In Good Health

June 2013 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper •

CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

in good FREE

June 2013 • Issue 162

priceless

Couple found a unique organ donor program in

Ohio. She got a new kidney; later, he donated his

After Years of Dialysis,

a Happy Ending

Are Dads Healthier

Than Non-Dads?

How to Use Herbal

Supplements Safely

A New Role for a NurseIn addition to tending to patients, Upstate nurse spending a great deal of time in the courtroom

Dr. Marc Pietropaoli and the Thrill of Victory

Orthopedic surgeon talks about plans for medical center in Skaneateles

Stop the Press! Juneberries Are Coming

Locally grown fruit — new to New York state — hits the market

in June-July for the first timePage 15

More Than 4,000 U.S. Kids Hurt Each Year on Amusement Rides

How to Grow Your Own Vegetable and Fruit Garden Page 13

Page 3

A national urologist group says no; local doctors disagreePage 17

The PSA Question

Should men undergo regular prostate screenings for early detection of prostate cancer?

• IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • June 2013

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More than 4,000 American children are injured on amuse-ment rides each year, accord-

ing to a new study that calls for stan-dardized safety regulations.

Between 1990 and 2010, nearly 93,000 children under the age of 18 were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for amusement-ride-related injuries, an average of nearly 4,500 injuries per year.

More than 70 percent of the injuries occurred from May through September, which means that more than 20 injuries a day occurred during these warm-weather months, said researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

The head and neck region was the most frequently injured (28 percent), followed by the arms (24 percent), face (18 percent) and legs (17 percent). The most common types of injuries were soft tissue (29 percent), strains and sprains (21 percent), cuts (20 percent) and broken bones (10 percent).

The percentage of injuries that required hospitalization or observation was low, suggesting that serious inju-ries are rare. From May through Sep-tember, however, an amusement-ride-related injury serious enough to require hospitalization occurs an average of once every three days, according to the study, which was published online May 1 and in the May print issue of the journal Clinical Pediatrics.

Youngsters were most likely to suf-fer injuries as a result of a fall (32 per-

cent) or by either hitting a part of their body on a ride or being hit by some-thing while riding (18 percent). Thirty-three percent of injuries occurred on amusement park rides, 29 percent on mobile rides at fairs and festivals, and 12 percent on rides at malls, stores, restaurants and arcades.

“Although the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has juris-diction over mobile rides, regulation of fixed-site rides is currently left to state or local governments, leading to a frag-mented system,” study senior author Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy, said in a news release. “A coordinated national system would help us prevent amuse-ment-ride-related injuries through better injury surveillance and more consistent enforcement of standards.”

Smith and his colleagues offered the following amusement-ride safety tips:

• Always follow all posted height, weight, age and health restrictions, as well as all loading or seating-order instructions.

• Always use safety equipment such as seat belts and safety bars, and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times.

• If you don’t think your child will be able to follow the rules, keep him or her off the ride. If you are worried about the safety of a ride, don’t let your child go on it.

• Do not let your child go on a mall ride if it is over a hard, unpadded surface or if it does not have a child restraint such as a seat belt.

More Than 4,000 U.S. Kids Hurt Each Year on Amusement Rides

Researchers call for standardized safety regulations to reduce injuries

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In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2013 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 276,

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No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take the place of—the recommendations of your health provider.

Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen.

HealthCNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

in goodONONDAGA, OSWEGO, CAYUGA AND MADISON COUNTIES

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Contributing Writers: Jim Miller, Eva Briggs, M.D., Gwenn Voelckers, Deborah Banikowski, Deborah

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CALENDARHEALTH EVENTS

of June 1Multi-organ blood analysis takes place in Fulton

Oswego Health’s annual Fulton multi-organ blood analysis will be held June 1 in the cafeteria of G. Ray Bodley High School. Oswego Health and the Fulton Kiwanis Club have teamed up once again to offer the com-munity this important screening. This full battery of tests can help prevent potential health problems. The cost of the analysis is $35. Typically these tests can cost more than $340. In addi-tion, there is an optional $20 prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, which is recommended to men older than age 50. To make an appointment, residents can call 341-0094. The screening will be offered from 6:30–9:30 a.m. A 12-hour fast is required. Checks to cover the cost of the screenings should be made out to Oswego Health. The analysis screens individuals for various condi-tions such as anemia, diabetes, and others, as well as for coronary, kidney, and liver diseases. The most popular screening at the event is the portion of the analysis that assesses LDL and HDL cholesterol along with triglyc-erides. Lab technicians from Oswego Hospital will be on hand to conduct the blood draw. The results of the multi-or-gan blood analysis will be sent directly from the Oswego Hospital lab to the participant’s home and their physician in an easy-to-read format.

June 2AIDS Walk/Run to take place in Bville

AIDS Community Resources in-vites the public to participate in its 21st Annual AIDS Walk/Run, presented by Empower Federal Credit Union, at Beaver Lake Nature Center in Bald-winsville. The AIDS Walk/Run benefits AIDS Community Resources and fea-tures a 5K fundraising walk and a 10K

OASIS, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of mature adults 50 and older through lifelong learning, healthy living and social engagement, will holdtwo seminars in June. Both will take place at its headquarters, 6333 state Route 298, E. Syracuse, next to the Double Tree Hotel off Carrier Circle

• June 14 — “Safe Exercise for a Healthy Heart,” from 1–2:30 p.m. Denise Killius, nurse coordinator for cardiac rehabilitation at Upstate Medical University Hospital, will review safe guidelines to improve your heart’s health at the OASIS Learning Center. A free pedom-

eter will be given to all class par-ticipants. The fee for this class for OASIS members is $10. • June 17 — “Cancer 101,” from 1 2:30 p.m. Leslie Kohman, medical director of the Upstate Cancer Cen-ter and thoracic surgeon at Upstate Medical University, will present a class at the OASIS Learning Cen-ter about the major solid tumor cancers, how they are classified or staged as well as the current treat-ments for each. A general historic review of cancer morbidity and mortality statistics will be presented from where we were years ago to where we are today. The fee for this class for OASIS members is $5.

timed run, with free food, drinks, and prizes. It will take place Sunday, June 2. Participants are encouraged to fund-raise a minimum of $25. Those raising more receive incentives. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk/run starts at 10 a.m. rain or shine. The event is AIDS Community Resources’ largest outreach and fundraising event in Cen-tral New York. If you would like more information, visit www.AIDSwalkCNY.com or call 1.800.475.2430.

June 3Golf tournament to benefit Oswego Hospital

Local golfers can support the purchase of the latest digital mammog-raphy equipment as they participate in Oswego Health’s annual golf tourna-ment on June 3 at the Oswego Country Club. Oswego Health’s annual golf tournament will support the purchase of new digital mammography equip-ment allowing Oswego Health to offer the latest technology at all its locations. Oswego Health’s annual golf tourna-ment is now in its 26th year. The event attracts more than 140 golfers each year that support the purchase of either a hospital service or piece of equipment. For information about participating in the tournament, call 349-5500.

June 4, 5Medicare workshops in Auburn to cover the basics

Learn about the basics of Medicare at free workshops to be held from 6–8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4 and from 10 a.m. – Noon. on Wednesday, June 5 at the basement training room of the Ca-yuga County Office Building. Classes have also been scheduled for July and August. These sessions will be geared toward Cayuga County residents only who are approaching Medicare enroll-ment and for those already enrolled who are overwhelmed or confused by

the information and the options avail-able. These are not meetings during which sales efforts will be made, and no insurance vendors will be pres-ent; these presentations will contain unbiased information only. Informa-tion included in these programs will be: the basics of original Medicare; Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription coverage; Medicare Preventive benefits; Medicare supple-mental insurance and EPIC; costs, co-pays and deductibles; and information about available assistance to help those beneficiaries of a low-income status. Registration is required and will be accepted until such time as the seating limit has been met. Call 315-253-1226 or visit www.co.cayuga.ny.us/aging/events.htm.

June 5Seminar on knee and hip pain to be held in Cortland

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center will host a free informational session titled “Knee and Hip Pain: What Are Your Options?” at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, at the Crown Center, located at 28 Kellogg Road in Cortland. Light refreshments will be served. Seth Greenky, board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement, will explain what causes joint pain, discuss treatment alterna-tives and rehabilitation options and review the benefits of preparing for surgery. Space is limited. To register, call St. Joseph’s at 315-744-1244 or e-mail [email protected].

June 6Alzheimer’s Association: Know the 10 signs

If you or someone you know is ex-periencing memory loss or behavioral changes, it’s time to learn the facts. This program, presented by the Alzheimer’s Association of Central New York Chapter, will discuss the warning signs of Alzheimer’s, what to do if you see the signs in yourself or someone you love, getting a diagnosis and medica-tion options. The event will take place at 1 p.m. June 6 at Northern Onondaga Public Library at 100 Trolley Barn Lane, North Syracuse. Free. Registration required at www.nopl.org or 315-458-6184.

June 7 ‘Free Dentistry Day’ takes place in Oneida

Dentist Bruce Stewart and his staff are inviting the public to a day of free dental care on June 7. Under the special event, the first 70 people who show up at his office, which opens at 7 a.m., will get free dental care. The office is located at 321 Main St., Oneida, and the free care will include extraction, filling or cleaning. This is the third year that Stewart and his staff members, volun-teers and various sponsors have orga-nized the event. Last year, more than $9,000 in free dental care was donated to Central New York residents. “My hope is to see the community support this very special day for us by spread-ing the word to those in need,” said Stewart. “We want to show people how to take care of their teeth and better understand how good dental health is crucial to their overall well-being.” For

more information, call 315-363-4940, or visit www.oneidanydentist.com.

June 8Oswego Health to offer basic CPR program

Oswego Health is offering basic life support CPR classes for healthcare providers on Saturday, June 8. Two four-hour sessions will be offered. The morning session will be held from 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. while the afternoon class will be held from 1–5 p.m. The classes will be held in the lower level conference room of the Oswego Health Services Center. The center is adjacent to Oswego Hospital. Teaching the classes will be staff members from Os-wego Health who are certified by the American Heart Association (AHA). During the class, healthcare profession-als will learn to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR to victims of all ages, use an AED, and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner. To register for one of the two offered classes, a form can be found at www.oswegohealth.org. There is a $25 charge for class materi-als. Those with questions should call Margaret Beers, who is overseeing the classes, at 349-5712.

June 10Golf tournament to help Rescue Mission

The “Mission Possible Golf Tour-nament” is one of Central New York’s premier golf events and this year will be held at Skaneateles Country Club starting at 10 a.m., June 10. It will follow a captain and crew format. A continental breakfast, lunch on the course and dinner in the clubhouse will be provided. All proceeds benefit the Rescue Mission to end hunger and homelessness in the region. For more information contact Gina Stokes at 315-701-3891 or [email protected].

June 19Caregivers gather at luncheon in Auburn

Members of the caregiver support program, affiliated with Cayuga Coun-ty Office for the Aging, will hold their fifth annual caregivers luncheon from 12–2 p.m. at Emerson Park Pavilion on Wednesday, June 19. Caregivers of any type are welcome to attend along with those for whom they care. A light lunch will be served for the price of $5 for each participant. Registration forms may be obtained from the Cayuga Of-fice for the Aging at 160 Genesee St., Auburn or by calling 315-253-1226. Registration must be made by 4 p.m. on Wednesday June 12. This event is made possible by the Cayuga County Office for the Aging and by a donation from the Cayuga Lake National Bank in Union Springs.

June 14, June 25Seminar: Understanding the Affordable Care Act

Lanika Mabrey, community health advocate for the Public Policy and Education Fund of New York (PPE-

Continued on page 22

OASIS program to focus on cancer 101, healthy hearts


Forty-three percent of American high school students admit to texting while driving, according to

a new study.The findings show that too many

teens are ignoring warnings about the risks of this dangerous habit. Research has demonstrated that texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by 23 times, and many experts say texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.

Researchers analyzed data from about 7,800 U.S. high school students who had their driver’s license and took part in the 2011 survey on youth behaviors conducted yearly by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention. The teens were asked if they had texted while driving in the past 30 days, and 43 percent said they had.

Males were more likely to text while driving than females — 46

percent vs. 40 percent, respectively. The likelihood of texting while driving increased with age: 52 percent of those over age 18, 46 percent of 17-year-olds, 33 percent of 16-year-olds and 26 per-cent of 15-year-olds.

The study also found that teens who texted while driving were more likely to engage in other risky behav-iors, such as drinking and driving, hav-ing unprotected sex, and using indoor tanning devices.

“Although teens may be develop-mentally predisposed to engage in risk-taking behavior, reducing the preva-lence of texting while driving is an obvious and important way to ensure the health and safety of teen drivers, their passengers and the surrounding public,” said principal investigator Alexandra Bailin, a research assistant at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York.

It goes against popular belief, but a recent study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

shows that the southern region of the United States is not the fattest part of the country.

“The obesity epidemic is over-whelming the U.S., and there’s this strong perception that Mississippi and Alabama are number one and num-ber two in obesity — fighting for last place,” said George Howard, professor in the department of biostatistics in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

Howard said that according to data from the long-running REGARDS (Rea-sons for Geographic and Racial Differ-ences in Stroke) study, the West North Central part of the country, which includes North and South Dakota, Min-nesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, is the fattest area — with a 41 percent obese population. These find-ings were recently published online by the journal Obesity.

“We were thinking since people

living in the South are generally more hypertensive and have higher rates of diabetes and stroke, it would be the fat-test region,” Howard explained. “But when we looked at our data, people in the South were really not the fattest.”

The study grouped states into re-gions used by the U.S. Census Bureau in order to compare data to the Na-tional Health and Nutrition Examina-tion Survey (NHANES) to confirm the findings from REGARDS. Mississippi and Alabama are part of the East South Central region of the U.S., which also includes Tennessee and Kentucky. REGARDS ranked the region fifth out of nine regions with 34 percent obese, and the NHANES showed that it was seventh out of eight regions with only 31 percent obese (NHANES ranks fewer regions than REGARDS because NHANES has fewer measurements collected for reporting the New Eng-land states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut).

South Not the Fattest Part of U.S. After AllResearcher says West North Central part of the country is the country’s fattest area

Survey: More Than 4 in 10 U.S. Teens Text While Driving

State laws banning behavior don’t seem to help much, researchers find

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Meet Your Doctor

By Lou Sorendo

Q.: You are a doctor of osteopathic. What is that and how does it dif-fer from conventional approaches to medicine?

A.: Osteopathic medicine is a form of medical practice that provides all of the benefits of modern medicine with the added benefit of hands-on diagno-sis and treatment. An American doctor who recognized that medical practices of the day often caused more harm than good founded the first osteopathic medical school in the 1880s. He focused on medical care that would promote the body’s ability to heal itself. It’s a philosophy, and doesn’t really differ from conventional medicine all that much in terms of approach, diagnostics and modalities.

You don’t just treat one particular issue or one part of the body that is sick, but treat the whole body and help it to promote its own self-generation and healing.

Q.: Why did you choose osteopath-ic medicine and family practice as your specialty?

A.: At the time, I didn’t know any osteopaths in this area. A lot of it was based on interviews and finding a medical school that I could fit into.

Family practice or some kind of primary care has always been my desire to get into. I want to be on the front lines and have relationships with patients. Osteopathic medicine and family practice are great ways to help others and to establish relationships not only with the patient, but their entire family.

I am able to treat patients of all ages, but limit the scope of my practice to anyone over the age of 5 years old. We have a pediatrician on our staff who is highly qualified to see chil-dren under 5.

Q.: Is there a shortage of

Dr. Carmen J. FedericoOn the rewarding life of a family practice doctor, his degree in osteopathic medidcine

family practitioners in Central New York? Are graduating medical students focusing on subspecialties instead?

A.: Recently, it certainly seems that more doctors are going into specialties. I think that is cyclical, because when I was entering the profession there was a large thrust to try to steer more people into primary care. There was definitely a shortage. It has become more difficult for primary care providers to stay in business with the demands of the job, particularly insufficient reimbursement and seeing 30 patients or more per day. I think that a lot of students are seeing the frustrations we face and are decid-ing to go into a subspecialty for a better lifestyle.

Q.: Why did you choose Compas-sionate Family Medicine in Syracuse and North Syracuse as a place to prac-tice? What do you enjoy about Upstate New York?

A.: I grew up in Liverpool, and have always liked this area. I have al-ways wanted to be close to family and friends and never really had a desire to branch out or be far away. The weather is not the greatest but I’m used to it. I

like the school system up here for my kids, and the enter-

tainment opportunities the Syracuse area

has to offer.I chose to sign

on with Compas-sionate Fam-ily Medicine because it was a career opportu-nity for me, and a chance to bet-

ter myself that I didn’t have at my

previous job.

Q.: What skill sets are necessary in

order to be an effec-tive and successful

family practi-

tioner? What strengths do you have which make you an effective family practitioner?

A.: You have to be approachable and be able to relate to people to see where they are coming from. You have to be able to educate them as to what they should be doing and what they shouldn’t be doing, which unfortu-nately doesn’t always happen because people get set in their ways.

Q.: What is the most gratifying aspect of being a family practitioner?

A.: Just seeing patient loyalty. You become almost like a family member to them as you go through their ups and downs while helping them through their personal health crisis. You get to know them well and they develop a re-lationship and bond. That’s something you don’t get in specialty care as much.

Q.: What do you see as most the significant health threat to Americans today? How should the medical com-munity respond to this threat?

A.: I encourage my patients to be active. Inactivity I think is one of the threats in this country that is going to be a long-standing problem, especially in this area with the weather being so poor.

There are just so many other things people can be doing these days that do not involve physical activity. It’s hard to get some of these people to get as active as they should be.

Everybody is working at least 40 hours a week, if not more, to try to make ends meet. Everything costs money. They have the excuse that they are tired at the end of the day, don’t have time to exercise, or don’t have money for the gym.

It’s a downward spiral. If you don’t exercise and don’t take care of your own body, it leads to depression, obesity and diabetes. Then you throw smoking and alcohol on top of that, and it leads to other health problems.

It’s another piece of the puzzle that is being neglected and needs to become more of a priority for people than it is.

Q.: What do you see as some of the foremost obstacles that prevent people in Central New York from gaining ac-cess to quality healthcare?

A.: It is my understanding that it is certainly difficult, and I don’t under-stand why. There are some people who don’t have insurance, can’t afford insurance or their insurance is not on par with their provider. I guess that’s an issue, but in our practice, we are accepting patients and taking about every insurance, and at some point we probably will be saturated but we’re really not there yet. I don’t understand what the problem is.

Lifelines:Birthplace: Syracuse. Residence: War-nersEducation: Doctor of Osteopathic Medi-

cine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Tech-nology; Bachelor of Science degree in biology at SUNY BinghamtonAffiliations: American Academy of Family Practice; American Board of Family Medicine; diplomat, National Board of Osteopathic Medical ExaminersPersonal: Wife Michelle, and seven childrenHobbies: Watching his children play sports and music; watching S U sports; going to concerts; running; fitness and eating out

New York State Podiat-ric Medical Association (NYSPMA), which rep-

resents more than 1,200 foot specialists across the Empire State, is urging New Yorkers to pay special attention to the skin on both the top and bottom of their feet. While harmful sunrays may be the primary cause of skin cancers on parts of the body that receive sun exposure, skin cancers of the feet are more often related to viruses. Doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) are foot special-ists, trained to recognize and treat conditions that present on the skin of the foot.

Skin on the feet, especially on the bottom, is often over-looked during routine medical exams. According to Gary Stones, NYSPMA’s president and a prac-ticing podiatrist, skin cancers of the feet have several features in common. “Most are painless, but often there’s a history of recurrent cracking, itching, bleeding or ul-ceration,” he cautions. “These can-cers often go undiagnosed until another issue presents itself near the affected site,” added Stones.

Checking for warning signs is something anyone can do, paying particular attention to changes such as non-healing sores, bumps that crack and bleed, nodules with rolled edges or scaly areas. Examining the bottom of the foot is critical.

Basal cell cancers may ap-pear as pearly white bumps or oozy patches that can get crusty like other open sores. On the foot, basal cell cancers often look like non-cancerous skin tumors or benign ulcers.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer of the foot. They usu-ally are confined to the skin and do not spread. However, when advanced, some can become more aggressive and spread through-out the body. This form of cancer can begin as a small scaly bump, which may appear inflamed. There can be cracking or bleeding. Sometimes it begins as a hard pro-jecting, callous-like lesion. While painless, this type of skin cancer may be itchy. It can resemble a plantar wart, a fungal infection, eczema, an ulcer or other common dermatological conditions.

Skin cancers on the lower extremity may have a different appearance that those arising on the rest of the body. So to test, the podiatrist will perform a skin biopsy. This is a simple procedure in which a small sample of the skin is obtained and sent to a lab where a skin pathologist examines the tissue in greater detail. If it turns out the lesion is skin cancer, the podiatrist will recommend the best course of treatment.

Each year, approximately 2 million Americans are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancers.

Skin Cancers of the Feet Are Often Painless


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When 50-some-thing writer Barbara Ca-

nale’s daughter, Juliana, first went to college she found herself struggling with a lack of a spiri-tual guidance in her life. Mom took up the effort to fill this void each day. By year’s end the daugh-ter had a 4.0 grade point average and Barbara Canale had a book full of devotions.

The book is titled “Prayers, Papers, & Play: Devotions for Every College Student” and is published by Liguori Publications. It is also available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

“The school Juliana attended her first year was not a good fit for her,” Canale said. “While she liked the coursework and professors, there were other aspects of col-lege life that her univer-sity lacked. Without a campus ministry, Juliana was lacking a religious presence in her life at a time when she needed it the most. I searched everywhere for a college devotional for her, but couldn’t find one anywhere. So, I wrote inspira-tional passages with Bible verses and emailed them to her every day.”

What started as some brief Chris-tian inspirations in email for her daughter turned into a book meant for every college student, Canale said. Roman Catholicism is a significant presence in both Barbara and Juliana’s lives. The elder Canale said her faith had been fostered by her parents and by her 30-year marriage to her hus-band Patrick. Canale goes to church at Holy Cross parish in Dewitt. She is also an occasional contributing writer to In Good Health—CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper and 55 PLUS magazine.

Juliana Canale said the devotions in her mom’s book were meant to be read prior to exams and they were helpful for her. She prepared herself for the exams through academic study, but the devotions helped buoy her confi-dence before the tests so that she felt she could do anything, she said.

Her mother believes the book has other benefits for college students. Col-lege life is full of challenges, difficul-ties and distractions. “Prayers, Paper and Play” can help lead students over the obstacles of financial constraints, negotiating an academic path, avoiding issues like underage drinking, partying too much, cheating or falling in with the wrong crowd.

“College students are constantly faced with myriad decisions, some of which can lead them astray,” Canale said. “My book will keep them ground-ed and remind them that they are not alone. This devotional is not something they can simply read; it’s something they will need to experience and live each day but the rewards are many. This book gives kids who pray an edge

over their classmates. It conveys to stu-dents that it’s okay to pray their way through school.”

It all comes from reading a little bit of the book every day. The devotions lead the student through the academic year from mid-August to mid-May and also have a special section for summer learning. The devotions are kept brief, three to five minutes of reading.

“College kids are very busy with studies, obligations, commitments, and activities pulling them in many differ-ent directions,” Canale said. “I kept the devotions brief to engage students, give them something insightful to con-template, but not weigh them down. It’s like a quick ‘pick-me-up’ to keep them on track and remind them that they will be okay despite their difficul-ties and struggles.”

Juliana is expecting to graduate from Cornell University in June after having transferred to that school after her first year of college. Now that she has conquered the ins and out of the collegiate life with a little help from her mom, she will be taking on the real world. It is a world she may be bet-ter prepared for because of “Prayers, Paper and Play,” she says.

“I never would have written this book if it wasn’t for Juliana,” Canale said. “I truly wanted her to succeed and the passages speak with a compas-sionate voice to all kids who read it to strive to do their very best. Their life is a gift from God, what they do with it is a gift to themselves.”

Local Author Helps Daughter Through College With Devotional BookBy Matthew Liptak

Barbara Canale just launched “Prayers, Papers, & Play: Devotions for Every College Student.”


Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Live Alone & Thrive By Gwenn Voelckers

Life doesn’t always go according to plan. For many women and men, midlife has brought unexpected

changes, some by choice, others by chance. Whether divorced or widowed, they find themselves struggling to make sense of their losses and life circum-stances.

I talk a lot about attitude in my “Live Alone and Thrive” workshops. Experience has taught me that our at-titudes (thoughts and beliefs) determine the life we have. If you believe you will be lonely, penniless and miserable on your own, chances are good you will be.

On the other hand, if you adopt the attitude that living alone could present opportunities for personal growth and new relationships, you will likely re-discover meaning and joy in your new, independent life.

Research suggests that people who count their blessings and see the “silver lining” are happier, healthier, and more optimistic

It was Norman Vincent Peale who said, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” I’m a believer in that quote — and work hard to live by it. I’m convinced that if you don’t like the results you are getting in your life, you need to take a look at changing the attitudes that are producing those results.

You have a choice. Choose to focus

hole that the depth of our negativity can almost become comical. It’s not be-cause our feelings aren’t legitimate, it’s because we’ve allowed them to spiral completely out of control and absurdly out of proportion. When this happens, realize you’ve gone off the proverbial deep end and try to laugh at yourself a little.

It helps if you share your misery with someone who will help you “keep it real.” That person for me is my sister. She’ll tolerate my tragic tales of woe for just so long and then she’ll give me that “look.” Inevitably, we end up dissolv-ing in tears of laughter and — poof! — my cloud of negativity is lifted.

Avoid hanging out with negative people. Complainers, whiners, moaners — these people will bring you down, reinforce your fears, and undermine your confidence. Avoid these people. Instead, reach out and nurture relation-ships with people who love life and who want to live fully, regardless of their marital status. Enthusiasm is con-tagious. Put yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and about life.

Healthy change and personal growth is next to impossible when one is immersed in negative thinking. Want to feel better about being on your own? Change or shift your thinking. Living without a spouse or significant other need not be a period of diminishing opportunity. With the right attitude, it can be a time of expanding possibili-ties. Embrace it. And look for the silver lining.

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Live Alone and Thrive, empowerment workshops for women held throughout the year in Mendon, New York. For information about her workshops or to invite Gwenn to speak, call 585-624-7887, e-mail: [email protected].

on your strengths and your gifts. Use this time on your own to define and create a life that is consistent with your dreams and desires.

To get there — to feel the way you want to feel — embrace an attitude that will inspire and guide you. And banish negative thinking. Negative thinking will only get in the way of your goal to feel better and to have the life you want. Below are a few tips to help you steer clear of pessimistic think-ing:

Turn it off. When that internal dialog in your head turns negative, turn it off! Catch yourself and redirect your thinking. Here’s an example of a negative thought that can be redirected: “I’ve lost my chance at happiness. All my friends are married, and here I am alone. I don’t think I can do this.”

This can be reframed into some-thing much more positive: “I may not feel on top of the world today, but I can do this. I am resourceful and con-fident I can create a life that is reward-ing and full of people and experiences that bring me joy.”

While redirecting your thoughts

might feel contrived at first, actively choosing to alter your thinking will make an important difference in your life.

Indulge and then move on. If you can’t just turn off that negative thinking — if it keeps seep-ing back in — give yourself a good five minutes to bask in your negative thoughts, then stop it, and redirect your thinking. Set a timer, if you need to. When the alarm sounds, it’s time to move on and refocus. I’ve done this myself and it works.

Be your own best friend. When the negative think-ing and self-doubt emerge, talk to yourself as if you were your own best friend and give yourself some

good advice. What would your best friend tell you? He or she would prob-ably acknowledge your feelings, but go on to say, “Come on now; that kind of thinking will get you nowhere,” and then remind you of how wonderful you are and how many people adore and count on you. Do this for yourself. Be your own best friend.

Try to find some humor in your down-ward spiral. Sometimes we can dig ourselves into such a deep emotional

KIDSCorner

Children can get five to 10 colds each year, so it’s not surprising that adults often turn to over-

the-counter cough and cold medicines to relieve their little ones’ symptoms. But a new University of Michigan poll shows that many are giving young kids medicines that they should not use.

More than 40 percent of parents re-ported giving their children under age 4 cough medicine or multi-symptom cough and cold medicine, according to the latest University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Twenty-five per-cent gave those children decongestants.

In 2008, the federal Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory that these over-the-counter medicines not be used in infants and children under age 2. They have not been proven effective

for young children and may cause seri-ous side effects, says Matthew M. Da-vis, director of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

In response to the FDA, manufac-turers of over-the-counter cough and cold products changed their labels back in 2008, to state that the medi-cines should not be used for children under 4 years old.

