table of contents | october • november 2014
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Clearing the Hurdles to Breast Health
MEDI•CABU•LARY.....................10 Local experts define health related terms
Breast cancer doesn't discriminate. It can take the life of a woman who has no family history of the disease. A woman in the best shape of her life. A woman who ignores symptoms out of fear of hearing that dreaded diagnosis or who is simply too stressed by the financial impact proper care can cost. One Lynchburg woman shares her story about overcoming the barriers to care and why she is alive today for doing so.
JUST ASK!.......................................12 Healthcare questions answered by local professionals
NEW & NOTEWORTHY.............14 A listing of new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events in Lynchburg & Southside
HEALTH POINTS.........................16 Interesting facts and tidbits about health
THE ANATOMY CHALLENGE..................................19 How much do you about our anatomy? In this issue, test your knowledge when it comes to the incredible TEETH!
ANATOMY: Teens and the Dentist.................. 20 While the last thing on many teen’s minds is their oral health, the condition and appearance of their teeth has a long term impact on their well-being and self-confidence.
FIT BITS!.........................................................................34 Work the ‘Back’ to Wear the ‘Black’ (Holiday Dress)
featuring the
WOMEN’S CHART for HEALTHY AGING foldout
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OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
p.36
The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
NUTRITION.................................. 39 FEATURING HEALTHY, FRESH, LOCAL INGREDIENTS: Diabetic Friendly Fall Recipes—Pot Roast, Green Beans with Mushrooms and Onions & Honey Muffins
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while sitting in chairs Healthcare professionals from the greater Lynchburg area come together, as collaborative teams, to support and serve the medical needs of people in one small corner of the world.
Saving Lives, in Life and After
Six years ago, a motorcycle accident took Lesley Webster’s life. Today, her selfless spirit is still remembered and cherished by her family and friends, and by the 85 people living here and throughout the country that were saved or helped because of her decision to be an organ donor.
LOOKING BACK........................... 62 Images reflecting the history of healthcare in Lynchburg and Southside * PLUS * a chance to win prizes!
CORRECTION
hello, HEALTH!.............................. 50 Capturing the spirit of those working in healthcare and of people leading healthy lives
On page 79 of the August/September 2014 edition of OurHealth, the caption beneath the photograph at the bottom right is incorrect. The photograph is of K. Finnie Green, MD, a urologist with Centra Seven Hills Urology. We apologize for the error.
through photos
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The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
october • november 2014
read this edition of
OurHealth Lynchburg and Southside
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PUBLISHER PRESIDENT/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION PROJECT COORDINATOR ACCOUNTING MANAGER CHIEF DESIGNER ORIGINAL COVER ART WEBSITE
McClintic Media, Inc. Steve McClintic, Jr. | steve@ourhealthvirginia.com Jennifer Hungate Deidre Wilkes Laura Bower Karrie Pridemore Joe Palotas Next Generation Designs
CONTRIBUTING MEDICAL EXPERTS H. Chapman Brown, III RPh Brad Lentz, DMD Sam Meshkinfam, DO Robert B. Vogel, MD Joseph M. Carbone, MD Sherman Smock, DDS
CONTRIBUTING PROFESSIONAL WRITERS Tricia Foley, RD Laura Neff-Henderson, APR Tina Joyce Suzanne Ramsey Deidre Wilkes Diane York
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Cynthia Trujillo | Senior Media Consultant P: 434.907.5255 | cindy@ourhealthvirginia.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS To receive OurHealth Lynchburg and Southside via U.S. Mail, please contact Jennifer Hungate at jenny@ourhealthvirginia.com or at 540.387.6482
scan the code below to visit
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@ourhealthmag
click on the magazine cover to view the digital edition! COMMENTS/FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS We welcome your feedback. Please send all comments and/or questions to the following: U.S. Mail: McClintic Media, Inc., ATTN: Steve McClintic, Jr., President/ Publisher/Editor: 305 Colorado Street • Salem, VA 24153. | Email: steve@ourhealthvirginia.com | Phone: 540.387.6482 Information in all print editions of OurHealth and on all OurHealth’s websites (www.ourhealthvirginia.com, www.ourhealthrichmond.com and www.ourhealthcville.com) social media updates and emails is for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to replace medical or health advice of an individual’s physician or healthcare provider as it relates to individual situations. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF YOUR DOCTOR. All matters concerning physical and mental health should be supervised by a health practitioner knowledgeable in treating that particular condition. The publisher does not directly or indirectly dispense medical advice and does not assume any responsibility for those who choose to treat themselves. The publisher has taken reasonable precaution in preparing this publication, however, the publisher does not assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. Copyright © 2014 by McClintic Media, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The OurHealth Lynchburg/Southside edition is published bi-monthly by McClintic Media, Inc. 305 Colorado Street, Salem, VA 24153, P: 540.387.6482 F: 540.387.6483. www.ourhealthvirginia.com | Advertising rates upon request.
LOCAL EXPERTS D E F I N E H E A LT H R E L AT E D T E R M S
What is Myopia?
What is BPH?
An eyeball is myopic when it is nearsighted. As the term nearsighted implies, a person with myopia can clearly see objects that are close to them, but cannot focus on things that are far away. This is as opposed to people who are hyperopic, a term also known as farsighted. Farsighted is a confusing term because these people can neither focus on objects that are close to them or far away. Myopia is generally caused by an eyeball that is too long, causing light not to be focused properly on the back of the eye. Alternatively, myopia can occur if the clear part of the eye, the cornea, has the wrong shape. Myopia is traditionally treated with prescription glasses or contact lens. Exciting advances in technology allow myopia to now be treated with a laser in a procedure known as LASIK. During LASIK surgery the shape of the cornea is altered allowing light to be focus on the back of the eye, often without corrective lens.
BPH, or Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The prostate begins as a walnutsized reproductive gland through which the urine flows. As men age, the prostate grows in size and squeezes down on the urinary flow causing symptoms of a slow stream, hesitancy, intermittency, waking up at night to urinate and feeling like the bladder never empties. Initial treatment can be provided by primary care physicians in the form of medications that can improve the urinary flow. Should these medications fail, additional treatments are available by urologists. Traditionally, this meant a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) commonly described as the “roto-rooter” procedure. Over the past decade, less invasive procedures in the form of microwave energy, radio frequency ablation and laser treatments can offer relief without a trip to the operating room. To find out which treatment is right for you, begin by talking to your physician about your symptoms and, if necessary, an urologist can tailor the therapy to address your specific condition.
