SPRING 2015
MAGAZINE
A Journey of
WOMEN IN MEDICINE
…From Bedside to Boardroom
HOW WOMEN ARE
Shaping Healthcare
Contents
MAGAZINE
SPRING 2015
Karen Marsdale, Senior Editor • Melissa Varone, Editor Dawn Maurer Derr, Associate Editor 201 Penn Street • Suite 501 • Reading, PA 19601 berkswomen2women.com • 610.376.6766
Women2Women Advisory Council Alexa S. Antanavage Margarita M. Caicedo Vicki O. Ebner Kim Hippert-Eversgerd Nancy Hoban Karen Marsdale
Julia Nickey Mary Jean Noon Michele Richards Matilde Rodriguez Sotomayor, MD Connie Skipper
Women2Women, managed by the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry, encourages women to create connections, gain knowledge, open doors and build strategic alliances, and much more. Our goal is to create more women leaders in Berks County by providing a forum where women from diverse backgrounds can learn, share ideas and mentor each other. Membership is free and open to all women of Berks County. Women2Women Magazine is a publication of the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
To join: W2W@GreaterReadingChamber.org Stay connected: BerksWomen2Women.com Facebook.com/BerksWomen2Women LinkedIn: Berks Women2Women Title Sponsors St. Joseph Regional Health Network Wells Fargo Platinum Sponsors Alvernia University Penske Truck Leasing Reading Eagle Company Reading Health System Santander Bank Savage Dodge, Inc. Susquehanna Bank VF Outlet Center Gold Sponsors BCTV Baker Tilly Berks County Bar Association Berks County Living Bell Tower Salon, Medi-Spa & Store Bellco Federal Credit Union Boscov’s Department Store, Inc. Carpenter Technology Corporation First Priority Bank Fulton Bank—Great Valley Division Herbein+Company, Inc. Leisawitz Heller Lords & Ladies Salon & Medical Spa M & T Bank National Penn Bank RKL LLP Riverfront Federal Credit Union Sweet Street Desserts, Inc. Tompkins VIST Bank Wyomissing Hair Studio The opinions expressed in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
For Advertising Opportunities: call 610.685.0914 Ext. 1 Read W2W Magazine Online at BerksWomen2Women.com
Women2Know
6
A Journey of Women in Medicine
From Bedside to Boardroom
10
From Medical Researcher to Nursing
Growth2Go 14
How Women Are Shaping Healthcare
16
From The Heart Consignment Shop
18
21
Mother’s Day
How Would You Like to Spend Yours?
Dress For Success
wORK2LIFE 22
Persevering Through Pain
Natural Ways to Heal Mentally, Emotionally & Spiritually
25
Smart Career Advice
Health2Wellness 28 Advocating for Self
Pushing Through in the Face of Opposition…One Woman’s Story
33
New Covered Preventative Services Under Affordable Care Act
34
Stress & Your Health
36
Restoring Body Balance
Three Women Who Chose Pilates to Regain Mobility & Health
42
Follow-Up Care Plan
44
Commit to Skin Fitness
Critical for Breast Cancer Survivors
In Every Issue 4 12
Editor’s Desk W2W Events
45 46
Idea Exchange More Women2Know
© 2015 All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced electronically or in print without the expressed written permission of the publisher. Women2Women Magazine is published quarterly by Hoffmann Publishing Group, Reading, PA HoffmannPublishing.com • 610.685.0914 ON THE COVER: (Left) Dr. Ericka Powell, M.D., Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph Regional Health Network. (Right) Therese Sucher, COO and Executive Vice President at Reading Health System. COVER PHOTO BY: Bonita Zerbe, Dave Zerbe Studio of Photography.
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Editor’s Desk
A Focus On
Health & Wellness
O
n the eve of my fortieth birthday, I smoked my last cigarette. I made the conscious decision to become a non-smoker, mainly for superficial reasons; not for the smarter decision of the health benefits. But after 20 years of puffing away, I had trouble running and noticed wrinkles on my face.
Dave Zerbe Studio of Photography
Quitting my smoking habit has proven to be one of the hardest things I’ve attempted. Every day is a challenge, but every day I choose not to pick up a cigarette. I am happy to report that after over one year I am still smoke free, and even though I gained 15 pounds I have never felt healthier. I share this story because this Women2Women issue is all about health and wellness. We celebrate our 4th Women’s Expo—spring renewal on April 21st with a full day of speakers and workshops based around areas of health & wellness, finance, and general life balance. I encourage you to take the time for you—to renew, relax and re-engage!
Melissa Varone, Editor, Women2Women Magazine Assistant VP, Marketing, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Women2Women Magazine EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Heather Adams BCTV
Julia Klein C. H. Briggs Company
Paula Barron Tompkins VIST Bank
Karen Marsdale Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Phoebe Canakis Phoebe’s Pure Foods Dawn Maurer Derr Sunrise Communication Tracy Hoffmann Hoffmann Publishing Group
Julia Nickey St. Joseph Regional Health Network Connie Skipper Berks County Intermediate Unit Melissa Varone Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
This issue features two local high-profile women in medicine. I hope you enjoy reading their journey to success. We also spotlight a moving story about a woman who came close to death from arsenic poisoning, but despite her challenging diagnosis finally found an answer and is recovering well through healthy eating and exercise. For some, traditional medicine is not the only solution. These women seek alternative and holistic approaches to persevering through pain, so we delved into how stress can truly affect your body and the negative reactions it can cause in our health. We have included helpful tips on managing and coping with stress. Exercise is not only for staying trim but for healing after injury. We have an incredible story that features three women who use Pilates as a way of restoring a body’s balance after injury or physically altering stages in life, such as pregnancy. To celebrate Mother’s Day, we have a mother-daughter tribute of two professionals who work at Saint Joseph Medical Center. As we focus on health, I am determined to shed these unwanted pounds without reverting to smoking. I encourage you to make an effort to adopt some healthier habits, whether it is conscious eating, incorporating exercise, or simply taking some time for yourself to relax, renew and re-engage! Cheers,
Melissa Varone 4 Women2Women Spring 2015
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TheFutureOfHealthcare.org
Community & Business Profiles, Insights & Highlights
A Journey of
WOMEN IN MEDICINE …From Bedsid
e to Boardroom Karen L. Miller Contributing Writer
D
r. Ericka Powell is the first to admit that becoming a doctor was the last thing she wanted to do.
“My dad was a physician and I revolted against it for a while because I was very aware of what it does to a family, especially for females,” said Powell, chairman of the emergency department of St. Joseph Medical Center, Bern Township. “It resulted in my parents’ divorce.” Therese Sucher’s path to her powerful position at Reading Health System as chief operating officer and executive vice president followed a remarkably traditional pattern, starting as a registered nurse in Cleveland, and ending up astonishingly nontraditional decades later in an executive suite at Reading. Both professionals mirror the remarkable and divergent careers women have created in medicine in the past decades, opening doors and clearing the way for others to follow.
(Left) Dr. Ericka Powell, Medical Director, Emergency Department, St. Joseph Regional Health Network. (Right) Therese Sucher, Chief Operating Officer, Reading Health System.
6 Women2Women Spring 2015
Growing up in a household of four children with a mom at home keeping everything together and a dad working extraordinary hours, Powell called family life chaotic.
“We were living here and there to follow his dream,” Powell said of her father, Dr. Eddie N. Powell, and the road to his permanent medical practice. To create what she thought would be more balance in her adult life, Powell, 42, became an accountant when she graduated from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, with a bachelor’s degree in English and economics. But the still of cubicle life disturbed her. “It took about 10 months before I realized I had a dislike of sitting behind a cubicle crunching numbers,” she said. “I was miserable.” “What to do next?” thought Powell. With all the ambition and promise of a woman born in a time when possibilities were endlessly in front of her, Powell applied to both law school and medical school. “I didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket.” She was accepted into law school. “If I had gone to law school, I would have gone into corporate, monopolies, mergers and acquisitions,” Powell said. And then she was accepted into medical school. “At the end of the day, it just felt right going into medicine.” To go to medical school without the appropriate undergraduate curriculum, Powell had to take pre-med courses in a catch-up program, which she did at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, before attending Temple University Medical School. “So, my dad was obviously thrilled I went into medicine because he didn’t think any one of his children was going to except the last one, my youngest brother (Dr. Eddie N. Powell II), who was like a Mini Me of my dad,” she said. “My dad thought it was not likely that I was going to be a doctor because of the issues I had and then he was thrilled that I saw the light. My mom (Lucille) is my big naysayer. I really had to, and still have to, convince her that it’s going to be alright. This life is not for the faint of heart.”
“At the end of the day, it just felt right going into medicine.” Although trained for emergency intervention, Powell knows most people don’t want to buy into the idea that emergency departments are there as a safety net for many ordinary health-care problems; in other words, to save the day. In her mind, it’s a good thing. “I kind of like that role,” she said. She also cherishes the role of mother to her 4-year-old son, Gabriel Powell Litkin-Moore. Her husband, William Litkin-Moore, is the vice president of business development for Team Health, Knoxville, Tenn. “When you choose to be in health care, you make some small sacrifices for stability,” Powell said. “You can’t have banker’s hours. I can’t tell my 4-year-old that I will be home for dinner every night. For me, I had to be really comfortable raising him in a nontraditional environment. I can be home on Mondays, but sometimes I’m here until midnight. My husband has a flexible work environment. The rest, everybody else understands.” Sometimes she would take the accounting life back.
“It was easy,” Powell said. “You mess up a number and snappy, snappy, it’s easy to fix. I long to be back in the cubicle with regular hours and a standard lunch break, but I wouldn’t give this life up for anything. It’s the best life ever. I’m very happy and very well-adjusted. It is perhaps a misconception that managing an emergency depart- I’m not at the point where I would tell everyone to sign up for this. ment is not for the faint of heart. In truth, Powell said only about 3 I have work/life balance now, but it took me a decade.” percent of the cases daily actually require emergency intervention; the rest could be handled by a family physician. Her final chapter might not be written. Hers is both a medical and an administrative role.
Continued on page 8 berkswomen2women.com 7
Women2Know “If you had asked me at different points in my life, I might have said Sucher, 62, has seen the transitions of women into all fields of I wanted to be an English professor, if I had my druthers,” she said. medicine, including the C suite. “I love reading and writing, but those two paths hadn’t crossed. You know they rope you in with the financing for medical school. You “I’ll never forget when I worked at Kaiser Permanente and I was a basically have to work for 20 years to get a return on the finances.” vice president, I was invited to the Cleveland Clinic, and I remember walking into the board room—and Spoken like a true accountant. I’m not very tall. I almost had to jump up onto the chairs—and it was all men sitting in the room, it was the early ’90s,” Sucher said.
