Health

NAMI Pasco raises more than $34,000

June 14, 2022 By Mary Rathman

The pups of NAMI Walks Your Way Pasco show off their tutus on walk day. From left: Casey, Pixie and Bailey. (Courtesy of Timothy Proulx)

NAMI Pasco hosted its first ever NAMI Walks Your Way Pasco, in May. Although the event was virtual, key sponsors and NAMI supporters met in person, to stream the kickoff live to Facebook.

David Snyder was the master of ceremonies and Debbie L. Proulx, NAMI’s executive director, explained the way the funds will be used, and thanked the sponsors and key supporters.

A total of 184 registered walkers and 23 teams took part, according to a news release.

NAMI Pasco is not funded by its national organization. It will use the $34,349 raised to continue to offer its free support groups, education classes, and health and wellness coaching, said Proulx, the release.

She said it’s a boost to participants in NAMI’S free programs to witness the community’s support, and said it can help them feel less alone.

She noted that many who joined in, or donated, did so in honor of a loved one who is no longer here because of suicide. Those suicides that may have been prevented if they had been connected with services offered through NAMI, Proulx said, in the release.

Timothy squared: Timothy Proulx Sr., with NAMI Pasco’s therapy dog Timothy Proulx Jr. (Courtesy of Debbie Proulx)

Two participants ‘walked their way’ while skydiving for the NAMI Walks Your Way Pasco event. (Courtesy of Debbie Proulx)

These sponsors share a selfie, during the NAMI Walks event. Bottom: Sandra Wright, left, and Molina Xiomara Rivera. Top: Erik Gooden, left, and Eddie Williams. (Courtesy of Debbie Proulx)

Health News 06/08/2022

June 7, 2022 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

**Alyssa Smith, AdventHealth community health liaison, trained Rotary Club members on how to perform hands-only CPR. (COURTESY OF ADVENTHEALTH WEST FLORIDA DIVISION)**

CPR CAN HELP SAVE LIVES

AdventHealth is getting “hands on” to help Pasco County save lives.

Alyssa Smith, AdventHealth community health liaison, spent a day training members of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel on how to perform hands-only CPR.

According to the American Heart Association, about 90 percent of people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

Hands-only CPR can be as effective in the

first few minutes as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in public, and if performed immediately, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

AdventHealth’s ongoing hands-only CPR training is part of the hospital’s commitment to not only care for the community when they are sick, but also to keep them well.

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will host a free child- birth and newborn care class on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at AdventHealth Wellness Center.

The guest speaker will be Natalie Farrell, registered nurse and childbirth educator.

For information and to register, call 877-534- 3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

MEDICARE FRAUD

Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion per year, and costs its beneficiaries in time, stress, their medical identities, and even their health. It costs families, friends and caregivers in worry and lost work when helping their loved ones recover from falling victim to Medicare fraud, according to an AAAPP (Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas) news release.

Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones by joining the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) and its partners for the first-ever Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, June 5 to June 11, in conjunction with the SMP program’s 25th anniversary.

The week kicked off on June 5, or “6-5,” be- cause most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn 65 years old.

Senior Medicare Patrol helps to educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers to prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse, through out- reach, counseling and education.

An SMP can answer questions, concerns or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. To volunteer for the program, contact Geralyn Fortney at 727-570-9696, ext. 234, or .

MEDICARE SESSIONS

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas.

Volunteers can assist with Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance questions, through one-on- one counseling and information. Services are free, unbiased and confidential.

Upcoming Zoom sessions are scheduled for:

• June 15 at 10 a.m.: Medical Financial Assistance

• June 15 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Part C Advantage Plans

• June 21 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Long Term Care

• June 22 at 10 a.m.: Medicare Part C Advantage Plans

• June 22 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Part D Drug Plan

• June 29 at 10 a.m.: Medicare Basics

• June 29 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Financial Assistance

For more information and access to meetings, please contact Geralyn Fortney at , or call 727-570-9696, ext. 234.

BREAST-FEEDING BASICS

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will offer a class on breast-feeding basics on June 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at AdventHealth Wellness Center Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker will be registered nurse Janna Hardiman.

For information or to register, call 877-534- 3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

CARDIAC SURGERY RANKING

HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has ranked No. 3 in Florida for Cardiac Surgery, according to a new analysis released by Healthgrades, a resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.

For state ranking, Healthgrades evaluated clinical performance for nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide focusing on eight key specialties across a mix of chronic, urgent, and planned clinical areas, a news release said.

“Being recognized as a top Cardiac Surgery hospital in Florida is a huge honor for our team at Bayonet Point Hospital,” said CEO, Gina Temple, in the release.