Robert B. Vogel, MD
Piedmont Eye Center Lynchburg | 434.947.3984 www.piedmonteye.com
Joseph M. Carbone, MD
Southside Urology & Nephrology Danville | 434.792.1433 www.southsidedocs.com
What is Periodontal Probing? Periodontal probing is the use of a simple instrument used by your dental professional to measure the depth of the gum crevice around your teeth to help know if a person has gum disease. It should be completed whenever one goes for a dental checkup. The readings should be recorded in your dental record for comparison to see if gum disease is developing or becoming worse. A normal reading depth is anywhere from 1 to 3 millimeters. At a depth of 5 millimeters or more, it’s not uncommon to have the site bleed especially if the person is not flossing and brushing well. The probe has markings that can go up to 10 or more millimeters and generally when one has a 10 millimeter pocket there’s often bleeding, bone loss and pus at that site. It doesn’t take much pressure to measure these depths and of course, healthy gums don’t bleed when the clinician probes the tissue. When the gums are inflamed, probing can be uncomfortable just like it could be if one touches a red inflamed area on any other body part. Redness and bleeding of the gums are a reflection of inflammation which is viewed as the link between oral inflammation and systemic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Sherman Smock, DDS
Periodontal Health Associates Lynchburg | 434.455.2444 www.periodontalhealthassociates.com
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H E A LT H C A R E QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY LOCAL PROFESSIONALS
Why should I consider getting a flu shot?
Do teeth-whitening toothpastes really work?
Influenza can strike the healthiest of people and make them very sick. Flu symptoms involve fever,cough,fatigue,sore throat and can develop into other complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia. People should also consider that we vaccinate not only to protect ourselves, but other people around us. Hopefully this will motivate people in order to avoid spreading illness. There is a common myth that flu vaccines will cause you to get the flu. This is totally false and not conceptually possible. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a universal recommendation that everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated. Remember that flu vaccines are readily available at many pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and clinics.
Whitening toothpastes can aid in brightening your smile, but do not tend to be as effective as in-office whitening therapies, or at-home therapies such as bleaching trays. Whitening toothpastes can be good complements to the previously mentioned methods by removing surface stains, but generally do not achieve the desired result that a patient is looking for if used alone. Toothpaste lacks the ability to penetrate deeper layers of the teeth, due to the decreased concentration of the whitening component.
H. Chapman Brown, III RPh Gretna Drug Gretna | 434.656.1251 www.gretnadrug.com
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OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
Brad Lentz, DMD
Lynchburg Dental Center Lynchburg | 434.384.7611 www.lynchburgdentist.com
What are common causes for fall allergies and what are possible treatment options? Ragweed is the main culprit of fall allergies, pollinating from August until November. Mold spores are also increased in the fall season, especially once the leaves start to fall. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes, post-nasal drainage and cough. Allergies are treated by avoidance, such as keeping windows closed in your home and car, wearing a mask for yard work, and not drying laundry outside. Some people respond well to medications (oral or topical nasal sprays), but the only cure for allergies is immunotherapy, otherwise known as “allergy shots”. Sam Meshkinfam, DO
Blue Ridge ENT and Plastic Surgery, Inc Lynchburg | 434.947.3993 www.blueridgeentps.com
NEW
NOTEWORTHY
NEW PHYSICIANS, P R O V I D E R S , L O C AT I O N S AND UPCOMING EVENTS
Clinical Trial Shows Positive Results for Metastatic Prostate Cancer The Centra Lynchburg Hematology Oncology Clinic, located at the Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center, received results recently on a National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical trial that has dramatically changed the way metastatic, hormone sensitive prostate cancer will be treated in the future. Centra has been conducting NCI clinical trials for over a decade. A clinical trial is a research study in human volunteers to answer specific health questions. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the safest and fastest way to find treatments that work in people, and new ways to improve health. Centra’s Lynchburg Hematology Oncology Clinic currently has 40 active trials where over 300 patients have received care since 2003. ECOG 3805, (also known as “CHAARTED”) enrolled 790 men between 2006 and 2012 at locations around the US and Canada who had metastatic prostate cancer. The “CHAARTED” clinical trial, reported “unprecedented” survival results at a recent national meeting of clinical oncologists. Visit http://am.asco.org/adding-chemotherapy-hormone-therapyimproved-survival-men-newly-metastatic-prostate-cancer for details about the use of docetaxel (a common chemotherapy drug) and lengthened survival rate.
Matthew Nolen, PT, DPT
Rehab Associates of Central Virginia Lynchburg | 434.528.1848 www.racva.com
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Modupeola Abiodun, MD
Douglas BeMent
Centra Medical Group – Gretna Gretna | 434.656.1274 www.centrahealth.com
Chief Financial Officer Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County Martinsville www.martinsvillehospital.com
Johanne Policard, MD
Sigmund P. Seiler, MD
Centra Medical Group Neurology Center Lynchburg | 434.200.2900 www.centrahealth.com
Central Virginia Family Physicians – Timberlake Family Practice Lynchburg | 434.237.6471 www.cvfp.net
OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
The survival benefit appeared to be driven by the activity of the combination of drugs in the patient given at an earlier, “upfront” manner while there is still hormone sensitivity. The results in this study could be just the first of many successes in prostate cancer, given the large number of new drugs for treating the disease, each of which could be evaluated in various combinations or sequences. This study was developed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and supported by the National Cancer Institute. Patients interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. For more information on Centra’s cancer services clinical trials, please call 434.200.1495. For more information about the Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center, please visit their website at www.cancer.centrahealth.com
Susan Dhivianathan, MD
Loan Trinh Kline, MD
Katie Shook, PT, DPT
Lisa Tucker, RN
Centra Medical Group – Dominion Danville | 434.791.1562 www.centrahealth.com
Rehab Associates of Central Virginia Hurt | 434.324.9750 www.racva.com
Richeson Drive Pediatrics Lynchburg | 434.385.7776 richesondrivepediatrics.com
Director of Surgical Services Danville Regional Medical Center Danville www.danvilleregional.com
Monica C. Menschner, RN, MSN
Director of Telemetry Services Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County Martinsville www.martinsvillehospital.com
Blake Warren, PT, DPT Rehab Associates of Central Virginia Forest | 434.525.4851 www.racva.com
New Dental Practice in Lynchburg Richard A. Oldham, DDS, a local dentist currently practicing with Drs. Bobbi B. Oldham, William W. Martin, and David T. Kiger, recently merged the four-doctor practice to form Oldham Aesthetic & General Dentistry. Richard Oldham, a Lynchburg native, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University dental school and completed a residency at the University of Pittsburgh. He now continues advanced dental education in the areas of TMJ disorders and bite rehabilitation. Bobbi Oldham, Richard’s mother, was the recent recipient of the best bedside manner award from OurHealth magazine in 2013.
About Oldham Aesthetic & General Dentistry OA&GD provides full-mouth and cosmetic dental services in the Lynchburg area. OA&GD specializes in providing the highest quality care possible using the best materials available. The team has over 100 years of dental service in the Lynchburg community.
For more information please call 434.385.6100 or visit www.LynchburgSmiles.com. Oldham Aesthetic & General Dentistry 115 Wiggington Road Lynchburg, VA 24502
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T I P S , T I D B I T S A ND MO R E TO IN F O R M A ND ENT ERTA I N YO U
Fun Facts About
CANDY HHH
October is
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Early Detection is Crucial When breast cancer is detected early, in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 98%* (*National Cancer Institute) • Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health • Clinical breast exam (CBE) about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over • Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any
breast change promptly to their health care provider. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
Ways to Reduce the Risk Although you cannot prevent cancer, some habits that can help reduce your risk are: • Maintain a healthy weight • Stay physically active • Eat fruits and vegetables • Do not smoke • Limit alcohol consumption
Happy Halloween!
