Bronx Events: Health Fairs & Screenings

It's National Health Center Week, and Bronx Community Health Network (BCHN) will be hosting a number of events at 10 Bronx locations to commemorate the occasion and raise public awareness about the health services they offer.

There will be a health fair tomorrow at Poe Park (Grand Concourse and East 192nd Street) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring free health screenings and health information, interactive physical activity, nutrition demonstrations, and gifts.

On Wednesday, BCHN will offer free breast cancer screenings for women over 40 who have not had a mammogram in the last year. This will take place at the Comprehensive Health Care Center, 305 East 161st St., from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The group will also be hosting a number of informational sessions throughout the week at varying locations, on issues like childhood asthma and smoking cessation; a full list of events and topics can be found here.

To find out more about BCHN and its events for the National Health Center Week, contact Renee Whiskey at 718-405-4993, rwhiskey@bchnhealth.org or go to www.bchnhealth.org.

Bronx Health: Sarcoma Walk in VC Park Raises Nearly 15k

[PHOTO: Young Sarcoma patients, family members, and the pediatric hematology/oncology team at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore gathered on the track at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday at the start of CHAM's Stomp Out of Sarcoma event.]

Held last weekend at Van Cortland Park, this year's "Stomp Out Sarcoma Walk," hosted by the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, raised nearly $15,000 for awareness and medical research.

Sarcoma is a form of cancer that develops from bone or muscle, according to the American Cancer Society. It occurs more commonly in children, with Sarcoma representing 15 to 20 percent of childhood cancer diagnoses and one percent of adult cancer diagnoses.

More than 80 patients, family members and hospital staff participated, making it the largest Stomp Out Sarcoma event yet, Montefiore officials said.

This is the fifth year the Children's Hospital at Montefiore has held a Sarcoma walk, according to the hospital.

[PHOTO: Bronx resident Preston Cohen, 14, who was successfully treated for osteosarcoma at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, describes his experience during the fifth annual Stomp Out Sarcoma walk sponsored by CHAM's Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. The walk is held annually to raise awareness and funding for research to cure sarcoma, a cancer of the bones and tissues.]

Bronx Health: Senator Looks to Shed Pounds, Promote Healthy Living

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Story and Photos by Fausto Giovanny Pinto

Dressed in Rocky-esque training attire — hooded sweatshirt, jogging pants and sneakers — State Senator Gustavo Rivera walked into the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center and challenged himself to a weigh-in.

Rivera was joined by Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. (sans workout attire) and numerous organizations, to launch the Bronx CAN Health Initiative.

CAN, which stands for Change Attitudes Now, looks to promote a healthier lifestyle among Bronxites, who often rank last on health polls. To help promote the initiative, which will encourage Bronxites to set healthy goals, Rivera said his goal was to lose 20 pounds by the end of the summer without using any gimmicky diet or workout program.

Bronx Health: Free Prostate Cancer Exams

Montefiore Medical Center will be offering free prostate cancer tests for all men 40 and over at the following times and locations:
Wednesday, June 22, 4 to 7 p.m.
Moses Division, Gold Zone, Ambulatory Oncology
111 East 210th Street

Thursday, June 23 4 to 7 p.m.
Montefiore Medical Park
1695 Eastchester Road, 1st Floor

Friday, June 24, 1 to 5 p.m.
1521 Jarret Place, 1st Floor

According to the latest statistics available from the Center for Disease Control, nearly 30,000 men in the United States died from prostate cancer in 2007.

For more information, contact Montefiore's Office of Community Relations, (718) 920-7744.

Startling Statistics Put Focus on Latina Suicides

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in the latest issue of the Norwood News, out now. 

Health care professionals and the city’s elected officials are looking for ways to tackle the daunting problem of teen suicides, as data from several sources shows that Hispanic teenagers, especially young Latinas, are disproportionately at risk for self-harm compared to other racial groups.

In the Bronx, 15.3 percent of Latina teenagers reported having attempted suicide in a 2009 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which looked at youth behavior (numbers in Staten Island and Brooklyn were even higher).

City data shows the same disturbing trend: according to a 2008 report from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 46 percent of Hispanic teenage girls polled reported feelings of “persistent sadness.”