“I truly believe my role is as a facilitator, so needs get met, voices get heard and opportunities exist to innovate.”
And for Therese Sucher, “probably the biggest change I’ve noticed from when I graduated from college (in the 1970s) and became a nurse was that then everyone in the hospital automatically assumed every woman was a nurse and every man was a doctor, except in the ‘C’ suite (executive suite) where it was all men.”
“When I walk into a board room or the C suites now, there are more women and more diversity now,” said Sucher, who added that it’s not unusual now to go into the community and be accepted rather than be a novelty. Sucher, a graduate of the former St. John College, now Ursuline College, Cleveland, with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and Case Western University, also in Cleveland, with a master’s degree in organizational development and analysis, made the rounds from bedside to board room from hospital staffs to consulting firms, mostly in Cleveland. It was working for the firm FTI Consulting Inc. that brought Sucher to Reading about five years ago, first as interim COO and later when the position opened, she got the job. “What do I do in my job?” Sucher asked rhetorically. “What don’t I do? It’s a jack-of-all-trades. I help run the day-to-day operations. I feel a strong responsibility to make sure every employee has all the tools they need to do their roles. I truly believe my role is as a facilitator, so needs get met, voices get heard and opportunities exist to innovate, all within the realm of supporting the hospital’s mission.” She added that on any given day, it’s a lot of fun, with no two days alike. At home, Sucher and her husband, Dennis, who is retired, have three cats: a Siamese, an Abyssinian and a Bengal. She admitted to liking animals a little more than people most days. Dennis has one daughter, Molly, wife of John Russell—the Suchers delight in Molly and John’s children, Andy, 13, and Ben, 10.
8 Women2Women Spring 2015
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Good communities start with Therese Sucher takes leadership seriously, believing it is the responsibility of not only women in positions of authority, but others as well, to help the next generation, by coaching, mentoring and bringing women and men along. “I also think it’s the responsibility for those of us in positions to look for the next generation coming up to make sure that they are ready and willing to take our place,” Sucher said. She rejected the queen-bee leadership style. “I think all too often queen bees had to be smarter, harder and tougher than their male counterparts and then they ruled the roost, but they didn’t have the compassion and drive to help the next generation. “I have mentored a number of accomplished women over the course of my career, I’m proud to say. I mentor men as well. I believe that when you are surrounded by talent, it’s your responsibility to nurture that talent. “I try to pick the smartest people. I pick people who complement my strengths and weaknesses, and I get out of their way. If they are better at certain things than I am, it’s a growth opportunity for me. They are helping me learn and grow.” Article Photos: Bonita Zerbe, Dave Zerbe Studio of Photography
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Women2Know
FROM MEDICAL RESEARCHER
to Nursing Melissa Varone Assistant VP, Marketing – Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
K
risty Reber’s journey into nursing certainly has not been an easy one. Convincing herself that she had what it takes to go back to school in her mid-thirties was a challenging hurdle to overcome. Already an accomplished market researcher, Kristy successfully juggled her career to fit her families’ schedule. On most days, she felt fulfilled—after all, she had been in the industry for more than 15 years! However, Kristy began to realize that every time she had
to travel to a medical device conference to talk to clinicians about their responsibilities and care plan for their patients, it left a burning desire to do something more; something for the greater good. “I loved my job and I could have grown it into something bigger but I kept going back to thinking what if I was a nurse? My curiosity got the best of me one day after an exhausting data analysis project so I made the call to find out what pre-requisite classes I’d need to even qualify for a nursing program.”
“My resolve to do something for the greater good has kept me motivated and I can’t wait to see what my future holds in this honorable profession.” To her surprise, there was a program designed for professionals with a Bachelor’s Degree to earn an accelerated second-degree in nursing. Kristy still wasn’t convinced after her first session of research was completed. It took her another year to take the plunge and actually enroll in a pre-requisite class. “I completed six classes over 4 semesters with the hope that if I did well enough I might make the 3% acceptance rate for the Penn State Harrisburg nursing program. This degree was unachievable 10 Women2Women Spring 2015
without a tremendous amount of support from my husband and children to succeed.” On most days it means saying no and asking for help, which the rest of her family is more than willing to offer. She is almost half way through the nursing portion and she is more excited than ever. “I build a new level of confidence with each clinical rotation and I’m starting to find things I like as well as things I’ve marked off my list.” An accelerated program is very intense and the time commitment is much more than a full-time job but Kristy knows without a doubt this is her next career path. “My resolve to do something for the greater good has kept me motivated and I can’t wait to see what my future holds in this honorable profession.”
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W2W Events
2015 HAPPENINGS… To Join Women2Women, e-mail: W2W@GreaterReadingChamber.org | Plus, stay connected at: BerksWomen2Women.com • Facebook.com/BerksWomen2Women • LinkedIn: Berks Women2Women Group
PATH2PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT— Mentoring
WOMEN2KNOW SPEAKER SERIES – For Inspiration
HAVING THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION
Presenter: Toni Miller Senior Executive Vice President— Boscov’s Department Stores June 9, 2015 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Stokesay Castle • $20
Presenter: Tracy Beaky Learning & Development Business Partner— Tompkins VIST Bank & Certified Life Coach May 13, 2015 • 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Chamber’s Center for Business Excellence • FREE Our most important relationships require our full participation, yet when it comes to having those “difficult conversations” we may back off, shut down, or ignore the issue at hand. You owe it to yourself, your boss, spouse, family, staff, clients to invest fully in your relationships by finding empowerment and growth through difficult conversations. Start here and you will leave with a few tools and shift in perspective to confidently approach at least one difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding.
Toni Miller has over 30 years of retail experience in finance and operations, having started her career primarily in direct marketing and from there her experience grew into retail stores, food services, hospitality and manufacturing. She joined Boscov’s as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in June 2009 after spending over 27 years with Bass Pro Shops, previously serving as their Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. She currently holds the position of Senior Executive Vice President–Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
GROWTH2GO — For Education & Preparation
EXCLUSIVE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN2WOMEN
NAVIGATING THE MINEFIELDS OF WORKPLACE DYNAMICS
W2W Networking at Noon Lords & Ladies Salon Medical Spa
Presenter: Lynn Brown Business & Human Resources Operations Consultant May 19, 2015 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Highlands at Wyomissing • $20
We’ve all been there…a co-worker who continually undermines us, or a manager who takes “all the credit” for the good work we’ve done on that special project. Or what about the game of office politics, should you learn it or walk away? This unique session will include an interactive, lively discussion that will be facilitated by a pro - Lynn Brown. Each table of attendees will have a table monitor who will jump start a series of discussions based on real life scenarios we’ve all been confronted with from time to time. You will have take-aways from this session that we guarantee will help you navigate those minefields each and every day.
May 27, 2015 • 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lords & Ladies Salon
12 Ingot Dr, Blandon, PA 19510
This Women2Women event will include networking, a catered lunch and a tour of Lords & Ladies’ Fleetwood salon. There will be stations set up to demonstrate examples of services offered, as well as free salon & med-spa consultations. Limited to 85 attendees, who will each receive a Swag Bag full of product samples and a $25 Lords & Ladies gift card to be used on any of our six locations. Open to Women2Women members only.
Women2Women Seafood Fest
June 24, 2015 • 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Fish Pond West • $60
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Suite 201, 1100 Berkshire Boulevard Wyomissing, Pennsylvania 19610 610.372.7700 Fax 610.372.4865 JScheidt@MasanoBradley.com A PA Limited Liability Partnership
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12 Women2Women Spring 2015
Join us for the 7th annual Women’s SeafoodFest at Fish Pond West as we kick off summer! Choose from succulent fresh Maine lobster or sizzling New York steak and network with other phenomenal women. Beer and soda will be provided. Bring your own wine. Register at for any of these events at www.berkswomen2women.com or call 610.376.6766.
4th AnnuAl Women’s expo
g n i r Sp Renewal Hosted by St. Joseph Regional Health Network and Women2Women
TuesdAy, April 21, 2015
Crowne Plaza Reading
1741 Paper Mill Road, Wyomissing
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. l $50 All Day l Open to the Public $25 Athena Breakfast Only Our Spring Expo will start with honoring our 2015 ATHENA Award recipient, Andrea J. Funk - Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge-Lee Industries LLC (CLI). After the ATHENA Award presentation, schedule your day around workshops geared to renew body, mind, and spirit. Come engage with local experts and professionals in the areas of health & wellness, finance, and general life balance. Stay for a fabulous lunch and motivating keynote speaker. You will not want to miss this day filled with great topics, speakers and connections. Take time for you - to renew, relax and re-engage!
Lunch Keynote Speaker
Dr. Summer Knight, The Innovation Doctor Dr. Summer Knight is an innovation catalyst expert successfully founding, rapidly scaling and profitably selling companies in health, IT, education, international security, and real estate. She is an experienced Fortune 100 national medical Executive and Innovation Expert. Dr. Knight will address our Women2Women audience about achieving Multi-Dimensional Success with a sprinkle of neuroscience and healthfulness.
Expo Emcee Jo Painter, Local entertainment personality/Media and Communications Expert.
For more information or to register, call the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry at 610-376-6766, or email W2W@GreaterReadingChamber.org
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Growth2Go /
Finance, Mentoring & Education
healthcare providers. They start conversations with their friends and family, create awareness of diseases and illnesses, become involved in health-related causes and fundraisers and make referral suggestions to others. Women also budget for their family’s healthcare procedures. According to Deb Moyer, Director of Patient Access, “women are the CFO of the household.” Just as they are responsible for household budgets, women do their homework when it comes to costs related to healthcare. Many know what is and is not covered in their insurance plan as well as which doctors are in-network or out-of-network. They request price estimates and payment plan information related to procedures, hospitals and physician offices.
How Women Are
Shaping Healthcare
Many treat healthcare costs as they would any other large budget item such as buying a home or a car or paying for college tuition. This means that, sometimes, women put off procedures (that they can postpone without causing physical harm) for themselves or family members simply because it doesn’t fit into their budget at that exact moment. Often this decision is made after discussing the procedures with their healthcare provider.
