downtowner Trenton’s City Paper
December 2020 |
communitynews.org
Happy Trenton Holidays . . . . . . says this cupcake wreath from one of the many Trenton churches serving the community all year.
Damn Yankees, page 3; Father Center, 4; TASK for the Holidays, 9; The Year in Murals, 12.
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regardless of posture, may also increase the risk for eyestrain and headache. also be referred from the neck up into the head. Excessive amounts of time looking at screens, Headache. Muscles at the base of the neck could go into spasm and become painful, or pain could tightness and reduced mobility, which can lead to pain and discomfort. Reduced mobility. The neck, upper back, low back and shoulders may all experience some shoulders. deconditioning can make it difficult to maintain good posture with the ears directly over the become deconditioned and imbalanced due to prolonged forward head posture. This Forward head posture and rounded shoulders. Muscles in the neck, chest, and upper back can the lower back. Although less common, patients can feel pain into their extremities as well. a broader region, such as spanning from the bottom of the neck and into the shoulder(s) down to specific spot and feel intense or stabbing, or it may be a general achiness and soreness that covers Pain in the neck, upper back, low back and/or shoulder. This pain may be located in one
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Common Symptoms Associated with Forward Head Posture
Common Symptoms Associated with Forward Head Posture PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
• Pain in the neck, upper back, low back and/or shoulder. This pain may be located in one specific spot and is a condition affects millions Americans, resulting in pain, numbness, and other painful symptoms the hands, feel intense that or stabbing, or itofmay be a commonly general achiness and tingling, soreness that covers a broader region,insuch as legs and feet. This p changes your life and affects how you work, how you play and how you live. Some symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are similar to symptoms associated with spanning from theAtbottom of the neck and intobetween the shoulder(s) to the lower Although common, low back conditions. AllCure, we will help differentiate the two and down treat either chronic lowback. back conditions or less peripheral neuropathy accordingly. patients can feel pain into their extremities as well. PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
posture and rounded shoulders. Muscles in the chest, and in upper back become is•aForward condition thathead affects millions of Americans, commonly resulting in pain, tingling, numbness, andneck, other painful symptoms the hands, legscan and feet. This pain changes your life and affects how you work, how you play and how you live. Some symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are similar to symptoms associated withcult chronic deconditioned and imbalanced due to prolonged forward head posture. This deconditioning can make it diffi lowPeripheral back conditions. At AllCure, we will help differentiate between the two and treat either chronic low back conditions or peripheral neuropathy accordingly. neuropathy is the consequence of damage to your peripheral nerves. There are over 100 different kinds of peripheral nerve disorders or neuropathie
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE NERVE DAMAGE?
to maintain good posture with the ears directly over the shoulders. are the result of a disease like diabetes, while others can be triggered by a viral infection. Still others are the result of an injury or compression on the nerves. N •where Reduced mobility. The neck, upper back, loware back andas shoulders may all experience some tightness and suffer with pain for ye the problems begin, it is imperative nerveHAVE disorders resolved soon as possible to prevent permanent damage. Many People HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU NERVE DAMAGE? reduced mobility, which can lead and Neuropathy. discomfort. realizingneuropathy that theirissymptoms may be duetoto pain Peripheral Symptoms then get worse, including numbness, burning or tingling sensatio Peripheral the consequence of damage to your peripheral nerves. There are overstart 100 gradually, different kinds of peripheral nerve disorders or neuropathies - some electrical-like alike pain. Treatment options have beencould limited toinfection. ainto smallspasm assortment pain medications, can lead to further issues. Ignoring the prob are the result of a disease diabetes, others be neck triggered by a viral Still others areofthe result of an injury orwhich compression on the nerves.be No matter •sharp, Headache. Muscles at thewhile base ofcan the go and become painful, or pain could also masking the symptoms has never been a viable solution. If you suffer from any of the aforementioned symptoms, we can help. where the problems begin, it is imperative nerve disorders are resolved as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage. Many People suffer with pain for years, not referred from the neck up into the head. Excessive amounts of time looking at screens, regardless of posture, realizing that their symptoms may be due to Peripheral Neuropathy. Symptoms start gradually, then get worse, including numbness, burning or tingling sensations and mayelectrical-like also increase the riskoptions for eyestrain and toheadache. sharp, a pain. Treatment have been limited a small assortment of pain medications, which can lead to further issues. Ignoring the problem or
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UP FRont Yankees drop Trenton Thunder affiliation
T