“It’s pretty startling across the board,” said Alan Ross, executive director for the Samaritans of New York, a nonprofit suicide prevention organization that also runs a 24-hour emergency hotline.

New Children's Health Center Opens in the South Bronx

Employees from the Children's Hospital at Montefiore and Children's Health Fund, along with elected officials, cut the ribbon on their new site on Monday. (Photo by Monika Graff)

A medical clinic that will focus on the effects of stress on childrens' health opened in the South Bronx on Monday, at 890 Prospect Ave.

The Center for Child Health and Resilience is the joint effort of the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center and Children's Health Fund, a pediatric mobile healthcare provider for low-income families.

According to a  press release, the clinic will look to address health disparities that affect South Bronx children--including high rates of obesity and diabetes--by trying to manage stress factors that lead to such  health problems over the long term. Services like parent education programs and stress management workshops will be offered in addition to regular doctor visits.

Bronx Health: Caregiver Fair This Saturday and Upcoming Public Baby Shower

Caregiver Resource Fair
Bronx Borough President Rubin Diaz Jr., Emblem Health, and Presbyterian Senior Services will be holding a Family Caregiver Resource Fair on May 21 at PSS/WSF Grandparent Family Apartments (Lower Level), 951 Prospect Ave. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In case you were wondering whether you're a family caregiver, here's the broad definition. You are a Family Caregiver if you: provide unpaid assistance to a spouse, partner, relative or friend who is ill, disabled or needs help with basic activities of daily living, make frequent calls to check in on a loved one, prepare meals for someone, provide transportation for doctor’s appointments, shopping or recreation, assist with bathing, dressing or feeding, assist with bill paying and other financial affairs, monitor medication intake, prepare medications or assist with administration, help someone with household chores and repairs, or coordinate someone’s medical care.


Save the Date: Bronx/Westchester Public Baby Shower
Pregnant women from the Bronx and Westchester counties are invited to a free open house two weeks from tomorrow. Baby Shower Saturday June 4, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Union Community Health Center, 260 East 188th St., at Valentine Avenue (1 block east of Grand Concourse; 1 block south of Fordham Road) Come learn about the Stork’s Nest, a free, prenatal education program. Refreshments will be served. Free gifts for all pregnant women. To RSVP or for more information on the Stork’s Nest call (866) 841-9139, ext. 1121.

Health Conference Looks to Improve Care For Transgender Community

Freddy Molano and Catherine Abate (right) of Community
Healthcare Network, with transgender activist
Ashley Love, at last week's conference.
(Photo courtesy Community Healthcare Network)

On Friday, health care providers and transgender advocates gathered at Lincoln Hospital for a day of discussions on the specific health needs of the borough's transgender population--a group organizers say is often overlooked by the medical community at large.

The event was hosted by the nonprofit health care provider Community Healthcare Network and the Bronx Pride Center, the borough's only LGBT advocacy organization.

"Bringing together over 150 service providers and consumers has put transgender health on the health agenda for the Borough," said Bronx Pride director Dirk McCall. "We look forward to taking the next steps towards full equality for the transgender community."

Advocates say the transgender population has a unique set of health needs and faces several barriers when it comes to accessing proper care, including a lack of health insurance, using street hormones, self medicating, and significantly higher rates of HIV/AIDS infection.

Bronx Health: National Survey to Give Borough a Checkup

Editor's note: This story first appeared in the last print edition of the Norwood News. 

By Jeanmarie Evelly

For the first time in more than 20 years, a national study that measures the health and nutrition status of Americans across the country has set its sights on the Bronx, which is consistently ranked as one of the unhealthiest counties in the nation.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surveys 6,500 residents from 15 counties across the nation each year. The data gathered is meant to provide a snapshot of the country’s health and is used by legislators and officials to influence health programs and policies.

“It’s kind of like a health report card for the nation,” said senior study manager Nora Martinello.

Staff from the CDC started knocking on doors across the Bronx last week to conduct health interviews at a random sampling of addresses. Starting in the middle of May, about 500 chosen residents will undergo full, confidential medical exams from a team of survey physicians, dentists, nutritionists, and lab technicians. NHANES last came to the Bronx in 1982, Martinello said. The CDC has set up shop in a number of mobile examination trailers on West Kingsbridge Road, on the campus of the James J. Peter VA Medical Center.

