Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
St. Louis, Missouri - Gov. Jay Nixon joined a Missouri Pancreatic Cancer survivor this evening to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals game as part of the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Night at Busch Stadium. A portion of all ticket sales from tonight’s game benefits pancreatic cancer research through the not-for-profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Before throwing out the pitch, Gov. Nixon was joined by cancer survivors, representatives from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Cardinals President Bill DeWitt and members of the Cardinals baseball organization, to sign House Bill 68 which designates the month of November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Missouri.
“Pancreatic Cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Missouri and the United States, and impacts families throughout Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said. “By raising awareness of this deadly disease, we hope to improve the survival rate of Missourians afflicted with Pancreatic Cancer by increasing early detection and treatment.”
HB 68 designates the month of November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Missouri to increase public understanding of the disease, including its prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, and treatment options.
According to a recent report by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, by the year 2020, pancreatic cancer will move from the fourth leading cause of cancer death to the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
In Missouri, on average, about 700 new cases of Pancreatic Cancer are diagnosed each year. In 2012, 782 Missourians died from Pancreatic Cancer.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri – SoutheastHEALTH would like to invite all Stoddard County Middle and High School athletes to get a FREE Athletic Physical at the Dexter High School cafeteria.
The event will take place on Wednesday, May 8th and will be from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
SoutheastHEALTH physicians and nurse practitioners will be on hand to conduct these physicals. Last year, nearly 300 students benefited from this program.
Please remember that all schools require a parent’s signature on the physical form. Also you must provide proof of insurance.
If you have questions, please contact SoutheastHEALTH at 624-5566 or your local middle school or high school.
If you would like to know more about SoutheastHEALTH and their services go to www.SEhealth.org.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Poplar Bluff, Missouri – A surgical team at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center performed their first da Vinci Single-Site Cholecystectomy on April 9, 2013. They are the only hospital in the region and one of only four hospitals in the entire state to have performed this procedure. The patient’s gallbladder was removed through one tiny incision in the belly button, making the procedure virtually scarless.
Led by David Mauterer, M.D. General Surgeon, the team removed the gallbladder using Single-Site instruments on a da Vinci System. The minimally invasive procedure is traditionally called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Using robotic assistance, surgeons removed the gallbladder through an incision of approximately one inch.
“Neither robotic surgery nor single-incision surgery is new, but combining the two to remove the gallbladder requires additional training and special equipment,” says Charles Steward, CEO of PBRMC and the Missouri Region. “To be one of the first hospitals to offer this technically advanced surgery demonstrates Poplar Bluff Regional’s commitment to providing patients with the most up-to-date minimally invasive surgical options.”
Potential benefits of Single-Site gallbladder surgery may include virtually scarless results, minimal pain, low blood loss, fast recovery, a short hospital stay and high patient satisfaction. The surgery can be performed in about one hour with a typical hospital stay of less than 24 hours.
During the procedure, the surgeon sits comfortably at a console, viewing a 3D, high-definition image of the patient’s anatomy. The surgeon uses controls below the viewer to move the instrument arms and camera. In real-time, the system translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into more precise movements of the miniaturized instruments inside the patient.
Unlike traditional robotic surgeries requiring three to five small incisions, this new technology allows for a single incision in the belly button where instruments are placed and the diseased gallbladder is removed.
Most people who require gallbladder removal are candidates for the robotic, single-incision surgery. According to the American College of Surgeons, surgery is the recommended treatment for gallbladder pain from gallstones and non-functioning gallbladders.
More than 1 million people in the U.S. have their gallbladder removed each year. Most are performed with traditional laparoscopy using several incisions.
PBRMC offers various types of robotic-assisted surgeries. In addition to gallbladder removal, PBRMC surgeons perform robotic-assisted surgery for gynecology and various other general surgery conditions. PBRMC also offers a wide range of minimally invasive conventional laparoscopic surgeries.
For information on robotic and other minimally invasive surgeries at PBRMC, call 855-444-PBRMC (7276) or visit www.poplarbluffregional.com.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer
Columbia, Missouri- It may not sound like human health at first, but those of you who have canine companions, having a healthy pet is important. The education offered and the research that the University of Missouri Veterinary Teaching Hospital performs is state of the art when it comes to animal care. This education and research sometimes leads to human health as well.
Cottrell and Kay Fox, residents of Town and Country, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, recognize the accolades of the hospital and have given an estate gift of more than $5 million to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.
