Health

Individuals can make a difference by making a life-saving blood donation at the next Waukon Community Blood Drive. The next blood drive will take place Thursday, September 6 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Donating blood is safe, simple and it saves lives. Blood donors have a unique opportunity to contribute to their community by making a life-saving blood donation. Everyone who registers to donate blood goes through four simple steps during the donation process: registration, donor history and mini-physical, blood donation and snacks.

New blood donors who are not familiar with the blood donation process are encouraged to ask questions before, during and after their blood donation. Below are a few tips for ensuring a successful donation:

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon is inviting the public to sanitize their own personal cell phones at the main entrance of the hospital. A PhoneSoap machine is available at the receptionist desk that will sanitize germs on phones using ultra violet light. The process is safe and effective. It takes about 10 minutes and is ideal for outpatients coming into the hospital for an appointment and also for visitors stopping by and customers who wish to shop in the hospital’s gift case while they wait.

Phones just need to be dropped off with the receptionist or volunteer. They will be placed in the PhoneSoap machine and approximately 10 minutes later, the ultra violet lights will be finished sanitizing the phone which can then be picked up again by the owner.  The general public is also welcome to drop in for this sanitizing process.

The route from the annual “Get Your Walk On in Waukon” annual family fun walk and run held Saturday, August 4 in conjunction with the Waukon Corn Days celebration is still marked and available for anyone to follow at any time.

The Healthiest State Initiative strongly encourages everyone to walk at least 30 minutes per day. That is the reason the hospital offered a 1.5-mile walk and the optional 5K (3.1-mile) route again this year. The hospital would like to invite the public to continue to enjoy the event routes anytime. Maps of the 1.5-mile and 5K (3.1-mile) routes are available to be picked up at the main entrance of the hospital. In addition, orange painted arrows on the streets outline the 1.5-mile course that ends at the east side of the hospital or individuals can choose to continue on to complete the 3.1-mile course that ends at the south side of the hospital.

From the American Cancer Society and Veterans Memorial Hospital

It’s summer and even though it’s the middle of August, we are still in skin protection season. The vast majority of skin cancers are preventable by routinely shielding your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays and Americans aren’t doing enough to protect themselves.

The American Cancer Society suggests we bring our sun-protection habits up to date. Dermatologists recommend doing a skin check monthly, so you’ll be more likely to notice small changes or even find a skin cancer when it’s still small.  The best time to examine the skin is after a shower or bath and with good lighting. Look for changes in size, texture, shape and color of birthmarks, moles and blemishes.

The next local LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, September 6 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held every month in Waukon, allowing for more donors to give. LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

Anyone who lives to the age of 72 will have a 95% probability of needing blood or blood products at sometime in their life, so blood donors are greatly needed.

Regular blood donors may donate blood as often as every 56 days. First-time donors will find that donating blood is a safe and easy way to save lives and make a difference in the community. One single blood donation can save the lives of up to three sick or injured hospital patients. On average, 90% of first-time donors give at blood drives in their community. This is an opportunity for first-time donors to see how easy the blood donation process is.

The donation process is simple:

The “Get Your Walk On In Waukon” annual family fun walk and 5K was held Saturday, August 4, in conjunction with the Waukon Corn Days celebration. The event was co-sponsored this year by the “Walk-On Waukon” fundraising committee who has been raising funds for this past year to extend the walking paths in the city of Waukon.

The Healthiest State Initiative strongly encourages everyone to walk at least 30 minutes per day. That is the reason the hospital offered a 1.5 mile walk and the optional 5K again this year as well.  Many participants took advantage of both of the routes.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Aloysius “Lloyd” Welsh by Kristin Cote, Eric and Stephanie Palmer and Brad and Erin Berns, and in memory of Tennis and Diane Foels by family and friends of Tennis and Diane Foels.

Memorials were also received in memory of Virginia Anderson by Doug Anderson and in memory of Elizabeth “Betty” Hogan by Joan and Romandus Gisleson.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation. The Foundation is a 501C3 organization.  All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, August 16 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital.

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or who has a friend or loved one with diabetes. For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call  Angie Mettille, RN at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, September 6, from 12-5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once a month in Waukon, to allow for more donors to give. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with their blood and blood products.

Blood centers across the United States see a decrease in blood donations during the busy summer months.  During the summer, people become more active, have busier schedules, spend more time outdoors and take vacations.  While donations decline, hospitals see an increase in the need for blood.  More driving can mean more automobile accidents.  A person who has suffered severe injuries from an automobile accident can need up to 50 units of blood.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, August 16. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if chosen. Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing to eat dinner. Card playing will follow at 12:30 p.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to stay and play cards following the Senior Citizens meal is more than welcome to do so. All proceeds go towards the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Prizes will be awarded.

Anyone interested in attending but preferring to play Bridge is also welcome to join in. It is asked that they come with their own table of four players, however.