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Health

Health News 12/19/2018

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(Courtesy of SACFCU)

Giving campaign helps Sunrise
Each holiday season, the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union chooses a local children’s charity for its annual Santa’s Tree Giving Campaign. This year, the East Pasco county families in the programs of the Sunrise Domestic & Sexual Violence Programs were the recipients. SACFCU offices in San Antonio, Dade City, Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel decorated trees with gift tags requesting gift cards to donate. The cards were distributed to the parents in the programs so they could shop for their own children with guidance from the Sunrise staff. Combined, the offices collected 144 gift cards valued at $2,875.00. From left: Linda Wade, of Sunrise; Jill Evans, of SACFCU; and Vicki Wiggins, of Sunrise.

Hospital gets ‘A’ for patient safety
The Medical Center of Trinity was awarded an “A” from The Leapfrog Group’s Fall 2018 Hospital Safety Grade.

The designation recognizes the hospital’s efforts in protecting patients from harm and meeting the highest safety standards in the United States.

The Leapfrog Group is a national organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers.

Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F to hospitals across the country based on performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care.

To see the Medical Center of Trinity’s full grade details, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

Komen organization expands
Susan G. Komen South Florida, based in West Palm Beach, has expanded its reach to become Susan G. Komen Florida.

The new statewide organization will serve the entire state, except for Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, which will continue to be supported by Komen Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

The new Komen Florida will focus its work on saving the lives of more than 2,700 Florida women who die from breast cancer every year.

With key investments across the state, the affiliate will seek to impact approximately 13,700 women in Florida who are diagnosed each year, ensuring that the most vulnerable women have access to high-quality screenings, diagnostics and treatment.

As part of the affiliate’s launch, it is currently issuing a statewide grant request for proposals available on KomenFlorida.org. Organizations that support breast health education and screenings are encouraged to apply.

Swing for Charity
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s Swing for Charity Golf Tournament raised more than $18,000 for the American Heart Association Heart Walk.

The tournament took place at Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes.

Jonathan Jefferson, Bayonet Point Heart Walk chair and Swing for Charity tournament chairman said, in a release, “The success is due to a combined effort from all involved both with Regional Medical Center and by the community at large.”

 

Local agency helps people to stop smoking

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While some people wait until New Year’s Eve to make a resolution to quit smoking, experts say there’s no time like the present to get started on the effort.

Those who have tried to quit smoking understand the uphill battle in attempting to kick the habit to the curb.

But, help is available.

Through its tobacco cessation program, the National Area Health Education Center has been training health care professionals nationwide to help smokers overcome their addiction.

As part of the National Area Health Education Center, Nicole Kelly works as a specialist in helping smokers quit throughout Pasco County. (Courtesy of the Gulf Coast North Area Health Education Center)

In Florida alone, the organization has 10 centers covering all 67 counties.

The Gulf Coast North Area Health Education Center (GNAHEC) covers five counties, including Pasco.

Established in 1993, this center has long been affiliated with the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine. It provides resources to help end tobacco use.

The Gulf Coast center offers courses through funding provided by the Florida Department of Health.

“They contract with us to do the in-person group classes,” said Nicole Kelly, tobacco program manager for the center.

Kelly’s background in public health serving Pinellas County was put to good use when she joined the center’s staff in 2013.

After undergoing additional training for her position, she became certified in holding tobacco cessation programs – which aims to help smokers to kick the habit.

The Gulf Coast center offers two free tobacco cessation programs – ‘Tools to Quit’ and ‘Quit Smoking Now.’

‘Tools to Quit’ is a one-time, two-hour session that helps attendees to make plans and prepare to quit smoking.

Specialists, like Kelly, identify the withdrawal symptoms that are expected, how to deal with them as they arise and offer nicotine replacement therapy, if needed.

“We encourage them to set a quit date a week or two after class, so they don’t feel like they have to quit that day,” she explained.