H Candy accounts for only
6% of the added sugar
in the American diet.
Soft drinks & juice account for
46%.
Candy lacks the “health halo” of granola bars and fruit juice. But, nutritionally there is much less difference among them than would initially seem. It’s unbelievable now, but
candy once was advertised as a health food.
Get Your Mammograms! Don’t neglect getting your yearly mammogram due to lack of insurance or resources. Every Woman’s Life (EWL) is a public health program offered through The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) that helps uninsured, low income women gain access to free breast and cervical cancer screening services. Screening and early detection reduces death rates, improves treatment options, and greatly increases survival. Contact Rebecca Parker, Central Virginia Health District at 434.592.9550 ext. 121 for screening information in Lynchburg and Southside.
“Eat Tootsie Rolls — The Luscious Candy That Helps Beat Fatigue.” Candy is a HEALTH SCAPEGOAT – 100 years ago, doctors
blamed candy for the spread A TINY truth: The tiniest bone in your body is only 3mm long and is found in your ear! 16
It’s cold and flu season. Did you know? A sneeze generates a wind of 100 mi/hr, and a cough moves out at 60 mi/hr!
OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
of polio. In the mid to late 20th century it was blamed for tooth
decay. Now it's blamed for
obesity.
November is
National Diabetes Month Diabetes is a problem with the body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Several factors can increase your risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes, including being overweight. Lifestyle changes can be used as a foundation to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes: • Engage in regular exercise • Eat healthy • Include foods high in fiber such as beans, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts • Eat plenty of whole-grain foods • Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Don’t crash diet. Instead, consider healthy, long-lasting weight loss solutions, and cut out fatty and fried foods that are often high in cholesterol and salt. • Drink plenty of water
DENTAL
BITES:
SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE!
• Contrary to popular belief, there is no significant advantage of an electric or powered toothbrush over the normal toothbrush except ease of use.
• Saccharine Sodium which is generally used as a sweetening agent in toothpaste is 500 times sweeter than sugar. • Always replace a toothbrush after you had a cold, sore throat or notorious infections. The bacteria plant them on the toothbrush which can lead to reinfection.
GET
Moving on Thanksgiving
Morning!
• You should always maintain a distance of 6 feet between the toilet and where you brush. The air borne particles from the flush can travel up to 6 feet.
2014 Presbyterian Homes and Family Services & The Family Alliance
• There was a sudden massive surge of patients with tooth decay the year coke was launched.
Help support the PHFS, who offer a variety of programs to strengthen individuals and families through care, counseling and education. Date: Thanksgiving morning at 8:00 a.m. Location: Downtown Lynchburg Registration: give.phfs.org/turkeytrot Contact: 434. 384.3131 ext. 3636 or events@phfs.org
• The swallowing of a fluoride containing toothpaste can cause many harmful effects such as fluoride toxicity. Children younger than 5 should be given toothpaste that does not contain fluoride.
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OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
The Anatomy Challenge is proudly sponsored by
the
Anatomy CHALLENGE
Here’s your chance to see how much you know about your
incredible TEETH! First, find all the hidden words in the word search below. Next, match up the correct word with the correct part of the mouth in the illustration. ______________
[ your incredible TEETH ]
WORD SEARCH
______________ ______________
Do you know the average age each tooth erupts? Record your answers, then go to our facebook page to see if you’re right! (facebook.com/ ourhealthvirginia)
______________
UPPER TEETH
LOWER TEETH
central incisor
central incisor
lateral incisor
lateral incisor
canine
canine
first molar
first molar
second molar
second molar
UPPER TEETH
______________
LOWER TEETH
______________
Find the answers on our Facebook page: facebook.com/ourhealthvirginia
______________ ______________
______________ ______________
www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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words | DIANE YORK
and the The teen years are tough. Transitioning from dependent child to independent teen while dealing with the social scene, studies, school activities, sports, and perhaps, dating for the first time, is daunting. While the last thing on most teen’s minds is their teeth, the condition and appearance of their teeth has a long term impact on their health and self-confidence.
Shepherd Sittason, DDS of Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics of Lynchburg, VA says, “Teens, especially between the ages of fourteen to sixteen, are in the process of taking over responsibility for both their brushing habits and their diet- so both may suffer.” At this age, perhaps for the first time in their lives, they have control over their food and drink intake and tend to go along with the crowd as far as dietary habits. This includes large intakes of drinks with high amounts of sugar and acid. Shannon Sawyer, DMD and his wife, Summer Sawyer, DMD, both of Children’s Dental Health of Lynchburg, specialize in treating children and teen patients. Dr. Summer Sawyer says, “I can generally tell if my teen patients have been drinking large amounts of high acid, high sugar sodas. The acid in soft drinks tends to ruin the enamel on the front teeth.” Some children and teens are extremely anxious about going to the dentist and resist. How to win over an anxious teen? Dr. Summer Sawyer says, “When dealing with teen patients, we develop a trust relationship based on ‘tell, show, do.’ We tell the patient what we will do, show them the technique and tools and only then, begin treatment. And of course, we are always careful to make sure the painkillers have fully numbed the area before we begin.” Dr. Sittason feels too, that part of his job and that of his office team, is to make the experience of going to the dentist a pleasurable one for the patient. He says, “We had a special needs girl so terrified to come in here that she was crying. We worked with her to build trust and comfort and now she comes in smiling to see us.” With teens who are not taking care of their teeth, Dr. Sawyer says she never uses negatives. In other words, instead of telling them the bad things that can happen if they don’t brush, she emphasizes how great they will look for a special event or dance. “How do you want your teeth to look for the prom or that job interview?” This kind of positive treatment, she says, works far better than scolding. Both doctors feel that hygiene, such as going to bed without brushing the teeth, is the biggest problem they see in their teen patients. We all know we should brush—
“Wisdom teeth” are the third molars
farthest in the back of the mouth. They are called “wisdom” because they appear between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. Most people have four, one at the back of each side of the row of upper teeth and lower teeth. Occasionally, people will have more or less. Wisdom teeth usually affect other teeth as they develop, becoming impacted or growing in sideways.
but how much? Giving teens a time frame may help them to know they have done enough. Dr. Sittason says two minutes at least! And, he adds, that electronic tooth brushes can be more effective (with less effort) than regular brushes.
Wisdom Teeth While it is not always necessary to remove wisdom teeth (the third molars in the back of your teeth,) both Dr. Sawyers feel that it’s best to remove them at least by age twentyfive, and the earlier the better. Complications can arise that are painful and difficult to resolve if ignored. The “wisdom” teeth often do not have enough room to grow out properly and can come in at various angles in the mouth, even horizontally. Sometimes they emerge partially through the gums, sometimes they stay hidden and become impacted and trapped in the jaw. It’s easiest to remove them when the patient is younger and the roots have not fully formed.
Looking Good!
Shepherd Sittason, DDS is a pediatric dentist at Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics of Lynchburg on Paulette Circle.
