Tag Archives: Women

Look Good, Feel Better

January 1, 2013

Women undergoing cancer treatments are encouraged to attend “Look Good-Feel Better” when St. Joseph’s in Breese hosts the program from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the hospital HealthPlex.

Following the session, the hospital’s new Wig Closet will be open.

Participants are invited to bring a female support person to share this evening of fun and education. This is the first LGFB program offered by St. Joseph’s in Breese in the New Year; future sessions are April 17, July 17 and Oct. 16.

The program is hosted by the hospital with the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Personal Care Products Council Foundation and the Professional Beauty Association/National Cosmetology Association.

During the two-hour session, those attending receive a make-over from cosmetology professionals with specialized ACS training to help with skin care, makeup application (even if cosmetics are rarely worn), nail strategies and the choice and care of wigs, scarves, turbans and hats. Free hair coverings and wigs will be available.

Participants receive makeup kits valued at $250, the opportunity to meet others going through similar experiences, refreshments, gifts and encouragement.

An ACS representative said the LGFB program can help a woman face the challenges of cancer.

“When cancer strikes, a woman has to deal with the physical and emotional trauma plus the effects of treatment on her skin, hair, nails and general appearance,” the representative said.

“Winning the battle to retain her physical appearance and self-esteem can make the war against cancer seem a little easier,” she said. “This program has been called an emotional lifesaver because it returns to them a sense of normalcy and allows them to smile at the person in the mirror again.”

For more information or to register (required), contact 526-5672 or kathy.timmermann@hshs.org.

Women and Infants Center Classes

December 26, 2012

New classes for a New Year!

The St. Joseph-Breese Women and Infants Center has announced the 2013 class schedule with a variety of childbirth classes, breastfeeding sessions, sibling, baby care and Happiest Baby/Toddler.

Leading off the month is a Breastfeeding class at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, while the Breastfeeding Support Group, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, closes out January. Sessions are in the Heritage Room; contact 526-5785 or shirley.spaeth@hshs.org for more information.

Those attending the support group will receive tips from trained volunteer counselors, registered nurses experienced in lactation consulting and Clinton County Health Department staff.

With Community Link’s First Step Program in Breese, WIC will offer Happiest Baby on Monday, Jan. 14, and Happiest Toddler on Monday, Feb. 11. Classes are from 1 to 3 p.m. at the hospital HealthPlex and are provided with funding from the United Way of Greater St. Louis.

Happiest Toddler is for those with children one to four years old; Happiest Baby is for new or expectant parents. Both are open to anyone caring for infants or toddlers including day care providers.

Class coordinators include Laurie Hemker and Janice McElroy, both with First Step.

An Early Head Start and Infant Mental Health Coordinator, Hemker holds a master’s degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker and Certified Happiest Baby Educator. McElroy, First Step’s Early Learning and Family Support director, holds a master’s degree in counseling and human development.

Also at the beginning of the New Year, WIC will offer a Sibling Class from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, and Know Your Newborn at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, in the Heritage Room. Sibling is for children three to 10 years old expecting a new brother or sister within the next two months; Know Your Newborn is for moms- and dads-to-be.

Three childbirth classes will be offered in January: a Childbirth Refresher class at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15; a three-week course at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 15, Jan. 22 and Jan. 29; and a one-day Prepared Childbirth class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19. Prepared Childbirth classes are in the hospital Heritage Room; this Childbirth Refresher session will be in the Board Room.

Sessions provide information to decrease anxiety and fears. Topics include relaxation, comfort measures, variations of normal labor and delivery, Caesarean births, risks and benefits of medication.

For more information on classes, to register (required) or a tour of the facility, contact 526-5464 or helen.essenpreis@hshs.org.

New Year’s Babies

December 19, 2012

Some were born Jan. 1 while others arrived a day or two later. Some were from Clinton County and others further away. But all carry the honor of being a New Year’s Baby at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese.

The hospital Women and Infant Center was a busy place New Year’s Day, 2012, as three families welcomed new arrivals within a few hours of each other.

