The University of Vermont Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital

Francisco Herrera: Gratitude "My life was not easy. It’s different now, and I thank God for that. I grew up in the Dominican Republic countryside. My mother was just 16 when I was born and raised me and my brothers and sisters by herself. We had animals, a garden, but often there was not enough to eat. We would go out into the forest to find whatever we could. A mango, sometimes that was all we had. I didn’t go to school, it was too far away. I helped with the animals, with the garden. If my mother needed something done, we did it. My brothers and sister and I didn’t complain. In 1973, my mother moved us all to the city. I was 12 years old by then. I sold newspapers on the street, or bread, or sweets, whatever we could to make money. But it was dangerous there. There had just been an election, and young people were being killed. There were gangs on the street. When a boy tried to beat me up, my oldest brother protected me. My mother moved us all back to the country after that. I became a firefighter in 1982. I nearly died three times. Once, there was a fire on a ship. I went on board to fight the flames with two others, which is always how we did it, to keep each other safe. As soon as we went below, the ship exploded. I looked around and was suddenly alone. The two men with me jumped into the water and left me behind. I could feel the fire burning me. Thank God, another firefighter came and got me out. Later I became a fire investigator for the government, but there was a lot of corruption. My mother had always taught me to be honest, to tell the truth. But that was hard to do without getting in trouble. So I decided to leave. I came to the U.S. in 2008, moved to Vermont a few months later, and got a job at UVM Medical Center. I couldn’t believe how friendly everyone was. Everybody was saying ‘hi’ to me. And after everything I’d been through in my life, I was so grateful. I try to do the same for everyone I meet here." Francisco Herrera works in environmental services at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He’s been with us for 16 years.

We are truly grateful for Plattsburgh High School seniors Morgan Hall and Will Vega. They stopped by our FitzPatrick Cancer Center (FCC) recently to present a check of $4,500 to support our patients! Hall and Vega, who played soccer for the Hornets this fall, organized the second annual Goals for Hope 3v3 soccer tournament held in Plattsburgh last month. About 150 kids ranging in ages from 6 to 14 took part. "Helping feels really good," Vega says. "It's great to know that we're doing something good for the community," Hall adds. Both students recruited more than two-dozen local businesses to sponsor and support the event. And they say they're already looking forward to helping out with next year's tournament. Thank you, Morgan and Will, for caring so much about our community! Your work and generosity will give our patients a big boost!

Thank you to everyone who made National Lung Cancer Screening Day this past weekend a tremendous success! In all, 16 patients were scanned at CVPH Valcour Imaging on Saturday morning between 8 am and Noon. Woody Kissel of Champlain, NY also stopped by to offer his support and answer any questions patients might have. He went to the screening event last year, which led to his lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. Now, his scans are coming up negative. "I might not be here today if I hadn't been screened," Kissel says. According to a report from the American Lung Association, only 4.9% of those at high risk for lung cancer in New York State are getting screened. Bill Staub, PA-C, a physician assistant in radiology with us, says the hope is to raise that number to screening rates for breast and colon cancer, which are above 70% in the US. "Screening helps us catch cancer early, when we have more options for treatment and higher survival rates. Imagine how many more people we can give a better shot at beating the disease if we bring those lung cancer screening rates up," Staub says. The screening takes about 15 minutes, is painless and covered by most insurances. To be eligible, you must be between 50 and 80-years-old (or 77 for Medicare), a current smoker or quit in the past 15 years and have a history of heavy smoking (at least a 20 pack-year history - for example, smoking a pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years). If you weren't able to attend Saturday's screening event but are still interested, there are spots open weekly at CVPH Valcour Imaging. Talk to your doctor about setting up an appointment.

"Every day was a gift, and I loved them all the same." After beating cancer in his bladder, liver and brain, Aaron Czaja recently returned from a special trip granted by The Wish Fund, which is managed by The Foundation of CVPH and the Clinton County Board of Realtors (CCBR). This Thursday, November 14, you can help grant even more wishes for people like Aaron by taking part in The Wish Fund Charity Auction at Olive Ridley's. It's a $10 entry fee. There will be appetizers and drinks. And the silent auction goes from 5-6:30 pm, followed by the live auction at 6:45 pm. Aaron's story: Over the past year, 41-year-old Aaron Czaja was diagnosed with cancer in his bladder, which spread to his liver and later, his brain. After several surgeries, many treatments and months in the hospital, he says his doctors told him he is in remission. "I've defied some odds and continued to persevere and keep climbing. And that's my attitude. I just try to always be very positive," Czaja reflects. During his care, Czaja learned he was eligible to receive support from The Wish Fund. And his desire was to take a trip out to Denver, Colorado to spend time with a close friend of his. One of his favorite pastimes is golfing, especially at golf courses he hasn't been to before. "I like that challenge," Czaja explains. "It's kind of like a hurdle. You have to attack it and get over it." So he spent time trying out different golf courses in the Denver area. The Plattsburgh native also took in a Major League Soccer game. And he drove on the Peak to Peak highway, a 55-mile route that provides spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. Czaja calls the trip incredibly special, adding he is very thankful for the generous donors, The Foundation, and CCBR for making it all possible. He also encourages anyone who can to attend the charity auction at Olive Ridley's on Thursday, saying The Wish Fund makes a tremendous difference in the lives of people in our area battling serious medical conditions like he did. We hope to see you there!