“I’m extremely proud of our Cardiac Surgical Team, and all of our caregivers who support our multiple Cardiac Programs,” said Temple.

Hospitals recognized as among the top ranked in their state by Healthgrades are providing patients with measurably superior clinical outcomes.

Access to quality information can inform and empower consumers in their decision-making process, and direct them to the best care.

Consumers can visit Healthgrades.com, to learn more on how Healthgrades measures hospital quality.

MEN’S HEALTH SEMINAR

A free talk on men’s health will be presented on June 16 at 2 p.m., at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

The guest speakers will be Dr. Matthew Moralle, Dr. Patrick Guthrie, Dr. Jason Abdallah and Dr.FarhanRehman.

KNEE REPLACEMENTS

A free health talk on knee replacements will be presented on June 29 at noon, at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Gerald “Trey” Alexander.

Health News 06/01/2022

May 31, 2022 By Mary Rathman

The Structural Heart Team and physicians at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital celebrate the completion of their 100th Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER). (Courtesy of HCA Healthcare)

A hospital milestone
HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital’s Structural Heart Team, and Dr. Keshav Ramireddy and Dr. Rami Akel recently completed their 100th Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER), according to a news release.

TEER is an innovative procedure that has significally reduced the risk of heart failure in the patients who have undergone the treatment, the release said.

As technology and experience has grown, recent studies have demonstrated excellent outcomes after the TEER procedure and proven efficacy in reducing the mitral valve regurgitation.

In TEER, a clipping device is used. This is a minimally invasive approach through the femoral vein to treat the leakage of the mitral valve without having to conduct open-heart surgery.

After transcatheter valve repair, patients typically recover in the hospital and go home the next day.

HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital is one of only four programs in the Tampa area to have completed 100 TEER procedures, the release said.

31Hospital achieve an ‘A’
All AdventHealth hospital locations in Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties have achieved an “A” patient safety grade by the Leapfrog Group, according to a news release.

The safety grade is awarded based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harms to patients in their care.

AdventHealth implemented and enhanced several division-wide processes to keep patients safe, including elevating best practices in bar code scanning as a safety net to assure that the right patient receives the right medication every time. This effort is just one of many initiatives in place to ensure patient safety.

The hospitals in the West Florida Division to receive an “A” include: AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

Enhanced mental health help
Through a partnership with AdventHealth, BayCare, Tampa General Hospital, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and USF Health, and supported by the Hillsborough County Commission, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, and Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation, Tampa Bay Thrives announced new access points for individuals seeking short-term appointments for their mental health, according to a news release.

The Let’s Talk line, launched last year, provides the first step in helping callers figure out what support they might need for their mental health.

This new extension to service now has several additional options to connect directly to help. This includes:

short-term telehealth bridge counseling for individuals facing long wait times to get into their first appointment. This service is provided by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry.
an appointment at one of 10 local AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens locations, where a staff member will assess needs and provide referral to a telehealth counselor for additional support
a referral to a licensed counselor at Tampa General’s Urgent Care powered by Fast Track on Water Street in Tampa, to help navigate next steps
a connection to a licensed clinical social worker at Northside Behavioral Health Center who will provide in-person help to pave the path to feeling better

All of these options are available by calling Let’s Talk at 844-YOU-OKAY. The confidential support for mental health is free and available 24/7.

Health News 05/25/2022

May 24, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Dr. Chetan Khamare, cardiologist at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)

Innovative procedure performed
St. Joseph’s Hospital is performing Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), an innovative minimally invasive procedure for coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death in the United States, according to a news release.

Shockwave lithotripsy, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021, uses ultrasonic pressure waves to break up calcium buildup in heart arteries. The procedure may eliminate the need for open-heart surgery, in some cases, the release said.

Candidates for IVL may have a significant narrowing of the heart or substantial heart muscle weakness.

As people with coronary artery disease get older and the disease advances, calcium in the arteries hardens and restricts blood flow. This makes it difficult to install stents (tiny metal scaffolds that can open blocked arteries).

In the shockwave technology, a catheter is placed in the artery and inflates a balloon at low pressure. Shockwave then transmits ultrasonic pressure waves that delicately break down the calcium deposits. After the calcifications are broken, the balloon is expanded to prepare the artery for stenting, to restore blood flow.

The IVL is the second recent, newer cardiovascular procedure now being performed at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. The hospital announced last year that it also performs TCAR, a surgery for carotid artery disease.

From left, Natalie Milanovic, Allan Reimann, Dr. Chetan Khamare, Jessica Schoonover and Rebecca Anderson — the group is involved in performing shockwave lithotripsies at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)

A depiction of a shockwave catheter in an artery.

