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DelGaudio
Dzurishin
Mohyuddin
Mussari
Pate-Schloder
Pourmoghadam
Veluswamy
LUZERNE COUNTY – The Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross hosts community blood drives throughout the month.
Donors who are 16 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in relatively good health may give blood every 56 days.
To find out how to donate or to schedule a blood donation, call (800) GIVE-LIFE.
In addition to those listed below, blood drives are conducted at the Red Cross regional blood center, 29 New Commerce Blvd., Hanover Industrial Park, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 1-6 p.m. and Thursdays, 1-7 p.m. Collections also take place every Monday from 9 a.m.-noon at the Hazleton Chapter House, 165 Susquehanna Blvd., Hazleton.
For a complete donation schedule, visit nepagivelife.org or call (800) GIVE-LIFE, extension 2150. Area blood donation sites include:
• Wednesday 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Old Route 118, Lehman Township.
• April 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Luzerne County Courthouse, North River Street, Wilkes-Barre.
• April 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Luzerne County Community College, Prospect Street and Middle Road, Nanticoke.
• April 8, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Genetti’s Best Western Hotel & Convention Center, 77 E. Market St., Wilkes-Barre.
DANVILLE — Geisinger recently launched www.PAVetFamilyWeb.com for Pennsylvania families who are coping with military separations and multiple deployments of a service member as well as caregivers, wounded warriors, service members and military veterans.
Sponsored by Passport Health Communications Inc. and powered by PenTeleData, the site includes community resources, maps of Pennsylvania’s Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, insights from professionals who can address family issues and tips from family members who are coping with deployments. Veterans and military family members are invited to discuss relevant topics regarding deployment and post-deployment issues on the site’s bulletin board. With this informal resource and forum, the Web site’s creators hope to create a virtual community where military families can share their life experiences and offer advice and guidance from the veterans’ and families’ points of view.
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Luzerne County Community College nursing students will hold a free Community Health Fair from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today at the Wyoming Valley Mall (across from CVS). The students will provide free blood pressure screenings and information will be available regarding MRSA, sexually transmitted diseases, healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and the LCCC nursing program.
LUZERNE COUNTY — The Lupus Foundation of PA will celebrate Lupus Alert Day by offering free Lupus screenings from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday at various locations throughout the area. Lupus is a serious, life-threatening autoimmune disease that strikes mostly young women ages 15-44. Symptoms include painful or swollen joints; prolonged fevers; extreme fatigue; skin rashes; sensitivity to sunlight and chest pain. To locate a screening site near you, call (888) 99-LUPUS or visit www.lupuspa.org.
WILKES-BARRE – Wyoming Valley Children’s Association is now accepting referrals for its orthopedic clinic, which will be held on April 9 at the Volunteers in Medicine Building, 190 N. Pennsylvania Ave.
The clinic, which was begun in 1924, provides evaluations, recommendations and follow-up services for children and adolescents up to 21 years of age. Held six times a year, the clinic is staffed by Dr. John Parenti, director of the department of orthopedics at Geisinger Medical Center, and is funded, in part, by the Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
For more information or to make an appointment, call Elfriede Turner at 714-1246.
SWOYERSVILLE — The Kiwanis Club of Swoyersville will conduct its annual metathasic blood analysis blood screening on Saturday, April 10 at Andrew Lawrence American Legion Post 644, 259 Shoemaker St. Cost is $40 for the test, which screens more than 30 profiles including kidney, liver, cholesterol and diabetes. For more information and appointments, call (800) 234-8888.
EDWARDSVILLE — The Wyoming Valley Chapter of the Senior Circle Association will welcome local author and television producer Tony Mussari, Ph.D, as the featured presenter at its monthly meeting 10:30 a.m. on April 12 at the Thomas P. Saxton Medical Pavilion, 468 Northampton St.
Mussari will recount his experiences as an open-heart surgery patient at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, as chronicled in his recent book, “Step Into My Heart: Heart Disease and Open-Heart Surgery, My New Best Friends.”
VNA Home Health & Hospice of Northeast PA will provide free blood pressure and respiratory checkups. Attendees can also bring a list of their current prescription and non-prescription medications to receive a free medication review from the Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Nursing. Reservations are requested by calling the Senior Circle office at 552-5050.
WILKES-BARRE — T.G.I. Friday’s restaurant, owned by the Metz Group, will hold Autism Family Night from 6-8 p.m. on April 20 at its Kidder Street location. Families affected by autism can enjoy a relaxing family dinner without feeling stigmatized.
Because this is not a closed event, the restaurant is introducing all of its guests that evening to the topic of autism, through informational literature and posters and also through the experience of dining in a setting that includes autistic children.
During the event, the Metz Group-owned restaurant will have the volume on the music a bit lower and the lighting a bit softer, as to not overwhelm the children and cause them to act out.
EDWARDSVILLE — The Wyoming Valley Chapter of the Senior Circle Association will welcome urologist Dr. Walter DelGaudio for a presentation at noon on April 23 at the Thomas P. Saxton Medical Pavilion, 468 Northampton St.
DelGaudio will discuss the causes, risk factors and treatments for prostate cancer. He will also discuss the newest technology available to treat prostate cancer patients in the Wyoming Valley – Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s new da Vinci Robotic Surgery System. A question and answer period will follow.
Reservations are requested by calling the Senior Circle office at 552-5050.
HEALTH PEOPLE
Dr. Kamal K. Pourmoghadam, director of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery for Geisinger Health System, recently became one of the first surgeons in the country to achieve subspecialty certification in congenital heart surgery after passing an examination administered by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Congenital heart surgery is a procedure to correct congenital heart defects, which are structural problems in the heart that can range from small holes between heart chambers to the absence of entire chambers or valves in the heart.
Dr. Yaqoob Mohyuddin, a fellow in cardiology at the Hazleton Health and Wellness Center, recently became board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease. Mohyuddin received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, North Carolina. He is a diplomat in the National Board of Echocardiography and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Paula Pate-Schloder, M.S., associate professor of medical imaging at Misericordia University, was recently elected president-elect of the Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences. The association is one of the largest organizations for imaging and radiologic science educators, representing educators from the United States, Canada and countries abroad.
Joe Dzurishin, of Hazleton, a registered and licensed occupational therapist at John Heinz Rehab in Drums, recently received his certification in lymphedema management.
Dr. Ragupathy Veluswamy, vice president and chief medical officer of Wyoming Valley Health Care System, was recently named to the volunteer board of examiners for the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. As a member of the board, Veluswamy will provide advice and guidance to the Baldridge panel of judges in selecting Baldridge Award recipients.
The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award is an annual award that recognizes U.S. businesses, health care organizations, educational institutions and non-profit groups for their quality and performance excellence. It is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency of the Department of Commerce. The award is the only business quality award presented by the President of the United States.