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The following is an observance of Mental Health Awareness Month by Victoria Oliver, MA, LPC. Victoria is a licensed professional counselor, and Senior Director of Enterprise Design and Improvement at Redeemer Health.
Horticulture is the art of garden cultivation and management. What a lovely and important definition. During spring, specifically Mental Health Awareness Month in May, it is fitting to reflect on how we cultivate and manage our own lives as we are preparing to cultivate our gardens.
Here are the factors to help create and maintain a flourishing garden and how these principles can apply to each of us:
Location – Location and position of a garden is one of the most critical elements of success. You need to think about whether it gets enough (or too much) water and nutrients. It needs to have exposure to sunlight and optimal conditions. It needs to have space.
What about you? Sometimes repositioning ourselves is necessary and vital to growth. Are you in the position where you get what you need to grow and flourish? Do you need a new environment or space so that you can flourish? Are you getting enough of what you need or too much of what you don’t?
Planning – Soil is often lacking in nutrients and other things it needs to support a thriving garden. Doing a litmus test of your soil can help you determine if you need to add or remove things. My family has an organic garden and we truck in mushroom soil annually and add compost. We plan our garden out each year and rotate plots. Crop rotation allows us to preserve nutrients in the soil and is said to boost nutrients for the following year. We put time, thought, and care into our garden.
Are you stuck in patterns and consistent behaviors that do not serve you and allow you to reach your full potential? Do you give your body proper nutrients? Do you ever take a personal litmus test to determine what you need to add or remove from your life?
Weeds – Sometimes in order for your garden to blossom, you need to do some weeding. This may seem daunting, I know. But once you start the process (and it is a process because weeds continue to grow), you will feel a sense of relief. You will see things more clearly and give your plants space to grow.
When you weed your garden, it can claim the water, soil, and sunlight that is meant for it to receive. You can also do the same in your life. Perhaps the weeds in your life are toxic people, behaviors, or commitments you don’t really want or need. You have permission (and are encouraged to) pull them out. You can claim and embrace the nourishment you will experience by doing the work you may have been avoiding.
A garden takes love and patience. What better way to grow a garden then to plant the things you love to eat? It is such a magical and beautiful thing to place a small, fragile seed in the soil…to water it…to nourish it...to see that tiny little sprout emerge from the earth and then watch it grow. What practices or routines do you have in your life that nourish you and help you grow? Do you give yourself time, care, and love? Are you patient with yourself? Do you give yourself credit for small steps, improvement, and growth?
Spring is about renewal and rebirth. Spring is also about planning and growth. I hope you give yourself the time and space to think about how you can cultivate your best life during Mental Health Awareness Month.
If you, a family member, or a loved one experience mental health challenges or crisis, contact Redeemer Health today to get the care you need. Call 215-914-4190 to schedule an appointment for behavioral health services. Visit redeemerhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.
Also, Redeemer Health’s Life Story Coaching helps clients see past their problems to their possibilities, by understanding the stories they tell themselves today can be changed to allow them to live new, more powerful, and transformational ones. Call the Redeemer Health Call Center at 800-818-4747 to connect with a coach. Visit https://www.redeemerhealth.org/services/health-care/life-story-coaching for more information.
Meadowbrook, Pa. – May 10, 2022 Redeemer Health has announced plans to explore forming a strategic partnership for its Health Care Division, which includes Holy Redeemer Hospital, Holy Redeemer Physician and Ambulatory Services (HRPAS) and related assets. As part of this initiative, a Request for Proposal (RFP) has been sent to several potential partners.
“Redeemer Health is committed to forming partnerships that add value to the communities we serve and support our mission to Care, Comfort and Health,” said Michael Laign, President & CEO of Redeemer Health. “We believe a strategic partnership will benefit enhancing staff retention and recruitment, providing infrastructure expertise and innovation, and furthering population health strategies that benefit community members, employers and providers,” he said.