Mental health services
AdventHealth has announced the expansion of its mental health focus outside of the primary care setting, during a press conference with Tampa Bay Thrives and additional community partners, according to a news release.

The health system will expand its care to provide same-day access to a mental health clinician at 10 AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens locations across Tampa Bay, via telehealth.

“Mental health is a crisis and because it’s so important to meet the people where they are to provide both physical and mental health care, we’ve embedded immediate telehealth mental health services within our own teams and with the communities we serve,” said John Johannessen, senior executive officer of Non-Acute Care, AdventHealth West Florida Division, in the release.

Currently, AdventHealth physician practices at AdventHealth Care Pavilion New Tampa connect patients with expert mental health clinicians to receive same-day behavioral health treatment, via phone or video visit, from the privacy of their home.

Stroke awareness
May is Stroke Awareness Month, and the Department of Health-Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) wants the public to know the risk factors, symptoms, and how to prevent a stroke.

Timely treatment for a stroke is to know and understand the warning signs, as described by the B.E. F.A.S.T. acronym.

Balance: Is the person suddenly having trouble with balance or coordination?
Eyes: Is the person experiencing suddenly blurred or double vision or a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
Face: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
Arms: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech: Is speech slurred, is the person unable to speak, or is the person hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, such as “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately.

Risk factors for stroke that can be changed, treated or medically managed include: High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, unhealthy diet, high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use, and excessive weight.

DOH-Pasco recommends routine checkups for blood pressure and make overall health screenings a top priority.

Health News 05/18/2022

May 17, 2022 By Mary Rathman

‘Pirates’ lead the way
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, together with its teen-sponsored club, GFWC Little Women of Lutz, participated in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraiser. This year’s team theme was ‘Pirates of the Cure-ibbean.’ Despite torrential downpours during the event, more than $1,200 was raised to benefit reserarch to find a cure for cancer. For more information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Thunderbug visit
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently celebrated with the nursing staff at AdventHealth Tampa during National Nurse’s Week. The team’s mascot, ThunderBug, stopped by the hospital ahead of a playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, to cheer on the nurses and thank them for their ongoing care and compassion to the community.

The hospital spent the week highlighting the ongoing commitment of the nurses, as they work to care for patients who need them most.

AdventHealth is the Official Health and Wellness Partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Health News 05/11/2022

May 10, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Recognizing moms, on their special day
Members of the GFWC Wesley Chapel Woman’s Club handmade a sign and wrote Mother’s Day cards for the ladies at Orchid Cove nursing home in Dade City. The nursing home staff gave the cards, with a flower, to the moms in their facility. The woman’s club wanted all the moms to know that they were thought of on their special day. From left: Nancy Stikes, Linda Jenkins, Roberta Millard, Shantel Meyers, Liz Chavez and Marie Ambrosino.

Donate to CARES
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will feature CARES (Community Aging & Retirement Services) as its charitable organization for the month of May, and accept donations.

CARES provides services to vulnerable seniors who need meals, home health care, home maintenance, and help with pet care.

“Your kindness will help families in Pasco County who need in-home health services, adult day care and assistance for family members who need a break from the stressful demands of caregiving,” said Jemith Rosa, CARES president and CEO, in a news release.

“Your generosity will help frail elderly people in Pasco County, who are facing illness, hunger, and isolation. Additionally, the family members and caregivers need help as well,” said Rosa.

All proceeds from this promotional effort wil benefit the CARES We Help campaign.

For information about CARES and its services, call Jemith Rosa at 727-863-6868, or visit CARESFL.org.

For more about the promotional and charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Hospital certified ‘green’
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s energy efficiency is good for the environment and the hospital, according to a news release.

The Lutz hospital has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, a certification that is a globally recognized symbol of environmental sustainability, the release said.

In addition, the hospital also received an Energy to Care Award from the American Society for Health Care Engineering, for energy consumption reduction.

The hospital’s Facilities Department submitted a report summarizing St. Joseph’s significant energy reduction from May 2015 to October 2021.

Highlights of the report include:

The hospital reduced energy use by 20% over that time. The energy reduction happened despite the hospital adding more than 100,000 square feet from an expansion that was completed in March 2020.
The hospital reduced carbon dioxide use by nearly 13,000 metric tons.
Greenhouse gas avoidance by the hospital during the period was the equivalent of removing 2,673 cars from the road; 1,157 homes off the energy grid; and eliminating 68 railcars of coal.
Cost savings to the hospital from reduction in electricity and natural gas was more than $1.3 million.

