FitSTEPS for Life Grand Opening
February 16, 2010 - The grand opening of a new therapy program
for cancer patients is set to take place on February 18 at Hunt
Regional Medical Center.
The introduction of FitSTEPS for Life will be in conjunction
with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Business after
Hours. The event is free and open to the public.
FitSTEPS for Life is an exercise therapy program aimed at helping
cancer patients receive physical, nutritional and spiritual support.
The program is based on each individual’s specific needs
to help improve their quality of life and survival rate; there
is evidence that patients may improve their survival rate by up
to 50 per cent.
FitSTEPS begins with the patient’s initial assessment
where vital statistics are taken, and the trainers assess the
physical needs of the patient. The first meeting between the trainer
and the patient usually lasts about an hour, and will require
an appointment. To participate in the program, the patient or
cancer survivor must be recommended by a licensed, practicing
physician.
The fitness program uses a mix of cardio and muscle training
to help each patient gain more strength. At Hunt Regional Medical
Center, the FitSTEPS center has treadmills, ellipticals, free
weights and weight machines that meet low impact needs of cancer
patients. Those who use the FitSTEPS center in Greenville will
be coached by Michele Lowe, fitness coordinator and personal trainer,
and Patty Mahler, fitness trainer.
“Our goal is to help each patient achieve a level of confidence
so that they will be able to work on their own in a fitness center,”
Lowe says.
Patients and survivors can benefit from FitSTEPS by improving
muscle tone, strength, endurance and resistance to chronic disease.
The program also helps to enhance independence. The side effects
that sometimes result from chemotherapy are reduced, and the patients
gain more energy leaving them feeling less fatigued. Bone marrow
suppression and the risk of infection are reduced, along with
lowering the patient’s chance of becoming depressed.
FitSTEPS at HRMC was funded by last years “Laughter is
the Best Medicine” gala produced by the Foundation for Good
Health.
When fully operational, the program will be available Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
For more information about FitSTEPS, contact Michele Lowe at
903-408-1886 or log onto the FitSTEPS
website.
Gala a "resounding success"
February 12, 2010 – Proceeds from the 5th annual "Laughter
is the Best Medicine" Gala set a record for the event.
Gross revenues from sponsors, tickets, and donations totaled
more than $100,000 which will help support :
- An upgrade in breast biopsy technology that allows even greater
accuracy in locating and diagnosing lesions of the breast
- The FitSTEPS for Life program that offers free physical conditioning,
dietary instruction, and spiritual and psychological support
for cancer patients and survivors
- A "workstation on wheels" that allows patient information
to be collected bedside and stored digitally.
"On behalf of the Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation and
the people of Northeast Texas, I'd like to thank all of our Partners
in Good Health who made the Gala sc uh a resounding success,"
said Foundation Executive Director Jack Gray.
Ron & Julia Wensel were recognized as this year's winners
of the Harold Curtis Friend of the Foundation Award for their
outstanding service as Partners in Good Health.
Gala Photo Gallery
FitSTEPS debuts at Hunt Regional Healthcare
February 10, 2010 – A free exercise program for cancer
patients is coming to Hunt Regional Medical Center.
Fit STEPS for Life will be introduced to the community during
the program’s grand opening on February 18 at 4:30-7 p.m.
in the HRMC Atrium.
Fit STEPS is a fitness and counseling program designed for cancer
survivors and patients currently undergoing cancer treatment.
It includes physical conditioning, dietary counseling, and psychological
and spiritual support for cancer patients. The program was developed
by retired oncologist Dr. Gary Kimmel of the Cancer Foundation
for Life in Tyler, Texas.
Data shows the remarkable benefits of exercise in cancer treatment.
Patients can improve their survival rates by as much as 50% by
exercising during and after treatment.
"I have watched this program grow and touch more and more
lives that are devastated by cancer," said Kimmel. "When
I walk into these centers and I see what’s happening it’s
truly incredible. It’s much more than just exercising. People
who have lost their vitality of life have the opportunity to get
it back. "
The program will be offered free of charge to cancer patients
based on their referral from a licensed physician. Funding for
the program has been made possible by generous donations to the
Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation through support of the Foundation’s
"Laughter is the Best Medicine" Galas.
Foundation Gala shows Laughter is the Best
Medicine!
January 18, 2010 - "Laughter is the Best Medicine"
Gala is "making waves" this year as it helps continue
the fight against cancer on the home front while also providing
new technology for Hunt Regional Community Hospital at Commerce.
The annual comedy fundraiser of the Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation
will be held at 6:30 p.m. February 6 (Saturday) at the Sam Rayburn
Student Center on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Area residents are invited to sign up to take a comedy cruise
on "The Love Boat," the theme for this year’s
event. Tickets are $50 each, and reservations can be made by calling
903-408-1064. Seating is limited, and reservations are being accepted
on a first-come, first-served basis. The evening will begin with
a pre-event reception and includes a catered dinner.
"We’re really excited about the new venue and what
we think is going to be an exceptionally fun theme," said
Barbara Cullen who, along with Tubby Adkisson, is co-chair of
the Foundation’s Special Events Committee and "cruise
directors" for The Love Boat.
"We established the Gala in 2005 with a goal of generating
funds to help address urgent and emerging healthcare needs in
the Hunt County area," said Jack Gray, executive director
of the Foundation.
"We also wanted to make it an event somewhat unique to this
area, offering residents a chance to step out for an evening of
fine dining and good fun.