One-time sessions are usually followed up with an evaluation to check on the person’s status seven months after the class.

While walk-ins are welcomed, those who plan to attend are asked to register in advance.

This helps to get an idea beforehand of how long they have been smoking, how often and if they have taken any medications.

‘Quit Smoking Now’ is a six-week program. Class members meet one hour each week.

It’s the same methodology as ‘Tools to Quit,’ but at a more gradual process.

Between classes, members are supposed to put into action the techniques and advice given.

At each session, they report their progress and, by the third week, are asked to quit cold turkey.

The Gulf Coast center is planning to implement a third program in January 2019, which would accommodate large classes at behavioral health sites.

Programs can be held at various locations from medical establishments to libraries.

“Most hospitals and health care systems don’t have tobacco cessation programs that they provide, so we fill that gap perfectly,” said Kelly.

The program also partners with establishments at on-the-job sessions for employees battling with addiction.

This was the case on Nov. 15 for the Great American Smokeout when Gulf Coast center specialists helped encourage workers at their job site to quit smoking.

During the annual event, put on by the American Cancer Society, thousands of smokers across the country make a pledge to quit.

In 2006, Florida voters accepted an amendment that would allocate funds into tobacco cessation programs, thus supporting the Gulf Coast center and creating the Tobacco Free Florida Bureau in 2007.

Tobacco Free Florida opened up courses not only for cessation to end chain-smoking, but also courses for prevention as well.

These organizations also aim to prevent smoking, especially among youths.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the state has made improvements among high school students.

In 2018, 3.6 percent of students were reported as cigarette smokers, a decline from 8.5 percent just five years before.

However, electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, have become a popular alternative to traditional ones among Florida teens.

In 2013, 5.3 percent of high school students were consuming the product where now, in 2018, it has nearly quadrupled, to 24.8 percent.

The Gulf Coast center does not advocate the use of e-cigarettes or vaping as a method within its program.

As part of the reasoning, Kelly stated: “Our program is evidence-based. We follow the clinic practice guidelines for tobacco dependence.”

She added that there are seven medications known to help and “we only promote the ones that we know there is strong research to show that they can help someone quit.”

While Kelly works mostly with adults, she said she gets excited when younger smokers come to the sessions because she can help stop smoking earlier in life.

Many older adults experience a health scare, which triggers their decision to quit smoking, she said.

To find an upcoming tobacco cessation class in your area with contact information, visit GNAhec.org/tobacco-cessation.

Published December 12, 2018

Health News 12/12/2018

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From left: Florence Briggs, Bob Williams and Elizabeth Bridwell (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Volunteer stars recognized
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point announced the recipients of its third quarter volunteer Star Awards.

Elizabeth Briggs has volunteered for more than 14 years with over 1,750 accumulated life hours. She has served the hospital’s visitors giving information and visitor passes, and has helped the marketing department with tutorials.

Bob Williams has been at the hospital as a volunteer for more than 15 years. He began as a courier and is now a courtesy cart driver. He has more than 3,600 accumulated life hours.

Elizabeth Bridwell has served as a volunteer courier every Friday afternoon for more than 13 years, and has accumulated over 2,200 life hours and 2,300 merit hours.

Breast Cancer Foundation gets $15,500
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices partnered with the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation to help raise funds and awareness of breast cancer, its symptoms and treatments.

The five branches promoted the sale of the “End Breast Cancer” specialty license plates, as well as the voluntary check-off donations on automobile registrations.

Forty-three plates were sold. Combined cash donations of $15,500 also was raised.

National Hospice Month
The Board of County Commissioners for Pasco County proclaimed the month of November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and commended the staff from Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care for their service to the residents of Pasco County.

District 1 Commissioner Ron Oakley visited Gulfside’s Center for Hospice Care in Zephyrhills to present the proclamation.

In the last year, Gulfside’s staff of more than 300 interdisciplinary professionals has cared for 2,701 patients facing a life-limiting illness in Pasco County.

