RMC, Kiwansi, dance studio win top honors, By Katie Cole Alexander City Outlook

The annual Christmas parade is over, but the Chamber of Commerce continued to spread holiday cheer Tuesday when it announced the float winners. ”I knew the judges had a very difficult time making their selections,” said Marvin Wagoner, chamber president and CEO. “We’re just real proud of those that participated and everybody involved.”

The chamber chose three winners in business, non-profit and entertainment categories. “We found out just a little while ago and we’re ever so excited,” said Russell Medical Center marketing director Susan Foy. RMC won first place in the business category with its Disney-themed float, “Where Dreams Come True.” Foy said the idea, which was decided by a special committee, was easy given the Chamber’s overall theme for the parade, “It’s a Magical, Musical Christmas.” “With that theme – magical and musical – the first thing we thought of was Disney World,” Foy said.

About 30 or 40 RMC employees and their children dressed up as Disney characters, including Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and Cruella Deville. The group also performed a choreographed dance for their stop in front of the judges. “Seeing a bunch of Disney characters out there doing the electric slide was kind of fun,” Foy said.

Foy said numerous departments worked together to prepare costumes and the float, which was built around a car so it appeared to float along the route. “We appreciate and thank all the people that worked so hard on the float,” Foy said. “It was pretty complicated.”

For the Alexander City Kiwanis Club, which won first place in the non-profit category, finding good singers was the hardest task. A holiday barbershop quartet sang carols on the award-winning float, which was the brainchild of members Amanda Davis and Scott Blake.

“The float is just another (method) we Kiwanians use to try and improve the lives of children,” president Tommy Lee said. “Our hope is that they got as much enjoyment out of seeing it as we did putting it together.” Although Barbara’s Studio of Dance has won the entertainment category before, owner Barbara Yates was surprised to hear her dancers won again. The younger girls dressed up as candy canes, while the older dressed as reindeer and performed a dance to Reindeer Sleigh at the performance stops.

“We’re very thrilled,” Yates said. “It’s just a fun thing to do for the community and the kids enjoy it.” Wagoner was just as pleased with the parade as the winners. “I think the parade was one of the best ever,” Wagoner said, adding that the Alexander City Police Department helped the event run smoothly. “It’s one of the largest crowds we’ve seen and it had to be composed of several thousand people.” 2009 Christmas parade winners Business 1. Russell Medical Center 2. A Child’s Way Daycare 3. Dr. Wendy Holder’s office Non-profit 1. Alexander City Kiwanis Club 2. Alex City Methodist Church 3. Marshall Street Church of God Entertainment 1. Barbara’s Studio of Dance 2. Regeneration Community Praisers 3. Horseshoe Bend High School Marching Band

By Laura Johnson
Published: Friday, April 24, 2009 12:04 AM CDT
Local nurse and soldier Bridget Walker honored her employer, Russell Medical Center, and her supervisor, Jackie Mobley, with the “My Boss is a Patriot” award Thursday at a brief ceremony held inside the hospital lobby.

The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve organization, which serves to help soldiers gain and maintain employment, presented the award.

“Jackie has been wonderfully supportive of my decision to join,” Walker wrote in the award nomination letter. “As a matter of fact each member of the hospital staff and the physicians are very supportive and interested in my military appointment.”

Mobley said the letter almost brought her to tears when it was read out loud at the ceremony.

“I feel good about helping (Walker) be able to accomplish her goal of becoming a soldier,” Mobley said.

Walker began working at Russell Medical Center as a Registered Nurse in 2007 after obtaining her degree from Central Alabama Community College. Then, after watching a Dateline special about caring for soldiers, Walker decided she wanted to do the same.

She joined the military in 2008 with full cooperation from her employers who have helped her by accommodating her schedule and in other ways. Today Walker, who is from a military family and is the mother of four, is a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Reserves.

“My main reason for joining the military was to take care of soldiers,” Walker said. “If my only job is to sit in a room with a dying soldier it would be worth my whole military career.”

Mobley said she was happy to accommodate Walker in any way she could because, in doing so, she is able to help a co-worker with a passion for helping her country.

“That is just part of who we are as Americans,” Mobley said. “She is so passionate about serving in the military … she lights up when she talks about it and it makes me proud.”

Jim Peace, President and CEO of Russell Medical Center, announced the installment of the first Digital Lightbox© in the Southeast at The Cancer Center at RMC. “Digital Lightbox© is a product of BrainLAB, a German company specializing in software-driven medical technology for oncology and image-guided surgery,” states Peace. “According to BrainLAB, this is one of the first 10 units installed in the United States.”

Peace states the new technology will enhance cancer care at RMC. “The Digital Lightbox© is a one-of-a-kind system that allows physicians to gather different images of a patient’s tumor such as CT, MRI, and PET scans, and fuse them together electronically. This makes it easier to identify and target the tumor for treatment such as radiation therapy, while avoiding damage to normal tissue. In addition, the technology used by Digital Lightbox© enables physicians to import images that a patient may have had done at another hospital and incorporate the information into scans taken at Russell Medical Center.”