“These products don’t reduce the time the infection will lasts and misuse could lead to serious harm,” says Davis. “What can be confusing, however, is that often these products are labeled prominently as ‘children’s’ medications. The details are often on the back of the box, in small print. That’s where parents and caregivers can find instructions that they should

not be used in children under 4 years old,” Davis says.

The side effects from use of cough and cold medicines in young children may include allergic reactions, in-creased or uneven heart rate, drowsi-ness or sleeplessness, slow and shallow breathing, confusion or hallucinations, convulsions, nausea and constipation.

Tips to help reduce the risk of a lawn mower injury among kids:

• Children should not ride on lawn mowers as passengers. They can fall and be caught under the mower.

• Clear the mowing area of objects including twigs, stones and toys that can be picked up and thrown by the lawn mower blades.

• Wear closed-toed shoes with slip-proof soles while mowing.

• Consider hearing protection for louder mowers.

• Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is let go.

• Do not pull the mower backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary, and carefully look for chil-dren behind you when you do.

• Make sure that all children are indoors or at a safe distance away from the area that you are mowing before you turn on the mower.

A ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ for Living Alone

40 Percent of Parents Give Young Kids Cough/Cold Medicine That They Shouldn’t

The poll found that use of the cough and cold medicines in children age 4 and under did not differ by par-ent gender, race/ethnicity or by house-hold income.

“Products like these may work for adults, and parents think it could help their children as well. But what’s good for adults is not always good for children,” says Davis.

Kids & Lawn Mowers• Make sure your child is old

enough to handle the responsibilities that are associated with using a lawn mower. Children younger than 16 should not be allowed to operate riding mowers, and those younger than 12 should not be allowed to use walk-be-hind mowers.

• Before you allow your child to mow the lawn alone, spend time show-ing him or her how to do the job safely. Supervise your child’s work until you are sure that he or she can manage the task alone.

• Store the fuel for the mower out of reach of children. Start and refuel mowers outdoors, not in a garage or a shed. Mowers should be refueled with the motor turned off and cool. Never let children refuel the engine.

Source: Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.


As a young nurse, Susan Carleo never imagined that her medical career would eventually land

her in the courtroom. But as Carleo gained experience in

a variety of settings, from emergency rooms, to obstetrics, to post-anesthesia care, she found that her knowledge base spanning three decades need not be limited to clinical work. In 2007, she started her own business and joined the ranks of “legal nurse consultants” who assist accident, malpractice or worker’s compensation attorneys in dire need of experts.

Carleo is not sure if there are many other legal nurse consultants in Up-state New York, but she imagines the number will increase in the years to come. According to the American As-sociation of Legal Nurse Consultants, professionals like Carleo with nursing backgrounds are increasingly being hired or retained by law firms, insur-ance companies, hospitals or govern-ment agencies.

According to the AALNC website, there are currently no formal training requirements for practicing legal nurse consultants, but industry standards typically mandate a RN (registered nurse) certification and several years of clinical experience. The AALNC has established training modules and a credentialing pro-gram.

So far, Carleo Legal Nurse Consulting has served attorneys throughout Upstate and Downstate New York, New Jersey, Georgia and several other states. Carleo has continued to work full-time in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) at Upstate University

Hospital’s outpatient surgery center but has her sights set on eventually scaling back her clinical work to part to as she focuses on growing her business.

“But working in the field has been invaluable,” the Liverpool resident said. “You need to stay clinically active to keep up-to-date and stay sharp as a consultant.”

Carleo’s medical career began near-ly 40 years ago at St. Vincent Hospital in New York City. Upon graduation, she worked at North Shore University Hospital in Plainview, Long Island. She moved to the Syracuse area in 1991, starting with Crouse Hospital before transferring to Upstate University Hospital three years later. Over the years, she realized that her knowledge of medical records could help her earn some extra money on the side.

The bulk of her legal consultant work involves reviewing medical records and producing reports that explain what happened in layman’s terms. She has interviewed accident or malpractice victims and serves as an expert witness in civil court cases.

In addition, the job requires her to attend independent medical exams. In that role, Carleo accompanies patients to a doctor’s appointment that is typi-cally requested by the opposite attor-ney. She observes, records what took

place during the exam and writes a report summarizing the

visit for the plaintiff attor-ney. In these situations, the doctor is a neutral party who evaluates the injuries claimed by the patient.

Carleo also teaches legal docu-mentation classes to

nurses, including the importance of chart-ing care given, patient responses and commu-nication with the other

caregivers.“If care given

wasn’t documented when reviewing a

medical record,” she said, “then it [care] wasn’t done.”

Legal nurse con-sultants,

Carleo added, can work for plaintiffs or defendants.

“You have to be objective and hon-est,” she said. “It doesn’t matter which side you’re working for, because they want the truth. I’ve had to tell plain-tiff’s attorneys that nothing happened, that they don’t have a case.”

Carleo admits that she was very nervous the first time she testified in court during a malpractice case in Ithaca two years ago. But explaining it in non-technical terms — with word-ing that could be understood by people who don’t work in the medical field — put Carleo at ease.

“I spoke for an hour and 10 min-utes,” she recalled. “The woman had lost a lot of blood. I used a bottle to show how much.”

Last year, for a malpractice civil trial in Rochester, Carleo was assigned to produce an evidence binder that was given to every juror so that they could follow along with her testimony.

Malpractice, Carleo said, is very difficult to prove in New York state. The plaintiff must meet the burden of proof in four areas: Did the provider who is being sued have a duty to care for the plaintiff? Did the provider fail to meet the standard of care? Did the provider cause the problem due to an act of neglect? What is the extent of the injury that the patient sustained due to negligence?

“There’s so much to prove,” she said. “And it’s not always physicians. There are nurses, hospitals, private practices, therapists, social workers.”

Medical records, Carleo says, “are the foundation of every claim investi-gation.”

“Reviewing a medical record re-quired the development of a medical/legal sense because the record is the witness. Investigating a claim is much like solving a mystery. In each case, the who, what, when, where, why and how must be addressed,” she said.

As a practicing nurse who wants to see patients and doctors succeed, Carleo challenges individuals to be more involved in their own health care. She encourages people to get copies of their medical records and to research the medications they are taking or are thinking about taking. She also says patients should understand that they have the right to request time with their doctor if they would prefer not to see a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant.

“You have to be on top of your own health care,” she said. “You want to trust your doctor, but it’s smart to look things up and know that you always have other options.”

She also encourages people to advocate for their relatives who are hospitalized.

“Visit them, ask questions, get an understanding of what is being done,” she said. “You might be in the same position some day and you’ll want someone to do the same thing for you.”

A New Role for a Nurse: Legal ConsultantIn addition to tending to patients, Upstate nurse spend a great deal of time in the courtroom By Aaron Gifford

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By Eva BriggsMy Turn

Today I drank over 10 pounds of water — so far. That’s five liters, which might seem like a lot, ex-

cept that I spent the morning in Arizo-na hiking into the Grand Canyon under the hot sun trying to keep up with a very fit daughter. That’s the amount required to spend six and a half hours in those weather conditions.

Even if I were a well-trained athlete, I would still need prodigious amounts of water to stave off dehy-dration. At the Bright Angel trailhead is a warning sign telling the sad tale of 24-year-old Margaret Bradley. She was a young healthy runner (having completed a marathon a few months earlier) and intelligent (she was a medical student.) But she misjudged the amount of water required — one to three liters per hour — for exertion in harsh hot dry weather conditions. She

set out in July 2004 with the ambitious goal to run from one rim of the Grand Canyon, down to the Colorado River, and back up the opposite side. She carried just 1.5 liter of water, a fraction of the requisite amount, and ultimately perished of dehydration.

Many situations — besides failure to drink sufficient water in the heat — can lead to dehydration. An ill-ness could cause excessive fluid loss through diarrhea or vomiting. Un-controlled diabetes can lead to excess urination and dehydration. The elderly, the very young or disabled persons might be unable to obtain water when thirsty. The ability to drink could be affected by severe illness causing coma, use of a respirator, or painful mouth sores.

The first symptom of dehydration is generally thirst. But thirst might not

means rising body temperature pos-sibly progressing to heat stroke. And when urine production ceases, kidney damage follows.

If someone is mildly dehydrated, start frequent sips of fluid. Water is fine in most cases. For someone who has been sweating profusely, a carbohy-drate/electrolyte drink like Gatorade or Pedialyte may be offered. Over the years I’ve seen articles stating not to use Gatorade because it’s composition differs from the ideal oral rehydration solution, as well as articles advocating its use. In any case, if the victim fails to improve quickly or if symptoms appear severe, seek immediate medical care.

Enjoy your summer! But don’t forget the fluids.

Eva Briggs is a medical doctor who works at two urgent care centers (Central Square and Fulton) operated by Oswego Health.

develop as quickly as dehydration, so when exercising in the heat it’s impor-tant to keep drinking BEFORE thirst develops. As dehydration progresses, dry mouth and the sensation of a swollen tongue develop. Weakness, dizziness, and palpitations follow these symptoms.

Impaired judgment and insight fol-low, which can lead victims to making poor judgments. In Bradley’s case, for example, she tried to take a shortcut down to the river and became trapped, unable to descend further or ascend back to the trail. Had she followed her original trail for only one more mile, she would have intersected a busy trail and have been found by other hikers. As dehydration progresses, victims become obviously confused, may faint, and stop sweating and produc-ing urine. In a hot climate no sweating

A healthcare-related organization is raising public awareness and research funding for a rare and

deadly virus.The Maggie Sue Glenister Wilcox

Foundation officially began in Decem-ber, honoring the sudden death of a New Haven, Oswego County, child. She suffered from Eastern equine encephalitis. This rare disease carried by mosquitoes took her life days before her fifth birthday in August.

“Its purpose started when Mag-gie was in the hospital,” said Donna Wilcox, the child’s aunt and co-director of the foundation. “Once we found out what this was, we knew we were going to do something.”

According to Wilcox, this is the only foundation of its kind that she knows of in this region. The only other one that she has heard or read about is known as Moms Against Triple-E in New Hampshire. That organization originally started when the founder lost her 5-year-old daughter to EEE.

The MSGW Foundation is applying at the state and federal level to become a 501c(3) nonprofit organization. Wil-cox said it is waiting for everything to be processed.

“We needed to make sure people were aware of the down and dirty of [EEE] because it is horrible,” Wilcox said. “If you get this, you will die.”

According to Wilcox, her family heard warnings in Oswego County for years. She said the studies that she read say one in three people who contract it will die. Surviving patients suffer

It’s important to drink before thirst develops

What You Need to Know About Exercise and Water Intake

One-of-a-kind Effort Strives to Commercialize Vaccine for EEE VirusFundraising foundation nurtures concern for mosquito-carrying diseaseBy Avery Galek

severe brain damage.Results in death

Reports from the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention say EEE is a rare illness transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Only a few cases are reported a year.

The time it takes for the onset of illness ranges from four to 10 days. Symptoms include headache, vomiting, convulsions and coma.

Death usually occurs two to 10 days after symptoms occur. The chanc-es of death increase for young children and elderly.

“There is no cure for this,” Wilcox said. “If you survive and you don’t have any long-lasting significant brain damage, you can be counted as one the very lucky ones.”

Wilcox said it would be much easier if there were more organizations because they could band together with pharmaceutical companies to make the vaccine more commercially available.

According to Wilcox, the U.S. Army developed a vaccine in the 1950s and it was given to 700 soldiers who were researching the disease or who were thought to be susceptible.

She said during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Congressman James Walsh petitioned the Army to have its vac-cine released so it could be further developed for commercial use. It needs approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

No one other than the Army is working on it for clinical use, according to Wilcox.

She spoke with Wash-ington, D.C. correspondent for The Post-Standard, Mark Weiner, who reported the find-ings during this time.

“I did find that the Army is currently conduct-ing stage-two trials of the vaccine,” Wilcox said. “From what I understand it’s looking for side effects and things like that.”

Fundraisers featuredThe Oswego County Comets

motorcycle club is in the process of organizing an additional fundraiser planned for June 15. It is known as a “bug run.”

By using an anti-mosquito graphic the MSGW Foundation initially used on an awareness flyer, the club was able to produce stickers. The idea is to gain support from the community by placing the stickers on their helmet or motorcycle and see who gets a bug to hit closest. If a bug hits the sticker it is a bull’s-eye.

This novel idea is geared toward creating a fun atmosphere as the club meets up with additional motorcycle clubs along various stops in Jefferson and Lewis counties.

The day will end at the New Ha-ven fire hall with a chicken barbeque and car wash. All proceeds will go to the fire department and MSGW Foun-dation.

Recently, the MSGW Foundation held a fundraiser at The American Foundry in Oswego. All the money raised will go toward testing and

research and for FDA approval of commercial distribution.

Expected at-tendees of the event are Congressman Dan Maffei and As-semblyman William Barclay.

“I’m hoping in addition to the support we have from Senator Patty Ritchie, they’re going to be able to guide us and [approve] us for funds that we raise,” Wilcox said. “I’m going to rely on government officials to help us figure out where we need to put [the money].”

Also attending the fundraiser will be members of three additional Syra-cuse-based families who experienced death of a loved one from the virus.

Wilcox said it is important to be aware of certain measures that may help prevent tragedies like this.

She said families can help reduce breeding grounds for mosquitoes by re-moving any standing or stagnant water from their property. Make sure children are using appropriate bug spray when they are outdoors, she added.

“Hopefully, we’ll all work together and get this figured out,” Wilcox said.

For more information on the MSGW Foundation, Inc., email: [email protected]. Contribu-tions can be sent to MSGW, Inc., P.O. Box 236 New Haven, N.Y. 13121.


ParentingBy Melissa Stefanec

[email protected]

This year, as Mother’s Day came and went, I started thinking about what every mother really wants.

Some people get creative with their gifts, but no one can give a mother what she truly wants. There is a thing she can never have enough of, no mat-ter how hard she tries. That magical thing is so precious that most mothers never save any for themselves. That much sought-after gift is time. Moth-ers want more hours in the day, days in the week and moments to pause and breathe.

You can’t buy or create time, but you can save it. This month’s column will highlight some of the ways I have found to save time. Some of these time-savers are group efforts, so partners and children, listen up! You can give mom the gift she wants. You can even give it to her year-round. You can give her your time, lend a hand and give Mom more of this precious commodity.

No. 1 — Get up earlier.I know this sounds contradictory.