Through their generous gift, Cottrell and Kay wanted to recognize the work of their long-time family veterinarians James Schuessler and Fred Bendick from St. Louis, both alumni of the college. Cottrell Fox is also a 1971 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
“It gives us a great deal of pleasure to be able to give this gift to the University and the College of Veterinary Medicine as well as honor two great friends and veterinarians in James Schuessler and Fred Bendick,” Cottrell Fox said. “Our pets and our family have received great care and benefited a great deal from the important research being done at the university. Kay and I have been touched by cancer in many ways, through family and good friends, and our hope is that this gift will help stimulate more lifesaving research in the future.”
The Foxes’ gift will support an endowment in companion animal medicine in honor of their family veterinarians, Schuessler and Bendick. The gift also will fund studies in comparative oncology, which is research to develop therapies and cures for people and animals with naturally occurring cancer, as well as to enhance training for graduate students and veterinary oncology residents.
The Foxes’ interest in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine first began when their family dog was treated for cancer at the MU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital many years ago. As a part of that cancer treatment, MU veterinarians used a drug developed at MU called Samarium.
Years later, Kay Fox’s father was treated for cancer using the same drug. Samarium was only made available for use on human patients because of the years of research by MU scientists in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Carolyn Henry, an MU professor of veterinary oncology, says this gift will be used to develop more effective methods of cancer diagnosis and treatment in both animals and humans.
“This gift will greatly enhance our comparative oncology research abilities,” Henry said. “This truly will have an impact on people. What we learn through our comparative oncology work can translate into improved options for cancer care in people. This gift shows the Foxes’ recognition of the power of having a ‘one health’ approach to medical and scientific discovery and will go a long way in moving our important research forward.”
Henry also is the facilitator of the One Health, One Medicine area of Mizzou Advantage. The goals of One Health, One Medicine are to create and strengthen faculty networks and propel Mizzou’s research, instruction and other activities related to comparative medicine to the next level.
The Foxes, concerned with what would happen to their beloved pets should their pets outlive them, reached an agreement with the College of Veterinary Medicine several years ago. The college agreed to ensure that their pets would be cared for for the duration of the pets’ lives.
This idea helped stimulate the College of Veterinary Medicine “Perpetual Pet Care Program,” which provides comfortable homes for pets whose owners are temporarily incapacitated or who have passed away. This program can provide peace of mind for pet owners who want to ensure their pets will be cared for in homes after they are no longer able to care for their pets themselves. To place their pets in the program, donors can establish an endowment through the program.
“The Foxes have shown their dedication and love for their pets by giving us the wonderful idea for the Perpetual Pet Care Program,” Neil Olson, dean of the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, said. “Also, by generously funding an endowment for companion animal care and comparative oncology research, Kay and Cottrell Fox are not only establishing a legacy that will allow us to provide the highest quality care for our animal clients, but they are also helping to ensure that we can continue our quest to find treatments and cures for people and animals with cancer.”
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer
The Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center is proud of their new 173 million hospital. "This is truly an exciting time for PBRMC, the community of Poplar Bluff and the entire region we serve," stated Charles Stewart, CEO of PBRMC and the Missouri Region.
"Just 15 months ago, we broke ground to start the construction process and now we are ready to open the doors to the future of healthcare for this region. This has truly been the most well organized project I have ever been involved with," continued Stewart.
The Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center will also host a Community Open House on Saturday, January 19th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will give the public an opportunity to visit and take guided tours prior to the hospital's opening day.
From January 18th to January 26th, the hospital will complete the move from the North Campus on Westwood Boulevard to the new campus. Then on January 26th beginning at 6:00 a.m., Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at 3100 Oak Grove Road will officially open its doors to accept patients.
January 26th will also be "Patient Move Day". All patients at the current North Campus will be relocated to one of the new private patient care rooms at the Oak Grove Campus. PBRMC has partnered with local EMS and law enforcement units to ensure patients are moved as quickly and safely as possible.
Stewart said, "We are very grateful for the generous and dedicated support of our local EMS and law enforcement units during this transition."
The new Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center is a state-of-the-art 7 story hospital offering 250 private patient rooms, advanced medical technology, easier accessibility and an expansion of healthcare services.
Anyone interested in the event is encouraged to attend. This will be a unique opportunity to see a new hospital celebrate such an extraordinary endeavor.
