Health

FHZH dedicates new mural in hospital lobby

November 25, 2015 By Mary Rathman

(Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

The former mural hung in the hospital lobby for more than 20 years.

The new mural represents the Tree of Life and the Christian values of the hospital.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ staff members and volunteers were present for the dedication of a new mural in the hospital lobby. The hospital’s president and CEO, Randy Surber, presided over the ceremony.

The mural covers an entire wall off the hospital’s main entrance, and represents the Tree of Life and is consistent with the Christian values upon which the nonprofit hospital is based. Eight large monitors have been interspersed within the tree and change to reflect tranquil nature scenes.

The mural was more than a year in the making, and is the first of its kind at Florida Hospital.

A cross-country mission to battle polio

November 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When Nick Hall set out to make a bicycle trek across the country, he focused on a single goal: To inspire others to join him in the quest to conquer polio.

It was a 3,000-mile ride that would take Hall up steep mountain passes, through stretches of desert, and along interstate highways and down narrow roads.

He’d sleep in a tent on the side of the road, or in abandoned buildings, or behind truck stops.

Nick Hall climbed steep mountain passes during a 3,000 trek aimed at raise awareness about the quest to conquer polio, and to raise money to help purchase vaccines to help eradicate the disease. (Courtesy of Nick Hall) — Nick Hall climbed steep mountain passes during a 3,000 trek aimed at raise awareness about the quest to conquer polio, and to raise money to help purchase vaccines to help eradicate the disease.
(Courtesy of Nick Hall)

He’d wash his change of clothes in sinks at truck stops or convenience stores.

Hall began his cross-country trek on July 14 by placing the rear wheel of his bicycle tire in the Pacific Ocean.

He finished his journey — surrounded by family, friends and supporters — on Aug. 15 in St. Augustine.

Along the way, he shared the Rotary Club International’s quest to eradicate polio from the face of the planet.

While he was out on the road, Hall said, his grandson asked how one man riding a bicycle could help put an end to polio.

Hall’s wife told the boy that as the cyclist met people along the way, they’d want to know his story, and after they heard it, they’d share it.

Ironically, Hall said, this is much the same way an infectious disease — such as polio —is spread. One person has contact with another person, who in turn has contact with others.

As Hall made his way across the country, Facebook posts chronicled his journey, and donations came in to battle polio from people in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and, as far away as South Dakota.

Nick Hall attends a Wesley Chapel Rotary Club meeting to share the story of his 3,000-mile bicycle trek to raise awareness about the quest to end polio. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Nick Hall attends a Wesley Chapel Rotary Club meeting to share the story of his 3,000-mile bicycle trek to raise awareness about the quest to end polio.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The ride is over, but Hall is still sharing his story. He recently talked about his adventures at a noon luncheon meeting of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club.

“I never had a goal of covering a certain number of miles, nor getting to a certain destination by a certain time,” Hall said. There were too many variables beyond his control, he explained.

He had no power over the direction of the winds, he said, and didn’t know if he’d encounter a hurricane, or when his bicycle would need a repair.

“And so, my goal was only ever to keep the bike moving 10 hours a day,” Hall said.

Hall figured he had an average of 15 hours of sunlight a day, leaving plenty of time for breaks, which he took during the hottest parts of the day.

And, it was hot.

“The bank sign in Blythe, California, on the edge of Death Valley, registered 115 degrees. And, for 10 consecutive days, the high never got below 100.”

His longest ride on a single day was 150 miles; his shortest, was under 70.

“My day would begin at usually a half-hour before sunrise. I would set my alarm to go off, because I didn’t want to miss a minute of the cooler temperatures before the sun really got blisteringly hot,” he said.

“I’d have a Fig Newton. I’d stop at a grocery store — buy a box, just to take the edge off my appetite. I didn’t want to waste time eating a full breakfast, not when it was the coolest part of the day.

“I’d wait three or four hours before stopping, and then would eat a couple of fried eggs, fried ham, hash browns, toast. Sometimes extra servings of the hash browns,” he said.

Nick Hall finishes his trek from San Diego to St. Augustine. The bicycle trip involved riding through all sorts of conditions. (Courtesy of Nick Hall) — Nick Hall finishes his trek from San Diego to St. Augustine. The bicycle trip involved riding through all sorts of conditions.
(Courtesy of Nick Hall)

Around mid-morning, he’d stop for one of his favorite snacks: A paper-wrapped Hostess Apple Pie.

It was 780 calories, and it was awesome, he said.

