Reunion with a Cause in Holly benefits cancer patients

GENESEE COUNTY, MI – The sixth annual Reunion with a Cause to benefit Genesys cancer patients in financial need, will take place Friday, Aug. 14, from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at Holly High School’s track.

Sponsored in partnership with the Genesys Health Foundation and the Holly community, this annual event includes a cancer survivor walk and celebration, family activities, a candle lighting ceremony, music, entertainment and
refreshments. Those participating are encouraged to collect donations.

The evening begins with opening ceremonies featuring event co-chair Butchie Mackey, a Holly resident and one of the original organizers of this fundraiser; Mark Taylor, president and CEO of Genesys Health System; and an awards  presentation to the group who raised the most money at last year’s reunion event, and to other members of the community for their outstanding contributions to Reunion with a Cause.

After opening ceremonies, cancer survivors will walk a survivor “victory” lap.

Musical performances and enterainment follow throughout the evening from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

At 9:50 p.m, a luminary lighting ceremony begins to remember all those whose lives were lost to cancer.

Nick Evans, chief development officer and vice president of the Genesys Health Foundation, will conclude the evening with closing remarks.

Last year’s Reunion with a Cause yielded almost $54,000, a recordbreaking amount. These funds were used to help Genesys cancer patients pay for medication not covered by insurance, medical equipment, rental equipment such  as wheelchairs, private pay aides, transportation to and from cancer treatments, and other special needs not covered by health insurance.

“This annual event celebrates and commemorates those whose lives have been touched by cancer, while helping those who are in financial need,” reports Evans. “We welcome everyone in the community to participate in some way – by  making a donation, by walking the track in memory of a loved one, by standing on the sidelines applauding the efforts of others, or by bringing their families to enjoy the celebration or walk in the luminary walk.”

For more information on the Reunion with a Cause to benefit Genesys cancer patients, call the Genesys Health Foundation at 810-606-6020.

Genesys Volunteers’ donations near $4 million mark

Genesee County –  At the annual Genesys Volunteer Appreciation luncheon held last month, Genesys Volunteers presented Genesys Regional Medical Center President Betsy Aderholdt with a check for $160,000. The group of some 630 men and women have donated a total of $3,993,000 to Genesys since the medical center opened at Health Park in February 1997.

Genesys volunteers have earmarked the $160,000 to go toward equipping a Special Care Level IIB Nursery in the Family Birthing Center, helping to purchase an orthopedic navigation system (new technology used in orthopedic surgery), and buying a new courtesy coach to escort patients and visitors to and from the hospital parking lot.

Over the years, Genesys volunteers have raised money for: Genesys Health Park nature trails, a 31-bed hospital expansion, a third cardiac catheterization lab, a mammotome machine for women’s diagnostic care, a digital ultrasound system for the Genesys Heart Institute, the Paul J. Rocky Roll Cardiac Rapid Diagnostic Center, a prostate seed implant machine for cancer patients, an ultrasound powervision angiography machine, the Genesys Sanctuary Garden (an outdoor chapel and place for reflection located on one of the nature trails), the EverGreen (which includes a greenhouse on the Health Park campus where volunteers grow and sell flowers and plants), seven courtesy coaches, and much more.

To earn this money the organization conducts fundraising events throughout the year that include book sales, jewelry sales and nut sales at Christmas. In addition, proceeds from the Genesys Acorn Gift and Floral Shop, the EverGreen
and the annual Charity Ball go to support Genesys patients and the community.

This year’s Charity Ball will take place Saturday, Nov. 14.

In addition to fundraising events held throughout the year, Genesys volunteers donate their time and talents throughout the hospital in these areas: surgery waiting rooms, the information desk, family lounges, as courtesy coach drivers, flower arranging and delivery, employee health, eucharistic ministry, pet therapy, the Genesys hip and knee program, and two new services: emergency department liaisons and FERNS (ForEveR Nurses).

Family Focus volunteers (liaisons in the emergency department) are specially-trained to serve as liaisons in the emergency department – greeting visitors, comforting patients and families in the waiting areas and treatment
rooms, and providing updates from the clinical staff to patients and families.

FERNS are a group of three retired registered nurses who work in the Quality department tabulating clinical data, helping at educational seminars for nurses, conducting hand hygiene inservices and inspections throughout the
hospital, and assisting in other areas within the Quality department.

At the annual appreciation luncheon, volunteers elected a new board. They are:
Edward Hugan from Holly: president
Janet Barker from Grand Blanc: president-elect
Linda Coppola from Holly: recording secretary
Dennis Wagner from Grand Blanc: finance director
Stan Byk from Grand Blanc: communications director
Dawn Chalmers from Clarkston: fundraising director
Peggy Newell from Grand Blanc: membership director
Dorothy Franke from Holly: program director
Edward McLean from Grand Blanc: service director
Connie Ozanich from Fenton: past president advisor

For more information on Genesys Volunteers, call 810-606-5100.

Genesys partners with Buick Open to host party with pros

(GENESEE COUNTY, MI) – Genesys Health Foundation, in partnership with the Buick Open, will host its 17th annual Charity Classic Party. This year, as a special feature for partygoers, many golf pros playing in the Buick Open will attend the event.