Why would someone get up earlier to save time? The answer is, to avoid rushing. There are so many days I feel like I can’t squeeze in a bathroom break because the day is fuller than my bladder. Rushing begets rushing, and before I know it I am too stressed out to focus, plan and commit. Giving myself a few extra minutes in the morning gives me the time to conduct myself as a normal human being. When I am not rushing, I’m far more focused and efficient. I take care of business faster. Partners and children have to sign on to this one. You all have to be on the same page.

No. 2 — Use your lunchSo many people who work out-

side the home waste their lunch times. People use lunch to catch up on work-related emails or go out to lunch. Lunchtime is your time. At least a few days a week, use your lunch to run er-rands that you would normally do after work. Go for a walk or hit the gym and get some exercise. Most employ-ers won’t care if you eat a sandwich at your desk when you get back. Make the dining out and working lunches a rarity. Take back what is yours.

No. 3 — Prepare in bulkWhen it comes to food, make stor-

age containers your best friend. Cut up enough vegetables for the week and store them in containers. Prep work is half the food battle. If you only have to prep and clean up once a week, you save a lot of time. Cook in bulk and portion food into smaller containers when you’re done. It’s not that hard to put some chili into five different con-tainers, but taking everything out and assembling each morning and night takes a lot of time.

No. 4 — MultitaskWhen it’s safe to do so, combine

your tasks. Don’t go overboard and do something like sautéing vegetables while vacuuming (you can laugh,

but I’ve tried), but combine manage-able tasks. Catch up with a friend on the phone while sweeping or folding laundry. Bring the bills in the bathroom while your kid plays in the bath. Plan your errands by location so you don’t retrace your steps on different days of the week. Little things add up.

No. 5 — Ask for helpMost mothers place unreal expec-

tations on themselves. We work and work. We bare the load. We get upset and grouchy because we are doing too much. When I am overloaded, I try to remember to ask for help. There is no reason the rest of your family can’t contribute. In order for this time-saver to work, moms have to drop the critical crap. If someone helps, thank them. No two people do things the same, but different isn’t bad. We need to praise the good and cajole the bad. Staying positive about help will keep the help coming.

No. 6 — Stop telling yourself “mom” is synonymous with “maid”

If you are a mother, girlfriend or wife, chances are you have fallen into the maid trap. You do it for different reasons, but it always rears the same end result. You may feel it’s your place (nope). You may feel it’s easier to ask more of yourself than others (not true). You may not want to be a nag (nag is better than jerk). Whatever your reasons are, if you are someone’s maid and not taking home a paycheck for it, you need to rethink things. Make your kids pick up after themselves. Stick to your guns. Don’t let exhaustion get the best of you and resign to doing everything yourself. We live in the 21st-century America. We are equals and adults. We deserve to be treated as such.

No. 7 — Do nothingThis is crazy talk. Doing nothing

is the exact opposite of getting stuff done right? That’s mostly right. When you have no time for yourself, you get depleted. Depleted people are not top producers. If you want to be more efficient, and therefore have more time, you need to take a step back to recharge. Doing nothing may be just what your brain and body need to get through the week. Taking on the tasks at hand is best when you are well rested and balanced.

No. 8 — Please help other momsI may act like I have it perfectly to-

gether, but I need all the help I can get. If you email your favorite time-saver to [email protected], I will share it with other In Good Health readers. It may take a whole community to raise a child, but it also takes a whole network of mommies to keep our sanity sound and find time for it all.

8 Time-saver Tips for Moms

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When patients walks into physi-cian Marc Pietropaoli’s offices at Victory Sports Medicine

and Orthopedics in Skaneateles he wants them to have a better-than-bibli-cal experience.

Pietropaoli and his staff at Victory have one central work ethic: provide the best customer service experience possible.

“Our mission statement is to one-up the golden rule,” Pietropaoli said. “The golden rule is to treat others like you treat yourself and we try to one-up that by treating others even better than we would treat ourselves.”

The practice provides excellence in medicine with the use of the lat-est technology. But customer service has become a hallmark for Victory. It is been a guiding light for Pietropaoli since starting the sports medicine and orthopedics center in 2001.

Pietropaoli, the manPietropaoli’s journey into medicine

started when he was a boy. Pietropaoli, now 46, is a native of Rochester.

“I have several family members who are physicians,” he said. “My father’s brother, my uncle John, was probably the most important role model that I had that kind of got me interested in medicine. I played some sports when I was growing up and was always very interested in that so I kind of knew from an early age that I wanted to take care of athletes and go into sports medicine. My uncle told me that most sports medicine doctors are orthopedic surgeons. That’s kind of how I got interested in orthopedics.”

But the young Pietropaoli’s designs on being a doctor had some competi-

Dr. Marc Pietropaoli and the Thrill of VictoryOrthopedic surgeon plans to build a massive medical center in Skaneateles, the Victory CampusBy Matthew Liptak

tion. He also considered trying a career in rock ‘n’ roll or pursuing the life of a fighter pilot.

“I still play the drums some,” he said. “If I put as much time into the drums as I did going into medicine I probably would have been a profes-sional drummer. As far as fighter pilot...my eyes were just not good enough. I was fairly interested in that as well.”

Pietropaoli’s life as an orthopedic surgeon and business owner have hit some heights as well.

In 1992 he graduated valedictorian of his medical school class at SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse (now Upstate Medical University). He went on to gain a one-year fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, working under world-renowned sports medicine phy-sicians William G. Clancy Jr. and James R. Andrews.

Those who work closely with Pietropaoli are impressed by his work ethic.

“As a person, he is a funny man with an amazing memory and a per-fectionist nonetheless,” said Victory physical therapist Lauren MacDonald. “He is focused, innovative and busy yet encourages communication at absolutely any time when it comes to ensuring proper patient care.”

The life of the surgeon is surround-ed by sports and sports medicine. His three children are involved in athletics as is the doctor. He is a marathoner who has run six marathons, including New York City’s. He has also been a coach.

“I like to run,” he said. “I like to stay in shape so I do a lot of exercising. I like to coach sports. I like to go to my kid’s games. My kids all play sports. That’s kind of how I got into coaching. My wife volunteered me to be a coach in soccer because I played soccer and then the next thing I know I was coach-ing a team. Now I’ve coached every-thing from soccer to football, baseball, softball, basketball, you name it.”

That experience with coaching has much to do with the doctor’s vision for Victory’s future. He wants to expand into being a center of training for area coaches, among other things. But that’s not to say he only does sports medi-cine. He does general orthopedics too.

Pietropaoli, the entrepreneurVictory Sports Medicine and Or-

thopedics has been growing steadily for over a decade now. It started out with just five employees and now is up to over 40. Currently, though Pi-etropaoli is the only doctor on the staff, Victory also has a nurse practitioner, a physician’s assistant, physical thera-pists and athletic trainers. Pietropaoli expects to continue to expand, includ-ing adding more physicians.

Right now 33 percent of Victory’s patients are there for sports injuries, 25 percent for workers comp injuries and 42 percent for general orthopedic prob-lems, including falls incurred by many older patients.

“Initially I didn’t ever think I would be in a practice like this but once I started it I knew it would be successful,” he said. “It takes time and patience.”

He has attracted some health professionals who are very enthusiastic about working there.

“I was a surgical patient here before I was an employee,” said Bill Meidenbauer, director of customer service. “Best accident I ever had. I left what I felt was a very successful career of 15 years to be a part of this. I feel validated and valued as an associate. I am part of something bigger than me. Every day is a new challenge. Frankly, I’m honored to work with the guy who

put me back together.”Pietropaoli, the visionary

Pietropaoli has spearheaded the efforts to turn Victory Sports Medicine and Orthopedics into a larger Victory Campus in Skaneateles. Currently Victory has X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, athletic training services, strength and conditioning services, injury preven-tion services and a gait and balance program as well as its orthopedic practice.

The plan is to expand that into a health and wellness facility of up to 61,000 square feet that will include ath-letic facility of 171,000 square feet and athletics fields. The new services would also include training for coaches. This would include possible classes and clinics.

“There’s a lot of wellness things that we just don’t have enough space here,” Pietropaoli said. “We’re already doing a lot of these on a smaller scale. We really want to be able to grow the business so that we can do all these things that we’re currently doing on a larger scale. We want to add more health care and wellness services and then also tie that in with the sports and the coaching.”

The project is currently in the plan-ning stages and under review by the Skaneateles planning board. The doctor and his staff have high hopes with an eye to the future. Victory Sports Medi-cine and Orthopedics is a team that has experienced success in the past and is working hard to reach for it tomorrow.

“I have the greatest staff that you could ever imagine,” Pietropaoli said. “That’s how you get something to be as successful as we have. It’s teamwork. We’re a team, but we’re a business team. We have a great team and great teams accomplish great things. I could not be where I am at all without the amazing team that I have. The credit really goes to them because I can come up with ideas, but they have to execute it just like your team has to execute it on the field. They’ve done a wonderful job. They’re the best.”

Physician Marc Pietropaoli of Victory Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in Skaneateles examining one of his patients. He is planning a major expansion to his practice.

Jennifer Eldredge, one of the health professionals at Victory Sports, with a patient.


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Some of the best things about the summer are fresh fruits and vegetables. They put their store-

bought counterparts to shame. Fresh is simply better.

The best way to get fresh fruits and veggies is to grow them yourself.

It doesn’t get any fresher than just-picked. However, growing a fruit and vegetable garden is an undertaking. It takes a little know-how to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Here are some things to think about before you ever put that first plant in the ground.

Make it an official project — Get ev-eryone in your family involved in the process. You need to decide how much money you want to spend, who will be working in the garden and what variet-ies of plants you will cultivate. Don’t bother planting a lot of vegetables or fruit that you won’t eat. Start small and plant your family’s favorites. You can even draw a sketch of what your garden will look like and plot plant

locations. Try to keep you perennial plants near each other. For example, keep your herbs together. Map-out an area for perrenials.

Remember, it’s all about location, location, location — Find a place in your yard for the garden. Aim for an area that gets at least six hours of direct sun-light every day. Find an area that has ideal drainage. You don’t want to plant in an area that has standing water after rain or is always dried out. You also want to pick a fairly level area to avoid run-off and drainage issues. Locate your garden near the shed or house so you have easy access to gardening tools.

Become a soil expert — Healthy soil makes for healthy plants. Healhty soil also has some built-in, natural pest control. Check and see what type of soil you have in your yard. If you have very rocky soil, you may want to consider a raised bed (see below). If you have sandy soil, you will want to use plants that can grow in that soil

type. You can even find a local agency to analyze your soil for things like pH and nutrient levels.

Do your homework — Before you even order seeds or buy plants, take the time to inform yourself about the plants you intend to grow. Find out what type of soil they like, when they need to be planted, how much the yield and other important information. Study the preferences of your poten-tial plants, and be sure to know if they are ideal for growing in your area’s climate and soil type. Once you know what types of plants you want to grow, you can decide whether to start them indoors from seed or purchase them from a supplier.

Prepare for the pest battle — Pests are an obstacle in any garden. Research ways you can keep your garden weed and critter-free. There are chemical and non-chemical means to achieve pest control, but make sure you research all the potential dangers associated with their use. Some plants and flowers

attract helpful insects to a garden. Con-sider planting some of these.

Bring things to new heights — Raised beds are a great way to begin a garden. A raised bed sits above the ground and is enclosed by timber. Instead of dig-ging out the grass, you can use land-scape fabric to line the box. Make sure to leave plenty of overlap between the seams. Then fill the resulting box with compost, fertilizer and topsoil. This method greatly reduces time spent till-ing the earth and is great for beginners. Raised beds allow you to put your garden wherever you want, typically in area that receives a lot of direct sun-light. To make for easy access into the raised bed, leave a small doorway or secure a stepping stone for a stair.

Now that you have done your homework, start your garden. It will require work, but growing your own food has a lot of geological and person-al benefits. Your mind, body and planet will thank you.

Growing Your Own Fruit, Vegetable GardenBy Melissa Stefanec

Reap the delicious benefits of your summer labor

Learn more at one of our informational sessions and meet Drs. Jeffrey DeSimone and Kenneth Cooper.

Jun 4 � Jun 20 � Jul 2 � Jul 184:30 p.m.


Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at [email protected].

By Anne Palumbo SmartBitesThe skinny on healthy eating

I love a good surprise, especially when it comes to food. I’m

happy to report that watermelon, bless its sweet soul, is full of them.

Long perceived as a nutritional lightweight, watermelon has become the go-to hot-weather snack among nutrition ex-perts and here’s why: its good-for-you benefits are too good to ignore. Let’s take a look.

• Thirst-quencher. Feeling parched? Reach for a succulent slice of watermelon. This refreshing fruit is 92 percent water, so it helps you stay hydrated in the heat.

• Immune-booster. Each one-cup serving of watermelon delivers 20 percent of your daily vitamin C and 17 percent of your vitamin A, two nutri-ents needed for strong immunity.

• Weight-watcher. Clocking in at just 46 calories per cup, watermelon won’t pack on the pounds. Hello, a couple of slices at one sitting; good-bye, tight waistbands. It’s filling, too,

thanks to its high water content.• Disease-fighter. Watermelon

is loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and other diseases. In fact, wa-termelon is the lycopene leader among fresh produce.

• Blood pressure-maintainer. Watermelon also provides potassium, an essential mineral that helps control blood pressure. While it’s no banana in the potassium arena, it does have

enough to give it a shout-out.

• Energy-booster. Watermelon has about 2 ½ teaspoons of sugar per cup (as a comparison: one cup of cherries has 4 ½ tea-spoons; one medium ba-nana has 3 ½ teaspoons). But it’s fruit sugar, the kind that provides a steadier stream of energy because it takes longer to digest.

Helpful tips

When shopping for a whole watermelon, look for symmetrical water-melons with a yellow spot. The spot means the fruit was allowed to fully ripen before being picked (translation: sweeter and higher in lycopene). Also, the heavier the fruit, the juicier the slices — so pick ones with some heft. Wash and slice within days of pur-chase; refrigerate leftovers.

Watermelon Mojito Salad

Serves 4

3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and

cubed2 tablespoons mint leaves, sliced

thin½ cup crumbled feta cheese¼ cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)zest from 2 limes1 ½ tablespoons virgin olive oilsalt and pepper, to taste

Surprising Wonders of Watermelon

pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine watermelon, cucumber, feta and mint in a large bowl. Gently toss, being careful not to crush water-melon.

