ECHO
PRINCETON JUNE 2020 COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
CREATING A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PAGE 4
INSIDE:
AUCTION page 6
How one local institution helped raise $40,000 to support the community
PARTING SHOT page 11 Columnist Pia de Jong explores the meaning of meantime Page 9
Please stay safe - I'm available for virtual meetings & tours
About this issue... ROB ANTHES FROM THE EDITOR
To our readers: You might have noticed this issue of the Princeton Echo looks a bit different. We’ve made several changes this month that I’d like to discuss further. First, inserted in the center of the newspaper is the first edition of our new regional arts, culture and food publication, Six09. Our hope with Six09 is to present interesting and engaging content each month that will allow our readers to take full advantage of this vibrant region—extending south with our area code all the way to Cape May. We have many members of our staff lending their expertise in this area, including U.S. 1 arts editor Dan Aubrey. The second change is to the Echo itself, both in appearance and in focus. We undertook this redesign with the hope it will make your time with us more enjoyable, more informative and more transparent. On the aesthetic front, we have introduced new fonts for our headlines and other design elements in our newspaper, which we believe provides a cleaner experience. The remainder of the changes serve to foster an atmosphere of community within our pages.
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Below this letter, you’ll see our revamped masthead. Traditionally, a masthead is a list of people who worked hard to bring a newspaper to you. But we want you to know who we are, what we’re doing and how to find us. So, the new masthead kicks off with the Echo’s mission statement. This is our guiding principle and informs what we cover— and how. We also have included our mailing address, phone number, email addresses, website URL and social media accounts, so you can connect with us no matter which mode of communication you prefer. I’ve also included all my contact information at the end of this letter. The same box will appear at the end of any article produced by a member of our staff. We’ve shifted our focus away from the arts—which our sister publications U.S.1 and now Six09 cover quite well. Instead, our commitment is to telling the story of Princeton and its people. We want to answer the questions you want answered and tell the stories you want told. Since we live here, too, likely they are answers and stories we want, too. Our community has long been our greatest asset, and I hope this redesign can help kick off an even closer relationship with our readers. So, reach out! Contact editor ROB ANTHES: ranthes@ communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 124, facebook.com/robanthes, twitter.com/ robanthes.
ECHO
We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Princeton Echo is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Echo does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood. EDITOR Rob Anthes (Ext. 124) STAFF WRITER Nicole Viviano CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST Pia deJong AD LAYOUT & PRODUCTION Stacey Micallef SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113)
An award-winning publication of Community News Service, LLC © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved. CO-PUBLISHER Jamie Griswold
CO-PUBLISHER Tom Valeri
MANAGING EDITOR, COMMUNITY DIVISION Rob Anthes
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Thomas Fritts
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AROUND TOWN Retiring superintendent earns top honor Steve Cochrane, superintendent of Princeton Public Schools, has been named county Superintendent of the Year by the Mercer County Association of School Administrators. Cochrane, who is retiring at the end of this school year, has been the superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools since 2014. His career in education has spanned a multitude of roles, including being an elementary school teacher, principal, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and an assistant dean at Princeton University. Cochrane earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Princeton University and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. Cochrane initiated an Equity Audit in the school district in 2017 and began a sustained year-to-year effort to increase understanding of implicit bias and elevate the implementation of culturally relevant teaching and Restorative Practices. He led efforts to institute a racial literacy class, instituted a later start time for Princeton High School and worked to ensure that all students graduate with the ability to navigate a racially and culturally complex world. During his tenure, Princeton also created Equity Teams of staff at each school who serve as resources in their buildings to help ensure the continued transformation of the district, and he oversaw the successful passage of a facility referendum. Meanwhile, the school district announced May 5 it had selected Barr y Galasso to serve as interim superintendent while it searches for Cochrane’s replacement. Galasso most recently served as interim superintendent of Voorhees Township Public Schools for six months in 2019. He is also an adjunct professor at
the Gwynedd Mercy University School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Galasso holds a PhD in education from Rutgers University. He has taught at Rutgers, Rowan, Farleigh Dickinson, Delaware Valley universities. Galasso served for a total of 21 years as a superintendent—he was head of the Berlin Borough, Winslow Township, and Eastern Camden County Regional school districts. He was subsequently selected as the executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators after his retirement. For the last nine years, he served as executive director of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, working with 13 school districts and school boards serving a 100,000 public and private school students.