he City of Trenton took a recent blow when the New York Yankees announced that they were dropping the Trenton Thunder as their AA-level Minor League affiliate. The Yankees’ new AA team will be the Somerset Patriots, who play in Bridgewater. The move is part of a larger restructuring within Minor League Baseball, leaving it unclear if the Thunder will have a Major League affiliation going forward or join an independent league. The Thunder have had a Major League affiliation since 1980 and were part of the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox organizations before becoming part of the Yankees’ farm system in 2003. In a published statement, Thunder owner Joseph Plumeri criticized the Yankees and commented on the depth of the loss for the city. “This is about more than baseball; the Thunder is a pillar of the Trenton community. My heart breaks for the thousands of stadium workers, fans, and residents of this great city,” he said. “This move by the Yankees removes a key source of income for Trenton. Despite repeated assurances that the Thunder would remain its Double-A affiliate over the last 16 months, the Yankees betrayed their partnership at the 11th hour. By doing so, the Yankees have misled and abandoned the Thunder and the taxpayers of Mercer
County, who have invested millions of dollars over the years to ensure that Arm & Hammer Park remains one of the premier ballparks in America. “While this community built the Yankees organization up and set minor league baseball attendance records, it seems the Yankees were only focused on trying to cut culturally diverse Trenton down in favor of a wealthy, higher socioeconomic area in Somerset. “On behalf of my fellow owners, Joseph Caruso and Joseph Finley, I want to thank Trenton and all of the Thunder faithful, along with our sponsors and our partners. To all Thunder players past and present — we thank you for your inspiring teamwork, your community involvement, and for bringing your very best to the diamond every day. You helped Trenton make memories on and off the field.” Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora was also disappointed by the decision and said, “Our city and many of our residents were shocked and heartbroken to wake up to discover that the Yankees had pulled their beloved AA affiliate, Trenton Thunder, out of the Capital City for the more affluent suburbs of Bridgewater Township. “The franchise has been an integral part of our landscape for many years. We were able to draw a loyal fan base from across the region with some of the highest attendance records in the country, taking full advantage of our strategic position between New York City and the Philadelphia Corridor. The fact remains the Trenton Thunder is a major part of our local economy and provides hundreds of
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December 2020 | Trenton Downtowner3
Trenton’s UIH Family Partners rebrands as The Father Center
U
IH Family Partners, a Trentonbased community organization that provides innovative programs and services to support men in meeting the responsibilities of fatherhood, announced the completion of its rebranding, establishing itself as The Father Center of New Jersey — or simply “The Father Center.” The name, The Father Center, reflects the strength of the nonprofit’s continued mission to support men in gaining the skills and meeting the responsibilities of fatherhood. The organization believes that when fathers are empowered to be good parents, the entire community benefits. Through a focus on career counseling and workforce development programs, fathers are given opportunities to gain skills and financially support their families. The Father Center offers fathers the emotional, social and economic resources to improve their lives and, in turn, those of their children. “Rebranding as The Father Center signifies our organization’s recommitment to fathers and father figures in our community. Now more than ever, we must focus on helping fathers gain the life skills to be involved with their families and work skills to be able to
contribute financially,” said Karen opment and communications Denise Andrade-Mims, executive director. Cavalier reports, the building is locat“The new name represents our vision ed on what is referred to as “Corner to empower every father to meet the Historic” because of the rich history responsibilities of fatherhood — so- that is associated with this area of the cially, emotionally, and economically.” city. Originally a homestead in the early The Father Center is New Jersey’s longest serving nonprofit. Several 1700s, One West State Street later Trenton families seeking to protect became City Tavern, a local bar and vulnerable children and support fami- eatery. During the 1800s and 1900s lies founded the organization as Union the building was home to the Trenton Industrial Home for Children in 1859. Savings Bank and, later, Wells Fargo. The journey Serving first to the new home as an orphanage, began when TFC the agency has ‘The Father Center’ connected with grown to focus on reflects the nonprofit’s Kamal Bathla, improving quality the co-owner of of life for children mission to support One West State by supporting the men in gaining the Street, through a father figures in mutual business their lives. Today skills and meeting acquaintance. The Father CenBathla’s inter serves more the responsibilities of vestment group than 1,500 fathers fatherhood. purchased the each year, guidbuilding in 2017 ing them to create and his company, strong, nurturing Maestro Technologies, along with the relationships with their children. The Father Center of NJ also moved Trenton Health Team, currently occuits offices from the intersection of pies the space. Bathla felt, since both organizations State and Broad streets to a new, equally historic downtown location at are interested in training, workforce development, and job creation in a One West State Street. As Father Center manager of devel- highly technical environment, it was
Capital Singers Of Trenton Presents Winter Songs XIV:
Lessons & Carols Sunday, December 6, 2020 - 4 PM
Join us for a virtual experience of these classic songs at www.capitalsingers.org
Featured Selections
“What Sweeter Music” – John Rutter “Magnificat” – Arvo Pärt “Mary Had A Baby” – Roland Carter Additional Selections Include
“A Christmas Canticle” – Adolphus Hailstork “Christmas Carols of David Willcocks” ...and Others!
Vinroy D. Brown, Jr.
Artistic Director & Conductor
Special Guests:
Ellen J. Dondero
Associate Conductor
Spenser R. Gallo
Principal Accompanist
Zackary D. Ross Accompanist
Trenton Children’s Chorus Training Choir • Mariel Johnson, Director Reverend William N. Heard, Guest Soloist The Choral Voice of
the Capital Region
connect...inspire...perform Capital Singers of Trenton is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. Donations are tax deductible. This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Council n the Arts.