Whisk together the lime juice, zest, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with cayenne (if using). Gently toss again. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh mint sprigs.

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The Social Security Administra-tion today announced the most popular baby names in New York

for 2012. Michael and Sophia topped the list.

The top five boys and girls names for 2012 in New York were:

BOYS GIRLS1) Michael 1) Sophia2) Jacob 2) Isabella3) Jayden 3) Emma4) Ethan 4) Olivia5) Mason 5) Ava

Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Com-missioner of Social Security, an-nounced last week that Sophia and Jacob were the most popular baby names in the U.S. How does New York compare to the rest of the country? Check out Social Security’s website -- HYPERLINK “http://www.socialse-curity.gov/OACT/babynames” www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/babynames — to see the top baby names for 2012.

While having fun with baby names on HYPERLINK “http://www.so-cialsecurity.gov” www.socialsecurity.gov, people may create a my Social Security account. Social Security’s website has the top-rated online ser-vices in the U.S., including the services available with a my Social Security account, a personalized online ac-count that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing throughout the time they receive Social Security benefits.

More than 60 million Social Secu-rity beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients can now access their benefit verification letter, payment history, and earnings record instantly using their online account. Social Security beneficiaries also can change their address and start or change direct deposit information online. People age 18 and older who are not receiving benefits can sign up for a my Social Security account to get a personalized online Social Security Statement.

In addition to each state’s top baby names, Social Security’s website has a list of the 1,000 most popular boys’ and girls’ names for 2012 and offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880.

To read about this year’s winner for the biggest jump in popularity and to see how pop culture affects baby names, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/babynames2012-pr.html” www.socialsecurity.gov/pres-soffice/pr/babynames2012-pr.html.

Michael, Sofi aTop list of most popular baby names in New York for 2012


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What’s there not to like about juneber-ries? Also known

as saskatoons, the cherry-and-almond flavored fruit compares nutritionally to blueberries and stands up to handling better than most other berry varieties. June-berries originate in Canada and are new to New York, thanks to a program initial-ized by Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Cornell’s juneberry site, www.junberries.org, states that the juneberries’ nutri-tional profile rivals with that of blueberries, providing 23 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for iron (twice as much as blueber-ries). Juneberries also offer two times potassium as blueberries and offer large amounts of minerals magnesium and phosphorus. They match blue-berries in their content of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate and vitamins B-6, A, E, and C. It’s easy to see june-berries becoming a new “super fruit” for healthful eaters.

About two dozen farms in Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Cayuga, Oswego, Broome, Orleans, and Monroe counties have planted juneberries over the past few years and the three-year wait for fruit is over this June, making 2013 the first year of a marketable crop for most of the participating farms. The closest farm with a crop ready this year is

G and S Orchards in Walworth, Wayne County, is the nearest farm that is selling juneberries.

“Based on the bloom and weather, we’ll have a good crop,” said owner Stephanie Craft.

Last season, bad weather de-stroyed G and S Orchard’s entire juneberry harvest. This has been the third year since the farm planted a quarter-acre of juneberries as part of Cornell’s program to introduce the berries to New York. The farm plans to plant more juneberries this year.

To check on availability, visit G and S’s site, www.gandsorchards.com or call 315-524-3823. The farm also updates customers on produce avail-ability via Facebook and Twitter.

Jim Ochterski, agriculture and natural resources issues leader and agriculture economic development specialist for Cornell in neighboring Ontario County, heads the juneberry introduction program.

“By all accounts, it’s been a great season for juneberries,” he said. “The weather has been good to allow steady growth of the flowers and leaves.”

Bright, dry weather bodes well for

“Junberries are no-fuss, no-muss, lots-of-berries plant.”

Jim Sollecito, owner of Sollecito Nursery and Landscaping in Syracuse.

Locally grown fruit — new to New York state — hits the market in June-July for the first timeBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

good pollination and thus a bountiful harvest, too.

“We haven’t had severe fluctua-tions in weather and that promotes good growth,” Ochterski said.

Though the local farms grow-ing juneberries should receive good harvests, Ochterski fears they will not meet the demand of local consumers once they discover juneberries.

“Each year there will be more and more available, so it will be a lucky few that can get them,” he said. “They’re new and in short supply, but this is the first year we’ll have a supply in New York.”

If you want to try growing your own, Sollecito Nursery and Landscap-ing in Syracuse sells juneberry plants. An early adherent to juneberries, Jim Sollecito has grown them for his own use for 30 years and for more than a de-cade commercially, although he doesn’t sell the fruit, just the plan. He likes incorporating edibles into his landscap-ing plans and juneberries represent one of his favorites.

“Junberries are no-fuss, no-muss, lots-of-berries plant,” he said.

He likes the fact that they offer very early white blossoms and bridge the gap between strawberry season and raspberry season, maturing by mid-June to early July. They offer nice fall color, too. Sollecito grows four varieties of juneberries.

“They are easy to grow, but make sure they’re watered so the berries are bigger and juicier if it’s a dry spring,” he said.

Stop the Press! Juneberries Are Coming

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Men’sHealth

Man to ManMan to Man Prostate Cancer Support

and Information Group is a free program of the American Cancer Society.

“I think that the peer aspects of prostate cancer is important,” said Jason Warchal, spokesman for the American Cancer Society Central New York Region. “When a guy hears he has prostate cancer, he has a lot happening. Meeting peers helps mentally, physically and emotionally. They can share their experiences and understand the different resources out there. We encourage newly diagnosed men to attend. We feature guest speakers like urolo-gists from area hospitals. It’s a great resource to talk about prostate cancer and understand what treatment choice is right for you, but we don’t provide medical advice. It’s for anybody who wants to learn about prostate health.

The group meets the last Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. at SUNY Upstate Healthlink/OASIS Center.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Raising awareness of prostate cancer has become a mission for survivor Dan Mackessy of Fay-

etteville, facilitator for Man to Man of CNY. The group provides support for prostate cancer patients and survivors and education to the public.

Mackessy thinks that men seldom raise a voice for cancers particular to their gender.

“You have 2,000 more prostate cancers a year than breast cancers, but the women are true advocates who network and talk with people. The men don’t do that for prostate cancer. All the advancement we have in regard to cancer is due to the women who get the word out.”

About 30,000 American men die of prostate cancer annually.

Mackessy’s experience taught him that in regards to health care, “you have to be your own advocate,” he said. “No one will look out for you like you.”

Fifteen years ago, Mackessy’s prostate cancer was treated with radio-active seeds and a round of radiation

afterwards. Now 89, Mackessy tells at-tendees of Man to Man and anyone else he can that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing “is a useful tool and it’s the best we have,” he said. “Look at the death rate of prostate cancer since they started PSA testing. It’s started drop-ping since they started it.”

PSA testing indicates how seri-ous the problem may be, but may not indicate cancer. If one’s PSA numbers continues to rise, a biopsy can indicate early signs of fast-growing cancer cells. But if the PSA number remains stable, the only response necessary is monitor-ing the number.

For those diagnosed with cancer, about 80 percent have the slow-grow-ing variety of prostate cancer.

“Just because you’re diagnosed doesn’t mean you’ll die from it,” said urologist David M. Albala with As-sociated Medical Professionals of NY, PLLC in Syracuse. “But patients can benefit from PSA testing.”

He advises men to begin receiv-ing annual prostate checks around age 40 if they have increased risk factors

and around age 45 for those who don’t. Men at higher risk include men with a family history of prostate cancer and African Americans.

“I discourage men 75-plus from PSA testing or those who have a short life expectancy, such as they have another cancer at age 72, bad diabetes or heart disease,” Albala said. “Those patients likely won’t benefit from PSA testing.”

Still, it’s hard to develop a set of hard-and-fast rules.

“You have to look at the patient overall,” Albala said.

As part of a physical exam, a prostate check includes a digital rectal exam, review of health history and PSA testing.

Gennady Bratslavsky, a doctor who serves as chairman of urology and director of the prostate cancer program at Upstate Medical University, said that screening is beneficial, despite a 2012 statement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that discouraged PSA screening.

“If we find it early, it helps us treat it more effectively,” Bratslavsky said. “It is important to recognize that over the past two decades, the mortality of prostate cancer has decreased by al-most 40 percent since the introduction of PSA testing.”

In 2009, the American Urological Association’s new guidelines recom-mended age 40 for beginning PSA testing.

“Men need to be informed that this test exists,” Bratslavsky said. “I fully understand that there is a controversy whether or not PSA should be offered to men, but the recommendation has

Albala

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Cen-ter’s team of urologists are reinforcing the importance of prostate screenings for men. Earlier in May, the American Urological Association (AUA) released new guidelines on prostate screenings. As a result, urologists across the na-tion are concerned that these recently released guidelines could unintention-ally leave physicians and the general public with the incorrect impression that early detection of prostate cancer is

no longer needed. “These new screening guidelines

in no way eliminate, but rather serve to tighten the age parameters for prostate cancer screening,” explained Howard Williams, St. Joseph’s urologist and CEO of Associated Medical Profession-als of NY. “Prostate cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death in men and PSA tests are still the best early detection tools we have. PSA screening saves lives.”

Members of the American Urological Association (AUA) recently met early in May and

made a series of new recommendations concerning prostate cancer screening. They now discourage screening men who are at average-risk under the age 55.

The AUA says that men should be particularly cautious before making the decision to go through with the screen-ing and weigh the benefits against the potential harms.

The association also stresses the importance of consulting a doctor about whether being screened is the

right decision.Before these new recommenda-

tions, the AUA encouraged healthy men over the age of 40 to consider PSA (or prostate-specific antigen) screening.

The AUA now believes that even though PSA screening may help pre-vent someprostate cancer deaths, it can also be the cause of painful biopsies in “healthy” mean, plus some other unnecessary treatments. Researchers from John Hopkins University reported in The Journal of Urology (November 2011 issue) that prostate biopsies are as-sociated with a 6.9 percent hospitaliza-tion rate within 30 days of the proce-

dure because of complications.Urologist H. Ballentine Carter,

chairman of the panel that wrote the new guidelines, said: “There really was no high-level evidence supporting the use of screening with PSA.”

He added that while the general public may be enthusiastic about PSA screening “the idea that screening de-livers benefits may have been overex-aggerated.”

The panel concluded that people who do choose screening should do an-nual tests instead of every two years.

Carter added: “I look upon this guideline... as the beginning of a target-

ed-based screening.” Mentioning that “instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we’re trying to emphasize that there is a group of men between age 55 and 69 that are much more likely to benefit.”

Men above the age of 70 who are only expected to live 10 or 15 more years are not advised to be screened.

The American Cancer Society estimates that close to 239,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, with an estimated 30,000 dying from the disease.

Urologist Group: No to Regular PSA

Local Doctors: PSA Saves Lives

stemmed from inappropriate PSA interpretations, overtreatment of men who are diagnosed with low risk pros-tate, slow growth prostate cancer and absence of a full understand of how the interpretation of PSA values or subse-quent biopsy results.”

St. Joseph’s Urologists Encourage Prostate Screenings


Men’sHealth

It’s hard to measure whether men are healthier as dads or not; however, a few factors that kids bring into their

dad’s life can help them maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Exercise may be a component of healthful living that’s severely neglect-ed when a new baby joins the house-hold; however, once the youngsters are able to participate in activities, they often cajole their parents to become more active.

Seeking an activity for his 7-year-old twin sons — Brian and Kevin — started Richard Nolan of Camillus on his journey from a sedentary 41-year-old to a first-degree karate black belt.

Seven years ago, he and his wife, Denise, signed the boys up for les-sons at Tearney’s Karate in Syracuse and eventually, their girls, Caitlin and Megan, also joined. The children kept asking questions about karate until the Nolans decided that joining and learn-ing for themselves offered the best way to answer.

“We were not really active at all before that,” Richard Nolan said. “My

The Centers for Disease Control reported in February that “the percentage of children aged 6 to

11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years who were obese increased from 5 to 18 percent over the same period.”

Can going to summer overnight or day camp really help fight these num-

bers by getting kids moving and eating better?

Jason Leone, head men’s basketball coach and summer day camp leader at SUNY Oswego, thinks so.

“It helps the young people in our area enjoy the game, hone their skills play-ing basketball and make new friends,”

he said. “I think it helps them stay active and pursue sports they enjoy playing for the rest of their lives.

Are Dads Healthier Than Non-Dads?By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

clothes started fitting better and my en-ergy level went up. Everything seemed a little easier. Now that we’re involved, we wish we had started 20 years ago instead of only five years ago.”

The twins, now 14, have earned their junior black belts. Caitlin, 20, and Megan, 18, are first-degree black belts. Denise is a brown belt.

Anthony Greene of Fayetteville also started studying martial arts in his 40s, thanks to his son. Greene felt that the activity would help his shy child feel more confident. Greene and his son joined World Class Karate in Syracuse in September so they could spend more time together. But Green joined his 7-year-old with hesitation.

“I have a terrible back,” he said. “I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to do it. We went into it with the idea of I’d give it a try. I’m feeling great and my back is in wonderful shape.

“I absolutely would not have done this if it hadn’t been for my son.”

The two have earned their fourth belt ranking, which is purple.

The dinner table provides another example of how having children can

change health habits for guys. Most families try to provide the children with balanced meals and it’s tough getting Junior to eat his vegeta-bles if dad eschews them.

“If you want your kids to eat well, you need to,” said Julie Mellen, dietitian with SUNY Upstate. “When eating together as with family meals, fathers probably eat bet-ter.”

Initially after a child is born, the parent’s eating and exercising habits can get off a healthful track; however, it’s important to return to healthful habits once you gain a routine as a fam-ily again.

Many new dads become a lot more conscious of how they drive, once they have a baby on board, both for the child’s safety and for their own, least they leave their child fatherless.

“They’re a little sharper and more aware because they have another life for whom they’re responsible,” said Michelle Maxwell, defensive driv-

ing administrator for Safety Council of Western and Central New York, a chapter of the National Safety Council. “Their driving habits generally im-prove as guys become parents. They also want to be a good example.

“When you’re younger and not a father, you may think you can get away with more things and take more chances. We need to slow down our life a little and take more stock in what we’re doing.”

Camping Can Help Keep Kids and Teens FitBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

SUNY Oswego offers basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey and fitness day camps from ages 4 through 18, depend-ing upon the camp.

In addition to the SUNY Oswego camp, kids and teens can choose from a variety of camps in the area that can inspire them to get and stay active.

Melody Williams, camp director at Camp Foundations in Oswego, agrees that camping as a child or teen increas-es the chances of lifelong fitness and physical activity.

