SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

METHODIST HOSPITAL | SPECIALTY AND TRANSPLANT PARTNERS WITH THE TEXAS ADVOCACY PROJECT

Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital proudly supports victims and survivors of sexual assault as the only Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner - Adult/Adolescent (SANE-A) program in San Antonio. In light of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April), Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant partnered with the Texas Advocacy Project in order to raise awareness for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The Texas Advocacy Project (TAP) launched its 16 annual statewide Handbags for Hope campaign on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at the hospital. Handbags for Hope provides new or like-new handbags, gender-neutral totes, and diaper bags to survivors of power-based abuse in Texas. The bags collected are then shipped to programs like TAP across the U.S. Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant was pleased to announce they will be sponsoring $2k towards the shipping costs. Through TAP’s partnerships with various agencies, shelters, hospitals, and clinics, they distribute these bags, which include information on lifesaving resources and a discreet tag with TAP’s Legal Line (800.374.HOPE), so survivors know that TAP’s attorneys and social workers are just a phone call away. The campaign has already provided over 46,000 bags to those in need, thanks to the generosity of the community, the hard work of TAP volunteers, and partners. Bags collected at the hospital will go directly to the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) care team who will distribute them to the survivors they serve. The SANE care team is comprised of registered nurses who receive specialized education and fulfill unique clinical requirements to provide specialized care to survivors of domestic and dating violence and sexual assault. By employing certified SANEs, Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant offers survivors comprehensive medical-forensic care, leading to improved patient outcomes, an increase in prosecution rates, and credible, neutral courtroom testimony. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Each February, Methodist Healthcare recognizes and celebrates Heart Month both internally at our facilities with fun events and in the community through education. This year our Heart Month marketing campaign ran from January through April as a way to reach more people and better encourage the importance of heart health.

The goal of the campaign was to encourage the community to take our free heart health risk assessment to learn their risk for heart disease and other heart complications. This assessment gauges someone’s risk and provides them with the next steps to take based on their results. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, it’s important for healthcare organizations to treat heart conditions and help prevent them through education and advocacy.

This year’s effort was a huge success, and we positively impacted the lives of 1,100 people in San Antonio; that’s the number of individuals who completed our risk assessment and now know more about their heart health.

If you are curious about your own heart health, our risk assessment is available on our website at sahealth.com/heart.