CAREERS IN MEDICINE EVENT
SALGADO JOINS VALLEY COTTAGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
◀◀ Front Row: Dr. Susan Campanile, ColumbiaDoctors and Careers in Medicine co-chair; Dr. Matilda Taddeo, NYP Medical Group Westchester and Careers in Medicine co-chair. Back Row: Michael J. Fosina, president, NYP Lawrence; Dr. Walter Moran, III, superintendent, Eastchester schools and Dr. Jeffrey Capuano, principal, Eastchester High School.
More than 300 high school students and parents visited Eastchester High School Dec. 8 for the second health care careers interactive fair sponsored by NewYorkPresbyterian Lawrence Hospital. Students from public and private high schools throughout Westchester were invited to gain hands-on experience and speak directly with doctors and other health professionals about career options. Using mannequins, students observed demonstrations of how seriously ill patients are intubated and wounds sutured and then got to try it themselves. They were invited to learn the structure of the heart, insert a
scope in a mannequin’s knee with the guidance of an orthopedic surgeon, and use laparoscopic instruments as if they were performing an actual surgery. Professionals participating in the fair included physicians, surgeons, physical therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, and first responders. In addition to operating a 288-bed hospital, NYP Lawrence provides additional support and care to area residents through NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester, a multispecialty physician practice, as well as ColumbiaDoctors, the faculty practice of Columbia University Medical Center.
WRAPPED IN LOVING ARMS Abbott House, the Irvington-based nonprofit serving foster children, families and the developmentally disabled, recently held its Loving Arms Award Dinner at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. Television journalist Meredith Vieira was the emcee for the evening. “Rarely are children in foster care and developmentally disabled adults asked about what dreams they have for their lives. Instead, many see their futures as being limited by their circumstances or their disabilities. But every one of the developmentally disabled adults and the foster children Abbott House cares for has their own unique potential and dreams,” she said. Longtime supporters Eliot and Doris Minsker received The Friend of Abbott House Award for their long-time support to enhance the lives of the developmentally disabled adults. The Gamma Xi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority received The Dignity of Family Life Award for its involvement with Abbott
House. The chapter has members in Westchester, northern Bronx and southern Connecticut. James L. Kaufman, Abbott House’s president and CEO, said “The Loving Arms Award dinner is not just about raising money. It is about helping people understand that they too, can be part of something really special and make a big impact in the lives of those we care for. It’s about getting people to care about the vulnerable kids, families, and adults who are often invisible.” Anthony Martinez, a White Plains barber who volunteers as a basketball coach and mentor to children spoke about his experience as a foster child at Abbott House. “I was just scared, like real, real scared. I think I was six or seven years old. My mom was strung out on drugs. My dad, I really didn’t know. He died when I was 4. But at Abbott House, you start fresh. They helped us. They gave us a chance to decide if we wanted to be good or bad. Abbott House saved my life.”
Melissa Salgado, a board-certified veterinarian specializing in critical care and emergency medicine has joined the Valley Cottage Animal Hospital. She is credentialed as a “Veterinary Criticalist.” In addition to veterinary school, a criticalist must complete a minimum of three additional years of intense training in emergency, surgery and critical care through completion of a residency program. Then, a board certification examination is administered by the American
College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Diane Tortorice, co-owner of the Valley Cottage Animal Hospital said, “Dr. Salgado’s specialized training over the past several years makes her uniquely qualified to oversee our emergency service.” The hospital is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association which named it one of the top four animal hospitals in North America. The hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
BRUSATI NAMED TO SUNY POST Gerianne Brusati has been named vice president for student services at SUNY Orange in Middletown. Brusati has been overseeing student services on an interim basis for the past 20 months. Her division includes the areas of admissions, financial aid, registration, academic advising, student activities, career and internship services and a host of other things, including supervising the college’s wellness center. As interim vice president, Brusati guided her staff through the initial implementation of SUNY Orange’s most recent strategic plan, and expanded the college’s student services presence on the Newburgh campus. This past February, SUNY Orange secured a grant to develop an Educational Opportunity Program that will provide access, academic support and financial aid counseling to low-income and academically underprepared students. In 2015, SUNY Orange was awarded a $1.1 million TRIO Student Support Services grant through the U. S.
