‘Super Colon’, colorectal cancer risk checks at Greenwood Mall, March 3

MEDIA ADVISORY

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and one of the deadliest. However, there is a formidable weapon available to fight this disease.

Early detection through screening colonoscopies and being aware of the signs and symptoms of this disease arm you with colorectal cancer prevention tools. Sadly, many not be aware of the signs or choose to forgo colorectal cancer screening for a variety of reasons.

This is why the St. Francis Colorectal Cancer Center is collaborating with the Prevent Cancer Foundation for a special one-day exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, at Greenwood Park Mall.

This event coincides with the March designation as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

On site will be an 8-foot-tall, 20-foot long replica of the human colon, a nationally touring exhibit that teaches the public about the importance of colorectal cancer screening. The Prevent Cancer Super Colon™ is an interactive tool that teaches people about the risks of colorectal cancer and the benefits of early detection and treatment.

As visitors walk through the exhibit, they get an up-front look at healthy and non-malignant diseases, as well as the various stages of colorectal cancer. Additionally, St. Francis medical personnel will be on site at the mall to offer colorectal cancer risk assessments and to provide related free information and literature.

Group offers support, shared experiences for blood cancer patients

NDIANAPOLIS – A diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease or myeloma can leave a person feeling isolated with unanswered questions.

That ‘s why the Indiana Blood and Marrow Transplantation unit at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is co-sponsoring a support group. Support for persons with a blood cancer will hold an informational meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 17. The next class meets Tuesday, March 21.

The meeting is at the Beech Grove Meadows, 130 Albany Way. Participants can share their experience with former and current transplant patients. This group is open to all people touched by a blood cancer seeking support from others. Ample time will be provided for participants’ questions and discussion.

This monthly support group meets the third Tuesday of each month and encourages participation of patients, families, caregivers and friends to attend. Meetings are co-sponsored by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

To learn more, call 317-726-2275, extension 200.

More information about the Indiana Blood and Marrow Transplantation unit at St. Francis can be found at http://www.ibmtindy.com.

Heart Center offers free heart-healthy courses throughout March

INDIANAPOLIS – Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.

Prevention is the key to lowering your chances of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease, stroke or high blood pressure. St. Francis Heart Center is offering free classes, programs, health fairs and screenings throughout the month of March in an effort to improve the community’s health through education and prevention.

Starting March 4, nine “Change of Heart” classes, an “Ask the Doc” program and a free family health fair and screening day will be offered in the Indianapolis and Mooresville areas. All of the events are open and free to the public.

Several of the Change of Heart classes will be held at the St. Francis Heart Center’s Community Center, located on the southeast corner of St. Francis Hospital – Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave. Attendees will learn from St. Francis health experts about navigating the grocery store for healthy foods, choosing healthy entrées when dining out and many more heart-healthy habits. Each Change of Heart classes and the Ask the Doc program is 1 to 1 ½ hours long

Registration is required. Call 317-782-4422 or register online at StFrancisHospitals.org/heart to start living a heart-healthy life today.

The St. Francis Heart Center offers nationally recognized cardiac care close to where you need it – on Indianapolis’ south side. Built on a 30-year history of cardiac and vascular care, St. Francis Heart Center is south central Indiana’s only full-service cardiovascular center.

Classes and health fairs and screenings, oh my!

Healthy Eating
Wednesday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Hospital – Mooresville, 1201 Hadley Road

Marsh March Family Health Fair
Wednesday, March 7, at 9 a.m. - Noon
Marsh Supermarket – Plainfield, 2002 Stratford Road

Meatless Cooking
Tuesday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Reduce Stress
Thursday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Healthy Shopping Tour
Tuesday, March 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Kroger – Emerson, 8850 S. Emerson Ave. at County Line Road

Healthy Cooking Tips
Wednesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Ask the Doc – “What is a Heart Attack?”
Thursday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Exercise Tips
Wednesday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Avenue

Dining Out
Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Change of Heart Classes offered by the St. Francis Heart Center
Healthy Eating
For some, diets don’t work! Learn about healthy lifestyles in this class. Find out how much a “serving” is and how to manage a healthy weight. Discover how fats, carbohydrates and protein affect your body. Do you know how much salt, fiber and sugar are in the foods you buy? This class offers the foundation for the remaining classes in the series.