Walker named YWCA executive director YWCA Princeton announced that Twanda “Tay” Walker will serve as its new executive director, effective June 1. Walker was selected unanimously by a search committee composed of YWCA Princeton’s board of directors and senior staff. She will succeed Judy Hutton, who is retiring after serving as CEO for 14 years. Walker has a master’s degree in public health from St. Joseph’s University with a concentration in maternal and child health. She has previously served as a deputy state registrar for the New Jersey Department of Health and as an early childhood and health services administrator at Camden County Head Start.
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Neighbors project ‘win-win’ for people, businesses in need By Rob Anthes
Blair Miller’s first instinct was to help. The COVID-19 pandemic had taken its toll on Miller. The Princeton resident had lost her job at the Princeton University Art Museum. Her start-up business lost all the traction it had gained in recent months. She worried about her ability to pay bills and feed her dog. It was a stretch she calls “a really depressing time in my life.” But she did not turn inward. Instead, she thought back to her volunteer work at local homeless shelters, to the struggles her own brother had with homelessness. She knew the power acts of kindness could have on people down on their luck. Miller had nothing but free time and a burning desire to help, and she knew that, somehow, she needed to assist people in her hometown. She started making sandwiches—dozens of them— enough to feed 100 people. She delivered them to affordable housing developments throughout Princeton, paying for the supplies out of her own pocket. She called the packages “Neighbors Bags,” inspired by the children’s television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Eventually, the realities of her own situation started to catch up with her, and Miller couldn’t afford to keep going. So, she started a crowdfunding campaign through GoFundMe. When this
At left, Princeton residents Lori Troilo and Blair Miller stand outside Mount Pisgah AME Church on Witherspoon Street, where the Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project’s Free Store is based. Miller founded the Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project. At right, Princeton resident Frances Craig and Frances Smith, of Willingboro, assemble bags of essentials for people in need.
had success, she brainstormed ways to expand her work further in an effort she named Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project. She realized she could partner with local businesses, and allow people to add items to their purchases, with the extras being donated to Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project. Since then, Miller’s initiative has pro-
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vided thousands of dollars of goods and food to Princeton residents in need. It now offers three services—Neighbors Bags, Neighbors Meals and Neighbors Gifts—available three days a week at its Free Store on Witherspoon Street and via scheduled delivery. There has been a tremendous demand for Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project’s services, particularly at the Free Store. On average, more than 85 people line up around the block for a chance to grab a free hot meal and some supplies at the store’s location at Mount Pisgah AME Church. (The store recently relocated from down the street, at Studio Hillier.) Donated items go quickly; 60 pints of The Bent Spoon ice cream were claimed within a half hour May 18. On the Free Store’s opening day April 20, an entire supply of 700 Neighbors Bags and three boxes of Neighbors Meals were depleted in 90 minutes. In the first three weeks of the project alone, more than $10,000 worth of products had been made available to— and accepted by—those in need. The response has not surprised Miller.