4Trenton Downtowner December 2020
UP FRONT, continued from Page 3
badly needed jobs for our youth and families. “But this decision was especially painful for the multigenerational fans who make up one of the most diverse cities in the country and grew up watching some of the all-time greats visit the stadium. Watching Thunder players was a living testament to what one can achieve regardless of race or economic background, a message that is more important than ever in these challenging times. I remember being in awe watching Roger Clemens pitch at the stadium or when Derek Jeter brought record crowds during his appearances — imagine what that meant to the children from our underserved communities. “For an organization that has made it a point to highlight their contributions to diversity and inclusion, the Yankees struck out with this move. Gone will be the job opportunities for many of our youths and local small businesses who occupy Thunder’s concession stands. When it came time for the Yankees to show their support for a Capital City that has supported them in every way possible, they still opted to make this decision to abandon us. We encourage the Yankees to reconsider their choice.” The 2020 Minor League season was canceled due to COVID-19; no announcement has been made about plans for the 2021 season.
a natural blend of two organizations whose visions for the City of Trenton overlap. Maestro Technologies will help with the design of a state-of-the-art computer lab where community members can train for a variety of careers through TFC’s Bridges to Success Program. TFC Board Member Steve Silverman connected the agency with Sheila Nall, retired project manager and former director of interior design at KSS Architects in Princeton. KSS designed the recent renovations for One West State Street. Nall searched the KSS archives for the floor plans and, after meeting with TFC staff, the process of renovating the space was put into motion. She also recommended longtime Trenton resident Stephen Doyle of the local architectural firm Clarke Caton Hintz to manage the project being realized by Princeton Engineering Group. In addition to the openness and flow of the fifth-floor office space, TFC will have access to the grand foyer on the ground floor where galas, community meetings and events can take place. For more information, go to the organization’s new website, www.thefathercenter.org.
Arts groups receive grants
A
s arts organizations feel the financial strain of prolonged closures and limited operations due to COVID19, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts has announced $16.3 million in grants awarded for the 2021 fiscal year. Trenton-based organizations awarded grants include Artworks Trenton, $14,850; Boheme Opera Company, $15,450; Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission Senior Citizen Art Show, $30,000, and Local Arts Program, $101,280; Passage Theatre Company, $22,092; and Trenton Circus Project, $25,764. Also in Trenton, The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey received $19,007 in general support as well as $17,800 for its TEDI Arts Education Special Initiatives. “The situation is dire for many, and we are grateful to Governor Murphy and the legislature for recognizing the need for robust public support of the arts right now,” Council Chair Elizabeth Mattson said in a statement announcing the grants. “We’re witnessing some of the most innovative and successful adaptations of artistic engagement — necessitated by crisis and fueled by skill and passion. But passion doesn’t keep the lights on or put food on the table. New Jersey’s creative industries are at risk.”
HEALTH
DECEMBER 2020
@capitalhealthnj
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
RIDER UNIVERSITY, CAPITAL HEALTH AND ROTHMAN ORTHOPAEDICS Partner to Support Health, Well-Being of Rider Students and Employees
An innovative partnership between Rider University, Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will provide health care services for students and staff on the school’s campus in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. As the official health care partner of Rider University, Capital Health will oversee the University’s student health center and provide primary care health services. Rothman Orthopaedics, in its role as official sports medicine provider for Rider Athletics, will provide orthopaedic and sports medicine and support athletic training services. To help students and staff manage their care and ensure they have access to the appropriate services and health education resources, Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will provide a health and wellness navigator who will act as a liaison between Rider University and its new clinical partners. “I am very pleased that through this new partnership, our students and employees will collectively benefit from the quality services, expert staff and advanced technology of Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics now and into the future,” said Rider’s president, Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D. “In today’s pandemic environment, protecting the health and safety of our campus community is more important than ever.” “We’re very happy to join Rothman Orthopaedics in providing important medical services to the students and staff at Rider University,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “In light of current events, finding health care that is safe and convenient is more important than ever, and our network of primary care providers are known throughout the region for delivering the highest quality care. In addition to making those services easily accessible on campus, our new partnership will also give our neighbors at Rider access to Capital Health emergency services and the growing number of specialty practices in our Capital Health Medical Group when they need us most.” “This partnership will be great for all parties involved, and we are thrilled to partner with Capital Health on providing high-quality
orthopaedic care to Rider University student-athletes,” said Alexander R. Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A, President of Rothman Orthopaedics, Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals. “Additionally, we look forward to educating the athletes on the latest evidence-based recommendations, prevention and treatment options which are essential for keeping all athletes safe.” “Health care and education institutions are important pillars for any community, which makes this agreement particularly exciting,” said Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., chairman of Capital Healthcare, Inc. Board of Trustees. “We’ve enjoyed a successful relationship with Rothman for several years now, and we couldn’t be happier to be joined with a partner like Rider University. These highly respected organizations align perfectly with Capital Health’s values of integrity, excellence, and compassion and reaffirm our mission of improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve.” Rothman Orthopaedics will work with Rider’s sports medicine staff to provide orthopaedic evaluations and surgical services (as needed), training room services, and game coverage to address sports medicine and orthopaedic issues at all home wrestling matches, all home men’s and women’s basketball games, and all home hosted championships. Rothman Orthopaedics will also provide a certified athletic trainer (ATC) to better serve Rider student athletes, and supplement the already strong training staff that Rider employs, in addition to providing education programs for Rider Sports Medicine staff. Capital Health will support the Rothman Orthopaedics Sports Medicine program at Rider by providing preseason medical evaluations, primary care and care at Capital Health’s Emergency Room when necessary. Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will also coordinate wellness and preventative health sessions for club and intramural students to discuss concussion management and other topics of interest. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org.
Health Headlines by Capital Health | Trenton Downtowner 5
Capital Health Surgeon Receives International Recognition for
EXCELLENCE IN ROBOTIC SURGERY
DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center and physician director of Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, was designated as a Surgeon of Excellence in Robotic Surgery (SOERS) by Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of surgical care worldwide. The SOERS program recognizes surgeons who demonstrate an unparalleled commitment and ability to consistently deliver safe, effective, evidence-based care. With this designation, Dr. Doria joins a distinguished network of surgeons and hospitals worldwide performing robotic-assisted surgeries. In addition to serving as medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center, he is a hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon specializing in the treatment of benign conditions and cancers related to the liver, pancreas, and bile duct. “Since joining us in 2018, Dr. Doria has worked tirelessly to advance Capital Health’s robotic-assisted surgery program,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Heath. “In 2019, he began offering robotic-assisted Whipple procedures to treat pancreatic cancer at Capital Health, giving us the distinction of being the only hospital in central New Jersey and the greater Philadelphia region to offer this innovative treatment. This was another major step forward in delivering innovative health care to the community, and Dr. Doria and our other surgeons who offer robotic-assisted surgery continue to build upon these advances.” Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to use miniaturized instruments and a 3-D camera for high-resolution images of
the surgical site. The platform seamlessly translates the surgeon’s hand movements into precise micromovements. The system cannot be programmed, nor can it make decisions on its own — it requires that every surgical maneuver be performed with direct input from a surgeon. Throughout his career, Dr. Doria has pioneered new techniques for conditions that were once considered untreatable. He has helped develop and introduce a number of innovative procedures to treat patients that were not previously available, including bloodless liver surgery, liver auto-transplantation and robotic-assisted minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery. The volume of robotic-assisted surgeries is expanding as new surgical techniques and procedures are introduced and refined. Considered minimally invasive surgery, it offers patients many benefits, including smaller incisions, lower risk of infection, less pain, and a faster recovery. Capital Health remains unwavering in its commitment to provide patients cutting-edge health care and advanced cancer treatment. It was among one of the first hospital systems to adopt robotic technology with the purchase of the da Vinci® Xi surgical system. Dr. Doria was also recently named a winner in the Innovation Hero – Individual category of the NJBIZ 2020 Healthcare Heroes Awards Program. To learn more Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery or the da Vinci® surgical platform, visit capitalhealth.org/davinci or call 609.537.6000.
CAPITAL HEALTH EARNS INTERNATIONAL HONOR FOR LACTATION SERVICES Capital Health recently earned recognition from the International on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. They continue that Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International assistance after the baby is born by helping families overcome Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) for excellence in lactation breastfeeding challenges, providing accurate information, and care. Lactation Services at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell continuing to support them as their baby grows. Capital Health received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition of its work to protect, IBCLCs are available seven days a week for inpatient care, phone promote, and support breastfeeding through staff education and support after discharge, and outpatient visits. training, and for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious Capital Health’s Lactation Center is part of Maternity Services at International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, the most comprehensive certification. As a twice-designated Baby-Friendly Hospital, Capital maternity program in the area. In addition, the Regional Perinatal Health continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing the Center at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell provides highest level of breastfeeding care. neonatal care, including Mercer County's only Level III Neonatal “Supporting our new families as they learn how to feed their babies is Intensive Care Unit for at-risk births. To learn more, visit a unique privilege,” said Melanie Miller, Lactation Services coordinator capitalhealth.org/maternity. at Capital Health and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. “Our goal at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ Designates Capital Health is to provide compassionate and Capital Health a 2020 Blue Distinction Center + Program comprehensive support and education to all The Maternity Services Department at Capital Health Medical Center of our families. This international recognition – Hopewell was recently designated as a 2020 Blue Distinction demonstrates that our staff meets the highest Center + program for Maternity Care by Horizon Blue Cross Blue standards in lactation and clinical breastfeeding Shield of New Jersey. This designation is awarded by the Blue care. From the prenatal period through their Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) to providers that meet hospital stay and beyond, our families can feel quality-focused criteria that emphasize patient safety and outcomes. confident we are prepared to support them in meeting their individual goals.” The BCBSA considers quality, cost, and access when awarding this designation in order The IBCLCs at Capital Health focus on to provide consumers with meaningful measures of expertise and value when selecting preventive care, so they are available during specialty care. By earning the Blue Distinction Center + designation, Capital Health pregnancy to assess and provide information demonstrates that it meets nationally established quality standards in maternity care. 6Trenton Downtowner | Health Headlines by Capital Health
STATE-OF-THE-ART LUNG CENTER OPENS AT CAPITAL HEALTH As part of its commitment to providing leading-edge care, Capital Health has announced the launch of its comprehensive, state-of-the-art Lung Center located at Capital Health Medical Center — Hopewell. The program is designed to address the need for integrated, comprehensive lung services in the region. “The launch of the Lung Center is an another example of Capital Health’s commitment to providing the highest level of specialized care,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “We are delivering
extraordinary, patient-centered care for a broader range of patients and lung conditions — from asthma to COPD, emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, tumors and lung cancers. The Lung Center also gives patients access to a range of specialists who have significant experience and extensive training with the most advanced medical diagnostic tools and technology.” As co-leads in the development of Lung Center, DR. DIANA KOLMAN, director of Interventional Pulmonology, and DR. AFRICA WALLACE, director of Thoracic Surgery, share a common goal — to identify and treat potentially life-threatening lung conditions early, when they are most treatable. “We know that getting a fast and accurate diagnosis of a particular condition and receiving timely treatment can be critical, especially when it comes to cancer,” said Dr. Wallace. Comprehensive care at the Lung Center includes a multidisciplinary team of experts focused on each patient and their specific condition. The team includes physicians from
surgery, pulmonology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology as well as nurse practitioners, clinical researchers, and support staff. “Our goal is to provide the most effective treatment pathway with a holistic, integrated approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome,” said Dr. Kolman. The Lung Center offers a full range of lung disease care, including lung cancer screenings, a lung nodule clinic, thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology, pulmonary rehabilitation, and smoking cessation. To learn more about Capital Health’s Lung Center, visit capitalhealth.org/lung. To schedule an appointment or for more information on the Lung Cancer CT Screening, lung nodule clinic, pulmonary rehabilitation, or smoking cessation, call 1.844.303.5864. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kolman, call 609.815.7390. For an appointment with Dr. Wallace, call 609.537.6000.
From left, Dr. Africa Wallace, director of Thoracic Surgery; Gina Petrone Mumolie, senior vice president, Hospital Administration; Dr. Diane Kolman, director of Interventional Pulmonology; and Rona Remstein, director, Oncology Services, officially open the new Capital Health Lung Center.
Capital Health Awarded National Honors for Breast Care Center for Comprehensive Breast Care earns third consecutive accreditation for high-quality care Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care has been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This is the third consecutive NAPBC accreditation awarded to the Center. The NAPBC is a consortium of national, professional organizations focused on breast health and dedicated to the improvement of quality outcomes of patients with diseases of the breast through evidence-based standards and patient and professional education. NAPBC accreditation is granted only to those centers that are voluntarily committed to providing the best possible care to patients with diseases of the breast. To achieve NAPBC accreditation, a breast center must meet the highest levels of breast care, quality standards, and proficiency in center leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement. “Because of this accreditation, patients can have confidence in our comprehensive, integrated program and ability to diagnose and treat a wide range of breast conditions,” said DR.LISA ALLEN, a fellowship trained breast surgeon and medical director of Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care. “Capital Health was the first hospital in New Jersey to offer molecular breast
imaging (MBI), an advanced imaging technology for the screening and diagnosis of breast cancer. We continue to make investments in advanced technologies and clinicians treating benign and cancerous conditions.” The Center for Comprehensive Breast Care offers the full scope of breast care, from cancer to cysts, abscesses, lesions, breast pain and other breast-related disorders, and although the discovery of a breast abnormality can be shocking, Capital Health is focused on treating the whole patient, not just the disease. Highly trained and experienced physicians provide specialized, care such as nipple sparing surgery, hidden scar surgery, reverse lymphatic mapping to spare unnecessary removal of lymph nodes, and targeted treatment for the diverse types of breast cancer. Breast cancer patients are cared for by a multidisciplinary team that collaborates closely to ensure they develop a personalized treatment plan that achieves the best possible outcome. A patient’s health care team may include a breast surgeon, radiologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, plastic surgeon, genetics counselor, nutritionist, social worker, rehabilitation services, and more. Each cancer patient has a personal, certified breast nurse navigator, from the initial diagnosis through every phase of treatment. For patients, the NAPBC accreditation provides an extra level of confidence as they navigate the process of choosing a treatment provider. For more information, visit capitalbreast.org.
Health Headlines by Capital Health | Trenton Downtowner 7
Capital Health Regional Medical Center Earns NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN STROKE CARE Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award. This award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines and the latest scientific evidence. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of adult disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and more than 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Capital Health Regional Medical Center earned the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke
treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidencebased guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions Additionally, RMC received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. If you or a loved one is experiencing signs and symptoms of a stroke, call 911 immediately. To learn more about Capital Health’s commitment to providing advanced care for stroke patients and those with other complex disorders of the brain and spine, visit capitalneuro.org.
RADIATION ONCOLOGIST WITH EXPERTISE IN ADVANCED TREATMENT JOINS CAPITAL HEALTH CANCER CENTER DR. KHANH NGUYEN, a board certified radiation oncologist with nearly 20 years of experience providing state-ofthe art treatments for patients with prostate, lung, breast, and central nervous system tumors and other adult malignancies, has joined Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. Dr. Nguyen joins a highly trained team of experienced radiation oncologists at Capital Health that includes Dr. Timothy H. Chen, medical director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery, and Dr. Shirnett K. Williamson, medical director of Radiation Oncology Services. “Our mission to bring expert physicians, advanced medical technology, and worldclass patient care close to home is driving tremendous growth at our Cancer Center,” said Dr. Cataldo Doria, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center. “This expansion allows us to provide care for a broader range of patients, which is why we’re so excited to have Dr. Nguyen join our team. He brings significant experience and training in radiation oncology from some of the most respected institutions in the country right here to our community.
