Shown with the rocking chair donated to the Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Crown Point Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are, from left: Kathy Podorsek, clinical director of The Birth Place; Toni Gershman, patient care manager, The Birth Place; Carla Huang, of Dyer; Patti Slager and T.J. Slager, of Cedar Lake; Marilyn Derks, of Dyer; and Lori Kemp, a NICU nurse.

The Slagers and their loves ones formed Team Camryn, named for a daughter, who died of heart complications three years ago. They have another son, Brayden, 2.

“We chose St. Anthony because we love it here,” T.J. Slager said. “Both our kids were born here and we plan to have the next one here, too.”

His wife added they “love the nurses and the people” at the hospital.

When the couple learned St. Anthony had opened the NICU nearly a year ago, they decided to donate the chair, to help bring comfort to new parents and babies. Kathy Podorsek, clinical director of the hospital’s The Birth Place (obstetrics unit), said, “We are thankful to Camryn’s Team for thinking of our patients’ comfort. Our moms and dads will find the chair a relaxing place to hold and feed their babies.”

Victor Garcia, March of Dimes Indiana Chapter-Northwest Division director, said six Northwest Indiana teams were represented in the May walk, three of which have decided to donate their chairs to Franciscan St. Anthony.

According to Child Uplift, Inc., less than two percent of students with sleep disorders are identified, treated and corrected.

The Sleep Disorders Center of Franciscan Physicians Hospital, accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, is changing that silence for Northwest Indiana with a new location and pediatric evaluations introduced in February 2012.

Located in the second floor of what was previously Surgical Hospital of Munster, 7847 Calumet Ave., Munster, the Sleep Disorders Center provides a range of pediatric sleep disorders tests, along with their adult testing.

Sleep disturbances can represent highly common phenomena interfering with daily life and causing significant emotional, behavioral and cognitive dysfunction over time. Elevated occurrences of sleep problems in youth often coincide with medical conditions and psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Muhammad Najjar, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center, states “approximately twenty five percent of all children experience some type of sleep problem at some point during childhood, ranging from short-term difficulties in falling asleep to more serious primary sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or narcolepsy.”

Childhood sleep disorders, classified into the categories of dyssomnias, parasomnias and medical-psychiatric disorders, include sleep walking, bedwetting, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and others.

“Sleep is the only priority in our center,” explains Najjar. “We have always aimed to be the best sleep disorders center in Northwest Indiana for adults and children by having a board certified physician and credentialed staff here full-time. We continue to be open seven days a week to address the sleep needs of Northwest Indiana in our new facility.”

For more information, call the Sleep Disorders Center at (219) 836-7535.

Enjoy!

Open House for the new Chesterton Health & Emergency Center
Sunday, March 11, 2012
1 – 5 p.m.

Come and tour the facility – designed for an exceptional patient experience and dedicated to meeting the round-the-clock health needs of your vibrant community:

• Open 24/7
• Shorter wait times
• Expedited services
• Convenient access
• Outpatient diagnostics
• Physician offices

Also, meet Chicago Hall of Famer Dan Hampton from 1 – 4 p.m.! Health screenings, refreshments, raffles and giveaways available.

The new Chesterton Health & Emergency Center is located just east of State Route 49 on Indian Boundary Road in Chesterton.

Join us Wednesday, February 22, for the FranciscanFit monthly Mallwalkers program at the Westfield Southlake Mall (JC Penney Court), 2109 Southlake Mall, Merrillville.

Topic: Body Vive

Blood Pressure Screenings will be available from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

From 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., instructors from Omni Health & Fitness present “Body Vive” – a low-impact, whole body cardio workout. All ages are welcome.

For more information, contact the Franciscan Alliance Health Resource Center at (800) 931-3322.

Now we are pleased to offer a free app for Android users!

Click on the links below to get Franciscan Focus “on the go” – mobile access to news and features about the best and latest services offered at the Franciscan Alliance Northern Indiana hospitals.

The heart-shaped birthmark on Julianna Valencia’s left leg.

Valentine’s Day babies may not be unusual, even those born with red hair. But one born with red hair and a distinctive 1-inch, reddish, heart-shaped birth mark on her left leg?

“In 34 years as a nurse, I have never seen anything like it. Neither has anyone else on our staff,” said Elaine Gianopolus, a Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond Family Birthing Center nurse, about the case of Julianna Valencia, who came into the world at 7:28 a.m. that day at a length of 19.5 inches and weight of 7 pounds, 12 ounces.

The nurse’s feelings were echoed by Suzanne Davidson, a nurse since 1996, who is director of the St. Margaret’s medical-surgery unit and of women and children services.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before; it is very unusual,” she said, adding still other members of the medical staff agreed.

Mother Jessica Valencia and daughter Jessalynn, 3, snuggle with newly arrived Julianna in a room at Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond.

Mother Jessica Valencia, of Hammond, said, “It is so neat that she was born on Valentine’s Day. Just before I saw her, a nurse and my sister-in-law told me,’You’re not going to believe it – she has red hair and a heart on her leg.’”

Valencia’s mother, Lynn Burns, of Valparaiso, said she was ecstatic about the birth her new granddaughter, adding, “She is just a beautiful baby. We are so happy.”

Mother-in-law Bertha Alcantar, of Hammond, called her son Angel’s and daughter-in-law’s new addition, “a love baby,” adding she was conceived during the couple’s honeymoon after their wedding May 27.

The couple has another daughter, Jessalynn, age 3, who spent much of her time during a visit the day after the birth snuggling and holding her new sister.

Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City and the American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive on Friday, February 24, in the hospital’s St. Francis Hall, 301 W. Homer Street, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Most everyone at some point in their lives will meet someone who has received blood products. In the United States, nearly 30 million blood products are transfused to 5 million patients a year. Patients need blood for treatment of cancer and other serious diseases, for organ transplants, and for emergency care related to accidents and trauma. So come out and help save lives by donating blood.

Eligibility Information

• Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.
• Donors may give whole blood up to six times per year or every 56 days, double red cells every 112 days or up to three times per year, and platelets every seven days or up to 24 times a year.
• Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

Please call (219) 877-1421 or (800) RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your blood donation appointment.

Also offered were a chef’s corner, vendors bazaar and other offerings meant to stress health during February, which is American Heart Month.

Among special guests were Maurice Basile, 90, and wife Helen Funk, 101, of Munster, who shared a special fox trot dance to a song done by Jimmy Durante. The couple have been married 14 years and “just love to dance.” They also participate in programs offered in Hammond and in Highland. Both are cancer survivors who believe in living life to the fullest by staying active. They also have taken seven vacation cruises.

For more photos of the event, visit facebook.com/FranciscanNWI.

To become a Spirit of Women member and to register for monthly programs, call (800) 931-3322, or visit FranciscanAlliance.org/SpiritofWomen.

Franciscan Alliance hospitals in Northwest Indiana include, Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Michigan City, Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Crown Point, Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Dyer and Hammond and Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster.