February 5 is Wear Red Day, American Heart Month

NATIONWIDE — Despite the devastating toll of COVID-19, heart disease remains the number-one cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death among women. One in three women will die of heart disease.

Friday, February 5 is National Wear Red Day; the American Heart Association is urging everyone to wear red to raise awareness about the devastating effects of heart disease in women. Wear Red Day takes place during American Heart Month.

Heart disease and stroke can affect a woman at any age. In fact, nearly 45 percent of women age 20 and older are living with some form of heart disease. New data suggests Gen Z and Millennial women are less likely to be aware that heart disease is their greatest health threat. Women can often have different symptoms of heart disease than men. Symptoms may include chest pain and arm numbness, but it can also demonstrate as pain in the shoulders and back, gastrointestinal distress and fatigue.

For more information and to donate to the cause, visit www.GoRedforWomen.org, where information about going red is available. People wearing red can share photos of themselves on their social media sites with the hashtag #WearRedDay or #WearRedandGive.

Wayne Memorial bombarded with vaccine calls

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC) is requesting that the public refrain from phoning the hospital, its medical offices and various hospital departments looking for COVID-19 vaccines or clinics. Hospital spokesperson Lisa Champeau stressed that the numerous calls are interfering in the health care of the community, especially within the hospital.

WMCHC has launched an online registration platform to be able to contact people when clinics are available again. It can be found by going to www.wmh.org and clicking on “Vaccine Registration” at the top of the page. Champeau noted that, for people who do not have internet access, if they are unable to have a friend or relative help them, the centers have been working with the Wayne County Area Agency on Aging to help register people for a vaccine when supplies are available.

For more information, visit www.wmh.org.

‘Earth Angel’ hospice nurse WMH employee of year 2020

HONESDALE, PA — Hospice nurse Charlene Whitmore, RN, was “honored” to be chosen Wayne Memorial Hospital’s (WMH) Employee of the Year 2020—“especially when so many others deserved it, too,” she said. Whitmore’s colleagues call her an “earth angel,” and the longtime hospice nurse says, in fact, “God did choose me to do this work. I was called.” The Beach Lake mother of four has been in hospice more than 15 years, the last 10 with Wayne Memorial.

Whitmore was nominated by the entire Home Health team, including a fellow Employee of the Month, Melissa Stephens. Whitmore’s co-workers called her “charismatic, loving and passionate… someone who makes a patient’s last days as comfortable as possible.”

Red Cross urges blood donation to maintain supply amid pandemic

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The American Red Cross typically has a tough time keeping the blood supply strong during the winter months when inclement weather and seasonal illnesses can impact donors. This year the pandemic adds another challenge in keeping the blood supply strong. The Red Cross is urging healthy individuals to make an appointment to give blood or platelets this month.

The following are upcoming blood donation opportunities: Friday, February 5, from 2:15 to 6:15 p.m. at Eldred High School, 600 Rte. 55, Eldred, NY; Wednesday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Peter’s Parish, 10 Liberty St., Monticello, NY; and Wednesday, February 10 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, 180 Sullivan St., Wurtsboro, NY.

Appointments are required.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800/733-2767.

Rep. Delgado reintroduces bill to protect rural hospitals

19th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, NY — U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) reintroduced the Protecting Rural Access to Care Act to protect small and rural hospitals across New York State. In 2015, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) amended the criteria for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designations by changing how the agency calculates a hospital’s distance from other critical care facilities. As a result of these changes, nine of the 18 CAH facilities in New York State stand to lose their CAH certification—including three in New York’s 19th congressional district.

The Protecting Rural Access to Care Act would restore the pre-2015 standard permanently for CAHs certified before 2015, ensuring the rules do not change as they seek recertification; require CMS to engage in a public notice and comment period for any future guidance or regulation changes made to the designation criteria for CAHs; and ensure that unless any formal update to distance criteria is finalized, hospitals seeking CAH certification or recertification will be subject to the pre-2015 standard.

Catholic Charities to partner with St. Joseph’s Parish and Food Bank of Hudson Valley

NEWBURGH, NY — Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster announced that it will be partnering with St. Joseph’s Parish, located in New Paltz, and the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley to launch a series of drive-through pop-up food pantries at locations in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. Catholic Charities provides assistance to those in need regardless of religion.

“Thanks to a generous grant from St. Joseph’s Parish, we will be increasing the frequency and the size of our Pop-Up Pantries,” said Shannon Kelly, Deputy CEO of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. “Working with the Food Bank, Catholic Charities will partner with local groups to hold contactless food distributions several times a month in locations throughout each county. Especially during the winter months, having a drive-through option for those in need will allow us to expand our current outreach efforts to feed our neighbors.”

Catholic Charities’ first drive-through pantry event will be held Wednesday, February 10 from 12 to 4 p.m. at 396 Broadway in Monticello, NY. A tentative schedule of upcoming pantries will be available at www.cccsos.org. Donations may be made securely online at www.cccsos.org. Those in need of food or other emergency assistance should email ccosuregionalhelpline@cccsos.org.