I recently had a chance to sit down with “Healthcare is changing and women are a three leading women at St. Joseph Regional proactive part of that change,” says Dr. Christie Health Network to discuss this very subject. Dr. Ganas. “They advocate and are involved in Christie Ganas, Gynecologist with Women’s the system. They know what’s going on!” As Services and St. Joseph Vice Chief Medical part of being proactive, women must be their omen are shaping healthcare… Officer; Tina Citro, Nurse Executive; and own health advocate as well as the advocate now that’s a powerful statement! Deb Moyer, Director of Patient Access, kindly for as many as three generations: their parents, shared their perspectives on how they see their spouses, and their children. How does one come to this conclusion? women shaping healthcare. The answer is right in front of you. Watch TV, scroll through Facebook, read your email “Women are drivers of healthcare in families Generational Differences spam, walk around stores, go to doctors’ and communities at large,” says Tina Citro, Women don’t have universal needs, but offices, hospitals, and nursing homes. What Nurse Executive. rather needs based on generation or phases will you see? Women are the “do-ers.” They of life. Baby Boomers, ages 51 to 70, are are the ones big pharma is targeting during Tina notes that women tend to make often looking for healthcare providers to their 30-second commercials, the ones posting about 80 percent of their family’s healthcare “manage their healthcare” according to Tina. about their upcoming radiology test, the decisions. They take the responsibility for This generation typically holds more trust ones solicited to take legal action from a which physicians, hospitals and outpatient in the healthcare system, has more complex recalled medical device, the ones shopping services their family will use. They coordinate medical issues including multiple chronic for their family’s allergy medicine, and the appointments and maintain medications. They conditions, most likely has a healthcare team ones chauffeuring their kids or parents when use social media and word-of-mouth inter- of specialists as well as a well-established it’s time to visit the doctor. They are the actions among their friends to discuss health family physician and has a higher spend on concerns and compare recommendations on prescription medications. essential “care-taker.” Julia Nickey Director, Patient & Organizational Engagement, St. Joseph Regional Health Network
W
14 Women2Women Spring 2015
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Generation Xers, ages 32–50, tend to be the ones leading the change in healthcare by not accepting the healthcare system as it is. They are pushing for more information and more transparency: requesting access to medical records, interested in how others are rating physicians, and wanting to know healthcare-related prices up front before making a decision.
“Healthcare is
changing and women are a proactive part of that change.” The Millennials, ages 18 to 31, are generally healthier individuals who “shop” around for their healthcare services. They expect excellent customer service and “speedy” services. They want healthcare providers to help them maintain a healthy life and to communicate
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on their terms, which most often is through social media, email, and mobile websites. “Millennials have already done their homework and research before they come in for a visit. They know what questions they want to ask and what to address. They have a plan or an idea of a plan and want to partner with you from the start,” explains Dr. Ganas. “Personally, these differences must be considered, especially if these women are your patients and you are responsible for patient engagement.”
Removing Barriers
The passage of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, created a lot of changes for women regarding their healthcare. It has made access easier. One such huge barrier, according to Ganas, was the removal of pre-existing conditions which, in effect, does not restrict or limit your obtaining access to health insurance. She is also seeing more young people scheduling wellness and preventative visits, noting that preventative care is also easier to obtain since the passage of Obamacare.
How Women Will Continue To Shape Healthcare
So how will the women of the future continue to shape healthcare?
“I tell [my daughter] that ‘wellness is the key’,” says Tina Citro. “I tell her she needs to engage in healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors. To be informed. To ask questions. To take accountability for yourself.” In my experience at the hospital, it is my belief that these informed and engaged women will continue to push the government, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, technology, hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers in general, into molding legislation and developing products and services designed for THEM. And, as society becomes more transparent—thanks to social media-fueled conversations—women will continue to shape healthcare in ways that meet their needs and the needs of those generations of family members that they also care for.
berkswomen2women.com 15
Growth2Go
Karen Marsdale, Senior Vice President–Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
F
rom retail executive, stay at home mom, nurse to business owner, Katherine Scheese’s journey has taken a number of interesting turns.
A stint at Albright College brought her to Reading where she met her husband-to-be Ron. However, Katherine made a decision to move to Rutgers University in New Jersey, and graduated with a degree in English/Communications, with a concentration in public relations and advertising. Katherine chose retail management after college. A few jobs in retail, a re-encounter with Ron and a marriage proposal from him brought her back to Reading. During the time she spent working her way up the corporate ladder with Liz Claiborne, she and Ron began thinking about having children and soon it was diapers and babies for this busy, vibrant woman!
Staying home to raise her family never meant that Katherine was going to slow down. In fact she got very involved in fundraising at her home church, running bazaars, fundraisers and women’s ministry. Her efforts proved very successful through the years and for the churches she has served in. That entrepreneurial spirit has always had another dimension, however, and that is the passion to serve others in need. This common thread of service to others has woven its way throughout Katherine’s life in so many ways. While serving in women’s ministry, Katherine was challenged one day to visit a parishioner in a nursing home. She had always had a real fear of hospitals and nursing homes and wondered how she would manage this otherwise simple task. She overcame the fear, crediting God with helping her, and found that once again her giving spirit was a blessing to the woman and she herself was amazingly blessed by this act. Fast forward to September 11, 2001. Ron’s father, who had been ill, passed away and the funeral was on that very infamous day. Coming back to the house after the funeral the Scheese family was stunned as was the rest of the world to hear the news. That day was a turning point for Katherine; she realized she wanted to do something more with her life and be of service to others. Of all things, she thought about becoming a nurse. Her family was totally surprised but ultimately supported her decision to enroll at the Reading Hospital School of Nursing. The woman who was afraid to enter the doors of a hospital was soon going to make a career of nursing in the ER! As Katherine’s story unfolded I couldn’t help but see a strong, determined woman who lives her faith and carries out her passions so completely.
16 Women2Women Spring 2015
While working as a nurse, Katherine continued her fundraising efforts for all kinds of ministries, particularly youth mission’s trips. Her annual yard sales became famous—taking months to prepare and using all kinds of space in the Scheese home and garage, but the efforts paid off and thousands of dollars were raised for great causes. And that was how From the Heart was born. Husband Ron made a deal with Katherine—“Let’s get this stuff out of the house and garage and let’s get you into business!” Months of looking for just the right spot, researching how to go into the business of consignment and working with Kutztown SBDC prepared the way for a successful opening of the business. Today, From the Heart is not just another consignment shop but one that has a mission of giving back, with proceeds going to organizations like: • Bridge of Hope Berks County— Assisting single moms with children who are facing homelessness.
Take Control of Your Finances!
• First Presbyterian Church, Reading— Annual Youth Missions Trips, Aidan’s Advengers—Childhood Cancer Research.
After only four months in business, Katherine has given $1284.72 to local charities/nonprofits. This is truly a special place where love and hope come together and Katherine’s life mission “to love and be a blessing to others” plays out every day. She sees consignment as an opportunity for the many folks who walk through her doors, including those she once ministered, to talk and feel loved. When asked about giving up a successful career in nursing, she’s quick to respond that all the skills she learned as a nurse get used each and every day at the store. Husband Ron remarks that she comes home each day beaming and smiling about the adventures that each new day brings.
• Savings & Checking • Loans & Credit Cards • Home Equity & Mortgage • Youth Programs • Online Banking & Apps • Student Loans • Investment & Retirement Planning • Estate & Trust Services • Business Accounts & Services ...and more!
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What advice does Katherine have for other women? “As strong women we can make a difference in the lives we touch, whether large or small, just do it, and…be a role model for others to follow.” What do you think is the greatest asset we have as women? “We can see and feel the big picture in a given situation and approach issues with a nurturing attitude…it’s in our genes!” And finally she shares “we women are great multi-taskers!” Be sure to take a drive to Sinking Spring and visit From the Heart; it’s beautifully appointed with lovely inventory and you’ll find a beautiful soul waiting to greet you!
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Growth 2Go
Mother’s Day:
How Would You Like to Spend Yours?
M
other’s Day…or Mothering Sunday as it’s referred to in the UK…is an annual tradition that reminds us to honor our mothers by thanking them in some fashion for giving us life and shaping our future.
It is a holiday to celebrate motherhood in whatever form that represents, be it a caregiver, a mother figure to someone else or a maternal bond for an animal. But over the years it has become commercialized. So we asked our readers through social media avenues to tell us what their ideal Mother’s Day would look like or share with us how they would spend their day if they were the event planner. Here are the responses:
“I definitely would love to wake up alone after sleeping through the entire night!”
“I live too far away from my daughter so I will be with my sisters and my mother who will be 88 in April.”
“Hiking, running or biking with my family then stopping at my three mothers to say ‘hi’ and ending the day with dinner out or cooked and cleaned up by my husband.”
“I want to be with my beautiful grandchildren!”
– Tricia Gibney Nierle
– Tudie Scull
– Patricia Decarlo
– Amy Bullitt Ciervo
“Since I’m not a mom, I like to spend Mother’s Day with my mom but since I live so far away now, I will spend the day babysitting for a friend so she can relax.” – Margo Henninger Musgnug
“Ideal Mother’s Day would be woken to hugs, love and smiles. Then a picnic lunch in the park (that someone else prepared) and relaxing in the sunshine. Preferably on a beach somewhere, but anywhere with my Karli, Reid and Mom will do!” – Laura Krick
“Telling my mom how much I love her!” “I would love to be sent out for a surprise massage and/or pedicure—then spend the rest of the day with my boys and have dinner out with all of them.” – Brooke Carson Ciervo
– Sarah Derr
“A day full of being pampered and shopping ...alone.” – Danielle Ortiz
“Spence is still so little, I’d want first to have some miraculous assurance that he would be happy and content for the entire time I’m away. Only then, could I REALLY relax, and then that would be most of it…just having some ‘Me’ time.” – Jill Anderson-Bloch
18 Women2Women Spring 2015
“Whether it is Mother’s Day or any other day, I love spending it with my family. There is no place I would rather be than in a house filled with all the people I love.” – Christi Sarfert Baer
“Sitting on a beach with my favorite playlist, watching my grandchildren build sandcastles with their mommies and daddies!”
