The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health News 10/20/2021

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GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club team members take a break from working on the garden border at Camp Idlewild in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Garden aims to create peaceful setting
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has undertaken a large, special project in creating a sensory garden, from scratch, at Camp Idlewild in Land O’ Lakes.

The camp serves as a setting for autistic children, and the club chose the garden project to provide a colorful, fun space with a calm atmosphere for the campers.

Club members have provided benches, borders, a gravel pathway, an interesting sculpture, and two garden arches and a wooden Ms. Catie Pillar ‘train’ (made by David Bellingar).

Plants soon will be placed to attract butterflies, too.

The garden is still a work in progress, coming along in stages.

For information about the woman’s club and membership opportunities, visit their Facebook page, or GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

Skin cancer treatment
Skin cancer is the country’s most prevalent kind of cancer and often involves surgery, which can cause deformity, significant pain, long recovery periods, scarring, and discontinuation of    medications.

ForCare Medical Center, 15416 N. Florida Ave., in Tampa, now offers electron-beam therapy for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma skin cancers, according to a news release.

The therapy requires no cutting or downtime, and may be less painful than surgery itself.

Electron-beam therapy allows precise depth control and tight borders, especially around sensitive areas such as eyelids, lips and ears.

And, patients do not need to stop taking medication, as they may have to if undergoing surgery, according to Dr. Seth Forman, in the release.

For information, visit ForCareMed.com, or call 813-960-2400.

Board chair named
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s nonprofit Board of Directors has named Meredith Freeman as its chair for the 2022 financial year, according to a news release.

Freeman has voluntered as a member of the board since 2017. In previous years, she served on the executive committee as the board secretary and chair-elect.

“The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay provides critical services to our community, from recent efforts to help residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, to helping those in crisis through the 211 crisis hotline. I am humbled and honored to be selected by my fellow board members to serve as chair of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay,” said Freeman, in the release

Moffitt and Pasco Schools have big plans

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Pasco County Schools and Moffitt Cancer Center envision great possibilities of working together when the school district builds its planned 6-12 magnet STEAM school on land near Moffitt’s planned campus in Land O’ Lakes.

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, recently updated the school board about a meeting between school district and Moffitt staff members.

“We had our first real, live, meeting with the administrative staff of Moffitt Cancer Center. And, it went really very, very well,” Gadd told the school board on Oct. 5.

“On the Angeline property, as the crow flies, is kind of back behind Land O’ Lakes High School, Moffitt is putting in a hospital and a big research center, and we have a school right across the street,” Gadd said.

“That school, we’ll start construction on that, I think, about mid-October. We’ll probably be the first building up out there. And, we are currently working with Moffitt and Pasco-Hernando State College to develop a very unique school setting.”

The campus will serve students in grades six through 12.

“More than likely, the upper classmen will have an opportunity to interact in the Moffitt hospital, with Moffitt researchers; (and) participate in apprentice programs and internships.

“It would be something that is very unique to the Pasco school system,” Gadd said, noting that Dr. Kim Moore, assistant superintendent who oversees the district’s career and technical programs, was at the meeting, as well as Dr. Monica Ilse, assistant superintendent for high schools, and Steve Hegarty, public information officer.

“We had a very, very positive reception from the Moffitt folks,” Gadd said.

In remarks to her school board colleagues, Cynthia Armstrong said it’s exciting “that we’re going to have a magnet school right next to their campus, which is going to be huge. So, we’re very excited about that.”

That meeting was a follow-up to a previous session between Gadd and Dr. Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt.

Gadd previously briefed school board members about his meeting with Hwu.

During that briefing, Gadd told board members that he’d “heard through the grapevine that he (Hwu) was a big supporter of education, public education.”

But Gadd added: “My meeting with him was beyond expectations. I went there with a few ideas and he had hundreds of ideas about how our new STEM magnet in the Angeline area could be a partner with Moffitt.”

Gadd noted: “We’d have to work through all kinds of legal issues, as he and I discussed, but having students actually sit in, participate in procedures, surgeries, internships. Having graduate students and doctors actually come to the school building and teach courses and work with us, district-wide on virtual programs for kids, who are in nursing programs, health programs, biomedical engineering and those kinds of things.

“He was exuberant, and we made arrangements to connect my staff with his staff. I am really looking forward to the potential we have to work with Moffitt,” Gadd said.