Marsh March Family Health Fair
Before shoppers head to the check out lines at Marsh Supermarket they might want to check out the free family health fair and screenings, 9 a.m. until noon, Saturday, March 7.The event is sponsored by Marsh Supermarket and Pharmacy, St. Francis Plainfield Health Center, St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville and the Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis. Among the screenings available: cholesterol, glucose (requires 2 to 4 hour fast prior to screening), blood pressure, bone density and visit a hand-washing station – a fun way for youngsters and adults to learn why hand washing it vital to good health. St. Francis staff also will provide colorectal and breast cancer risk assessments, and drug interaction and disposal information.Other activities and door prizes also are part of the event. For more information, call 317-834-9539.

Reduce Stress
Discover just how big an impact stress has on your heart health. Negative stress causes changes in lifestyle and behavior, which may lead to unhealthy behaviors. Managing stress is important to heart health because untreated stress increases other risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insomnia, depression, smoking and lack of exercise. Learn to identify the causes of stress in your life and how to improve your health! “Reduce Stress 102” is the second class in this series. Both classes are taught by James Nicolai, M.D., medical director of the Franciscan Center for Integrative Health.

Healthy Cooking Tips
A heart-healthy lifestyle means more than choosing the right foods to eat. It is one of the most important steps for a person with heart disease. It's also important to prepare foods in a healthy way. Proper nutrition is essential to managing symptoms of heart disease and preventing further complications. Not only can proper diet help slow the artery-clogging process, but when combined with careful lifestyle modification, it may even stop or reverse the narrowing of arteries.

Ask the Doc “What is a heart attack, anyway?”
Learn what happens to the heart muscle during a heart attack, and what long-term complications can if treatment is delayed. Dr. Polly Moore, with Indiana Heart Physicians, will also discuss signs, symptoms and risk factors for heart attacks and how to reduce your risk of a heart attack and heart disease.

Dining Out
Restaurant dining has become a way of life for most Americans. It's easy, fun, and a great way to socialize with family and friends. Just because you're following a structured eating plan doesn't mean you can't enjoy a nice meal out once in a while. Controlling calories when dining out is certainly challenging. You just need a little advance planning and some savvy ordering skills to stay on track when you're dining away from home. Learn how to make wise menu selections for a change of heart.

Healthy Shopping Tour
Shop for the health of it, but don't let the grocery aisles rile you. Does your head spin trying to figure out food labels like no carb, low carb and net carb? Are you confused by claims like no sugar added, light, low and fewer? Does your tongue get twisted trying to pronounce food label ingredients? Deciphering what's good for you doesn't have to raise your blood pressure. The St. Francis Heart Center and Kroger want to help simplify and de-stress the healthy food-buying experience.

Healthy Shopping Tours, led by a registered dietitian and/or certified health educator, help lessen the confusion and frustration experienced by many people who are trying to make healthy choices at the grocery store. Our dietitians and health educators understand how vital it is for you to learn how to choose correctly. Exercise is critical, but your diet determines your ability to lose weight, get fit and be healthy.

Meatless Cooking
Reverse heart disease by eating more! Going meatless just one day a week can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. Adding more fiber is easy with new products on the market. This class will help you with menu planning and recipes, and you’ll have the chance to sample food prepared during the session.

Exercise Tips
Keep Your Ticker in Tip Top Shape! The human heart is a remarkable machine. And like all machines, the more care and maintenance it receives, the longer and better it will function. Incorporating regular exercise and proper diet into your lifestyle and avoiding unnecessary stress will not only keep healthy hearts in fine working order, but can even reverse heart disease. There are lots of little things that you can do every day that your heart will love you for. Learn how to setup a schedule for yourself!

St. Francis chosen as national pilot project site to aid cancer patients

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has been selected by the Association of Community Cancer Centers as one of six national pilot sites for a project to develop and expand Nurse Navigator programs to help cancer patients and their families.

The ACCC Patient Navigation Program provides guidance and experience that will enhance the current St. Francis Nurse Navigator program. Navigators are experienced oncology nurses who help cancer patients, survivors, families and caregivers steer their way through health care system from the time of a cancer diagnosis to the completion of treatment and beyond.

"We are proud to have been selected as a pilot site by the ACCC," said Kent Brumbaugh, executive director of St. Francis Cancer Care Services. "Cancer treatment can seem very complex and bewildering to patients. That’s where a navigator can be a common thread to help weave the patient through the process and so that they feel supported throughout the journey."

Navigators help patients and their families in a number of ways, some of those include: scheduling medical appointments and follow-up care, coordinating insurance paperwork, arranging for transportation, and serving as a liaison between the patients and their physician when dealing with complicated medical matters.

"The diagnosis and treatment of complexities of being diagnosed with cancer and living with the disease for an individual, family member or caregiver can be intimidating and overwhelming," said ACCC President Ernest R. Anderson Jr., M.S., R.Ph. "Our hope is that ACCC’s Patient Navigation Program will facilitate timely access to quality medical and psychosocial care from pre-diagnosis through all phases of the cancer experience."

The ACCC pilot program augments the St. Francis Cancer Care Services’ Nurse Navigator program that has existed since 2006. Nurse navigators currently assist patients with colorectal, lung and breast cancers.

To learn more about Cancer Care Services at St. Francis go to http://stfrancishospitals.org/cancer.

More information about the Association of Community Cancer Centers can be found at http://accc-cancer.org.

Program helps women with cancer ‘Look Good… Feel Better’

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – St. Francis Hospital will host a free workshop for women with cancer from noon to 2 p.m., March 2 and May 4, at the St. Francis Mooresville Cancer Center.

The Look Good…Feel Better workshop teaches women with cancer beauty techniques to help restore their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Licensed cosmetologists lead small groups, usually consisting of six to 10 women, through practical, hands-on experience. Women learn about makeup techniques, skin care, nail care, and options related to hair loss such as wigs, turbans and scarves. Each patient receives a free kit of cosmetics for use during and after the workshop.

The workshop is supported by the American Cancer Society, Personal Care Products Council Foundation and the National Cosmetology Association. Family members and caregivers are also welcome to attend.

Registration is required since seating is limited. To register, call 317-782-4422.

For more information on cancer services at St. Francis Hospital, visit www.StFrancisHospitals.org/cancer.

Shoppers can add health screenings to their Marsh grocery list at Plainfield

PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Before shoppers head to the check out lines at Marsh Supermarket they might want to check out the free family health fair and screenings, 9 a.m. until noon, Saturday, March 7.

The event is sponsored by Marsh Supermarket and Pharmacy, St. Francis Plainfield Health Center, St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville and the Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis.

Among the screenings available: cholesterol, glucose (requires 2 to 4 hour fast prior to screening), blood pressure, bone density and visit a hand-washing station – a fun way for youngsters and adults to learn why hand washing it vital to good health. St. Francis staff also will provide colorectal and breast cancer risk assessments, and drug interaction and disposal information.

Other activities and door prizes also are part of the event. For more information, call 317- 834-9539.

Marsh is located at 2002 Stratford Road.

Former Pacers center poised to join Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs lineup

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Former Indiana Pacers star Rik Smits will once again be at center court at the annual Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs charity basketball game at Mooresville High School April 17.

This marks the 23rd year St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has sponsored the event, which raises funds and educates youth about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco use. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation’s substance abuse awareness and prevention programs.

The action gets under way at 7 p.m. at the high school gymnasium, pitting St. Francis physicians against Mooresville High School faculty and staff, and both teams will get a major boost with Smits – the "Dunkin’ Dutchman." Pacers mascot Boomer also will be on hand prior to tipoff and throughout the game.

The 7-foot-4-inch center averaged nearly 15 points and more than six rebounds a game during his NBA career. Those attending the game also will have the opportunity to meet Smits and have their photo taken with him. He also will sign autographs before the game.

Half-time entertainment will include a free-throw shooting contest between Robert J. Brody, St. Francis president and CEO, and Mooresville Schools Superintendent Curt Freeman.

Tickets are $5 per person and are available at Mooresville High School and at the gym door the night of the event. Children 5 years old and younger are admitted free.

Mooresville High School is located at 550 N. Indiana St.

The annual game has visited high school courts all over south-central Indiana, raising students’ awareness of the dangers of drug use and abuse. The program has raised more than $100,000 since its inception.

Donald J. Kerner, M.D., retired chief medical director at St. Francis, is the driving force behind Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs. He was awarded the 2004 Hulman Award for founding the annual event.

‘Emotional Eating’ support on menu at St. Francis Weight Loss Center

INDIANAPOLIS – Occasional “emotional eating” isn't a problem for most people. After all, that's what makes comfort food so appealing. But turning to food every time a person has unpleasant feelings – or even positive ones – can lead to weight gain.

Emotional eaters may find it difficult to stop on their own. Finding a support group for people dealing with similar issues can provide guidance for dealing with emotional eating.

The Emotional Eating Support Group at the St. Francis Weight Loss Center is for anyone trying to lose weight and struggling with emotional overeating, also known as compulsive overeating or binge eating. This group offers support to patients struggling with emotional eating, or using food for reasons other than physical hunger and feeling unable to stop the behavior.

The groups will be led by Holly Pittman, a therapist at the Center, has extensive experience providing individual, couples, and group therapy to patients with eating, mental health and addiction issues.

The latest session gets under way 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, with each session held Mondays at the St. Francis Weight Loss Center, 5230-A E. Stop 11 Road, across Stop 11 Road from the St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis campus.

There is a fee for those registering for the program. Call 317-782-7525 or visit StFrancisHospitals.org/weightloss for additional information.

Colon: Take a walk through a ‘Super’ one at Greenwood Park Mall

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and one of the deadliest. However, there is a formidable weapon available to fight this disease.

Early detection through screening colonoscopies and being aware of the signs and symptoms of this disease arm you with colorectal cancer prevention tools. Sadly, many not be aware of the signs or choose to forgo colorectal cancer screening for a variety of reasons.

These are some of the reasons why the St. Francis Colorectal Cancer Center is partnering with the Prevent Cancer Foundation for a special one-day exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, at Greenwood Park Mall.

This event coincides with the March designation as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

On site will be an 8-foot-tall, 20-foot long replica of the human colon, a nationally touring exhibit that teaches the public about the importance of colorectal cancer screening. The Prevent Cancer Super Colon™ is an interactive tool that teaches people about the risks of colorectal cancer and the benefits of early detection and treatment.

As visitors walk through the exhibit, they get an up-front look at healthy and non-malignant diseases, as well as the various stages of colorectal cancer. Additionally, St. Francis medical personnel will be on site at the mall to offer colorectal cancer risk assessments and to provide related free information and literature.

St. Francis physicians and the Colorectal Cancer Center are offering two free events to help promote a better understanding of colonoscopy procedures and colorectal cancer. The event also features Indianapolis writer Ingrid E. Cummings, whose book The Vigorous Mind probes the power of keeping a person’s mind and body healthy.

Wednesday, March 11 – (Lecture) Understanding Colorectal Cancer and The Vigorous Mind. Program is free and open to the public. St. Francis Education Center, 5935 S. Emerson Ave., Suite 100 (6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.). Reservations are required by March 9. Call 317-782-4422.

Monday, March 16 – (Lecture) Understanding Colorectal Cancer and The Vigorous Mind. Program is free and open to the public. Baxter YMCA, 7900 S. Shelby St., (6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.). Reservations are required by March 12. Call 317-782-4422.

To learn more about the St. Francis Colorectal Cancer Center, go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/Cancer/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=146.

More information about the Prevent Cancer Foundation is at www.preventcancer.org.

Subhash Sharma joins Indiana Oncology Hematology Consultants

INDIANAPOLIS – Subhash C. Sharma, M.D., has joined the Indiana Oncology Hematology Consultants, affiliated with St. Francis Medical Group.

He previously was physician/owner of Vincennes Medical Corporation and director of the cancer program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes. Sharma was also the principal investigator for all hematology and medical oncology trials conducted at Family Medicine Research Trial Center, Vincennes, Indiana.

Board-certified in hematology, medical oncology and internal medicine, Sharma has been a principal investigator of many national cancer clinical trials. He has been widely published in medical journals.

Sharma earned his medical degree at Maulana Azad Medical School-Delhi University in India. He completed residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology/Palliative Care at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.

He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and has chaired several committees at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Sharma and the other IOHC physicians serve on St. Francis Hospital’s multi-disciplinary teams as well as collaborate with a network of other professionals to provide the most comprehensive cancer care available for the patients at St. Francis Hospitals.

Organized in 1983, IOHC has provided quality health care services to patients throughout Indiana, including two Indianapolis locations: 8111 S. Emerson Ave., Suite A, (in the St. Francis Cancer Care Center) and 9002 N. Meridian St., Suite 214. IOHC physicians also see patients at outreach clinics in Franklin, Batesville, Madison, Elwood, Crawfordsville, Winamac, Frankfort, Kokomo, Rensselaer and Monticello.

Group offers support, shared experiences for blood cancer patients

INDIANAPOLIS – A diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin disease or myeloma can leave a person feeling isolated with unanswered questions.

That‘s why the Indiana Blood and Marrow Transplantation unit at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is co-sponsoring a support group. Support for persons with a blood cancer will hold an informational meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17.

The meeting is at the Beech Grove Meadows, 130 Albany Way. Participants can share their experience with former and current transplant patients. This group is open to all people touched by a blood cancer seeking support from others. Ample time will be provided for participants’ questions and discussion.

This monthly support group meets the third Tuesday of each month and encourages participation of patients, families, caregivers and friends to attend. Meetings are co-sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

To learn more, call 317-726-2275, extension 200.

More information about the Indiana Blood and Marrow Transplantation unit at St. Francis can be found at http://www.ibmtindy.com.

Hospitalist joins the ranks at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Reva Sharma, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has joined the medical staff at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville.

She comes to her new position after serving as a hospitalist with Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, Ind. An internist, Sharma has held positions with the Vincennes Medical Corp., Medical Center of Vincennes, and was attending physician and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Hospital and University Hospitals of Cleveland in Ohio.

Sharma will join Peter Turlo, M.D., and Daniel DeSalle, M.D., at the Mooresville campus at the Internal Medicine Perioperative and Consultation Treatment Center.

Hospitalists are physicians whose practice focuses on general medical care for hospitalized patients. Hospitalists are more accessible to nursing staff, families and colleagues because they spend most of their workday in the hospital; whereas, most doctors maintain separate office practices.

Board-certified in internal medicine, Sharma earned her medical degree at the Lady Harding Medical School at Delhi University, New Delhi, India. She completed her residency at Mount Sinai and University Hospitals of Cleveland.

She is a member of the American College of Physicians.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Tuesday, Feb. 3

Blog chat with COO addresses construction, consolidation plans

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Chief Operating Officer Keith Jewell will answer questions about the Indianapolis construction project and the possible future uses of St. Francis Hospital-Beech Grove after medical services are consolidated at the Indianapolis campus in early 2011.

The chat will occur from Noon until 1 p.m.

Visit the St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis construction blog at http://stfrancis-Indianapolis.blogspot to post questions to Jewell.

Those unable to participate in the chat session can e-mail questions in advance to the St. Francis Community Relations team by 10 a.m., Feb. 3. http://stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=141.

This chat session is real conversation. For this reason participants should observe the same etiquette when participating in the chat session as they would in day-to-day conversation.

Reporters who visit the site and want to pose questions are asked to identify themselves and their news organizations.

Contacts:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986 (office)
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-906-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

Robbie Schneider
New Media Manager
317-782-7996
Robbie.Schneider@ssfhs.org