The Valley Voice: chronic illness

Showing posts with label chronic illness. Show all posts

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Live Well workshops slated at Seymour Community Center

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Griffin Hospital to host free workshop at Shelton Senior Center

Griffin Hospital is hosting a free Live Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop starting March 11 at the Shelton Senior Center./ Contributed photo

SHELTON - Griffin Hospital will host a free six-week workshop starting March 11 at the Shelton Senior Center to help individuals suffering from health conditions take back control of their lives.

The Live Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop provides health information and strategies to help those with health conditions like pain, anxiety, diabetes, depression, heart disease, and arthritis increase their energy and take control of their health.

Along with clinical care, participants will learn ways to cope with difficult emotions, depression, and stress/anxiety, reduce pain, improve mobility, increase energy, increase physical activity, eat healthier, use medications appropriately, and solve everyday problems and communicate effectively with family and health care providers.

The workshops will be held on Mondays March 11, 18, 25, and April 1, 8, and 15 from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Shelton Senior Center, 81 Wheeler St.

The Live Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop is sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Social Services Aging Services Division, Connecticut Department of Public Health and Griffin Hospital.

To register or for more information, call Esther Jones at Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program, 203-732-1523.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Griffin Hospital in Derby to honor chairman of Capital Campaign

Driving force behind development of Center for Cancer Care

Alan Mathog will receive Griffin Hospital’s President’s Award at the 2018 Griffin Gala Sept. 29./ Contributed photo

DERBY- The 2018 Griffin Gala will honor a driving force behind the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

Alan Mathog will receive Griffin Hospital’s President’s Award at the Gala Sept. 29 at Quarry Walk in Oxford.

Mathog was chairman of the Breaking New Ground Capital Campaign that raised $5.5 million for the development of Griffin’s Center for Cancer Care which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

“Alan’s passion and strong leadership were instrumental to the campaign becoming the most successful fundraising effort in Griffin Hospital’s history which allowed us to achieve our vision of providing the Valley community with comprehensive, person-centered cancer treatment services in an inspirational healing environment close to home,” said Griffin President and CEO Patrick Charmel.

Mathog is currently the president of PMA Management Corp. of New England, located in Wallingford, which provides results-driven third-party administration and risk services.

He has participated on advisory boards for numerous insurance companies, and has taught economics and finance at the University of New Haven and Southern Connecticut State University, lectured at the University of Hartford, and University of Connecticut, authored articles on Risk Management for trade journals and magazines, and is a frequent speaker for professional organizations.

The 2018 Griffin Hospital Gala will offer a unique look into the future of health care and will feature lavish food prepared by OnTheMarc Caters, tantalizing auction items, and lively music provided by La Blanc Entertainment from 6-11 p.m.

In addition to the Gala, Quarry Walk will also be the site of an advanced medical office campus designed for Griffin’s vision of a “new generation of care,” focusing on preventative services, chronic disease management, and care coordination to enhance the health and wellbeing of individuals that live and work in the region.

Tickets start at $185 per person. Black tie suggested. Proceeds from the Gala will help Griffin advance the development of this next-generation population health approach.

For more information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Nista, 203-732-7384 or email lnista@griffinhealth.org, or visit griffinhealth.org/gala.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Kidney disease runs in the family ~ I wish I could run from it

I didn't post anything today because I was "out of town" for a while, and away from my computer.

My husband, Ralph, and I spent more than seven hours at the transplantation clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

We learned about kidney transplants, nutrition, medications, and had private consultations with several health professionals.
I had an EKG and chest X-ray and gave what seemed like a lot of blood, twice.

I have PKD - Polycystic Kidney Disease - which is an unfortunate family trait. I wrote about it here in October, and again here in February.

Two wonderful people have offered to give me a kidney, but we have no idea if either of them will be able to do so.

My nephrologist referred me to the Yale clinic to get started on a journey that I know many, many people have taken before.
There were more than 17,000 kidney transplants performed in the United States in 2014, which is a much bigger number than I had thought.

In March I published a month of posts to help raise awareness of PKD. I hope it did.