“I’ve been reading a lot, and I know how bad it is out there,” Miller said. “I was anticipating the need, but I would think that most people would be surprised. I know some of the volunteers on the first day they were like, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize.’ In such an affluent town, where there’s such a disparity in income, we can have so much wealth and all these beautiful houses, but then there are people who have nothing, blocks away. You know, it’s kind of jarring. I guess every town has that, but it’s a little bit more obvious right now.” There has been so much need in the community that Miller has had to turn some people away to ensure everyone gets access to goods. The Free Store is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon until 2 p.m., but each patron can only shop on two of those days. Miller and her team of volunteers take names to help monitor who is using the service, and she said 60% of the people are repeat customers. At least 70% speak Spanish as a first language, and Princeton Township Department of Human Services director Melissa Urias has volunteered to help translate for them. In addition to Princeton Human Services, Miller has received valuable assistance from Send Hunger Packing Princeton. Ross Wishnick, founder of SHUPP, even came up with the idea of a Free Store. At the Free Store, each person gets two bags of products, a warm meal provided by a local restaurant and a dry meal. Product bags come in categories such as personal hygiene, feminine hygiene and baby products. Now, 19 Princeton businesses participate in the program. Some of them, like McCaffrey’s, Whole Earth Center and Sante Pharmacy, take donations for Neighbors Bags. Restaurants, such as Nomad Pizza, have joined with a buyone, donate-one program. Small Bites by Local Greek on Nassau Street sold more than 40 extra meals within its first two days of participation. Nearly every business has seen an increase in sales since joining the initiative, Miller said. Local shops like jaZams, Labyrinth Books, Highbar Boutique and Sprouts
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Flowers have become part of the newest addition to Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project, Neighbors Gifts. Inspired by her and her father’s birthdays last month, Miller added the option so people can pay for a gift to be given to someone who can’t afford one. She said gifts can either be placed up-for-grabs at the Free Store, or they can be delivered directly to a recommended person. Either way, the idea is to brighten someone’s day. “It’s kind of sad, you know, driving by and honking a horn for someone’s birthday,” Miller said. “I can’t have a cake with [my family], I couldn’t get a hug. It’s a sad time to have a birthday.” Miller said the program could also be used to give a gift to a recent graduate. This kind of adaptive business thinking has been one of the biggest takeaways of the project for Miller. She calls herself “a thinker,” and said she has a notebook filled with ideas on how to apply the lessons learned from running Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project to her professional life. “People want to feel a certain way when they participate in something,” Miller said. “I think the reason this is so successful, or I’ve had so much success with this, is because the community wants to help. And it makes them feel empowered to help, makes them feel important, and makes them feel validated in a time when people have no control over their lives, over their business, over their job, over what they’re doing, their kids are doing. This makes them feel a certain way about themselves. It’s tapping in to how the consumer feels.” Miller hopes the insight can help her further develop her company, ConductAction, which attempts to link activism to classical music. Mr. Rogers’
Neighbors Kindness Project generates no income for her, and Miller still has worries about her own employment situation, the bills that continue to come in and the needs of her puppy. For now, though, her primary focus remains on the people she’s helping. Miller grew up outside of Philadelphia. She moved to Princeton to attend Westminster Choir College, where she studied piano performance. She also worked in Palmer Square, at Ralph Lauren, for 10 years. It was during this time she fell in love with downtown Princeton, and came to know the owners of local shops. She said the last three months have strengthened her relationship with the local business community. It also has allowed her to meet a lot of local people who are out of a job. As Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project evolves, she hopes she might be able to connect the two, helping people find work and business owners find employees. Miller knows Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project in its current form most likely will only exist as long as pandemic-related restrictions on businesses do. “I’m not really sure how long it’s gonna go on,” Miller said. “But this idea of Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project can be started up at any time, whether it’s homelessness or if there’s any kind of catastrophic event. It’s a really good model that can help a lot of people.” For more information, including a list of participating businesses, go online to mrrogersneighbors.com. Contact editor ROB ANTHES: ranthes@ communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 124, facebook.com/robanthes, twitter.com/ robanthes.
Dear Neighbors, Friends, and Clients,
Through a variety of tools and technology, we are helping our clients buy and sell real estate while maintaining a keen awareness of the surrounding pandemic. Visit CallawayHenderson.com for a deep dive on each of our listings and a list of our upcoming virtual open houses. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with those most affected and we want to thank everyone who continues to selflessly fight this virus, including first responders, doctors, nurses and many more. Sincerely,
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Realtor® Owned PRINCETON Christina M Callaway $2,990,000 MLS# NJME287688
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HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP Jane Henderson Kenyon $4,995,000 MLS# 1000405576
real estate The following listings are based on public records and tax files. 197 Valley Road. Two-story Contemporary. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $750,000. 51 Leabrook Lane. Ranch in Littlebrook. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. $1,150,000. 40 Pine Street. Two-story Colonial in Princeton East. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. $600,000. 21 Leigh Avenue. 3 bedrooms, Apartment off Nassau Street. 1 bath, 2 half baths. $420,000. 80 Jefferson Road. Three-story twin/semi-detached Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. $780,000. 28 Maidenhead Road. Townhouse in Fieldwood Manors. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $748,000. 316 Brickhouse Road. Condo in Washington Oaks. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. $439,900. 55 Wilkinson Way. Townhouse in Washington Oaks. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. $773,000. 260 Prospect Avenue. Two-story Cape Cod. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $715,000. 124 Quarry Lane. Two-story
Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. $920,000. 1827 Stuart Road West. Twostory Contemporary. 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 half baths. $1,365,000. 309 Ridgeview Road. Two-story Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. $1,075,000. 30 Russell Road. Ranch in Edgerstoune. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. $999,000. 25 Foulet Drive. Two-story Colonial in Andrews Fouley. 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 half baths. $1,270,000. 14 Governors Lane. Three-story Colonial in Governor’s Lane. 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. $955,000. 880 Lawrenceville Road. Restored 1950s Marcel Breuer iconic house in garden. 4 bedrooms, 4 baths. $1,200,000. 66 Patton Avenue. Three-story Traditional in Riverside. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $1,100,000. 107 Snowden Lane. Two-story Cape Cod in Littlebrook. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. $670,000. 22 Paul Robeson Place. Condo in Palmer Square. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. $1,675,000.