Upscale Weddings, Private Parties, Business Meetings, Special Events, & Everyday Fine Dining
– Cheryl Huntzinger
“My dream Mother’s Day would be to share it with my own Mom who died over 20 years ago! To be able to hug her and kiss her and say I love you, Mom, would be my best day ever. She was my rock. Miss her every day!” – Barb Thomas
“I love when it’s warm enough to fill the planters around the house, and I love having the kids help…getting our hands dirty to make our home beautiful. One day I’d like a hammock, pool, and a party with you all!”
…elegant and understated
– Dena Breslin
“I want my family around me playing games and having fun. A spirited game of charades would do nicely! I wouldn’t turn down a nice bottle of Pinot Noir and warm bruschetta while I played, either.” – Judy Engle Aulenbach
“I usually have to work on Mother’s Day. However, I would choose a day ‘full of variety’—riding the 4-wheeler, shooting targets, playing volleyball, planting flowers, working on the farm, playing with the goats, grilling on the barbie, sitting by the campfire. FAMILY. That’s what warms my heart.” – Vicki Kerns
“My ideal Mother’s Day would include church, then a cookout in my parents’ backyard with my entire family (about 12 of us) followed by a game of wiffle ball and homemade ice cream.”
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WINNER
REDEFINING OUTDOOR LIVING S a l s L a n d s c a p e . c o m
Growth 2Go
Dress for Success Karen Marsdale, Senior Vice President–Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
W
e’ve all heard the phrase “Clothes Make the Man.” This expression was first recorded more than 400 years ago by Erasmus, a Catholic priest, theologian, and social critic, but many have repeated it since. From the writings of Shakespeare to Will Smith in Hitch, we’ve heard this proverb for years.
If you Google dressing for success, you will find no shortage of sages or gurus on the topic. The problem is, there is so much information it can be a bit overwhelming and honestly, after all these years orbiting in the business world there doesn’t seem to be much new! However, make no mistake, how you “show up” really does matter. But as important as the clothes, shoes, hair and nails is the person behind the outfit. As one of our recent Lean In Circle sessions stressed, are you showing up small or tall? Do you appear confident, engaging, and open or do you give the opposite impression? No matter the perfect outfit, you really need to think about your own self-awareness, and practice until you have it right. At which point you’ll be closer to having the whole package. Now back to that dress for success topic. Just a few nuggets to ponder: •
When it comes to dressing for success, you’d better look the part or you might not get the part at all. Because people definitely do judge a book by its cover, especially in business.
•
Celebrity Shark Tank investors Kevin O’Leary and Daymond John advise…dress strictly according to your profession and position, and always dress to kill.
•
Dress as you want to be seen: Serious, professional, upward-bound and ready to meet clients or customers.
•
Understated elegance beats flash and trash five days a week.
•
Not every day requires the time and attention (or the budget) for formal business attire. However, casual shouldn’t mean slovenly.
•
If you want to be a manager, check out what the successful managers wear. Next, check out the rising stars in the office.
Overall, remember that you’re not dressing to attract attention at a rowdy bar, you’re dressing to underscore your professionalism and competence. Some young workers don’t understand the difference and by dressing wrong can damage their careers. Getting it right is especially crucial when interviewing for a job or sitting down to a new one.
Call for Dress for Success Makeover Candidates! Boscov’s Department stores has graciously offered to give one lucky young candidate, a recent college graduate soon to enter the work force, a hair and professional dress makeover. The lucky candidate will be featured in our July issue of Women2Women magazine. Please send a 150-250 word count case for support of why you are deserving of this makeover to Melissa Varone at mvarone@greaterreadingchamber.org. Deadline for submission is May 15. berkswomen2women.com 21
Work2Life /
Balancing Life, Work & Family
Persevering Through Pain Natural Ways to Heal Mentally, Emotionally & Spiritually Sandra Saylor Seaman C.F. Hom, Homeopathy
Y
ou slam your finger in the car door, whack your big toe on the bed post, miss the last two steps and fall smack on your coccyx—ouch! Or—you are hit with a wave of emotional pain that feels like it will never end. Pain is something that we don’t want to persevere through. We just want it gone—now. Pain is a signal that something needs to be addressed and resolved on the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.
If pain does not respond to your usual interventions and you prefer a holistic approach, there are many alternative choices that can bring relief. Two of the modalities that I have found most helpful for acute and chronic pain are homeopathy and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Both homeopathy and EFT heal on the energy level and attempt to resolve issues at their origin. Both hold the idea that the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels are all interwoven and have to be treated as a whole. Homeopathy, an alternative method of medicine founded in the 1800s by Samuel Hahnemann, makes use of substances found all around us from the plant, mineral and animal world. The characteristics of the symptoms of the person are matched to the characteristics of the substance from which the remedy is created. Homeopathic remedies are available over the counter, online and through health food stores, are regulated by the FDA, and are safe for use by adults and children. If I had to choose several remedies from the hundreds available for issues with pain, I would choose Arnica, Ignatia, Hypericum, Aconite, and Calendula. These are basic remedies that could find a place in any home first-aid kit.
#1 Arnica (oral or topical):
Arnica is the #1 homeopathic remedy for common injuries of all kinds: falls, bruises, scrapes, swelling, sprains and strains, and compression or twisting injuries. It is the first remedy to give for sports injuries, before and after surgery, or a fall. It can reduce pain and swelling and speed the healing of bruises. It can also help with the shock of injury especially when the person insists that they are OK. It can be used for overexertion and can be taken after an intense workout to prevent stiffness and aching. When there is a sensation of feeling beaten up, sore and bruised, physically or even emotionally, think of Arnica. Arnica is most powerful as a remedy when taken orally. It can also be applied as a topical cream or gel. Topical Arnica should not be applied where the skin is broken open. 22 Women2Women Spring 2015
#2 Ignatia:
Ignatia is the #1 remedy for emotional pain. Think of Ignatia when there is grief, pain from loss of a loved one, emotional oversensitivity, headaches with an emotional origin, crying or holding back the tears. One of the characteristic symptoms of Ignatia is a sensation of a lump in the throat, shallow breathing or noticeable sighing or yawning that can happen when one’s throat and chest are tight with emotional pain.
#3 Hypericum:
Hypericum is a specific remedy for the relief of nerve pain. Think of Hypericum when there are injuries to nerve-rich areas like the fingers, the toes and the genitals as well as the spine. Think of Hypericum when the pains are intense and shooting or there is numbness. Good for crushed fingers and toes, concussions to the spine from a fall, especially the coccyx. It may also help before and after surgery, especially oral surgery, if there is nerve pain involved.
#4 Aconite (Aconitum Napellus):
Aconite is useful at the very onset of an injury. In an injury or accident it would be indicated when there is sudden shock, with extreme fear such as after a car accident or earthquake. There can be a panicky feeling that death is imminent.
about the issue would be spoken aloud. This sounds a bit “out there” and when first trying this, it can feel silly. If you stick with it, though, you may find this a great tool for calming anxiety and releasing emotional pain.
#5 Calendula (topical):
Topically, Calendula can be used any time that you would normally use an antibiotic cream. It is fine to use on open wounds but make sure the wound is clean as it can speed the healing and closing up of a wound. Great for bruises, scrapes, burns and skin irritations.
When pain has become chronic or is periodic, and is deeply embedded in the system, sometimes an acute remedy can clear it out. Often, however, homeopathic treatment with a professional practitioner is needed to get to the root of a chronic pain issue.
The easiest way to try out this technique is to tap along with a guided tapping routine. There are hundreds of these routines on YouTube. I would recommend Brad Yates as a reliable guide to EFT on YouTube. Search for his routine titled Tapping Through Pain. You may want to explore some of his other videos as well. This will provide a good introduction to what EFT is all about. After doing some guided tapping, it is easy to begin to create your own routines that fit your situation exactly. This is a wonderful technique to use before and after a difficult conversation, after a shock of bad news, or during a period of emotional pain from loss of a loved one. It can also be used to explore and heal old emotional pain that may be causing issues in the present. Adding homeopathy and EFT to your home first-aid kit can make life a little easier—and help you move through pain quickly and completely.
The other technique that I have found very helpful, especially for emotional pain, is EFT. EFT involves tapping with the fingers on a series of meridian points on the body. While tapping, statements berkswomen2women.com 23
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24 Women2Women Spring 2015
eleVen t ime reCiPient
reCiPient ele Ven ConseCut iVe years
Work2Life
SMART
Career Advice
W
ho better to seek direction and support than those who paved the way? Women2Women posed the question, “What smart career advice would you offer another woman?” such as your daughter, niece and best friend. What follows are insightful, humorous, and downright truthful nuggets of wisdom that are bound to be resourceful…and they come from women all over the world, including Brazil. If a particular piece resonates with you we recommend you find a creative way to post it for daily viewing.
“When asked ‘why’, respond confidently why not?” – Lisa Haupt “Never, ever give up!” – Tina Shenk “Be prepared for the fight of your life. Set your sight on the goal but don’t ever be afraid to take a detour along the way. Knowledge is the key to success and the only way to obtain this is through experience.” – Vicki L. Calabria Commender “If it makes you happy, it’s always the right thing to do.” – Stephanie Steffy “You are worth it. You are worth that hourly charge. That promotion. That vacation. That new position. Don’t doubt it, you are worth it.” – Diane Zerr
“Never let them see you sweat.” – Katie Daley “Do all things with a balance of head & heart. Thinking with your head is always key. Making decisions with your heart will lead to everlasting benefits that you can’t put a price on.” – David Lomnychuk
“Always have a healthy balance of career and family. You should not have to sacrifice family for your career. It may be more challenging but it is worth the effort to take care of you and your family. They are your greatest resource for support.” – Mary Meyers “Understand that success is a ‘dance’ of setting goals and putting a step by step approach in place to meet them but also allowing the organic process to unfold which can put opportunities in front of you that you may never have imagined.” – Sharon Mast “Believe in yourself. Trust your instincts. Stand by your convictions. And, breathe!” – Michele Sands “Stay confident in your dreams. Don’t let anyone say you CAN’T SUCCEED. Set realistic goals, research and learn as much as you can about your true passion. Circulate to percolate—Network, Network, Network. Family first ALWAYS. Give back to your community. Keep believing in YOU no matter what obstacles you encounter because everything is possible with determination!” – Christina Talarico “Be true to yourself and don’t stop until you reach what you sought after.” – Katherine Amico Bransfield “Know in your heart and soul what you want to do before paying for school. Be sure to research. Is there a high demand for that job? It is better to go back to school later than to spend 30 years paying for a degree you can’t use?” – Kirsten Benjamin “Be transparent! If you don’t know how to accomplish a task, or you majorly messed something up, be honest! Being forthright, and having the courage of your convictions, is the best move you can make not only for yourself, but for your career. Additionally, the best career advice I ever received was from a Fortune Cookie. It read; ‘Nothing in this world is accomplished without passion.’ Being passionate about my career, has made work my second favorite place to be. Love what you do and success will follow.” – Sharon Sittler-Martin
“Always be a leader not a follower. Be in control while those around you aren’t. Don’t be silent.” – Edna Gorby
Continued on page 26
berkswomen2women.com 25
Work2Life “Waitress…and be a master at it…at a really great upscale restaurant; best training for life ever! Don’t rush romantic relationships. Know yourself. Do things that thrill you FIRST. Travel. Try a new job. Volunteer. Journal. When you do get married be a couple for a few years before you start a family. Enjoy the moments without rushing.” – Dena Breslin “Stay in school to get a degree or certificate in the career you want.” – Patti DeGrasse “Don’t let fear get in your way. You can do anything you put your mind to.” – Deborah Scaringi “Don’t get caught up in office gossip. It’s better to find a good ally by being yourself not trying to fit in.” – Jennifer Gilbert Goss
Gain Become Insight Inspired Share your Influence Springtime is upon us!