Dr. Chris Jahraus, Radiation Oncologist at The Cancer Center says he also envisions using the new technology to help patients better understand their disease. Scan images that would otherwise be difficult for a patient to interpret can be reformatted by the unit into a three-dimensional view. “It’s like looking at a model of the patient’s body that you can ‘fly through’ on the Digital Lightbox© high-resolution multi-touch interface,” explains Jahraus. “When a patient understands their disease, they are usually less frightened and more enthusiastic about treating it.”

Mabry Cook, Director of The Cancer Center says the Digital Lightbox© complements a growing portfolio of cancer therapy options available to those seeking cancer treatment in the Lake Martin area. “We are committed to continually incorporating new technology and expertise in our center and are proud to be comparable to the biggest and best cancer centers in the region. Our center was the second in the state to introduce IMRT, a precision form of radiotherapy, and we’ve been performing stereotactic body radiotherapy for over a year. We strive to be the regional leader in screenings, diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, advanced technology, rehabilitative care and social support.”

Dr. O. Gordon Robinson was recently presented the Ira L. Myers Service Award by the Alabama Medical Association. The award is presented to members who have served the medical profession faithfully and meritoriously during their lifetime. The prestigious award has been given annually since 1986, when it was given to its namesake, Dr. Ira L. Myers, former Alabama State Health Officer.

Dr. Robinson began practicing plastic and reconstructive surgery in 1966 following 14 years of collegiate and medical education and four years of military service. During the first 15 years of practice he performed cleft lip and palate repair on children through the Cleft Palate Clinic at The Children’s Hospital and cared for children with burns from all over Alabama at Children’s and West End Baptist Hospitals in Birmingham, AL.

What began in 1979 as a two-year commitment to the Christian Medical Society to provide medical care in Central America eventually developed into his caring for the people in Coyoles, Honduras, the poorest country in Central America where Standard Fruit Company has a 17,000-acre banana farm. Believing that establishing local relationships, to assure continuity of patient care is the best way for an American physician to provide care in a third world country, Dr. Robinson developed strong relationships with Standard Fruit Company officials and the primary care physicians who serve the tiny Coyoles hospital. Dr. Paul Nagrodzki, medical team volunteer who nominated Robinson for the award stated “I have traveled with Dr. Robinson for over 20 years and have witnessed his approach to the Honduran people. He is humble and reminds his volunteer team that although we are there to provide medical care, we are guests in their country and must interact as guests. This respectful approach has served his mission work well.”

Robinson’s regular entourage of medical volunteers include his wife and partner, Kitty Robinson; Edna Pate, nurse of 39 years; nurse Julie Marmurek, Anesthesiologists Paul Nagrodzki and Nelson Cooper, Robinson’s son-in-law, and Dr. Jorge de la Torre, Plastic Surgeon. Two pilots, Fred Dobbs and Tom Messer volunteer their services to transport the 10-member team to and from Honduras for the 7 – 10 day mission trips, several times per year.

In 1981 Dr. Robinson formed a private foundation to accept donations of medical supplies, equipment and shipping services for use in the mission trips. However, the majority of the funding comes directly from the Robinsons, who financed the building of an addition to the Coyoles hospital to house plastic surgery and the burn center. Dr. Robinson and his team have performed surgery on more than 4,000 Hondurans, 75% of which are children.

Dr. Robinson practiced medicine in Birmingham for 37 years before relocating his vibrant practice to Alexander City in 2004. Jim Peace, President and CEO of Russell Medical Center says the Lake Martin area is fortunate to have a plastic surgeon of Dr. Robinson’s caliber practicing in central Alabama. “We are extremely proud to have Dr. Robinson on our medical staff, and equally proud of his receiving this well-deserved award,” states Peace. “Dr. Robinson, Kitty, and the members of the volunteer medical team have made a tremendous impact in the quality of health care in this remote third world village. We applaud their humanitarian acts of compassion and care.”

Patients needing hip replacement surgery can now benefit from a new procedure provided at Russell Medical Center. Dr. Paul Goldhagen is one of the few surgeons in Alabama performing the Anterior Supine Inter-muscular hip replacement procedure (ASI) which provides a faster recovery, unrestricted mobility after surgery, and far fewer complications such as hip dislocation.

According to Dr. Goldhagen, with the “anterior approach,” the hip joint is reached from the front of the body through a natural space between the muscles that eliminates the need to cut or detach muscles from the pelvis or femur, unlike the traditional procedures that take a lateral (side) or posterior (back side) approach to the hip. “”The most important muscles for hip stability, the short external rotators, are left undisturbed,” says Goldhagen, “Thus trauma is greatly reduced and the new hip is immediately stable after surgery. In addition, since no muscles are cut, the anterior approach significantly reduces post-operative pain, blood loss, and the risk of dislocation. Since both the “good” and the “bad” hip can be x-rayed during the procedure, more accurate placement of the components can be accomplished, ensuring restoration of nearly identical leg length. This allows patients to return to normal activities more quickly and almost completely removes the need for any Physical Therapy.”