The party takes place Friday, July 31, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Genesys Conference and Banquet Center. Cost is $250 a couple or $125 a person, and includes cocktails, a strolling dinner fare featuring specialties from more than a dozen local restaurants, a silent auction with sports memorabilia and other packages, and an opportunity to meet some of the golf pros on tour.

In addition to the Classic Party with the Pros, Genesys Health Foundation will host a golf tournament Monday, July 13 at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc. Cost is $750 a person and includes 18 holes of golf on the site of the Buick Open, two tickets to the Party with the Pros, a gift package, continental breakfast and lunch (for morning golfers); and hors d’oeuvres for afternoon golfers. Golfers can choose morning or afternoon tee times.

Funds raised from these two events will go toward the expansion of the Special Care Nursery in the Genesys Family Birthing Center. Genesys Health Foundation is raising funds for a Level IIB Nursery, which will give Genesys the capabilities to care for higher risk babies – those born at more than 32 weeks gestation and weighing more than 1500 grams those needing mechanical ventilation, and those needing continuous positive airway pressure.

“Infant morbidity and mortality rates in Genesee County are among the highest in the nation,” reports Nick Evans, vice president and chief development officer for the Genesys Health Foundation. “As birth rates continue to rise in our community, this translates into escalating high-risk pregnancies, deliveries and a growing need for services to help this population. A Level IIB Nursery is desperately needed,” he points out.

To purchase tickets for the Genesys Charity Classic Party with the Pros or the golf tournament, call the Genesys Health Foundation at 810-606-7909, or go to www.genesyshealthfoundation.org.

Featured restaurants at the Party with the Pros include: Atlas Valley Country Club, Blue Collar Gourmet, Brick Street Bar and Grille, Cold Stone Creamery, Cranberries Cafe, DaEdoardo North, Damon’s Grill, Epoch Catering, Genesys Conference and Banquet Center, Italia Gardens, Rib City Grill, Taboon at the Valley, The Cake Ladies, The French Laundry, The Great Harvest Bread Company and Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club. In 1993, Genesys announced its first Charity Clasic, a fundraising event where business and community leaders worked in partnership with Genesys to support its efforts to build a healthier future for area residents. Year after year, Genesys has continued this tradition of designating proceeds from the Charity Classic to improve the health of the community. To date, more than $1.8 million has been raised. These funds have been used to help the uninsured and underinsured obtain access to quality medical care and health care resources, provide scholarships to area residents interested in pursuing a career in health care, develop a parish nurse ministry program, and provide other needed services for the community.

Genesys Athletic Club hosts “Shakin’ it for a Cause”

(GENESEE COUNTY, MI) Genesys Athletic (GAC) is hosting a Ladies Night Out, Friday, July 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m., to raise funds for cancer patients at Genesys.

“Shakin’ it for a Cause” will feature one hour of dance exercise that includes Zumba, belly dancing, hula and Bhangra (high energy folk dancing); drinks and appetizers; a guest pass to GAC; a live auction for a private Zumba party; raffles for a variety of prizes; and a t-shirt for the first 200 women who sign up. Cost is $30 a person.

All proceeds go to Reunion with a Cause, an annual event held at Holly High School to raise money for Genesys cancer patients.

Child care services at GAC are open to those who need them at a cost of $3 a child per hour. All of this money will go to Reunion with a Cause.

To register for “Shakin’ it for a Cause,” call Genesys Athletic Club at 810-606-7300.

Reunion with a Cause is an annual walk on the track of Holly High School. Sponsored by Genesys Health Foundation, this event includes an evening filled with family activities, a candle lighting ceremony to remember loved ones lost to cancer, music and refreshments. Last year, more than $53,000 was raised for Genesys cancer patients. This money was used to help cancer patients pay for medications, medical equipment, rental equipment such as wheelchairs, private pay aides, transportation to and from cancer treatments, and other special
needs not covered by health insurance.

This year’s Reunion with a Cause will take place Friday, Aug. 14. For more information on the fundraising walk at Holly High School, call the Genesys Health Foundation at 810-606-6020.

Women & Heart Disease: Here are the Facts

By Dr. Gail Dawson, MD, MS, FAAEP

About eight million American women live with heart disease, the #1 killer of women (and men) in the United States today!

Studies show the following:

• One in three women will die of heart disease.

• Women are less likely to survive a heart attack than men.

• About 38 percent of women will die within one year of a first recognized heart attack.

• About 35 percent of women heart attack survivors will have another heart attack within six years.

• Two thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.

• Women tend to underestimate the symptoms of heart disease and are less likely to seek treatment.

• Heart disease is a lifelong condition – once you are diagnosed with it, you will always have it.

The very positive news is that women easily can change these statistics! Most risk factors of heart disease are controllable. Research shows that women can lower their heart disease risk enormously – by 82 percent – if they lead a healthy lifestyle.

What is heart disease?

The most common cause of coronary artery disease – commonly known as heart disease – is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. This process happens slowly over time, and is the major reason people have acute myocardial infarction (heart attack).

What are the warning signs of a heart attack?

