- Cancer Care, Primary CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen cancer prevention comes up, often we think of healthy habits such as eating fruits and vegetables and staying active. But don’t forget the HPV vaccine! The HPV vaccine is the world’s first cancer vaccine and it can prevent six types of cancer. Nicholas C. Lambrou, MD, chief of gynecologic oncology at Luminis Health, answers several common questions about the HPV vaccine below. At what age should people receive the HPV vaccine? Children should receive the HPV vaccine along with their other routine pediatric vaccines between ages 9 to 12 years old. Which cancers does the HPV vaccine protect against? The HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer, cervical precancer, oropharyngeal cancer, anal cancer, vulvar and vagina cancer and penile cancer. What are the risks? Providers have safely administered the HPV vaccine since 2009. Talk to your doctor about any specific concerns for you or your child. How can I get the vaccine? Many providers are able to administer the vaccine, including pediatricians, primary care physicians and gynecologists. If you need to find a provider, please call 443-481-1000. Authors Nicholas C. Lambrou, MD, FACOG, FACS, is the chief of gynecologic oncology at Luminis Health. Dr. Lambrou’s areas of interest include the treatment of women with gynecologic cancer, cancer prevention strategies and advanced gynecologic surgery.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center is pleased to name Dawn Ridley as the new vice president, development. Ridley has more than 25 years’ experience in program development, fundraising, marketing, business development and new product development. She most recently served as Assistant Vice President of Institutional Giving at Howard University. “It is clear Dawn has the experience and expertise to lead our Foundation to great heights, including our current 2-year $2.5M comprehensive campaign,” said Deneen Richmond, president of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center. “Since the mission of Luminis Health is to enhance the health of the people and communities we serve, Dawn will play a pivotal role in making sure we continue to provide quality healthcare services for our family, friends, and neighbors.” “I am honored to live in Prince George’s County and now work for the premiere hospital in the region,” said Dawn Ridley. “For more than thirty years, the Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center Foundation has raised funds to support hospital programs and services. With the new behavioral health pavilion being built on campus, this is an exciting time to make a positive impact in this community.” Ridley shares a passion for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives. With its Health Equity and Anti-Racism Task (HEART) Force, Luminis Health has become a national model for eradicating inequities in health care. “I am proud to further the work of the HEART Force and I’m excited about the opportunity to increase health equity for our Prince George’s community,” said Ridley. Ridley is on the faculty at Georgetown University and Howard University. She has held leadership roles with AARP, D.C. United, National Geographic Society, NFL Players Association, Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, and the Atlanta Braves baseball club. In addition, Ridley served as the chair of the AARP Black Caucus Employee Resource Group.
- Behavioral Health, Digestive CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and anxiety may not seem like they’d have anything to do with each other. After all, one affects the gut while the other influences the mind. But new research has found that not only is there a connection, it’s written in our genes. What is the relationship between IBS and anxiety? Researchers have long known that the brain sends signals to the gut. Until recently, though, most scientists flat-out rejected the possibility that it could be a two-way street. Studies in the past decade, however, have shed new light on evidence that the communication does go both ways. And interest in the brain-gut connection is now gaining ground. A study published in late 2021 by the journal Nature Genetics sought to identify genetic risk factors for IBS. What researchers found was proof that IBS and anxiety share certain genetic pathways. That means that the genetic changes that put someone at an increased risk for IBS also put them at an increased risk for certain mental health conditions, like depression, insomnia and anxiety. The findings don’t just highlight the close ties between IBS and anxiety. They also set the stage for the development of new treatments. Taking a closer look at IBS and anxiety IBS is a common condition that affects one in 10 people worldwide. It causes symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating and bowel issues. Factors like diet, stress and behavior can increase a person’s risk. So can difficult early-life events, like physical or sexual abuse and certain mental health disorders. Anxiety may be a normal reaction to stress. It can also develop into a disorder when feelings of dread and unease don’t go away and worsen over time. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, anxiety affects more than 40 million adults in the United States. Symptoms can include a pounding heartbeat, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms can interfere with a person’s daily life. What this news means for you The newfound genetic link between IBS and anxiety shows that anxiety aggravates IBS symptoms. And IBS, in turn, aggravates anxiety symptoms. But one disorder doesn’t cause the other. They simply share a common origin: the same mutated genes that lead to brain or nerve cell changes and symptoms in both the brain and gut. It’s already common practice for doctors to treat a person’s anxiety when working to manage their IBS symptoms. They’ve found success through treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), medical hypnotherapy and progressive muscle relaxation, as well as antidepressants. CBT, for example, helps raise awareness of negative thinking so people can respond to challenging situations in a more effective way. In the future, scientists may be able to tailor treatments for IBS and anxiety based on these shared genetic differences. As with everything, though, therapies should be personalized to the individual. If you have IBS, talk to your doctor to see if mental health therapies might help you better manage your symptoms. Authors Showkat Bashir, MD, specializes in gastroenterology at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.