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June 2020 | Princeton Echo5
Community Auction raises $40K for local businesses By Nicole Viviano
The almost $40,000 raised by last month’s Princeton Community Auction will be allocated equally among 25 eligible local businesses in need. When the Siegel family of Hamilton Jewelers noticed small businesses in downtown Princeton shuttering only a week or so after the imposed shelterin-place order took effect, they decided action was needed. Hamilton Jewelers is a local business itself, having been a part of Mercer County for over 100 years and four generations, so they decided to put together an auction to support the local business community. The auction ran April 20 to May 20. “We got together as an executive group and said, ‘What can we do to make sure that when this thing finally ends that all of our neighbors are with us?’” vice president of Hamilton Jewelers Donna Bouchard said. Starting out by collaborating with the Princeton Merchants Association, the Regional Chamber of Commerce and the mayor’s office, Bouchard pieced together the auction and online portal— something she had never done before. Anyone from restaurateurs to photographers and individuals to local merchants were welcomed to contribute what they could. Experience vouchers for a pub crawl that went for $620, a tamale making party that went for $300
and other creative excursions were available to almost 600 registered bidders. All together the auction helped raise nearly $40,000 for Princeton small business. The community took up the cause with enthusiasm and creativity. “Everybody just kind of came forward and it was like the spirit of the town just was overwhelming,” Bouchard said. Along with the option to donate funds to the cause, participants were given a generous list of biddable options in the online Princeton Community Auction. About two weeks into the auction, it started to get traction through social media and word of mouth. “We started with maybe 25 items or so and now we have about 125 items,” said Bouchard, a Princeton resident. “And it’s everything from really cool experiences and things that people wouldn’t otherwise have access to.” The offerings included a private Princeton pub crawl hosted by the Princeton Tour Company’s Mimi Omiecinski and an opportunity to create an ice cream flavor at The Bent Spoon, which reached a bid of $750. These events, along with items such as pieces and a behind-the-scenes tour from Hamilton Jewelers, a private tour of the Princeton University Art Museum with museum director James Steward and local pieces of artwork made for an exciting experience online.
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Hamilton Jewelers vice president Donna Bouchard helped organize the Princeton Community Auction, which raised nearly $40,000 for local businesses.