Funding for the construction of the district’s planned 6-12 school in Land O’ Lakes was approved on Oct. 5, when the school board adjourned, then reconvened as the Pasco County School Board Leasing Corporation to approve $85 million in financing that will pay for the lease‐purchase financing of that school, and projects Hudson and Gulf high schools.

The new Angeline mixed-use community — which is being billed as a wellness-themed community — will be developed on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Moffitt plans to create a massive research and corporate innovation district.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

The school district’s new school in Angeline will be designed for 1,694 student stations, which at 90% capacity translates to about 1,530 students, according to a previous report in The Laker/Lutz News.

The school board hired Ajax Building Company at its Sept. 15, 2020 meeting to do pre-construction work at the 6-12 STEAM school site.

The school is planned on an 18.8-acre site within Angeline, south of State Road 52, north of the future Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard, according to Ajax’s website.

“Campus plans include a one-story administration area, a one-story dining and multipurpose area with a full kitchen, two-story media, band and art areas, and a four-story classroom wing, with all areas connected by a one-story and two-story atrium/central corridor, the website post says.

The site development also includes “walkway canopies, aluminum shade system, fencing, walking trail, sidewalks, chiller/generator plan, site lighting, underground utilities, landscaping and irrigation,” according to information posted by Ajax.

Harvard Jolly is the architect on the school district project.

Published October 13, 2021

Ray Gadd named to state task force

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Ray Gadd

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, has been named to a state task force seeking solutions to address mental health and substance abuse issues.

Gadd told members of the Pasco County School Board, at their Oct. 5 meeting, that he had been appointed by Senate President Wilton Simpson to serve on the Senate Commission on Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

“It’s made up of people that represent education and community mental health from all across the state. We meet about once a month for the next two years,” Gadd said.

The task force has high hopes for improving the coordination of efforts by school systems and community mental health organizations in taking on these problems, rather than using a silo approach, he said.

“I’m hopeful that some really good things will come out of that task force,” Gadd said.

He also invited board members and district staff to bring issues to his attention that he can present in task force discussions.

Published October 13, 2021

Woman’s club donates special gift

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(Courtesy of Shantel Meyers)

The GFWC Wesley Chapel Woman’s Club recently hosted guest speakers from Idlewild Autism Camp, who shared information about its programs for children and young adults — activities that include a weeklong summer camp, as well as a weekend camp in the fall and spring. The women’s club donated $300 to sponsor a weekend camper, as a special gift to help a family struggling to get a child into Camp Idlewild. From left: Linda Jenkins, GFWC; Idewild staff Nathan Stowers, Sherri Sherman and Irene Roach; Cindi Nalon, GFWC; Shantel Meyers (holding check), GFWC; and Idewild staff Wendy Neal and Mariah Pasko.

New surgical center

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AdventHealth leaders and members of the Taneja family cut the ribbon on the new facility. (Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

AdventHealth leaders cut the ribbon on the new $300 million Taneja Center for Surgery at AdventHealth Tampa, the largest surgical expansion in Tampa Bay history, according to a news release.

The 314,000-square-foot surgical tower is a state-of-the-art facility built to expand for Florida’s growing population, and for larger robotics needed for intricate surgical cases requiring multiple surgeons.

New additions include:

  • 18 new, 750-square-foot operating rooms
  • A negative-pressure ante room outside of the operating room to keep surgeons and patients safe during infectious cases
  • Indigo clean lighting to allow for disinfection even during surgeries
  • Livestreaming pathology in the operating room
  • 96 new, private patient rooms

The Taneja Center will begin surgical cases on Oct. 12.

Teen panel addresses problems facing youths

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A trio of Pasco County high schoolers gathered over the summer to share their perspective on youth drug use, mental health and other issues facing their peers — both on school campuses and in the community at large.

The teen activists — Land O’ Lakes High School’s Jocelyn Meriwether, Fivay High School’s Avery Merta and Gulf High School’s Maddie Horn — are part of a group called Safe Teens Against Drugs, or STAND, in Pasco County.

They have a straightforward mission: To end youth substance abuse in the area by educating teachers, law enforcement, business owners and other community members.

They do this by sharing their observations and by suggesting solutions.

The youth group is facilitated by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (Pasco ASAP), which arranged a virtual panel discussion.

