September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a time to learn about risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of this all-too-common cancer affecting men.

A free screening event is offered by The Cancer Center at UM Shore Regional Health on Tuesday, September 25. As part of a clinical trial, this screening is open to men ages 45 or older who have never been screened for prostate cancer, men 40 and older who are either African-American or have a family history of prostate cancer, and men ages 55 to 69 for yearly screening. Uninsured and underinsured individuals are welcome to participate. Register by calling Nina Weisenborn, 410-822-1000, ext. 2300 before September 26, 2023.

In the meantime, learn more from prostate cancer survivor Jon Peterson, of Chestertown, who describes his experience with diagnosis and treatment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkjXIQhDaXk

Choptank Community Health System is joining community partners across the Mid-Shore in standing up against substance abuse this September by participating in the Go Purple movement and building awareness around its substance use disorder and behavioral health services for patients.

Choptank Community Health System provides patients facing substance use disorders with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), which is the use of medications in combination with counseling to treat substance use disorders.

The individually tailored program is offered at Choptank Health’s St. Michaels, Cambridge, Chestertown, Denton, Easton, Goldsboro, and Federalsburg locations and is primarily used for the treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders. Patients also have the support of a peer recovery specialist and counseling services, with in-person visits in Federalsburg and telehealth available for all Choptank Health patients.

“You don’t have to face substance use and recovery on your own,” said Choptank Health President and CEO Sara Rich. “Choptank’s team of medical providers, nurses, and therapists can help. Recovery is possible, and we will get there together.”

The MAT services are part of Choptank Health’s behavioral health program and are available to all Choptank Health medical and dental patients. The services are provided with a compassionate, integrated approach to each patient’s mental health and well-being, including therapy for individuals, families, and groups, and medication management.

The regional Go Purple movement began in Talbot County, Md. as a month-long awareness and education initiative for preventing substance use among youth. Educational messages from Drug-Free Caroline, Dorchester Goes Purple, Kent Goes Purple, Queen Anne’s Goes Purple, and Talbot Goes Purple are being shared with Choptank Health’s online audiences.

“We encourage you to have conversations with your children, friends, or family members who are struggling with substance abuse,” said Rich. “If you need help starting the conversation or getting the facts, your Choptank Health providers in St. Michaels, Cambridge, Chestertown, Denton, Easton, Goldsboro, and Federalsburg are here and ready to help.”

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services to more than 30,000 adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. Medical services include primary healthcare, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients welcome. More is at www.choptankhealth.org.

Choptank Community Health System is bringing its mobile healthcare unit to Chestertown to help serve people in Kent County. The initiative is made possible through a partnership with Choptank Health, the Town of Chestertown, and the Chestertown Police Department. The mobile unit will be used to provide medical, behavioral health, and dental services to communities in Kent County.

The Chestertown Police Department at 601 High St. will house the mobile health unit while not out in Kent County delivering health care to residents. Services will be provided while the unit is out in the community and not from the unit in the parking lot.

“Choptank Health is very thankful for this opportunity to connect healthcare with our communities and local agencies,” said Choptank Health President and CEO Sara Rich. “We are especially grateful for Councilman Herz’s help while we were exploring the best places to call home for our mobile unit.”

“The search criteria included having a secure location for overnight parking and accessibility to electricity to recharge the unit’s instrumentations,” said Chestertown Council Ward 2 Member Thomas A. Herz, Jr. “The Chestertown Police Department fits the criteria, and is centrally located, which is an added bonus.”

Rich says this is their third mobile health unit and expands Choptank Health’s capability to truly meet its patients where they are. Other units are used during the school year to provide school-based medical and dental services and as a platform for Choptank Health’s migrant program team to visit various farms, agricultural nurseries, and crab houses across the Shore.

“Choptank Health is an essential community partner in delivering healthcare to people in Chestertown and those living in rural areas of the entire Mid-Shore region,” said Chestertown Mayor David Foster. “We felt it was essential to support the operations of their mobile unit to help break down barriers to healthcare while supporting the health of residents in our community.”

“Helping Choptank Health provide healthcare to people in our rural communities is important,” said Chestertown Police Department Chief Ronald M. Dixon. “We’re glad to have the opportunity to support their work and our community in this meaningful way.”

Choptank Community Health System provides medical, dental, and School-Based health services to more than 30,000 adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. Medical services include primary healthcare, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients welcome. More information is at www.choptankhealth.org.

