Franciscan Healthcare - Munster Web Site

Thursday, April 26, 2012

"It's My Time" to Get an Annual Mammogram

A MAMMOthon program, consisting of digital mammogram screenings, free chair massages and giveaways, including watches, will take place May 11 at Franciscan Hammond Clinic, 7905 Calumet Ave., Munster, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call (219) 836-3600 to schedule. Here, a physician referral is required.

The program will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 18 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond, 5454 Hohman Ave. Call (219) 933-2635 to schedule.

Chair massages will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. at all locations. Participants also may enter a drawing to win an Apple iPad.

MAMMOthon is sponsored by Franciscan Alliance’s Spirit of Women program, which offers information and activities to encourage and enhance women’s health. Early detection is said to be key in beating breast cancer.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Ball of Strength Helps Participants Get in Shape

Participants in Franciscan Alliance's monthly Franciscanfit Mallwalkers program at Westfield Southlake Mall on April 25 received a lesson in how use of a mini-ball can help boost core body strength.

Jane Bogordos, fitness supervisor for Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness centers, demonstrated numerous techniques to participants.

Blood pressure screenings also were offered by Barbara Neely, a cardiac rehabilitation technician at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond, and by Christy Cleveland, a registered nurse in that unit.

The program takes place on the fourth Thursday of each month on the mall's lower level, outside of the JC Penney store.

For more information, call (219) 931-3322.

For more photos of this event, check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/FranciscanNWI.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

"It's My Time" to Get an Annual Mammogram

Take the time to have your annual screening mammogram!

An inaugural MAMMOthon program, consisting of digital mammogram screenings, free chair massages and giveaways, including watches, will take place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 27 at Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Michigan City, 301 W. Homer St.

The program will take place in the hospital’s Breast Imaging Center, on the first floor.

The event is sponsored by Franciscan Alliance’s Spirit of Women program, which offers information and activities to encourage and enhance women’s health. Early detection is key to beating breast cancer.

Chair massages will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. Participants also may enter a drawing for an Apple iPad.

Mammogram appointments are required. Screening cost is covered by most insurance companies.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (219) 877-1980.

Other programs will be offered on May 11 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Dyer, Franciscan Hammond Clinic in Munster and at Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Crown Point, and on May 18 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Volunteers Give Help, Heart

Volunteers Glenda Bolton, Dorothy Alexander and Mimi Wadas
stand in the hospital’s outpatient surgery center.
"The greatest benefit is helping others. Doing something for others makes me feel better about myself," says Dorothy Alexander, a volunteer at Franciscan Physicians Hospital.

Alexander began volunteering in mid-February, hoping to meet other people. "I got to the point that I could no longer work and I had too much time on my hands. I called Mary Higgins and she set up the orientation for me to be a volunteer. I'm helping out twice a week and hoping I can be here more."

Higgins, director of mission services, kicked off the hospital's volunteer program, which has 42 members thus far, in February. "I'm very excited about the new volunteer program within our hospital. I have enrolled so many great and capable people who are highly motivated to provide assistance and be a part of our Franciscan team. They're helping create new ways to serve Munster and the Northwest Indiana community," states Higgins.

Volunteers provide a variety of essential services. A range of age, history and educational background bring numerous benefits to the hospital.

Glenda Bolton is among those who contribute. Bolton, who assists twice weekly at the hospital, is a retired sixth-grade school teacher from Cedar Lake. "I just retired from teaching and wanted to help out," Bolton says.

"As a teacher, I naturally enjoy the interaction and when I assist with patient escorting, I get the exercise I need. It’s really nice to help out and spend time with other people."

Benefits to volunteers don’t outweigh those received by the hospital. Since its inception, the volunteer program has offered the hospital numerous advantages. "Volunteers have been essential for us as patient representatives, greeters in the surgery lobby, transporters and information providers, among other various positions that are valuable to the operation of this facility," says Higgins.

Hospital president Barb Greene acknowledges the importance of each individual. "Within our facility, we've garnered a community of caring and devoted employees whose focus is solely on the patient and their care. Since February, our volunteer program has quickly melded into that community. My appreciation of these individuals is great and I look forward to the expansion of the program."

To join the volunteer program or for more information, call (219) 922-5897.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Exercising at Work: Tips to Keep You Moving

Let's face it, many of us spend most of the time that we are awake at work. Couple that with the fact that many people sit all day at their jobs ... it may seem that our work environments aren't great places to focus on weight-loss goals. Well, don't get discouraged. Did you know you can easily add activity to your schedule before work, during work, at lunch, and after work? Here are some tips to get you started:


Before work:
  • If you drive, park around the corner or a few blocks from your work place so you get a 5- to 10-minute walk before you get to work.
  • If you take the bus, get off one stop before your usual stop to get in a few extra minutes of walking.
  • Try walking or biking to work. These are excellent forms of exercise that will save you parking, gas, and bus money.