Now, our patients who require his services can receive the best possible care without having to travel across the country or to a large city like New York or Philadelphia.” “Capital Health is well known in the region for its commitment to advancing patient care, but as an organization it recognizes that having the latest technology is just one part of the equation,” said Dr. Nguyen. “I’m thrilled to be part of a team that doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach but instead blends technological expertise with compassion to provide care that is tailored to the specific needs of each person.” Dr. Nguyen is an expert in advanced radiation oncology treatment modalities, including accelerated partial breast irradiation, stereotactic radiosurgery/ stereotactic body radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy/image guided radiation therapy, magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and positron emission tomography/ computed tomography. After completing undergraduate and graduate studies in physics at Harvard University, Dr. Nguyen received his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine (UCSD), where he completed a thesis with one of the pioneers in tumor immunology. His internship in internal medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia
8Trenton Downtowner | Health Headlines by Capital Health
was followed by a residency in radiation oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he trained with world leaders whose clinical research set the standards of care in breast and prostate cancer management. Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Nguyen was a radiation oncologist at Bayhealth Medical Center in Dover, Delaware, where he implemented programs in high dose rate brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery/ stereotactic body radiation therapy, as well as a multidisciplinary neuro-oncology clinic. In academic settings, Dr. Nguyen served as an assistant professor in the Division of Radiation Oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. He also worked with Dr. David Townsend, inventor of the PET-CT scan, in the Cancer Imaging & Tracer Development Program at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. Dr. Nguyen has published research in peer-reviewed journals and presented lectures at national and international medical conferences. He is a member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Radium Society, and the American Brachytherapy Society. Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell, is the area’s most advanced provider of cancer treatment. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/cancer.
In a difficult holiday season, TASK serves up more than just soup By Dan Aubrey
I
t’s nearly 1:30 p.m. on a recent Monday afternoon and Bashier Spence and Gina Rivers are still stationed outside the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen handing out white plastic bags of today’s hot meal: spaghetti and meatballs and green beans. Normally scores of clients of all ages and ethnic backgrounds would be inside the boxy structure in this gritty neighborhood to have lunch and take advantage of the opportunity to sit and chat with others — as they had been able to do until this past March. That’s when the spread of COVID-19 forced the governor to issue the first pandemic-related executive order, closing all dining facilities — and forcing TASK to reorganize in order to get meals to clients. Now, instead of servers bringing meals to clients at tables, dinner take-out bags are packed inside, carted through a now empty dining room, and lined up on a table where masked servers hand food to the line of masked clients there for a meal. This particular day is warm, and staff and clients outwardly relish the sun while inwardly thinking of what may lie ahead as winter cold sets in and COVID-19 cases are expected to spike. But for now, all focus is on today, including the outdoor session with area drummer and keyboardist Earnest Siplin, who is just wrapping up. “The purpose of the music program is to give an outlet for people who may not have an instrument themselves or to meet other musicians,” says TASK program manager Jaime Parker as she helps Siplin move his drums into the area called the patio — a windowwalled structure connected to the main building that provides a view of and the adjacent Capital City Farm. Parker introduces music program coordinator Caleb Walker, a Trenton music who was a weekly pre-pandemic fixture at Championship Bar and appeared on the “Trenton Analog” compilation of a who’s who in the recent Trenton scene. (U.S. 1, May 20, 2020) “It’s a benefit to be part of something,” says Parker. “Especially if you’re a drummer by yourself and need other musicians to work with. (The program) provides the ability to meet others.” In addition to the music, Parker says other days offer other means of connecting with others and oneself. “Tuesday is visual art,” she says. “Tony Goggles sets the table out, and people are invited to make art.” Goggles — aka Anthony Catanese — is a Trenton filmmaker whose tongue-in-cheek “Girls Just Want to Have Blood” was screened as part of the 2019 New Jersey Film Festival at Rutgers University under its original
name, “Teenage Bloodsuckin’ BimProgram manager Jaime Parker stands outside of Trenton Area Soup bos.” (U.S. 1, January 23, 2019) Other artmaking happens with Kitchen’s Escher Street facility. the longtime TASK project, Trenton A-Team. Founded by former soup But it is also important to help ad- There is food pantry information. kitchen client Shorty Rose, the group dress the underlying causes that cre- There are socks. And newspapers — of self-trained artists provides a com- ate the need for a soup kitchen in the patrons would go to the library for news, and when they were closed pamunity to share and exhibit in region- first place. al and state venues, including the Arts “Tuesday through Thursday we trons didn’t know what was happening Council of Princeton and Trenton City have on site case managers for people and asked for papers. “There are bunch of things that you Museum. without working phones,” she says, “We don’t have patrons coming into adding that case workers advise pa- take for granted, and we don’t realize the building for tients by giving how important they are until you don’t anything. It’s too them cellphones have access as you usually had.” That includes access to a computer much of a risk,” and then commuJaime Parker and staff Parker says. nicating with at for work. Parker cites a specific example. Instead Parker a distance — inare trying to figure out and staff are cluding using the “Amazon wants to hire people and all how to keep people trying to figure glass walls in the the hiring is done through Zoom. If you don’t have access to a Zoom meetout how to keep area. meeting, how to provide patio people meeting, The case work- ing you don’t have access for applying how to provide ers then help for a job. services in new ways, “So (our job search specialist) helps services in new clients create a and how to maintain ways, and how to foundation for people remotely. We’re working on a maintain artmakbasic services. hiring drive — so when we have comartmaking while ing while buildThat includes panies looking to hire we can have a ings are closed getting an ID spot for people to help connect to the buildings are closed. for people who for getting a job, employer so they could do their job find a need to exgetting an apart- interviews here” — with “here” being press themselves and have no place to ment, and building the foundation for the socially distanced patio area. “The whole world assumes that evcall a studio of their own. stability. She is also making it clear that the “If you’re living a life with every- eryone has a working smart phone. Trenton Area Soup Kitchen is more thing in your backpack and you lose it, That is not true. When we make every than just soup — and more than just it is more of a problem than you would service require something be done on the internet, it shuts a whole world of Trenton. think,” says Parker. “The kitchen is doing more than it In addition to meals, Parker says people out of services. “The same is true about expectahas ever done before. Our priority is the other services TASK continues to to feed people. But the less risk we can provide include “hygiene kits. Patrons tions that people have a car — so take is important. It is very important who are homeless get their mail here. that Mercer County eats.” We have books we’re giving away. See TASK, Page 10
December 2020 | Trenton Downtowner9
TASK, continued from Page 9
there are people who are locked out of services because they don’t have a vehicle. All of our services don’t require a vehicle — we have a walkup option. It’s a major barrier for people who don’t have cars.” “We expanded a lot,” Parker says about current demand for meals and services. “We have added a couple of schools that we have made into community meal sites. We’ll make extra meals and send them out and distribute them.” In addition to 15 senior sites in Trenton, daily distribution locations include 14 community meal sites in Trenton, Hightstown, Hamilton, and Princeton. Food is also delivered to HomeFront and 15 sites under the purview of the Trenton Housing Authority. TASK’s associate director of operations, Paul Jensen, steps in to provide specific numbers. “A week is 8,500 to 9,000 meals,” he says about volume. “We did 36,000 meals for October. August was our top, 41,000.” “COVID is the number one reason,” he says about the number increase and how it stopped some area senior citizen center services. “We’ve made a commitment to (Trenton) to provide meals through the winter and see what the need is for the spring,” he says.