The Departments of Social Services in Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties recently hosted an appreciation event for area foster parents at the Tuckahoe State Park Lake Pavilion in Ridgely, Maryland. In addition to providing steamed crabs, the event included lunch, a DJ, face painting, and access to the park’s playground and trails.

“Our resource parents always enjoy this event with their families. This year, we had approximately 65 family members from across the Mid-Shore in attendance. This is one way that we can say ‘thank you’ to our resource families for their dedication throughout the year,” states Paris Quillet, Special Projects Coordinator for the Talbot County Department of Social Services.

For further information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent in Talbot County, call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 or visit midshoreresourceparents.com.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) vascular access nurse Terri Coleman, RN, daughter of the late Chris Mullikin, MSN, BSN, RN, recently donated a painting to the Pain Management Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton in her mother’s memory.

Mullikin, who retired from UM SRH in 2014 after working at the Easton hospital for 42 years, died in January. During her career, Mullikin managed the obstetrics, dialysis, and medical-surgical units, but was most proud of her leadership role in the establishment and operation of the Pain Management Center. 

The oil painting, which depicts an angel-shaped cloud above a rural landscape, was originally commissioned by retired UM Shore Regional Health anesthesiologists John Snell, MD and Rob Middleton, MD as a gift to Mullikin honoring her career at the time of her retirement.

“I really felt that the best place for the painting is the Pain Management Center,” said Coleman. “I know my mom would be pleased that patients and staff would be able to view and appreciate the painting as she did.”

Located in the Outpatient Center of the Easton hospital, the Pain Management Center integrates a multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of chronic pain. Patients are accepted into the program through referrals from primary care providers, orthopedists, neurosurgeons, neurologists and other medical specialists.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services recently welcomed Mikayla Mountain, MS, CCC-SLP, to its outpatient rehab teams in UM Shore Medical Pavilions at Denton and Queenstown.

Mountain joins UM Shore Regional Health from Key Healthcare -The Pines in Easton, where she had served as speech language pathologist/lead therapist since July 2022. During that time, she also worked part-time at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, providing therapy to patients in acute care units as well as the Requard Center for Acute Rehabilitation.

Mountain’s experience also includes working for Chesapeake Speech Therapy Services, LLC, where she provided therapy to children ages 6 to 12 with speech/language disorders enrolled in Queen Anne’s County public schools as well as to adult inpatients and outpatients referred by providers at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

Mountain earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education Transition Programming from Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pa., after which she completed a Hearing and Speech Science Post-Baccalaureate Program at University of Maryland in College Park, Md. She earned her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Loyola University of Maryland in Baltimore, Md. Prior to earning her SLP degree, Mountain worked for Queen Anne’s County Department of Health in Centreville, Md., and The Benedictine School in Ridgely, Md.

“We are excited to have Mikayla join our rehab teams at Denton and Queenstown,” said Frank Rath, Manager, Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. “Her experience will be of great benefit to children and adults in Caroline and Queen Anne’s counties who need speech-language therapy.”

For more information about rehabilitation services provided by UM Shore Regional Health, please visit https://www.umshoreregional/rehabilitation/.

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Mikayla Mountain, MS, CC-SLP (Mountain, Mikayla.jpg)

 
About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

 

The month of September is No Matter What…You Matter Suicide Prevention Month and For All Seasons urges all citizens to actively work toward the prevention of suicide and to reach out to one another and ASK – “Are you okay?” LISTEN – without judgment, and SHARE – vital resources to promote an inclusive and mentally healthy community.

In the U.S., suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 14 and 25 – 34. In Maryland, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 10 to 34-year-olds. In 2021, 1 in 5 Maryland Mid-Shore teens ages 14 to 17 attempted suicide at least once. These statistics are staggering, and these deaths are often preventable.

Checking in with someone could help save a life. If someone you know is showing signs of depression, withdrawal, or unusual behavior, take time to check-in. Reach out to your circle of friends and family. Be attentive to those whom you have concerns about, and connect them to resources. There are proven treatments to help those with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Someone experiencing a crisis may not recognize that suicidal thoughts are often temporary, and with professional support, hope and healing are within their reach.

ASK “Are you OK? Are you having suicidal thoughts?” Be direct and compassionate. Research shows that asking this question will not put the idea into someone’s mind.

SHARE “You are not alone. Help is available.” Connect them to services. For All Seasons is just a phone call away.

LISTEN You don’t need to have all the answers. Be fully present without judgment. Allow the person to share their story.