Ralph and I now are armed with more information and a better sense of what this journey will eventually entail.

It's not easy to write about myself. I take that back...it's easy to write, just not easy to hit the "publish" button. But I'm about to do so.

Thanks for reading.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Support group at Griffin Hospital in Derby to host talk on diabetes and depression

DERBY - The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free talk about diabetes and depression at 6:30 p.m. June 14 at Griffin Hospital’s Dining Room, 130 Division St.

Teresa Spencer, RN, will present “Diabetes & Depression: Beating the Blues!”
The talk will explore how having a chronic condition, such as diabetes, can lead to depression, but there may be other causes of depression as well.

Depression can also make it more difficult to manage diabetes.
Spencer specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health at St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health. The presentation will explore causes of depression and talk about how to "Beat the Blues!"

The Diabetes Education & Support Group meets September - June on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss the management of diabetes, its challenges and day-to-day dietary concerns.
Any individuals with diabetes and their families are welcome to attend.
No registration is required.

For more information, call Mary Swansiger, 203-732-1137.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Griffin Hospital in Derby slates self-management workshop

To assist patients coping with chronic conditions

Griffin Hospital will host a Live Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop this summer./Contributed photo

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will host a free six-week workshop starting July 11 to help individuals diagnosed with chronic conditions take back control of their lives.

The Live Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop provides health information and strategies to help those with chronic conditions like diabetes, depression, heart disease, arthritis, and pain and anxiety increase their energy and take control of their health.

The workshop will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. on Mondays from July 11 to Aug. 15 at the hospital, 130 Division St.

To register, call Esther Jones at Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program at 203-732-1523.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

The 31-Day March Challenge: I hope it raised awareness

PKD: Polycystic kidney disease. Putting an end to it is a fabulous idea!

National Kidney Month is marked each year in March.

I've never liked talking about myself, but in late February
my husband urged me to post the 31 Day Challenge initiated by the PKD Foundation.

I did, and that forced me to talk about myself and my PKD diagnosis. I wrote about that here, on Feb. 29.

My hope in spreading the word about the challenge was that I'd not only raise awareness, but also meet others diagnosed with PKD.
That didn't happen.

But I'll continue to write about PKD, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and a myriad of other chronic conditions, because awareness is important.

I'll leave you with these factoids about PKD I posted a while back.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

PKD Challenge for March: Day 31 ~ Let friends know you completed challenge, raised awareness

March 31

You did it!

You completed the 31 Days of PKD Challenges.

Update your status on Facebook and Twitter to let your friends and followers know that you took the challenge.

Thanks for helping us raise awareness of PKD!

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

PKD Challenge for March: Day 30 ~ Share photo of someone who inspires

March 30

Use #PKDfighter and share a photo of someone who inspires you in the fight to end PKD.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Crisco's advocacy for people living with MS recognized at Hartford ceremony

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, was recognized Tuesday by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for his advocacy in the state legislature for people living with MS. / Submitted photo

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. was recognized Tuesday as a "2015 Connecticut Legislative Champion" during a ceremony in the State Capitol.

“Your outstanding commitment to advocacy that provides access to medications and health care for individuals living with multiple sclerosis and other chronic illnesses is helping make a difference in the lives of many,” National Multiple Sclerosis Society Connecticut Chapter President Lisa Gerrol said.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to express our gratitude and recognize your outstanding advocacy and service.”

Crisco said, “I try to use my positions on the insurance and public health committees to advocate for and serve the needs of all Connecticut residents, including those with MS, who have some very specific needs and goals to maintain and improve their quality of life.

“I have a wonderful partner in the MS Society of Connecticut, which has the policy and research expertise that helps me make good public policy decisions," he said. "I am thankful for this recognition today and look forward to working with the MS Society and other advocates for many years to come.”

The MS Society has generally advocated for funding for respite care programs, Medicaid expansion, transparency in healthcare costs, an adequate network of medical doctors, and home modification tax credits.

This year, the MS Society is also advocating for “aging in place” programs which can assist people with MS and others in obtaining support to increase accessibility to their homes.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.