“I was losing a lot of electrolytes. Why take salt pills when you can eat potato chips? Or, salted peanuts?

“And then, I would have a couple of ice cream bars in the late afternoon.

“You know there’s not much pleasure cycling across West Texas — a barren landscape, resembling the landscape of the moon.

“And, there’s a need. We all need pleasure,” he said.

So, he indulged in foods that gave him pleasure and also helped him maintain his weight, as he was burning around 4,000 calories a day.

Hall rode through all kinds of conditions.

He traveled on Interstate 10 through parts of Arizona and Texas.

Riding on an interstate sounds hazardous, he said, but it was actually safer than some of the other roads he took.

“Compare I-10, with a speed limit of 70 miles per hour, with a road I was on in Louisiana — two-lane road, speed limit 70 miles an hour. No shoulder.

“There were multiple times when big logging trucks would whiz by. They couldn’t pull over very far, because there was oncoming traffic.

“I had multiple, ‘Oh, fecal matter’ moments,” he said.

His worst mishap occurred on the morning of July 26, as he cycling on I-10 in West Texas.

He was coming down a mountain pass at a decent clip.

“All of a sudden, I heard this horrible, metallic, crunching sound,” he said. “The bike came to a shuddering stop. I did not. I kept going.

“I’d run over a 6-inch bolt,” said Hall, who scraped his face and knee but didn’t break any bones.

The bolt hit the front tire, and the bike was missing spokes, had broken spokes and had a bent fork.

A truck driver gave Hall a lift to San Antonio, Texas, for bike repairs, and Hall was back on the road two days later.

Hall said the best moment on his trip came when he arrived in Palatka.

At that point, he knew he was ahead of schedule. He knew he wouldn’t need to wash his clothes in a convenience store sink, or need to scout out a safe place to sleep.

He said he had the satisfaction, too, of knowing people he’d met along his journey had contributed donations to help eradicate polio from the planet.

Published November 18, 2015

Sertoma foundation wins award

November 18, 2015 By Mary Rathman

The Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida was recognized as the Nonprofit Organization of the Year by Communication Access Inc., for its exceptional customer service and accessibility for people with hearing loss.

Every year, CAI presents 10 awards to regional organizations and individuals that have made an impact on providing necessary services to individuals with hearing loss.

Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida has been in Pasco County for 33 years providing services and specialized equipment for children and adults with hearing disabilities.

Beach Bash brings in $13,500 for children’s fund

November 11, 2015 By Mary Rathman

A Beach Bash fundraiser, hosted by the Tom McCormick Memorial Fund and sponsored by George’s Wholesale Tires at the new Sun West Park in Hudson, raised $13,530.07 for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. The event attracted more than 250 cars full of guests to the newest beach in Pasco County. At the check presentation were, from left, Craig McCart, Debra Golinski, Carol McCormick, Craig Van Loan and Sarah Stone. (Courtesy of Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida)

Changing the conversation on substance abuse

November 11, 2015 By B.C. Manion

There’s a powerful tool that could help reduce substance abuse, but it’s rarely considered, according to Monica Rousseau, coordinator for the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention.

“In order to reduce substance abuse, we must change the way we think about it,” Rousseau said, during a presentation on substance abuse prevention at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

While addiction is viewed as a choice, other medical problems that could be the viewed the same way, generally aren’t, Rousseau said.

Sonia Thorn, an associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, said a series of seminars this fall is on prevention, including such topics as suicide and substance abuse. In the spring, the series will focus on preventing chronic diseases. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Sonia Thorn, an associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, said a series of seminars this fall is on prevention, including such topics as suicide and substance abuse. In the spring, the series will focus on preventing chronic diseases.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

“We think about them extremely differently. We think of addiction as something demonic, as a moral hazard. And we think of other things, as ‘That person needs medical care.’ ”

In reality, people with addictions and other medical conditions often require a lifestyle change, may need some type of medication, should consult with their doctor and need social support to help them change their behavior, she said.

Not only do people think of the issues differently, but funding for help is different, too, she said.

While an attitude shift may be one of the best ways to help reduce substance abuse, there are other ways to tackle the issue, Rousseau said.

For instance, her organization helped implement a local ordinance to reduce access to synthetic marijuana.

“How many of you remember Spice? How many of you knew people who were impacted by Spice?

“When Spice came out, I was in college. I was 20. Spice was a really, really big deal. I had a lot of friends who had a lot of complications from Spice.

She had friends who wound up in the hospital and flunked out of school.