With this initiative, Redeemer Health is not considering selling the hospital, but instead partnering with other health care providers who share its commitment to serving current and future communities including efforts to address health inequities and disparities.
“If we decide to move forward with a strategic partnership, staff will remain Redeemer Health employees. Our employees and our Medical Staff are valued and respected for the vital role they have in the success of Redeemer Health now and in the future. A primary goal of this partnership strategy is to ensure we continue to recruit and retain the talent needed to meet the growing and changing needs of our community,” said Laign.
“The positive outcomes from this approach are numerous while maintaining our identity and commitments to those we serve,” Laign continued. Redeemer Health and Holy Redeemer Hospital will remain Catholic and continue to fulfill its mission to Care, Comfort and Heal.
This is the first step of an extensive exploratory process. Review of the proposals and possible selection of a Strategic Partner is expected to take several months.
Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper is now using a non-surgical image-guided radiation technology that offers expanded treatment capabilities. Installation of a new linear accelerator (LINAC) was made possible with the help of a $2 million grant from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The technology gives radiation oncologists the ability to deliver stereotactic radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery through targeted external beam radiation, which can preserve surrounding healthy tissue.
“This grant funding, and its resulting technology installation, has given the Redeemer Health community faster, safer treatment options,” said Sheena Jain, MD, director of radiation oncology at Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper. “We now offer our patients stereotactic radiosurgery for malignant and benign abnormalities in the brain.”
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-surgical technique that uses multiple, precisely focused, small beams of radiation that target an abnormality, while limiting the dose to normal tissue, explained Dr. Jain. This new technology will be complimented with new software to expand Redeemer Health’s safety and quality assurance program.
“About 50% of cancer patients need radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan,” said Dr. Jain. “A primary objective in radiation therapy is to deliver the proper dose of radiation with pinpoint precision to the tumor, without harming surrounding healthy tissue. The linear accelerator helps us achieve those objectives.”
“We are most thankful to Governor Tom Wolf and Senator Art Haywood, who provided much of the energy behind our RACP grant application,” said Michael B. Laign, President and CEO of Redeemer Health. “We also are grateful to Senator Maria Collett, and Representative Ben Sanchez for their strong support in securing this funding. We want to thank all of our elected leaders in the Pennsylvania communities we serve for making a difference in the care we can provide to cancer patients.”
“I am glad that Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper, Senator Collett, and I can support this life-saving advancement in local health care,” said Senator Haywood.
“I’m thrilled to have been able to help secure this critical funding for Redeemer Health for the expansion of their cancer center,” said Senator Collett. “As a nurse and the wife of a chronic cancer patient, I know just how important it is to have convenient access to quality care, and, with this expansion, Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper will be able to extend their services to even more local patients and their families.”
“I was pleased to be part of the successful effort to secure a $2 million RCAP award for Redeemer Health. This will ensure our community has more options for cancer care close to home,” said Rep. Sanchez.
The funds supported the construction of the linear accelerator vault used to house the LINAC at Holy Redeemer Hospital as well as renovation of more than 3,000 square feet of cancer center space to accommodate the new device.
“With this funding, we also have the opportunity to create waiting rooms and changing rooms designed to support our mission to provide care, comfort, and healing in a welcoming and hospitable space,” said Dr. Jain. “We are very excited to offer these advancements and contribute to continued growth at Redeemer Health.”
“This technology will not only increase the technical services that we can offer our patients,” said William Scarlett, DO, executive director of Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper. “With the new body contour imaging cameras that use radio frequency identification, and the biometric contactless palm scanner, we will improve safety and accuracy for those in treatment. This is an exciting time at Redeemer Health and we are proud to be supporting our community with advanced technology.”
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston was part of the international consortium instrumental in developing this new technology, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2019. For more information about Redeemer Health’s comprehensive cancer care services, visit https://www.redeemerhealth.org/services/health-care/cancer-care.
