Virtual Health Fair

Family Health Care, Oncology, Orthopedics, OB Health Services: Caribou, ME

Virtual Health Fair

2020 marks the 41st year of the annual Cary Medical Center Health Fair and thanks to these unusual times, we have had to reimagine our event so that the fair could go on. This year, in lieu of our annual in-person Cary Medical Center Health Fair, we will be conducting a “Virtual Health Fair” and invite you to join us! From October 1 to October 31, we will introduce and highlight our virtual health fair exhibitors in a special way here on this page and also on Facebook in any of the following three locations: Cary Medical Center’s 2020 Virtual Health Fair; Healthy You Facebook page; Healthy You Health & Wellness Community.

Throughout the month, we will introduce and showcase one organization or program each day – providing health information, resources, and important agency/organizational information to help people in our communities access their services. We will be sharing videos, brochures, upcoming event information, live Q & A segments and giveaways – just like you might have experienced at the in-person event in the past. It will also pay to stay engaged as we will host a few door prize drawings throughout the event as well as a grand prize drawing at the very end. Entries will be earned through engagement with the event – think “LIKES” and comments! We hope you will join us as we aim to connect our communities with whatever they might need to make their health and wellness a priority – even in the midst of these uniquely challenging times.

SCROLL DOWN NOW TO START MEETING OUR EXHIBITORS!

October 11: Healthy You

Oct 11, 2020

Cary Medical Center delivers health & wellness programs and information throughout Aroostook with our award-winning Healthy You program. Subscribe to receive our monthly event calendars and wellness newsletters in your email inbox by visiting: EMAIL LIST SUBSCRIBE LINK

Have you liked our Healthy You Facebook page yet? That’s where we go LIVE on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month with our Wellness Wednesday LIVE video series that features informational topics and interviews that help you move in a positive direction with your health and wellness. Be sure to LIKE and follow the page at Facebook.com/caryhealthyyou to be alerted when we go LIVE and when we have upcoming events or programs!
Do you want to join a virtual community comprised of people interested in health and wellness? Our Healthy You Health & Wellness Community group on Facebook is where you can go to connect with others and where we tend to engage most with our followers. Our Facebook group is a little more private than our Healthy You Facebook page which allows us to get to know one another better for encouragement and accountability. Join today by visiting: Facebook.com/groups/caryhealthyyou
Did you know that Healthy You launched a YouTube channel? In addition to our entire archive of Wellness Wednesday LIVE videos, you can also find other webinars, virtual workshops, community chats and other great video resources to help you move toward better health and wellness. Check it out and subscribe to our channel for alerts when new videos premiere! HEALTHY YOU YOUTUBE CHANNEL LINK

October 10: Jefferson Cary Foundation

Oct 10, 2020

The Jefferson Cary Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1993. The foundation’s namesake is Dr. Jefferson B. Cary whose charitable bequest founded the original Cary Memorial Hospital that is known today as Cary Medical Center. Jefferson Cary Foundation’s mission is to encourage philanthropic giving and, through careful financial management and analysis, provide funding for health care related projects and equipment that benefit all those served by the hospital.

Our charitable foundation is committed to reducing human suffering through health care excellence and dedicated to the physical and mental well-being of all those who are touched by its generosity.

Learn more about the Jefferson Cary Foundation by viewing our brochure. You can click the brochure image below to link to a printer-friendly PDF version that is easier to read.

Over the years, the Foundation has funded many special projects at the hospital, including the Center for Women and Children’s Health, Women’s Imaging Center, the Oncology and Specialty Services building, advanced medical equipment, scholarships to promote nursing education, and numerous programs for patients and families. Additionally, the Foundation has established an Endowment that now surpasses $500,000. We welcome gifts of all sizes to our fund and you can make your donation securely through our website by visiting https://www.carymedicalcenter.org/about-cary/jefferson-cary-foundation/giving/.

If you would prefer to make your gift by check please make your check payable to the Jefferson Cary Foundation and mail your check to:

Jefferson Cary Foundation,
PO Box 89
Caribou, Maine 04736.  

Reuben and Annette Cote Family Memorial Scholarship Awarded

Because of a local family’s generosity, caring and desire to give back, many nurses at Cary Medical Center have been supported with financial assistance to help further their nursing education over the past thirty years.  Members of the Reuben and Annette Cote family originally established the Family Memorial Scholarship program in memory of Annette because of the wonderful care that she received during her hospitalization at Cary in the mid-1980’s.  The scholarship has been awarded annually since the late 1980’s to a Cary Medical Center employee furthering his/her education in the nursing field, with the funds administered by the Jefferson Cary Foundation, (JCF). As other members of the immediate family have passed, including siblings Freda “Sis” Cote Classy in 1999, Paul “Bert” Cote in 2005 and Alfred “Hap” Cote in 2008, the family has added to the scholarship and made it a Family Memorial.

