Lee Health launches emergency preparedness website

Lee Health has unveiled a comprehensive emergency preparedness website on www.LeeHealth.org and it’s one of just a handful of hospital systems in Florida that has this type of resource available. The website will serve as a dedicated resource for the Southwest Florida community and other individuals seeking information and resources for emergencies, such as natural disasters and public health situations. The website is the result of a collaborative effort between Lee Health and its community partners.

The Lee Health Emergency Preparedness Website features several different sections that the community can utilize as a one-stop-shop for information, emergency action plans, resources and helpful links. It shares resources from community partners, including Lee County, the City of Fort Myers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and more.

The new site is located at https://www.leehealth.org/emergency-preparedness and includes several different resource sections:

• Natural Disasters: How to stay safe before, during and after natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados and floods. Information will also be provided for medically insecure patients.

• Public Health Emergencies: Information on any ongoing public health emergencies (like the COVID-19 pandemic). This will include information on the public health emergency, testing sites and where to get vaccines, if applicable.

• Emergency Action Plans: How to create a plan to ensure the safety and wellbeing of you and your family. This will include evacuation procedures, emergency supplies, practice drills, identifying a shelter-in-place location, communication protocols, emergency contact information and more.

• Resources and Helpful Links: Direct links to resources from the CDC and FEMA. There will also be information on plans for patients with asthma, food allergies and anaphylaxis.

Lee Health is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our community and helping Southwest Florida families be prepared for every type of emergency. We believe your safety should be your top priority.

Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.

Free Autism Screening for Young Children

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to five years of age.

The next screening will be held on July 21, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Pediatric Specialist Office, 15901 Bass Road, Suite 102, Fort Myers.

It is estimated that one in every 44 children is diagnosed with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined.

Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families. They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well.

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. The screenings are administered by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders.

A physician referral is not required. To schedule a screening, please call 239-343-6838.

Family Initiative receives $5 million in state funding to fund Thrive Academy, build special needs shelter

Family Initiative has received $5 million in state funding for Thrive Academy, a private educational setting for young people on the autism spectrum. Additionally, the funding will allow Family Initiative to build a special needs shelter to adequately Support children and their families in the event of a natural disaster.

Thrive Academy has been piloted as a micro school in the 2022 school year and will serve high school students with autism. Currently, 10 children on the autism spectrum are enrolled, and we will be ready to enroll more students in the fall. Additionally, Thrive Academy will provide wrap-around specialized education, vocational training and clinical support. Private donations and public funding will support the acquisition, renovation or construction, and operations for Thrive Academy, which is currently in the planning phases.

Through compassion and innovation, Southwest Florida-based Family Initiative is working to redefine autism programs and clinical services. The nonprofit offers a family-centered approach that includes evidence-based services, practical training and compassionate support, and is the first organization in the region with an on-site campus dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted with autism spectrum disorder.

To learn more about Family Initiative, the services they offer and their work in the community, visit FI-Florida.org or call 239-910-0712.

Hope Healthcare announces Shine, a benefit for Hope Kids Care

Hope Healthcare’s signature benefit, Shine, returns Friday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m., at the historic Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.

An elegant evening to support essential programs for Hope Kids Care, the 2023 Shine event will feature riverside cocktails, dinner and an auction. Hope Kids Care, a program of Hope Healthcare, provides comforting care and counseling for local families in need. Help is available for children of all ages and includes medical care, art and music therapy, social services, respite for parents and caregivers, volunteer support and bereavement counseling for the entire family.

The event is hosted by Shine event committee members Rebekah Barney, Lizbeth Benacquisto, Rachel Busch, Lillian Canfield, Susan Frantz, Zannon Garza, Laurie Moore, Jenna Persons-Mulicka, Amy Thibaut and Vanessa Tyler.

Tickets for 2023 Shine are now available at $250 per person. To purchase tickets or learn more about the event and sponsorship opportunities, visit ShineForHope.org.

Hope Healthcare, which includes Hope Hospice and Hope Kids Care programs, is a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to providing care and comfort to every individual and their loved ones as they fulfill life’s journey. For more information, call 239-482-4673 or visit www.HopeHCS.org.

Mandybur joins Lee Physician Group’s Neurosurgery Program

One of the country’s most accomplished neurosurgeons has joined Lee Physician Group’s Neurosurgery program. Dr. George Mandybur is a board certified neurosurgeon specializing in treating Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, epilepsy and brain and spinal tumors.

Mandybur comes from Cincinnati where he began practicing at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the Mayfield Clinic. He served as a professor of neurosurgery for almost 18 years and as the director of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. He has also published over 40 peer-reviewed publications and is a founding member of the UC Gardner Center for Neurosciences.

