Pocono Living Magazine and Pocono Family Magazine, two regional publications filled with articles, features and photography exploring and capturing the real Pocono Mountains living experience.
Our publications can be found at many locations throughout the Pocono Mountains region, and are available by subscription.
PUBLISHING
Pocono Living Magazine© & Pocono Family Magazine©
1929 North 5th Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
570-424-1000 pmags@ptd.net www.poconomagazines.com
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Larry R. Sebring
larry@poconomagazines.com
ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES
larry@poconomagazines.com
MAGAZINE & WEB DESIGN
Smart Blonde Creative
Food & Wine Editor
Jamie Marra
PHOTOGRAPHY & ART
John Anzivino
Gayle C. Brooke
Ray Caswell
Pat Coyle
Randall FitzGerald
Ashley Hall
Maurice Harmon
Susan Hartman
Marlana Holsten
Ann H. LeFevre
Barbara Lewis
Marie Liu
Harry Loud
Regina Matarazzo
Janet Mishkin
John L. Moore
Michael Murphy
Justine Nearhood
Roseanna Santaniello
Tom Stone
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kimberly Blaker
Roseanne Bottone
Kathy Dubin-Uhler
Sandra Gordon Tanni Haas
Rebecca Hasting
Amanda Kuhn
Amy Leiser
Marie Liu
Sara Lyons
Jamie Marra
Suzanne McCool
Janet Mishkin
John L. Moore
Allison Mowatt
Jim Werkheiser
Kim Williams
Marty Wilson
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
Kristen Sebring
Linda Spalluto
PROUD MEMBERS OF
When it comes to choosing cancer care, choose the team you can trust. The best team of experts with complete services and the finest facilities. At St. Luke’s, we deliver world class cancer care with personalized treatment plans. From superior radiation therapy and state of the art infusion technology to groundbreaking clinical trials. We give you hope with unparalleled compassion and support. Right here. All in one location.
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
― Lauren DeStefano
> Photo by Maurice Harmon
October/November 2024
6 Pocono Living Magazine’s 2024 Photography Contest
58 Leading-Edge Cancer Care at LVH Pocono
60 Pocono Heritage Land Trust Celebrating 40 Years
By Lynne Shelly
HONORABLE MENTION
By Maurice Harmon •
HONORABLE MENTION
By Lynn Prior
By Michael Shelly
By Jennifer Ristine • NIKON D3500
Celebrate the holidays surrounded by great company and even better cuisine in the Pocono Mountains. From romantic dinners by candlelight to farm-to-table experiences, our local chefs are serving up something for every palate. Visit PoconoMountains.com to see all of our mouth-watering dining options and make your reservation.
By Michael Shelly
By Sherwood Samet
By Michael Shelly
By Sherwood Samet
Ask Tomas Urena about his experience dealing with breast cancer and pancreatic cancer at the same time, and he’ll tell you what happened to him was “a miracle.”
A vigorous 80-year-old from East Stroudsburg, Urena went to the dermatologist for a skin rash on his chest that turned out to be breast cancer. A subsequent scan determined that he also had cancer in his pancreas, which can be very aggressive and fatal if not treated quickly.
Facing delays at another health network, he turned to Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono. He underwent surgery for both his breast and pancreatic cancer on the same day.
“It’s unusual to do both surgeries at once, but he had both cancers and I did not want to delay his care for either one,” says Jacqueline Oxenberg, DO, a surgical oncologist. She did the breast surgery first, then removed the cancer from his pancreas robotically. Both operations together took about five hours.
Robotic surgery has many advantages for patients, including less pain, less blood loss and quicker recovery.
Breast cancer in men is rare in itself – less than 1 percent of all breast cancers detected – and Urena had an even rarer form of breast cancer called Paget’s disease. It appears as a skin rash and is diagnosed with a biopsy, Dr. Oxenberg says.
The fact that he had no clue about his pancreatic cancer, and that it was detected while he was being evaluated for breast cancer, “was a miracle,” Urena says.
Tomas Urena Cancer survivor
“Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat,” says Dan Popescu, MD, the hematologist/ medical oncologist who oversaw Urena’s chemotherapy. “He has tolerated the chemotherapy well despite his age. His latest CT scan does not show any cancer. This is great news.”
Treating a patient for cancer is a complex balance, according to Dr. Popescu: part aggressive chemotherapy and part support and encouragement. “Hope, positive attitude and emotional connection are very important,” Dr. Popescu says. “His faith, prayer and family love also give him strength.”
Urena, a father of four with eight grandchildren, has made a full recovery and looks forward to traveling and exploring what’s next in his life.
Urena praises the nurses and other staff for the care he received.
“I could tell that they really cared about me, and wanted to see me happy and comfortable,” he says.
Dr. Popescu and his chemotherapy team have provided excellent care, Urena says. Dr. Oxenberg, he says, “gave me confidence. She really made it easy for me as a patient. She is my angel who fell from the sky.”
By Louise Troutman
Pocono Heritage Land Trust (PHLT) is celebrating a monumental milestone in 2024: four decades dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural beauty of the Pocono Mountains. Established in 1984, this non-profit organization has become a stalwart guardian of the region's rich landscape, ensuring the serene woodlands, pristine waters, and diverse wildlife habitats of our region will continue to thrive for future generations.
The Poconos have long been a beloved destination for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. As development pressure increased over the years, so did the need for vigilant conservation efforts. PHLT stepped up to meet this challenge with its mission to safeguard the area's environmental treasures. From its humble beginnings, Pocono Heritage Land Trust has grown into a formidable force for land conservation, acquiring, managing, and protecting over 5,000 acres of critical natural areas, including several high-priority properties that are home to rare species. The trust has also made significant strides in protecting the region's
waterways. The preservation of key riparian zones along the Paradise, Pocono, Brodhead, Jonas and McMichaels creeks has been crucial in maintaining water quality and supporting aquatic life. PHLT’s achievements over the past 40 years are a testament to its commitment and impact: to date, PHLT has 12 nature preserves that are open to the public, dawn to dusk, free of charge, every day, with a 13th underway.
PHLT’s office is located inside the Brodhead Creek Heritage Center at ForEvergreen Nature Preserve on the former Penn Hills golf course property in Analomink. The center hosts programs and events that engage the community and foster a deeper connection to the natural world. It stands as a symbol of PHLT’s broader mission to not only protect land but also promote environmental stewardship and awareness. The organization actively collaborates with local communities, government, and other conservation groups to advocate for sustainable land use practices and to address environmental
challenges. Its outreach programs and volunteer opportunities empower individuals to contribute to conservation efforts, fostering a shared sense of responsibility for the region's natural resources.
PHLT celebrates 40 years by reflecting on past accomplishments and looking forward to future challenges. The organization is committed to continuing its vital work, addressing emerging environmental issues and expanding conservation efforts to permanently protect even more of the Poconos, including the creation of additional trails for public recreation.
The 40th anniversary celebration is not just a moment of reflection but also a call to action. PHLT invites the community to join in its mission, whether through volunteering, donating, or attending educational programs. The trust's work is a collective effort, and successes are a reflection of the support and engagement of community members who share a passion for preserving the beauty of our region. To volunteer with PHLT, contact the land trust at info@phlt.org or 570-424-1514.
Louise Troutman is a longtime environmentalist who is passionate about preserving the exceptional landscape and rural character of the Poconos. She believes strongly that volunteering can make a positive difference. As a dedicated, community-minded public servant, Louise served six years as a Paradise Twp. Supervisor. She has also volunteered for numerous committees and non-profits: Paradise Parks & Recreation, Regional Open Space and the Pocono Area Recreation Commission. Louise served on Paradise Township’s Environmental Advisory Council for four years, helping to pass a municipal open space referendum. She currently sits on the Paradise Township Zoning Hearing Board.
Louise joined Pocono Heritage Land Trust as a board member in 2010 after the land trust protected a large undeveloped property near her home, which became the Kurmes Nature Preserve. Impressed with what the small, energetic organization had accomplished, Louise served two terms as a board member. She proudly rejoined the organization as an employee in 2018 when the Executive Director position became available. Prior to joining PHLT, Louise had a private-sector career in telecommunications and also managed her husband’s landscaping company.
Louise and her family enjoy hiking the many beautiful preserved properties in Monroe county, including PHLT’s Kurmes Preserve and Fieldstone Farm Preserve, both of which are within walking distance of her home.
Tomas Urena Cancer survivor
Tomas underwent surgery for not one, but two cancers on the same day. He praises his care team at Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center, part of Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, the only local member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance for saving his life. Whether it’s access to leading-edge treatment or the most advanced clinical trials, LVH–Pocono delivers world-class cancer care close to home.
LVHN.org/PoconoCancer | 888-402-LVHN