A great time to weed the ‘garden’ and plant new seeds that bring out the best in yourself and others. • Our fun, interactive and experiential workshops & trainings improve team building and communication skills. • Our personal or professional coaching can boost your confidence and value. • Our Lunch ‘N Learns or Master Mind Groups are available to engage employees, volunteers, and students. Contact: Sharon Mast Sharon@sparkss.com Phone: 610.781.1888 sparkss.com
26 Women2Women Spring 2015
“Love what you do…without enthusiasm it is very difficult to cope!” – Adriana G Fortunato “Work hard, pay your dues, never give up. Try to learn something new everyday and believe in yourself…if you can dream it, you can do it!” – Beth Gallen Mastro “Don’t worry about what another person is doing. Keep going and do your best for yourself, staff and your customers. You can’t be everything to everybody so find your niche.” – Lisa Capwell Balaci “I was shoe shopping the other day and a 20 something year old asked my opinion about the shoes she was considering for a job interview. The color was a shocking blue but her bigger concern was that they were cut low enough that her foot tattoo was showing. She wondered if it could hurt her chances. I think she asked me as I was trying on shoes near her. For a career in fashion, I didn’t think it would hurt her but for a more conservative field, I would have covered up the tattoo. First impressions do matter so dress accordingly.” – Susan Denaro
“Volunteer, give back, pay it forward, thank your parents, go to school and pursue what you love…pay it forward, give back, volunteer, thank your parents.” – Robin Lilarose “Laugh often…today’s challenge may be tomorrow’s joke of the day. I’d also say, if you have to or want to work try to find a job you will love—it isn’t all about the money.” – Lorri Indictor Oziri “Work for yourself.” – Kalpini Banks
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“1.Pick your passion/s first. It’s OK to be doing three things to pay the bills. 2. There is no straight line to success; It’s a jumbled mess of journeys and yours is different than everyone else’s. 3. Yes, some people are handed success and opportunities; that isn’t the same thing as hard work, so don’t gauge yourself by them. 4. When you’re inclined to think of success in terms of dollar signs, look up the per capita income for your area and feel grateful. 5. Do not allow yourself to be reduced or condescended to. 6. If you find yourself climbing up the ladder, always be mindful of the people below you. Don’t ask them to do things you would never consider doing yourself. 7. Don’t let the world dampen your dreams.” – Maureen Gallagher Fey
“Run your own race! Don’t get distracted by what someone else is doing. Focus on what you want and don’t waste time with comparing yourself to other people. Pray a lot and work hard!” – Laurel Cline Bobst
“Everyone else is going to talk about following her passion, which of course is true, but I’m going to say, find the best care/education for your child/children for the time you are at work and focus your complete attention on your work for the time you are there. Your child/children will be fine without you hovering around and you will have the freedom to follow that passion. It doesn’t hurt to have a backup system for your child care/education, such as a family member or friend who can help out in a pinch.” – Karen Lee Miller “Be fearless!” – Teresa Hoffman
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Health2 Wellness
Mental, Spiritual, Physical Health & Wellness
ADVOCATING FOR SELF Pushing Through in the Face of Opposition…
One Woman’s Story Trinity Barbuto
NOTE TO SELF: Write down your feelings…The desperation. The hope. The longing. The bleakness. Don’t worry about it making sense. Get it out.
I
wouldn’t believe this story if I read it, but it happened to me so I know it is true.
I kept the story private at first. I was too lost in it to share. My health problems had so consumed my life; I certainly didn’t want to talk about it in a social setting. When my health started to improve and it was clear the worst was over, my attitude changed. I wanted people to know. People needed to know. It was my story to tell, but admittedly, it was uncomfortable. This is that story.
I had a pretty good life until 1984, but at 23 years old, just two years out of college, I started getting headaches…severe headaches… then migraines. Sinus infections became chronic. Nausea similar to morning sickness started. I began to lose weight. In 1985 my health started to decline. I went from doctor to doctor, each stating that whatever I had it wasn’t their field. The ER visits became more frequent, always with the same diagnosis: dehydration from severe nausea and vomiting. I couldn’t even hold down water. After two IV saline bags (if that is what they are called) and an anti-nausea 28 Women2Women Spring 2015
drug administered thru IV, I would always feel incredibly better and get released after a few hours. The cycle continued. So I started reading books on health and various diets. I read a lot of books, especially since I didn’t always feel good enough to do anything else. I came across the Macrobiotic diet. Even though it was incredibly different than my current
miso in old wooden barrels, tofu, bok choy, and other oddities. The owner was a thin, gentle man who looked quite healthy. He explained concepts that helped me make my selections. I left with paper grocery bags filled with supplies. During the drive home it crossed my mind that it would be hard to figure out how to prepare these new foods. And harder yet, I had to eat them.
“Sorry I can’t help you. I don’t think it is my area of specialty.” diet and contained foods I had never heard A well-balanced truly healthy diet is its of, something about it resonated with me. I own medicine. The body wants to be well. somehow knew it would help me. Back in It wants to heal. So I gave my body the best the ‘80s, it was difficult to find health foods diet I could so it could heal itself from my so I made some calls and found a store spe- mystery illness. cializing in Macrobiotic foods an hour’s drive away. The store had old creaking hardwood By this time I was suffering from what felt floors and operated in a converted Victorian like chronic morning sickness. I wanted to house. They stocked pressure cookers, bulk throw up breakfast many mornings, and often
did. Imagine the thought of eating seaweed and tofu when a piece of white toast was too much for my body to digest. Organic brown rice and broccoli ended up being one of the few meals I could hold down so I started eating that for breakfast. Every day.
health improved to the point I didn’t think anything was wrong with me anymore. I felt great! But I couldn’t stray even the slightest from the diet or the nausea and migraines returned with a vengeance. I stopped going to doctors, a decision I would regret.
sick for too long. I’m surprised to this day that I had no fear or regrets that this night might be it. I slept soundly. I remember well the surprise of waking up. I made it. I also realized that my time might run out before the doctors figured out my mysterious illness. A very sobering thought.
In 1989 I went to a New Year’s Eve party with Michio and Aveline Kushi, Macrobiotic After I was released from the hospital I went gurus with many books to their credit. From to the library to see if there were books on simply looking at the clues in my face and ‘unusual’ illnesses. Whatever I had must be eyes, Michio said in broken English that my unusual; otherwise the doctors would have I had lost so much weight I was beginning liver was under attack and that I needed to figured it out long ago. Could I find the answer to look anorexic. I was surprised no doctor eat foods to both nourish and cleanse my I was seeking in these books? I had to recall brought that up. I couldn’t help but wonder liver. I would later learn that he was right. a grammar school trip to the North Adams if it was painfully obvious that whatever I had The party ended with the Japanese tradition public library where we learned the Dewey of eating mocha for good luck and health in Decimal System. Somehow I remembered it was much worse than anorexia. the new year. I needed both. and was soon walking the musty aisles with my index card of three numbers scratched Mild depression set in. My friends were By 1994 I could across it. It seemed odd to me that modern getting married and I didn’t even feel like I medicine and science had not cured me could go on a date. I ended up in counseling. no longer work full time. I didn’t make much progress because unbeand there I was in the basement of a library known to me, a physical problem was at work. On one particular night spent in a hospital searching through old books for answers. it crossed my mind that there was a good Shockingly, I began to see truly amazing chance I wasn’t going to make it. I made my results with the Macrobiotic diet. In fact, my peace with God that night. I had been too Continued on page 30 Over the next several years I passed from doctor to doctor, each ending their battery of tests with, “Sorry I can’t help you. I don’t think it is my area of specialty.”
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Health 2Wellness A chapter in one of the books discussed arsenic poisoning. I intuitively and logically knew that was what was wrong with me, but unfortunately, because I had no skin lesions the doctor insisted I was wrong. I insisted I had every other symptom. He finally conceded to the test. The results: I was wrong. This baffled me so I called the lab in Chicago posing as a nurse from the office (an act I surely wouldn’t get away with today) and stated we had expected the patient to fail the test and wondered how the results could be false. The woman asked if the illness was acute or chronic. I said ‘chronic’. She said the patient was given the ‘acute’ test. Now I had to diplomatically convince the doctor…who already had zero patience for me…that he gave me the wrong test. He held his ground that I was wrong and I held my ground that I was right and subsequently I was referred to a specialist who ordered the correct test.
October 5, 1997, I finally received a diagnosis.
