Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Wins Best in Real Estate Award
Wellstar Kennestone Emergency Department recognized for top deal in Atlanta commercial real estate
Published on April 15, 2021
Last updated 04:53 PM April 15, 2021
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Newsroom
Forty Thousand Hand-Knit Happy Caps and Counting
There's no cap on giving back for thirteen-year lung cancer survivor Kathy DeJoseph. It was her first day getting chemotherapy when a woman approached Kathy and gifted her a knitted cap in appreciation for her kindness during her husband's cancer treatment. That simple act of gratitude inspired Kathy—and after completing treatment for her own cancer diagnosis, she decided to pay it forward by knitting caps for patients also undergoing chemotherapy and cancer treatments.
This passion project became a purpose project for Kathy as she soon found herself recruiting others who knit from across the nation. Knitters have joined from Pennsylvania to Michigan and Alabama to right here in Georgia to help Kathy's Happy Caps thrive.
Fostering meaningful connections within the Wellstar community is part of the charge for the group of volunteers, whose workshop is located at a Wellstar facility in Cobb County. The volunteers work multiple days a week to hand-knit and package caps donated to cancer patients at metro Atlanta oncology facilities, starting with the Wellstar Health System Cancer Centers.
Together, the group has donated more than 44,000 handmade caps and has no plans to slow down. So, we sat down with Kathy to learn what fuels her passion for knitting.
What makes Happy Caps unique?
"So, they are each handmade with love by someone who cares and wants to make a difference for those facing cancer."
How did Happy Caps evolve over the past twelve years? Did you ever think you would be here with over 40,000 knit caps donated?
“Never! The first few years after I was sick, I volunteered to meet with newly diagnosed cancer patients so they could talk to a survivor.
At the five-year mark, my family suggested that I find another way to help cancer patients. I remembered how I felt when a stranger made me a hat when I was sick, and I decided to try my hand at knitting.
In just a couple of months, hats started showing up non-stop. Within a year, my house was full of hats, and we rented storage space where our volunteers would sort and process them. A year later, there were a couple of hundred volunteers, and after almost six years, we needed more space, and Wellstar met that need.
Sadly, there is no shortage of cancer patients, and so we continue to get new requests for Happy Caps from cancer centers. Now that I am getting older, and so are our volunteers, our volunteer base is getting smaller.”
Who are the Happy Caps volunteers, and why are they so special?
“Just in metro Atlanta, tens of thousands are diagnosed with cancer each year. Most of our volunteers or someone they care about have been affected by cancer. Many are retirement age, but dozens are younger.
Some already knew how to knit or crochet, and others we taught or learned with online videos. They have even formed groups and meet at libraries or senior centers.”
Kathy, what do you need from the community to help Happy Caps to keep thriving?
“I need help reaching potential and current volunteers to meet the high demand. We receive donations that keep us in yarn to provide to volunteers, Wellstar generously provides us workspace, and no one is paid.”
Kathy and her volunteers are looking to grow their knitting network and asking their new friends across the country to pick up their needles and yarn and work to keep their mission thriving.
If you are interested in knitting Happy Caps or joining the team during their weekly knitting dates, reach out to Kathy at [email protected].
Left photo: Wellstar President and CEO Candice L. Saunders joins Happy Caps Founder Kathy DeJoseph. Right photo: Some of the more than 40,000 hats knitted by Happy Caps volunteers
Highlights
A Diamond-Cut Heart
Heart attack is the leading cause of death in Georgia, according to the American Heart Association. To save more lives, Wellstar provides advanced heart care services, ranging from minimally invasive procedures to open heart surgery. The health system recently expanded its offerings to bring an advanced technology called rotational atherectomy to more people in our community. The tool our physicians use for this procedure is called a Rotablator, which has a small but mighty diamond tip.
Who rotational atherectomy helps
Wellstar has offered percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), formerly known as angioplasty, for a number of years. This procedure helps treat the main cause of heart attacks—the build-up of cholesterol filled plaque within a coronary artery. The build-up decreases blood flow and oxygen to the heart. By opening the artery, blood and oxygen can move freely once again.
The benefits of having a PCI typically include fewer complications, faster recovery time and shorter hospital stays.
Not everyone is a candidate for PCI, especially when the blockage is heavily calcified. But rotational atherectomy changes that.
“For heavily calcified coronary blockages, rotational atherectomy works as a drill to decrease the bulk of calcium,” said Wellstar interventional cardiologist Dr. Omer Mirza.