Dr. Sittason says that “when my patients come in with gaps between their teeth or their bite Shannon Sawyer, DMD is a pediatric dentist at Children’s Dental Health becomes uneven or their of Lynchburg on Timberlake Road. teeth are growing in crooked, I refer them to an orthodontist so he/she can evaluate the need for braces. Braces can correct problems before they become established.” www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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How to Tell if Your Child Needs Braces!
Find this and more in Delta Dental’s Oral Health Library. Scan this QR code with your smart phone:
Eric Baugher, DMD, from Central Virginia Orthodontics is an orthodontist—a dentist who works primarily with the spacing and placement of teeth. Protruding teeth, crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, crooked bites all can be altered with braces or orthodontic devices. In his practice he sees children, teens and adults with these problems. He says, “the benefit of braces is straight, strong attractive teeth.” If teeth are too crowded, not only do they look bad but they are hard to brush and floss and get cavities quicker. “If I can fix a teen’s “bite” (the way their teeth mesh together) it helps partially erupted teeth to come out, results in less wear on the tooth enamel, reduces tooth grinding and damage to gums. Your teeth last a lifetimethey are well worth the investment.” Teens wearing braces must wear their retainers consistently; it takes eighteen to twenty-four months. “I see this all the time, the braces come off and the kids cry for joy. Their parents say they actually smile now in pictures. They can be confident of their smile for the rest of their life.” 22
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All teens are super aware of their appearance. Here are some other things your dentist can do to help. Teeth whiteners? Dr. Summer Sawyer says most teens don’t need this if their teeth are properly cleaned. Yet, they can provide professional whitening in cases where it is warranted. Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth in your sleep. Causes can be stress, anger or anxiety and in some cases, hyperactivity. People who sleep in the same room with a teen may hear grinding at night. The teen may wake up with jaw pain or swelling, or his dentist may see signs of grinding damage to the teeth. Most children and teens outgrow bruxism but if it is causing jaw swelling, jaw or teeth pain, damage to the teeth, a special mouthpiece can be created from a mold of the teen’s teeth. These night guards are similar to the protective mouth guards worn by football players. They may take getting used to but are worth the effort.
Teeth Whitening Teeth whitening is getting to be a big industry. Teens wanting to have an ultra-white smile are a big part of that market. The Academy of General Dentistry advises teens to wait to use whitening procedures until at least the age of 14. By that time, the tooth’s pulp is fully formed, which means a teen will experience less sensitivity from teeth whitening.
Safety First
Most dentists advise teens to take these steps prior to using whiteners or having a bleaching procedure done professionally: Avoid nicotine, soda, tea and coffee, which stain teeth. If you do drink soda or coffee, use a straw to prevent discoloration of the upper front teeth or brush after consuming these beverages. Clean teeth carefully, especially if you wear braces. Food particles can become trapped between the braces and teeth, causing discoloration as well as cavities.
And speaking of mouth guards, your dentist can tailor make one for a teen playing sports. Fractured or broken front teeth are one of the most common sports injuries and the number one dental emergency. Dr. Sittason says, “I am seeing more injuries from boys playing baseball and girls playing softball, so I highly recommend these custom made mouth guards.”
Still not satisfied? You can try whitening toothpastes. All toothpastes help remove surface stains through the action of mild abrasives. “Whitening” toothpastes have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
For more information on mouth guards from the Delta Dental Oral Health Library, scan this QR code with your smart phone: While we are on the subject of sports and accidental tooth loss, new implants can help permanently replace a natural tooth. A screw is implanted in the place of the missing tooth and a natural looking crown, matched to the other teeth on top of it. It will never decay or require replacement. One or more teeth can be replaced in this way using only local anesthesia.
If coloration is severe despite the above practices, teens can visit their dentist for advice on teeth whitening products. The dentist will create and fit a custom-made bleaching tray. Bleaching products alter the intrinsic coloring of the teeth. In reference to at-home bleaching products, dentists are concerned that without supervision and expertise, these materials can aggravate sensitive teeth and gums, or damage existing dental work, such as fillings and crowns.
www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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One Teen Trend to Avoid Eric Baugher, DMD, is an orthodontist at Central Virginia Orthodontics on Timberlake Road.
Summer Sawyer, DMD is a general dentist at Children’s Dental Health of Lynchburg on Timberlake Road.
Dentists are becoming concerned about the number of teens opting to have their tongues pierced. People with tongue piercings chip their teeth on the jewelry while eating, sleeping, talking and chewing. The fracture can be confined to tooth enamel and require a filling, or it may go deeper, which can lead to a root canal or tooth extraction. Infections are also common with oral piercings. The tongue can swell after being punctured, and in some cases can become infected and swell to such a degree that it interferes with breathing. Unclean piercing equipment can cause other infections, such as blood-borne hepatitis. So, help your teen to have good oral health and strong white teeth that will last a lifetime. Even if they tell you they are adults now, remind them of how much they want to have a beautiful smile and what it takes to keep it! As Dr. Baugher says, “give them the goal of giving them “a great smile to share with the world.”
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OurHealth | The Resource for Healthy Living in Lynchburg and Southside
words |SUZANNE RAMSEY
Don’t let anything stand in the way of mammograms, treatment When Debra Craft was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2013, she was scared and angry. Scared, because everyone she’d ever known who had cancer—her dad, a sister, friends—had died from it. Angry, because after losing her factory job a decade before and struggling in various areas of her life, being told she had cancer was just one more thing. “It was Monday, Dec. 2nd, and the radiologist from [Centra] Breast Imaging [Center] called and told me it was cancer,” the 59-year-old Gretna resident says, adding she had to wait over the Thanksgiving holiday for the results. “The waiting, that’ll get you, but I pretty much knew. I had just been trying to think, ‘It will go away or some miracle will happen. It can’t be me. After all I’ve been through and now I have to go through this?’”
Reprints To order reprints of the original artwork featured on this issue’s cover, contact Jenny Hungate
It had been about two years since Debra first felt what she describes as a “hard knot” on the right side of her breast bone. At the time, she was cleaning houses for a living and didn’t have health insurance. She didn’t even have what one might describe as a “regular doctor.” So, for financial reasons and because she was honestly too scared to think about it, Debra took a wait-and-see approach.
at 540.387.6482 or via email at jenny@ourhealthvirginia.com. To view additional work by our artist, Joe Palotas, visit www.salemartcenter.com www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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Looking back, Debra says, “I knew it was probably bad. I thought it would go away, or I would keel over or something.�
In November of 2013, Debra finally saw a physician at Johnson Health Center in Lynchburg for what she remembers was “a cold or something.” During that office visit, she asked offhandedly if the physician could take a look at the knot on her chest. Before Debra knew it, she was scheduled for a diagnostic ultrasound at Centra’s Breast Imaging Center and shortly thereafter she received a diagnosis: Stage III breast cancer. There are only four stages in the rating system, which takes into account whether or not a cancer is “isolated” or has spread to lymph nodes or other organs. As Debra, no mincer of words, puts it, “It was getting ready to burst and go all over me.” Semiha Uray, MD, assistant director for women’s health at Centra Lynchburg Family Medicine, understands this fear, having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. After a bilateral—sometimes referred to as “double”—mastectomy and chemotherapy, she returned to work in 2011 with what she describes as a “unique perspective.” Today, when Dr. Uray encounters a patient who desperately needs a mammogram but is afraid of hearing the results, she tells her there are lots of treatment options and by not being screened and not finding out whether it’s cancer, you might give up those options. “Metastatic cancer can go anywhere,” Dr. Uray says. “It’s much worse than being treated. I lay it out for them. ...Just knowing, so you can deal with what’s going to come afterwards. I try to point that out to people. In this patient population, I’ve found that works.” Another barrier Dr. Uray sees for her patients is lack of education—for instance, knowing that women should start getting mammograms at age 40 or, in some cases, knowing exactly what a mammogram is. She says patients sometimes think a mammogram will be painful or that radiation from the machine will cause cancer. “First, I explain what a mammogram is,” she says. “A lot of women have no idea. ...They really don’t know what happens with a mammogram. I explain the procedure, that the breasts are squeezed but it’s really not painful. Ten minutes tops [and] very low radiation exposure [that] doesn’t cause breast cancer.”