“I have one friend, at the moment, who has been in a severe depression for a few years and has tried to commit suicide a few times,” she said.

Pasco County did such a great job with its ordinance that it became the standard for the state and was referenced in national documentaries, she said.

“The way we did this is by changing the ability of people to market it. The composition of Spice can change every year, so if you just banned the components of it, the drug manufacturers would change one component of it. In Pasco County, we restricted the way it was able to be marketed and the packaging.”

Her organization also has also been involved in efforts to reduce driving under the influence.

Statistics show that drunk driving arrests are down, she said.

“Immediately you want to say, ‘Yes. This is great. This is awesome.’ However, we also know that our budget for our drug enforcement patrolling has gone down,” Rousseau said.

Monica Rousseau, program coordinator for the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, said one way to reduce substance abuse is to change our attitudes about it.

When drivers are cited for DUI, they are given a survey, which asks drivers where they were when they had their last drink and if anyone encouraged them not to drive.

It turns out there are 10 restaurants in Pasco County where most drivers report having their last drink before their DUI, Rousseau said.

Her organization has targeted those restaurants with public awareness campaigns, to help reduce the problem.

Rousseau’s talk was part of a series of speakers arranged by PHSC’s Porter Campus, in an effort to support its academic programs and provide community outreach, said Sonia Thorn, associate dean at the Porter campus.

“I think it’s two-fold. Sometimes, people need information, and a lot of these agencies need assistance,” Thorn said.

“For this fall semester, we’re focusing on prevention,” she said. “We did domestic violence last month. We had 150 people.

“In September, we did suicide prevention.

“In the spring, we’ll be working on chronic disease prevention. We’ll be having seminars on that from February to April.”

“In April, even though we’re doing a chronic disease series for the spring time, we’re going to work with Sunrise of Pasco and also do a sexual awareness assault month in April.”

Substance abuse awareness event
What: Learn how to recognize addictive behavior and address risk factors that may lead to substance abuse.
Who: All are welcome
How much: Admission is free.
When: Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.
Where: Pasco-Hernando State College, at its Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Published November 11, 2015

Teens earn five stars of merit

October 21, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point honored six teens as ‘Five Star Teen Volunteers’ for their service above and beyond standard volunteer services. Shown with their certificates are, from left, Vaibhav Ghandi (470 merit hours), Janine Do (500 merit hours), Amir Hussain (400 merit hours) and Nicole Henson (360 merit hours). Also recognized, but not pictured, were Alyssa Rutman (375 merit hours) and Richard Florczak (450 merit hours).

Stepping into the world of dementia

September 30, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The tourists sat waiting for instructions.

They filled out forms. They answered questions. Then, they began putting on special equipment.

They put ridged plastic insoles into their shoes.

They put on plastic gloves for protection and a different outer glove for each hand.

Then, they stepped up a few steps into a dim room, where they donned special headphones and glasses.

Next, they were asked to perform a list of tasks.

People wait to experience ‘The Virtual Dementia Tour.’ When taking the tour, they wear gloves, headphones and glasses, and walk on ridged plastic insoles in their shoes in an experience that simulates impacts of dementia. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — People wait to experience ‘The Virtual Dementia Tour.’ When taking the tour, they wear gloves, headphones and glasses, and walk on ridged plastic insoles in their shoes in an experience that simulates impacts of dementia.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

Through the headphones they heard recordings of chatter and continual noises. The glasses obscured their vision.

It didn’t take long to discover that the experiences on this “Virtual Dementia Tour” were disorienting and frustrating.

“I felt lost. I really felt lost,” Grace Walker said. “You can’t see, you can’t hear. You’re mixed up,” said the woman who works in housekeeping at American House Zephyrhills, on Pretty Pond Road.

That’s understandable, said Glen Scharfeld, a senior care specialist and owner of Senior Helpers, based in Spring Hill.

His company brought a mobile Virtual Dementia Tour to American House Zephyrhills last week.

The Virtual Dementia Tour was created by P.K. Beville, a geriatric specialist, as her postgraduate work. It is a scientifically proven method that builds sensitivity and awareness in individuals caring for those with dementia by temporarily altering participants’ physical and sensory abilities.

The tour is designed to simulate:

Loss of auditory interpretation and increased confusion
Loss of central and peripheral vision
Loss of sensory nerves and fine motor skills
Onset of arthritis and neuropathy

Beville donated the program to Second Wind Dreams, which has provided the experience worldwide.

An estimated 44.4 million people worldwide, including 5.2 million Americans, are living with dementia, the Second Wind Dream’s website reports.