Kiram Lee Kahn, son of Danela Jones of Carlyle and Pete Kahn of Belleville, arrived at 11:18 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, and was the official First Arrival. Sharing his birth date was Hayden Matthew Shewmake, son of Jessica and Garrett Shewmake of Ashley, who arrived at 12:58 p.m., and Augustus James Block, son of Jamie and Eric Block of Aviston, who came into the world at 1:19 p.m.

Kiram Lee weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 19 inches long; Hayden Matthew was 9 pounds, 6 ounces and 22 inches long; and Augustus James was 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 20-1/2 inches long.

The 2011 New Year’s Baby, Paitten Rose Foster, daughter of Laura Doty and Robert Foster of Millersburg, arrived at 3:15 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, while the 2010 honoree, Addison Jolene Barriger, daughter of Anne Wuebbels and Erik Barriger of Germantown, came into the world at 1:01 p.m. New Year ’s Day.

Paitten Rose weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 20 inches long while Addison Jolene was 8 pounds, 4 ounces and 22 inches long.

Bryce Michael, son of Amy and Brian Haar of Trenton, came along at 6:55 a.m. Friday, Jan. 2, to be the 2009 New Year’s Baby. He weighed eight pounds, 14 ounces, and was 22 inches long.

Twins were the highlight of the 2008 celebration as Briea JeanMarie and Samuel Darrell, children of Michelle and Sam Perkins of Highland, arrived Wednesday, Jan. 2. Briea JeanMarie was born at 7:47 a.m., weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and being 18-1/2 inches long; and Samuel Darrell followed at 7:49 a.m. weighing 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and being 20 inches long.

They followed the example of Aiden Joshua Viehland-Markus, son of Jacqueline Markus and Josh Viehland of Breese, who was also born on Jan. 2 to become the 2007 New Year’s Baby. He arrived at 7:51 a.m., weighed eight pounds, 14 ounces, and was 20-1/2 inches long.

The First Baby of 2006—Maddax Joseph Etheridge, son of Shannon and Justin Etheridge of Hoffman—made his entrance right away, at 7:29 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006, while the 2005 and 2004 New Year’s babies waited until the day was almost over.

Ava Gayle Michael, daughter of Gaylen and Amy Michael of Grantfork, entered the world at 11:25 p.m. Jan. 1, 2005, while Zachary Ryan Malcomb, son of Wanda Strubhart and Wil C. Malcomb Jr., of Albers, arrived at 11:05 p.m. Jan. 1, 2004.

In 2003, Logan Marshel McClain, son of Kelly and Robert McClain of Iuka, waited until 4:04 p.m. Jan. 2, while the two before that picked New Year’s Day to make their entrance: Brenna Jo Weiss, daughter of Ryan and Judy Weiss of Millersburg, at 6:27 p.m. Jan. 1, 2002, and Blake Christopher Sellers, son of Chad and Denise Sellers of Breese, at 5:53 a.m. Jan. 1, 2001.

For the millennium, the hospital feted the last baby born in the 20th Century—Collin Michael Johnson, son of Aislinn and Scott Johnson of Sandoval, who arrived at 5:51 p.m. Dec. 31­, 1999—and the first in the 21st Century—Hunter John Kruep, son of Iantha and Bruce Kruep of Breese, who arrived at 8:12 a.m. Jan. 1, 2000.

