Oak Ridge Today

Thrive, Prevent, Celebrate: ‘Survivor Sundae’ offers cancer information for all

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Mt.-LeConte-Jug-Band-WEB

The Mt. LeConte Jug Band will once again entertain guests at Methodist’s “Survivor Sundae” celebration and cancer awareness event on Sunday, June 5. (Submitted photo)

 

Note: This story was updated at 5:25 p.m. May 30.

With improved screenings and advanced treatment, more and more people are beating cancer each year. But that doesn’t change the significance of being a cancer survivor and the hard fight to put cancer in its place.

Join Methodist Medical Center as we celebrate National Cancer Survivors’ Day on Sunday, June 5, with the third annual “Survivor Sundae.” This special ice cream social will take place from 2-4:30 p.m. at the Cheyenne Ambulatory Center, 944 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Survivor Sundae will honor cancer survivors and their families who have supported them along the way as well as provide cancer prevention and awareness information for the community. Cancer survivors can leave their mark on a special group art project supplied by Painting with a Twist, which will be displayed in the Thompson Cancer Survival Center at Methodist. [Read more…]

MMC’s June classes: Prepare for birth, better health, support groups

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Methodist Medical Center’s June Classes: Prepare for Your Baby’s Birth, Exercise for Better Health, Find a Support Group to Meet Your Needs

Whether you want to get in shape, prepare for the birth of a baby, or find support from others going through a similar experience, Methodist has a class for you!

Classes will be held at the hospital, located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge, unless otherwise noted. For more information and registration, call (865) 835-4662 or 1-800-468-6767.

Community Classes

Mended Hearts Support Group, Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.

Mended Hearts offers peer-to-peer support for those affected by heart disease including patients, families, and caregivers. The group meets the third Thursday of the month in the Cheyenne Ambulatory Center Conference Room, 944 Oak Ridge Turnpike. To learn more call (865) 806-3013. [Read more…]

Genesis Brain Health Institute to open in September

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Mike Mursten, left, and Andrew Dougherty are co-founders of the Genesis Brain Health Institute. (Submitted photo)

Mike Mursten, left, and Andrew Dougherty are co-founders of the Genesis Brain Health Institute. (Submitted photo)

 

Andrew Dougherty and Mike Mursten, two men who share a passion to combat Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, have founded the Genesis Brain Health Institute to offer a medically based program aimed at baby boomers that has been shown to delay, and in some cases even reverse, cognitive decline.

“Current medical studies have conclusively shown that a lifestyle of exercise, proper nutrition, brain utilization, and stress management can delay the onset of cognitive decline,” said Andrew Dougherty, co-founder and president of Genesis.

With current science on the brain and memory loss as their guide, they are offering a multi-faceted program beginning in September in the Provision Wellness building in Knoxville, the first such program in East Tennessee. Beginning with a complete medical assessment, the program includes an educational series on topics critical to brain health.

“What we have found is that baby boomers do have general knowledge about health and wellness, but lack the specific knowledge and tools to implement it into their daily lives,” said Mike Mursten, co-founder and chief executive officer. “The Genesis program is a practical, medically based program to give you the tools to fill your tool box.” [Read more…]

Lung cancer screening to be discussed at Health Night lecture

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James Tramontana

James Tramontana

Low-dose computerized tomography, or CT, is a screening that has been shown to save lives by finding lung cancer early, when it is easier to treat. This new procedure is available at Methodist Medical Center and will be the topic of Health Night on the Town, Tuesday, May 31, at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center, 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Board-certified radiologist James Tramontana, MD, will discuss low-dose CT, how the screening works, its benefits, who is eligible, and the importance of this and other screenings in the early detection of cancer.

The program is free and open to the public. [Read more…]

Relay for Life is in Oak Ridge on Friday

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Relay for Life Oak Ridge is Friday, May 20, at the Oak Ridge High School track. It’s scheduled from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday.

Here is the schedule of events for what will be a fun evening that will raise money and awareness of the awfulness of cancer, and the effects it has on so many people, a press release said. [Read more…]

Methodist recognized for ‘Straight A’ status in hospital safety

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Methodist Medical Center Main Entrance

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge is pictured above.

 

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge has continued its “Straight A” recognition in hospital safety scores that were launched four years ago. MMC has never received a grade lower than “A” since the The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Scores started in June 2012, a press release said.

Also receiving “A” grades in the Spring 2016 scores were Fort Loudoun Medical Center, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, LeConte Medical Center, and Roane Medical Center. The ranking mean the hospitals are among the safest in the United States, a press release said.

“It is gratifying to be a part of an organization with such a long-standing track record of quality,” said Jeremy Biggs, Methodist Medical Center president and chief administrative officer. “To be among such an elite group of hospitals to have received this type of national recognition and validation is truly an honor.”