This mobile unit is rigged to give people an opportunity to experience the impacts of dementia. The idea is to promote greater awareness, sensitivity and empathy for caregivers of people experiencing dementia.

“The Virtual Dementia Tour is designed to emulate mid-level dementia,” Scharfeld said.

“We provide this education to the community, to families, family caregivers. The reason we’re here is that there are caregivers here who deal with dementia every day. It’s designed to promote empathy and for people to understand what people are going through,” he added.

The experience helps people step inside the shoes of individuals who are living with dementia.

“We’re here to help you empathize with them and be patient with them,” Scharfeld said, as he chatted with some staff members from American House Zephyrhills, who had just completed the tour.

“We age. We get older. Our senses start to diminish. With dementia, it’s a whole different ballgame. What you’ve got to realize is that the brain, the brain cells are depleted in the different areas of the brain,” Scharfeld said.

“It takes the most recent memories, and they’re gone.

“People don’t remember stuff that just happened. They may remember their daughter as 30 years ago.

“They may think that they’re 30 years younger than they are. They won’t believe when they look in the mirror. It’s like, ‘Who is that? Who is that?’ You say, ‘That’s you.’ And they’ll say, ‘That’s not me. That’s an old lady,” he said.

Scharfeld is a retired law enforcement officer, who worked in Hillsborough County. He used to encounter people with dementia when responding to calls.

“I didn’t know that when I was running code to a burglary in progress, (it was) because a lady saw herself in the slider. She thought there’s somebody out there.

“Or, they’ll think the people on the TV are actually in the house,” Scharfeld said.

The sounds coming through the headphones enable those on the tour to experience the kind of confusion that people with dementia have in processing information.

“The person is sitting there. They’re confused. Some caregivers think, if I talk louder, they’re going to get it.

It’s not the hearing. It’s the processing,” Scharfeld said.

“They hear bits and fragments. That’s why they do crazy stuff. You ask someone to something, and they wind up doing something else,” he said. “The caregiver gets mad and frustrated.”

“We’re here to promote to you, empathy,” Scharfeld said.

The Virtual Dementia Tour has spread to 17 different countries, he said.

“What we did is, we took it mobile,” he said. “We basically have a house on wheels. We’re independently owned. This is our rig.

“I wanted to bring it to the community,” he said.

To find out more about future stops on the tour, call (352) 835-7191.

Published September 30, 2015

Extraordinary nurses honored

September 30, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Forida Hospital Zephyrhills recognizes its extraordinary nurses with a monthly DAISY award. Trini Macaya, a 25-year hospital employee, was honored in July for her work in the OR unit and setting a standard of excellence. Kim Anderson was honored in August for her work in The Baby Place. Award winners receive a certificate and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by the artists of the Shone Tribe in Africa. (Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

Cheval Cares 5K battles pediatric cancer

September 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When the Peck family joined the Cheval Athletic Club, their daughter Callie was 2.

They took an immediate interest in the community’s Cheval Cares 5K event to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

It wasn’t just a good cause. It was personal.

Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval's annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. (Courtesy of Vividivity) — Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval’s annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
(Photos courtesy of Vividivity)

“When we joined there a few years back, (Callie) was bald. It was no surprise to anybody that she had cancer,” recalled Callie’s mother, Amber Peck.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Callie had to endure frequent trips to hospitals, spinal taps and surgeries. For lengthy periods, she endured chemotherapy treatments daily.

Just a toddler, she received treatment for more than two years. And despite the challenges, the Pecks consider themselves fortunate.

“We were actually very lucky in the fact that the cure rate for her type of leukemia was greater than 90 percent,” Peck explained. “Seeing the other children in the hospital, their diagnoses were a lot more devastating. We had everything quickly put in perspective for us. All of a sudden, we felt fortunate.”

Callie is now well past her treatments. Her chemotherapy ended last April, and she now just has monthly blood tests to check for recurrences or side effects. But her family is still active in the community’s 5K event. The Fourth Annual Cheval Cares 5K will be on Sept. 26 at 8 a.m., at the Cheval Athletic Club, 4142 Cheval Blvd., in Lutz.

Callie, now 6, will be part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to begin the race, while her brothers, Gavin and Cole, and her parents, Amber and Scott, participate in the 5K.

Lindsay Whitney helped create the 5K and used to work at the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The Cheval resident still serves as event director for the event, which raised around $25,000 last year. Her time at the foundation put her in close touch with families going through the emotional challenges of childhood cancer.

