchoscopy program.

OHC is the only hospital in the Mohawk Valley region using this stateof-the-art technology to navigate inside a patient’s lungs.

All four initial cases were completed within one hour, including pathology analysis, and the surgical team won high praise, with one observer noting: “Their efficiency and excellence would be envied by other facilities throughout New York.”

These Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy™ procedures, also known as ENB™ procedures, which are performed with a device known as the superDimension™ navigation system with LungGPS™ technology, allow physicians to navigate and access difficult-to-reach areas of the lung from the inside.

Lung cancer accounts for about 27

percent of all cancer deaths and is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.

Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Smoking is a major risk factor for developing lung cancer.

OHC’s lung cancer screening program provides low-dose lung CT screening to current and former smokers who are at a high risk for developing this disease. Finding the disease early drastically improves survival rates.

Early stage lung cancer that is detected, diagnosed and immediately treated has survival rates up to 88 percent compared to current 15 percent survival rates for late stage lung cancer patients.

“The superDimension navigation system, with GPS-like technology, is a significant advancement for aiding in the diagnosis of lung cancer and overcomes limitations of traditional diagnostic approaches including bronchoscopy, needle biopsy and surgery,” said Del Pino. “By guiding us through the complicated web of pathways inside the lungs, we’re able to access and sample target tissue throughout the entire lung without surgery or a needle biopsy. This technology can aid with

If Oneida Healthcare’s low-dose CT lung screening indicates a suspected lesion, the new lung/GPS technology can guide the surgeon to the exact location to get a sample, in a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. earlier diagnoses which may allow for less invasive treatments for patients with lung cancer.”

Del Pino explained that, even with today’s advances, many physicians still rely on traditional methods that can be limiting or assume greater risk to the patient. Traditional bronchoscopy is only effective in the upper portion of the lungs, while needle biopsies can cause a collapsed lung.

Some patients even have to undergo traditional open surgery — which

requires a large incision, broken ribs and a long recovery time — just to find out if the lesion was cancerous or not.

“With the superDimension™ system, we use CT scan images to create a roadmap of the thousands of tiny pathways inside the lungs. The LungGPS™ technology then allows us to guide tiny tools through the lung pathways so we can take tissue samples of the lesion and place markers for future treatment, and all in a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure,” Del Pino said.

NOT TAKING YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS AS DIRECTED?

YOU’RE TAKING

A CHANCE.

If you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, taking your prescriptions as directed is essential to healthy living. So remember:

If you’re not taking your prescriptions as directed, you’re taking a chance.

To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com/TakeAsDirected. #TakeAsDirected

April 2015 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 11

Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for You?

Corrine lost 80 lbs. and found her sense of adventure.

Corrine couldn’t find the courage to step out of her comfort zone. Since having weight-loss surgery, she’s stepping into her harness and finding comfort high above the trees. And at Crouse, she’s discovered a support group, along with trusted surgeons and nutritional experts who encourage her quest for a happier, healthier life. Come to our next weight-loss surgery seminar and discover what you can find.

Upcoming Free Seminars: April 6 • April 16 To register: crouse.org/weightloss 315/472-2464

crouse.org/weightloss

HealthNet Heroes

Herkimer’s County takes pride in creating healthy environments

By Patricia J. Malin

I

n early March, the tail end of winter, there were still plenty of snow banks in abundance, but Herkimer County HealthNet chose that day to discuss delightful summer activities.

That’s when HCHN held its annual Creating Healthy Places recognition luncheon and celebrated its 25th anniversary at Francesca’s Banquets and Catering in Ilion.

New York State Sen. James Seward (R-C-I-Oneonta) presented HCHN Executive Director Adam Hutchinson with a proclamation in honor of the nonprofit organization, which has been focused on improving the health and lifestyle of Herkimer County residents since 1990.

Herkimer County HealthNet recognizes individuals, municipalities and organizations for their efforts to

improve playgrounds, local parks and trails, even city streets, as well as other groups that promote healthy food and farmers’ markets.

Tim Reed, executive director of the Utica Boilermaker Road Race, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon.

He said the Boilermaker’s mission is similar to Herkimer HealthNet’s. Both organizations are promoting healthy lifestyles, although admittedly the Boilermaker draws a vastly wider audience.

Its 15-kilometer run alone attracts 14,000 participants from around the world. On the other hand, its 5K run and walk and kid’s walk draw a majority of local athletes. “There’s something for every age,” he said.

Health in good

MV’S HEALTHCARE NEWSPAPER

EMPLOYMENT Advertise your health-related services or products for as little as $80 a month. Call 749-7070 for more info.

Interested in becoming a friend and mentor to an individual with developmental disabilities?

The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NYSARC has FT and PT openings in our residential programs in Oneida County Residence Counselors/Managers assisting the people we support achieve their personal life goals through development of individualized supports to help achieve their desired outcomes. Goals may include housekeeping, money management and other daily life skills. You may accompany them on community outings: sports events, dances and movies. Shifts: mornings, evenings, overnights and weekends.

Requirements: high school diploma/GED, clean, valid NYS driver’s license and the desire to make a difference!

Apply: 241 Genesee St. Utica, 13501 Email lrpavia@thearcolc.org Fax (315) 272- 1785 The Arc is a drug free work place and an EOE

Check us out at www.thearcolc.org Page 12

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

Reed even expressed delight at how the Boilermaker — held the second Sunday of July every year — has mushroomed in popularity over the last 40 years, and even more surprising, “I’m doing this for a living.”

Both the 5K and 15K events are already sold out.

He spoke about the role of some 5,000 volunteers who make the Boilermaker’s operations run like clockwork.

“Sometimes I feel like Tom Sawyer inviting others to whitewash the fence,” he joked.

In addition, the Boilermaker’s charity bib event will be held for the third year. For this event, individual runners get free entry into the race by raising a minimum of $500 to be donated to a charitable organization.

The bottom line is the Boilermaker has silently changed the community for the better. “If the Boilermaker is going

to be a change agent for health and wellness in our community, we know we can’t do it alone,” Reed said. Then referring to HCHN, he added, “You help yourself by helping others.”

HCHN is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and operates as a New York State Department of Health Rural Health Network. It is supported by grant funding from the state health department and with money earmarked for charitable foundations.

HealthNet works collaboratively with government, health and human service organizations and other nonprofits to complete an assessment of health needs and to institute projects or programs to address those needs.