During work:
  • Set a timer to remind you to do a one-minute stretching or strengthening exercises every half hour. These one-minute workouts help keep you focused, and they add 16 minutes of exercise to an 8-hour workday. Some one-minute exercises are:
    • Stand up straight, then bend forward and reach for your toes. Reach for a count of 20, and repeat two more times.
    • Reach both hands up toward the ceiling. Then, reach higher with your right hand for 2 seconds, then higher with your left hand for 2 seconds. Reach each hand higher 15 times.
    • While sitting in your chair, place your hands on the arm rests and lift your bottom off the seat. Hold your bottom up for 10 seconds. Do this up to 6 times. Be careful not to lock your elbows.
    • Stand with your feet shoulder length apart and your hands on your hips. Reach down across your body with your right hand toward your left foot, and then back up to your hip. Repeat this with your left hand reaching to your right foot. Take a deep breath and repeat. This is a good exercise to do while you make copies.
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator to add some exercise to your workday. Or walk down the hall to talk with a coworker instead of sending an e-mail.

At lunch:
  • If you get an hour lunch break, eat for 30 minutes and then take a 30-minute walk.
  • If you get a 30-minute lunch, try to fit in a 10-minute power walk.
  • Invite a co-worker to walk with you. Having an exercise buddy will help keep you motivated. You are also more likely to exercise if someone is counting on you to join them.

After work:
  • If you parked a short distance away, you’ll get a short walk in before you have to sit again on your way home.
  • If you take the bus, walk one stop farther from the one closest to your workplace, or do something similar close to your destination.

For more information and tips on how to focus on weight-loss at work, visit FranciscanStMargaret.org/weightloss.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.



The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."



So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."



- Matthew 28:1-10

Friday, April 6, 2012

Mohs Micrographic Surgery Comes to Franciscan Hammond Clinic

A highly effective, specialized technique for the removal of skin cancer now is available in Munster.

Tarun Kukreja, M.D.
Tarun Kukreja, M.D., a dermatologist at Franciscan Hammond Clinic, provides patients the Mohs surgical technique.

Mohs surgery, which has a cure rate of up to 99-percent, permits immediate and complete microscopic examination of removed cancerous tissue. Through this process, all "roots" and extensions of the cancer can be eliminated. The surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure in the physician's office and requires no sedation.

The treatment has the highest reported cure rate, according to the American Society for Mohs Surgery. Aside from tracking and removal of cancerous "roots," the surgery spares normal tissue, providing for quicker recovery and minimal scar tissue.

Mohs surgery is not appropriate for all skin cancers, notes Dr. Kukreja, adding it is reserved for those that have recurred following previous treatment, or for cancers that are at a high risk for recurrence.

"The Franciscan Hammond Clinic has been very supportive in giving me the equipment and capacity to provide this state-of-the art procedure, which gives patients some of the highest cure rates possible, while minimizing the removal of normal tissue, leading to a smaller overall scar and quicker recovery. In addition, this procedure is more cost-effective than an inpatient-based procedure and does not require hospitalization," says Dr. Kukreja.

Dr. Kukreja performed Mohs surgery for three years in residency and is a member of the American Society of Mohs Surgeons.

How it works

Tarun Kukreja, M.D., performs a Mohs procedure.
Surgery begins with a treated area being cleansed, marked and injected with a local anesthetic. The surgeon removes the visible cancer, along with a thin layer of additional tissue, and the patient waits while the tissue is processed and examined.

Next, the removed tissue specimen is cut into sections, stained and marked on a diagram called a Mohs map. The tissue is frozen on a cryostat (a vessel used to maintain cryogenic temperatures) and the technician removes very thin slices from the edge and undersurface. The slices are placed on slides and examined under a microscope.

After examining the undersurface and edge of the specimen, all "roots" of the cancer are identified and pinpointed on the Mohs map. If residual cancer is found, the surgeon utilizes the map to direct the removal of additional tissue, but only where cancer is present. The process is repeated as many times as necessary to locate any remaining cancerous areas within the tissue specimen.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Franciscan Senior Promise Meeting - April 12

The public is invited to attend the April meeting of the newly formed Franciscan Senior Promise group.

Peter Gregory will conduct a demonstration of “Tai Chi Chih” during the meeting, which will take place at 10 a.m. at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond, 5454 Hohman Ave.

Franciscan Senior Promise is a newly club offers people aged 55 and older information on health issues and advice on lifestyles choices, along with the opportunity to socialize and make new acquaintances.

Meetings take place monthly, with game days, movie and popcorn days, defensive driving courses, a yearly flu shot clinic and daytime and overnight trips among scheduled activities.

Annual membership fee is $15.

For more information, call (800) 931-3322 or visit FranciscanStMargaret.org.