Community Connections
In Your Neighborhood
Students Deliver Toys to Hospital Playroom
Friday, February 26, 2010
“We all know what it feels like to be sick, but not really sick,” says McKinley 5th grader Kate Kemmet.
Wanting to make sick kids feel better is why Kate and other peer mediators from McKinley Elementary raised money to donate to the Women’s and Children’s unit at Norman Regional’s HealthPlex hospital.
Kate got the idea to donate to the HealthPlex from her grandmother, director of Emergency Services, Joan Greenleaf. “My grandmother told me that there was a new hospital being built and that they could use extra money for toys,” said Kate. “So I made a presentation to my peer group about the hospital being built and how great it would be to help out and my project was chosen.”
By baking cookies, cupcakes and pies and making lemonade to sell at a school function, the group raised nearly $200 to give to the unit. The money donated was used to purchase a radio flyer wagon and a table and chairs for the playroom. “The kids can enjoy these new toys anytime they want to get away from their hospital room to relax and maybe sit and watch a movie,” said Mari Newcomer, manager of the Children’s unit. “It’s such a nice donation these students made.”
“We wanted to make it feel more comfortable and more like home for the kid patients,” said student Amanda Wilkins. “We hope it helps them feel less scared and more relaxed. We’re lucky enough to not be in the hospital and sick. It’s the least we can do.”
HealthPlex Dedication
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A dedication ceremony was held for the HealthPlex hospital on Wednesday, October 28. More than 300 people attended the ceremony which celebrated the opening of the new building. Speakers included Cheryl Parsons, Chair of the Norman Regional Health Authority Board; David Whitaker, CEO and President of Norman Regional Health System; Daryle Voss, Chief Administrative Officer of the HealthPlex, and Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins.
Many other local dignitaries attended the ceremony and ribbon cutting. At the ceremony a plaque was revealed that recognized all the people who helped mold the HealthPlex from its beginning vision to its concrete reality.
The 152-bed specialty hospital is located off Interstate 35 on Tecumseh Road. It houses the Heart & Vascular Institute, the Orthopedic & Spine Center and the Women’s & Children’s Pavilion.
Free Skin Cancer Screenings Offered
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Save your skin and save yourself. That’s the message for this year’s Norman Regional Health System’s free skin cancer screening day. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. this Saturday community members can get free skin cancer screenings at Norman Regional Hospital’s Cancer Management Center, located through the southeast entrance of the hospital. It is a first come, first served event. No appointments will be taken so people are encouraged to come early to ensure a screening.
The screenings will be conducted by local dermatologists; Dr. David Duncan, Dr. Thomas Urice, Dr. Paul Gillum and Dr. Joel Howard. People of all ages are encouraged to attend this free screening which is made possible by the generous donation of the four dermatologists.
According to statistics, it’s estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. The American Cancer Society says the 5 year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99 percent. It’s time to get tested, don’t wait any longer.
Loftis Named Paramedic of the Year
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tony Loftis was chosen as the 2008-2009 Crimestopper's EMSStat Paramedic of the Year. Tony began at EMSStat as a PRN paramedic in January 2004 and became full-time in October 2005. He became a Relief Crew Chief (lieutenant) in January of 2008. Tony is currently a Field Training Officer, Hazardous Material Technician, Critical Care Paramedic, Bike Medic, and Tactical (SWAT) Medic. He also is very active as a trainer of other SWAT medics.
Caption: Eddie Sims, EMSStat manager and crew chief, (left) stands with Tony Loftis (center) and Dr. Robert Frantz, EMSStat medical director, (right) at the Crimestopper's Public Safety Banquet. Loftis was presented with the Paramedic of the Year award at the banquet.
Tony Loftis was chosen as the 2008-2009 Crimestopper's EMSStat Paramedic of the Year. Tony began at EMSStat as a PRN paramedic in January 2004 and became full-time in October 2005. He became a Relief Crew Chief (lieutenant) in January of 2008. Tony is currently a Field Training Officer, Hazardous Material Technician, Critical Care Paramedic, Bike Medic, and Tactical (SWAT) Medic. He also is very active as a trainer of other SWAT medics.
The criteria for the award based upon the following four qualities:
- Demonstrates EMS knowledge through consistent performance of high-level skills
- Compassion towards patients and others
- Professionalism
- Commitment to and involvement in the improvement of the organization
“Tony is a highly skilled paramedic and very supportive of NRHS/EMSStat. Whenever he accepts a task, it is guaranteed it will get done correctly, on time, and without any reminders,” said Eddie Sims, EMSStat manager and crew chief. Tony has worked aggressively to enhance the training and stature of the EMSStat paramedics who are part of the Norman Police Department’s SWAT Team. He was the first EMSStat paramedic to attend a nationally recognized tactical medic school, and brought back and distributed a wealth of information to the other team members.
Tony was officially recognized at the Crimestopper's Public Safety Banquet on January 15th at Journey Church.
Stepping Up to a Challenge
Friday, December 12, 2008
Imagine walking around the earth’s equator more than six times. That is the equivalent of the distance traveled by the participants in the fall Heart and Sole walking campaign. The 742 participants walked 309,867,735 steps, or approximately 154,933 miles, during the six week campaign shattering their campaign step goal of 300 million steps.
Heart and Sole is a community-wide walking program aimed at increasing participants’ physical activity. Participants keep track of how much they walk with a pedometer and by maintaining a walking log throughout the six-week program. The goal is to motivate people to start walking for exercise plus give them a chance to win fitness-related prizes.
“We know that the majority of chronic disease killers are an extension of what people do in their daily lives and are modifiable behaviors such as the lack of physical activity,” said Lindy Beswick, Coordinator of Community Health and Wellness at Norman Regional Health System. “By partnering with area businesses in sponsoring the Heart and Sole walking program we hope to encourage people to develop the habit of incorporating physical exercise into their daily routines. The participants did a great job of getting moving and staying motivated and even walked right past the campaign step goal!”
Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal was one of the participants in the campaign and encouraged families to join her team, the Mayor’s Mile Markers, to use the campaign to get fit together.
New to the fall campaign were prizes awarded to all qualified participants reaching set step count levels. The prizes were made available through sponsorships from local businesses interested in promoting healthy community activities. Of the participants completing the program over 93 percent logged enough steps to be eligible for step level prizes. Participants had to record their beginning and ending blood pressures, their daily steps and had to have at least 300,000 total campaign steps to be eligible for step level prizes. Four participants even recorded more than two million steps each throughout the six-week campaign! Step level sponsors were: All Saints Catholic School; CART; City of Norman; Jazzercise; Lifecare Oklahoma Home, Health, Hospice & Personal Services; NRHS Community Health & Wellness Dept.; NRHS Foundation; and Republic Bank & Trust.
The first place team winner was the FNS Wok’ers, a team of NRHS employees who have placed first the past three campaigns. The team walked a total of 9,439,435 steps during the campaign. The second place team winner was the Funky Footsteppers, from Eisenhower Elementary school, third place was Walk Me Down, from NRHS, fourth place was Fast & Furious, from Irving Middle School, and fifth place was Smooth Operators, another NRHS team.
Heart and Sole is sponsored by Norman Regional Health System and the Healthy Community Coalition. The Coalition is a team of businesses, organizations, healthcare professionals and community members who have united to improve the health of Norman’s citizens. The Coalition is focusing on four areas: hypertension, obesity/overweight, smoking and lack of physical exercise. Although these are all national issues of concern, the Coalition has set goals for our local community and is implementing action steps to improve overall health and well-being.
The Heart and Sole program will be back this spring, for more information on the Healthy Community Coalition go to www.myhealthycommunity.com.