“It’s really impressive to see what we can do inside four tractor trailers,” she said.

Sen. Gillibrand Visits Bronx Health Fair

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand checks out a display on healthy snack foods at Montefiore Medical Center.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made a stop in the Bronx this morning to attend a "healthy eating" fair at Montefiore Children's  Hospital in Norwood.

The senator took a quick tour of several booths set up in the hospital's lobby, where staff presented visitors with nutritional information and tips for eating healthier.

"This display is all about nutrition," said Gillibrand, who sits on the Senate's Agriculture and Nutrition Committee, the first New York representative to do so for nearly four decades. She's sponsored legislation to ban trans-fats in school lunches and increase funding for child fitness programs.

"Too many of our children are obese," she told reporters on her visit today. "We need to do much better."

The Bronx has some of the bleakest obesity statistics in the State. According to a 2009 report from Gillibrand's office, 62.7 percent of Bronx County adults are overweight or obese. In the South Bronx, a third of pre-schoolers enrolled in the city's Head Start program are obese.

Today's healthy eating fair was sponsored by Montefiore as part of the medical center's "Food Education Project," a series of seminars and events that aim to improve the community's eating habits by offering healthy recipes and nutritional tips.

Bronx's Largest Employer, Montefiore, Expands No Smoking Policy (Video)

New signage prominently displays Monte's new expanded No Smoking policy. (A. Kratz)

 Editor's note: this article was first published in the most recent edition of the Norwood News, which is out on streets and online now. 
 
Like many longtime smokers, Jarrel Jackson wants to quit smoking. Fortunately for his sake, so does Montefiore Medical Center, his employer and the largest employer in the Bronx, which recently expanded its No Smoking zones and is now offering smoking cessation resources for its employees.

The new policy, Montefiore officials say, is part of a larger, comprehensive healthy living strategy, one that would affect a population even greater than the medical center’s nearly 18,000 employees.

“Montefiore is not one big hospital,” said Dr. Steven M. Safyer, Montefiore’s president and CEO. “It exists in 100 sites, including three campuses and a vast ambulatory care network. We wanted to do this for our associates, patients and visitors in every venue. We need to encourage people to quit and diminish temptation for those who want to smoke.”

At a press conference last month (see video below) on national Kick Butts Day, March 23, Safyer said he could remember a time when doctors and other employees not only smoked outside of the buildings, but in the buildings.

Untitled from Alex Kratz on Vimeo.

Discovery High School Scores Wellness Award

Discovery High School students and science teacher Steve Ritz (right) serve home-grown vegetables at a luncheon last spring. (Photo by G. Ciliberto)

Congrats to students and teachers at Discovery High School, in Kingsbridge Heights, for scoring an "Excellence in School Wellness Award" from the Strategic Alliance for Health--the first public school in New York City to win the prize.

Students at Discovery have spent the past several years, under the guidance of gardening guru and science teacher Steve Ritz, cultivating their own on-premise organic herb and vegetable gardens. The students have hosted green cafeteria luncheons and farmer's markets and donated their homegrown produce to local soup kitchens.

Last fall, the group built garden installations---complete with their own irrigation systems--for the NBC Experience Store, on 49th Street in Manhattan.

According to a press release, the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health chose Discovery "because it offers schools an innovative and successful model for breaking the cycle of poor eating habits by providing instant access to healthy produce."

An awards ceremony will be hosted by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on Tuesday April 12, at the Main Rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall starting at 11 a.m.

Bronx Events: St. Barnabas Hospital Blood Drive, Today

Councilman Joel Rivera, St. Barnabas Hospital and the New York Blood Center are hosting a community blood drive at the hospital's Hemodialysis Unit, at 451 Third Avenue, until 5:45 p.m. today.

From the press release:
The need for blood is constant. New York Blood Center alone requires over 2,000 volunteer blood donations each day to meet the transfusion needs of patients in close to 200 New York and New Jersey hospitals. Each donation of blood can help save 3 lives following component into red cell, platelet, and plasma separation. Car accident and trauma victims may need as many as 50 or more red cell transfusions.


More details on this and other Bronx events can be found in our community calendar, below.