Williams, who earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary in education, has seen the scenario play out over her 20 combined years of camp experience, from camper to counselor to director.

“Kids are more likely to try new things when it’s all set up for them to do and they’re in a comfortable envi-ronment,” she said. “Once they try it there’re more likely to continue that activity at home.”

She said that positive peer pressure can help bashful campers become more adventuresome and outspoken camp-ers lead others in trying new activities.

Camp Foundations offers day camp for ages 4 through 14 for a week

or the entire summer with activities such as low ropes course, sports, archery, and martial arts.

“At our camp, the kids are outside pretty much all day,” Williams said. “It’s nearly all sports and physi-cally active. We use a lot of creativity in the games, too.”

Camp can also help kids eat better. Some offer nutrition education and most, like Camp Foundations, offer healthful snacks and meals.

Plus, “the kids aren’t eating all day like they might at home,” Wil-liams added. “When there’s nothing to do and you’re around food all day, it’s easy to snack. That doesn’t happen here.”

To get your child revved up about going to camp, let him help select what he wants to do. If he isn’t sure, try a camp that offers numerous activities so he can dabble in activities.

Once he has returned from camp, foster interest in continuing the activity by joining him in it. By recreating the environment of positive peer pressure

at home, he will more likely continue to stay active. Plus, you’ll stay more fit, too.

For example, if rock climbing rocked his world during camp, seek an indoor rock climbing facility such as The Wall Indoor Climbing Facility (www.topthewall.com) in Oswego. Or if she got her kicks from trying martial arts at camp, check out a local school, such as Lawrence World Class Karate School (www.syracusekarateschool.com). These organizations emphasize family involvement and safely pushing your physical limits.

If you can’t find one thing every-one likes, try a membership at the YMCA. The key is to keep moving after camp closes.

Leone

Teens gather at a camp at SUNY Oswego.


Never has watching the evening news been so mind blowing. Linda Cone was sitting in her

home, flipping through the channel and learning about the news of the day.

There was a story about this little known organ donation program, based in Ohio. Called the Alliance for Paired Donation, the initiative matches healthy compatible donors nationwide who are in the same situation of look-ing for a kidney for their loved ones. The only caveat is that someone in the family also had to be willing to donate one of their kidneys to a stranger in the donation network.

It was an uplifting story consider-ing more than 88,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant and about a dozen of these patients die every day because there aren’t enough donors. Health experts say many kid-ney patients have someone willing to donate, but because of the donors’ im-mune system, their age or blood type incompatibility, they aren’t able to give a family member or friend their kidney.

However, the evening news story wasn’t simply heartwarming for Linda and her husband, Glen. It was a revela-tion because of what they were going through. Diagnosed with polycystic kidneys, Linda, 59, started going in for dialysis around four years ago. Four times every week, the couple would drive 50 miles roundtrip to Strong Hos-pital in Rochester for a treatment they hoped would lengthen her life.

“It isn’t easy seeing your wife go through this struggle,” said Glen, 56, of Ontario in Ontario County. “You see her suffer through dialysis which doesn’t 100 percent fix the problem and you wonder what can be done to truly make her feel better.”

They even converted a room in their house into a mini clinic where nurses came to give treatments. Things failed to get better with Linda encoun-tering several trips to the emergency room. After it looked like they had no options, Linda felt she was lucky by be-ing home watching the evening news.

“When Glen came home I asked him ‘how much do you love me?’” remembered Linda. “He said ‘very much.’ Then, I asked him ‘are you willing to give up a kidney for me’ and he said, ‘yes’ immediately and that’s how everything started moving. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if I wasn’t watching the news.”

None of their doctors, nurses, so-cial workers and technicians ever told them the Alliance for Paired Donations existed. They hung all their hopes on strict dialysis without knowing a better solution could be someplace within their reach.

“I know it was probably more complicated than it seemed, but it was discouraging that nobody ever told us this existed and that there was another solution,” said Glen. “We’ve always gotten wonderful service from every

medical official we dealt with in Roch-ester, but because nobody brought this to our attention we thought that maybe the paired donation program was too good to be true.”

They flew to an orientation pro-gram at the University of Toledo Medical Center to learn more about the process and what to expect in the com-ing months. Glen had to go through preliminary tests to see if he would be a viable donor. And as a prerequisite, Linda also had to give up her place on the long kidney waiting list in Roch-ester, which had yielded no results for two years.

“We definitely knew that this was something we wanted to be a part of,” said Linda. “I believed this was going to work because you have to believe in something or you lose hope.”

She placed her hope on the Ohio transplant program and the advice of her doctor, Michael Rees. Glen knew that in order to save his wife, he had to pay the generosity forward. But the uniqueness of the program is that it

After Years of Dialysis, a Happy EndingCouple found a unique organ donor program in Ohio. She got a new kidney; later, he donated hisBy Ernst Lamothe Jr.

was very much on the honor system. He never had to sign a legal agreement to give up his kidney.

Soon the University of Toledo found a match for Linda. Since her do-nor lived in North Carolina, the kidney was transported to Toledo for her op-eration. They finally found a solution and the surgery went well.

“No more dialysis, no more asking friends to sit for three to four hours during treatment, and a quality of life back that had been slipping away for three and a half years,” said Glen.

Nine months later, Dr. Rees called the Cone family. The call was not only to check up on Linda, but he had found a recipient who needed Glen’s kidney.

“You could tell the doctor was smiling on the other end and he said ‘Glen, I told you I would be calling you,’” he said.

There was a 29-year-old man from Michigan that Glen never met before until the day of the surgery. During the emotional encounter, Glen talked with the family and there were plenty of

hugs and kisses exchanged by all. Both Linda and Glen are fully re-

covered and the dialysis machine that used to encompass their home is only a distant memory.

“I don’t feel any restrictions since the surgery,” said Glen. “There are no drugs I have to take or diet I had to change. I am a happy guy and so is my wife. This is a happy ending story no question about it.”

For more information about the Alliance for Paired Donation, visit www.paireddonation.org


By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

What They Want You to Know:

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant is a writer with In Good Health. “What Your Doctor Wants You to Know” is an ongoing column that appears monthly to give our area’s healthcare profes-sionals an opportunity to

share how patients can improve their care by helping their providers and by helping themselves.

Hand Surgeons

The American Academy of Ortho-paedic Surgeons states, “Hand surgery is the field of medicine

that deals with problems of the hand, wrist, and forearm. Hand surgeons care for these problems with and without surgery. They are specially trained to operate when necessary. Many hand surgeons are also experts in diagnos-ing and caring for shoulder and elbow problems.

“Hand surgeons are orthopedic, plastic, or general surgeons who have

additional training in surgery of the hand.”

• “It is a very interesting specialty because it has multiple areas. There’s rheumatology, plastic surgery and orthopedics thrown in.

• “The hand senses the outside world, communicates to the brain and conveys emotions to the outside world. It’s very distressing when the hand isn’t working.

• “Sometimes, patients don’t explain things in a way that effectively

communicates what’s happening. They may have numbness but say they have pain.

• “When you come into the office, bring a friend who can be a second set of ears and who can help you commu-nicate. Studies say that patients retain usually 20 to 60 percent of what they’re told.

Michael Nancollas, orthopedic hand surgeon with Crouse Hospital

and Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists

• “A joint occurs when one bone moves against another. In order for the motion to be smooth and require less energy, the surface of the bone is covered with cartilage within the joint. Cartilage is a specialized material that allows the bones to move easily. It can be compared to the Teflon in the frying pan. When the Teflon is present the eggs don’t stick but when it is scraped or chipped, the eggs turn out to be a mess.

• “Arthritis occurs when cartilage is damaged or worn. When this hap-pens the joint becomes painful and mobility decreases. In an attempt to counteract this, the lining of the joint, or the synovium, produces more fluid to lubricate the joint. In many cases this causes swelling, pain and further decrease of motion.

• “Arthritis can be the result of trauma, wear and tear, or a specific disease process. Any injury that dam-

ages the cartilage or fracture that enters the joint, can result in traumatic arthritis. Our ability to make new car-tilage mostly stops at the end of our growth. When cartilage is damaged or destroyed by trauma, our ability to restore normal cartilage is limited. This results in the onset of traumatic arthri-tis.

• “The symptoms of early arthritis are usually intermittent pain with use and stiffness after rest. As the cartilage deteriorates, there may be swelling, permanent loss of motion and pain at rest. As the cartilage continues to thin, grating sensations may occur or the joint may appear loose. In some cases cysts or spurs develop.

Walter H. Short, hand and upper extremity surgeon with St. Joseph’s

Hospital Health Center and Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists

“I just want to take care of this child and make sure they’re

safe.”In her own words, that’s

what her life’s work in child advocacy boils down to for physician Ann Botash. Those words also echo the sentiments of her colleague, Alicia Pekarsky.

The pediatricians are two of only a few hundred board-certified child abuse pediatricians in the country. Botash has been involved in child advocacy for more than 25 years and was one of the pediatricians who helped push for the relatively new board certification.

The certification became a reality in 2009.

“It was hard to develop the board certification because we had to prove that we really were a specialty, that we were doing something that nobody else was doing,” Botash said.

Pekarsky did a fellowship in child abuse pediatrics under Botash and, like her, became board certified in child abuse in 2009.

The doctors labor separately for part of the week out of McMa-hon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse and estimate they see about 400 children a year. The need is greater then that, but there is only time to see so many children with their full sched-ules and other commitments.

“The need is much greater,” Pekar-

Super SleuthsTwo local pediatricians lead the way in child advocacyBy Matthew Liptak

sky said. “We just can not see as many children as we’d like to. There’s a lot more patients that I think could benefit from our care. We try to see as many patients as efficiently as possible.”

They both find the work rewarding and appreciate the fact that Onondaga County has its own advocacy center.

“Basically it has all the different agencies there so that when a child and their family come in they can access all the services all at one time,” Pekarsky said. “It’s meant to be comprehensive and less traumatic to the family and the child.”

Putting pieces together“We have people who look at these

cases, these situations, from all angles,” Botash said. “The police are looking

at the perpetrator. Child Protective Services is looking at the family and keeping the family together. The doctor is looking at the medical piece of it and the safety of the child also and forensic evidence. Then Vera House is looking at the mental health issues. Together we get to a full picture but individu-ally you can sometimes be wrong. You don’t have the whole picture.”

The pediatricians are well trained on how to approach a child who is suspected of having been abused. It is important work because the victims often can’t speak for themselves or when they can people sometimes don’t listen, Botash said.

“[Regarding] kids who have been abused, you need to rec-ognize that they usually don’t really want to tell you about their abuse and neither do the parents, especially if they know who did it and it’s somebody that they’re close to,” she said.

Building rapport with the patient and taking a good his-tory is key to the doctors’ work. Questions asked are designed to be open-ended and unbiased. Bias could hurt a possible legal case. The pediatricians hope to

get the child feeling comfortable and open up a dialogue that will help in their investigation.

Pekarsky said abuse is the most prevalent of childhood problems. Regular pediatricians are often knowl-edgeable enough to recognize it but too often don’t have the time to properly investigate.

“It’s very difficult to diagnose because it’s a hidden epidemic,” Pek-arsky said. “People do things to kids who don’t talk, or they do things and the injuries heal, or they do things that don’t leave any physical signs of injury but they’re emotionally and psycholog-ically traumatized. Burden of proof is high, obviously, in a criminal court and it’s very difficult to prove abuse. I find

that to be frustrating but I understand why the legal system is the way it is.”

Stressful occupationChild abuse and advocacy is a

field that has perhaps more than its fair share of stress. Where normally a doc-tor can come into a room and expect to be told the truth by those bringing the patient in, Pekarsky and Botash can-not make that assumption. Sometimes people will hold back information or modify the history, Pekarsky said.

Doctors involved with child abuse and advocacy are also prone to what Botash called “compassion fatigue.”

The constant tragic nature of the cases can cause burnout in physicians. Botash said most pediatricians don’t stay in the field too long. She ascribes her decades of working to protect chil-dren to a well-balanced life.

“It’s difficult to continue doing these types of things because you want to help people and then it just seems like it never ends,” Botash said. “Fami-lies come in and another family comes in.”

It’s not a particularly lucrative area of medicine either. Both doctors and institutions don’t get a lot of financial compensation for their vital work when compared with other fields.

But there is other compensation, other rewards.

“We had somebody that we saw maybe 20 years ago come back and thank us,” Botash said. “It was a pow-erful moment for me and for the people on the team to see this person back and for her to tell us what she had been through over the years and it wasn’t good. She had a lot of repeated trauma because she had trouble getting out of the dysfunctional environment that she was in, but she eventually did get out.

“She came back to thank us be-cause we cared about her and she felt it. When she was here she felt it so she thanked us. That doesn’t happen very often but when it does you know that there are other people out there that you helped.”

Botash Pekarsky


Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy SeniorAre herbal

supplements safe for seniors who are taking other prescription medications? I have a friend who swears by them, but I want to be sure before I take anything new.

Cautious Carol

Dear Carol,Herbal supplements have become

increasingly popular in recent years as millions of Americans are looking for natural and more affordable ways to improve their health. But it’s important to know that many herbs can also cause side effects and can interact with pre-scription medications, especially if you have hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease or liver problems.

While the Food and Drug Admin-istration does regulate herbal supple-ments, they don’t get the same scientif-ic scrutiny that medications do. Herbal supplement manufacturers do not have to get FDA approval, and they don’t have to prove a product’s safety and effectiveness before it’s marketed.

So, before you start taking any new supplement, no matter how natural or harmless it may seem, you need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it’s safe for you.

In the meantime, here are a few popular herbs you should know about that can cause problems when taken with certain medications.

Aloe Vera: Used on your skin, aloe vera is perfectly safe. But taken orally as a laxative, it may interact with blood sugar-lowering medicines used to treat diabetes.

Ginger: A gram or so of powdered ginger can help ease nausea, but it can also interfere with anticoagulant (blood thinning) medications like warfarin and even aspirin. And, if taken in large quantities could interfere with cardiac, diabetes and blood pressure meds.

Garlic: Marketed as a pill, capsule or powder to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, garlic acts as a blood thin-ner. So, if you’re taking an anticoagu-lant, use with caution because garlic can make your blood too thin increas-ing the risk of excessive bleeding.

Ginkgo: Taken to help boost mem-ory and prevent dementia, as well as

How to Use Herbal Supplements Safely

treat a variety of other ailments, this popular supplement can also raise your risk of bleeding when combined with blood thinning medications. It can also counteract the blood-pressure-lowering effect of thiazide diuretic drugs and can interfere with anti-seizure medications and insulin used to treat diabetes.

Ginseng: Taken primarily to im-prove overall health and boost the immune system, this herb can reduce concentrations of the anticoagulant drug warfarin and can interact with some antidepressant medications too. People with diabetes should also use extra caution with ginseng if they are taking medicine to lower blood sugar.

Kava: Promoted as a treatment to curb anxiety and stress, kava has been reported to cause liver damage, includ-ing hepatitis and liver failure. It can also interfere with antipsychotic and Parkinson’s medications, can thin the blood and should not be taken with an-ticoagulants, and can cause drowsiness so it should not be taken in combina-tion with any sedatives.

Licorice Root: Taken for ulcers, bron-chitis and sore throat, licorice root can cause high blood pressure and salt and water retention, raising the risk of heart problems. It can also thin the blood and should not be used with blood thinning drugs.

St. John’s wort: Marketed as an aid to treat depression, St. John’s wort can reduce the effectiveness of a number of prescription medications, including an-ticoagulants, antidepressants, seizure-control drugs and certain cancer drugs.

Zinc: Taken as a defense against colds, excess zinc can cause nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, diarrhea and headaches. It can also interact with a variety of prescrip-tion drugs, including antibiotics and hypertension meds.

To get more information on the safety, side effects and effectiveness of these and many other herbal remedies, visit the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center site on herbs, botani-cals and supplements at mskcc-herbs.org, and see the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medi-cine “Herbs at a Glance” Web page at nccam.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm.

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Banikowski

Q&A

The Social Security Offi ce

Ask Column provided by the local Social Security Office

The Right Kind of Fishing (And How Not To Be The Catch Of The Day)

This Father’s Day, you may be inclined to spend some quality time with Dad, maybe take him

out camping or fishing. But try to make sure that nobody else tries to “phish” with you or your father.

These days, all people (including fathers and sons) need to be cautious of scams — Internet, mail, and even phone scams — which can damage your credit score and wallet. Scam artists have become shrewd. Any time someone asks for your per-sonal information, you should be wary. Particularly cruel are swindlers who target Social Security beneficiaries.

As a rule of thumb, Social Security will not call or email you for your personal infor-mation such as your Social Security number or bank-ing information. If someone contacts you and asks for this kind of information and claims to be from Social Security, do not give out your personal information without first contacting Social Security to verify the validity of the person contacting you. It could be an identity thief on the other end phishing for your personal information. Just call the local Social Security office, or Social Security’s toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

If you receive a suspicious call, please report it to the fraud hotline. Reports may be made online at www.socialsecurity.gov/fraudreport/oig/public_fraud_reporting/form.htm or by telephone at 1-800-269-0271 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Please include the following details:

• The alleged suspect(s) and victim(s) names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers;

• Description of the fraud and the location where the fraud took place;

• When and how the fraud was committed;

• Why the person committed the fraud (if known); and

• Who else has knowledge of the potential violation.

Identity theft is one of the fast-est-growing crimes in America. If you,

your father, or anyone you know has been the victim of an identity thief, the place to contact is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.idtheft.gov. Or call 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY 1-866-653-4261.

Some people who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are victimized by misleading advertisers. Such compa-nies offer Social Security services for a fee, even though the same services are

available directly from Social Security free of charge. Espe-cially upsetting are such ads that make it appear as though the ad has come directly from Social Security. By law, such advertisements must indicate that the company is not affili-ated with Social Security.

If you or your dad see what you believe is mislead-ing advertising for Social Security services from a

company that does not admit it is not affiliated with Social Security, send the complete mailing, including the envelope, to: Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Hotline, Social Secu-rity Administration, P.O. Box 17768, Baltimore, MD 21235. Also, advise your state’s attorney general or consumer affairs office and the Better Business Bureau. You can visit the Office of the Inspector General online at oig.ssa.gov and select the “Fraud, Waste, or Abuse” link. Learn more about iden-tity theft at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10064.html. Read about mislead-ing advertising at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10005.html.

And finally, while you’re enjoy-ing the right kind of fishing with Dad this Father’s day, you may want to tell him about Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. If your father is covered by Medicare and has lim-ited income and resources, he may be eligible for Extra Help — available through Social Security — to pay part of his monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-pay-ments. We estimate that the Extra Help is worth about $4,000 per year. That kind of savings buys a lot of bait and tackle. Learn more at www.socialsecu-rity.gov/prescriptionhelp.

Q: How do I change my citizen-ship status on Social Security’s records?

A: To change your citizenship sta-tus shown in Social Security records:

• Complete an application for a Social Security card (Form SS-5), which you can find online at www.socialsecu-rity.gov/online/ss-5.html; and

• Provide documents prov-ing your:

• New or revised citizenship status (We can only accept certain documents as proof of citizenship. These include

your U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citi-zenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social Security will ask to see your current immigration documents);

• Age; and • Identity. • Next, Take (or mail) your com-

pleted application and documents to your local Social Security office.

All documents must be either origi-nals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.

FNY) and Citizen Action New York, will lead an informational seminar about the new health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act. The presenta-tion will cover all the basics of the new health care reform law, including how the law came to be, what provisions are in the law and how the law is being implemented. The seminars will take place at 10:30 a.m., June 14, Northern Onondaga Public Library, 8686 Knowl-edge Lane in Cicero, and at 6:30 p.m., June 25, at Northern Onondaga Public Library at 100 Trolley Barn Lane, North Syracuse. Free. Registration required at www.nopl.org or 315-458-6184.

June 20Seminar: 10 tips for a healthier you

MVP Community Health Educa-tor Chris Britton returns to North-ern Onondaga Public Library, 8686 Knowledge Lane in Cicero for another engaging presentation on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Britton will discuss 10 easy tips to jump-start your healthy lifestyle and improve the way you eat, exercise and live! The event takes place at 10:30 a.m., Northern Onondaga Public Library, 8686 Knowledge Lane in Cicero. Free. Registration required at www.nopl.org or 315-699-2032.

June 29Ride and run event to help Rescue Mission

The Rescue Mission will host its annual “Ride & Run for the Rescue” on Saturday, June 29 in Long Branch Park, Liverpool. The event that supports the fight against hunger in Central New York is scheduled from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. This year, in addition to bike ride options, organizers are hosting

their first 5K USATF-certified run with timing provided by Leone Tim-ing. There will be events for the whole family to enjoy, including breakfast catered by Tim Hortons and a steak lunch catered by Outback Steakhouse. The Rescue Mission serves 725 meals each day and more than 250,000 meals each year to people in need. Whether participants ride, run or walk during the event, their actions will support the cause. Registration and pledge forms are available at ridefortherescue.org or 315-701-3891.

July 13Finger Lakes bike ride to benefi t cancer group

Alive! Foundation, a nonprofit founded in January 2012 by Michael and Julia Wamp to promote cancer survivorship, will sponsor the Second Annual Ride for Alive!, non-competi-tive bike rides of 10, 25, and 50 miles starting and finishing at the Ameri-can Legion grass field in the Village of Skaneateles. The bike routes will traverse the Finger Lakes highlighting scenic views of Skaneateles, Otisco and Owasco Lakes. While the 50 mile ride will challenge the more serious par-ticipants; the 10 and 25 mile rides offer fun alternatives for family participation and corporate group rides. The event will take place July 13. Ride check-in is from 6 – 7:30 a.m. with all rides starting at 8 a.m.

In 2005, Julia Wamp, then the mother of three children under 3, was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through nine months of surger-ies and treatment. It was during this challenging time that Julia discovered a significant lack of wellness programs for cancer survivors. The founbdation was created to educate and empower cancer survivors to live healthier, hap-pier lives. Their mission is to develop and fund programs in local communi-ties that will help cancer survivors to live well by focusing on movement, exercise, and nutrition while promoting cancer survivorship nationwide.

For information about the event, visit www.rideforalive.org or call Julia Wamp at 917-837-7431.

CALENDARHEALTH EVENTS

of Continued from page 4

A non-competitive bike ride to benefi t cancer survivorship. Participants choose from beautiful, scenic 10, 25, 50 mile routes highlighting Otisco, Skaneateles and Owasco Lakes. Individuals & corporate teams welcome- food & music for all after the ride.

F I N G E R L A K E S

Saturday, July 13, 2013Register at www.rideforalive.org

Helping cancer survivors live well


The American Hospital Associa-tion (AHA) recently awarded the Carolyn Boone Lewis Living the

Vision award to St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse for its work to improve the health of its community through actions that go beyond tradi-tional hospital care.

The award was presented to St. Joseph’s by AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock.

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center is a 431-bed metropolitan hospital, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis. St. Joseph’s has a comprehensive neigh-borhood revitalization strategy that includes a “green” affordable housing development, a home ownership initia-

Patients who have gallbladder surgery can now emerge from the procedure with virtually no

scarring and minimal pain, thanks to a technique called single-site robotic surgery, which is now available at Crouse Hospital. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of American adults have gall-stone disease. About one million new cases are diagnosed every year, and approximately 800,000 operations are performed to treat gallstones — mak-

St. Joseph’s Recognized for Community Outreach

Crouse Offering Single-incision Robotic Surgical Option for Treating Gallbladder Problems

• Minimal referral requirements• Immediate patient scheduling• Physician on site at all times

MEDICAL SERVICES, P.C.

OUT PATIENT INFUSION / NYS LICENSED TRANSFUSION CENTER• Immunoglobulin Therapy, including IVIG, Respigam, RhoGam, and HepBig• Monoclonal Therapy including Remicade, Orencia & Tysabri• Antibiotic Administration

• High Dose Steroid Therapy• Parenteral Hydration• Hyperemesis Therapy• Therapeutic Phlebotomy• Prolastin Therapy

• Boniva Treatments and Reclast• Nutritional, Fluid and Electrolyte Supplementation• Vascular Access Device Placement and Maintenance• Immune Suppressive Treatments

THE INFUSACARE DIFFERENCE

QUALITY CARE FOR PATIENTS OF ALL AGES

• Continuous medical supervision by nursing staff• Follow-up treatment documentation• Comfortable, pleasant environment ensuring patient satisfaction

4811 Buckley Road, Liverpool, NY 13088Ph. (315) 457-3091 • Fax (315) 457-4305

Dr. Robert A. Dracker • Medical Director

INFUSACARE™

tive and job training program:Fifty high-quality, sustainable, af-

fordable housing units across the street from the hospital, financed in part by St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, for working-class hospital employees and other neighborhood residents.

Partner housing organization renovating 20 properties for owner-oc-cupied housing. Hospital guarantees the mortgage of any employee that purchases a home in the neighborhood.

Sponsoring a neighborhood workforce development program. Pilot provided green construction and weatherization training. It has expand-ed to include landscaping and green infrastructure training.

“St. Joseph’s neighborhood revi-talization program fully reflects its philosophy of a lifelong commitment to the people and communities it serves,” said Umbdenstock. “Their efforts touch every part of an individual’s health – from ensuring affordable housing development to job training. I am pleased and honored to recognize St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center for its achievements and commitment to com-munities.”

St. Joseph’s is in the midst of an expansion project to enlarge its West-side Family Health Center on Syra-cuse’s Near West side. The project will co-locate behavioral health, primary care, pediatric and obstetric services all in one location for the underserved neighborhood. In addition, St. Joseph’s is partnering with Syracuse Univer-sity and a local grocery store to offer preventive wellness and nutrition programs for the community.

“Health care is more than simply the provision of medical care,” said Kathryn Ruscitto, president and CEO, St. Joseph’s. “It’s providing affordable, safe housing, meaningful employ-ment, good schools and social services. We take seriously our role as health care leaders and we are proud to help lead efforts to make our community healthier.”

Established in 1996 and first pre-sented in 1998, The Living the Vision Award recognizes institutions or indi-viduals living the AHA’s vision of a so-ciety of healthy communities where all individuals reach their highest poten-tial for health. In 2002, it was renamed the Carolyn Boone Lewis Living the Vision Award, in memory of the first hospital trustee to serve as AHA chair. An important element of the award is that a hospital must be recognized as a leader and nominated by others in the health care field.

ing gallstone disease the most common gastrointestinal disorder to require hospitalization.

Surgery to treat this condition has become significantly less invasive over the past two decades. Back then, surgery to remove the gallbladder — a procedure called cholecystectomy — entailed a large abdominal incision and several weeks’ recovery time. Today, however, minimally invasive surgical techniques have made open gallblad-

der removal nearly obsolete, according to Kenneth Cooper, a general surgeon affiliated with Crouse Hospital and a partner in CNY Surgical Physicians.

Cooper is the first surgeon in Syracuse to use the advanced da Vinci surgical system to perform gallbladder removal using the single-site technique, which entails just one tiny incision rather than four required previously.

“The minimally invasive approach — laparoscopy — is the standard of care today,” says Cooper, who adds that robotic technology supports the surgeon’s skill with 3D computer technology, enabling him to see vital anatomical structures more clearly and perform surgical procedures more precisely.

“The biggest benefit of the single-site approach is cosmetic,” says Cooper,

since there is just one small incision in the belly button, leaving only a small, nearly invisible scar. “In most cases, this approach is preferred by younger patients who care about scarring.”

“Five years ago, traditional laparoscopy was the only minimally invasive surgical option for gallbladder removal,” he says. “Today, patients at Crouse have a choice.”

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Health NewsExcellus medical director honored

Physician Frank J. Dubeck, chief medical officer and vice president for medical policy and clinical editing at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, was

recently named a fellow by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) at the group’s annual meeting in New York City.

Dubeck was one of only 12 physicians in the country to receive this prestigious honor this year.

ACPE is the nation’s oldest and largest medi-

cal management educational associa-tion for physicians. The organization represents nearly 11,000 high-level phy-sician leaders from health care organi-zations across the U.S. and throughout the world.

A nationally recognized expert on clinical coding and editing, Dubeck has been chief medical officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Utica region since 1998. He serves on the BlueCross BlueShield Association’s (BCBSA) Med-ical Policy Panel Executive Committee and represents BCBSA on the Editorial Panel of the American Medical Associa-tion’s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Codebook. An internist with 20 years of clinical experience, Dubeck practiced locally at Slocum Dickson Medical Group prior to joining Excel-lus BlueCross BlueShield. Dubeck and his wife, Marybeth McCall, reside in Utica, NY.

St. Joe’s respiratory services earn recognition

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) for 2013 under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respi-ratory care services available in hos-pitals. It is the only Syracuse hospital to make the list. The QRCR program was initiated by the American Associa-tion for Respiratory Care in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services. About 700 hospitals or approximately 15 percent of hospitals in the United States have applied for this award. To qualify for the recognition, St. Joseph’s provided documentation showing it several con-ditions. Among them: all respiratory therapists employed by the hospital are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT cre-dential; respiratory therapists are avail-able 24 hours; and a doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.

The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 50,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.

OCO Center for Reproductive Health opens

OCO Health Services has found a new home at a familiar location for its Reproductive Health Center in Os-wego. Still located inside the Oswego Health Center at 10 George St., OCO’s Oswego Reproductive Health Center has moved to a new area in suite 100 and expanded its office space to better serve its patients.

The new offices, which are separate

from the primary care section of the health center, feature its own lab, three exam rooms and a private waiting area.

“We’re excited to be in our new offices,” said Penny Halstead, admin-istrative assistant with OCO’s Health Services. “In addition to having more room for our patients we have greater control of our scheduling and more flexibility with appointments.”

Clinical coordinator, Mary Hitch-cock, echoed Halstead’s thoughts on the new offices and spoke of what she believes is one of the biggest benefits the new offices offer its patients. “Now

Gabriella Davis, a Crouse Hospital’s health coordinator on the hospital’s labor and delivery unit, is this year’s recipient of the Joan Fernbach Kingson Award.

Each May during employee recognition week, one employee is honored with the award, estab-lished in memory of former Crouse Hospital patient Joan Fernbach Kingson, a nurse and educator who died in 2001.

The family and friends of Kingson established this award in her memory to recognize a Crouse Hospital service or technical worker whose special interactions with patients and families give vivid expression to the values of care, which Kingson was commit-ted to in her work with children and families. Those values in-clude treating each patient as an individual; respecting the social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical needs of others, and welcoming families, especially the young, into the caring process.

Employees are invited to submit nominations for the award, and a team of employees selects the annual winner.

In keeping with the tradition of

a surprise announcement, Crouse President and CEO Paul Kronen-berg read from the nomination form those comments that made Gabriella Davis a stand-out selec-tion by the committee. Comments included the fact that Davis always goes the extra mile to serve pa-tients, physicians and fellow staff.

This is not Davis’ first recog-nition. She was honored at the Crouse Choice Awards a few years ago for tracking down a patient who phoned the hospital in dis-tress — an action that truly may have saved that patient’s life.

In addition to a framed award certificate and a cash prize of $500, she received an autographed copy of the book, “Lessons from Joan: Living And Loving With Can-cer, a Husband’s Story,” written by physician Eric Kingson, Joan Fernbach’s husband.

The 2013 Kingson Award selec-tion committee members included Nancy Williams (chairwoman); Rev. Jim Stone; Judy Farrelly; Milan Howell; Stephanie Sullivan, Robyn Ouderkirk, and past King-son Award recipients Helen Bain, Marie Hinds and Peter Neiner.

Gabriella Davis, a health coordinator at Crouse Hospital, receives the Joan Fernbach Kingson Award for going above and beyond her duties. On the left is Crouse Hospital CEO Paul Kronenberg; on the right is physician Eric Kingson, Joan Fernbach’s husband.

Gabriella Davis, a Crouse Health Coordinator, Recognized for Performance

that we are a separate entity from primary care, we have established a professional relationship with Oswego County OB-GYN. It’s a big plus for us to have them as our supervising physi-cians and comforting to know that they are readily available for our patients.”

In addition to its new offices in Oswego, OCO provides reproductive health in Fulton, Pulaski, and Mexico. All of these locations offer a wide range of reproductive health services and serve both women and men.

Urgent care manager attends conference

Christine Close, the clinical manag-er of Oswego Health’s Central Square urgent care center, recently attended the National Urgent Care Conference held in Orlando.

At the two-day conference, hosted by the Urgent Care Association of America, Close learned about effec-tive new trends and practices used in urgent care settings.

While attending the conference, Close also earned some of the 40 credits required to become certified in urgent care management. The courses cover operations, regulatory issues, human resources and communications.

“The conference was a great experi-ence and gave me the opportunity to participate with other urgent care health professionals in training and informational sessions led by the top experts in their respective fields,” Close

said. “I’ve brought back information that I can share that will ensure we are providing the best healthcare services to our community.”

Close was named the clinical manager of the Central Square urgent care center in August. She earned her bachelor’s degree in

nursing from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester and her registered nurs-ing degree from Cayuga Community College.

Close, who has worked in the healthcare field for more than 14 years, was initially hired by Oswego Health as a staff nurse to work on one of Oswego Hospital’s medical/surgical floors. Since then, she has advanced to the positions of charge nurse, case management manager and clinical nurse manager of Oswego Hospital’s fourth floor, where she oversaw patient care and supervised a staff of 70.

Soule Leiter named volunteer of the month

The Central New York Chapter of the American Red Cross has selected finance and data processing volunteer Soule Leiter, of Clay, as volunteer of the month for April.

The volunteer of the month pro-gram, sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts, recognizes a dedicated Red Cross volunteer for his or her hard work and commitment to the humanitarian organization.

Originally from Miami, Leiter moved to the Syracuse area in 1968.

Dubeck

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Health NewsHealth News

The Home Aides of Central New York board of directors has announced that Sandra H. Martin, agency presi-dent and CEO, will retire June 30.

Martin began her tenure at Home Aides of Central New York in 1990, be-coming the third executive to lead the

nonprofit agency since its founding in 1966. Dur-ing her time as president, Martin has been a tireless advocate for the agency’s mission of assisting the community’s aging, ill and frail individuals to remain at home with dig-nity and independence. Under her leadership, the agency has been trans-

formed from a little known nonprofit organization to a cutting edge leader in the eldercare arena. Today, it oper-ates on a budget in excess of $7 million, employing more than 240 people and serving more than 1,600 individuals each year.

In 2000, Martin was responsible for the formation of the Eldercare Foun-dation, the fundraising arm of Home

Aides of Central New York. Since its es-tablishment, the foundation has raised more than $2.1 million in cash dona-tions, and secured another $635,000 in grants, for Home Aides of Central New York. It was also the recipient of a $1 million bequest.

“Ms. Martin provided our not-for profit organization with 23 years of esteemed leadership,” said Anthony Marshall, chairman of the board of directors, “and we will continue to steward her legacy of caring in both the agency and the community. We wish her all the best in her post-retirement years.”

VNA Homecare and Home Aides of Central New York announced late last year that the organizations will af-filiate to form a new home care system that will bring more affordable and readily available home care to the com-munity.

The Home Aides of Central New York board of directors will appoint an interim administrator until the affilia-tion is approved by the New York State Department of Health.

She earned a master’s degree in aanthropology from Syracuse Univer-sity and worked for 14 years in SU’s finance department. She retired as a consultant for SunGard Higher Educa-tion, a global provider of software and services to colleges, universities and foundations.

Leiter joined the Red Cross more than five years ago. She plays a ma-jor role as an assistant in the finance department, where she handles all cash deposits for the CNY region and also

works with accounts payable. When the Red Cross recently changed operat-ing systems, Leiter quickly learned the new software program while continu-ing her regular duties.

Dunkin’ Donuts has supplied nine Red Cross chapters and offices throughout Central and Northern New York with gift cards to distribute monthly to deserving volunteers.

Leiter received a $25 gift card as a token of appreciation for her dedicated volunteer service.

Dalaney Graves, 4, of Morrisville, gets fi tted for a new bike helmet, courtesy of Safe Kids NY Coalition, during a special safety event held at Morrisville State College May 2. Safe Kids, a program led by Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, partnered with the Madison County Health Department and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department to offer the free helmet giveaway. More than 40 helmets were distributed. Funding for the helmets was made possible through a grant from the Foundation for Upstate Medical University.

Morrisville residents gather for free bike

Home Aides President Sandra Martin to Retire

Martin

Healthy Syracuse, a coalition dedicated to improving health and well-being in Greater

Syracuse, has won a $300,000 grant to implement programs to improve the health of minorities in the community.

“Where you live should not af-fect your health,” said Neil Nicoll, President and CEO of the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), which awarded the grant to Healthy Syracuse through the YMCA of Greater Syracuse. “Too many communities lack the resources for individuals to access opportunities for physical activity and healthy foods and improve their health and well-being.”

Y-USA, the national resource office for the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs, selected the YMCA of Greater Syra-cuse to participate in its Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) initiative. The goal of REACH is to improve health and eliminate disparities related to chronic diseases in African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino communities.

The YMCA of Greater Syracuse and other local health-supporting agencies and groups founded Healthy Syracuse

in 2010 after winning a previous CDC grant through Y-USA. The coalition’s three initiatives are:

• Worksite Wellness — helping employers adopt wellness policies that increase productivity and reduce costs while boosting employee health

• School-aged Health — improv-ing physical activity and nutrition in Syracuse city schools

• Tobacco Control — targeting one neighborhood to discourage tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke

The new REACH grant will allow Healthy Syracuse to expand its initia-tives among minorities, said Healthy Syracuse member Cheryl Pusztai, executive director of the Downtown YMCA.

“As a leading nonprofit committed to healthy living, the Y believes that ev-eryone in Syracuse deserves to live life to its fullest regardless of where they live or the color of their skin,” Pusz-tai said. “This grant helps us expand our programs dedicated to helping those who face the greatest barriers to healthy living.”

Hematology-Oncology Associates (HOA) is celebrating 10 since the introduction of its integra-

tive therapy and wellness program. In 2003 HOA was the first medical prac-tice in Central New York to establish a program of this kind.

“Cancer patients were requesting comple-mentary therapies to as-sist them in their cancer journey,” said HOA’s CEO Maryann Roefaro. “These therapies are not meant to replace conventional therapies, but are meant to augment them, assisting in the heal-ing and wellness of the whole person.”

Integrative medicine is becoming very popular in medical communities across the nation, according to Roe-faro. “Many healthcare providers have accepted the inseparable connection between the mind, body and spirit, and some are supporting or offering inte-grative therapies within their medical practices and in hospital settings,” Ro-erafo said. “Modalities such as energy healing (reiki therapy, healing touch, therapeutic touch), massage therapy, meditation, music therapy, acupunc-ture and foot reflexology have become more popular and accessible in recent years.”

HOA also operates a wellness cen-ter at Medical Center West in Camillus,

Healthy Syracuse Wins National Grant to Help Minorities

Milestone: 10 Years of Integrative Therapy, Wellness Programs at Hematology-Oncology Associates

which has been open to patients and the general public since June of 2008. This is the only physician-sponsored program in the area. The practice does not capture any revenue for services. HOA provides space for independent

contractors to utilize and offer a plethora of opportunities for the mind, body and spirit. The cost of services and classes such as reiki, massage, tai-chi and

yoga are often less ex-pensive because

of the ability of the practitioners and instructors to use the space free of charge.

Heidi S. Puc, a board certified physician and a partners at HOA, also received board certification with the American Board of Integrative Holis-tic Medicine in 2010. Puc is the only oncologist in region who is also board certified in integrative and holistic medicine. She provides integrative con-sultative services to patients of HOA.

“Much change needs to happen in our current medical system structure to fully embrace this integrative, holis-tic approach to healthcare,” said Puc. “This is my passion and one by one, we will all ‘be the change we wish to see in this world.’”

For more information, visit www.hoacny.com.


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Crouse Hospital is teaming up with Community Emergency Medical Ser-vices and Welch Allyn to again provide Lean Six Sigma training to hospital staff members, regional EMS providers and engineers from Welch Allyn.

This innovative training and performance improvement collabora-tion, which Crouse started in 2012 with Rochester Institute of Technology and Rural/Metro, began in April and runs through late June. When the 25 participants finish the course and their respective performance improvement projects, they will be awarded Lean Six Sigma “Green Belt” certification from RIT.

Lean is a performance improve-ment methodology which had its start in the manufacturing sector focusing on decreasing waste within a process. Six Sigma is a process to improve performance by decreasing variation within a system.

Over the years the synergy of the once-considered separate improve-ment methods was recognized. When this process is put in place, it creates

improvements that drive customer sat-isfaction and, in the case of healthcare, improve care and outcomes. Crouse has used Lean Six Sigma for several years in a number of areas to improve processes in patient care and hospital operations.

The training, made possible by a New York State Business Development Grant managed through Onondaga Community College, is taught by pro-fessors from RIT’s Center for Quality and Applied Statistics and the Center for Excellence in Lean Enterprise.

“At Crouse, we continually push ourselves to be a better organization and do things that have not been done anywhere else,” said Michael Jorol-emon, senior quality officer for emer-gency services at Crouse. “This collab-orative will help guide improvements in efficiency and, most importantly, effectiveness of our operations.”

The Crouse program is the first and only Lean Six Sigma training program in the U.S. that includes a hospital, EMS providers and a leading manufac-turer.

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center nurse practitioner Carol Rogers was presented with the inaugural Partners in Franciscan Ministries Award from the Sisters of St. Francis. The award is given to an employee from each of the sisters’ sponsored corporations who ex-emplify key values of the Sisters of St. Francis, including reverence, compas-sion and justice.

A resident of Liverpool, Rogers was selected for her compassion, intel-ligence and willingness to go above and beyond to serve her patients and their families. A nurse practitioner at Syracuse Internists for more than 20 years, she has worked tirelessly with physician Michael Rutkowski to pro-vide patients with reverent care.

Nurse practitioner Carol Rogers (right) was awarded the inaugural Partners in Franciscan Ministries Award from the Sisters of St. Francis. Deborah Welch, vice president for people for St. Joseph’s, presented the award at a board of trustees meeting May 14.

Practitioner awarded inaugural Franciscan Award

The family of the late Emily Cali recently donated a lovely cherry chest in her memory to The Manor at Seneca Hill. Cali was a resident of the skilled nursing facility.

Along with the chest, the fam-

ily, which includes Raymond Cali, Michael Cali, Patricia Hart and Linda Brown, donated many games, puzzles, word search books and cards for the residents and their families to use.

Cali Family Makes Donation to The Manor in Memory of Their Mother

Heather Huggins, Manor activity director, and Maureen Annal, Oswego Health vice president and The Manor’ s chief operating offi cer next to a chest donated by to The Manor at Seneca Hill.

Crouse Hospital Offering Lean Six Sigma Training

Coming in July IN GOOD HEALTH

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