“We are recognizing individuals, municipalities and organizations that have enhanced programs and environments that facilitate good nutrition and physical activity across the county,” said Hutchinson.

LPNs Needed to Help Enrich Lives!

The Herkimer ARC is a premier provider of services and supports for individuals with disabilities. We invite you to join our professional team to help us to continue to empower people and enrich lives!

Herkimer ARC LPNs participate as members of the treatment team in developing nursing care and other service delivery plans. Our LPNs travel to various residential homes to provide treatments for individuals with developmental disabilities. Maintain filing and/or charting as required. Develop and maintain a positive and cooperative partnership with other program staff to ensure a team approach to best possible care is utilized. Valid NYS LPN license and previous one-year experience in hospital, med-surg or nursing home preferred; valid driver’s license. Two part-time positions: rotating schedule, 20 hours per week, and every other weekend off. $13.75/hr.

You can help people achieve their full potential and to live enriched lives.

Herkimer ARC provides benefits and comprehensive paid training.

Call: (315) 574-7000 or visit our website: herkimerarc.org to apply on-line.

M/F/D/V

By Jim Miller

How Medicare covers In-home care

LFH recognized for supporting people with disabilities Herkimer County ARC awarded Little Falls Hospital a certificate in recognition of the valuable contributions made in supporting people with disabilities and enabling them to pursue meaningful employment. To date, LFH has hired four individuals from this program. David Miller, shown with human resources assistant Sue Koziol, is the employment services specialist who assists in the placing of these individuals through Career Connections, a program with Herkimer County ARC.

Utica Comets donate to Mohawk Valley Health System’s Breast Care Center The Utica Comets recently presented a check for more than $15,500 to Mohawk Valley Health System’s Breast Care Center. Funds were raised during “Pink the Rink” night held in January. The Comets collected money through the 50/50 raffle, and after the game, the special pink uniforms were auctioned off to fans. Celebrating the check presentation are, from left, Alicia Dicks and Kevin Lojewski, representatives of the Save of the Day Foundation; Nancy Butcher, executive director of the cancer center; and Scott Perra, president/CEO of MVHS.

Dear Savvy Senior, How does Medicare cover home health care?

Because of my illness, my doctor suggested I get home health care, but I want to find out how it’s covered before I proceed.

Need Some Help Dear Need, Medicare covers a wide variety of intermittent inhome health care services (usually up to 28 hours per week) to beneficiaries, if you meet their specific requirements. Here’s how it works.

In order for you to secure coverage for home health care, Medicare first requires that you be homebound.

This means that it must be extremely difficult for you to leave your home, and you need help from a device (like a wheelchair or walker) or a person in doing so.

You will then need your doctor to approve a “plan of care” confirming that you need skilled-nursing care or skilled-therapy services from a physical or speech therapist on a part-time basis. Your doctor can also request the services of an occupational therapist and a home health aide to assist with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and using the bathroom.

Your doctor must renew the “plan of care” once every 60 days.

You will also need to use a home health agency that is certified by Medicare.

If you meet all of the requirements, Medicare should pay for your in-home care.

But be aware that Medicare will not pay for home health aide services (such as bathing, dressing or using the bathroom) alone, if you do not need skilled-nursing or skilled-therapy services too. Homemaker services, such as shopping, meal preparation and cleaning are not covered either.

You also need to know that Medicare has recently changed their home health care policy regarding degenerative diseases. They will now pay for in-home physical therapy, nursing care and other services to beneficiaries with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s April 2015 •

disease in order to maintain their condition and prevent deterioration. In the past, Medicare would only cover home health services if the patient were expected to make a full recovery.

If you have original Medicare, you can locate a Medicare-certified home health agency by calling 800-633-4227 or by visiting medicare.gov/homehealthcompare. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you should contact your plan directly and ask which home health agencies work with the plan and are within the plan’s network of providers.

For more detailed information on how Medicare covers in-home health, see the “Medicare and Home Health Care” online booklet at medicare.gov/ pubs/pdf/10969.pdf.

Other Options

If you don’t qualify for Medicare coverage, there are other coverage options depending on your situation, including: Insurance: If you happen to have long-term care insurance, check to see if it covers in-home care. Or if you have a life insurance policy, see if it can be utilized to pay for care.

Medicaid: If your income is low enough, all states offer Medicaid programs that will pay for some forms of in-home care. To investigate this, contact your local Medicaid office.

Veterans Assistance: If you’re a veteran, some communities have a veteran-directed home and community based service program, which give veterans a flexible budget to pay for in-home care.

Also available to wartime veterans and their spouses is a benefit called “aid and attendance” that helps pay for in-home care, as well as assisted living and nursing home care.

To be eligible, you must need assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing or going to the bathroom. And, your annual income must be under $21,466 – minus medical and long-term care expenses. If you’re a surviving spouse of a veteran, your income must be below $13,794 to be eligible. Your assets must also be less than $80,000 excluding your home and car.

To learn more, see va.gov/geriatrics or call 800-827-1000.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 13

CALENDAR of

HEALTH EVENTS

Continued from Page 2

ymcatrivalley.org or visit www.ymcatrivalley.org.

Saturdays

April 5

Mohawk Valley Health System’s Hearing and Speech Department, located at the Faxton Campus, 1676 Sunset Ave., Utica, is accepting walkin appointments from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays for patients in need of hearing aid adjustments, assessments or repairs.

Additionally, patients can pre-schedule hearing tests from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

To schedule an appointment, call 315-624-4600 or visit www.faxtonstlukes.com for more information.

The Separated & Divorced Support Group will meet from 5-6:30 p.m. April 5 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

The group meets every other Sunday.

The meetings are free and open to all.

For more information, contact Judy at 315-735-6210, judy@thegoodnewscenter.org or visit www.thegoodnewscenter.org.

April 2

Ready to explore The Third Option?

MVHS establishes Saturday Separated? Divorced? hours There is support

OB-GYN to speak about bone health, osteoporosis “Protecting your Bones at Every Age” will be the topic of Rome Memorial Hospital’s Health Night Lecture at 5:30 p.m. on April 2.

The speaker will be Diana R. Wallace, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology.

This special presentation will be held at the Beeches Inn and Conference Center, 7900 Turin Road, Wallace Route 26, Rome.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to tour Wallace’s office in the Beeches Office Park, located adjacent to the Beeches parking lot.

Wallace will discuss bone health basics for women at every age, osteoporosis prevention and detection and tips for healthy living.