Members of Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) shared insights during a panel conducted during the summer on youth drug use, mental health and other issues facing their peers in Pasco County. Their testimony came during a virtual panel discussion organized by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (Pasco ASAP). (Courtesy of Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention)

“The mission of STAND is to really empower youth to be agents of change, by strengthening their voices,” Pasco ASAP’s coalition coordinator Kellie Rodriguez said, during the session.

Incorporating adolescent voices in the discussion is critical, she said.

Drug use in schools
The teens’ testimonies of what’s happening within their respective public schools were revealing for health service providers and other stakeholders. That was particularly true regarding the pervasiveness and accessibility of drugs.

Merta asserted students at Fivay High have access to all types of illicit substances — including cocaine, Percocet and LSD.

“A lot of kids get their hands on things they shouldn’t have,” the 17-year-old junior said. “There’s people getting hands on literally everything at my school.”

Horn said marijuana vapes and edibles are an issue at Gulf High School, and beyond.

The 15-year-old sophomore shared a story about a classmate openly selling marijuana-laced brownies to other students in one of her art classes last year.

“It was just wild to see,” Horn said. The sale was out in the open, but because it was a brownie, the teacher wasn’t suspicious.

The prevalence of marijuana vaping is concerning, too, she said.

Horn said these so-called weed pens have been found to have higher concentrations of THC — tetrahydrocannabinol — the main active ingredient of cannabis.

The troubling trend hits close to home for Horn, whose cousin became addicted to the weed pens and experienced withdrawal symptoms.

It was hard to watch, Horn said.

Smoking marijuana remains “one of the biggest drug-related issues” in schools, according to Meriwether, a high school junior and STAND Pasco president.

She said some Land O’ Lakes High students have strategically teamed up to visit different school restrooms simultaneously so if one gets caught, not all of the drugs are confiscated.

Offending students, however, rarely ever were discovered and punished, Meriwether observed.

“Getting caught was not common,” she said.

More school accountability needed
The students also pointed to the need for adults in the Pasco County school district to play a more active role in curbing illicit drug use.

More teachers need to routinely check school restrooms between passing periods “to make sure no one’s doing (anything),” Merta suggested.

Meriweather and Horn said teachers need to listen to what students are saying and pay attention to what they are doing.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve been in class and students are like talking very loudly about what they’re about to go do in the bathrooms…and our teachers just kind of overlook it, or kind of don’t react or don’t say anything,” Meriweather said.

She said teachers and other adults should step in and say: “Hey, I hear what you’re talking about. Let’s not do that, you know.’”

More empathy for teens needed
Another major complaint the panelists expressed centered on the general lack of empathy from teachers, guidance counselors and other school-support staff when students experience a panic attack or other mental health episode.

Marijuana usage remains an issue throughout Pasco County high schools, according to a group of students from Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND). (File)

“A lot of times, I’ll be having a panic attack and our teachers will be like, ‘Oh, you need to get back to work, you need to stop doing that,’” Horn said. “It’s really discouraging because I’m going through something and I have these really big emotions and big thoughts, and sometimes I can’t handle (them) on my own.”

Merta agreed: “Most of the teachers actually cause more anxiety by pressuring you into doing something.”

Merta explained — a student can be experiencing some type of anxiety, and instead of helping, the reaction might be: “Do your work. Do this. Do that.’”

Although the counselor at his school is supportive, Merta said, the counselor simply can’t devote enough time to students.

“You can only talk for like 10 to 15 minutes, so it’s not really something that’s worth it,” Merta explained.

Meriwether said it can take more than two weeks to get in to see a guidance counselor at Land O’ Lakes High School.

That’s not helpful during the middle of a panic attack, she said.

Pasco County Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick chimed in, too.

She agreed with the panel that students need to have easy access to counselors.

“Yeah, they might be working on a specific topic right then, but they should be able to stop what they’re doing and help address a student, because a student is priority,” Fitzpatrick said.

She recommends that teachers be given mental health and anxiety de-escalation training.

Some positive steps forward
Students said they have seen progress, both at school and in the community.

Fivay has installed smoke detectors that can locate vapes, Merta said.

The school district also is instituting human trafficking educational programming at the end of each school year, Merta said.

Meriwether commended the positive presence of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office’s in schools and in the community. Deputies routinely ask how they can help better serve the area, the teen said.

Horn appreciates the welcoming attitude that Pasco County Schools has toward groups such as STAND.

The group has been invited to elementary and middle schools where information is shared on an array of topics, she said.

