- Community, Giving, OrthopedicsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAfter years of service as an AAMC volunteer, longtime AAMC Auxilian Buddy Sears wanted to make a difference for the hospital in another impactful way. Through his volunteer shifts assisting patient recovery and physical therapy at the Joint Center and Spine Center at AAMC, Buddy recognized the need for new recliner chairs to transport patients to and from joint camp and provide comfortable accommodations during recovery. Also a member of the Davidsonville Ruritan Club, a non-profit community service organization local to the Annapolis area, Buddy shared his request and interest in supporting AAMC with his fellow members. In October 2016, the Davidsonville Ruritan Club made a generous $50,000 charitable gift to purchase 28 brand-new recliner chairs to support patient- and family-centered care and comfort. We have the busiest joint replacement program in Maryland, and the new chairs will make an incredible difference for those we serve. Call the AAMC Foundation at 443-481-4747 or visit AAMCFoundation.org to learn how you can help.
- Community, Giving, News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs AAMC’s resale shop the Clothes Box prepares to celebrate its 65th anniversary, we are excited to announce several big changes: We’re changing our name from the Clothes Box to Out of the Box. This is to reflect that we now sell not only new and gently used clothes but also furniture, accessories, household items and more. We’re moving to a new, larger location across the street from Westfield Annapolis Mall. Our new location, 910 Bestgate Road, is a larger space with ample parking. We’re expanding hours to accommodate our shoppers and those who want to donate their used goods. The best things about the shop will stay the same. Our amazing AAMC Auxiliary will still run Out of the Box. All proceeds will continue to support high-quality care throughout the hospital. “Out of the Box combines all of the great things that have made the Clothes Box successful with important new improvements, including a bigger and more convenient location, more parking, fresh merchandise and a much larger array of items,” explains Auxiliary Revenue Chair and Past Auxiliary President Kathy Cook. The store carries a variety of gently used, contemporary, inseason, vintage and name-brand clothing and accessories, as well as housewares, furniture and knickknacks. “The AAMC Auxiliary is very excited to expand our ‘out-of-the-box’ experience, make it easier for people to donate or consign their gently used items, and give back to their community by supporting our local hospital,” says AAMC Auxiliary President Peggy Alexander. Check out the Clothes Box on Facebook for updates on the grand reopening events for Out of the Box.
- Cancer Care, News & Press Releases, Plastic Surgery & Skin CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 255,180 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States in 2017. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options. The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) is committed to offering patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. Fortifying this commitment, AAMC’s breast center has been granted a three-year, full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. As a NAPBC-accredited program, The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center demonstrates that it provides the highest quality evaluation and management of patients with breast disease. Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center ensures that a patient will have access to: Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art services A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options Quality breast care close to home “The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center meets the needs of patients by providing multidisciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered care,” said Dr. Lorraine Tafra, director of The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center. “In addition to comprehensive state-of-the-art care in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and breast disease, we are dedicated to providing a safe haven of kind and compassionate care. Our full accreditation is testament to the work we are committed to every day.” AAMC’s breast center met NAPBC proficiency standards for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. Proficiency areas include center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement. With more than seven thousand visits per year, The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center is one of the largest in Maryland. The team includes specialists in medical and radiation oncology, surgery (including breast and plastics reconstruction), radiology, pathology, psychiatry, oncology nursing, rehabilitation/lymphedema, genetics, nutrition, clinical trials, tumor registry, genetics and social work. For more information about The Rebecca Fortney Breast Center at AAMC, visit www.askAAMC.org/breast.