But the pain is being felt elsewhere, Left, music programmer Caleb Walker, drummer Earnest Siplin, and including Princeton, a place that Park- project manager Jaime Parker wrap up a Monday afternoon music er says “has more low-income people session. Right, TASK staff members Bashier Spence and Gina Rivers serve than people think.” According to Jensen, “Princeton is outdoor meals. back up to a 100 meals at the (Methodist) church and the housing author- is unsure of when it will be possible. ber one challenge is “preventing any ity is up to 60 to 70. They’ve increased “We’re dealing with a surge, and un- COVID within in my staff. We need to their meals steadily, and people know less the numbers go down and the keep the kitchen open and feed peotransmission rate is lower than one ple. We’re doing the best we can with where to come.” (the Center for it. It’s something I deal with every day, Joyce Campbell, Disease Control that everyone who is in the building TASK’s execustandard), we is healthy. tive director, also TASK serves between “Another challenge is to supply the won’t have any provides some patrons in our services people need within this envinumbers and sets 8,500 and 9,000 meals ronment. At the end of the day, our pribuilding. the current TASK every week. ‘We’re “There has mary mission and goal is that we want operating budget been a real loss to feed people.” at $3.8 million — doing the best we can She says the community is also of community up from last year’s standard $3.3 miland trying to expand to in our dining stepping up and that in addition to room. That’s companies and organizations in the lion to expand on areas where people are what is missing region, 1,500 new individual donors COVID-related people who were added recently to their list. items. hungry because they are for “We’re doing the best we can and don’t have other That includes social contact.” trying to expand to areas where peonewly unemployed or increased number loss ple are hungry because they are newof meals, the staffunder employed,’ Parker is Another a place for cli- ly unemployed or under employed,” ing and overtime ents to be warm she says. to prepare meals, says. They are also following the soup during the additional kitchen winter. “We’re kitchen mission to “feed those who supplies, general supplies — such as hygiene products looking at how to keep people warm are hungry in the Trenton area and ofwhen donations materials diminish, and partnering with the Rescue Mis- fer programs to encourage self-suffiand keeping the out-front serving staff sion to open a warming center,” says ciency and improve the quality of life.” The project actively began in 1982 Campbell, who had previously racked warm. While TASK had hoped to slowly up 20 years with Catholic Charities in when the late Rev. Alice Parker headed the initiative that prepared and introduce indoor seating, Campbell Trenton. She says the organization’s num- served daily meals at the First Unit-
10Trenton Downtowner December 2020
ed Methodist Church on Broad and Front streets. In 1991 TASK built a 6,000-squarefoot building on city-owned property on Escher Street and continues to rent the site for $1 per year. A 3,300-squarefoot expansion was completed in 2019. Back at the patio, Jaime Parker says she and the staff have “shifted a lot of responsibilities, and the ways we’re doing things are different. We’re not doing too much to grow the staff but looking at what we have and change the jobs to keep the employees and clients safe. “Nobody really wants (the pandemic). It’s a difficult time, and we’re trying to be creative to provide things people need.” A native and resident of Bordentown, where her father operates Riverside Studio and her mother is a special education teacher working for the Commission for the Blind, Parker says she got involved with TASK in 2001 when she was a Rider political science student working in the AmeriCorps program. She later earned a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University. Her career started in 2005 when she was asked to take over the grant writing office. She is now the longest tenured person on staff. Paralleling her interest in politics, Parker also studied theater at Rider and continues her involvement with the arts. “Music is what I do,” she says, referring to the bands she plays with including Meeko Brando and Alpha Rabbit. The latter’s website describes it as a “Trenton-based band with three different songwriters, three different sounds, and one common goal: to make you dance and move your soul” — the band will be streaming from the House of Robots, the company that produced Analog Trenton — on Saturday, December 5, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. “Art is very personal,” she says. “There are people who need to make art, and they need to express their creativity, and they can do it many different ways. Some are positive and some art not.” Applying that philosophy to TASK
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Food services and facilities manager Paul Jensen, above, keeps thousands of TASK meals coming. programs, Parker says, “Being in a band is a sense of belonging, and having a place where you feel you belong is important and that is what we are to a lot of people and that is what makes it hard to not let them in. “We’re trying to stay in touch and calling (clients) everywhere and trying to get them to join Zoom meetings is a challenge. “For some folks just being able to talk to people is a lifeline, and being isolated is so harmful to their mental health, and we’re being creative to try to get people to feel that they’re not alone but keeping ourselves safe and not exposing ourselves to harmful conditions.” As the afternoon winds down and the outdoor table is being taken in, Parker says, “We’re learning a lot about ourselves. We at TASK are asking how we can be better, how we can learn, how we can grow.” Good questions as the days get darker and colder and people are forced indoors where the virus spreads more easily.
“We’re going into some scary territory,” says Parker. Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, 72 ½ Escher Street. Meals served Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 609-695-5456 or www.trentonsoupkitchen.org.
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Artworks Trenton murals (above and from left) by Quentin ‘Kwenci’ Jones, Jonathan ‘Lank’ Conner, Roy Haynes, and Andre Trenier; and TDA’s ‘We Are Survivors’ by Leon Rainbow capture the sights and spirt of 2020 in Trenton.
Murals put 2020 against the wall By Dan Aubrey
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renton muralists have turned the City of Trenton in a canvas with an unlikely theme: a review of the year 2020. From the first appearance of the pandemic to the Black Lives Matters protests to medical first responders to an urgent mail-in presidential election, Trenton artists have taken to the streets and walls of the capital city to seize the moment — with two artistic efforts standing out. First, “We are Survivors” is street artist Leon Rainbow’s series that began as a deep reaction. “When the crisis first started, like many, I was scared,” says Rainbow. “The concept for the original ‘We are Survivors’ mural just popped into my head one night.” He followed the impulse to encourage others by creating a mural on a wall he frequently works on at the intersection of Hudson and Clinton streets in the Chambersburg section of Trenton. According to project background information, the Trenton Downtown Association (TDA) organizers were affected by the artist’s important statement and “stepped in to sponsor the creation of two more, made possible with continued funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and NJM Insurance.” The second mural was created at Sprout University School for the Arts at 27 East Paul Street and visually blends the themes of education, art, and technology with the need to be resilient. And a third is located at the intersection of Perry and South Broad streets and celebrates essential workers.
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he other significant project is a four-part mural at Artworks Trenton that organizers say was created “in solidarity with the goals of justice and
racial equity advanced by the Black Lives Matter movement across the country.” The work pays “homage to Trenton citizens who participated in peaceful demonstrations this past summer in protest of unnecessary police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others before them, and in recognition of the fact that the nation still needs to acknowledge and address institutional racism at all levels of society.” The black and white work is based on images taken by Trenton photographer Habiyb Shu’Aib at the May 31 Black Lives Matter protests in Trenton. The mural artists are Quentin “Kwenci” Jones, Jonathan “Lank” Conner, Roy Haynes, all of Trenton, and Andre Trenier of Bronx, New York. The panels facing Stockton Street were framed into a cohesive whole, with lettering by Trenton artist and Zienowicz Sign Company member Wills Kinsley. The project was funded by the I Am Trenton Community Foundation, ContentTrenton, and Artworks funds designated for public art projects.
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he above two projects complement several other recent Trenton mural projects that include Murals on Front, an annual TDA-funded summer mural project and a one-panel mural painted by Rainbow and Trenton artist Sophie Ban to bring healing to community members dealing with a deadly virus, recent riots, and shootings. The works are all available for viewing. For more on the TDA murals, go to www.facebook.com/ trentondowntownassociation. Information regarding Artworks Trenton can be found at www.artworkstrenton.org.
12Trenton Downtowner December 2020
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Retalbo The park bench is unoccupied. Whoever rested here in summer has gone to a warmer spot. The husband wife brush off the snow and sit. With eyes closed the cold is not so bad.
The image above is by the late photographer and Trenton resident Lou Draper. She is pregnant. They have nowhere else to go. Tomorrow is Christmas.
— Pablo Medina Pablo Medina was born in Cuba and lived in Trenton and the region for numerous years as he honed his craft, of Miami waves raised his son, and taught English at lapping their kidneys. Mercer County Community College. The The wife leans her head author of 13 books of poetry and prose, he now lives in Vermont. This poem on his strong carpenter’s appeared in “Voice Central: A Sampling shoulder and passes him the pint she has been saving for this moment. of Writing from Central New Jersey.” They talk of lightbulbs and the sandwich they shared on 50th Street; they dream
ENCORE! ENCORE! WEEKEND REWIND
Trenton bakes
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renton Bakes is a Downtowner holiday tradition where we share holiday recipes connected with the Trenton community. This year Trenton native and Westminster Church office manager Lucille Jordon shares a family holiday recipe she learned from her grandmother.
Corn Pudding
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renton Downtown Association wishes you and your family a safe and joyful holiday season. As always, we’ll be decorating downtown Trenton and also encouraging everyone to support our local businesses.
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16Trenton Downtowner December 2020