On that very day when the doctor entered the room with test results gripped tightly in hand, I knew what was to come from the grim expression on his face. He ever so gently told me how sorry he was. He paused and gave me my positive test result. I said nothing, absolutely nothing. Amidst the silence, an overwhelming wave of relief came over me. I finally had my answer. I had been searching for this answer for over a decade, 12 long years to be exact. I had been poisoned…and it was with arsenic. When I was able to speak a thought I asked how bad my arsenic numbers were compared to others he treated. He responded they were the highest he had ever personally seen for someone who lived. I was admitted to the hospital where the nurses had to be trained on administering BAL. The drug came in a box of 12 glass ampoules. It looked like a box of chocolates. The glass ampoules had to be hand scored and snapped to get to the drug. The instructions stated how toxic the drug was and that
complete protective attire must be worn to prevent any contact with the skin. The drug was to be drawn into the syringe, then the syringe’s needle needed to be changed to another sterile needle to avoid the risk of the drug getting on my skin during the injection. Most of the nurses weren’t comfortable with the drug but two nurses volunteered to handle all my injections for the first two days in the hospital. I learned later that before I arrived there was scuttle butt among the staff as to how I was poisoned. Possibly the ex-husband? One of the nurses gingerly approached the subject with me. Once I realized where she was going with her leading questions, I found great humor in it… something I desperately needed. If I wasn’t so taken off-guard by the nurse’s question as
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to who did this to me, I would have loved to respond with, “I can’t decide if it was my second or third husband.” So where did the arsenic come from you might ask? Although the medical field cannot specifically define the source of my poisoning, we do know that I ate non-organic grapes on a daily basis for over a year when I began experiencing stomach aches. Shortly after this, the FDA was contacted because three grape pickers died from exposure to arsenic from picking California red-flame grapes…the exact variety I ate. After the deaths of the grape pickers, there was a national boycott on grapes.
“It’s your life. You can make a difference. I know because I did.” little more?” Before I ever had the chance to respond, she would say “You’re good? Good, I’m almost done.” After the first massage, I was able to walk a little. I was thrilled. The improvement lasted for a week. The physical therapist commented that of the few patients she treated with this technique, many of them never came back. NO SURPRISE, but there I was. What choice did I have? This went on for months.
In 1998, I decided I needed the best medical minds and latest research for my long road of recovery. I found the phone number and called a famous arsenic research doctor in Alabama who I had read so much about. He changed the protocol of my treatment. His belief was that getting the arsenic out as fast as possible is too harmful to the body. The long-term answer was to treat it less aggressively. I discussed this with my treating physician and he did not agree. It is my body so I made the decision to follow the treatment schedule recommended by the Alabama research doctor. During treatments, I spoke with other patients in the heavy metals chelation IV room. Their stories were grim without 100% recoveries. I didn’t want to end up like them. They had not cleaned up their diets or sought any alternatives on their own. I couldn’t understand this. I still don’t. That same year I lost the ability to walk without severe pain. Walking from one room to the next caused incredible searing pain that would drop me to the floor. On numerous occasions I crawled. Two doctors discussed sending me to one particular physical therapist for a massage. Massage? Great—I thought, until they told me it would be extremely painful. Linda, the massage therapist, would say ‘Hang on, are you doing ok? Can you take a
I had been a competitive equestrian prior to my illness so I was feeling the emptiness of equine companionship. I thought to myself: I may not be able to walk well but I can sit without pain so why not get on a horse; I was a fairly decent jump rider before this so it seemed like a sound idea to me!
When my friend saw that I had arrived to the barn she reluctantly took out this old Belgian mare used for beginners. The horse was docile, but huge…similar to the Budweiser Clydesdales. The plan was for my friend to help me from my car and walk me and the Belgian to a mounting block where she boosted me up onto her back. I just sat on her back feeling total contentment. My friend asked if I was all right and whether I felt confident to walk by myself or be led by her. My balance seemed good so off I went into the indoor riding arena. I walked a few laps with total joy. The doctor told me that riding with nerve damage would probably never be a good idea but apparently I did not recall that discussion; I was thrilled beyond belief to be riding again. I may not have been able to walk well, but this mare could.
My doctor also said that he could never get his patients recovered enough to eat sweets so he wasn’t even going to try with me. By sweets, I mean sweet peas, sweet corn, or sweet potatoes. Fruit and desserts were totally out of the picture. With all the supplements I had been taking to heal my body I eventually could eat an apple with no reaction. No migraine. No nausea. At my next doctor’s appointment I couldn’t contain my delight so when he opened the examining room door I took a big bite out of my apple, chewed it like any good drama queen and said, “I have been working hard on getting my digestion back through alternative medicines. It’s working!” In 1999 I biked into the New England winter because I could sit without pain. I felt so alive with the snow falling, the crispness Continued on page 32 berkswomen2women.com 31
Health 2Wellness of the air. I never would have biked in such cold temperatures in the past, but these rides kept my spirit alive. Most in the group I was with were unaware of my plight. I was simply one of a crazy group of cyclists with the goal of biking at least once each month over the winter. No one noticed that at rest stops I did not get off my bike. I would slowly ride circles around the group because it was too painful to get off…but their company and the ride was too exhilarating not to try.
releases toxins at a deeper level. A standard sauna only allows users to sweat out toxins skin deep. I used the sauna 3 times a week the first year and am now using it twice a week.
Since 1999, I have been diligently attuned to my symptoms and adjusting my diet, supplements, and exercise regime when necessary. I get tested regularly for the levels of arsenic in my body and have seen major decreases.
But I am confused, very confused. I don’t think I will ever understand. Why don’t more people take charge of their recovery?
In 2012 I began using an infrared sauna because infrared sauna penetrates deeper (some studies say up to 1.5 inches) and therefore
Looking back, I call this the ‘black hole’ in my life. It feels like a vortex that sucked part of my life far, far away. In fact, so far that I can’t even feel it or miss it. I don’t really have regrets. I learned a lot about health that I would never have and that learning has helped others, both human and equine. I have become a better person. Low levels of arsenic continue to be in my body but I am managing it through diet, exercise, and the infrared sauna.
You know your own body more than anyone else. If you feel in opposition of your diagnosis or have some intuitive thought…at the very least make it a discussion with your doctor. It’s your life. You can make a difference. I know because I did.
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Health 2Wellness NEW COVERED PREVENTATIVE SERVICES UNDER AFFORDABLE CARE ACT If you have a new health insurance plan or insurance policy beginning on or after September 23, 2010, the following preventive services must be covered without your having to pay a copayment or co-insurance or meet your deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider and does not include services for expecting moms.
Aspirin use for adults of certain ages Alcohol misuse screening and counseling BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk Blood pressure screening Breast cancer mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40 Breast cancer chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk Cervical cancer screening for sexually active women
Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Herpes Zoster Human Papillomavirus Influenza (Flu Shot) Measles, Mumps, Rubella Meningococcal Pneumococcal Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Varicella Obesity screening and counseling for all adults Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on risk factors
Contraception - Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling
Tobacco use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
Depression screening for adults
Sexually Transmitted Infections:
Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening and counseling for sexually active women Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive services Type 2 diabetes screening for adults with high blood pressure Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
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Immunization vaccines for adults - doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
Colorectal cancer screening for adults over 50
Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
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Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) counseling for sexually active women
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Health 2Wellness
STRESS Kristin Golden Mancuso Marketing Consultant, KGM MKTG
W
e all experience stress; you are not alone. Yet, when we feel stressed, the first thing that comes to mind is that we are the only one! How do others around us seem to have life under control? If you close your eyes, you can almost hear your voice saying, “Everyone else balances [insert one or more] work/life/family/volunteering/ parenting so easily, why can’t I?” This, in turn, adds to our stress. It can be a vicious cycle. Charmaine C. Anderson, MD, Ob/Gyn at St. Joseph Regional Health Network, says it’s important to acknowledge and accept that life is stressful. “It’s how we handle or manage our stress that’s most important because stress can lead to a variety of health issues—some minor, some major. “When we are stressed our body produces extra cortisol,” explains Dr. Anderson. Cortisol is a hormone found in both women and men
34 Women2Women Spring 2015
that can present a variety of easy to identify symptoms (see list below). Left unmanaged, heightened cortisol can lead to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, myofascial syndrome, late onset diabetes and other common diseases.
“If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, your body might be trying to tell you that you are stressed and need to make some changes. Identify the source of your stress and manage the symptoms,” notes Dr. Anderson.
Common symptoms of heightened cortisol from stress include:
But how?
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Here are Dr. Anderson’s top tips for managing stress. • ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN’T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE. It’s tempting to try. For some reason there is credibility in having an impeccable home, a perfect marriage, well-dressed children, or generally appearing to be Super Mom. This only happens in fairytales. Or with a staff. It’s not reality. Get over it. • FIGURE OUT WHEN TO SAY ‘NO’. This can be challenging. Take the time to
deconstruct your life. Review your day carefully and categorize tasks into two groups—‘must do’ and ‘can do/should do’. Be honest with yourself. Just because other parents sit through youth sports practices does not mean it’s a ‘must do’ for you. Take that hour to do something for yourself. Which leads to doing something you like to do—only for you. If you are stuck for ideas, remember activities that made you laugh and feel joy when you were young. Maybe you enjoy getting lost in a book or watching a creek flow; take a walk with a friend or make plans to meet for coffee.
Sometimes our stress levels grow so large that these management techniques aren’t enough. If you find yourself unable to attempt any of these tactics or don’t understand how to begin, seek the advice of a trusted friend, family member or medical professional. (See column at right for more information.) Dr. Anderson notes, “We should always remember that children will grow up, jobs will come and go, but our health—and happiness—are the keys to living well for the rest of our days.” And stress can certainly impact the outcome of our future. Start today. Create a balanced, healthy life for yourself!
How to Know When to Seek Help:
➊ If everyone around you observes a similar new or abnormal behavior—such as insomnia, over-eating, overindulging in alcohol—allow yourself to hear their feedback and seek help.
➋
• EXERCISE. This goes along with the idea of doing something just for yourself, but additionally, exercise is a known stress outlet. It helps us feel better about ourselves, improves energy levels and reduces cortisol.
If you are tearful or overemotional, or are not caring for yourself or your children the way you normally would, seek help.
• FIND A GIRLFRIEND OR A GROUP OF GIRLFRIENDS YOU CAN RELATE TO AND CANDIDLY SHARE YOUR FEELING OF STRESS. You will find that most women will relate to feeling stress and this common experience will bring instant relief. Creating a support system will allow you to ask for help or trade tasks when life feels overwhelming.
If you are lashing out in anger and then feeling remorseful, or you know deep inside that you need help, seek help.
• CONNECT WITH YOUR SPIRITUALITY OR MEDITATE. Research shows this daily practice contributes to an overall sense of calm. • PRACTICE GRATITUDE. Identify three things each day that you are grateful for. When you begin to appreciate the positives in life, stress diminishes. But what do you do when you’ve tried several of the suggestions above and none of them seem to work? When it all just feels like too much?