Dr. Goldhagen says that conventional lateral or posterior hip surgery usually requires strict precautions for the patient. In addition to the large incision, most patients must limit hip motion for 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. “With the traditional surgery, patients must limit flexing of the hip to no more than 90 degrees which complicates activities like sitting in a low chair or toilet, putting on socks and shoes, or getting in a car,” states Goldhagen. “The anterior hip replacement procedure allows patients to immediately bend their hip freely, bear full weight, and still have a 20 times reduced risk of dislocation over the traditional posterior approach. Additionally, there is generally no physical therapy required after this procedure (versus months with the traditional approach), and rapid resumption of a normal lifestyle is one of the biggest benefits of the anterior approach.”

Although the anterior approach to the hip was described over 100 years ago and used in Europe for over 10 years to replace the hip, difficulties in placing part of the hip into the thigh bone (femur) have prevented its wide acceptance among surgeons in this country. With the recent purchase of the Hana™ table by Russell Medical Center, the procedure is easier and safer to perform. “With its unique capability to position the leg, the Hana™ table enables us to replace the hip through a small, single incision, and removes the previous difficulties encountered in placing the thigh (femoral) component,” claims Goldhagen.

Hospital President & CEO Jim Peace says he is proud to make the investment in the Hana™ table to advance surgical capabilities at Russell Medical Center. “The Anterior Supine Inter-muscular approach truly is “revolutionary,” and it is very likely that in the future most hip replacements will be done this way. Currently surgeons like Dr. Goldhagen have to take time out of their busy schedule to learn to perform this procedure and must be proficient before they can offer it to the general public. Additionally, hospitals have to be willing and able to make the investment in new technology so they can continue to provide the best patient care possible. We’re proud to be ahead of the curve on both fronts.”

Peace says that in addition to this revolutionary procedure getting people back on their feet faster and without restrictions, it also improves patient satisfaction and saves money by shortening hospitalization and reducing the risk of future complications. “The positive benefits are significant, and Dr. Goldhagen is one of only a handful of orthopedic surgeons performing this procedure in Alabama,” states Peace. “Word is quickly spreading throughout the community about the short recovery times these patients have experienced.”

Golf enthusiasts will recognize eight-time major golf champion Tom Watson, whose anterior hip replacement success story was featured in the March 2009 issue of Golf Digest magazine. Watson left the hospital one day after his surgery and within three months was playing on the tournament circuit again. “That is a great example of the positive benefits of the anterior approach to hip replacement, “ states Peace. We are proud to have these capabilities now available at Russell Medical Center.” For additional information on Anterior Supine Inter-muscular Hip Replacement, go to www.newhipnews.com.

Ready to "Grill Off' RMC cook nominated for contest on 'Live with Regis and Kelly' By Katie Cole (Contact) | Alex City Outlook Originally published 10:33 p.m., July 10, 2009 Updated 10:39 p.m., July 10, 2009

It’s live with Regis and Kelly…and Emily Hancock. Hancock, the 27 year-old executive chef at Russell Medical Center, is a top five finalist in the healthy eating category of the show’s Ultimate Hometown Grill Off. Each week, “Live with Regis and Kelly” features five finalists in one of the nine grilling categories. Viewers then have two days to vote for their favorite chef on the show’s Web site. “They sent an e-mail yesterday telling me to watch because I might be on TV,” Hancock said. “If you make it past the top five, you win a trip to New York to perform on the Friday Live show. You actually cook your dish.” Hancock’s dish is a smoked apple chicken burger, one of her original recipes. Hancock’s co-worker Kim Ward, the second shift lead cook at the hospital, mentioned the dish when she nominated Hancock a month ago. “I watch Regis and Kelly every day. Emily was just who I thought about when they talked about the cook off,” Ward said. A show producer contacted Hancock and asked her to submit a video featuring one of her dishes. “We sent her to the TV station for the video.” said Tim Phillips, a public relations representative for the hospital. “The video was only 49 seconds, but I think it told exactly what they needed to hear.” Hancock and her smoked apple chicken burger are now featured on the show’s Web site. “Kim mentioned a few of my recipes, but the burger is actually of my favorite dishes to cook,” Hancock said. “And it’s healthy and cheaper to cook, which is important when cooking for the hospital.” Hancock hasn’t actually served the dish in the cafeteria yet. She has only served it at doctors’ luncheons, but that’s about to change. “Now that people have heard about it, it will be served in the cafeteria,” Hancock said. Cooking has always been a passion for Hancock. Her parents own a barbecue restaurant in Selma, but she decided to go to culinary school. “I could not cook barbecue anymore,” Hancock said. “I went to culinary school and everything sort of clicked. I’ve been at it ever since.” After studying at culinary schools in Florida and Alabama, she got the executive chef position at RMC in January 2008. Receiving national attention so soon after beginning her career has been exciting for Hancock and her family, friends and co-workers. Her mom stayed home from work to watch the show, and she has endured good-natured teasing from her co-workers, who are proud to work with a “celebrity chef.” “It’s amazing,” Phillips said. “How many hospitals have a top chef on Regis and Kelly?” If Hancock receives enough online votes, she will have her dish judged on Live with Regis and Kelly. The final winner of the Grill Off will receive a spread in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. ”