Nationally, more than 1.6 million Americans living with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, received care from the nation’s hospice programs in communities throughout the United States.

Children’s mental health
Florida KidCare reminds parents that checking in on a child’s mental well-being is critical, and does not have to be intimidating.

Behavioral or mental health is just as important as a child’s cardiovascular health, weight and other physical developmental benchmarks.

Children often feel as much stress as adults following stressful situations, such as natural disasters like a hurricane.

Kids’ symptoms can be subtle, so a few key signs to be mindful about include:

  • If your child is having trouble sleeping or having a loss of appetite
  • If your child is reluctant to cooperate
  • If your child is angry or irritable
  • If your child’s grades are suffering
  • If your child becomes less interested in an activity they once enjoyed

Being a kid today comes with a lot of pressures and that is why starting the conversation early is key.

Mental illness is like any other disease — the earlier it is identified and treated, the better the health outcomes.

Florida KidCare says parents should consider their child’s pediatrician or family doctor as a partner in starting the mental health conversation.

Pasco shelter offers haven from abuse

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Abuse can come in many different forms.

It can also be a sensitive issue for victims to divulge, especially if it occurs within their own households.

It’s a nationwide problem, and efforts have been made nationally and locally to provide safer environments for adults and children who have been abused.

Pasco County is among those striving to improve services for people in this situation.

Kelly Sinn has been working at Sunrise of Pasco County Inc., since 2002, helping survivors of domestic abuse rehabilitate. In 2013, Sinn succeeded Penny Morrill as CEO of the organization. (Courtesy of Sunrise of Pasco County Inc.)

Pasco has been engaged in this issue since 1982, when a group of Pasco residents formed a small coalition group which later became known as the Sunrise of Pasco County Inc., Domestic and Sexual Violence Center.

“It started as a grassroots organization,” explained Kelly Sinn, current CEO of Sunrise. “Initially, it was community members that saw that there was an issue.”

Under the helm of a female abuse survivor, the organization recruited volunteers within the community who were willing to open their homes for a night or two.

While it provided a temporary solution, it was understood that there needed to be something in place more long-term.

Sunrise started with one office in Dade City and, over the years, expanded with a shelter, a thrift store and outreach sources for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.

During its 35-year history, Sunrise has grown, and now has facilities in Dade City and New Port Richey serving all of Pasco County.

The problem is well-documented. In Pasco County alone, during 2017 there were more than 4,000 reported incidents of domestic abuse, which includes sexual assault, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The number of reported cases has risen steadily since 2013, figures show.

Sunrise works to reduce incidents of abuse through prevention programs, such as its collaboration with the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the initiative has trained counselors from Sunrise who travel to Pasco middle schools and high schools to teach students about such things as safe dating, healthy relationships and anti-bullying.

The students also are taught about being aware of their surroundings and learning to recognize — and avoid — areas that are prone to violence, both on and off campus.

All Sunrise employees go through a certified training, said Sinn, and when a counselor is told by a student that there is abuse occurring within their home, the counselor is obligated to make a report to authorities.

On the collegiate level, Sunrise has implemented the Green Dot Program at Saint Leo University, which teaches students how to safely intervene and de-escalate tense situations on campus.

When it comes to the legal aspect, Sunrise constantly works with all Pasco police departments to relay vital information.

This initiative was partially propelled by the Intimate Violence Enhanced Service Team (InVEST) established in 2009.

In addition to communicating with law enforcement, InVEST is a program that allows Sunrise to use both East and West Pasco courthouses as meeting places for survivors and legal advocates, as well as attorneys.

Here, survivors can learn the best options for their situation whether it is getting legal representation, getting a restraining order or an injunction.

Immense resources must be put in place for all these factors to play out.

That’s where the recent Reindeer Run held on Dec. 1, and Peace Breakfast, set for Dec. 6, come in.

