By: Robert Remler
Learn how to cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer. Free consultation with trained beauty professionals. For more information or to register, call (718) 470-7094.Also, the hospital will host, "Heart Healthy: What You Need To Know," on Wednesday, Oct. 8 beginning at 6:30 p.m. with a free blood-pressure screening and refreshments, followed by lectures at 7 p.m. and a question and answer session. Topics to be covered include "Women and Heart Disease," "Abnormal Heart Rhythms," and "New Guidelines on Blood Pressure Control."Pre-registration is required. The program will take place in the main building, second floor Teaching Center. Call (516) 465-2500 for more information.
Urgent call for blood
Due to an area-wide blood shortage, North Shore University Hospital will hold a community blood drive on Friday, Oct. 10, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The blood drive will be held in the hospital's tower conference rooms, first floor, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset. You must be at least 18 to donate. Appointments are not necessary, but if you would like to reserve a time to donate a pint of blood, call Abby Ziff at (516) 562-2308.
Free prostate cancer screening
Long Beach Medical Center is offering free prostate cancer screening on Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the hospital's Family Care Center. The screening includes a PSA blood test and private exam by a physician. Enrollment is limited. To make a reservation, call (516) 897-1097. The hospital is at 455 East Bay Drive, Long Beach. All men over the age of 50 should get annual check-ups.
Mercy's 'Accent on Women'
Mercy Medical Center's "Accent on Women" seminars continue Thursday, Oct. 23 with a lecture entitled, "Cough, Sneeze, OOPS!" that will focus on urinary incontinence. The lecture will begin at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call (516) 62-MERCY. Mercy is at 1000 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre.
News from the heart
St. Francis Hospital is hosting numerous programs throughout October:Free blood pressure screening Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. till noon at the DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education, Northern Boulevard, Old Brookville. For more information and/or directions call (526) 629-2038. No appointment needed.A class, "Heart of Good Eating," on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the DeMatteis Center to introduce the basic principles of heart healthy nutrition, including tips on dining out, label reading and more. Call for registration, fees and information."Yoga," a six-week instruction series at the DeMatteis Center. The program will run Thursdays, Oct. 16 through Nov. 20. The fee is $50. Call for registrations, times and information."CPR for Friends and Family" to learn CPR without the stress of a written exam on Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. Classes are ongoing. The fee is $45. For additional scheduling, to register or for more information, call."Stop Smoking Clinic," seven two-hour group sessions on Wednesdays, beginning Oct. 22 through Nov. 3 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sessions will offer behavior modification, deep relaxation techniques, pulmonary function test, special attention to weight control, plus long term reinforcement with monthly meetings, 24-hour smokers hotline. The fee is $150. Call to register.
A decade of service
From time to time, healthcare providers, patients and family members find themselves facing complex and difficult decisions involving questions and conflicts related to values, moral principles and the tight course of action. Winthrop-University Hospital's Bioethics Committee, an interdisciplinary group of healthcare professionals and community representatives, was designed to help decision makers identify issues, clarify values and explore alternatives in the area of biomedical ethics. Winthrop's Bioethics Committee has been committed to aiding in the exploration of many challenging ethical questions that have contributed to medical advancements and changes in the healthcare delivery system for over a decade. The group is comprised of individuals from various backgrounds including nursing, social services, pastoral care, community, administration and medical staff. The purpose is to facilitate awareness and discussion of ethical issues in the hospital environment. "The Bioethics Committee," said Jeffrey Berger, MD, Winthrop's director of clinical ethics, "is a good outlet for obtaining assistance on medical/ethical issues, and is available to patients, family members and staff. We offer recommendations and suggest options together with an ethical analysis of the dilemma that supports those recommendations."To commemorate one of the oldest and most active bioethics committees on Long Island, a luncheon was scheduled for earlier this week and an informative display has been set up in Winthrop's lobby. For more information on Winthrop-University Hospital's Bioethics, call (516) 663-2588.
