Have a heart

Local fundraiser benefits American Heart Association

These days the American Heart Association is finding its challenges are twofold: First, to reverse the trends that have made heart and blood vessel diseases America’s No. 1 killer. Second, to compel hard-working Lowcountry residents to contribute money toward that goal during a recession.

Dr. David Kastl, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Hilton Head Hospital and this year’s co-chairman of the heart association’s annual Heart Ball of the Lowcountry, is doing his best to make sure that second challenge is met.

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It’s 2010 Time to change your life

For millions of Americans the New Year means the same thing: It’s time to lose weight and to get back in shape. However, it’s also the No. 1 resolution to be broken. Start 2010 off right by incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Join a gym before New Year’s discounts expire. Purchase exercise equipment. Or incorporate a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood. The point is to keep your body moving every day.

If you exercise 30 minutes a day, your body and mind will experience dramatic differences. But, first, exercise must become a habit.

Here are some tips to keep you motivated:

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Two black dresses, two different looks

Dress your little black dress up or down for holiday parties, New Year's Eve and other special events.

 

Holiday Office Party This black dress by Mossoni is found at The Porcupine in The Village at Wexford. Add black tights and a bag for a sophisticated look. All accessories on this page can be found at The Porcupine.	New year’s Eve Go glam for 2010 with an updo and a simple clutch. Long, striking earrings and a cool cuff complete a show-stopping style that is fun and confident.
THE  JEWELRY Necklace and ring by VSA, Virgins Saints and Angels THE BAG Silver purse by Lockheart THE SHOES Black heels with bows by Stuart Weitzman	THE  JEWELRY Silver star earrings by Ben Amun; Pave cuff by Jill Jacobson THE BAG Clutch by Franchi THE SHOES Black-and-silver pumps with open toes by Cynthia Vincent
This black sleeveless dress by Robin Jordan, New York, is available at Palmettoes in the Sea Pines Center and is paired with a gold-and-black checked jacket by Anthracite, New York.	A black jacket with ribbon design by Anthracite, New York will keep you warm outside during a chilly night. Then once at your party, you can take the jacket off to reveal the classic, sexy black dress underneath. Find all items on this page at Palmettoes.
THE  JEWELRY Gold hoop earrings by Selina King, Hilton Head and New York THE SHOES Gunmetal mirror Calf shoes with heel by Via Spiga, Italy	THE  JEWELRY Baroque pearls by Karen Carroll, Hilton Head Island and Atlanta THE SHOES Black satin pumps by Claudia Ciuti, Italy

Feeling stressed out?

The holidays always seem to produce a whirlwind of have-tos: holiday cards, gifts, decorations and cleaning. Instead of a season of cheer, it becomes a season of stress.

For some, the holiday season’s impossibly high expectations can turn into depression, according to Ruth Halpin, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) community coordinator.

“Right now, would be higher for depression,” Halpin said. “We have more unemployment, more folks not living in the house of their dreams and more folks not being able to do for their families what they would like.

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Volunteers in Medicine: Getting Better Together

VIM’s patients are our neighbors: the folks who landscape our gardens, manicure the golf courses, staff the kitchens in the restaurants, build our homes, stock the grocery shelves, serve tourists and help us purchase new clothes. In fact, 70 percent of Volunteers in Medicine’s patients are employed by more than 1,375 businesses that keep our community functioning and thriving. What they have in common is a need for health care.

This year VIM volunteers will serve more than 31,000 patient visits. Since March 2009, more than 1,000 new patients have been welcomed to the clinic. And, 16 years after Dr. Jack McConnell inspired the opening of the clinic on Hilton Head Island, 74 free medical clinics have opened across the country based on our model.

What VIM has learned over the years is that it takes the extraordinary support of an entire community to fulfill the clinic’s mission: “To understand and serve the health needs of the medically underserved population who lives and/or works on Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island and their households.”

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Volunteers in Medicine: Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Nov. 14: 2nd Annual Giant Yard Sale, 8 a.m.-noon
• Dec. 3: VIM is Monthly’s Readers Choice Favorite Charity! Join VIM and all the winners for the Readers Choice celebration from 5:30-8 p.m. at Port Royal Golf Club.There will be food, drinks, family fun and lots of surprises. Tickets are $10 at the door or in advance at VIM; Hilton Head Monthly; hiltonheadmonthly.com. 843-842-6988, ext. 239.

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Hospitals, doctors go hi-tech

State-of-the-art equipment means patients receive top-notch, quality treatment

For hospitals, staying on the cutting edge of diagnostics and patient care means not just hiring top-notch doctors, but also providing them with the latest equipment and medical technology.

That necessity is not lost on hospitals in the Lowcountry where institutions such as Hilton Head Hospital, Beaufort Memorial Hospital and St. Josephs/Candler are staying ahead of the curve with everything from state-of-the-art imaging systems to robotic surgery platforms.

In May, Beaufort Memorial Hospital installed a $1.5 million da Vinci Surgical System, a machine that takes minimally invasive surgery to the next level. With traditional laparoscopic procedures, a surgeon maneuvers somewhat rigid handheld instruments while looking up at a two-dimensional video monitor to see the patient’s insides.

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Highlighting Hospice

Hospice Care of the Lowcountry holds “Light Up the Links” fundraiser to celebrate and recognize the efforts of caregivers

For many, the end of life decision is one that’s nearly impossible to make. No matter how dire the prognosis, the act of saying goodbye can seem too hard, too final. The grief can be overpowering.

The thing about grief is that it always ends with acceptance. Some brave part of the human spirit is always able to look their fnal destiny square in the eye and know their race is run. When that acceptance has been reached, it’s a natural progression that the emphasis of one’s treatment should shift from curing the illness to caring for the patient. That’s what hospice care offers: a chance to spend those final days in comfort.

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