While they can be enjoyable events, they also raise money to support Sunrise.

The Peace Breakfast is free; however, generous donations are accepted.

Aside from these benefits, the organization also receives federal, state and local funding, as well as private donations.

This makes it possible to provide three meals a day and counseling to victims, and direct them to resources for employment, housing and financial aid.

The 40-bed shelter, which houses individuals for a minimum of eight weeks, is a launching pad for progression said Sinn.

However, in some cases it may take an extended three to four months.

“Sometimes eight weeks isn’t long enough for a family to be able to find employment, child care [and] save up enough money to rent their own apartment,” she explained.

Sunrise also works with the welfare system to make sure that children are not split from their nonoffending parent, reducing the number taken into foster care.

While people tend to think of women and children as being targets of abuse, Sinn said there are men, too, that can be abused.

Sunrise does take in men, from time to time, and they have their own separate shelter.

While the organization typically deals with difficult and traumatizing issues, it also witnesses survivors who are able to pick up the pieces of their lives.

This is something Sinn credits to “such a supportive and embracing community” in Pasco County.

Sinn remembered a call she received several years ago from an abuse survivor who was in a happy marriage, with a child going off to college.

“That’s really humbling,” she said.

“Thank Yous come in so many different forms,” Sinn said.

Besides phone calls, Christmas cards, hugs and tears, there are also those who come back to work or volunteer at Sunrise, a place that helped them regain a sense of security.

If you have experienced abuse and you need help, Sunrise’s hotline staff is available 24 hours a day at (352) 521-3120.

Sunrise of Pasco’s 15th Annual Peace Breakfast
Where: Greenfelder Board Room at Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in Saint Leo
When: Dec. 6 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Cost: Free with a voluntary donation
Details: Courtney Weil and her children will speak at the breakfast about being survivors of domestic violence and prevention efforts.
Info: To RSVP, contact Sunrise at (352) 521-3358 or .

Published December 5, 2018

Health News 12/05/2018

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Marcis Brevard Wynn
(Courtesy of Pasco Kids First)

New executive director
Pasco Kids First welcomed Marcia Brevard Wynn, Ph.D., as its new executive director.

Wynn brings more than seven years of nonprofit experience to the organization in a position that will include leadership roles as both executive director and housing director.

She also has served several years in the areas of development, grant writing and fundraising.

Wynn earned a Bachelor of Arts in public affairs and a master’s degree in human behavior and conflict management, both from Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina.

She also has a doctorate in human services from Capella University.

Pasco Kids First is a private, nonprofit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of children with assessment, therapy and prevention services through their work as a fully accredited Children’s Advocacy Center.

Medication disposal
X-Tra Discount Drugs, 6953 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, has partnered with Sharps Compliance Inc., to combat the epidemic of prescription drug abuse by providing safe disposal of opioid painkillers and other unused medications.

A MedSafe drug collection and disposal receptacle is now located inside X-Tra Discount Drugs for the safe and anonymous disposal of unused or expired medications and controlled substances.

The receptacle is securely installed and can only be accessed and emptied by two pharmacy employees as required by Drug Enforcement Administration guidelines.

MedSafe receptacles are located in retail pharmacies, long-term care facilities, hospitals and clinics with onsite pharmacies, law enforcement, government agencies and narcotic treatment facilities.

Grant awarded to ‘get moving’
More than 700 adults in the University Area neighborhood will benefit from a $48,000 grant awarded to University Area Community Development Corporation’s “Get Moving!” program by the Simply Healthcare Foundation.

Get Moving! is a wellness program that focuses on various aspects of an individual’s health: physical, emotional, mental, nutritional and/or spiritual.

The funds will be used to expand programming into Harvest Hope Park, a 7-acre resident-friendly development in the heart of the University Area Community that encourages family play, healthy eating, environmental sustainability, education and community interaction.