“Patient safety and a constant focus on the quality of care we provide are top priorities for Covenant Health,” said Mike Belbeck, executive vice president of operations. “We are pleased that five Covenant hospitals received Leapfrog’s highest scores, and we will continue to focus on patient safety as part of our ongoing commitment to excellence in all aspects of patient care.” [Read more…]

Grace Lutheran hosts candle lighting service on May 7

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in observance, Grace Lutheran Church will host a candle lighting service in support of those challenged by mental illness, substance use disorders, and other brain disorders. The service will be held on Saturday, May 7, at 5 p.m. in the church sanctuary, which is at 131 West Gettysburg Avenue in Oak Ridge.

This is a free community event, and everyone is invited to attend. A special invitation is extended to family members, caregivers, community support organizations, and the healing professions.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 60 million American adults experience mental illness in a given year. About 13.6 million of those live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder. [Read more…]

Today: ASAP helps ORPD, CPD take back expired, unwanted prescription drugs

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You can dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs today in Oak Ridge and Clinton.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Oak Ridge Police Department and Clinton Police Department. Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are helping with the event.

It’s the 11th time in six years that an event like this has been held, a press release said.

You can bring your pills for disposal to the ORPD at 200 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge or to the Clinton Police Department at 125 West Broad Street in Clinton. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous. No questions will be asked, the press release said. [Read more…]

Hospitality Houses welcome next generation of volunteers

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TN-Fury-team-donation-pic

The Gold TN Fury girls team donated personal and household products for use by guests of the two Hospitality Houses. Team members include Emmaline Estep, Navy Gentry, Kannon Green, Caton Harris, Cadha Kirkland, Faith McGhee, Camayah Moore, Vivian Newton, Amari Stewart, and Kylee Thompson. Team coaches are Paige Green and Aaron Green. (Photo courtesy MMC)

 

A fifth-grade basketball team recently visited the Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center to deliver items they had collected as part of their team’s service project. The Gold TN Fury girls team donated personal and household products for use by guests of the two Hospitality Houses.

Tennessee Fury is a faith-based AAU basketball organization founded to physically and spiritually impact youth in East Tennessee through competitive athletics. As part of the program, teams complete a service project. The 10 members of Gold TN Fury chose the Hospitality Houses as their project and learned a lot about the Houses and volunteering during the process.

The Hospitality Houses are offered free of charge to patients who must travel for cancer treatment or wound therapy, both of which require frequent trips to Oak Ridge for extended periods. The Houses are also open to families who have traveled to be with loved ones in the Acute Care Unit at Methodist. The houses are supported solely through charitable contributions. [Read more…]

Treece named MMCer of the Month

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Danny Treece

Danny Treece

Danny Treece, a radiology technologist in the Radiology department at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has been named the MMCer of the Month for April.

Treece has been with Methodist since 2006. In his job, he performs x-rays in the hospital’s Emergency Department.

Treece is described by Michael Manfredo, director of Medical Imaging, as “dependable,” “the consummate professional,” and “a team player.”

“He does an outstanding job of taking care of our patients and always provides excellent care,” Manfredo said.

Treece received two nominations.

“He always completes his work and is willing to lend an extra hand to his co-workers,” one nomination said. [Read more…]

April Health Night: Building a relationship with your healthcare provider

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Ann Carter

Ann Carter

Primary care providers diagnose and treat medical problems, provide preventive medical screenings based on medical risk factors, refer you to specialists for appropriate treatment when needed, and provide those specialists with your medical history as necessary. In short, they are an integral part of your healthcare team. But there is another member of that team you may forget—you!

Learn about the importance of building a relationship with your physicians and other health professionals as family medicine practitioner Ann Carter, MD, and her nursing staff, Sandra Mincey, FNP-BC, and Cheryl Goforth, NP, present “It Takes a Team- Partnering with Your Healthcare Provider” at Methodist Medical Center’s Health Night on the Town lecture on Tuesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center, 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The program is free and open to the public. [Read more…]

Cancer survivors, caregivers to be honored at American Cancer Society Relay For Life

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American Cancer Society Relay for Life Logo

Local cancer survivors and their caregivers will take the celebratory first lap at the annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Oak Ridge event on May 20 at Oak Ridge High School Track. The survivors lap will begin at 6 p.m. Anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer may participate.

As the survivors walk, other participants will cheer them on in a demonstration of support and celebration. The five-year survival rate for all cancers has risen to 68 percent, and there are an estimated 14.5 million survivors in America, a press release said.

The Relay For Life of Oak Ridge is a community event where teams and individuals set up campsites at a school, park, or fairground, and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Last year, four million people participated in more than 6,000 events worldwide. The money raised supports groundbreaking cancer research, education and risk reduction efforts, and free information and critical services for people with cancer who need them.

If you are a cancer survivor or caregiver and would like to be part of the Relay For Life event, visit relayforlife.org or on Facebook at Relay for Life of Oak Ridge, or call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345.