Fear of hearing a physician
“You have breast cancer,” is one reason why say,
some women put off having annual mammograms.
It’s understandable. After all, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that in 2014, about
280,000 women will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer, and about
40,000 won’t survive it.
One in eight women, according to the ACS, will have
“invasive breast cancer” in her lifetime.
And when it comes to lack of education, Dr. Uray doesn’t let members of her profession off the hook. She says physicians sometimes “do a crappy job” at educating patients. Money can also be an obstacle when it comes to diagnosing and treating breast cancer. After her diagnosis, Debra had chemotherapy, followed by a lumpectomy to remove any cancerous tissue that might have remained. This past summer, she underwent radiation, every day for seven weeks. Even www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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“We need to be better at getting the word out,” Dr. Uray says. “There’s a lot we can do. It’s
not a death sentence. You can get back to
your regular life. The biggest barrier is just not knowing. It’s getting to be less of a taboo subject. Mom had it 40 years ago and no one talked about it. Today, we’re talking about it and people are getting to understand that it’s not a death sentence.” before she started radiation, Debra says, her hospital bills totaled about $150,000. Today, Debra says the cancer is gone. “The chemo was so successful,” she says. “It completely ate it up. It was gone. Nothing left but scar tissue.” Another worry that’s gone is her bill. Although it took several months, with help from staff at the Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center and Chamberlin Edmonds, a company that finds ways to connect patients with benefit programs such as Medicaid, that burden was lifted. Even as a physician with good health insurance, Dr. Uray understands the financial load that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis. In addition to the cost of her treatment, as a breast cancer survivor she undergoes an annual MRI, which costs about $2,000 out-of-pocket. In her practice, Dr. Uray says she deals with many low-income patients, who don’t have insurance or have insurance that’s lacking. When a patient diagnosed with breast cancer expresses concerns about the cost of treatment, Dr. Uray says she assures them “there are always ways to get this covered. We’re in a community that is very supportive of that.” One resource for patients is the Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center Patient Support Fund. According to Centra’s website, the fund, supported by the Centra Foundation and donations, pays for things like wigs and breast prosthesis, nutritional supplements, medication, transportation and medical devices. 30
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Debra Craft of Gretna, with her team of care givers at Centra’s Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center. From left, Lindsay Lacey, RN is Debra’s Nurse Navigator, Sarah Hall, Radiation Therapist, Debra Craft, and Kari Turner, Radiation Therapist.
“The biggest issue in this community is the financial piece, and they’re working on that,” Dr. Uray says. “People don’t realize there are organizations out there that can help you get the care you need. It doesn’t have to mean financial ruin.”
For the past 12 years, Mammography Annually a Must — also known as MAAM — has provided free mammograms to many area women who could not otherwise afford them. The volunteer organization, which falls under the Centra Foundation umbrella, also educates women about the importance of annual mammograms.
“We just discovered that we had women who were 40 and older who weren’t getting mammograms because they couldn’t afford them,” says Kathryn Pumphrey, EdD, executive vice president of the Centra Foundation. “Either they didn’t have insurance or ... were unemployed for a while, or they just don’t have the finances for one reason or another. They would tend to put mammograms low on the list of priorities, and a lot of women would make sure their children were able to get their healthcare first.” MAAM provides vouchers for free mammograms and “free days” at Centra’s Timberlake Road and Thompson Drive mammography centers. MAAM also has a mobile mammography unit, which can be requested by churches, businesses, schools and events, such as Day in the Park or the annual Juneteenth celebration.
Kathryn Pumphrey, EdD, is the executive vice president of the Centra Foundation.
Semiha Uray, MD, is the assistant director for women’s health at Centra Lynchburg Family Medicine.
“The best thing I think we do is we make mammography accessible,” Dr. Pumphrey says. “And we have found, almost every year we’ve done this, patients who have breast cancer. They come back and say, ‘This saved my life.’ The bottom line is deciding to accept a free mammogram, for some people, has become a life-saving event.”
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FITBITS
H EA LT H A ND F I T NES S O N T H E G O
Work the ‘Back’ to Wear the ‘Black’ (Holiday Dress) The holidays are right around the corner, and that may mean wearing that ‘little black dress’ or taking that holiday ‘getaway’ or cruise. Start working your back now, and see results in time to show it off before that first holiday event! For optimum results, perform three sets of 8-12 repetitions of the following exercises three-five times per week.
#1. Back Extension on Exercise Ball This exercise works the lower back muscles (erector spinae), even though these muscles actually run the entire length of the back along the spine. The erector spinae extend the spine backwards and provide torso stabilization.
2. Place the hands behind the head or under the chin - you can also keep the hands resting on the ball if you need a modification. 3. Round down over the ball and then squeeze the lower back to lift the chest off the ball.
1. Lie down with the ball under the belly and hips, legs straight out behind you (or knees bent for a modification).
4. Raise up until the body is straight (don’t hyperextend), lower down and repeat.
#3. Reverse Fly with Dumbbells This exercise trains the back side of the shoulder muscles (rear deltoids). 1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, bend knees slightly and lean forward. Upper body should almost be parallel to the floor. Look forward and don’t round back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other. Elbows should be slightly bent. 2. Raise dumbbells sideways and backwards, until arms are parallel to the floor. Move weights slowly and concentrated. Exhale as you lift dumbbells and don’t create momentum. At the end of the movement, palms should face the floor. 3. Then lower dumbbells and return to the beginning position. Don’t let the weights fall. The down-motion should be slower than the up-motion. Inhale as you lower dumbbells.
#2. Reverse Hyperextension on Exercise Ball: The reverse hyperextension targets a number of posterior muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. 1. Place the stability ball on the floor, and lie on top of the ball 2. Place hands on the floor for stability. Slowly raise one leg off the floor until it is at least parallel. Try to keep your legs straight.
Notes: Make sure to keep back straight and exhale as you raise arms. The reverse dumbbell fly is not designed for heavy weights.
3. Complete the movement by lowering the leg back to the starting position, and repeat for desired number of repetitions 4. Repeat the movement using the other leg Notes: An advanced variation is to raise both legs at the same time. This exercise should not be done by anyone with existing lower back injuries or conditions.