Lifelong Mercer County resident Laura Desai contributed more than one item to the auction. Desai is the head of school at Ying Hua International School of Princeton, a certified yoga teacher and former human resources professional. She decided to offer up all her talents to benefit local business. From her personal offerings of restorative yoga sessions and a resume review and workshop, Desai also found it important that the school get involved in the auction. “As a school, we have been very involved in helping the community throughout this crisis in a variety of different ways,” Desai said. From donating and making masks for healthcare workers and supporting local restaurants, such as Nomad Pizza, by giving them business, Ying Hua has
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been working to help those in need during this health crisis even before getting involved with the auction. For the auction, the school offered a oneweek summer camp program for 2021. The auction not only provided a platform for community members to contribute towards local business relief but also created a way for local businesses to help each other. Local business owner and Princeton resident Dariusz Kobajlo decided to donate his talents towards the auction, as he knows what the situation is like for small businesses in the area. “We’re struggling too but…I want to give back to people in Princeton,” Kobajlo said. Through his business Photography by Dariusz Kobajlo, he decided to share his work and passion in an effort to support the local businesses he has seen suffering. Kobajlo gave an engagement photo session for bidders, valued at $525. “It’s very hard for any business owner to make some profit and be able to support their employees and everybody else…I see what’s going on in Princeton,” Kobajlo said. “I hope every small business will come back to town. I try to be optimistic, but I feel their pain.” His faith remains in the close community of Princeton, where Kobajlo said everyone knows each other and will chip in to support those who really need it. Bouchard has seen the same. “It was really surprising to me to see people who literally have nothing right now themselves and said, ‘I can’t contribute financially but I can give of my time or my expertise,’” Bouchard said. Now, Bouchard has started work distributing funds to the businesses that applied for aid. Originally 33 small businesses applied for funds through the auction. Before bidding closed, Bouchard reached out to make sure those that had applied were still in need. Eight businesses dropped out, as they had received alternate funding and wanted to allow others in greater need access to the money raised. Bouchard said most of the businesses are looking to put the money they receive towards payroll and rent. Used as a stopgap, the money will give businesses time to figure out further funding and how to survive this health crisis. To receive funds from the auction, small businesses—defined as having 100 or less employees or $5 million or less in annual revenue—were required to present valid tax identification and be physically located within a 10-mile radius of the greater Princeton area. The auction sought local support for these small businesses and their employees, who are struggling amid the COVID19 crisis. A second, shorter auction is in consideration, Bouchard said, although official plans have not been formed yet. Contact staff writer NICOLE VIVIANO: nviviano@communitynews.org, (609) 3961511, ext. 118, twitter.com/nicoleviviano, facebook.com/nicoleviviano609.
HEALTH @capitalhealthnj
JUNE 2020
HEADLINES
B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H
CAPITAL HEALTH READY FOR SAFE POST-PEAK REOPENING OF SERVICES
In uncertain times, people often look to their community institutions for a sense of stability and comfort. For many residents in Mercer, Bucks, and Burlington counties during the ongoing health crisis, Capital Health is that institution. As the region’s leader in providing progressive, quality patient care, Capital Health has been taking an organized approach to meeting the needs of the community during the COVID-19 crisis and going forward as restrictions start to ease. Now it prepares to welcome patients back and schedule elective procedures in a safe, healthy environment.
Health continues to practice all precautionary measures for safety. Patients who test positive for COVID-19 continue to be treated in a highly secure area that keeps patients in a safe environment while making sure all visitors and staff are protected.
RESUMING ELECTIVE SURGERIES During his daily COVID-19 media briefing on May 15, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that hospitals in New Jersey will be permitted to resume elective surgeries starting Tuesday, May 26. Through intensive planning and implementation of processes that assure the highest level of patient and visitor safety, the health care professionals at Capital Health have a system of care that responds to all requirements for great services provided in a safe environment.
“There’s an old saying that describes how difficult challenges reveal who your true friends are,” said Sam Plumeri, Jr., chairman of the Capital Healthcare, Inc. Board of Trustees. “The outpouring of support we’ve seen shows that Capital Health has no shortage of friends in Mercer, Bucks, and Burlington counties. It also reaffirms our dedication to the safety of our community, now and in the future. It’s important for everyone to know that they can always rely on us to provide the safe care they need.”
“As we welcome more patients back in to our facilities, we are continuing to take necessary precautions to make sure the health and safety of our community and our staff remain the highest priority,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “We continue to practice social distancing, require visitors and staff to wear face mask and are fully operational.”
SAFETY FIRST Bolstered by the support of its community, Capital Health emergency departments and medical offices continue to take all the necessary precautions to keep patients safe on the front lines and across all service lines. Capital Health is now providing a broader range of inpatient and outpatient care that its neighbors can rely on as the pandemic evolves. This gradual reopening balances Capital Health’s patient-focused approach to care with best practices in infection prevention for our patients, visitors and staff.
CONTINUING VIDEO VISITS Capital Health will continue to offer video visits for both primary care and behavioral health through secure connections on patients’ computers or smart devices. New and established patients can schedule appointments with the same providers they see at Capital Health. The community is encouraged to maintain good health by scheduling appointments with their primary care and specialty physicians. Capital
A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY PARTNER Capital Health continues to be grateful for the wonderful community support it has experienced during the pandemic, having received generous donations for its front-line staff including PPE, hand sanitizer and other necessary supplies.