This technology makes non-surgical heart attack treatment available to people with more complex blockages that could not typically be cleared with balloon angioplasty.
Rotational atherectomy has been available at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, and now we have expanded availability recently to Wellstar Cobb Medical Center.
“By expanding Wellstar Cobb’s technology, we can offer more comprehensive care for the patient and prevent transfers and subsequent delays to patient care,” Dr. Mirza said.
How rotational atherectomy works
At Wellstar, a rotational atherectomy is performed using a Rotablator, a small, diamond-tipped tool. This revolving instrument is inserted into the blocked artery using a catheter while a patient is under local anesthesia.
When the interventional cardiologist guides the Rotablator to the blockage, it begins to rotate, going as fast as 190,000 rpm. It gently breaks apart the blockage, making the plaque particles small enough to pass safely through the bloodstream.
Stents are then placed in the artery to widen it so blood can flow through. This procedure can improve blood flow and heart function within minutes.
Effective treatment with advanced technology
Studies indicate that rotational atherectomy results in high procedural success rates.
Giving patients the ability to resume normal activities within a few days, the recovery time for this procedure is significantly less than open heart surgery. Patients undergoing a rotational atherectomy typically spend one night in the hospital.
Learn more about interventional cardiology at Wellstar or find a specialist near you.
Newsroom
The Heart of the Matter
With Valentine's Day approaching, there seems to be more than love in the air; there is loneliness, too. So, how does love affect our health?
Humans desire connections; we are wired to love and be loved. Feelings of closeness help individuals navigate challenges in both their physical and mental well-being. Being close to others is crucial for mental health, and loneliness can often play a role in worsening psychiatric conditions and major depressive disorders.
In this season of love, Wellstar is dedicated to providing support and care, helping individuals navigate the emotional challenges that may arise, and fostering a community connected by compassion and well-being.
For advice on this timely topic, we asked Dr. Justin Ayankola, medical director of Wellstar Collaborative Care Psychiatry, to help us understand how the heart affects the mind.
"Giving ourselves permission to love and be loved is critical to our well-being because love is the glue that ties communities together.”
For some, this season can trigger depressive feelings, so we wondered how we could go about preparing ourselves for the emotions we might feel during the upcoming holiday.
"The best way to prepare for a difficult time is to optimize your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Emotionally, being surrounded by people you love and care about is important. It is not the time to explore or salvage relationships.
Practices such as meditation and gratitude journaling can help increase resilience and decrease feelings of loneliness."
Did you know that research indicates both pleasant conversations and physical touch trigger the release of oxytocin? Just 30 minutes of in-person interactions, including a hug, can help release this hormone in our brains.
There is a common misconception that being in a relationship brings an individual "wholeness." Still, a critical part of finding love is loving oneself first, so how does nurturing that relationship help our mental health?
"Prioritizing self-care is equally important in tending to our mental health. Surprisingly, the most significant barrier to forming relationships often lies not in our feelings toward others but our feelings about ourselves.
Love is about connections. These healthy connections take effort to form and trust to keep. We should be aware that even when we focus on self-love, it is an action that is still dependent on relationships with others. It isn't easy to love ourselves while not giving love to others. The work of self-love and giving love must happen simultaneously."
There has often been a connection between Valentine's Day and loneliness or reminders of toxic situations affecting our mental health.
"Toxic relationships are connections that are destructive. There are numerous ways in which these types of relationships manifest; however, the result is often isolation and stress. Stress has both biological and psychological effects.
Biologically, there is an increase in cortisol, which, if elevated chronically, can make individuals more susceptible to depression and anxiety. The isolation that often accompanies toxic relationships only exacerbates these issues."
For many, the pressures of dating and finding "the one" can cause anxiety. Some find online dating a way to seek companionship, but swiping right and left can overwhelm the heart and mind. How do the brain and heart handle the ways of modern love?
"Online dating apps can be invaluable tools for connecting with others. In fact, many people who meet people on dating apps say it led to an exclusive, romantic relationship. However, they should be used responsibly, considering one's vulnerabilities and insecurities.
One size does not fit all. I recommend using apps that do not cater to a person's more problematic habits. Dating apps can facilitate connections for individuals but should not be the sole means for bringing love into their lives."
If you are wondering where to turn if you need help, scheduling an appointment with your primary care provider can be a great way to connect with a behavioral health clinician.
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