➌
Your family physician or ob/gyn can be a gateway to a therapist. For those who do not have a trusted medical provider, your insurance company may cover a series of sessions with a therapist. Call your insurance provider to understand your policy and then ask for a referral. Or ask for a recommendation from someone you trust.
Don’t have a family physician? Check out TheFutureOfHealthcare.org or call the Physician Referral Hotline at 610-378-2001 to find a member of the St. Joseph Provider Hospital Organization. Reading Health System also offers access to its network through their Physician Referral Line at 484-628-HELP. berkswomen2women.com 35
Health 2Wellness
Restoring BODY BALANCE Three Women Who Chose Pilates to Regain Mobility & Health
Judy Engle Aulenbach Contributing Writer
Kim Murphy, President of the Berks Conservancy When Kim was involved in a head-on collision in July 2012, she could not possibly have anticipated the extent of her injuries, nor the journey she would take to recover. “I remember the crash itself, but I have no memory of the rest of the day,” recalls Kim. She emerged from the accident with injuries that could have left her unable to walk, but after two surgeries and rounds of physical therapy, Kim found Pilates, and with each progression is inching her way back to health.
Lisa Priebe, right, properly positions the feet of Kim Murphy before instructing her in the use of the Reformer…apparatus specifically used in the practice of Pilates. Lisa, who recently underwent foot surgery herself, will follow up her own physical therapy with Pilates.
“Kim’s calcaneus fracture is pos“I had pain and I was very unstable on my feet as a result of the sibly the worst I’ve ever seen,” said limits of my ankle movement,” said Kim. “My friends Julia Klein Dr. Steve Cammarano, her physical and Karen Oxholm thought I would benefit from Pilates.” therapist. “Post-operatively, Kim had been non-weight-bearing for Upon Dr. Cammarano’s approval, Kim put herself in the hands three months before physical ther- of the Pilates instructor her friends had been working with. Lisa apy. This resulted in significant Priebe, owner of every-body Pilates, West Reading, has a degree loss of strength involving her left, in exercise science and is certified by the Pilates Method Alliance. lower-extremity and core. My job Helping people who have sustained injuries is a challenge she likes as a physical therapist was to help to take on. Kim regain use of her ankle while respecting the surgery she had just Kim’s weekly Pilates been through, but I could see that routine with Lisa involves her long-term goals needed to include a plan to restore overall balance. one private session and a I admire Kim, she did the physical therapy work I asked of her; she second semiprivate session, is also a great case study for (the value of ) Pilates.” where two people work out simultaneously. “If Kim’s calcaneus, or heel bone, had been crushed in the accident. time were not an issue, I Her first surgery put the crushed pieces of bone back into place. A would add more sessions,” second surgery was required to remove the labyrinth of installed said Kim, who, after seeing hardware, and fuse the calcaneus to the talus bone. This is referred the results, knows Pilates to as a subtalar fusion. It resulted in loss of side-to-side movement is helping. “It has helped of her ankle complex. my balance and strength; 36 Women2Women Spring 2015
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I like the work and I am very motivated to do it,” states Kim, who admits this has not been the case with other exercise she tried before the accident. Dr. Cammarano agrees. “A Reformer is perfect for a person needing to regain core strength and who needs to incorporate closed-chain lower extremity exercise while minimizing impact. It is especially important for people who have knee and ankle issues to find the balanced-strength that their injury has reduced. The social and emotional benefits bring it all together…Pilates is a great marriage of functional activities.” “It was all about the ankle in the beginning,” said Kim, “but I now understand how everything works together. Strength in my core is giving me back my balance and that is big.”
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Elizabeth Duncan, Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist for Teleflex, Reading It was inevitable that Liz Duncan would cross paths with Lisa Priebe. Through her company, Health Options, Lisa was responsible for overseeing all the fitness programs at Teleflex’s Reading location where Liz works. Lisa taught some of the many fitness classes held in the Teleflex fitness center and on campus. Liz was a runner, tennis player, and former horseback rider. She participated in the company’s coed soccer program and cross-fit program. Her first encounter with Lisa had nothing to do with Pilates, which, at the time, was not offered at the company’s gym. Lisa, a marathon runner and distance biker herself, understood the toll high-impact sports place on the body. She had discovered that Pilates gave her relief from her own exercise-induced injuries and she took the rigorous courses required to become certified as an instructor of Fletcher Pilates. When Liz discussed with her the assaults that her body suffered due to her attraction to high-impact sports, Lisa invited her to the small Pilates studio she had recently set up in her home. “My body felt like it was breaking down,” recalls Liz, who was 30 at the time. Among her injuries were arthritic knees and bulging discs. The work I do with Lisa has given me relief. Together, we work Continued on page 38 berkswomen2women.com 37
Health 2Wellness known as the six-pack. She uses the full width of her hand to demonstrate the spread of her linea alba, the vertical connective tissue that separates the right and left muscle sets of her stomach. “The condition looked like a hernia and was very obvious,” said Liz who gave birth to her fourth child in November. “I had diastasis from my very first pregnancy. The work I did with Lisa throughout all of my pregnancies has moved my muscles closer to the way they’re meant to be.” According to Liz, without this intervention she would have been a candidate for surgery.
my smaller, underlying muscles, which has helped my injuries and given me overall balance. Pilates allows me to continue participating in the sports that I am drawn to.” Working the underlying muscles was also key to turning around a condition brought on by pregnancy. Liz suffered a dramatic case of diastasis recti which is the separation of the muscles commonly
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“Liz works very diligently so the diastasis responded quickly. Regarding the sports…Liz is always going to seek out high-impact activities,” said Lisa who has been working with Liz for seven years. “It’s who she is. She uses Pilates to understand and strengthen her body. It helps her to continue to participate in the activities she loves.” Liz keeps a rigorous schedule beyond that of her fitness programs. Her position at Teleflex requires 30 hours of time and diligence. With the help of her husband, Colin, and a great nanny, they manage a family of seven children. Four of the children are hers and Colin’s together and three are Colin’s adult children from a previous marriage. “I trust Lisa completely,” said Liz, whose week still includes two Pilates classes along with her high-impact activities. “Without Pilates I am sure I would not be able to run or play tennis. As far as I am concerned, Lisa is a healer.”
Karen Rightmire, President of the Wyomissing Foundation The picture that Karen paints is unsettling. “In 2009, I felt a jolt in my back and my legs couldn’t bear my weight,” recalls Karen. The location of the incident could not have been less convenient.
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“I was walking from the parking garage to my office at the United Way and my back went out in the middle of 5th Street.” According to Karen, she was frozen in the midst of traffic, unable to take the few steps needed to get to the safely of the sidewalk. Kevin Murphy, Director of the Berks Community Foundation (and, coincidentally, Kim Murphy’s husband) had to haul me, physically, to my office. My husband, Gary, rolled me out of the building on my office chair.” Karen followed the traditional route of doctors, prednisone, bed rest and therapy for her injured back, and that helped, but it was Pilates that allowed her to reinforce the muscles that now keep her back in check. “My doctor, a physiatrist, thought I would be helped by Pilates,” said Karen. Karen was never keen on the idea of surgery and so the recommendation appealed to her. A colleague put Karen in touch with Geri Weatherholtz, owner of the Centre for Pilates in Sinking Spring, and now Pilates has become part of Karen’s life. Shortly after putting herself in the hands of Geri, Karen required a left knee replacement due to osteoarthritis, which runs in her family. Her right knee was replaced this past June. After each surgery, Karen followed a prescribed course of physical therapy and returned to the Pilates studio with haste. Geri, who follows the classical method of Pilates, describes the work she does with Karen. “Karen needs stretching and range-of-motion exercise. The work we do is also designed to help strengthen her quads (for her knees) and her core. She is diligent and committed to the work we do. She is always eager to try new arrangements.” Geri believes that one of the biggest misconceptions about Pilates is that it is thought only to be for people who are in great physical shape. Karen describes herself as non-athletic and has taken heed in Geri’s statement that non-athletes are often better at Pilates. They don’t Continued on page 40
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Health 2Wellness “muscle through the work” which is not the ideal way of moving. The results of properly executed Pilates bear that out; students develop long and lean muscles and not the bulging muscles of power lifters. Karen’s routine includes one private session a week with Geri and the physical therapy she continues to practice at home, including the use of an exercise bike. “If my knees were perfect, I would still do Pilates,” offers Karen. “I am not here to be the queen of Pilates, I am here for the stretching …plus, I really like Geri!”
If you are suffering an injury here are suggestive questions to ask your Pilates instructor. Will you be willing to speak with my doctor or physical therapist about my injury? (A well-trained Pilates instructor will be able to use proper medical terms when speaking to your health care practitioner about a program tailored to your situation.) What kind of success have you had working with injuries similar to mine? (Not all Pilates instructors will take on all injuries; a track record of success may be a good indicator of ability.)
How to find the right Pilates instructor: • Pilates, unlike many other exercise methodologies, offers certification to practitioners who pass tests and demonstrate advanced knowledge. The Pilates Method Alliance or PMA is the official certifying body. Ask about certification. Geri Weatherholtz supports Karen Rightmire in the correct position of her rollup-work designed to help Karen strengthen and align her core muscles.
• Become knowledgeable about Pilates lineages. The best Pilates studios follow the teachings of the “first-generation elders” who learned the practice directly from Joseph Pilates who developed the program more than 100 years ago. • If your friends recommend their instructor, ask if they know the lineage their instructor follows. The best instructors are eager to share this information with their students. If your teacher learned from an elder, you are in especially good hands as this person would be a “second-generation teacher.” • Talk with the Pilates instructor in advance. You will be forming a relationship with this person. You want to be comfortable with him or her as this work is physical and hands-on. • Tour the studio. It should be filled with light, mirrors and apparatus designed by Joseph Pilates to properly execute Pilates movement. Ask questions about its use.
Geri Weatherholtz instructs Karen in the use of the Wunda Chair, apparatus designed by Joseph Pilates, to help with strength and range-of-motion for her knees. Karen underwent surgery in June for the second of two knee replacements.