Deidre Wilkes, AFAA, ACSM, Certified Personal Trainer Deidre is a certified personal trainer with more than 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. She is the resident fitness specialist for OurHealth Lynchburg & Southside
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Healthy Eats
diabeti c f r i e n d ly fa l l r e c i p e s
Entrée: Pot Roast Serves: 8
Ingredients: 1 tsp dried thyme
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 2. In a small bowl, combine thyme, salt and coarsely ground black pepper; use to rub all over roast.
9. Transfer contents in pot to a baking dish with the pot roast; cover with foil and place in oven. 10. Cook 2 hours.
3. In 6-quart pot, heat oil on mediumhigh until hot.
11. Place roast on a large platter, discard bay leaf. Spoon broth over roast and enjoy!
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
4. Add roast and cook about ten minutes or until browned on all sides.
Local beef from: D&L Cattle Co.
2 medium onions, chopped
5. Transfer roast to plate.
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed with press
6. Reduce heat to medium.
14 ounces beef broth
7. Add onions and garlic to the pot, and cook eight minutes or until lightly browned, stirring periodically.
Salt and pepper to taste
4 lbs sirloin tip roast (boneless and trimmed)
2 cup(s) water 2 teaspoon(s) Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf
8. Add broth, water, Worcestershire, and bay leaf then heat to a boil on high heat.
Contact: Lynwood Arrington 2291 Glass Hill Rd | Goode, VA 24556 434.610.5804 | www.dlcattle.com larrington@dlcattle.com
D&L Cattle Co. raise all their calves on their farms, and none are brought in from outside. Their cattle are all pasture raised without grains, steroids or antibiotics. They take pride in offering all natural quality meat which is available for purchase through their website.
Tricia Foley’s
PAN-SEARED POT ROAST Tricia Foley is OurHealth Magazine’s resident nutritionist.
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Healthy Eats
diabeti c f r i e n d ly fa l l r e c i p e s
Side Dish: Green Beans with Mushrooms & Onions Serves: 8
Ingredients: 3 tbsp coconut oil 6 cups onion, thinly sliced 15 button mushrooms, halved and sliced 1
teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper ¼ cup vegetable broth 8 cups green beans, blanched
Directions: 1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pan, over medium-high heat. 2. Toss in the onion and sauté for seven to ten minutes, until the onions start to caramelize. 3. Add the mushrooms and reduce heat to medium; cook for five minutes. 4. Season with the salt, pepper and add the vegetable broth. 5. Stir in the blanched green beans and cook for 5 minutes. 6. Serve with pot roast.
Green Beans and Eggs from: White Flint Farm
Contact: Bill and Cherie Guerrant 5960 Slatesville Rd | Keeling, VA 24566 434.791.3773 | whiteflintfarm@gmail.com www.whiteflintfarm.com The owners of White Flint Farm believe in an organic and sustainable lifestyle. Their goal is to produce the healthiest, best-tasting food possible. Their produce is all natural, grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizer or harmful chemicals of any kind. Their eggs come from true free ranging hens, raised naturally and humanely. They deliver weekly into Danville, Chatham and Altavista. The farm store is open during the season. You can also visit them at the Danville farmers’ market.
Tricia Foley’s
DELICIOUS GREEN BEANS Tricia Foley is OurHealth Magazine’s resident nutritionist.
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Healthy Eats
diabeti c f r i e n d ly fa l l r e c i p e s
Dessert: Honey Muffins Serves: 6
Ingredients: 3 eggs 2 tbsp organic butter 2 tbsp coconut milk 3 tbsp local honey ½ tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ¼ C sifted coconut flour
Directions: 1. Mix together eggs, butter, coconut milk, honey, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Local Honey from: Hungry Hill Farm 89 Williamstown Rd | Shipman, VA 22971 434.263.5336 or 434. 989.2091 www.hungryhillhoney.com
Hungry Hill Farm is open year round. They offer tours where you can learn about beekeeping, and they sell honey directly out of their ‘honey house’ as well as bee supplies .Their vision is to become not only a knowledge base and supplier of local raw honey, but to have the flexibility to grow their business.
2. Combine coconut flour and baking powder together and stir into batter until smooth. 3. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. 4. Bake at 400º F for 15 minutes.
Tricia Foley’s
HELLO, HONEY MUFFINS Tricia Foley is OurHealth Magazine’s resident nutritionist.
Six years ago, a motorcycle accident took Lesley Webster’s life. Today, her selfless spirit is still remembered and cherished by her family and friends, and by the 85 people living here and throughout the country that were saved or helped because of her decision to be an organ donor.
words | LAURA NEFF-HENDERSON, APR
Lynchburg residents Nora and Don Webster always knew their daughter Lesley would accomplish great things. They just didn’t know that her
greatest accomplishments would come after she had passed away. On September 19, 2008, Lesley had been out with friends before she got on the back of a motorcycle. At about 1:30 am, the driver of the motorcycle, who had been drinking, wrecked near the intersection of Hurdle Hill and Link Roads, hitting a metal pole. Lesley was thrown more than 30 feet, sustaining severe body and head injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Centra Lynchburg General Hospital (CLGH), the same place where she had worked the past five years as a phlebotomist—a person trained to draw blood from a patient for clinical and medical testing. Despite every effort to save her, the injuries were just too extensive.
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“I looked at her lying in the hospital bed and black and blue and swollen. I could just feel that she wasn’t there anymore. I knew she was at peace where she was and that she could help others.” She was so full of life that, to me, this was her way of living on,” says Nora.
“I used to pray all the time that my girls would outlive me,” says Nora. “I never understood how anyone could get through losing a child. I not only lost my daughter, but my grandson lost his mother. It was a nightmare.” Lesley was a 2002 graduate of Jefferson Forrest High School. In addition to her parents and her older sister Marcy, now 32, Lesley left behind a son, Jonathan, who was five when she died. Nora and Don are raising him. She also left behind renewed life and hope. “Lesley worked in the emergency department. She witnessed the consequences of trauma on a daily basis and understood how fragile life was,” says Nora. Nora says that Lesley felt very strongly about being an organ donor because she saw first hand how it helped so many people. Through her death Lesley saved the lives of eight people and helped 77 others across the United States. Nearly all of her organs, eyes, bones, and tissue were donated, according to Nora. ‘It’s amazing. To know she’s living all over the country—it’s something that has really kept us going,” says Nora. “That’s when I realized that it could be me on that list one day,” says Nora. Nora hasn’t met any of the recipients of Lesley’s organs and it’s not something she plans to do. What she knows about where her daughter’s organs went comes from the letter she received from LifeNet Health®. “I want to think of them all as still being out there and alive. It would almost be like losing her again to know that someone didn’t survive,” says Nora. www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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LifeNet Health® is one of 58 federally designated Organ Procurement Organizations across the country. Representatives from the company coordinate the recovery and transplant of organs in Virginia and part of West Virginia. In the hours after Lesley was pronounced braindead, the Webster’s met with a representative from LifeNet Health® who talked with them about the process. In the year following Lesley’s death, Nora became actively involved with the organ donation community by volunteering with LifeNet Health®. She took a class on learning how to talk with grieving families and was preparing to help donor families across the country. She hasn’t had the opportunity to volunteer as much a she’d like though in the wake of her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Although she devotes nearly all her time taking care of Don, she continues to advocate for organ donation and shares Lesley’s story with anyone who will listen. When she talks with people who are struggling with a decision about organ donation, she urges them to consider how it would feel to have a relative in need of an organ.