Other New Year’s Babies included:

-Alyssa Jo Ripperda, daughter of Linda and Kurt Ripperda of Breese, born at 1:48 p.m. Jan. 4, 1999;

-LeeAnn Nicole Gozia, daughter of Sandra and Michael Gozia of Sullivan, Mo., born at 11:46 a.m. Jan. 3, 1998;

-Brooke Marie Wuebbels, daughter of Amy Huelskamp of Breese and Brian Wuebbels of Germantown, born at 3:24 p.m. Jan. 2, 1997;

-Donstan Brock Portell, son of Brent and Kathy (Schwend) Portell of Highland, born at 4:56 a.m. Jan. 1, 1996;

-Harley Renae Black, daughter of Amy (Miller) and Barry Black of Herrick, born at 1:06 p.m. Jan. 1, 1995;

-Max Keegan Harris, son of Laura and Pat Harris of Greenville, born at 6:20 a.m. Jan. 1, 1993;

-Jaqualine Mickenzie Stringer, daughter of Melody White and Joseph Stringer of Vandalia, born at 5:19 a.m. Jan. 1, 1992;

-Andrew Michael Winkler, son of Lisa and Elvis Winkler of Breese, born at 9:33 p.m. Jan. 1, 1991; and

-Kirsten Marie Koehler, daughter of Carol Detmer and Jeff Koehler of Beckemeyer, born at 12:46 p.m. Jan. 1, 1990.

At least two New Year’s babies had family connections with other Jan. 1 arrivals.

Allen Joseph Hodapp, son of Geralyn and Bernard Hodapp of Carlyle, arrived at 7:34 a.m. Jan. 1, 1985, and later his uncle, Mark and Maryann Thole of rural Carlyle, became the proud parents of Melissa Marie Thole, born at 10:19 a.m. Jan. 3, the 1994 honoree.

In 1982, Eric Joseph Poettker, son of Pat and Duane Poettker of St. Rose, was born at 4:45 p.m. Jan. 4, to be that year’s First Arrival; while mother Pat (Georgy) was the 1953 New Year’s Baby, arriving at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1.

Businesses and organizations are invited to join St. Joseph’s in Breese in welcoming the 2013 New Year’s Baby. Contact 526-5698 or mary.heeren@hshs.org for details.

If more than one baby arrives on New Year’s Day, those families will be recognized with a gift from the hospital. If no babies are born on New Year’s Day, only the first to arrive will be honored.

Women and Infants Childbirth Class

November 6, 2012

Final classes offered by the St. Joseph-Breese Women and Infants Center for 2012 have been announced.

With Community Link’s First Step Program in Breese, WIC will offer Happiest Baby Monday, Nov. 12, and Happiest Toddler on Monday, Dec. 10. Classes are from 1 to 3 p.m. at the hospital HealthPlex and are provided with funding from the United Way of Greater St. Louis.

Happiest Toddler is for those with children one to four years old; Happiest Baby is for new or expectant parents. Both are open to anyone caring for infants or toddlers including day care providers.

Class coordinators include Laurie Hemker and Janice McElroy, both with First Step.

An Early Head Start and Infant Mental Health Coordinator, Hemker holds a master’s degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker and Certified Happiest Baby Educator. McElroy, the Early Learning and Family Support program director, holds a master’s degree in counseling and human development.

WIC will also offer Prepared Childbirth sessions in three formats: a one-day Prepared Childbirth class at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, a three-week course at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 20, Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, and a Prepared Childbirth Refresher at 7 p.m. early in 2013. All are in the hospital Heritage Room.

Sessions provide information to decrease anxiety and fears. Topics include relaxation, comfort measures, variations of normal labor and delivery, Caesarean births, risks and benefits of medication.

Two breastfeeding sessions are also on the calendar: a class at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, and a support group at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, both in the Heritage Room. For more information on either the support group or class, contact 526-5785 or sspaeth@sjb.hshs.org.

Relatively new, the Breastfeeding Support Group meets the last Wednesday of each month except for holidays. Those attending will receive tips from trained volunteer counselors, registered nurses experienced in lactation consulting and Clinton County Health Department support staff who will share in facilitating the group.

Also before the end of the year, WIC will offer a Sibling Class from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, and Know Your Newborn at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, both in the Heritage Room. Sibling is for children three to 10 years old expecting a new brother or sister within the next two months; Know Your Newborn is for moms- and dads-to-be.

For more information on classes, to register (required) or a tour of the facility, contact 526-5464 or hessenpreis@sjb.hshs.org.

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