“Even though the extended Cote family now resides in various locations throughout the United States, they generously continue to support the scholarship fund annually here at Cary,” explained Tamra Kilcollins, JCF Executive Director. “Their commitment to the scholarship has continued each year to assist a recipient with continuing his/her nursing education. These wonderful gifts help make a difference for our nurses and patients right here at home, and we so appreciate their support.”

“It’s always a hard decision for us because all of the applicants are so deserving,” noted Darylen Cote. “Our family feels the scholarship is a wonderful way to give back, and they are all so generous with supporting and keeping our scholarship funded. We were so pleased that we could award two scholarships this year.”

Receiving the 2020 Scholarship Awards of $750 each are Vicky Cyr, RN of Van Buren, and Nicholas Jackson, CNA of Caribou.  Vicky is an Emergency Department Nurse, a Nursing Supervisor and also works in Case Management at Cary. She is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program through Walden University. Nicholas is a CNA/Unit Secretary on the hospital’s Acute Care Unit and is enrolled in the Nursing Program at Northern Maine Community College.

Vicky Cyr, RN, and Nicholas Jackson, CNA, (center), were each recently presented with $750 scholarship awards from Darylen Cote, (left), on behalf of the Reuben and Annette Cote Family. Vicky is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program through Walden University. She is an Emergency Department Nurse, Nursing Supervisor and also works in Case Management at Cary Medical Center. Nicholas is attending Northern Maine Community College enrolled in the Nursing Program, and is a CNA/Unit Secretary on the Acute Care Unit at Cary Medical Center. The Reuben and Annette Cote Family Memorial Scholarship has been awarded annually for many years to Cary Nurses furthering their education in the nursing field. With Darylen, Vicky and Nicholas is (right), Tamra Kilcollins, Executive Director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation, administrator for the scholarship fund.

October 9: Cary Medical Center Volunteers

Oct 9, 2020

Are you looking for opportunities to volunteer in our local communities? We are currently exploring safe ways to engage our volunteers during the continuing pandemic and always seek to keep the health and wellbeing of our patients, staff, and volunteers at the forefront in all that we do! Join the Cary Medical Center team of volunteers by reaching out to Nancy Bergin at (207) 498-1380 to learn more about our current volunteer opportunities.

Our Volunteer Services brochure can answer a few of the frequently asked questions that people have about our volunteer program. Check it out below! You can also click the image to link to a printer-friendly PDF version that will be easier to read if you need it.

October 8: Aroostook Mental Health Center (AMHC)

Oct 8, 2020

Cary Medical Center Community Relations Coordinator, Bethany Zell, recently sat down with Lorraine Chamberlain, LCSW, CCS and Christina Wall, LCSW, MHRT-CSP, both of AMHC, to discuss the topic pertinent to mental health in Aroostook County: STIGMA. Join the conversation by watching the video below and letting us know your thoughts. How can you help?

To connect with Lorraine or Christina or to access resources and services at AMHC, please call AMHC’s Access Center at 1-800-244-6431 or visit them on the web at https://amhc.org or https://www.facebook.com/AMHC1964/.

It is important to remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Someone is always a call or click away so please, don’t suffer in silence. Reach out. Ask for help. It is okay. People are here to help.
Maine Crisis Line 1-888-568-1112 24/7 call, text, chat – request to speak with the local crisis provider if you want to be seen
Aroostook Mental Health Center – AMHC Crisis Units:
•Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit, 162 Main Street, Presque Isle, Maine, 1-800-432-7805
•Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit, 8 Wesleyan Street, Fort Fairfield, Maine, 1-207-473-9285
•Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit, 127 Palmer Street, Calais, Maine, 1-207-454-0322
HELPLINES:
Maine Warmline 1-866-771-WARM (9276) 24/7
Warmline for the Frontline 866-367-4440 8am-8am
Sexual Assault Helpline 1-800-871-7741 24/7 call, 8a-8p M-F text/chat
Domestic Violence Helpline 1-866-834-HELP (4357) 24/7 call
NAMI Maine, Teen Text Support Line 207-515-8398 text 12p-10p

October 7: Pink Aroostook

Oct 7, 2020

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and our Pink Aroostook breast health program is ready! Pink Aroostook is a breast health program designed for support, advocacy, education and awareness of breast health issues in northern Maine.