John Young, the hospital’s facility manager, said in the release: “Efficiences in air conditioning played the biggest role in the energy reduction.

“In areas that were unoccupied or were in non-peak usage, we are able to ramp down the air conditioning in those spaces. Air conditioning is the highest energy consumer,” Young said.

Another significant energy savings was the use of LED lighting in the visitor and team member parking lots for the hospital and physician office building. LED lights also are economical and better for nighttime safety.

“The Green Hospital design allows St. Joseph’s Hospital-North to not only be a leader in health care technology and services, but to also be a good neighbor and community partner,” said Tom Garthwaite, hospital president, in the release.

Cultural center receives grant
The Carrollwood Cultural Center will increase accessibility for blind and low-vision patrons using $15,000 awarded through the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay Competitive Grant for the fiscal year 2022.

The center will use the grant money to purchase a new assistive listening system.

The grant also will enable the center to train people who will offer live audio description services to audience members who are blind or have low vision.

Audio description is a live narration of the visual elements of a performance, such as lights, costumes, actions, textures, and scenery.

The new system also will enable hard-of-hearing patrons to tune into a high-quality audio stream through the center’s wireless network. The patron then can access the frequency through an application on their cellphone.

The center plans to start offering audio descriptive services during the final two shows of its 2021-2022 theatrical season, with Roald Dahl’s “Matilda, the Musical” July 15 to July 24, and “First Date” Sept. 16 to Sept. 25.

The Carrollwood Cultural Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission of creating culture throughout community, and community through culture, a news release said.

Health News 05/04/2022

May 3, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Helping to fill a need at Oasis
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club recently toured the Oasis Pregnancy Care Center in Land O’ Lakes. Dave Dorsey, Oasis development director, explained the center’s role in the community and how it serves expectant and new mothers. Within the center is a baby boutique to help new mothers stock up on baby items. The woman’s club donated a supply of maternity clothing, baby items, clothes, diapers and other needed equipment. From left: Pam Blumenthal, Dave Dorsey, Linda Mitchell and Joyce Humphrey. For information about the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org. For more about Oasis, call 813-406-4965.

CARES provides services to vulnerable seniors who need meals, home health care, home maintenance, and help with pet care.

“Your generosity will help frail elderly people in Pasco County, who are facing illness, hunger, and isolation. Additionally, the family members and caregivers need help as well,” said Rosa.

All proceeds from this promotional effort wil benefit the CARES We Help campaign.

For information about CARES and its services, call Jemith Rosa at 727-863-6868, or visit CARESFL.org.

For more about the promotional and charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

(Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

A little ‘elbow grease’ goes a long way
Nearly two dozen team members from AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills lent a helping hand to a single mom of four, to build her first home through the Habitat for Humanity Dream Builders Bash. Team members assisted first-time homebuyer Bellvis Hooks to install siding.

AdventHealth focuses on growth, expansion

April 26, 2022 By Mike Camunas

When looking at AdventHealth Dade City’s chart, there’s a vast improvement.

Formerly known as Florida Hospital Dade City, AdventHealth took over four years ago and has spent $22 million on a major makeover.

AdventHealth Dade City, at 13100 Fort King Road, was purchased by the national health care system four years ago. It has undergone $22 million in renovations. (Mike Camunas)

The upgrade includes a $2 million expansion now being done to double the capacity of the pre-op and post-op ward, bringing the total to eight bays. That work is expected to be done by the end of the year.

When AdventHealth took over, the former hospital was fading.

Now, the 100-plus bed hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road, has been reinvigorated.

“Over the last four years, what we’ve done at Dade City has been a remarkable accomplishment and certainly transformative,” COO Shade Bedward said.

“When AdventHealth took over four years ago, it certainly was not performing financially, and only had six patients.

“Now, we have over 100 (patients) in house and see over 100 patients a day. The confidence and trust that the community has in us now is a tremendous achievement,” the hospital executive said.

Bedward was promoted on Feb. 27 to chief operating officer of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills. The latter is now considered a synergized-system sister hospital, a mere 7 ½ miles away, at 7050 Gall Blvd.

Bedward will serve in leadership and director roles at Zephyrhills and will serve as hospital administrator at Dade City.

In Dade City, he will oversee the day-to-day and strategic operations, and report directly to Amanda Maggard, AdventHealth president and CEO.

“Of course there have been a lot of challenges in the past 3 ½ years I’ve been here, but it’s also been a lot of fun work that benefits the community,” Bedward said.

AdventHealth, a faith-based, nonprofit health care system headquartered in Altamonte Springs, operates facilities in nine states.