If you or your loved ones are experiencing a medical emergency, the patient care teams at Capital Health urge you to seek care immediately at their hospitals as they have safety procedures in place to protect you from infection. They look forward to seeing you and your family again at Capital Health. Health Headlines by Capital Health | Princeton Echo7
UNDERSTANDING BRAIN TUMOR SYMPTOMS signs to guide you to the right plan for care Brain tumors, while relatively rare, do not discriminate, affecting men, women, and children across all age groups and ethnicities. And because the brain is the critical organ that controls all others, it’s important to recognize the signs that may suggest a brain tumor and discuss them with your health care team. “The many parts of the brain control different body functions, so symptoms will vary depending on tumor location, type, and size,” said DR. NAVID REDJAL, director of Neurosurgical Oncology at the Capital Health Center for Neuro-Oncology. “However, there are some common symptoms to watch for which, if ongoing, may indicate the presence of a brain tumor. Anyone experiencing one or more of them over an extended period of time should see their doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.” “At the Center for Neuro-Oncology, our advanced technological resources and multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment are just as important as the compassionate and individualized care we provide,” said Dr. Redjal. “If a person experiences new symptoms or changes to existing ones, talking to your doctor is an important first step.” The Center for Neuro-Oncology, part of Capital Institute for Neurosciences and Capital Health Cancer Center, is a referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer involving the brain and spine. The Center is housed in state-of-the-art facilities where patients have access to an experienced and caring team of physicians, nurses and staff who work closely with referring physicians to facilitate rapid and thorough evaluations and
COMMON BRAIN TUMOR SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: HEADACHES: A persistent, progressive pain that is different from a migraine, does not respond to over-the-counter pain medication (like aspirin or ibuprofen), gets worse when laying down, and may be accompanied by vomiting or changes in vision. SEIZURES: In some cases, a seizure may be the first indication that a person has a brain tumor. FOCAL PROGRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: Localized symptoms— such as hearing problems, difficulty walking or speaking, or feeling clumsy—can often help identify the location of the tumor. MASS EFFECT: Occurs when a brain tumor presses on surrounding normal tissue, causing nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, vision problems, headaches, and behavior changes. SUDDEN PERSONALITY CHANGES/COGNITIVE CHANGES/ MEMORY LOSS: A tumor may cause disruptions in normal brain function that lead to changes in a patient’s behavior and ability to reason, remember, and learn. recommendations for patients and their families. In addition to providing advanced, neuro-oncologic and neuroscience care, the Center participates in clinical trials to help fight and find cures for cancer. To learn more about Capital Health’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, visit capitalneuro.org.
Nationally Recognized Trauma Center Ready to Help Treat Severe Injuries While the number of cars on the road has decreased with stay-at-home orders, severe injuries can still take place in and around homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts at the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center would like to remind everyone that safety measures are in place to protect you from infection if you need immediate, lifesaving care for a severe injury. “Our trauma center has been certified eight times as a Level II Trauma Center by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons [ACS]. This means that when residents of our community need us most, we are ready to meet the highest quality standards for safely treating severe injuries,” said DR. DOMINICK EBOLI, director of the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. The Full Spectrum of Care According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injury is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Care provided in a trauma center decreases the chance of death following injury by 25 percent compared to care in general hospitals.
8Princeton Echo | Health Headlines by Capital Health
In addition to providing the necessary resources for trauma care, ACS level II verification also means that centers like the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center address the needs of injured patients across the entire spectrum of care, providing patients at Capital Health Regional Medical Center with access to important injury prevention programs, pre-hospital care and transportation, acute hospital care, rehabilitation, and research. “Through programs and resources not available in most general hospitals—including 24-hour immediate access to trauma surgeons and other specialists—we are able to provide comprehensive care for severe injuries. The key is to call 911 as soon as the injury occurs so that we can treat the injury as soon as possible,” said DR. DENNIS QUINLAN, associate medical director of the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center. To learn more about the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, visit capitalhealth.org/trauma.