Health Night is a monthly lecture series, sponsored by Rome Memorial Hospital. Refreshments will be served.

RSVPs are requested for planning purposes, but not required.

Call 338-7284 to make a reservation or for more information.

April 4

Area dentist presenting sponsor for celebration Well-known area dentist Bruce Stewart will be the presenting sponsor for the YMCA of the Greater Tri Valley’s Don Connelly Determination Celebration to be held April 4 at Vernon Downs Hotel Event Center, Verona.

This signature event honors the spirit and legacy of long-time member Don Connelly.

Connelly overcame many challenges in his life, having suffered from post-polio syndrome, and used the Y as his place of wellness both physically and spiritually.

For more information, contact John Elberson, director of development, at 315-363-7788 ext. 222, email jelberson@ Page 14

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April 5

The Third Option support group for married couples will meet from 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 5 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

The group meets every other Sunday.

For more information, contact Tanya at 315-735-6210, tanya@TheGoodNewsCenter.org or visit www.thegoodnewscenter.org.

April 7

MVHS to host blood drive Mohawk Valley Health System will host a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 7 in Allen-Calder Conference Rooms 3, 4 and 5 at the St. Luke’s Campus, 1656 Champlin Ave., Utica.

Guests are asked to enter through Allen-Calder Entrance 7 at the back of the campus.

More than 38,000 blood donations are needed each day in the United States, but only 38 percent of the population is eligible to donate. Just one donor can help save or sustain up to three lives.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 315-624-8259. Registration can be done online at www. redcrossblood.org.

April 7

Chronic kidney disease program offered The Dialysis Center at Mohawk Valley Health System offers an educational program for those who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

The program will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. April 7 in Weaver Lounge at the Faxton Campus, 1676 Sunset Ave., Utica.

Registration is required as seating is limited. Contact Cindy Christian, CKD program coordinator, at 315-6245635 or cchristi@mvhealthsystem.org.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 26 million Americans have CKD and millions of others are at risk for developing the disease.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

April 8

Baby course helps expectant parents prepare Parents-to-be can learn about childbirth, newborns and other related topics by attending the upcoming “Baby Care Basics” program from 7-9 p.m. April 8 at Rome Memorial Hospital in the classroom.

Sandy Graichen, a maternity nurse at the hospital, will present the free educational program.

No advance registration is required for the program. Refreshments will be served.

Participants are asked to meet the instructor in the hospital lobby, North James Street entrance.

For more information, call 3387143.

April 9

Series featured on ‘Smart Stepfamilies’ Smart Stepfamilies, an eight-week series, will be presented from 6-8 p.m. on Thursdays from April 9 to May 28 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

This program helps couples understand how stepfamilies are different, facilitates the “blending” process, finds stepparent solutions and strengthens couples to lead their family.

To register, visit online at www. thegoodnewscenter.org.

For more information, contact Tanya Gomez at tanya@thegoodnewscenter.org or call 315-735-6210, extension 234.

April 11

Annual Walk for Autism scheduled Autism now affects one out of every 68 children in the United States.

Autism Awareness Month is celebrated throughout April and the Kelberman Center will host its annual Walk for Autism on April 11 in Boonville (V.F.W.), on April 18 in Oneida (Oneida High School) and on April 25 in Cooperstown (Glimmerglass State Park), Mohawk Valley (SUNY Polytechnic Institute) and in Syracuse (Long Branch Park).

All walks begin at 10:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 9 a.m.

Visit the Kelberman Center’s website at kelbermancenter.org to download pledge forms or to create an online fundraising page. For more information on the Walk for Autism, including pre-registration date and locations, contact the Kelberman Center at 315-797-6241, visit online, like on Facebook, follow on Twitter or e-mail at walkforautism@kelbermancenter. org.

April 15

Hospital to host breastfeeding class Rome Memorial Hospital is hosting a free breastfeeding class at 7 p.m.

April 15 in the hospital’s classroom to help mothers-to-be recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and give them the encouragement to overcome some of the obstacles.

The speaker, Sandy Graichen, is a maternity nurse at the hospital with children of her own.

No pre-registration is required.

Refreshments will be served.

Guests are asked to meet the instructor in the hospital lobby, North James Street entrance).

For more information, call 3387143.

April 22

Explore world of total joint replacement A free seminar will be held on total joint replacement at 6 p.m. April 22 at the Herkimer Health Center, primary care, 321 E. State St., Herkimer.

Bassett Healthcare orthopedic surgeons Jackson LaBudde and James Scott will lead a presentation and discussion on joint health for active and aging adults.

RSVP by calling 607-547-3914.

April 23

UCP spaghetti dinner to benefit prom A spaghetti dinner fundraiser will be held from 4-7 p.m. April 23 at the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Armory Campus, 1601 Armory Drive, Building B, Utica.

Funds will support the UCP Tradewinds Education Center prom.

Tickets are $5 each and people are welcome to eat in or take out.

The Tradewinds Prom is an opportunity for children with differing abilities to attend a prom just like any other high school student, complete with limousine rides, walking the red carpet, dinner and dancing.

Proceeds from the spaghetti dinner will help make this a night to remember for these students, helping to fund tuxedo rentals, flowers, and other costs associated with this special night.

To inquire about tickets, call 315798-4040 ext. 234 or 315-533-1150 ext.

272.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating to the Tradewinds prom, contact Patti Carey, UCP associate vice president of school age services, at 315-798-4040 ext. 257.

April 25

AIDS Hike for Life scheduled The 17th annual AIDS Hike for Life to benefit ACR Health will be held April 25 at Hamilton College in Clinton.

The popular event, normally held on Sunday, has been changed to Saturday. The 5K walk/timed run now features an optional foamy bubble course for adventurous participants.

The AIDS Hike for Life is ACR Health’s largest outreach and fundraising event in the Mohawk Valley.

All monies raised stay in the Mohawk Valley to benefit ACR Health’s youth HIV/STD prevention programs and client support services.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. The AIDS Hike for Life steps off at 11 a.m., rain or shine.

For more information about the AIDS Hike for Life, email events@ ACRHealth.org.

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Lou Sorendo

Inside the life of an OB-GYN doctor Continued from Page 4 intrauterine device insertion and removal; minimally invasive vaginal, abdominal, and laparoscopic hysterectomies; Cesarean section and vaginal deliveries; and tubal ligation.

Q.: What major technological breakthroughs have there been in the specialty of OB-GYN over the past several years that has made diagnosis and treatment easier?