It hit the ground running once taking over the Dade City location, Bedward said. The hospital was considered as being on its last leg, receiving a C grade from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.

Leapfrog is an annual voluntary survey in which hospitals report quality and safety data. It uses 22 evidence-based measures of patient safety, including how well hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, injuries and infections. Leapfrog then calculates a numerical score for all eligible hospitals in the United States, whether or not the hospital reports its data.

Over time, Dade City improved nearly every aspect of its facility, including transition care, which is people staying in the hospital for seven days to 14 days. That is now a five-star ranked unit and the only one ranked that high in East Pasco, Bedward said.

“We’re seeing top-notch quality. Across the board,” he said.

Moving forward, AdventHealth is working on recruiting an improved workforce and also on employee retention.

Those efforts include adequate market pay and benefits, student loans and tuition reimbursements, and company cultural celebrations to show appreciation.

Bedward hopes this inspires employees to stay in Dade City.

AdventHealth Dade City has evidence of its transformative rejuvenation.

It now has an A grade from LeapFrog.

“We focused on quality of care and culture company-wide,” Bedward said. “Guests walk in, and it feels warm and welcoming, and they get a very nice experience,” he said.

While gratified by the hospital’s accomplishments so far, efforts are ongoing, he said.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done. The growth is fast-paced and we plan to continue to keep growing,” Bedward said.

Published April 27, 2022

A symbol of hope

April 26, 2022 By Mary Rathman

The 37th annual Easter Service at AdventHealth Zephyrhills attracted more than 200 people.

Pastor Keith Smith, of Dade City Christian Church, presided during the service and the Dade City Christian Church provided music during the first live service, following virtual services two years in a row, according to a news release from the hospital.

The service also featured a dove release to symbolize love, peace and happiness for the world.

The hospital’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ was at the front of the service, the release said.

In a statement, Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Zephyrhills and AdventHealth Dade City, said: “Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of our king, Jesus Christ. It is a time to be thankful, hopeful, and an opportunity for a fresh start. The last two years have been filled with challenges, but with each challenge we have faced, we have had hope to help us overcome whatever was put in front of us. This year, we are even more hopeful that as a community, we will continue to rise above whatever comes our way. The fact that we are able to be here today in person, together, exemplifies our resilience as a community.”

Health News 04/20/2022

April 19, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Ron Graff and pet therapy dog Jackson (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Limited therapy pet visits resume
The pandemic has affected every aspect of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, including the hospital’s pet therapy program.

During COVID peaks and visitor restrictions and pandemic safety measures, the pet program for all patients and team members was suspended and stopped completely.

At other times, pet therapy was offered only for team members in restricted non-patient areas and outdoors.

And during lulls and periods of lower COVID presence, the program was available to some patients.

During the outbreak at the end of 2021 into early 2022, pet therapy again was shut down.

St. Joseph’s now is happy to report that some patients can resume visits with the furry friends, bringing back smiles and joy.

Jackson, a 7-year-old golden retriever, wore bunny ears for his pre-Easter visit to a hospital room, with his handler Ron Graff.

Beeping egg hunt a success
The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind hosted its annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt on April 9. Kids who are visually impaired searched for beeping eggs, while their sighted siblings looked for the regular eggs. At the end of the hunt, everyone exchanged their eggs for candy.

The Beeping Easter Egg Hunt is just one of Lighthouse’s many programs and activities for visually impaired youth. To learn more, Visit LVIB.org.

All aboard, for good causes
The Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills presented to a sold-out audience Maria Buckley’s production of ‘Murder on a Budget Cruise Line’ dinner theatre. Proceeds from the production were donated to the Healing Hearts Cafe and a domestic violence shelter. Club members and guests, from left, are: Emily Keene, Sue Trebour, Robin Burke, Brenda Dougherty, Peggy Berry, Missy Moon, Tammy Hanlon and Tom Dougherty.

Health resources
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has compiled commnity-based health resources on its website, to help serve citizens.

Resources are available for a variety of challenges that citizens may encounter, including mental health issues, houselessness, suicidal thoughts, and more.

The list was developed to give those seeking assistance a place to start when they may not know how.

For information, visit PascoSheriff.com, and click on “Community Based Resources.”

Wellness Center opens to the public
Saint Leo University on April 8 opened the doors of a $20 million, 59,500-square-foot Wellness Center that features an outdoor pool, basketball courts, state-of-the-art gym amenities and locker rooms, a cafe and more, to the public. ‘We anticipate offering a variety of fitness classes in the Mind, Body, Spirit Studio, Group X Studio, and Cycling Studio on an ongoing basis as well,’ said Kathleen Pantalone, executive director, Wellness Center Services and Events.