The plan to use COVID-19 relief funds to bring on 27 mental health counselors is a good step, Horn said.

To find out more about these issues or STAND, visit EmpoweredCommunities.org, or email .

Published September 22, 2021

Heart monitoring goes wireless

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AdventHealth Tampa has performed its first wireless monitoring sensor implant to help physicians manage heart failure patients remotely, according to a news release.

The FDA-approved procedure is designed to reduce hospital admissions by 58% and improve quality of life for patients.

The CardioMEMS HF System sensor is about the size of a paper clip. (Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

“This innovative technology is opening up a new chapter in how we treat patients with heart failure,” said Dr. Oliver Abela, cardiologist at AdventHealth Tampa, in the release.

“We are committed to elevating cardiovascular care in our community and adding (the) CardioMEMS HF System allows us to treat heart failure patients from a distance and, proactively, personalize their medical needs,” said Dr. Abela.

The minimally invasive procedure allows physicians to insert a small sensor (the size of a paper clip) into the patient’s pulmonary artery.

Once implanted, the patient goes home with a queen-sized pillow device that connects wirelessly to the sensor, allowing physicians to monitor the patient’s heart failure status from anywhere.

Patients usually can be discharged from the hospital four hours after the procedure, and can make a full recovery in a week.

The sensor is designed to last the lifetime of the patient and does not require batteries.

Health News 09/15/2021

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(Courtesy of Shantel Meyer)

Supporting those in crisis
The GFWC Wesley Chapel Woman’s Club welcomed guest speaker Katie Rockman, from The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, to a recent meeting. Rockman, assistant director of development, spoke about the different ways the center helps people in need, including veterans speaking with veterans who suffer from PTSD, and assisting victims of violent crimes. Anyone in need of help can dial 211 on the phone and reach someone at The Crisis Center. The woman’s club also made a $500 donation to help with the center’s mission. From left: club treasurer Kim Hanscel, club president Cindi Nalon, and Katie Rockman.

NAMI Pasco seeks donations
NAMI Pasco (National Alliance on Mentall Illness) is asking for donations of the following items, for its office:

  • School supplies
  • Fall décor
  • Holiday décor
  • A couch (it would need to be delivered)
  • Things on its Amazon Wish List

For more information, email .

Brain aneurysm awareness
The Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation announced that Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a proclamation recognizing September as Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month.

The mission of the foundation is to raise awareness, and support and fund neurological research, training and treatment for brain aneurysms, strokes, and other cerebrovascular conditions in honor of Trinity Love Hoblit who passed away in 2015 at the age of 14 from a ruptured brain aneurysm.

“We are honored that Governor DeSantis has issued the proclamation,” said Olivia Hoblit, president and founder of the foundation, in a news release.

“Compared to other conditions like cardiac arrest and stroke, most people have little awareness about the signs and symptoms of a brain aneurysm. Just like a heart attack or a stroke, a ruptured brain aneurysm is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Awareness is the beginning of prevention, and we are tremendously grateful to Governor Ron DeSantis for his support in spreading awareness across Florida,” said Hoblit.

For the full proclamation and additional information, visit tinyurl.com/fv9srckx.

Medical center recognized
The Medical Center of Trinity has been recognized by Healthgrades for:

  • 2021 Labor and Delivery Excellence Award
  • 2021 for Superior Performance in Labor and Delivery
  • Among the Top 10% of Hospitals Evaluated for Labor and Delivery in 2021
  • Five-Star Recipient for Vaginal Delivery for Seven Years in a Row (2015-2021)
  • Five-Star Recipient for C-Section Delivery for Seven Years in a Row (2015-2021)

“We are proud to offer expectant moms in the Tampa Bay area quality women’s services, which keep them close to home,” said Dr. Corbi Milligan, chief medical officer, in a news release.

“From Labor and Delivery, Level II Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), Maternal Fetal Medicine and the continuation of these five-star awards, families can trust Medical Center of Trinity for the birth of their baby,” said Milligan.

To help consumers evaluate and compare hospital performance, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcomes data for hospitals across 16 states that provide all-payer state data for years 2017 through 2019. Healthgrades found that the variation in hospital performance makes a significant difference in terms of clinical outcomes.

St. Joseph’s Hospitals in top 100
The group of five St. Joseph’s Hospitals, including St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Luz, was named among the nation’s Top 100 hospitals by Fortune/IBM Watson Health.