Department of Education to increase the persistence, retention, graduation and transfer rates of low-income first generation students and students with disabilities. Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange president, said she believes in developing staff talent and promoting from within and, “Gerianne has demonstrated to me firsthand…that she is more than capable of guiding our student services division in the development of a comprehensive, compassionate and adaptable services model that supports our diverse student population.” Brusati was instrumental in SUNY Orange’s acquisition of a $1.88 million U.S. Department of Education Title III “Strengthening Institutions” grant which enabled restructuring its student services programs, particularly on the Middletown campus into a “one-stop” center called Student Services Central. Prior to joining the SUNY Orange administrative team, Brusati spent 27 years with The New School in New York City.
FUNDRAISER BENEFITS OPEN DOOR FOUNDATION Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford and its members recently teamed up with Open Door Family Medical Centers at its annual charity fundraiser. This year’s event, It’s a Small World, helped jump-start the Open Door Medical Centers Baby Box program, raising more than $36,000. Open Door is a federally qualified health center that provides top-quality, prevention-focused health care for low-income people in Westchester and Putnam counties regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. No one is ever turned away. Dr. Daren Wu, chief medical officer of Open Door Foundation and Dr. Karen Murray, head of Women’s Health for Open Door Foundation, shared their passion
and appreciation during the event, which was chaired by long-standing members of Knollwood Country Club, Diana and Peter Goodrich. Open Door helps more than 50,000 children and adults who will get essential medical attention and support services that would otherwise be beyond their reach. Open Door’s Baby Box is filled with basic newborn essentials, such as diapers, blankets, clothes, board books and a medical kit. The box is lined with a waterproof mattress, which can be used as a baby crib. The box also includes coupons for Open Door’s parenting and wellness programs, along with bi-lingual parenting information. For information, contact Open Door Foundation 914-502-1416.
JUNIOR LEAGUE DOUBLES THE IMPACT OF #GIVINGTUESDAY
WARTBURG HOSTS ALZHEIMER’S SEMINAR
The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) characterizes its fundraising efforts on #GivingTuesday (the global day of giving back, Nov. 29) as an unprecedented success. As part of this initiative, the JLCW raised more than $10,000 and secured an additional donation of 2,500 diapers for the JLCW’s Westchester County Diaper Bank. The diaper donation came through a challenge initiated by one of JLCW sponsors, the GEICO local office in Yonkers, which agreed to match each monetary donation received by the JLCW on #GivingTuesday with a donation of 50 diapers. The JLCW’s Westchester County Diaper Bank provides free diapers to help needy families who often are forced to choose whether to buy food, pay rent or buy for diapers.
Wartburg, the inpatient and outpatient care center in Mount Vernon, recently hosted an interactive seminar, “Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: An Integrative Perspective.” It took place in the Wartburg’s Gatz Conference Center in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, Burke Medical Research Institute, Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (CenterLight Health System) and Pace University. The seminar attracted health care professionals, community members, religious leaders, caregivers, residents, board members and staff. “As underscored by the participants in this seminar, supporting families and letting them know they are not alone is a gift, especially for the professionals who are dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research
“It was our pleasure to help JLCW donors double their impact with this diaper challenge,” stated Weezie Mullaly, owner of the GEICO office. “We are committed to giving back and making our community stronger, and this opportunity to support the JLCW had far-reaching impact.” The JLCW has programs that promote health, literacy and good nutrition to Head Start children, provide 12,000 diapers each month to needy families, ensure that low-income mothers have basic necessities for their newborns and teach leadership skills to teens at risk. “The JLCW is celebrating its 70th anniversary and the community support exhibited on #GivingTuesday was an ideal way to acknowledge this milestone,” said JLCW President Meridith Alin.
and caregiving,” said David J. Gentner, Wartburg president and CEO. Angela Ciminello, Wartburg vice president of development and marketing was moderator of the event. She said, “Wartburg was proud to host another free educational event on this topic. With half of those 65 or older experiencing memory impairment, it is more important than ever to provide information and resources to our community so they can get the help they need, when they need it.” Topics included identifying the early warning signs of the illness, and the special challenges faced by caregivers in providing care for those with early-stage, middlestage and late-stage Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. To view the seminar, visit Wartburg’s Facebook page.
WCBJ
DECEMBER 19, 2016
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