Brain death occurs when the brain is totally and irreversibly non-functional. It’s caused by a lack of adequate blood supply of oxygen, which causes the brain cells to die. 46
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“They can’t live without it, and you can’t take it with you,” says Nora. At barely five feet tall and just 90 pounds, Lesley was very petite, but had a big, bubbly personality. She had never met a stranger. She was also a devoted mother and a caring person who spent time at work sitting and talking with patients who didn’t have visitors comforting them. “She just wanted people to be happy and healthy,” says Nora. Lesley was also a dare devil and she liked things that were fast, including horses. She and her sister Marcy spent the better part of their childhood riding and showing horses in Lexington. One of her family’s fondest memories is of Lesley stepping right up to hold a baby alligator on a family trip to the zoo when she was little, while the other children in the group stepped back. “She wasn’t afraid of anything,” says Nora. “She really did live life to the fullest.” She can sense the hesitation of some people in bringing Lesley’s name up when they run into her, but, Nora says, she loves when people talk about her daughter. “I still run into people who tell me what a spark she was, and how much they miss her,” says Nora. “It really does let the light in when someone remembers her.” Remembering the good times, and sharing those stories and sharing laughs about Lesley, is the way they all go on without her. “Not a single hour of a single day goes by that I don’t think about her – but we try to really focus on the good memories we have to keep her spirit alive,” says Nora. “Jay, Lesley’s son, is a constant reminder of just how wonderful my daughter was in life. Knowing what she did for 85 strangers is a reminder of her incredible generosity in death.”
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Interested in Becoming an Organ Donor? Any age is the right age, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There’s no age limit for people to register as an organ donor. Donor designations may be made through the Department of Motor Vehicles or via the online state registry, donatelifevirginia.org. Teenagers between 13 and 17 may choose to register as an organ donor, but their parents/ legal guardians will be asked to make the final decision at the appropriate time. This registry is considered a legally binding advance directed in Virginia. Those who choose to have the donor heart symbol added to their DMV issued drivers license/ID are also encouraged to sign up on their state registry, which gives them access to a profile they can update at any time. People can also help support organ donation by letting their friends and family know they are organ donors and by helping to spread awareness of the need for more donors. 48
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Statistics • In 2013, 28,953 people received organ transplants. • 123,243 people are waiting for an organ right now. More than 2,800 of those people are in Virginia, according to LifeNet Health®. • On average, 18 children and adults die each day waiting for an organ, including three Virginians each week. • One organ donor can save up to nine lives. Someone is added to the donor list every 10 minutes in the United States. Source: LifeNet Health® and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
What Can Be Harvested? Commonly recovered and transplantable tissues enhance the lives of many who suffer from traumatic injury or disease. • Skin is used as a temporary dressing for burns, serious abrasions and other exposed areas. • Bone is used in orthopedic surgery to facilitate healing of fractures or to prevent amputation. • Heart valves are used to replace defective valves, often in children. • Tendons are used to repair torn ligaments on knees or other joints. • Veins are used in cardiac bypass surgery. • Corneas can restore sight to the blind. Source: LifeNet Health®
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It’s fun staying healthy at
Timberlake Christian School!
OurHealth’s activities photographer, KG Thienemann, caught up with students at Timberlake Christian Schools to check out what staying healthy is all about. Good
health is important to teachers AND students at TCS, both physically and spiritually! From fun outdoor time and sports, to healthy eating in the school cafeteria, TCS offers students exciting and well-rounded options for staying healthy. Most importantly, TCS students stay healthy spiritually, not just through devotional time but by a applying a purposeful way of life to their everyday activities. For more info about the educational philosophy behind Timberlake Christian Schools, visit their website at www.tcs4u.org
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“…and now we have over 40 volunteers serving in Jamaica!”
while
sitting
IN
chairs words | TINA JOYCE
Healthcare professionals from the greater Lynchburg area come together, as collaborative teams, to support and serve the medical needs of people in one small corner of the world. Organized and efficient, she settles into her seat across the table. Her smile is filled with compassion and her eyes with experience. We make small talk while we wait for the doctor to join us. She has an excitement in her tone—one that is clearly recognizable, as though she is about to share the best news of the day. We spot him entering the room and she waves him over to join us. He is less enthusiastic, but still maintains a slight spring in his step. Perhaps the uncertainty of the questions to come have him wishing he could spend the morning in a more traditional examining room, rather than with a writer hoping to capture his drive to serve abroad for over a decade. He is seasoned and presumably well respected in his profession. There is even something fun about him that only his slightly off-centered smile reveals. He appears stern and serious at first, but a witty comment reveals there is more to the doctor than most may realize. The smiling glance between colleagues reveals a common bond only a 15-year journey can produce. Richard Giles, MD and Vickie Moore, FNP, share how a concern for humanity in our local community, as well as in an underprivileged parish in Jamaica, has brought over forty healthcare professionals together— both in mission and in spirit.
Gaylene Doyle, RN, Richard Giles, MD and Vickie Moore, FNP are 3 of the original group of volunteers traveling to Jamaica yearly.
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Dr. Clifford Phillips, an optometrist at St. Clair Eye Care
Dr. Jason Crist, Dr. Ron Todd, and Dr. Tom Warwick, all dentists in Lynchburg. Dr. Todd is a retired oral surgeon Clinic Staff—Two Jamaican clinic helpers, Jennifer Brown, Robin Blackman, Dr. Clifford Phillips, Steven Combs, and Jann Brown
Vickie Moore, FNP at Lynchburg Gynecology, explains, “It’s not the mission, it’s the people. Sometimes, just knowing someone cares about your needs really does make a difference.”