Ostomy care can bring a lot of questions for patients and their loved ones. We're here to help! Join us this Thursday, November 14 at 5:30 in the auditoriums here at the hospital for an ostomy support group meeting. This meeting is open to anyone who has received care for an ostomy, regardless of where you received that care. Family members are also invited. We'll have experts on hand to help answer questions you may have, and you'll be able to lean on others for support who have had similar experiences. This support group is free to attend, and no registration is required. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share with them. We hope to see you there!

We see the inner you! Every day, our amazing Medical Radiation Technologists (MRT) deliver high-quality diagnostic imaging to our patients. Working closely with physicians and nurse practitioners, these skilled professionals provide imaging and treatment with a caring touch. Pictured are our MRTs from CVPH Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. They're work leads to diagnoses and treatments that help people across the North Country get back to doing what they love. As we celebrate all of our MRTs during #MRTWeek2024, please know how grateful we are for the expertise and dedication you show up with for our patients every day! #RadToTheBone #xray #radiation

?? We had lots of folks in the Halloween spirit bringing smiles to our patients today! We hope you have a fantastic and safe Halloween. ??

?? We're so proud of the most recent group of leaders to complete executive management education as part of a collaboration with SUNY Plattsburgh's School of Business and Economics. The innovative educational program has been specifically designed to support our leaders' desire for professional growth. It would not be possible without community-minded educators at the school. Congratulations to Angela Bucci, Colleen Bell, Erica Brooks, Joddie Duffy, Gloria Gates, Zaidee Laughlin, Alexandra Mesick, Erica Moore, Jacqueline Rasco and Karen Reid!

"I'm 99% certain that screening saved my life." Woody Kissel of Champlain, NY found out he had stage three lung cancer after coming to our special screening event last year. Now, he's in remission and urges anyone who is eligible to get screened at our event next week: ?? When: Saturday, November 9, 8 am-12 pm ?? Where: CVPH Valcour Imaging 16 DeGrandpre Way ?? If you or someone you know is eligible, call 518-562-7340 to schedule an appointment "I'm just so grateful for the care I got. They were all so positive," Kissel says. "And I have to say, if they tell you you're eligible, get the low dose CT scan. If they can catch it early, there's a lot they can do. And it could save your life, like it has for me." The screening takes about 15 minutes, is painless and covered by most insurances. To be eligible, you must be between 50 and 80-years-old (or 77 for Medicare), a current smoker or quit in the past 15 years and have a history of heavy smoking (at least a 20 pack-year history - for example, smoking a pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years). Limited spaces are available for the Saturday screening. Please call 518-562-7340 to schedule an appointment.

Michael Dufort: Right to the Drums "There’s so much you can do with just a couple of sticks in your hands. On a very primal level, I like the different sound things make when you hit them and when you hit them with different amounts of force. I just think the way it varies is so cool. And I like how having various drums or percussion going fills out the sound of a band. I was a very big listener of music as a young child. I have older siblings who were always playing rock music, playing the radio, playing records, and I skipped over that little-kid music phase. I got right into, for example, Billy Joel when I was about 4 or 5. And I used to look at the band and know I wanted to do it. Drums were always something I picked out in songs. Everything I heard went right to the drums. And there are a few songs that really stick with me and inspire me as a percussionist. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2 is one of the first songs I remember hearing as a kid and noticing the drum intro. The late Neil Peart from Rush is one of my drumming idols. I finally saw them live for the first time in college with a bunch of friends and often think of “Spirit of Radio.” I heard “Barrel of a Gun” by Guster for the first time in college and thought it was cool that their drummer exclusively played hand drums rather than a conventional drum set. And “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin is simultaneously one of the hardest drum beats to master – and most fun to play. After college, life got busy, and music slipped away for a while. I moved back to Malone in 2012 to help care for my Dad after he became ill. I went down to my cousin’s house to catch up with him and some friends and he said, “Hey, let’s jam.” It just came right back, and I’ve been in probably five or six bands since I’ve been back. Right now, I play in a band called Bluebird a few times a month. Music brought my family together. My wife and I have six kids between us, and everyone plays an instrument. It was our love of music that bonded us. And it will always be there for me and the people I love." Michael Dufort, RPh, FACA, is the director of pharmacy at Alice Hyde Medical Center. He’s been with us since 2013.