"To date we’ve raised more than $200,000 in philanthropic
gifts to improve local healthcare, " Gray said. "We
had no way of knowing that the Gala would be so successful. "
The Foundation’s signature event, the Gala uses laughter
as a "cure for what ails you. "
Headlining this year’s event and prompting the belly laughs
will be comedian Mark Mayfield, a comic and corporate entertainer
who has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall
of Fame. He has been praised for "a brand of comedy that
is clean but leaves the audience rolling in the aisles. "
Mayfield’s eclectic career has included employment as a
director of government affairs for a major Midwest corporation,
owner of the most popular nightclub in Kansas City and manager
of his own entertainment company for the past 24 years.
He prides himself on being "one of the five funniest people
in my family. "
"I am looking forward to being part of the Gala," said
Mayfield. "These are the best people in the world –
the givers. We are going to have a good time, " Mayfield
promised.
Directing the flow of the evening’s activities will be celebrity
emcee Dan Jones, president of A&M-Commerce.
"We’re delighted that Dr. Jones accepted our invitation
for the University to become our partner in improving the health
of the people and communities of this area, " said W. D.
Hilton, Jr., chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees.
The invitation was extended to Jones by the Gala’s Commerce
Steering Committee consisting of Foundation board members Bob
Aikin, Bob Clark and Eddie Smith.
Jones, who was named the university’s 11th president nearly
two years ago, came to Commerce from Texas A&M International
University in Laredo.
Past galas have celebrated Mardi Gras and featured magic acts,
stand-up comics and the world’s worst motivational speaker,
all in the name of laughter, according to Gray.
The healthcare industry spends millions – perhaps
billions – of dollars annually on new medications,
new procedures and new technology to improve the health
of Americans.
Well, there’s another remedy to encourage good health
that costs much less.
“We’ve all heard the saying that “laughter
is the best medicine”, but now it’s scientifically
proven,” says Dr. Lee Berk of the Loma Linda School
of Public Health in California.
Research has found clinical evidence that laughter
- Strengthens the immune system by lowering the level
of stress hormones
- Can lower blood pressure
- Reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort
- Reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance
in diabetics
- Can improve job performance, especially in jobs that
have a creative component
- Establishes – or restores – a positive emotional
state and a sense of connection between people.
Now there is hard evidence that laughter also helps our
blood vessels function better by causing them to relax and
expand, increasing blood flow.
And at a recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology,
Michael Miller, M.D., of the University of Maryland, reported
on a study that indicated provoking laughter did as much
good for people’s arteries as aerobics.
So plan now to come on February 6and get your laugh prescription
at Laughter is the Best Medicine, the annual charity gala
of the Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation. |
How the Foundation Gala meets healthcare
needs
"Improving the health of the people and communities we serve
is at the core of Hunt Regional Healthcare’s mission statement,"
notes Richard Carter, CEO of the regional healthcare organization.
The 2010 Foundation Gala will do just that by providing funding
that will address three important local healthcare initiatives:
Previous galas have acquired therapeutic patient recliner chairs,
including bariatric chairs, for both hospital campuses; secured
a life-saving airway crash cart for the E.R. at Hunt Regional
Medical Center, and provided start-up funding for the FitSTEPS
program that will provide complimentary care on a doctor’s
written orders to cancer patients from throughout Northeast Texas.
A & M President to host Gala
January 18, 2010 - As the annual Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation
Gala moves to a new site, there will also be a new face taking
the celebrity emcee’s spot.
Dr. Dan Jones, in his second year as president of Texas A&M
University-Commerce, will serve in a job not foreign to his career
in education.
The Gala is scheduled for Feb. 6 in Commerce on the second floor
of the just completed Sam Rayburn Student Center at Texas A&M
University-Commerce.
Of his latest assignment, the educator says with a laugh, "I’ve
been talking to people for a long time. Sometimes they didn’t
always listen very well. "
"Seriously, I am honored by the invitation from the Foundation.
This is such an important cause, so we will do all we can to ensure
quality healthcare for all of Hunt County and surrounding areas.
"A strong healthcare system also helps the University recruit
top-quality faculty and staff as well as students. Among other
things, it also supports economic development of the area.
"This will be my first Gala – I understand it’s
a very fun event. Having it on campus is good for Commerce and
a great way of showing off our new student center, which has become
more or less the heart of the campus. I think this will be a good
opportunity for some of our civic leaders to see the center for
the first time or at least in this capacity. "
Dr. Jones assumed the presidency of Texas A&M University-Commerce
in July 2008. Prior to that, he served as Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M International University
in Laredo, Texas, from 2003-2008. Academically, his rank is Professor
of English.
Dr. Jones served in several capacities at the University of Houston-Downtown
from 1985 to 2002, and also served as instructor and student publications
advisor at Casper College in Wyoming from 1982-1985.
A native of Bartlesville, Okla., Dr. Jones earned bachelors’
degrees from the University of Texas in English and Magazine Journalism;
a master’s degree in English from Rice University; and,
a master’s degree and Ph.D. in American Studies from the
University of Iowa.
Dr. Jones has published several articles and made numerous presentations
dealing with higher education and popular culture. He and his
wife, Jalinna, have two daughters, Aislinn and Allyson.
A member of the Commerce Rotary Club, Dr. Jones has served on
numerous boards that benefit communities, including Chambers of
Commerce and Project MEND (Medical Equipment Network for the Disabled).
January 5, 2010 - Award winners were announced during the annual
Hunt County Emergency Medical Services First Responders dinner
in December. 
Andrew
Threndyle, center, Emergency Medical Services director for Hunt
Regional Healthcare, presents awards to Michael Sanchez, left,
and Andrew Peters as they are named Mentors of the Year for 2009.
Affiliated
with Baylor Health Care System