This is the fourth consecutive year that St. Joseph’s Hospitals has earned the honor, and the fifth time overall.

The four other hospitals included in the recognition are St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, all in Tampa, and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview.

“It is an honor to be recognized as one of the Top 100 hospitals in the U.S.,” said Tom Garthwaite, president of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in a news release.

“This award speaks to the dedication of our medical staff and team members who work to improve the health care for our North Hillsborough and East/Central Pasco communities. The Top 100 award recognizes quality care, great patient outcomes as well as our patient’s experience. By focusing on our patients, we provide true patient-centered care in a pleasant, healing environment,” said Garthwaite.

For the first time, this year’s ranking of top hospitals also introduced a measure of hospitals’ contributions to community health with a focus on equity developed by a team of experts at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In BayCare’s most recent annual report, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North contributed approximately $12.1 million that went to charity care, unreimbursed care and direct community services. St. Joseph’s Hospital-North has also provided essential items and holiday gifts to families at the San Jose Mission in Dover.

For more information on the Top 100 hospitals, visit 100tophospitals.com.

Ending pandemic requires a unified effort

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Doctors are continuing to urge those who are eligible to get vaccinated, to mask up, to keep a social distance from others and to practice good hygiene — in a layered effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Doctors from the University of South Florida, BayCare and AdventHealth delivered that message in two separate virtual sessions held last week.

“As we opened the school year, it was truly what I call the perfect storm,” Dr. Christina Canody, pediatric service line medical director for BayCare said, during a Zoom call arranged by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents Florida’s 14th congressional district.

“Last year, when we opened, we had mandate mask requirements, we had some of the lowest rates of infectivity, positivity and prevalence that we had seen during the pandemic,” Canody said.

“This year, we were at absolute opposite ends of the spectrum.

“We were at very high prevalence and positivity rates, and we continue to see a large number of children impacted,” Canody said.

She emphasized that despite the tremendous increase in pediatric admissions to the hospital, that children generally have a less complicated course of treatment and pediatric death rates remain low.

However, she noted that the hospital chain had 180 pediatric admissions in August, which was the highest number, by far.

“The majority of those are cared for at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital,” the pediatrician said.

“We have seen an uptick in our emergency room visits, and in general, we still have capacity,” she said.

But the increase in pediatric cases, coupled with the surge in adult cases, puts a strain on health care workers, she said.

Previously, many of the hospital’s pediatric staff had transitioned to help care for adults, she said.

The hospitalization of a child also takes a toll on families — both emotionally and financially, and disrupts their daily lives, she said.

She also talked about the importance of children being able to go to school.

She noted that the social isolation during last school year has had a lasting effect on some children’s mental health.

She also noted that many people are coping with the death of relatives, colleagues or friends.

Canody emphasized the need to educate people about the seriousness of the pandemic.

She put it this way: “It’s going to continue to circulate as long as it continues to be transmitted. Most pandemics last, on average, three years.”

She underscored these steps to help reduce the spread:

  • Become fully vaccinated, if you’re eligible.
  • Wear a face mask. “It’s more important if a person who is infected wears one, but if you wear one as well, you can decrease your risk of being exposed to the virus,” she said.
  • Practice good hand hygiene. “For little kids, we try to encourage them to keep their hands to themselves and keep their things to themselves, and also to wash their hands frequently.”
  • Stay home, if you’re not feeling well.

“We all have to take care of each other,” Canody said. “It is a little defeating sometimes, when people don’t heed the message. And, I can be honest with you that personally, I’ve had family members who have been affected by this virus. I know people personally who have passed away from this virus.

“The majority of our patients in the hospital are unvaccinated and the majority of the deaths we are seeing now are unvaccinated.”

Dr. Jason Salemi, of the University of South Florida, noted “nine or 10 weeks ago we had about six children being hospitalized every day in the entire state, with COVID-19.

“We’ve had a (more than) 10-fold increase, where more recently, over the past seven days, it’s been about 66 children being hospitalized every day, with confirmed COVID-19,” Salemi said.

The USF doctor also shared statistics regarding numbers of people who are not fully vaccinated in Florida. He said those figures stand at 1 million, among those ages 12 to 17; 5.5 million for those 18 to 64; and 800,000 among those 65 and older.

There’s also 2.8 million children in Florida who are younger than 12 who cannot be vaccinated, he said.