- Blood Donation, Community, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogJeanette Brown never imagined that a simple act to get out of class in high school would lead to a lifetime of giving blood. Nearly 26 years ago, Jeanette donated her first unit of blood while in high school. Even though she did not know much about it at the time, the idea of missing class and getting some cookies and juice sounded appealing to the teenager. After college, Jeanette began working for a blood donor center and she learned first-hand a few important things: the shelf life of blood is very short and that the amount of blood used by someone in need is enormous. Thus began a lifetime of regular blood donation. For the past 16 years, Jeanette has been donating every eight weeks at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s (LHAAMC) Blood Donor Center in Annapolis, Md. Sometimes Jeanette donates whole blood, plasma and platelets or just red blood cells [see sidebar]. But it doesn’t matter to Jeanette which part of her blood she donates. “I want to give because I know the blood donation will help the woman with sickle cell disease who is reliant on blood transfusions weekly for a lifetime, for the accident victim, children and adults with acute burns and those with catastrophic diseases, such as cancer or blood clotting disorders,” says Jeanette. Jeanette says a bonus of giving blood at LHAAMC is that the blood stays in the community. She knows many need her gift of blood now more than ever. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood and this need is exacerbated by the U.S. experiencing the worst blood shortage in a decade. The dangerously low blood supply levels affect how some hospitals across the country make decisions regarding surgery, including organ transplants. Blood donor centers are feeling the squeeze: blood drives hosted by companies, schools, places of worship and civic organizations supply roughly half of all blood donations across the U.S. With the pandemic, many of these places have closed with remote work and school resulting in a significant drop in blood donations. While donating blood is different in today’s world, it is still possible. “Many people don’t know that donating blood today is much easier,” adds Jeanette. “Many of the policies regarding certain donor eligibility criteria have been modified due to the pandemic.” Generally, to donate blood, you must be 17 years old (16 years old with parental permission), weigh 110 lbs., and be in good health. When asked why she donates blood, Jeanette says, “We are lucky that we have a blood donor center in town, which is easy to get to, has free parking and is easy to access. But even more, it is really easy to give back without spending much time and it cost me nothing—but it means life in the world for someone else. Blood is something that we are all born with, so why not give it to someone who needs it? You can’t plan an accident and you don’t know that you might literally be helping your neighbor by donating at the hospital.” For an appointment to donate call the LHAAMC Blood Donor Center at 443-481-4215. To have a blood mobile drive at your next function (i.e., community or church function), call 443-481-4272. Learn about hosting a mobile blood drive. Different Types of Blood Donation There are different types of blood donation, based on blood type and needs. The process for giving whole blood is under an hour and can be given every eight weeks/up to six times per year. Jeanette’s platelet donation, which helps with the clotting portion of blood, must be transfused within five days of donation. Nearly half of all platelet donations are given to patients undergoing cancer treatment. Platelet donations take about two hours. Red blood cell donations, also known as “double red donations,” are the most frequently used blood component and are needed by almost every type of patient requiring transfusion. If donors meet certain criteria, double red allows them to safely donate two units of red cells during one appointment. It is as safe as whole blood donation. Plasma donations help treat people in emergency situations to help stop bleeding. It can be given every 28 days/up to 13 times a year. Source: Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies
- Blood DonationGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOriginally printed as a Letter to the Editor in the January 29, 2022 Capital Gazette: Thank you to all who have donated blood Thank you for the front-page article pointing out the current national blood crisis. We would like to make your readers aware that Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is one of the few hospitals in the state of Maryland with its own blood donor center. While this donor center has a historical record of keeping LHAAMC nearly self-sufficient when it comes to supplying blood and blood products to our patients, we are not immune from the same crisis that is hitting the national blood supply. Our concerns regarding diminishing blood inventory came to a crisis level on Jan. 28 after the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend. While our goal is to keep 100 units of group O-positive packed red blood cells in our inventory, we began the day with 20 units and hit an all-time low of 15 units by midday. The Red Cross was out of blood. Fortunately, we were able to borrow a few units from neighboring hospitals and when the urgent call for blood donors went out, our LHAAMC employees and community donors came to the rescue. The donor center phones rang off the hook with requests for donation appointments and by the next day we had 56 O-positive units on the shelf. We are continuing to struggle with maintaining adequate inventory to support surgical and medical blood transfusion requirements but are hanging in there with an inventory that is about 50% of our daily target but sufficient to meet daily needs. The only reason we are able to meet demand is the generous donation of blood, the gift of life, from our wonderful community of blood donors. Thanks to all of you from the patients and staff of Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. For those of you who have not given blood, now is a great time to do so. The blood you donate will remain in the community to serve the needs of our patients. The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies task force statement reminds the public that: “Individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 through the donation process or via a blood transfusion since respiratory viruses are generally not known to be transmitted by donation or transfusion.” Additionally, we’d like to help make it clear that people who have had COVID and are fully recovered can donate blood. Per the Food and Drug Administration guidelines, individuals are eligible to donate blood 10 days after complete resolution of symptoms. Our mission is to enhance the health of the people and communities we serve and we ask for help in this endeavor. Our Blood Donor Center is located on the LHAAMC Campus located at 2003 Medical Pkwy., Wayson Pavilion, Suite 450, Annapolis, 21401. Call 443-481-4215 to schedule your next donation! We also have a blood mobile drive that can come to your next function, community, or church. Call 443-481-4215 to set up a mobile drive. Authors Sanford H. Robbins III, M.D., chief of pathology, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Megan Frisk, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Blood Bank manager
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