Editor's note: What did we miss? Send details to bronxnewsnetwork[at]gmail.com.

A Year After Tragedy, Megan Charlop's Work Endures

It's been exactly one year since our good friend and colleague Megan Charlop (she was a good friend and colleague of many, many people) died in a tragic accident while biking to PS 55 to plan a summer camp fair. From what I can recall it was a gorgeous pre-spring day much like today. She is still deeply missed but we are glad to bring you this report from the Norwood News about her incredible work in public and community health and those that seek to continue it.

Health Watch: Maternity Forum, Free Cancer Screenings

A few health-related happenings we wanted to let our readers know about.

Maternity Forum: Tomorrow, the Regional Perinatal Forum, made of up The Bronx Health Link, Montefiore Medical Center, and Jacobi Hospital, is hosting a "Patients as Partners" forum at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine focusing on pregnancy and maternity care. Physicians and other health experts will offer practical tips for women on safeguarding health before pregnancy, self-managing illnesses, and choosing and working with physicians before and after giving birth. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lubin Hall, 1200 Van Nest Avenue. To register for the forum or for more information, contact Melissa Vega at (718) 904-4105.

Free Cancer Screenings: On another note, the Cancer Services Program of Bronx County asked if we could help spread the word about their free cervical, breast, colorectal cancer screenings services for eligible residents without health insurance. See the flyer below for more or call (718) 547-5064 x 2114.

Bronx News Roundup, March 1

Welcome to March, everyone. We made it through a bizarre, quick, cold February and I don't know about you, but I feel one step closer spring! The first day of the month will be sunny and cool, with temperatures reaching freezing levels tonight and then fluctuating wildly throughout the rest of the week.

Story of the Day:
Fantastic story and video on Riverdale's own Mr. Mummy, Bob Brier, an Egyptologist who has dedicated his life -- and three consecutive apartments -- to collecting what he calls "Egyptomania." Brier, 67, a world-renowned mummy researcher, has amassed countless Egypt- and mummy-related items, "a collection that runs the gamut, from rare artifacts to dime-store kitsch, from authentic mummy parts to pop culture merchandise," writes the Times' Corey Kilganon. Brier once sent his daughter to school with a mummified cat and says (jokingly?) that he'll be buried with all his Egyptomania.

Quick Hits:
The Visiting Nurse Service of New York is testing out a new smart phone app with young diabetes patients in the Bronx and Manhattan. The app is designed to help them manage the disease.

The City Council is considering legislation that would regulate so-called "crisis pregnancy centers," which seek to deter women from having abortions. The Bronx has the highest rate of aborted pregnancies -- 48% -- of any borough.

An insurance company is threatening to pull the plug on coverage for obstetricians at Bronx-Lebananon Hospital, which delivers some 2,700 babies each year.

ABC goes behind the scenes with the Bronx warrant squad. Here's the video:


Looks like city and state officials getting serious about keeping the Hunts Market in the Bronx. Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said last week he was confident a deal would get done.

Big heroin bust on Bronx Park East.

Bronx businesses and cultural institutions are gearing up for the return of Yankees baseball on March 31.

Pregones Theater will be celebrating Latin music and dance all month long.

Editor's note: Did we miss anything? Have a news tip for the Bronx News Network? E-mail us at bronxnewsnetwork@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 13

Two teenagers were shot, one fatally, inside a deli on Westchester and Wheeler Avenues in Bronx River early this morning. One victim, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene while another 19-year-old is in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center.

This spat of youth violence comes just days after another boy, 14-year-old Philip Johnson, was shot to death in Williamsbridge Monday night during a fight organized by two groups of feuding teenagers via text message.

More bad health news for the borough: the Bronx had the worst health stats almost across the board in 2009 compared to other parts of the city (with the exception of heart disease, which is most prevalent in Brooklyn).

So far, Sen. Jeff Klein and the three other Democrats who split from the party's conference last week have been denied spots on any Senate committees, though the Republicans can still dole out assignments to them and other Democrats (here's a list of committee assignments Democratic leader John Sampson released a few days ago).

Former NFL star and Giants player Lawrence Taylor is fighting charges that he paid a 16-year-old Bronx girl for sex. Taylor has rejected a plea deal, and could go to trial this month.