The park is owned by University Area CDC and, once complete, will include a community garden, teaching kitchen, multipurpose sports field, playground, outdoor fitness stations, walking trails and a tilapia fish pond.

PHSC seminar aims to help reduce impaired driving

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Drunk driving forever changed Brian Rushing’s life.

He was just 18 years old when he wrecked his SUV and killed his 21-year-old brother, Nathan.

That fateful night on Nov. 18, 2007, Rushing’s blood alcohol content was 0.09, over the legal limit.

After a night of partying, the last thing he remembers is seeing his brother at the family’s Land O’ Lakes home.

Brian Rushing shared his personal tragedy of being involved in a drunk driving crash, during a DUI awareness seminar at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. Pictured in the background is Rushing’s older brother, Nathan, who died in the 2007 Land O’ Lakes crash. (Kevin Weiss)

He doesn’t remember getting in his car or pulling out of his family’s driveway; nor does he remember swerving off the road on Parkway Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.

“I was in a blackout,” Rushing recalled. “I shouldn’t have been drinking.”

Rushing was later charged with DUI manslaughter in the death of his brother.

He was sentenced to nine months in county jail and 10 years felony probation. His license was revoked for life. Said Rushing: “DUIs destroy lives.”

More costly to Rushing, however, is each day he must cope with the loss of his brother — a brother he adored and looked up to.

“I have to live with that decision for the rest of my life,” he said. “And the consequences.”

Rushing was a guest speaker at a DUI awareness seminar at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, in Wesley Chapel.

The Nov. 13 event was part of the state college’s ongoing Community Awareness Series, open to the public, students, faculty and staff.

Rushing, now 29, has turned his life around.

He’s been sober for more than 10 years, graduating from college and now working as a registered nurse.

He often shares his personal story to warn others about the dangers of driving under the influence, in hopes of preventing other families from experiencing a tragedy like his did.

“I never thought it could happen to me,” he said, “until it did, and it rocked my world. I thought it was something you’d read about in the newspapers in other towns.”

Stories like Rushing’s are all too common, the seminar revealed.

More than 11,000 people died and more than 290,000 were injured last year in drunk driving crashes, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

More than 1,100 of those fatalities occurred between Thanksgiving Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The problem hits locally, too.

The Tampa Alcohol Coalition (TAC) reports that Hillsborough County ranked No. 1 in Florida for DUI arrests (4,077) last year.

The county was also tops in Florida in 2015, which is the latest available data from the state, in alcohol-related crashes (1,469), alcohol-related injuries (993) and alcohol-related fatalities (66), the coalition reports.

“To be No.1, even though we’re the fourth-most populated county, is very alarming,” said Ellen Snelling, who chairs the Tampa Alcohol Coalition, which is part of the larger Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance.

Snelling, who has worked with the organizations since 2000, provided a closer look at the sobering statistics throughout the seminar.

Some suggest the area’s limited public transportation system is largely to blame for the county’s impaired driving figures.

Snelling, however, believes there’s more at play.

“We can try to work more on public transportation,” she said, “but I think the real reason is the mindset of people thinking, kind of like Brian said, ‘It’s not going to happen to me.”

Too many people want to party, and then think they can drive home and be fine, she said. “And, that’s a huge problem.”

Snelling also pointed to the high number of concentrated bars and clubs throughout the Tampa area.

She refers to them as “drinking malls,” where groups of people will hit several spots in one night, taking advantage of drink specials at each establishment.

“And, what if you haven’t made a plan? You’re going to get in the car and drive,” she warned.

Snelling went on to explain that closing gaps in some of Florida’s alcohol laws is critical to preventing impaired driving incidents, in particular, first-time offenses.

Florida is one of two states that has no law against bars serving obviously intoxicated persons; the other being Nevada.

Florida also has a weak dram shop law, which refers to civil liability for bars and clubs that serve an intoxicated person who later causes serious injury or fatality. (Under the law, individuals or businesses who sell alcohol will generally not be held liable for damages or injuries caused by a drunk person who they sold alcohol to.)