A.: Ultrasounds both for obstetrical and gynecologic diagnoses; CT scan; MRI; and mammography are some of the diagnostic equipment used today.

Minimally invasive procedures including da Vinci have revolutionized surgery. Surgery is performed through very small incisions resulting in better healing, less scarring, quick recovery from surgery and return to work.

Integrative medicine — including acupuncture — as it relates to medical management in women is becoming accepted in Western medicine.

Q.: What are the most gratifying aspects of your profession? What do you get your fulfillment from?

A.: I enjoy being able to make a difference in the life of each of my patients either by helping to bring their new baby into the world or by nursing them back to health, or sometimes in preventing a catastrophe. An example would be extirpating a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that could lead to death due to hemorrhage if not promptly diagnosed and managed accordingly.

Q.: What are some of the more challenging aspects of practicing OBGYN? A.: The discipline requires a lot of the obstetrician’s time and management from conception to delivery, resulting in long hours and sometimes less sleep. However, it is all worth the effort because most of the time you expect and anticipate a happy ending for everybody at the birth of the baby.

Q.: What skill sets does an effective OB-GYN specialist need to have in order to realize a high level of success?

A.: Comprehensive understanding

of women’s health and the ability to understand the unique needs of each patient whether she is about to start a family, faces an empty nest for the first time, has a pressing gynecological problem, is in need of an annual examination or compassionate, attentive care throughout her pregnancy and delivery.

Other skill sets necessary include an easy approachability and enjoyment of working with people; the capacity to work long hours and be promptly available when necessary for patient care; the desire for new knowledge in obstetrics and gynecology to keep up to date; and the ability to work amicably with colleagues in providing patient care.

Q.: Do you have any particular philosophy that you adhere to when practicing medicine?

A.: I am interested in helping women through the many stages of life whether she is in need of an annual examination or is being treated for some pressing gynecologic problem. I am always available for my patients.

My philosophy is to treat each woman-patient as I would treat my mother, wife, daughters, aunts and nieces, by giving them the best available healthcare.

Q.: How can a woman help maintain her own gynecological health?

A.: A woman can help maintain her own gynecological health by actively participating in her own care. That means that she must educate herself about the female body and some common diseases that may occur; report any unusual feelings and unusual findings by herself in her body, or unusual issues involving her OB-GYN health immediately; have an annual routine gynecological examination; exercise regularly and eat a proper diet to support her immune system; maintain a reasonable weight; get an adequate amount of sleep; observe good genital hygiene without douching (douching can remove the lactobacilli that maintains adequate vaginal pH); and practice safe/protected sex.

Prohibition party to support SEMC

T

he St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation and F.X. Matt Brewery will hold the seventh annual Prohibition Party from 6-9 p.m. April 24 at the historic F.X. Matt Brewing Co, 830 Varick St., Utica.

Tickets cost $45 per person if purchased by April 10 and $50 per person if purchased after April 10.

Admission includes Saranac beverages, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, a 1930s costume contest and a silent auction.

Fifty percent of the ticket price is a tax-deductible contribution to the

foundation. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to fund equipment and patient programs and services at SEMC. A limited number of tickets are available and the foundation anticipates selling out early for the event.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.stemc.org/foundation, call 315-801-4287 or email bfilletti@stemc.org.

Tickets may also be purchased at the SEMC Foundation Office at 2209 Genesee St., Utica or the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. Gift Shop/Tour Center at 830 Varick St., Utica.

Motorcade Automobile Club donates to The Kelberman Center The Mohawk Valley Motorcade Automobile Club of Utica recently made a $500 donation to The Kelberman Center as part of its annual charity drive. The Motorcade Club, established in the 1950s, is one of the oldest car clubs in the area with over 75 members.

The club participates in many local community events and exhibits of classic and modern cars. Celebrating the occasion are, from left, Stewart Irvin, Mohawk Valley Motorcade Automobile Club treasurer; Herbert Sipp, Mohawk Valley Motorcade Automobile Club vice president; Cathy McGuiggan, managing director of The Kelberman Center, and Steve Grant, Mohawk Valley Motorcade Automobile Club president. Their donation to The Kelberman Center will be used to help purchase materials for the Awesome Summer Days Camp program and teen social groups. For more information, contact The Kelberman Center at 315-797-6241. For more information on the Mohawk Valley Motorcade, contact 525-1839. The Kelberman Center is a regional center for excellence for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and related learning challenges.

Heroin overdose deaths quadruple since 2000

H

eroin overdose deaths have skyrocketed in recent years, quadrupling since 2000, U.S. health officials reported early March.

At the same time, poisoning deaths related to painkiller abuse have leveled off, even dropping slightly in recent years, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prescription drug addicts are turning to heroin due to successful efforts to curb narcotic painkiller abuse, said Kelly Dunn, an assistant professor in the behavioral pharmacology research unit at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

It’s now harder to obtain prescription narcotics, thanks to improved tracking and regulation of the drugs, Dunn said. In addition, manufacturers have changed the formulation of painkillers like OxyContin to make them more difficult to abuse.

“Heroin’s cheaper and easily available, and we’re seeing increases in places that traditionally haven’t had

April 2015 •

much heroin use,” Dunn said. “Once people are dependent on prescription drugs, it’s very rare for them to stop on their own with no treatment. If the drugs are suddenly less abusable, they will switch to something else that will alleviate withdrawal.”

The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reports that between 2000 and 2013, the age-adjusted rate for overdose deaths involving heroin nearly quadrupled, rising from 0.7 deaths per 100,000 Americans in 2000 to 2.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2013.

One of the most recent high-profile deaths was that of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in February 2014 from a heroin overdose at age 46.

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, noted that Hoffman had been in recovery for a long time. “Then he went back to using, and ended up dying from respiratory failure. Heroin is a respiratory depressant, and it shut down his respiratory system,” Pasierb said.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 15

H ealth News MVHS Medical Group welcomes new OB-GYN Obstetrician-gynecologist Jonathan Eli-Phillips has joined Mohawk Valley Health System Medical Group at its Women’s Health Center.

Prior to joining the MVHS Medical Group, Eli-Phillips served as an attending OB-GYN at Penn Highlands Medical Center in DuBois, Pa., and at healthEli-Phillips care organizations throughout the United States.

Eli-Phillips earned his medical degree in medicine and surgery at Odessa Medical University in Odessa, Ukraine. He completed residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York and Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa. He is board certified in OB-GYN. Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center are affiliates under the MVHS.

unit.