Thanks to Cary Medical Center and collaborations with the Maine Breast Cancer Coalition, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the American Cancer Society in Maine, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Maine – ACS CAN, the Maine Association of Cancer Support Centers and the Maine Breast & Cervical Health Program, Pink Aroostook helps connect people diagnosed with breast cancer to local and national resources which may be able to provide financial and emotional support. We also have a limited financial support fund available to help Aroostook County residents dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis – regardless of where they are receiving treatment.
To learn more about how you can get involved with Pink Aroostook or to access financial support or resources, please visit us on the web at https://www.pinkaroostook.org or call Bethany at 207.498.1361.
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Pink Aroostook provides educational resources to those living with and at risk of breast cancer and maintains a robust social media presence to increase our reach and facilitate community engagement. We participate in advocacy at the local, state and national levels to help push forward political policy that will change the landscape of breast cancer and pave the way for life saving research and access to care for those living with and at risk for breast cancer. We also do a lot of media advocacy to engage our local networks and partners and provide them with regular opportunities to participate in our work with social media calls to action. To get involved in our social media advocacy work, please be sure to LIKE and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/pinkaroostook.
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The incidence of life-threatening disease doesn’t stop because the world is in quarantine and while medical appointments and treatments may be a little more difficult to navigate in these unusual times, there are support resources that have become a lot more accessible thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some organizations already had an online presence prior to the pandemic, many were forced to assess their impact and fine-tune their offerings to remain relevant and accessible for the people who needed them most. The COVID-19 pandemic has moved us all a minimum of 6 feet away from one another in the name of physical distancing, but for people living with breast cancer in our communities, safe connections are just a call or click away. Events, programs and resources that were once difficult, if not impossible, to access from remote and rural areas like Aroostook County are now readily available to anyone from anywhere. If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis or treatment, you are not alone! Here are a few support resources that are currently available for people in Maine.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: Whether it’s the middle of the afternoon or the middle of the night, cancer information specialists are available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 24/7 Cancer Helpline 800.227.2345 or Live Chat at cancer.org.

BETH C. WRIGHT CANCER RESOURCE CENTER:

Safe Harbor Cancer Support Group, 2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Open Arms Breast Cancer Support Group, 1st Sunday of each month, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

For more information or to register call 207-664-0339 or email: [email protected]

CARING CONNECTIONS:

Men’s Cancer Network Group, Wednesday, October 7, 6:00pm

Breast Cancer Network Group, Wednesday, October 14 and 28, 12:30pm

For more information and to register, please visit: https://www.bangory.org/virtual-ymca/cancer-support/ 

DEMPSEY CENTER:

Man Up to Cancer Roundtable – 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7pm

Women’s Drop-In Cancer Support Group  – Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3pm – starting Sept 9

Care Partner Drop-In Support Group – Wednesdays, 3:30 – 4:45pm

Evening Drop-In Cancer Support Group – Wednesdays, 5-6:30pm

Advanced Cancer Support Group – Thursdays, 10 – 11:30am

Daytime Drop-In Cancer Support Group  – Thursdays, 2:30 – 4pm

Teen Group – Thursdays, 4:30 – 6pm

For more information on classes, workshops, and support groups please e-mail [email protected] or call 207-376-9648.

PINK AROOSTOOK:

Limited financial assistance for Aroostook residents in treatment for breast cancer.

Contact Bethany Zell at [email protected] or 207.498.1361 to apply. 

REACH TO RECOVERY:

Through online chat or by phone, volunteers provide support to individuals who are facing a possible breast cancer diagnosis, recurrence, or advanced-stage breast cancer, considering or undergoing treatment and/or experiencing lymphedema.

To request a phone visit with a Reach To Recovery volunteer, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit reach.cancer.org.

October 6: Pines Pediatrics

Oct 6, 2020

Pines Health Services’ pediatric providers specialize in the health of infants, children, and adolescents. They typically provide primary care to patients from birth through teenager years. This care includes diagnosing and treating illnesses, routine physical exams, monitoring growth and development, and immunizations. Pediatric providers may also pursue sub-specialty training in areas such as pediatric cardiology, neonatology, pediatric oncology, or adolescent medicine.

Pines’ Pediatricians see patients at the Pines Health Services Women’s and Children’s Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, conveniently located on the Cary Medical Center Campus in Caribou.

Contact Pines Health Services to find a pediatric provider for your child by calling 207.498.6921 or visiting them on the web at
http://www.pineshealth.org/our%20services/pediatrics.
Dr. Kirunasiri (left) & Nurse Kristi (right) with Pines Patient
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Vaccines are supported by every major American medical society and government agency and are a routine part of pediatric care. Yet the growing number of vaccine preventable disease outbreaks suggests more must be done to support immunization and halt the spread of serious—and potentially deadly—diseases.
Why are vaccines so important? Vaccines save lives and protect against long-term health consequences. They reduce disability and suffering, contribute to longer life expectancy, and help lower health disparities. From 1994 to 2016, childhood immunizations prevented an estimated 281 million child illnesses, 855,000 child deaths, and nearly $1.65 trillion in health care costs. Every dollar invested in vaccination yields $3 in direct benefits and $10 in benefits when societal costs are included.
With schools in full swing, it’s critical for parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date on vaccines. That’s why we want to help share accurate information on vaccines. With so much information—and sometimes incorrect information—available today, learning the facts before making health decisions is very important. We want to emphasize that it is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs. Vaccination is a highly effective, safe and easy way to help keep your family healthy.
For more information on the vaccine schedule and the importance and safety of vaccines, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/.