Snelling put it this way: “Now we don’t want bartenders and servers to lose their jobs, but we do want to send a strong message, because if you prevent a person from getting super intoxicated, there’s less of a chance they’re going to get in a car and drive and cause a terrible crash.”

She also observed: “We need to look at the circumstances, and if a bar is making tons of money by overserving and having like all these drink specials, then they should be held accountable, too.”

Drinking and driving isn’t the only problem, Snelling said.

“It’s not just about alcohol — it’s about drugs. It’s about marijuana. It’s about pills. It’s about opioids. …We’ve got to work on ways to reduce the use of alcohol and drugs before driving,” she said.

The Tampa Bay region leads the state with the most confirmed crashes caused by drugged drivers, with 465 since 2014, Snelling said. Also, deadly crashes caused by drivers high on drugs have increased 47 percent in the past three years.

Other speakers at the seminar included Jeannine Laurence, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program specialist; and, Dr. Eddie Williams, PHSC assistant professor of human services.

Published November 28, 2018

Health News 11/28/2018

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Day of Caring
Florida Hospital team members in the West Florida Division volunteered to give back to the communities for the annual Day of Giving, on Nov. 16.

More than 1,000 volunteers from several Florida Hospital locations gave back to more than 20 nonprofits across the state.

Some of the local initiatives in the Tampa Bay area included:

  • Food Donations for Atonement Lutheran Church: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel staff and leadership sorted and packed food at the church.
  • Feed Our Children: Florida Hospital Tampa employees collected food donations for the Feed Our Children Ministry to help hungry members of the community.
  • Food Drive for The Shepherd Center: Florida Hospital North Pinellas employees collected green beans for the center, and donated about 1,000 cans.
  • Thanksgiving Baskets: Florida Hospital North Pinellas employees put together baskets of Thanksgiving goods to be shared with their own colleagues in need.

Access Health Care raises money for Marines
Access Health Care Physicians hosted a fundraiser at the Silverthorn Country Club to benefit Marine Corps League Spring Hill Detachment No. 708.

The detachment provides U.S. Marine veterans and other U.S. veterans with comfort, support and dignity of life.

The event included a silent auction, raffles and dancing.

The guest speakers included Maj. Gen. James “Hammer” Hartsell and Dr. Jaime Torres, an Access Health Care physician and veteran.

A total of $34,444 was raised for the Marine Corps detachment.

Health News 11/21/2018

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Offering comfort and camaraderie
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club prepared and served a brunch to residents of Hope Lodge, a facility that houses patients who are receiving long-term cancer treatments at Moffitt Cancer Center. The club aims to uplift the patients’ spirits with a home-cooked meal and fellowship. For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

 

Hospital to participate in Rose Bowl
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point received an invitation to participate in the 2019 Donate Life Rose Parade float hospital CEO rose dedications.

Only a select group of hospitals in the area have been asked to prepare a handwritten message honoring the patients and families who, with the support of hospital staff, have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donations.

The float has grown into a national tradition featuring dozens of participants, including those who have received transplants, those who are living donors, and deceased donors memorialized in “floragraph” portraits integrated into the float’s design.

One of the trademarks of the annual float design is the Dedication Garden, which provides an opportunity for the CEOs of hospitals; transplant centers; and organ, tissue, and eye recovery organizations to dedicate a Donate Life rose.

Sharon Hayes, Regional Medical Center’s chief executive officer, will prepare the 2019 note to be placed in the float.

Buccaneers team up for breast cancer
Florida Hospital (soon to be AdventHealth) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers teamed up for the sixth annual Treasure Chests 5K and Fun Run on Oct. 21, to celebrate breast cancer survivors, and to benefit breast cancer research and patient services in Tampa Bay.

The race started and ended at the Buccaneer’s indoor practice facility at the AdventHealth Training Center. All racers were invited to the Breast Cancer Awareness football game.