DON’T DELAY: Call 911 If You Suspect a Stroke While the fear of contracting COVID-19 has encouraged compliance with stay-at-home orders and social distancing, front-line employees at Capital Health and across the country are seeing an alarming trend of people hesitating to call 911 and delay necessary treatment for time-sensitive emergencies like stroke. “When it comes to treating stroke, we always say ‘time is brain,’ which means that the sooner we can treat you, the better chance we have at a successful outcome,” said DR. CHRISTIAN SCHUMACHER, medical director of the Capital Health Stroke Program and a board certified stroke neurologist at Capital Health. “At Capital Health, we have safety procedures in place to protect you from infection, while making sure you get the immediate, lifesaving stroke care that you need.” The Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at the Capital Institute for Neurosciences is a major referral center for the treatment of all types of neurovascular diseases, including cerebral aneurysms, strokes, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), cavernous malformations, carotid artery and vertebral artery atherosclerotic disease, intracranial stenosis as well as Moyamoya disease. The only Joint Commission certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, located at Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Trenton, continues to provide safe emergency stroke and neurovascular services 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week during the current health crisis. “As soon as you call 911, our prehospital alert system allows our team in the hospital to prepare for your arrival, saving valuable time to treatment,” said Dr. Schumacher. “Your call could also activate our Mobile Stroke Unit, which can be co-dispatched with basic and advanced life support service to provide safe, immediate care at your location before you even arrive at the hospital.” CONTROLLABLE RISK FACTORS FOR STROKE There are steps you can take right away to lower your risk. Get started by talking to your primary care doctor to learn about stroke screenings and how you can treat or manage controllable risk factors such as:
… High blood pressure … High cholesterol … Heart/blood vessel disease … Cigarette smoking
… Physical inactivity/ obesity/poor diet … Diabetes mellitus
IF YOU SUSPECT A STROKE,
B-E F-A-S-T B
— Balance
E
— Eyes
F
— Face Drooping
A
— Arm Weakness
S
— Speech Difficulty
T
— Time to call 911
Is the person experiencing a sudden loss of balance? Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven? Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly? If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.
… Atrial fibrillation … Sickle cell disease
Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING SIGNS OF A STROKE, CALL 911.
Health Headlines by Capital Health | Princeton Echo9
HELPING THE HOMELESS DURING COVID-19 Capital Health Joins Local Agencies to Support Underserved Population
New Jersey is among the states hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and as one of the most densely populated states in the nation, urban areas like the City of Trenton are at increased risk of becoming hots spots for the disease. To address the needs of all people in this community and help slow the spread of coronavirus, Capital Health is collaborating with the City of Trenton, the Mercer County Human Services Department, the Mercer County Board of Social Services, the Trenton Health Team (THT), and other community partners to implement a multifaceted response. “For residents, stay-at-home orders and testing are important lines of defense against the spread of COVID-19, but for the city’s homeless population they are virtually impossible,” said Dr. Eric Schwartz, executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care. “To help provide Trenton’s homeless with safe options for protecting themselves and the community against the spread of COVID-19, Capital Health is proud to join with the City of Trenton, Mercer County, and all of our partners on the Trenton Health Team in several important initiatives.” Because the virus can be spread by infected people whether or not they are showing symptoms, testing is an important tool for understanding how and where health care organizations direct their efforts. In Mercer County, Capital Health joined with the county’s Division of Public Health, the City of Trenton, and other health care organizations in the region to organize a drive-through COVID-19 testing center. The center is open by appointment only to Mercer County residents age 18 or older who have an order for testing from their primary health care provider. “Drive-through testing is an important service for Mercer County residents, but for the city’s homeless population and those without
transportation who have COVID-19 symptoms, a drive-through site is simply not an option,” said Dr. Schwartz. “To address the needs of this underserved population, Capital Health works with community partners to make walk-up test sites available in each Trenton ward one day a week.” For most people who test positive for COVID-19, sheltering in place is a common recommendation, but for those who are homeless, self-isolation is virtually impossible. Capital Health worked with its partner agencies and the City of Trenton to help establish an emergency shelter to provide homeless people with a safe space for recovery while not putting others in the community at risk. Other initiatives to provide support for the Trenton homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic include the coordination of food pantries and meal programs through local churches and community organizations and working with local pharmacies to ensure access to their services. To learn more about Capital Health Institute for Urban Care and its work in the City of Trenton, visit capitalhealth.org/urbancare. For more information about Mercer County resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit mercercounty.org/covid-19.