Heart disease often has no symptoms, however, there are a few signs to watch for, and the signs in women may be different than those men experience. Women may feel pain in the center of the chest; in the ear, jaw or neck; or in the back or shoulder area. (Men tend to have crushing pain in the center of the chest that extends down the arm.) Other signs can be unusual tiredness or sudden extreme fatigue, problems with breathing, indigestion, or anxiety.

Heart disease symptoms may be milder in women than men. About 1/3 of women experience no chest pain at all when having a heart attack, and 71 percent report flu-like symptoms for two weeks to a month prior to having more obvious signs of a heart attack.

Can I reduce my risk of heart disease?

Making relatively simple changes in your daily eating habits will pay off quickly. By following this advice, you can reduce your chance of heart disease significantly:

• Control your blood pressure. Blood pressure is considered high when it reaches 140/90.

• Stop smoking. More than half of the heart attacks in women under age 50 are related to smoking. Women who smoke are at risk of dying 19 years sooner than non-smokers. Women who stop smoking for three years have the same risk as women who have never smoked.

• Get tested for diabetes. This medical condition is considered one of the major factors contributing to heart disease. Women with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack. Controlling sugar makes a big difference in the development of coronary artery disease, as well as renal failure and stroke.

• Control your cholesterol levels. Too much cholesterol in your blood can build up (plaque) in your arteries and cause a narrowing of the arteries, which causes heart disease. Good cholesterol (HDL above 50 for women) helps remove bad cholesterol (LDL) from the blood. LDL levels should be at least under 140 for women, and the lower the better. Eating healthy helps maintain the good levels of cholesterol in your blood.

• Eat a heart healthy diet. Keep fat calories to less than 30 percent of the total calories you eat each day, and choose foods low in saturated fats, which raise your LDL. Avoid animal meats, butter, whole milk dairy products, cheese, and tropical oils (coconut, palm). Also limit trans fats, which are found in margarine, donuts, muffins and other processed foods. Choose foods with mono or polyunsaturated fats instead. Wise food choices include vegetables, whole grain foods, and low fat or nonfat dairy products. Some processed foods – frozen dinners and canned foods – can be high in saturated fats. When in doubt, read labels. Also remember to limit sodium to no more than 2.4 grams a day.

• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Try to exercise 30 minutes a day, a minimum of three to four times a week. Remember, your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay in shape. At midlife, women can benefit from weight-bearing activities that keep bones healthier – walking, lifting hand weights, and even carrying groceries.

• If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink (12 ounce beer, five ounce glass of wine, one shot of hard liquor) a day.

• Do not take hormone replacement therapy to prevent coronary artery disease. It actually does more harm than good. Research now shows that estrogen plus progestin therapy increases the chance of developing heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. If you need to take hormones, use the lowest possible dose for the shortest time needed.

Only two risk factors for heart disease are not controllable – these are your family history and age. If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother had one before age 65, you’re more likely to develop heart disease. This does not mean you will have a heart attack; but it means you are at a higher risk.

To protect your heart health, be aware that every risk factor counts. If you have even one risk factor, you are more likely to develop heart disease.

What tests are conducted to determine if a person has heart disease?

If you are worried that you have signs or symptoms of heart disease, check with your physician right away. A physical exam may be all that is needed, but sometimes, more testing is necessary.

Imaging studies such as a stress echo or nuclear test will show the reaction of the heart muscle under stress. Patients walk on a treadmill or receive a drug to dilate the blood vessels or make the heart beat faster. In a stress echo, the cardiologist looks for abnormal heart movement under stress. A nuclear study tracks the flow of blood. If it can’t get to the heart muscle under stress because of a blockage, the heart will appear lighter in some areas on the scan.

A CT scan and cardiac catheterization provide a view of the inside of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. If there is a blockage, it will show up as a narrow part in the blood vessel. A CT scan takes X-rays very rapidly. Patients lie in a machine while dye is injected. The heart rate needs to be slow enough to obtain clear images of the coronary arteries. During a cardiac catheterization, the cardiologist injects dye through a catheter that enters the leg and goes up into the coronary arteries, and then takes pictures. If an artery is blocked, the physician can open it during the procedure. Often a stent is placed to keep the artery open. A stent looks like a skinny tube made of metallic meshwork.

What should I do if I think I am having a heart attack?

Fast treatment can limit heart damage. Get to the hospital as fast as possible. Do not drive yourself. Chew an uncoated aspirin if you have one. This can reduce damage to the heart muscle. Once you arrive at the hospital, an electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood work will be ordered to help determine if you’ve had a heart attack. Even if the EKG is normal, you still may have had a heart attack, and more testing will take place.

Remember: the good news is that women can make a lot of simple changes in their daily routine to greatly reduce their risk of heart disease. It is never too late to start making these changes!

Dr. Gail Dawson is on the medical staff at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc and practices at Regional Cardiology Associates.  She obtained her medical degree from the University of Michigan and earned a fellowship in Cardiology at the Detroit Medical Center through Wayne State University.  She is board certified in cardiovascular disease, internal medicine, nuclear medicine, echocardiography, and coronary CT interpretation.