The Honorary Race Starter was Carol Henderson, a three-time survivor currently living with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Henderson also received pre-game VIP access and pirate ship passes, and was recognized on the field during the game.

Medication disposal
National Take-Back Day, on Oct. 27, garnered more than 587.3 pounds of medications gathered in Pasco County alone.

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention reminds the community that people do not have to wait for the next Take Back Day to dispose of unused or unwanted medications in a safe manner.

Pasco County has seven permanent drop boxes for safe medication disposal (both prescription and over-the-counter). Find the nearest location by visiting PascoASAP.com.

Medications also can be disposed of by using a Deterra Bag. These bags deactivate the ingredients of medications, making them safe to dispose of in the trash and unavailable for misuse. Bags are free, and can be picked up at the Florida Department of Health offices in Dade City, New Port Richey and on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

New rehabilitation program for women
The Salvation Army Tampa Adult Rehabilitation Center, 13815 N. Salvation Army Lane in Tampa, will now be able to offer help and education to women for their drug and alcohol problems. The center has been providing a six-month to 12-month residential program for men.

A separate residence will be constructed and will contain 10 bedrooms (each bedroom will house three women), an intake office, library/two classrooms, offices/conference room, kitchen, dining room, great room, recreation room, fitness room, laundry/hair-cutting station, and two resident managers’ rooms.

The center also will have a chapel to seat 250 persons for both the men and women, their families and friends, and the public.

The new program is expected to start up in December.

For information, call S. Richard Hodder at (813) 972-0471, ext. 59079.

Two initiatives become law
The office of Congressman Gus Bilirakis has announced that H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act has been signed into law.

The SUPPORT act is part of the bipartisan legislative package and will help continued efforts to combat the opioid crisis by advancing treatment and recovery initiatives, improving prevention, protecting communities, and bolstering efforts to fight deadly illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl.

The second initiative is the Sober Home Fraud Detection bill (H.R. 6092), which provides standards for Sober Living Homes.

These two Bilirakis-authored provisions mark the 25th initiative the veteran lawmaker has written that have become law since 2015.

Tampa hospital launches expansion
Florida Hospital Tampa, part of the West Florida Division of Adventist Health System (soon to be AdventHealth), broke ground on a six-story, 300,000-square-foot patient and surgical tower at the corner of Fletcher Avenue and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa.

The project will include 24 brand-new operating rooms, a new hospital entrance, and more than 100 all-private dedicated surgical care beds.

The $256 million tower will be named The Taneja Center for Innovative Surgery, recognizing the family of Jugal and Manju Taneja, who provided the largest donation ever to Florida Hospital West Florida Division.

The center is expected to open in 2021, and will also include several hundred additional parking spaces, and a redesigned landscape.

Florida Hospital Dade City set for upgrades

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A slew of upgrades are coming to Florida Hospital Dade City.

The hospital’s parent company, Adventist Health System, is investing $20 million into various infrastructure and technological improvements to the 120-bed facility located at 13100 Fort King Road.

Florida Hospital Dade City president and CEO Amanda Maggard made the announcement during a recent breakfast meeting hosted by The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Florida Hospital Dade City is getting a $20 million makeover over the next 18 months. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Dade City)

The upgrades will include a new lobby and cafeteria, as well as renovated units and spaces, which will see new flooring and automated medical equipment.

Maggard said several of the upgrades will go into effect over the next 18 months, as other capital improvement projects are also being determined.

“We have some really exciting things that are about to happen,” she said.

In addition to facility renovations, Maggard also mentioned the hospital’s first-ever electronic medical records system, Cerner, launches on Dec. 2

The $5 million system is expected to make it easier for network providers to access and share information with the hospital.

“It helps us not just provide a more connected patient experience, but it helps us understand the data,”  Maggard explained.

Those aren’t the only changes coming soon to Florida Hospital Dade City.