Prior to her employment at FSLH, she was an RN at the Herkimer Area Resource Center and at Bassett Healthcare Center in Cooperstown.

She has also served as life skills assessment and direct service case manager at the Oneida County Correctional Facility and has held positions at the Professional Counseling Center in New Hartford; the Rescue Mission of Utica; and Upstate Cerebral Palsy in Utica and Herkimer.

She earned her RN from Morrisville State College in Morrisville and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Utica College.

FSLH and SEMC are affiliates under the Mohawk Valley Health System.

MVHS names director of radiation oncology

Philip Cox has been named orthopedic physician assistant at the Mohawk Valley Health System Orthopedic Group.

Prior to joining ACP, Cox worked in the fields of home healthcare and digestive disease medicine.

Cox earned his Bachelor of Science in biology with a Cox minor in chemistry from Utica College and his Master of Science in physician assistant studies at Le Moyne College in Syracuse.

Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center are affiliates under the MVHS.

Tracy L. Hilderbran has been named director of radiation oncology for the Cancer Center at Mohawk Valley Health System.

Hilderbran is also the regional administrator for 21st Century Oncology in Utica. Through these positions, she serves as the liaison between MVHS and 21st Century Oncology.

Prior to joining MVHS, Hilderbran served as clinical Hilderbran director of the Family Birth Center and assistant director of nursing at Upstate University Hospital at Community General in Syracuse. She was also an adjunct faculty member at Keuka College, Keuka Park.

She has held various positions in the field of nursing at healthcare organizations throughout the United States, including Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare for 14 years.

Hilderbran earned her Associate of Applied Science in nursing at New Mexico State University at Alamogordo in Alamogordo, N.M., her Bachelor of Science in nursing at SUNY IT at Utica/Rome in Utica and her Master of Science in management at Keuka College.

FSLH and St. Elizabeth Medical Center are affiliates under the MVHS.

MVHS names psychiatry nurse manager

MVHS names CTICU and PCU nurse manager

MVHS names orthopedic physician assistant

Tracy Lebert has been named nurse manager for 2A (psychiatry) at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica.

In this position, Lebert maintains nursing operations to include both clinical and administrative responsibilities for 2A. Lebert has been an employee at FaxLebert ton St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica since 2013, serving as a staff registered nurse on the psychiatric Page 16

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Michelle Castle has been named nurse manager of the cardiothoracic intensive care unit and progressive care unit at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica.

In this position, Castle maintains nursing operations to include both clinical and administrative responsibilities Castle for the CTICU and PCU. Prior to her employment at SEMC,

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

Castle was a nurse manager at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Previously, she was employed as a registered nurse in the medical intensive care and critical care units at SUNY Upstate Medical University and as an orthopedic/trauma RN at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Castle earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing at Binghamton University in Binghamton and her Master of Science in nursing in the family nurse practitioner program at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and SEMC are affiliates under the Mohawk Valley Health System.

FSLH names 2015 medical staff officers The Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare medical staff recently announced its 2015 officers: • Brian P. Boyle has been named president. Boyle is an anesthesiologist with Sunset Anesthesia Associates and has been a staff anesthesiologist at FSLH since 1990, where he has served as chairman of the anesthesia department since 2011.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., and attended medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

Boyle completed an internship in internal medicine and a residency in anesthesia at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He is board certified in pain management and anesthesia by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

• Waleed Albert has been named vice president. Albert is an infectious disease specialist in private practice. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of Damascus University in Damascus, Syria.

Albert completed a residency in internal medicine at Trenton Affiliated Hospitals in Trenton, Albert N.J., and a fellowship in infectious diseases at Albany Medical College and the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, both in Albany.

Albert is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and infectious diseases. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American College of Physicians Executives.

• Daniel C. Goodman has been named secretary/ treasurer. Goodman practices at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group in New Hartford and has served as chairman of the department of medicine at FSLH. He attended medical school at Goodman SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and completed an internship and residency at

St. Vincent Hospital in Worchester, Mass.

He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Medical Society of Oneida County.

FSLH hospitalist earns fellow designation Sarmad Siddiqui, a hospitalist at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica, has received the designation of fellow in hospital medicine.

Siddiqui has been employed at FSLH since 2010.

These credentials were presented as a result of his experience as a hospitalist and his participation in educational programs designed to Siddiqui enhance professional competence and the quality of healthcare provided.

Siddiqui earned his medical degree from Nagpur University, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Mayo Hospital in India. He is board certified in family medicine and is a graduate of the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program.

FSLH and SEMC are affiliates under the Mohawk Valley Health System.

SDMG names outstanding physician of year for ‘14 Slocum-Dickson Medical Group in New Hartford has named Dana Zacharewicz “Outstanding Physician of the Year” for 2014.

Each year, SDMG acknowledges the effort of a particular physician on behalf of the group and its patients.

The outstanding physician is chosen based on his or her substantial contribution to the group, the patients it serves, the quality of care it provides and the community in general.

Zacharewicz joined SDMG as a radiologist in 1998.

She is board certified in diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology.

She completed her radiology residency and Zacharewicz internship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

She studied medicine at The George Washington School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. and the University of Rochester School of Medicine where she earned her medical degree.

Throughout her career at SDMG, she has not only been a leader in the

Continued on Page 17

H ealth News Continued from Page 16 radiology department but has also taken on other leadership roles as well, serving as past secretary/treasurer of the board of managers and currently as member of the finance committee.

Kinney Drugs offers free colon cancer screening kits Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States for both men and women.

Kinney Drugs, a leading community pharmacy in New York and Vermont, is partnering with the American Cancer Society, Upstate Medical University and Samaritan Medical Center to supply free colorectal cancer screening kits for eligible community members.

Free screening kits are available for pickup at any Kinney Drugs pharmacy in New York state for all customers with health insurance, aged 50-75.

Anyone uninsured will be given information for the cancer services program.

Kits will be available in stores until April 18 and customers will have an additional six weeks to send completed kits in.

The kits will be available in all 77 Kinney Drugs locations in New York.

To find the Kinney Drugs nearest you, visit www.kinneydrugs.com/locations.

LFH has new medical staff coordinator Mary Sheppard has joined Little Falls Hospital as its medical staff coordinator.

Sheppard has worked for MedCare Administrators in Marcy for the past seven years, most recently as the medical credentialing manager.

In that role, she supervised four Sheppard employees and managed the credentialing and re-credentialing process of 60 physician groups with over 20 insurance carriers.