The medical community in Lynchburg and surrounding areas often comes together to serve causes greater than just working at a local hospital or clinic. In fact, many healthcare providers work together on a regular basis to ensure quality patient care by systematically utilizing resources and sharing expertise, often collaborating to diagnose more complex medical issues. It makes perfect sense that in a profession geared toward helping people, many would come together for a philanthropic project geared to assisting an entire community. In 2001, Dick Daily, a local Pastor, felt called to serve the needs of a community in the southeastern corner of Jamaica, known as the Saint Thomas parish. He had family serving in Haiti, but after visiting and observing this Jamaican community’s underequipped hospital and primitive nursing school, Daily called together Gaylene Doyle, Vickie Moore, and Richard Giles of Lynchburg to help organize an introductory meeting. A dozen or more healthcare providers attended the preliminary meeting and began organizing the first of many trips to serve a population of people they barely knew. Moore’s soft-spoken demeanor provides a glimpse into the hearts of those choosing to volunteer their time and talents to organize and lead medical teams for the past 14 years and again in March 2015. The first year the team traveled to the suburban parish, “We realized the trip was mostly a fact-finding mission,” explains Dr. Giles. Once in the town of Morant Bay, they had to locate and confirm local resources to assist with transportation, lodging,
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and supplies. Providing medical expertise was only part of the work and challenges the groundwork team faced. “We were very fortunate to have a local church partner in Jamaica from the very beginning to help organize our efforts,” explains Moore. The team soon realized after their arrival that providing educational supplies to improve the nursing school was a foremost concern. The school’s textbooks were extremely dated and the equipment was primitive. By improving the quality of education for local nursing students, medical care could continue even after the medical teams returned home to Virginia. By the second year, many things were already being put in place to meet this educational need. Volunteers and donations began to emerge, clearly indicating Lynchburg’s medical and educational community’s alliance and desire to help. Karen McCharen, RN, BSN, further explains, “My primary role is being an RN on one of the teams. The nursing school in Morant Bay has a 2-year program. Since the students cannot afford the necessary supplies for school, we provide them with special nursing kits at the end of their first year that includes: stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, scissors, and other supplies. This is a very special time for our team as we meet the students and watch their excitement as they receive the tools for their career.” Adequate nursing training is only one of many struggles this Jamaican community faces. The island is very poor. Tourism and the sugar cane crops are the country’s only major source of income. Hurricanes often destroy both needed supplies and resources simultaneously, leaving residents to spend efforts reactively rebuilding—rather than proactively investing in healthcare facilities. The returning Lynchburg team quickly recognizes the most critical and immediate needs are still screening and diagnosing citizens for major medical concerns. One of the most noticeable advantages the Lynchburg-based missions team possess is they have a cohesive base of members who go every year and have grown familiar with resources and culture. “We are all on the same team when we get there,” explains Dr. Giles. “We work diligently to annually screen and www.OurHealthVirginia.com
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Medical Technologist, Susan Morris screening a patient’s blood pressure, while others wait in line
Dr. Richard Giles and a Jamaican patient at the clinic.
treat those in need as a collective effort to ensure their healthcare is improved.” Diane Sullivan, dental assistant, with daily supplies for clinic.
The clinic lines are long, as are the hours of the day. Yet the Jamaicans wait patiently for a glimpse of what most Americans take for granted— basic medical treatment.
Every year the collaborating team of professionals has grown and changed. “When we began our mission, we placed a priority on relationships and serving God to the best of our ability. We began with just seven participants, and now have over 40! We have grown to include members from medical clinics, dentistry, optometry, and even surgery centers,” notes McCharen. The camaraderie of the qualified, yet selfless professionals clearly reveals one community coming together to serve another. Dr. Tom Warwick, a volunteering Lynchburg dentist explains, “It’s impressive to see a group of people in our own community come together for a cause. Watching our group chip in and help out…it’s really moving.” “I find it to be a truly unique opportunity to serve others and practice medicine in a very different manner and setting from those to which I am accustomed. I love being able to do something for people who have so very little, says Bill Blackman, MD of Lynchburg Internal Medicine. Last year marked Dr. Blackman’s thirteenth trip, “On my trips, I have seen many patients numerous times over the years. We’ve established strong ties with locals who, year after year, come out as volunteers to help with clinic planning, transportation to and from clinic sites, as well manning the check-in on clinic days.” Most people in this impoverished parish do not own motorized transportation and walk to the temporary health clinics, often set up in a school, where the medical teams
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AWARDS ISSUE COMING December 2014
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Medical Technologist, Susan Morris screening a patient for blood sugar and hemoglobin
perform annual screenings to determine what medications can best treat manageable symptoms or conditions. Although there are 17-18 official health clinics in the Morant Bay vicinity, most are ill-equipped to diagnose and distribute adequate medications for high blood pressure, anemia, diabetes and hypertension, the most common concerns the team will treat during their next 9-day trip. This Jamaican community is immeasurably grateful and many residents return to the clinics annually to be seen by the same members of the Lynchburg medical team. “The residents arrive well dressed and clean, even though many have walked several miles to get there,” shares Moore. “I have a desire to keep going back because the people are so appreciative, from the patients we treat to the people who are facilitating our trip,” Dr. Warwick comments. The teams also put together a health fair on Saturday, usually held at a local school or larger clinic. On some occasions, healthcare providers see close to 500 people in a day who eagerly and unwearyingly wait to be seen. “Sometimes we take an examining table for granted,” explains Giles. “It is not uncommon to screen patients while they are sitting in chairs”. One particular patient was diagnosed with a progressive angina during a Saturday clinic. He was started on aspirin and beta blockers, and then referred to a cardiologist in a larger 58
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city. He later underwent successful bypass surgery. His family sent a heartfelt note of gratitude to Tom Nygaard, MD and his entire team. They are in immense need of proper assessment and medicine. “It would be great to set up a preventative system, but these poor folks just don’t have access to basic, routine care. They’re just not to that point,” clarifies Warwick. The comprehensive list of volunteers speaks volumes to the work and dedication of many people. McCharen conveys it’s important to remember, “What has not been lost in 15 years of service are the close relationships we have with the Jamaicans we serve. We could not possibly be successful without their continued support and care of our team. It truly is like returning to family each year as we embrace one another and work together to see as many patients as possible.”
If you, or someone you know, would like more information about serving or supporting the teams’ upcoming March 2015 trip, contact Vickie Moore at vicfnp27@aol.com. Lisa Smith, FNP seeing a Jamaican patient at a clinic.
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crossing borders words | TINA JOYCE
Other local healthcare professionals are joining a different team to meet the needs of country stricken with devastation. Haiti, the third largest Caribbean nation, was hit hard by a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in 2010—killing an estimated 230,000 people. Eric Baugher, DMD, of Central Virginia Orthodontics, invited Summer Sawyer, DMD of Children’s Dental Health of Lynchburg to join the medical missions team he has served with for many years. The professionals are scheduled to once again serve the Haitian people in January by providing medical and dental care. This will be Dr. Sawyer’s first medical missions trip. Dr. Sawyer explains, “I feel like my heart might be crushed when I see the severe devastation of the area. I feel if I can help alleviate pain—for even one person—I’m helping. I am excited to make even a small difference.”
CHALLENGES • Not enough optometrists and dentists to meet demand • Costs to transport textbooks and supplies • Costs of medicines • Need for modern equipment • Entering customs with medication • Little known about history of patients • Dialect of English used
The team cannot provide optimal treatment simply due to lack of resources, but the goal is to help the people return to a healthier status. The dentists will perform mostly extractions, removing painful rotting teeth. Other simple procedures may include gum probes, plaque removal and small filling. The towns of Gobert and Le Borgne will be the team’s primary destinations. Although other areas of Haiti were initially greatly impacted by the earthquake, many smaller towns continue to struggle with poverty and lack adequate healthcare facilities. “I feel like I will get so much experience by working in those [less than ideal] conditions. Missions work really benefits both sides in many cases,” shares Dr. Sawyer. Often the intrinsic rewards of helping those less fortunate far outweighs the sacrifices made.
Why traverse geographic and political boundaries to aid the people of another country? The answer for some can be as simple as making the choice to serve humanity—regardless of borders.
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