“The most heavily vaccinated group in our society is our seniors, and they are realizing the benefits of vaccination more than any other group,” Salemi said.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce also hosted a Zoom session involving Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, and Dr. Rodrigo Torres, vice president and chief medical officer for the two hospitals.

Maggard told those listening that “about 90% of our admissions have not been vaccinated. So, the science really is proving true that vaccinations save lives, vaccinations prevent critical illness, so we really want to get the word out in the community and try to increase vaccination. That’s going to be our best way to get through this virus.”

She added that wearing masks continues to be important.

She also touched on the availability of a new monoclonal antibody treatment for patients who are 12 or older. The treatment can prevent hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients.

The state has opened a number of sites offering the treatment, including the Fasano Hurricane Shelter, at 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson.

AdventHealth also is offering it at its Dade City campus. (Call the hospital or check its website for details.)

Torres gave a brief history on the pandemic and touched on various strains of the virus.

While much has been reported about the Delta variant, Torres said there’s another strain, known as the lambda, which is being carefully watched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The lambda was identified in Peru at the end of last year, he said.

“It’s one that’s very virulent and it’s able to escape the mechanisms of how the vaccine works,” Torres said. “We believe that for the time being, we have a good control over this lambda variant, but this is one that actually concerns the CDC the most, out of all of these variants of interest.”

Torres also touched on the fact that the Pfizer vaccine has received FDA approval, and the hospital has recommended its staff get the third shot.

“The data has proven that on your third vaccine, you provide antibodies up to nine times the amount of what you normally would have produced just by keeping your two-vaccine regimen,” Torres said.

Published September 08, 2021

Health News 09/08/2021

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Thyroid cancer awareness
The Medical Center of Trinity is bringing attention to one of the fastest-growing incidences of cancer during national Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month (September).

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped small gland at the base of the neck that produces hormones to regulate metabolism.

Although symptoms vary, in addition to feeling or seeing a lump in the neck, the five signs of a thyroid condition include fatigue, weight changes, high cholesterol, hair loss, and neck discomfort.

Thyroid nodules are lumps or growths within the thyroid gland, and are more common in women, and increase in prevalence with age.

Not all nodules are cancerous.

During Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, the medical center encourages women to do neck checks and to make sure it is part of an annual medical exam If a person thinks symptoms are present, a thyroid evaluation with a doctor should be scheduled.

Preventive screenings
It’s important to make your health a priority.

When life gets busy, sometimes taking the time to schedule an appointment takes a backseat to just about everything else.

AdventHealth offers this list of important preventive screenings for women:

  • Annual Well Visit. Women of all ages should make a point to keep their annual well-woman visit, where a primary care provider can screen for a variety of diseases, assess the risk for future problems, discuss lifestyle habits, and make sure vaccinations are up to date.
  • Mammogram. Depending on risk factors and family history, annual mammograms likely will start between the ages of 40 and 50. Speak with a primary care provider to determine the screening schedule. Expect to undergo a yearly mammogram until age 75. The test can identify possible early signs of breast cancer.
  • Colonoscopy. In most cases, women should undergo regular colonoscopies (once every five to 10 years), starting at age 50 (possibly sooner based on personal risk factors and/or family history). The outpatient procedure, performed under sedation, can identify precancerous polyps or early cancerous cells so they can be removed.
  • Dental Exam and Cleaning. Dental exams are recommended for all individuals every six months, with X-rays once per year. Professional dental cleanings remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to tooth and gum disease. The dentist also checks for signs of tongue and mouth cancer. Problems with dental health can be an indication of other health problems, such as osteoporosis.
  • Cholesterol Screening. Most women should undergo regular cholesterol screenings starting at the age of 45. Screenings should start at age 20 if the person is a smoker, is obese, or has diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension) or heart disease. These screenings should be done every five years.
  • Pap Test and HPV Test. Most women should undergo an annual pap and HPV test until the age of 65. These tests screen for abnormalities that may indicate pre- or early cervical cancer. Testing positive for HPV can identify women who may be at risk to develop cervical cancer later on in life.
  • Skin Exam. Speak wih a primary care provider or dermatologist to determine a screening schedule. Undergoing regular skin exams enables the health care provider to track worrisome moles, lumps or bumps, along with identifying and treating early signs of skin cancer.

AdventHealth encourages women to talk to a trusted health provider about scheduling all necessary screenings.