As the medical staff coordinator at LFH, Sheppard will be responsible for coordinating the functions of the organized medical staff to include credentialing, appointment and reappointment of clinical privileges, meeting management for all medical staff committees, and ensuring compliance.

Sheppard received her Associate’s in Applied Science degree in accounting from Herkimer County Community College and lives in Ilion.

March Meatball Madness marvelous success Abraham House is extending

thanks to those who helped make its sixth annual March Meatball Madness held at The Hotel Utica recently a success.

The March Meatball Madness committee helped to raise over $14,800 for this event.

The March Meatball Madness committee included chairperson Gina Ciaccia, Andrea Barbato, Cheryl Bowen, Martin Ciaccia, Judy Galimo, Beth Guzski, Gina Pristera, MarieAngela Spataro, Vicki Vomer and Arianna Westfall.

More information March Meatball Madness can be found on Abraham House’s Facebook and its website at www.theabrahamhouse.org.

Arc names new chief administrative officer Faith Burke has been promoted to chief administrative officer at The Arc of Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NYSARC. Faith began her career at The Arc in November of 1981 as a house manager. Ever since then, she’s been dedicated to The Arc’s mission and the people it supports.

Faith has held many positions at The Arc, including residence manager, community residence coordinator, assistant director and staff developBurke ment coordinator, all in residential services. She would later serve as training coordinator before becoming assistant director of human resources and eventually director of human resources, a position she has held since May of 2003.

Burke is a graduate of Herkimer College, holding an associate’s degree in applied sciences.

The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NYSARC is a nonprofit human services agency accredited by the Council on Quality and Leadership International that provides advocacy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Oneida and Lewis counties.

Arc appoints chief information system officer Russel Bell is the first-ever chief information system officer at The Arc of Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NYSARC. Bell came to work at The Arc in February 1995.

During his 20 years working at The Arc, he successfully navigated the agency through the development of Y2K, HIPAA implementation, emerBell gency management planning and many other projects.

In 1999, he was named employee of the quarter, and in 2000, was hon-

ored by the Utica Sunshine Rotary Club for pride workmanship.

In 2003, Russel began working as the HIPAA security officer. For the past two years, he took on the additional role of team leader for The Arc’s information technology strategic planning.

He has shared his life for the past 35 years with his wife Theresa. They have two sons, Adam, living in Laurel, Mont., and Daniel, who resides in Yorkville.

Rehab center features new physical therapist

Daniel Curri is the new outpatient physical therapist at St. Johnsville Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Inc. Curri graduated from Utica College in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in health studies and then a Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2008.

Curri is licensed to practice physical therapy by the state of New York.

He is a certified lymphedema therapist through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies and Wound Care and is certified through the National Alliance of Wound Care.

He is a captain in the United States Army Reserve and resides in Utica with his family.

Sitrin to open specialized unit Sitrin Health Care Center in New Hartford, in partnership with the New York State Department of Health, is embarking on a multi-year campaign for excellence in care for New York state residents with Huntington’s disease.

The first step in the process is to establish a specialty 32-bed long-term care unit at Sitrin for state residents who have Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Expected to open in January 2016, this specialized inpatient program will be the only one of its kind in Upstate New York.

Sitrin’s expansion will also lead to the creation of 40 jobs, building workforce development and stimulating the local economy.

The need for comprehensive services for individuals with Huntington’s disease, a hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is no cure, has never been greater.

DOH statistics reflect that more than 100 state residents who have HD are residing in scattered long-term care facilities throughout the state that are not dedicated to treating HD patients.

Sitrin has initially been approved by the DOH to receive $2 million to help fund the startup and program development operating costs for this new program.

Sitrin will renovate a former skilled nursing unit on the second floor of its health care center where the new 32bed inpatient long-term care unit will be located.

Capital expenses for the renovation, purchase and installation of specialized equipment and furnishings will cost approximately $1 million.

April 2015 •

UCP welcomes new administrators Upstate Cerebral Palsy recently welcomed new administrators in the community services division at the agency.

• Mary Beth Redmond is the director of community services, responsible for oversight of services for individuals and families that occur in the community.

Her areas of responsibility include family support, in home respite, Redmond recreation respite, self directed services including customized housing, community habilitation, community-based day programs and Medicaid service coordination.

• Dawn Gentile is the director of vocational services at the agency and her responsibilities include oversight of all vocational and prevocational services, including Upstate Employment Associates, Aspire and Aspire Without Walls.

Gentile Gentile assists with the transition of integrated employment and utilizing services such as Pathway and the Employment Training Program to achieve this outcome.

UCP is the premier provider of direct-care services and programs for individuals who are physically, developmentally or mentally challenged and their families, currently employing more than 1,900 full- and part-time employees at 81 locations throughout a seven-county area.

Delta Medical welcomes new nurse practitioner Nurse practitioner Bridget Arquette has joined the staff of Delta Medical in Rome.

Arquette joins Patricia Marrello and Libby Gleasman at the adult primary care practice, 1819 Black River Blvd.

Arquette earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing and her Master of Arquette Science in nursing as an adult nurse practitioner from Syracuse University College of Nursing.

She also earned a post master certificate as a family nurse practitioner through the Community General Nurse Practitioner Program, Syracuse.

She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Arquette and her family reside in Westmoreland.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 17

The Social Ask Security Office

By Deborah Banikowski

Taxes, ex-spouse benefits — and you

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pril 14 is both Ex-Spouse Day and the eve of tax day. These two observances are doubly important if you are an ex-spouse, because Social Security pays benefits to eligible former spouses, and you may need to claim this income on your tax forms.

If you are age 62, unmarried, and divorced from someone entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may be eligible to receive benefits based on his or her record.

To be eligible, you must have been married to your ex-spouse for 10 years or more. If you have since remarried, you can’t collect benefits on your former spouse’s record unless your later marriage ended by annulment, divorce or death. Also, if you’re entitled to benefits on your own record, your benefit amount must be less than you would receive based on your ex-spouse’s work. In other words, we’ll pay the higher of the two benefits for which you’re eligible, but not both.

You can apply for benefits on your former spouse’s record even if he or she hasn’t retired, as long as you divorced at least two years before

applying. You can also elect to receive only the divorced spouse benefits and delay benefits on your own record until your full retirement age, which may translate to a higher monthly amount for you. If, however, you decide to wait until full retirement age to apply as a divorced spouse, your benefit will be equal to half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement amount or disability benefit.

