Health

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.  Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Community & Home Care-Allamakee Public Health and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) are working together to increase awareness among Iowans of the risk factors for cervical cancer and provide information about cervical cancer screening. Almost all cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). The HPV vaccine can prevent cervical cancer along with several other types of cancer. It is also important for women to have regular screenings for cervical cancer. When found early, cervical cancer is highly treatable.

Women should start getting Pap tests at 21 years of age. If your Pap test result is normal, your doctor may tell you that you can wait 3 years until your next Pap test. Women ages 30 to 65 have three options for cervical cancer screening. Talk to your doctor about which testing option is right for you.

January is Blood Donor Month. Blood donations are needed everywhere, even right here in Iowa. The following are interesting blood facts from LifeServe Blood Center who supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) with their blood products:

• Every 3 seconds someone needs blood.
• Blood makes up about 8-percent of a person’s body weight.
• Blood is needed every minute of every day; summer, winter, spring and fall.
• Scheduled surgeries are often canceled around the county due to a lack of blood.
• Donating blood includes a health check for the donor (checking blood pressure, pulse, temperature and hemoglobin) prior to donating.
• There is absolutely no way you can contract any disease from giving blood.
• Blood can be split into different components (red cells, platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate) and used to help different types of patients.

Thanks to the generosity of local donors, memorial gifts, and grant funding, the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation made significant investments in patient care, safety, and education throughout 2025. Contributions supported new equipment, staff training, and major facility improvements that directly benefit patients across the region.

“Before stepping into this role a year ago, I never fully realized just how much of an impact public generosity has on our hospital,” said Beth Shafer, Growth and Development Coordinator. “Seeing firsthand where these dollars go - and how directly they improve patient care - has been truly eye-opening and incredibly humbling.”

Donations to the annual direct mailing appeal introduced in late 2024 fully funded the purchase of a cardiac rehabilitation treadmill for the Cardio-pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. 

All babies born at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in the year 2026 will receive a special Baby Coupon Book coordinated by the hospital. This book will be presented to each and every family who deliver their child at Veterans Memorial Hospital in 2026. 

This book is made possible thanks to the generous coupon donations made by the over 50 participating businesses located throughout the hospital’s service area in Allamakee and northern Clayton counties. Each business receives their own specially designed coupon in the book free of charge. The business only has an expense if the family redeems the coupon at their business. The coupons range from a discount on an item in the store to complimentary giveaways with a total estimated value of over $500 in the entire book.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Frank Sivesind by Ronnie and Nancy Adam, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, an anonymous donor, Cindy Barness, John Baurercamper family, Kenny and Rose Beardmore, Brad and Erin Berns family, Sandy Bresnahan, Mary Ann Burke, Cheryl Duncklee, Steve and Sheryl Evanson, Tim and Kristi Fahey, Mary Fink, Bob and Karen and Jeff Fossum, Barry and Lisa Fruechte, Frank and Patty Goltz, Alan and Ruth Hageman, Jon and Amy Hagen, Mary Ann Hager, Don and DiAnne Haler, Bill and Gloria Hennessy, Brad and Judy Herman, Randy and Lori Hesse, Mark and Barb Howe, Gil and Sherrie Hunstad, Helen Johnson, Patsy Kerndt, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Eunice Kolsrud, Ken and Gloria Krambeer, Carol Krumme, Ken and Kristen Kruger, Greg and Amy Lage, Joe and Amy Larkin, Rick and Cathy Larson, Elizabeth and Dave Linde, Randy and Karen Loeb, Shirley Marti, Dave and Laurie Martin, Roger and Karen Melcher, Larry and Mary Jo Moore, Scott and Karen

Because of the overwhelming need for mental health care, both Janet Hunter, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, (PMHNP) and Angela Taylor, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), have joined Tara Fink in providing behavioral health care services in northeast Iowa. Both Janet and Angie have many years of nursing experience and have seen the great need for behavioral health care during their careers. This is why they both went back to school to earn their nurse practitioner degrees in behavioral health care. All three of these behavioral health providers accept patients of any age.

by Minji Ransom, Family Nurse Practitioner, Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon and Postville Clinics
 
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, a time to focus on the importance of preventing and detecting cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet it still affects thousands of women each year. Regular screening and vaccination are powerful tools that protect long-term health and save lives.

One of the most important steps in cervical health is routine screening. Pap tests and HPV testing can find abnormal cervical cell changes long before cancer develops. Most women should begin screening at age 21, with follow-up intervals based on age, test type, and prior results. Even if you feel healthy and have no symptoms, screening is essential - cervical cancer often develops silently in its early stages.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, January 15 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at VMH in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital.     

Two new clinic providers will be presenting at the meeting including Angela Taylor, Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, who will talk on the “winter blues” and ways to combat them, including red light therapy. Angela Taylor joins Tara Fink and Janet Hunter in providing mental health services in both the Waukon and Postville Clinics. 

Dr. John Swords is also going to present at the meeting to discuss weight loss for people living with Type 2 Diabetes. Dr. Swords joined the Waukon Clinic in November and has already been very busy.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory Don Bakke by Arlen and Karlene Wonderlich; in memory of Ken Becknell by Brad and Erin Berns; in memory of Dr. William Clair by Sheila Clair; in memory of Bill Clark by Marilyn Clark; in memory of Sandra Fish by Linda Siegrist; in memory of Sue Freese by Steve and Sheryl Evanson; in memory of Dean and Clarian Gunderson by Alan and Kathy Gunderson; in memory of Jerry Hemesath by Eileen Hemesath; in memory of Roger Hesse by Wendy Bucheit in memory of Lisa Kerndt by Brad and Erin Berns; in memory of Shirley Larkin by Cyril Larkin and in memory of Jim Moose by Lesa Moose.

Additional memorials were also received in memory of Marlene Dahlstrom by Carl and Betty Christianson, Steve and Sheryl Evanson, Lesa Moose, Tom and Karen Regan, Linda Siegrist and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon and Postville Clinics welcome Nurse Practitioner, Mason (Hermeier) Kerian, who is now seeing patients in both the Waukon and Postville Clinics. Mason is a 2017 graduate of Waukon High School and has been attending the University of Iowa in Iowa City for the last eight years as she has worked on earning her nurse practitioner doctorate.

Mason became a nurse practitioner because she saw how poor health outcomes often result from something as simple as miscommunication, a lack of trust or a missed connection between providers and their patients.

“I wanted to be the kind of provider patients feel comfortable opening up to,” explains Mason. “I think when patients feel heard and supported, health care can become really individualized and meaningful.”

Mason earned her initial nursing degree from the University of Iowa College of Nursing, then went on to earn her doctorate, focusing specifically on family medicine.