Your Health

Posted
Franklin Hospital names gala honorees
Wendy and Thomas Hoey, Jr. of Garden City have been named honorees of Franklin Hospital Medical Center's 2004 annual Gala Dinner Dance, which will be held Saturday, April 17 at the Woodmere Club. The Hoeys will be honored for their dedication and commitment to the hospital. Thomas Hoey is a member of the Community Advisory Board of Franklin Hospital Medical Center. He also serves on the Governor's Finance Committee and was appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Agriculture Committee. His volunteer efforts include fundraising for the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic charity in Kew Gardens. Wendy Hoey has volunteered her time to the Long Island Alzheimer's foundation. The Hoeys manage a family business, Long Island Banana Corp., Suffolk Banana Inc. and affiliates. Proceeds from the gala will provide funds for the many improvements and renovations now taking place at the hospital and other projects scheduled over the next year. Tickets are $300 per person and can be purchased through the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System Foundation at (516)465-2670.

Winthrop-University receives $265,000 grant

Winthrop-University Hospital has been awarded a five-year, $265,000 community partnership grant from the New York State Office of Minority Health to continue its outreach efforts on behalf of Nassau County's minority population. The grant will be used to fund Winthrop's minority outreach project, "From Our Home to Yours . . . Winthrop's Circle of Care."The project seeks to identify and connect with communities that lack the proper access to healthcare. One of its major goals is to eliminate disparities in birth outcomes for minority women in communities of Nassau County including Hempstead, Freeport, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Westbury/New Cassel, Inwood and Long Beach. To accomplish this, a program was developed utilizing a bilingual navigator to insure that pregnant women are connected to a "medical home," and provided with comprehensive prenatal care and access to health insurance for themselves and their children.The program will also provide access to medical screenings, referral, information and health insurance in the communities utilizing the Winthrop Mobile Wellness and Education Center. Additionally, free baby care classes will be provided to expectant parents utilizing bilingual peer educators. "We are very grateful for this significant grant, which will help us achieve our goal of reaching out to and welcoming the medically under-served communities throughout Nassau County into the Winthrop fold," said Deborah Johnson, vice president, administration at Winthrop. "Over the past several years, Winthrop has initiated a number of important outreach programs that make healthcare affordable and available for the minority population throughout the region. We are thankful that we will be able to continue this groundbreaking work on behalf of individuals, children and families in need of quality healthcare."The first year of the grant will focus on the needs of Nassau County's Hispanic community. The second year will expand the program to the African American community and the third through fifth years of the grant will reach out to other minority groups as they are identified through census and demographic data. Over the past several years, Winthrop's minority health initiative, Project Community View, has played a role in providing the medically undeserved throughout Long Island with affordable, quality healthcare services. Such programs as "Diga Si A La Buena Salud" (Say Yes to Good Health) a Hispanic health fair sponsored by Winthrop, and mobile wellness screenings have provided health information and education to many minority communities.

St. Francis Hospital offers classes

During the months of March and April St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center, in Roslyn will be offering classes to improve health and wellness.Yoga classes are available at St. Francis Hospital's DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education, Northern Blvd., in Old Brookville. Beginning and experienced students are welcome and please remember to bring your towel or mat. Classes are held Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on March 18, 25 and April 1, 8, 15 and 22. The fee is $50 for each six-week session and pre-registration is required. For information call (516)629-2040.A class on the Heartsaver AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) will be offered on Thursday, March 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Learn how to use an automatic external defibrillator, now mandated for many gathering places such as schools or sports facilities. This course is designed for non-healthcare providers who are expected to respond to emergencies in the workplace. The fee is $50 and the class is at St. Francis Hospital's DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education on Northern Blvd. in Old Brookville. To register call (516)629-2036.

Mercy League Scholarship applications available

Applications are now being taken for the Sister Mary Grace Memorial Scholarship in health care, sponsored by the Council of Leagues of Mercy Medical Center. Sister Mary Grace, a moderator of the Leagues of Mercy for many years, encouraged individuals to pursue service to the sick. The scholarship in her memory, which in the past have ranged from $500 to $2,000, are provided on a one-time basis to worthy students in financial need whoa re studying career in the healthcare field. For more information regarding the scholarship or to obtain an application, call the office of Sister Anne Reekie, CIJ, vice president for community health at Mercy, (516)705-1834, or Mary McNiff, administrative assistant (516)705-1833. The deadline for submitting applications is April 30, 2004.