The same rules apply for a deceased former spouse.

The amount of benefits you get has no effect on the benefits of your exspouse’s and his or her current spouse.

Visit “Retirement Planner: If You Are Divorced” at www.socialsecurity.gov/ retire2/divspouse.htm to find all the eligibility requirements you must meet to apply as a divorced spouse. Our benefits planner gives you an idea of your monthly benefit amount. If your ex-spouse died after you divorced, you can still quality for widow’s benefits.

You’ll find information about that in a note at the bottom of the website.

Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ retire2/divspouse.htm today to learn if you’re eligible for benefits on your ex-spouse’s record.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

Mary in the Middle

By Mary Stevenson

Paying it forward Just when you have lost faith in humanity

P

aying it forward has been a rather large, loosely formed but powerful social movement as of

We traipsed into the diner with the subtleness of a herd of horses.

Four children under 4 is never a quiet late. venture. The eating area was smaller There is usually a surge in size than we are used to of random acts of kindness and there were a few other after some tragic event customers for the lunch hour has blasted through every but we managed to snag a media outlet available. bigger booth to accommoAlthough people have been date our brood. kind to strangers in many The two waitresses ways throughout the years, cooed over the baby and social media has propelled brought out crayons and kindness into a crusade. actual coloring books for the Over the years, I have older children. We ordered given random acts of food and went about our kindness to strangers on outing, talking and laughing occasion. I have paid for with the children. an order of the drive-thru Another customer, an customer behind me in line. I Stevenson older woman eating alone, was have purchased the meal of a in awe of our little family. She solo diner at a local diner on a Sunday talked about her children, how she had morning. miscarried a few times and her current I have also said kind words to a life as an empty nester. It was a scene mom struggling with her children at a from every small town across America retail outlet when it appeared she was in every diner on any given day. dangling from her last nerve. I did As I took my daughter to the these not for any other reason than to restroom, I heard my husband exclaim put a smile on someone’s face, even if surprise and gratitude to our waitit was only for that moment. ress. When I returned to the table, I It wasn’t for any adulation or pats was pleasantly surprised to learn the on the back. I did it because it was kind stranger had paid the bill for our kind and a nice thing to do. I never family’s meal. The waitress had been expected it to happen to me. instructed not to tell us who did it but Last week, I had to take photos she did anyway. It was just a random of a property for work. It was a bit of act of kindness and it certainly made a distance from me so I knew it was our day. going to take a while. I asked my husI will continue to do nice things band if he and the children would like for strangers that cross my path for to take a ride with me. We could stop whatever reason at whatever time. Not to grab a bite to eat and make a day only because the world needs a little of it. Since the sun was shining, it was more kindness toward each other, but going to be a nice ride.

I now know how it feels to be on the After I finished what I needed to receiving end of one. And it felt pretty do, we found a little country diner darn good. to make a lunch stop. It was serving • Mary Stevenson is a contributbreakfast all day, so I was all over it! ing writer for Mohawk Valley In Good (Breakfast out is my favorite food-reHealth. lated activity by far).

Survey: 4 of 10 adults with chronic conditions report non-adherence to scrips

A

bout four out of every 10 Upstate New York adults facing chronic conditions report that they don’t always take their medications as prescribed, according to a comprehensive medication adherence survey commissioned by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

“This is the most comprehensive self-reported adherence survey we’ve ever seen on a topic so vital to the health of millions of people facing chronic conditions in New York,” said Mona Chitre, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield vice president of pharmacy management and chief pharmacy officer. “When medications are taken as directed, health outcomes are improved, chronic conditions are managed, health care dollars are used efficiently and lives are saved.”

“Our survey, using an independent firm, also explored the related vital topic of adherence to prescribed

antibiotics,” Chitre added. “Here, we found that two out of 10 adults are self-reporting non-adherence, a measure that establishes a level of danger to society because antibiotic resistant bacteria can develop as a direct result of patients who don’t follow the full course of treatment as directed.”

Consistent with national studies, forgetting or not having pills accessible was the primary reason for medication non-adherence for those on an antibiotic or a medication for a chronic condition.

The survey focused on adults taking medication for five common chronic conditions: asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and depression, as well as adults who had been prescribed an antibiotic medication within the past six months.

Taking antibiotics as prescribed is crucial to ensure that antibiotic resistant bacteria do not develop.

WOMEN’S HEALTH ASSOCIATES IS

COMING TO ROME

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Krislyn L. Flint, M.D.

Hazem Qalla, M.D.

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We are excited to announce the upcoming opening of our second office location at

8080 TURIN ROAD, ROME

WOMEN’S HEALTH A S S O C I A T E S

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ONEIDAHEALTHCARE.ORG | 336-4721

Robotics revolution

Slocum-Dickson Medical Group using new partial knee replacement technology

By Patricia J. Malin

T

echnology plays an ever-increasing role in our lives and it’s no different in medicine.

“I think orthopedics (more than other medical specialties) has seen the greatest developments in technology,” asserted John Sullivan, orthopedic total joint surgeon at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group in New Hartford.

Sullivan was recently introduced to MAKO, a robotic arm and computer, which he calls a “revolutionary” approach to performing partial knee replacements.

The new procedure, called Makoplasty, provides the surgeon with an accurate level of precision he says cannot be obtained with traditional surgical instruments.

Sullivan offers comforting words for those patients and less-technology savvy adults who fret about the power of technology to transform our bodies and alter our world.

Don’t worry, he said, the robotic arm only guides the doctor, but does not perform the surgery. It still requires a trained surgeon, a human being along with his or her team to operate the new equipment. Sullivan, who did his residency at Johns Hopkins University, has been practicing 11 years.

The team includes the surgeon, nurses, an anesthesiologist and a technician who helps the doctor follow the operation displayed in three-dimensions on the computer screen and direct the computerized arm with extreme precision in replacing knee, hip or shoulder joints.

Andrew Wickline of Genesee Orthopedics and Plastic Surgery Associates, P.C., and Sullivan recently completed training in using the $800,000 machine and are now using it routinely.

St. Elizabeth Medical Center has one of five Makoplasty machines in Upstate New York and the only one between Syracuse and Westchester.

“Patients want to come to a place that has the latest technology,” said Sullivan. “I don’t think it’s available in Rochester or Albany yet and Syracuse got it only a few months before us.”