Mandybur is an early adopter of many technologies for movement disorders, including advanced Deep Brain Stimulation techniques, and LITT laser surgery for epilepsy and brain tumors. He is a pioneer in the advancement of surgical pain management, including spinal cord stimulation, Trigeminal neuralgia and facial pain.

Mandybur graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed his neurosurgery residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center and general surgery residency at Case Western Reserve University. He also completed special training in movement disorders, epilepsy and surgical pain management at Loma Linda University Medical Center and the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

His practice is at the Lee Memorial Medical Office Building, 2780 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers.

Precision Healthcare Specialists launches cancer specialist network in Fort Myers

Precision Healthcare Specialists has launched a new network in Fort Myers focused on connecting patients with the region’s best medical specialists.

The first surgeon to join Precision Healthcare Specialists is Dr. Anthony J. Anfuso, head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction. Anfuso is an otolaryngology specialist who focuses on the surgical management of malignant and benign tumors of the mouth, throat, larynx, neck, salivary glands, thyroid, parathyroid and skin. His unique skillset allows him to perform reconstructive surgery to correct defects of the head and neck, including microvascular reconstructive surgery.

Anfuso, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, earned his M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia before completing a residency in otolaryngology at West Virginia University and a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Precision Healthcare Specialists Head & Neck office, located at 13691 Metro Parkway, Suite 300, in Fort Myers, will continue adding cancer specialists with additional areas of expertise, including breast, urology and skin cancer. Appointments with Dr. Anfuso can be made by calling 239-291-6970.

For more information, please visit PHSpecialsts.com or call 941-626-1530.

The Preserve hires Daniell as life enrichment director

The Preserve, a skilled nursing, assisted living and memory care community in Fort Myers, has hired Kelsey Daniell as the life enrichment director.

In this position, Daniell will develop and deliver daily programs of individual and group activities so residents can engage in cultural, spiritual, environmental, physical, intellectual, emotional, social and civic activities. This will help sustain and promote each resident’s potential, happiness and sense of usefulness to self and others.

The Preserve, which is operated by the nonprofit Volunteers of America National Services, offers private skilled nursing suites for senior residents with specialized or advanced health care needs, as well as boutique assisted living apartments and memory support suites.

Daniell graduated from Florida International University and is a certified recreational therapist, which has led her to equestrian work, dance and fitness training. She has over seven years of experience working in healthcare.

Located at 14750 Hope Center Loop, at the corner of Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Plantation Road, The Preserve offers 75 private skilled nursing suites for senior residents with specialized or advanced health care needs, as well as 21 boutique assisted living apartments and 17 memory support suites. The community serves as a critical resource for post-acute care, offering high-quality medical services, rehabilitative care and social programs. Highly trained staff members and licensed professionals provide continuous medical support and foster a culture of caring and hospitality, creating specialized programs focused on rehabilitative and restorative care. For more information, visit www.ThePreserveVOA.org.

About Volunteers of America National Services

Volunteers of America National Services is a national, nonprofit, mission-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, VOANS’s ministry of service has supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America National Services helps almost 1.5 million people in over 400 communities. For more information about Volunteers of America National Services, visit VOANS.org.

Virtual Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshops set

Would you like to learn how to better manage chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, headaches and more?

Lee Health’s “It’s All About You,” Chronic Pain Self-Management Program” a Self- Management Resource Program with the SMRC is offering a research based Chronic Pain Self-Management program for the community. The workshop is free and meets weekly for six weeks.

Information presented in the virtual workshop can help you become empowered to improve your quality of life. Learn how to more easily manage your medications; understand the benefits of exercise; manage symptoms of stress, pain and fatigue; and make smarter decisions related to health eating. Participants will also receive a copy of the book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain”.

The sessions will be held on Wednesdays beginning July 19, from 1-3 p.m. (virtual session)

Please call 239-424-3121 for more information.

Chronic Disease Self-Management Program ‘It’s All About You’

Lee Health’s “It’s All About You,” Chronic Disease Self-Management Program” a Self- Management Resource Program with the SMRC is offering a research based Chronic Disease Self-Management program for the community.

The program is designed for people 18 years of age or older with chronic health conditions to help them learn ways to better manage their chronic conditions and the symptoms that often accompany chronic health conditions. Participants will receive a complimentary copy of the book, “Living a Healthier Life with Chronic Conditions.”

The virtual workshop is 2 hours once a week for 6 weeks and it is free.

Workshop will be offered on Thursdays beginning July 20, from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

For more information or to register, please call 239-424-3121.