Staying socially connected and having strong, supportive relationships can increase one’s sense of meaning and belonging and protect against suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Everyone needs connection, and the good news is there is more than one way to create bonds with others. The image below outlines the many people and places where connections can be found. How will you create connections for your own benefit and to support those in your circle?

Most importantly, if you need suicide prevention resources and a step-by-step conversation guide visit: NoMatterWhatYouMatter.org. For All Seasons’ 24-Hour Crisis Hotlines are English 410.820.5600 and Español 410.829.6143. English/Español Text is 410.829.6143. For the National Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Dial 988.

For All Seasons provides the highest quality mental health and victim services to children, adults, and families across Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Services are offered in both English and Spanish and include therapy, psychiatry, victim advocacy, 24-hour crisis hotlines, outreach, and community education. For information about For All Seasons walk-in hours, contact For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsInc.org.

For All Seasons 2023 Back-to-School Supplies Giveaway and Resource Expo was a great success. Approximately 1,500 people attended, and we distributed more than 650 backpacks filled with materials to local students. A large cadre of dedicated staff, student volunteers, and resource providers worked together to make this a memorable evening for local kids and families. The Talbot Department of Social Services made a generous contribution towards the backpacks.

“Going ‘back to school’ is something a community does; it is not one family; it is not one business or even one school. It is all of us together. People and families these days are hurting. They need these supplies. We make it so every kid, regardless of socioeconomic status, can start the school year on their best foot,” said Jonathan Qvarnstrom, Outreach and Marketing Associate at For All Seasons.

For All Seasons extends its best wishes to all the kids and schools in our vicinity, hoping for a safe, joyful, well-equipped, and spirited beginning to their academic year. The following organizations attended and provided resources to participants, including the Talbot County Health Department, Talbot County Department of Social Services, Mid Shore Behavioral Health, Inc., Talbot County Free Library, Talbot Hospice, Aetna Better Health, CarePacks, Eastpoint Church, Brookletts Place – Talbot Senior Center, Seedco Maryland, Dorchester County Health Department, University of Maryland Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center, Chesapeake Voyagers, Inc., Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Easton Elementary School, Whoop Connect, SHORE UP! Inc., Choptank Community Health System, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, Easton Economic Development Corporation, Cub Scout Pack 190 – Easton, MD, Maryland Department of Health Office of Oral Health, Grace Street Recovery Community, Appleseed Books, and Talbot Humane.

For All Seasons provides the highest quality mental health and victim services to children, adults, and families across Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Services are offered in both English and Spanish and include therapy, psychiatry, victim advocacy, 24-hour crisis hotlines, outreach, and community education. For information about For All Seasons walk-in hours, contact For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsInc.org.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in the United States aside from non-melanoma skin cancer. Approximately one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and about six cases in 10 are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older.

To promote early detection of prostate cancer, the Cancer Program at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health has scheduled a screening event on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cancer Center, 509 Idlewild Avenue in Easton. Provided at no cost to participants, this screening is part of a clinical trial.

Conducted by John Mastandrea, MD, Chief of Radiology at the Cancer Center, this year’s screenings will involve a blood draw for measuring the level of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) in the blood. PSA is a protein found in cells of the prostate gland. An elevated PSA count can indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Samples will be sent for laboratory analysis and results shared with participants when made available to the Cancer Program.  

This screening event is open to men ages 45 or older who have never been screened for prostate cancer, men 40 and older who are either African American or have a family history of prostate cancer, and men ages 55 to 69 for yearly screening. Uninsured and underinsured individuals are welcome to participate; those interested in being screened are encouraged to discuss the testing with their primary care providers.

Men with early prostate cancer usually do not experience symptoms. However, symptoms that suggest prompt medical attention is needed include difficulties with urination (increased frequency, interrupted flow, pain/burning, etc.), painful ejaculation, blood in the urine or semen, and pain in the back, hips or pelvis. These symptoms may indicate prostate cancer or some other health problem, such as non-cancerous prostate enlargement.

“Providing community members with access to preventive care and screenings is an important priority for the Shore Regional Health Cancer Program,” said Nina Weisenborn, BSN, RN, Clinical Research Nurse at the Cancer Center. “Early diagnosis makes it possible to begin evaluation and treatment promptly, which increases patients’ chances for survival and reducing the likelihood of complications.”

Due to limited space, advance registration for the free prostate screening is required. To register, or for more information, call 410-820-6800, ext. 2300.