Of the entire staff of Redeemer Health, 84% are women. Each and every woman on the Redeemer Health team has made incredible contributions, and the input and commitment to our patients, residents, clients and all team members are an integral factor to our continued and sustained success.
It is our intention to recognize the contributions of several women throughout our organization. Yet just as no timeframe can encompass their contributions, so can this single month not sum up the history and achievements of the women of Redeemer Health. As such, it is our intention to continue to recognize these women, as well as other members of our diverse and incredible staff, throughout the year.
You can find the first 3 of these stories below, and continue to check back as we populate this page with more incredible stories!
An unexpected $25,000 gift from Amazon will help Philadelphia families experiencing homelessness.
Anne Marie Collins, Vice President/Executive Director of the Drueding Center, received an email late last year from an Amazon staff member who had worked in the office of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa).
Amazon was looking to donate to Philadelphia nonprofits, the email said. The staffer had recommended Drueding Center, a comprehensive program that serves 400 to 500 families a year through residential and community services, child care, and a food pantry.
As part of their advocacy work, Collins and board members visit legislators’ offices, often meeting with staff.
“The visits are an opportunity to share what our program is, what we do and our impact, and the need for continued government support,” Collins said. “Obviously we made an impression on him.”
Colin Newman, Amazon’s public policy director for Pennsylvania, said the company prides itself “on establishing local roots in the communities in which we live and work.”
"As our footprint in Philadelphia has grown in recent years, so too has our support for local organizations, like Drueding Center,” Newman said. “The work that is done by the team at Drueding is very challenging, important, and admirable. Amazon is very pleased to lend a helping hand to such a deserving organization."
Drueding receives government funding but also must raise support through grants, foundations, and events. Because Amazon’s gift supports general operations, it will help Drueding fill in gaps and continue programs that are not funded by the government, according to Patricia M. Wynne, Redeemer Health Associate Vice President for Philanthropy.
Drueding Center’s residential services provides transitional housing, case management support, and life skills training to families who come from the city shelter system.
Community services include the After Care program, which follows families for seven years after they move out of transitional housing; New Neighbors, a permanent supporting housing program for families who have a member with a disability; and the Blueprint case management program.
The center’s state-licensed STAR 4 child care center offers early childhood education for resident children, community children, and some staff children.
Drueding also has a Green Light Food Pantry, one of two in the city, that provides only healthy, nutritious foods for people experiencing food insecurity.
"As part of Redeemer Health, Drueding shares the same Mission to Care, Comfort and Heal," Collins said.
“Our theory of change is that our families will build the skills to heal from trauma, restore their hope, and end the cycle of homelessness,” she said.
We invite you to inspire others by getting involved and making a difference individually or with your family. Please contact the Redeemer Health Office of Philanthropy at 215-914-4000 or giving@holyredeemer.com, or visit www.redeemerhealth.org/giving/ways-give.
Are you looking to start a career in health care or looking for a second career doing something meaningful and helpful to others? Then becoming a Home Care Aide may be a great option for you!
Redeemer Health offers the Home Care Aide Training Program at no cost to the participant. Led by a registered nurse, the two-week class prepares students to help clients continue to live in their home with caring support.
Upon successful completion of the class, you will receive a Home Care Aide certificate and an opportunity to work at Redeemer Health as a Home Care Aide (applicants must also pass a physical and background check).
“If you want to go to work and feel like you have made a difference in someone’s life, becoming a Home Care Aide may be a great option for you,” says Kim Fitzsimmons, Vice President of Operations, Redeemer Health Support at Home.
Classes are a full day with a lecture in the morning and hands on skills teaching and practice in the afternoons. Throughout the training there are quizzes that recap information learned from the textbooks and previous lectures. At the end of the course, there is a comprehensive written exam and skills test. All of your books and supplies are included ($160 value).
You will learn the skills to be a successful Home Care Aide, including:
To qualify for the training program, you must:
Redeemer Health is proud to offer amazing benefits to new Home Care Aides, including:
The Home Care Aide Training Program is an excellent way to jump start your career with Redeemer Health, and classes are held monthly. To sign up for an upcoming Home Care Aide Training program, visit the Redeemer Health Classes & Events page. You also can join our Talent Community to receive emails from Redeemer Health about training and open positions here.
On behalf of the Sisters of Redeemer and Redeemer Health, we join with Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Philadelphia Nelson Pérez, and the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey in sharing our feelings of deep grief and sadness for the ongoing attack on Ukraine. The senseless assault on innocent people has stunned the world and left many feeling helpless in the face of such atrocities. We join in solidarity in denouncing this attack.
We invite the Redeemer Family to pray for the Ukrainian people who remain in their homeland, the over one million who have fled, as well as those who are living in other countries (including the U.S.) and those right here in our midst in the Redeemer Family. We respect the European citizens who are opening their hearts and homes to refugees.
We are in close communication with our neighbors, the Sisters of Saint Basil, who have Sisters in Ukraine. They are actively involved in transporting women and children across the border to Poland. May we join in prayer that the violence and destruction will end.
We also prayerfully remember the many innocent Russian people who are opposed to the decision to invade and attack Ukraine.
An interfaith service for peace in Ukraine is being planned for the end of March. Details will be forthcoming.
For those who are looking for ways to support the Ukrainian people, we have identified the following organizations to which donations may be directed. These are just four organizations throughout the world supporting these efforts. Standing up for and supporting the values of Justice and Solidarity through any means that you are able can be a powerful tool in helping to mitigate some of the feelings of helplessness we can all experience during times of global crisis.
We are including below recent statements from Archbishop Nelson Pérez and collectively the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey.
Statement of Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez regarding the invasion of Ukraine:
"Like so many of you, my heart aches with deep sorrow. The recent invasion of Ukraine is something we had hoped and prayed would be avoided. Peace has been shattered. Anguish, pain, and suffering have been unleashed. Events have now been put in motion that will lead to the senseless loss of countless lives, destruction of property, and a humanitarian crisis the likes of which has not been seen in several decades. At this grave moment in history, I urge all people of goodwill to answer the call of Pope Francis to pray fervently for the people of Ukraine and for an end to this military conflict now.”
Statement of the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey:
"In solidarity, we express our prayers and support to the victims of the odium and hostility that have fallen on Ukraine, including the families that have been separated, those fleeing for safer ground, especially children and the elderly. In a special way, we extend our prayerful support to the Ukrainian Catholic community in the United States, who ache with helplessness for their brothers and sisters in peril. Through the intercession of Mary, Our Blessed Mother and Queen of Peace, we ask that the Lord guide the world’s leaders to work toward a swift and diplomatic resolution to end this war, one that ensures a minimal loss of life and the complete preservation of Ukraine’s independence.”
May God's peace prevail over war.
George Vincent Sr., a retired firefighter and veteran, enjoyed golfing, dancing, socializing, collecting fish, and spending time with his family.
He also, like other members of the Surf Corvette Club, was passionate about the classic American sports car.
The club hosted a car show on June 6, 2021 at Waterman's Tavern in Brielle, N.J., to raise funds to donate to Redeemer Health's Home Care and Hospice Jersey Shore in George's memory.
George, who had lung cancer, received hospice care from Redeemer Health Hospice Jersey Shore. He passed away on March 8 at his Barnegat, N.J. home, surrounded by his loving family.
Surf Corvette Club President Don Hermann, Vice President Walt Nocella, Board of Directors member Tom Barnes and Nancy Conway presented a check to Nancy Faver, home care clinical manager with Redeemer Health Home Care and Hospice Jersey Shore, on Sept. 17.
George, formerly of Staten Island, N.Y., retired from the New York City Fire Department as a lieutenant. He was a proud veteran who served in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from McKee Technical High School and attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 52 years, Barbara Jean, and his loving children, brothers, and grandchildren.
Thank you to the Surf Corvette Club for your generosity in honor of George.