More controversy over plans to build a 911 call center on Pelham Parkway, which city Controller John Liu has called out for wasteful spending and the fact that the project is way over budget.

David Gonzalez takes a look at the work of Bronx-native photographer Martin Cohen, in a post for the Times' Lens Blog.

A Bronx man who was hired to shovel snow outside of a Department of Sanitation garage in Inwood fell through a metal sidewalk grate, suffering a head injury. Eric Pagan, 20, was in stable condition yesterday at Harlem Hospital.

Montefiore doctor Alexandra Bastien looks back on her trip to Haiti to help out after the earthquake. The one year anniversary of the disaster was yesterday.

Two people were injured during a fire that broke out yesterday in the basement of an apartment building in Claremont.

Computers that were stolen this summer during a burglary at PS 35 were replaced this month, after HPD and non-profit housing developer Blue Sea Development organized a computer drive for the school.

Free Flu Shot Vouchers for District 14 Residents

For those of you who want to avoid the flu this winter season (and don't we all?), Councilman Fernando Cabrera's office is providing vouchers for free flu shots to 100 residents in his district on a first come, first serve basis. To be eligible, you must be over 18 years of age, uninsured, and live in the 14th City Council District--i.e. Fordham, Kingsbridge, and Morris Heights. Here's a map of the district courtesy of Gotham Gazette.

Here's some information from the press release: "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu is a contagious respiratory illness that can result in death. People who are at high risk to develop flu conditions include; young children, older adults, and people with certain health conditions such as asthma. The best way to avoid catching the flu is to get vaccinated each year."

For more information, contact Community Liaison Anthony Springer at Cabrera's office: (347) 590-2878

The Bronx is in the House -- The White House; NYBG President Gregory Long and Community Garden Activist Karen Washington Accept Award

New York Botanical Garden President Gregory Long and long-time community garden activist Karen Washington were guests at the White House on Friday, where Michelle Obama "presented the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Services to The New York Botanical Garden and nine other cultural institutions. The NYBG was also singled out for its contribution to international cultural understanding."

Here's more of what the First Lady said:

"While some of your work may be national in scope," said the first lady in her opening remarks, "ultimately your most powerful impact is local ... For example, The New York Botanical Garden started the Bronx Green-Up revitalization program, and they helped plant hundreds of school and community gardens in struggling neighborhoods so that families could grow their own fresh produce."

For more information about the Garden of Happiness, founded by Karen Washington on an eyesore of a vacant lot across from her home on Prospect Avenue, or Bronx community gardens in general, check out our stories in the Tremont Tribune, by clicking here, here and here.

Congrats to the NYBG and to Washington, who serves on their board and is a Home Care aide at Montefiore Medical Center.

Q & A with David Lehmann of the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership

David Lehmann, the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership's program manager (photo by Jeanmarie Evelly)

[Ed. note: This article appeared in the latest issue of the Tremont Tribune.]

Interview by JEANMARIE EVELLY

David Lehmann, a longtime worker in the public health field, heads the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership, a program funded by the State Department of Health and Human Services and based at 1826 Arthur Ave. The Partnership works with community groups and organizations throughout the Bronx to prevent young people from smoking and to shape public policy against the tobacco industry. Earlier this month, the Tremont Tribune sat down with Lehmann to get his take on cigarettes and smoking in our community.

How long has the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership been on Arthur Avenue?

The grant came through from the health department last January, but we officially launched in May of this year during the Borough President’s Bronx Week. So we’re sort of the new kids on the block.

What were you doing before you came to the Bronx?

I worked for the American Cancer Society—I retired for a year before I decided that I missed tobacco control. I’ve worked in tobacco control for 25 years.

What does the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership do?

Tobacco use is still the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, and our main focus is keeping our youth smoke free, and creating more smoke-free environments. The City Council has introduced a bill that would prohibit smoking in parks and beaches, and almost all of our Bronx representatives have signed on as supporter. The Bronx has more parks and beaches than any other borough, so that would really transform the landscape here.

One of our other campaigns is our “point of sale,” campaign—we’re trying to get local merchants to either stop selling tobacco or to at least reduce the visibility where they place cigarettes.