“It’s been a big passion of mine, knowing the families that have been affected and being part of their lives,” Whitney said. “I’ve been on many hospital visits and funerals, but also end-of-chemotherapy parties, graduation parties and birthday parties.”

For the Peck family-- Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie -- the 5K is an annual tradition. — For the Peck family– Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie — the 5K is an annual tradition.

She hopes the money raised for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s research will lead to more of the happier occasions. The foundation focuses on research, fast-tracking treatments and launching clinical trials in the hopes of developing effective options quickly.

Speeding up the process of finding effective treatments helps with more than just the obvious health concerns. Families dealing with childhood cancer face other stresses and challenges the public might not consider, Whitney said.

So much time is spent on appointments and treatments that parents sometimes have to quit their jobs to manage care properly. That adds financial and emotional strain to an already difficult process.

The race itself has a cap of 450 runners due to the logistics of having the event at Cheval.

So, they’ve come up with some new ways to raise money. On Sept. 23, an Italian buffet dinner will be served at the Cheval Golf and Country Club, 4312 Cheval Blvd., from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The cost is $16.99 for adults, with $5 of that amount going to Cheval Cares.

The event has set a goal of nearly $30,000 for this year, Whitney said. And, she hopes they’ll reach both their runner cap and fundraising goal, because childhood cancer is something that thousands of families face each year.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, nearly 16,000 people between the ages of birth and 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year. One in every 285 people will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20.

And cancer isn’t picky about who it attacks, Whitney said.

“That’s the thing that we always say: Cancer knows no bounds in terms of money, ethnicity, race, gender, whatever it is. It doesn’t seem to matter,” she said.

The annual 5K race matters to many people in Cheval and in the surrounding areas, including the Pecks. While Callie participates every year, Amber would love to see her join the rest of the family and actually take part in the 5K at a future event.

“The day that she’s actually running will be very meaningful for us,” she said.

The cost for the race is $30 for adults, and $20 for children 12 and younger. Each participant receives a T-shirt and goodie bag.

Registration for the race is available on the website through Sept. 24. After that, those not living in Cheval can register in person at the Cheval Athletic Club on Sept. 25 from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. On the day of the race, registration is only open to Cheval residents, but donations can still be made on the website.

The 5K event also will include an activity area for children, with a bounce house, face painting and balloon animals.

For more information, visit ChevalCares5K.com, or email .

Published September 23, 2015

Health News 09-23-15

September 23, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Physician group welcomes Dr. Radu Mercea
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Physician Group has welcomed Dr. Radu Mercea to the Community Care Family Practice on Daughtery Road in Zephyrhills.

Mercea has more than 15 years of experience in general family medicine. He sees patients age 5 and older, and provides a wide range of services including sick visits, annual wellness visits, management of chronic diseases, physicals, immunizations and more.

For information or to schedule an appointment, call (813) 788-3582.

PHSC offers Basic Life Support courses
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers courses throughout the fall term. Sessions will be at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, the East Campus in Dade City, the North Campus in Brooksville and the West Campus in New Port Richey.

The courses are designed to provide a variety of health care professionals with the ability to recognize life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, and relieve choking in a safe and timely manner. The instruction is delivered in a variety of in-hospital and out-of-hospital settings.

Students must pass a written exam and skills test to quality for a BLS for Health Care Providers course completion card.

For cost, dates and locations, and to register for the four-hour course, contact Dallas Crick at (727) 816-3119 or , or visit PHSC.edu/aha.

Star volunteers recognized
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has recognized its second quarter volunteers with Star Awards.

Volunteers honored with a Five Star award were Christopher Marshall, Margaret “Naida” Flynn and Thomas Devine.

Marshall has been a courier with the hospital since September 2000, and has logged more than 2,197 merit hours.

Flynn has greeted visitors at Welcome Center A every Tuesday and Friday since January 2013, and has earned more than 964 merit hours.

Devine began volunteering at the hospital in April 2002 as a courier, and has accumulated a total of 2,830 merit hours.

Virginia Fournier was recognized with a One Star award. Fournier has been a volunteer since June 2013, and has 4,375 merit hours working as a courier dispatcher and in the gift shop.

Local hospitals receive Fit-Friendly awards
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills was recognized as a Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association by earning the platinum level for its worksite wellness program. It was honored for investing in its employees by integrating healthy living into its workplace.

The Medical Center of Trinity, Oak Hill Hospital, and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point have been recognized with the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Company Gold Award. The award honors companies that demonstrate progressive leadership by making the health and wellness of their employees a priority.