His patients are not necessarily seniors, typically those with early to mid-stage osteoporosis or arthritis of the knee, but patients of all ages, including a small number of athletes and

John Sullivan, an orthopedic total joint surgeon at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group in New Hartford, displays the state-of-the-art MAKO, a robotic arm and computer, which are used to perform partial knee replacements. so-called weekend warriors.

“There is no age limit,” he noted.

“My youngest patient was 18.”

Streamlined procedure

Prior to the operation, a CT scan is taken of the patient’s knee in 3-D, which creates a road map for doctors to follow during the surgery. It also allows the surgeon to take measurements for replacement parts and to customize the procedure for each patient.

The doctors can watch the operation on the computer monitor and get continuous visual, tactile and auditory feedback while guiding the robotic arm to resurface the knee and precisely place the implant.

“This is a restorative surgical solution that enables the surgeon to treat specific knee and hip conditions with consistent, reproducible results,” said Sullivan.

The procedure involves a small, 4- to 5-inch incision over the knee.

“You’re not invading the bone, so

there’s less damage from cutting of muscles and tissues,” he explained.

With such precise incisions now, surgeons can preserve more of the healthy bone and surrounding tissue.

Partial knee replacement with Makoplasty benefits patients by providing a greater range of motion, less blood loss, a reduced hospital stay, less need for pain medicine, a more rapid recovery, easier physical therapy, less scarring and “a more natural-feeling knee,” the Mako literature states.

The company’s website and accompanying videos explain that the surgeon can choose from one of eight sizes of drills and pins to provide “an optimal fit” for knee implants. The Mako instruments are also color-coded depending on whether the surgeon is placing pins in the femur, tibia or patella.

The operation takes between an hour and two hours to complete. Sullivan said Makoplasty is used for either medial, lateral or knee-cap surgery, or April 2015 •

for all three compartments.

Most patients will make a quicker return to walking, driving and recreational activities than they did with the previous surgical techniques for joint replacement.

Sullivan knows that’s an important factor for his patients. As a youngster growing up in New Jersey, he played a variety of sports himself, first baseball and then track, and experienced knee injuries. That also influenced him to become an orthopedic surgeon.

He and his wife have four children, aged 7, 9, 10 and 12, who are actively involved in soccer these days.

“The first person (on whom he performed Makoplasty) was a woman in her 50s,” Sullivan said. The patient had a history of knee operations, but she also experienced a lot of pain as the knee deteriorated.

“She didn’t need crutches (after the operation),” he said. “She had virtually no pain. She was really happy with the outcome. That’s what you want to see.”

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 19

Spotlight on Nonprofits Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Brothers Big Sisters program still going strong, but needs essential volunteers

By Mary Christopher

B

ig Brothers Big Sisters of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties has provided children with mentoring relationships for several years and now the organization needs the community’s help more than ever.

Volunteers — especially males — are needed to match up with around 70 kids who are on a waiting list in three counties.

“We are always in need of volunteers,” said Laurie Sanford, a caseworker for the organization. “This makes such an impact on the kids’ lives and many of them have come full circle.

The goal is that they make a positive connection with somebody.”

The agency believes a child’s self-esteem increases when an adult friend genuinely cares. A role model who guides through life’s opportunities and around life’s obstacles can broaden their future.

Community based inside and out

United Cerebral Palsy started the Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based adult mentor, child mentee program in Oneida County about 33 years ago.

Today, the nonprofit is still run through UCP with programs added in Herkimer and Madison counties.

Herkimer County also offers a schoolbased program where elementary students are matched with high school students and participate in after-school activities together.

Little brothers or little sisters must be between the ages of 6 and 14 and come from a single-parent or grandparent-raised household.

Those who fill the role as a big brother or big sister are required to spend time with their mentee every week, but arrangements are made to accommodate what works best for everyone involved, Sanford said.

Once a match is made, caseworkers provide advice and support to help nurture the mentoring relationship.

There are 52 matches in Oneida County, 10 in Herkimer County and three in Madison County.

These connections would not be possible without support from the community.

The Bowl for Kids’ Sake event is the organization’s annual fundraiser that is crucial in helping the program stay afloat throughout the year. Three bowl-a-thons were held throughout the area in March that gave the program its needed financial boost and provided a fun event for brothers and sisters to attend together.

Making an impact

Building a meaningful mentoring friendship is what makes the Big Brothers Big Sisters program so important.

Valerie Stenowich, an eighth-grader at Little Falls Middle School, is realizing that right now.

In October, the 14-year-old was matched with Faith Lasher, a Little Page 20

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Valerie Stenowich, left, and Faith Lasher decorate hats in the Little Falls Library to prepare for the recent Big Brothers Big Sisters annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake bowl-a-thon.

Falls police officer and first-time volunteer. The two spend time together every week by doing anything from swimming at the Little Falls YMCA, watching a movie or giving each other manicures. Last month, they participated in the bowl-a-thon and met days before the event at the Little Falls Library to make matching hats to wear bowling.

Stenowich and Lasher laughed and joked as they passed an iPad back and forth to get design inspiration online. As they tossed around possible team names, they explained why their friendship is special.

“Seeing her expressions and how appreciative she is makes it worth it,” Lasher said. “I like taking her places she has never been. Valerie lit up when we went to a Utica Comets game and she went to Barnes and Noble with me for the first time. I love to see her so excited.”

As a police officer, Lasher regularly sees the lack of activities for young people in the area and wanted to volunteer to make a difference in the life

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2015

Can you step up?

Anyone interested in referring a child or volunteering as a mentor should contact Big Brothers Big Sisters in Oneida and Madison counties at 315-797-4080 ext. 231 or in Herkimer County at 315-866-2863 ext. 108. of a young girl.

Stenowich knew Lasher from seeing her around town and was pleasantly surprised to be her match.

“We do a lot and have fun together,” Stenowich said. “She brings me snacks and bakes cookies. Faith is always feeding me. Even if we just watch a movie at her house, it’s fun.”

Becoming a volunteer

Prospective volunteers are carefully screened by the agency and go through an interview, background check and fingerprint process. Making sure the adult and child personalities complement each other is a priority, so each child makes a list of their interests

and favorite activities to help find the right match.

Once a child reaches age 14, the agency will not close out the match if the friendship is still maintained. The agency officially ends matches at age 18, when the mentee and mentor can determine if they will continue to be a part of each other’s lives, Sanford said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters staff and volunteers will continue to encourage more community participation to make positive differences in the lives of children.

“I just hope (the organization) gets more volunteers because so many kids need it,” Lasher said.