Beginning in January, all of Adventist Health System’s wholly owned hospitals and hundreds of care sites across its footprint will adopt the AdventHealth name and logo.

Florida Hospital Dade City president and CEO Amanda Maggard (File)

In east Pasco, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Health and Rehab Center, and Zephyr Haven Health and Rehab Center will also take on the AdventHealth title.

That announcement was made by the company in August.

The organization said the naming structure was made to better allow consumers to more easily distinguish AdventHealth’s care locations and services; it does not reflect a change in ownership or business structure.

Maggard said of the rebranding: “This is not anything other than we’re trying to be that one unified team providing that same care. We have the same vision, the same mission across all of our facilities.

“You wouldn’t’ know as a consumer that we’re all connected. We’re one large organization with one goal, one purpose: To provide this whole-person care — not just your physical needs, but your mental and your spiritual needs as well.”

Adventist Health System is one of the nation’s largest faith-based health care systems, with more than 80,000 employees across 50 hospital campuses and hundreds of care sites throughout 10 states.

Published November 7, 2018

Local author hopes his story will help inspire others

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Remington Walls hasn’t let his disease define him — and he wants the same for those dealing with similar circumstances.

The 18-year-old Land O’ Lakes native has lived a life without regular food or drink since he was diagnosed at age 4 with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), a rare, incurable disease where all food deteriorates his esophagus.

Remington Walls (Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

His only source of nutrition has come via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash.

The abnormal disorder has not stopped him from living a normal life, however.

Remington overcame the hardship to become a standout varsity baseball player at Land O’ Lakes High School — and good enough to be selected to play in the Pasco County Senior All-Star Baseball game last year.

He was also a solid student, earning multiple college scholarships.

Remington is now a freshman a Valdosta State University (Valdosta, Georgia) where he’s studying to become an athletic trainer. He is also a volunteer assistant with the Valdosta State baseball team.

Published author can also be added to Remington’s list of accomplishments.

‘Homeplate: A True Story of Resilience’ follows the journey of Land O’ Lakes native Remington Walls who has a rare esophageal disease that prevents him from consuming regular food or drink. Walls persevered to become a standout varsity baseball player at Land O’ Lakes High School and Pasco County Senior All-Star selection. He is now a freshman at Valdosta State University, where he is studying to become an athletic trainer. (Courtesy of NOW SC Press)

His autobiography, “Homeplate: A True Story of Resilience,” delves into his foodless life, with the hope of inspiring others.

The 118-page book is co-authored by his mother, Stephanie Walls, who shares her memories and insights on coping with the disease from a parent’s point-of-view.

The book will be released on Nov. 25.

“Remington wanted just to kind of motivate people and encourage people that regardless of your situation, find a way to overcome and persevere. There’s some pretty powerful things he has to say in his book,” Stephanie Walls said during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

The book, which was written this past summer, is particularly geared toward anybody dealing with a life-altering disease, said Stephanie, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Cypress Creek Middle High School in Wesley Chapel.

“The book is really more of an inspiration from Remington’s perspective,” she said. “We can either choose to wallow over the cards we’ve been dealt in life, or we can just pick up those pieces and somehow make a way to where there is no obstacle that’s going to get in our way.”

Last year, Remington’s life was thrown another curveball when his family’s insurance no longer covered the liquid formula that’s required for sustenance.

Since then, Remington and Stephanie have both advocated for state and federal legislation for formula coverage for medical nutrition. They also continue to work closely with the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), a nonprofit advocacy organization for those living with eosinophilic related disorders.

To order the book, visit NowSCPress.com/product-page/homeplate.

Remington Walls book release

Book Signing
Where: Barnes & Noble, The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel
When: Nov. 25, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Info: (813) 907-7739

Book Launch
Where: Barnes & Noble Carrollwood, 11802 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
When: Nov. 25, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Info: (813) 962-6446

Published November 7, 2018