October 5: Cary Medical Center Rehab Services

Oct 5, 2020

Cary Medical Center’s rehabilitation services are designed to help patients get back to functional independence or reach their maximum potential after an injury or disability. Rehabilitation specialists provide progressive, personalized care to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes. Our staff includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists. In all, this team has more than 130 years of rehabilitation and sports medicine experience. Check out the short video below to meet some of our amazing Rehab Services team and find out how they might be able to help.

October 4: Aroostook Area Agency on Aging

Oct 4, 2020

The Aroostook Area Agency on Aging has been a reliable resource for information and services to the aging members of our local communities for many years! Check out what they have going on by visiting their website at https://aroostookaging.org following them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AroostookAreaAgencyOnAging.

Aroostook Area Agency on Aging Executive Director Joy Barresi Saucier recently sat down with WAGM-TV reporter Robert Grimm to discuss the work of the agency and why Aroostook Matters. Check out the story by clicking the image below to connect to the full video on YouTube.

What a great outline of the services that the Aroostook Agency on Aging offers. You can find this right on their website, so visit it now to learn more about any of these resources.

Click the images below to view two more PSAs about how the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging serves the people in our Aroostook communities and reach out today to find the support and resources that you need to live well as you age!

 

 

 

 

October 3: United Way of Aroostook

Oct 3, 2020

Our friends at the United Way of Aroostook have a mission to mobilize resources to improve the lives of people in our communities. We can DEFINITELY get behind that! Check out their campaign for 2020 in the video below!
(click image to watch the video on Youtube)
 
Please be sure to visit the United Way of Aroostook‘s website and follow them on Facebook to learn more about how they help the people living in our local communities access the resources that they need.

YOU’RE INVITED!

Join United Way of Aroostook for a virtual night of laughs to support our friends, family and neighbors in Aroostook County!

The COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc on our schools, nonprofits, stores, businesses – and events. As we have seen our own events being canceled our organization has started to feel the effects of COVID-19. The money we raise from these events go to support over 20 local agencies and programs that are providing vital services across Aroostook County. This has allowed us to touch 1 out of every 2 individuals that reside in the County. We recognize that people are spending more time at home and are looking for new ways to be entertained virtually. That is why we are going to be hosting A Virtual Night of Laughs with United Way of Aroostook on October 23rd.
Derek Richards, a regular for 27 years on the Las Vegas Strip will be performing. Derek’s act is fast, fresh and at times, fanatical. He brings the funny with tales about his blue-collar upbringing, his divorce, the holidays and his child-free existence. A veteran of several USO tours, Richards was chosen as one of the first performers at Guantanamo Bay. The comedy tour earned Richards national coverage in Newsweek. He also has performed at U.S. base camps in Iraq, Afganistan, and more than 15 countries. You can hear him on the air via the SiriusXM Satellite Radio Network and on the nationally syndicated, Bob and Tom Show along with Bob and Sheri. He was also featured on The Weather Channel’s Top 10.
Kathleen Dunbar will be opening the performance. Motherhood, aging and family are some of the topics she tackles with razor sharp sarcasm and quick precise timing. Kathleen also performs on the Vegas strip and has opened for comedians like Bill Maher and Arsenio Hall.
These clean comedians will be performing from 7-8pm virtually on Zoom hosted by the United Way of Aroostook.
All proceeds will be put back in to the community to support the amazing work that is being done to improve education, health and the financial stability of Aroostook County.
Event sponsors: S.W. Collins Company and United Insurance

October 2: Screen Aroostook

Oct 2, 2020

Cary Medical Center’s Screen Aroostook grant came to be due to the fact that our colorectal screening rate here in Aroostook County is below both the national and state averages. We are working to educate residents of Aroostook County to hopefully decrease colorectal occurrences. Please visit our website at www.ScreenAroostook.com and while you are there, take the quiz to find out what you don’t know about colorectal cancer. If you check in through our special health fair form on our website, we will send you a wellness gift!

Additionally, you can follow us on Facebook where we regularly share information pertinent to colorectal health and wellness. FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Screen-Aroostook-2480500028867197

Want to learn the basics about colorectal health and how you can take control of your wellness in this area? Watch the educational workshop video below with Screen Aroostook Grant Coordinator, Cindy Blanchette, RN, by clicking the link below to be connected to this video on YouTube.