- Cancer Care, Men's Health, Uncategorized, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt wasn’t easy for Dwight Watkins to quit smoking. He’d been doing it for nearly 50 years. But he finally had enough. Dwight had been smoking since he was 12 years old, and he was up to a pack a day. It was hurting his body in major ways. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis made it hard to breathe. “I said, ‘I have to do this. I have to stop,’” says Dwight, who is 63. “And I started from there.” A Long Rough Road As any former smoker knows, the road to quitting can be a rough and long one. The nicotine found in tobacco products creates a sense of pleasure in your brain and causes you to crave more. That’s why it’s difficult to quit smoking. That was certainly the case for Dwight. Dwight’s primary care physician, Eman Al-Samrrai, MD, showed him the benefits if he quit smoking — and what could happen if he didn’t. “I told him, ‘You have the power in your hands,’” Dr. Al-Samrrai says. “It had to be his choice to quit.” She recommended that Dwight work with Tuesday Tynan, a tobacco treatment specialist and smoking cessation counselor at AAMC’s Morris Blum Community Clinic, where Dwight is a resident. AAMC offers a free program at Morris Blum that helps smokers quit for good. Dwight began working with Tuesday in January 2015. Since then, they’ve met nearly every week. “‘Dedicated’ is the word to describe Dwight,” Tuesday says. “I’ve never had anybody visit me every week for so long.” How You Can Quit Smoking AAMC offers a number of resources to help you quit smoking: Smoking cessation counselors One-on-one or group counseling sessions “Become Tobacco Free” classes Through AAMC’s smoking cessation program, tobacco treatment specialists, like Tuesday, and primary care doctors help patients quit smoking through counseling and creating a care plan. “We like to say that quitting tobacco is not an event but a journey. We are here to help people work through their specific barriers,” Tuesday says. When starting the program, each person receives a quit kit: a water bottle filled with cinnamon sticks, lollipops, coffee stirrers, stress balls, etc. The idea is for you to hold these items instead of a cigarette. The staff also gives patients over-the-counter nicotine replacement medications, such as patches, gum and lozenges. These replacements help satisfy the craving for nicotine and reduce the need to smoke. Nicotine replacement helped Dwight get down to about six cigarettes a week. But he still had trouble quitting completely. “There were a couple of times I got knocked down and got frustrated because I couldn’t do it,” Dwight says. “I’d stop for a day or two, then drift back and have another cigarette. It went on and on like that.” Dwight also faced a lot of peer pressure from friends and neighbors who would offer him cigarettes. “It was stressful because people didn’t understand why I didn’t want to smoke anymore,” he says. “I just told myself to hang in there.” The Benefits of Quitting Smoking 20 minutes after quitting: Your blood pressure and heart rate decrease. 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal. 2 weeks after quitting: Your circulation begins to improve. 1 year after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half. 5 years after quitting: Your risk of stroke is similar to that of a nonsmoker. Source: The American Heart Association The Winning Recipe To finally ditch smoking, Dwight began using Chantix, a prescription medication. He also kept up his weekly meetings with Tuesday. He’s been smoke-free since April 2016. “I just kept my mind determined,” he says. Recently, Dwight received a surprise for his hard work and dedication. He won a $250 Target gift card through AAMC’s “Breathe More Moments” contest, which promotes early lung cancer screening for people 55 years and older with a long history of smoking. “I thought Tuesday was trying to pull my leg when she told me I had won,” says Dwight, laughing. “I had never won anything before.” Dwight has changed his life dramatically. He gave up smoking, he makes fewer trips to the clinic for chronic bronchitis, his breathing has improved, and he has more energy, says Dr. Al-Samrrai. Dwight has even inspired others from his apartment building to meet with Tuesday and try to quit smoking. “If it could help someone else, I would recommend the program to them,” Dwight says. “I wouldn’t be where I am without Tuesday.” As for Tuesday, Dwight’s dedication and perseverance impressed and inspired her time and again. “I am so proud of Dwight,” she says. “Quitting tobacco was not an easy journey for him. He just wouldn’t give up, and that’s the key.” Contributors Eman Al-Samrrai, MD, is a primary care physician at AAMC’s Morris Blum Community Clinic. Tuesday Tynan is a tobacco treatment specialist and smoking cessation counselor at AAMC.
- Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s not red meat or eggs that can make or break your heart health: It’s sugar and processed carbohydrates. Processed carbs are found in packaged foods with added sugar, like soda, cakes, cookies, ice cream and pie. They’re also found in packaged foods containing high-fructose corn syrup, including white bread and regular pasta. How Do Processed Carbs Affect Your Heart? “Your body breaks them down quickly, which can cause a quick rise in your blood sugar,” says Jonathan Altschuler, MD, a cardiologist at AAMC. “This leads to a spike in insulin production. High insulin can lead to high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, which can increase your chances of a stroke or heart disease.” Dr. Altschuler recommends avoiding processed carbs as much as possible. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop eating the foods you love. You just need to make a few smart swaps. For example: Substitute brown rice and brown rice pasta for white rice and pasta. Choose multigrain or whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Focus your diet on fruits and vegetables as much as you can. “There are many naturally sweet fruits you can add to your daily diet. And in terms of vegetables, you can really eat an unlimited amount,” Dr. Altschuler says. Find healthy recipes from our registered dietitians. Contributor Jonathan Altschuler, MD, is a cardiologist at AAMC.
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