VIDEO VISITS FOR PRIMARY CARE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NOW AVAILABLE Now more than ever, your primary care provider should be your first point of contact if you’re not feeling well. To safely and conveniently provide you with the most appropriate care, Capital Health Medical Group offers video visits with the same great doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants that patients see in our Primary Care Network locations throughout the region. Available to current and new patients, these appointments are now covered by insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, and in many cases co-pays will not be charged. If you are a patient at one of our primary care offices, call your office to schedule your video visit. If you are a new patient, call 1.844.343.2464. The incredible physical toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on both patients and health care workers is unmistakable, but the crisis is also having a significant impact on the population as a whole that is sometimes less obvious. With more people experiencing feelings of helplessness, loss, and loneliness during the current health crisis, Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists offers video visit appointments to help current and new patients process and navigate these challenging times. 10Princeton Echo | Health Headlines by Capital Health
Out of an abundance of caution for patients and providers, Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists has temporarily switched to video visits only, with limited group support options available as well. Video visits for behavioral health are now covered by most major insurances, including Medicare, and in many cases co-pays will not be charged. Referrals from primary care providers are not required. To schedule a video visit appointment with one of the providers at Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, call 609.689.5725 or visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.
In the meantime... PIA DE JONG PARTING SHOT
When we moved to America eight years ago, I suggested we go by boat. It seemed to me that we needed those two weeks of travel to say goodbye to the old and prepare for the new. The soul goes on horseback, the saying goes. Just in time, my children reminded me that I only have to see a boat to get seasick. So we took the plane from Amsterdam in the morning to put the key in the lock of our house in Princeton before the end of the afternoon. Practical, for sure. Fast too. But where was the time to adjust? Where was the meantime? The meantime is a phenomenon that has gradually disappeared from our lives. Young people can no longer imagine that you had to wait a week to pick up the prints of the roll of film you had dropped off at the photo shop. Or you had to wait for spring to taste the first strawberries. The waiting lasted forever. The longer you waited, the more you looked forward to the result.
The meantime is a phenomenon that has gradually disappeared from our lives. (Illustration by Eliane Gerrits.)
I remember the time when I saved and how long those two weeks were. up for a jigsaw puzzle with pictures of It seemed like 20 years. Every day I the TV show Daktari. How I wanted it ran expectantly from school to the mailbox. When the postman finally handed me the box—by that time I’d given up hope—I was disappointed. There was no clear picture of Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion, whom I adored. Advertise for $69 a month. For more information call 609-396-1511 Nowadays we don’t have much practice with patience. Most needs can be M.J. Grove, Inc. met immediately. The mouse-click Plumbing & Heating generation knows that every wish is a command to an internet supplier. Of 609-448-6083 course, those new football shoes will Over 70 Years of Experience be at your doorstep tomorrow, and if they are not what you expect, you simFrom minor plumbing repairs to complete remodels, Water heaters, Sewer replacement, ply send them back. Water Service replacement, Oil to Gas Gone is the joy of anticipation, that
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special feeling of looking forward to something, the fearful suspicions, the images that appeared before your mind’s eye, just before falling asleep. But the rude coronavirus managed to force all of humanity into that meantime. We have been transported to some strange place where time has stopped while we wait. For a vaccine, for medicine, till all of this is over. It is giving us a great collective lesson in patience. So we wait...till we can visit our grandparents again, till we can see our hairdresser, enjoy a concert, visit a museum. Living our lives to the fullest again. As long as the virus is controlling our destiny, we can do little more than bide our time. I often think of the travelers of yesteryear, on the boat to New York. I see them peering over the water at sunset. The Old World recedes behind them. The familiar houses with the tables inside at which they sat every day and broke bread together. Farther and farther behind the horizon, but the images all the brighter and more sorrowful. Ahead of them, before the fog, lies the New World and the unknowable future. They tried to imagine the quay where they would walk ashore, carrying their suitcases. A rainy day perhaps, a faint sun. Freshly washed streets. When the time came, they were no longer the same people who said goodbye to their family on the quay in Rotterdam. They had been changed in the meantime. Pia de Jong is a Dutch writer who lives in Princeton. Her bestselling memoir, “Saving Charlotte,” was published in 2017 in the U.S. She can be contacted at pdejong@ias.edu.
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