40 Women2Women Spring 2015
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Health 2Wellness
Follow-Up Care Plan
Critical for Breast Cancer Survivors Donna Engle, CPFT, LPN Lung Nurse Navigator, St. Joseph Regional Health Network
S
urviving breast cancer can be the most difBecause of recurrence, if a woman smokes ficult challenge a woman will experience. and is diagnosed with breast cancer, it is It can also be powerful and inspiring strongly recommended that she quit smoking. to be a “survivor.” While it’s safe to say that Quitting smoking doesn’t guarantee the not all women who have had breast cancer cancer will not recur but it will greatly help will get cancer back, cancer is unpredictable. reduce the chances. If it does come back, it is called recurrence. Most recurrences happen in the first five years Another key element is the follow-up care after treatment and don’t necessarily have to post breast cancer treatment. If you have be related to breast cancer. One of the most had breast cancer, talk to your oncologist common sites is the lung. Other common about coordinating a plan with your family sites of recurrence are the lymph nodes, liver, physician. It is highly important to go to bones and brain. all your follow-up appointments, and it is
42 Women2Women Spring 2015
during these appointments you must tell your doctor about any of the following symptoms, as they may be a sign of a cancer recurrence: chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, persistent cough, coughing up increased amounts of phlegm or blood, hoarseness or wheezing, exhaustion, weakness, bone pain, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, or persistent headaches. Tests such as blood tests for tumor markers, blood tests for liver function, CT scans, bone scans, and chest x-rays are not a standard part
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Saturday, April 18, 9 to noon Join us for a succession of free classes to learn the Fletcher Fundamentals, plus sample goodies and gather information from our healthy-living partners. 9:00 9:45 10:30 11:15
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of follow-up BUT will be done (as indicated) when symptoms are reported to your doctor or physical exam findings suggest these tests are warranted. Because of this, it’s important that a vigilant follow-up care plan is in place and followed. A follow-up care plan includes managing the short-term side effects of treatment and watching for long-term side effects or a return of cancer. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends the following guidelines for follow-up care: medical history and physical exam every 3 to 6 months for the first 3 years after breast cancer treatment AND 6 to 12 months for years 4 and 5, THEN yearly after that. For more follow-up care plan information visit www.asco.org/guidelines/breastfollowup. Your future is important to you and your health care provider. Be your own advocate for essential follow-up care. When you finish your breast cancer treatments, be sure to ask your doctor: What follow-up care plan would you recommend for me?
What are the chances that the cancer will recur? What, if any, tests do you recommend? Why? Based on my family and personal medical history, do I need genetic counseling? Where can I find more information about follow-up care? How often should I schedule additional follow-up visits? Together with your healthcare provider, your follow-up care plan will be designed specifically for you to ensure the best outcome for your future. Check if your healthcare institution has a “Breast Cancer Navigator.” The navigator’s job is to help you through this entire process, which alleviates much stress and anguish. Depend on the navigator to help you.
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Many patients blame themselves if their cancer returns. Even if you do everything “right,” cancer can still come back. According to the American Cancer Society, there is nothing you can do to make sure the cancer won’t return. Early detection through your follow-up care plan is the best strategy for survivorship.
Health 2Wellness
COMMIT
to Skin Fitness
Amber Bowers Licensed Esthetician Alyce Versagli, RN Medical Aesthetician
B
y now most of us know that exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet contribute to a healthy lifestyle and increase our longevity. However, the body’s canvas and largest organ, the skin, is too often neglected.
The skin provides a protective covering for our vital organs. Hydrating your skin is a great way to combat dryness and keep the skin’s integrity intact. Avoiding hot showers and scrubbing too vigorously, and using a daily moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and/or a lipid based ingredient, will help your skin retain its barrier function.
Our skin works intensively to defend against the elements and to regulate our body temperature. The sun’s UVA and UVB rays break down our collagen and elastin (the proteins and connective fibers that keep our skin firm) and damages the cell’s DNA. Applying sun protection on a daily basis will keep your skin healthy and help to prevent hyperpigmentation (brown spots), fine lines, wrinkles, and skin cancer from developing. When choosing a sunscreen, make sure that it is Broad Spectrum, which protects against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. It should have a rating of at least 15 for daily use or higher for sports and outdoor activities. Sunscreens formulated with zinc oxide are best because zinc maintains its protective ability in the sun, unlike some chemical ingredients that may degrade. Zinc, a natural mineral, reflects and reduces the broadest range of UVA and UVB rays and is safe to use on sensitive skin. If you want to restore your skin and reverse the signs of sun damage and aging there is a DNA Repair Cream containing ingredients found to also decrease squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis, which could lead to skin cancer. Keeping your skin exfoliated and nourished is key to achieving
healthy and younger looking skin. After the age of 25 we start losing elastin and after 30 we lose one percent of collagen every year. Using a topical retinoid cream provides excellent cell turnover, stimulating collagen and elastin production. Choose one from a physician (Retin-A or Tretinoin) or try a medical-grade retinol from a professional Skin Care provider. Because of the elements, your skin is constantly battling against dry heat, wind, extreme temperatures, rain, humidity and environmental pollutants. Keep your skin balanced year round by feeding and nourishing it with a moisturizer infused with quality peptides, antioxidants, botanicals and vitamins. Pharmaceutical-grade ingredients are more bio-available and with an effective delivery system penetrate the skin’s protective barrier, nourishing your skin from the inside out. These products can help to correct trans-epidermal water loss, sun damage and glycation which all contribute to premature aging. Your skin is an outward reflection of your overall body health. Just like achieving a physically fit body, healthy skin is an ongoing lifestyle. The earlier you start good skin habits, the better, because it is so much easier to prevent than to correct damage to our skin. However, with medical-grade products and treatments you can reverse the signs of aging and it is never too late to start.
Idea Exchange
Oil Pulling Oil pulling, also known as “kavala” or “gundusha,” is an ancient Ayurvedic dental technique that involves swishing a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for about 20 minutes. This action purportedly draws out toxins in your body, primarily to improve oral health but also to improve your overall health.
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SOME REPORTED BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Whiter teeth • Cavity and gingivitis prevention
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• Better breath (halitosis sufferers also reported greatly improved morning breath) • Stronger teeth and gums • Less jaw pain (TMJ sufferers noted great improvement), sleep problems and sinus issues • Alleviation of headaches, hangovers and skin issues (reports have shown improvement in acne, psoriasis and eczema)
DIRECTIONS: Swish coconut oil in mouth—the oil will almost double in size as it draws in saliva as well as the toxins. Be sure not to swallow as you will be taking these toxins into your body. Once the 20 minutes are up, spit the oil out into the trash (not your sink, where the oil may solidify and block up the drain) and swish your mouth with warm water. Finally, brush and floss. SOURCE: Fashionista Blog
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Women2Know
&
:
More Women2Know looks behind the scenes at outstanding women who have successfully contributed to an organization’s successes, inspire and motivate others to achieve, and personify the mission and objectives of Women2Women. With Mother’s Day only a few weeks away, Women2Women’s editorial team decided to focus on a unique perspective by spotlighting a mother/daughter duo who are employed by the same company, though in different departments.
Q: What has led you to your current career path?
SS: I grew up in a family focused on healthcare. My exposure to many careers opened the door for me to realize that nursing was the career that I wanted to pursue. It was not until I was in the career for a few years that I realized how much I enjoyed leadership roles. RH: Taking care of family members when they are sick and watching what my mom does made me realize how much I wanted to be a nurse.
Q: What words of wisdom would you offer to other women?
Sharon Strohecker, MSN, RN, NE-BC Vice President, Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer at St. Joseph Regional Health Network
Rebecca Hackney, CEN Emergency Services at St. Joseph Regional Health Network
Q: Did you choose to work together?
SS: We did not choose to work together but our careers pull us in the same direction. We both love what we do. RH: We are both nurses and we chose common pathways.
Q: What is the advantage and what are the difficulties when you already know each other?
SS: The greatest advantage is that our focus and vision related to our nursing profession is usually on the same page. We think a lot alike. Because of our roles we have to make sure that we respect each other’s responsibilities. RH: The greatest advantage is we get to work on some great quality care committees and projects. The difficulties are that peers have difficulty seeing us as two separate individuals.
46 Women2Women Spring 2015
SS: Always be honest and open; try new creative career opportunities to make yourself grow new skill sets. RH: Always be confident and project a positive self-image.
Q: Is there a philosophy that you live by?
SS: I think the greatest focus would be in always maintaining my integrity, being open and honest, and staying focused on caring and compassion for those I have responsibility for, especially with my career. RH: My patients always come first.
Q: What 3 things do you recommend to assure success?
SS: To be a visionary, set goals, be dedicated…and I will add a fourth recommendation; enjoy what you do. RH: Enthusiasm, passion and commitment.
Q: What is the best advice you have received?
SS: Stay focused on your goals – for me focused on my patients. RH: Laughter is the best medicine.
Q: How have you led other women in their career paths?
SS: By mentoring, empowering the staffs that work with me, and encouraging positive work experiences. RH: Leading by example and modeling behaviors for younger graduate nurses.
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Save the Date! 102nd Annual Chamber Dinner Monday, June 1, 2015 | 5:00pm new location
Santander Arena
Awards Presentation with Keynote Speaker
DAYMOND JOHN
Daymond John is an entrepreneur and the founder, president, and CEO of FUBU, and appears as an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank.
ReCh3,0+ Career & Family-Minded Women Working & Living in Berks County
Advertise in Women2Women, a Greater Reading Chamber Publication. Developed by the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Women2Women encourages women from diverse backgrounds to create connections, gain knowledge, and open doors to strategic alliances. Its goal is to create and elevate more women leaders in the Greater Reading area by providing a platform to learn, share ideas and mentor others. Editorial content explores topics relevant to women, focusing on entrepreneurship, business, careers, work/family balance, community and general health and wellness, all designed to create fellowship initiatives that strengthen families, careers, the workplace, our community and the individual.
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JOIN US FOR THE OUTDOOR
FAMILY GATHERING OF THE YEAR
GARDEN PARTY
JUNE 2 AND 3
*
The timeless tradition of The Friends of Reading Hospital’s Garden Party will be held June 2 and 3* from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the 6th Avenue Clock Tower entrance of Reading Hospital. Experience what families and friends have enjoyed for decades: • great food • leave your mark on the Seventh Avenue Project by • activities and games signing the beam • plants and flowers • and, so much more! • live entertainment • FREE parking at Vanity Fair with FREE shuttle service This year marks a milestone for The Friends of Reading Hospital as they celebrate 125 years of supporting Reading Hospital and community projects such as Partnership for a Healthier Berks County and HeartSAFE Berks County. To learn more about this year’s event, visit www.readinghealth.org/gardenparty, or call 484-628-8477. *Rain date: Thursday, June 4 Celebrating 125 Years: