Good Shepherd Clinic recently presented its Hope Award to Dale Bratzler, D.O., MPH, OU Medicine enterprise quality officer, in recognition of his work as a clinic volunteer. To honor his legacy, the Hope Award will become an annual event in Bratzler’s name, with proceeds placed in the Dale Bratzler, DO, MPH Endowment Fund.
The Good Shepherd Clinic in Oklahoma City is a free, full-time clinic serving uninsured residents of the community. The clinic offers medical and dental services, provided by healthcare professionals who donate their time and skills to ensure that financial concerns do not become barriers to receiving care in a timely manner.
Bratzler began volunteering at Good Shepherd in 2015, believing that healthcare should be available to all members of the community, beyond the emergency room and regardless of ability to pay. As a result of Bratzler’s persistence, the Unity Clinic will launch early in 2020. This initiative will use campus-wide, interprofessional teams of healthcare providers, faculty and students from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, to provide patient care in partnership with Good Shepherd.
Pam Timmons, executive director of Good Shepherd, described volunteers as the heartbeat of fulfilling the clinic’s mission. She commended Bratzler’s charitable efforts, his contributions that have enriched a community desperate for quality healthcare, as well as his leadership and commitment to inspiring and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.
“We can’t begin to say how grateful we are for all of the selfless acts of kindness Dr. Bratzler has provided through the years. His commitment just continues to grow,” Timmons said.
The endowment in Bratzler’s name will help the clinic thrive and become more financially sustainable. Endowment funds will be matched at five cents ($0.05) for each dollar processed, by Communities Foundation of Oklahoma – up to a maximum of $50,000 in any given year. This designated fund will generate annual income in perpetuity from the earned investment income to help secure the future of Good Shepherd.
Timmons said, “Dr. Bratzler’s legacy of providing high quality health care for the underserved will continue by his encouragement and empowerment of the next generation of health professionals.”

by Dr. C.V Ramana

Cancer is an abnormal or uncontrolled growth of cells that can occur in almost any part of our bodies. Sometimes the abnormal growth is a result of a mutation in our genes that we inherit from our parents. In some cases, it is due to a mutation or alteration in our DNA in our lifetimes. This mutation can occur after we are conceived, due to exposure to radiation, harmful ultraviolet light from our sun, harmful chemicals in our atmosphere, in our water, in our food or from smoking or chewing tobacco. Sometimes it develops as a result of chronic overstimulation of cells due to longstanding inflammation or infection.
Breast cancer is the result of uncontrolled growth of cells in breast tissue. It can occur in both men and women but is much more common in women. There are many different types of breast cancer due to the multiple types of cells in the breast tissue. The type of cancer depends on the cells that are growing abnormally. This can happen in the lobules which make breast milk, the ducts which transport the milk, or in the surrounding supportive tissue of the breast.
Who is at risk for developing breast cancer?
There is a very strong component of inheritance or family history of breast cancer. The most well-known inherited examples are the BRCA1 gene and BRCA2 genes (which we inherit). These genes code for a protein that helps repair DNA. The presence of this mutation markedly increases the risk of developing breast cancer. An individual with the mutation in either of these genes has a 70% risk of developing breast cancer.
What is the likelihood of developing breast cancer in our lifetime?
In the United States, about 1 in 8 (or 12%) of women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. For men, the lifetime risk is 1 in 1000. Early diagnosis is very important so that it can be treated when it is small and contained in a small area in the breast. Breast cancer is not easy to detect early. Screening is essential.
Screening methods include breast self-exam, healthcare professional exam, mammography, ultrasound, MRI, genetic screening for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, and known family history of breast cancer.
How is it treated?
Treatment depends on the type of breast cancer, its aggressiveness (how fast it grows, how fast it spreads, and how it spreads), its size at time of diagnosis, and staging (identifying whether, and where it has metastasized in our bodies). Staging involves diagnostic testing such as mammography, ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, PET scan, Bone scans. Biopsy is an essential part of the diagnosis. A biopsy is done to confirm its presence, the type of cancer, and its aggressiveness. This may also help identify what type of treatment is likely to be most effective.
Treatment methods include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Lumpectomy is the surgical removal of the area around the tumor. Mastectomy is the surgical removal of one or both breasts and axillary dissection is the removal of the lymph nodes or glands and lymphatic tissue in the arm pit. Chemotherapy treatment most commonly involves a combination of pills and intravenous infusions of medicines that have been shown to be effective at killing the abnormal cells. Experimental techniques include targeting the abnormal cells through antibodies and “killer cells” that are engineered to recognize and attack the abnormal cells. Radiation therapy is the treatment by exposure to high doses of x-rays (far higher than the amount used in diagnostic imaging) to the area of the cancer.
Breast cancer is usually treated through a team approach and can include radiologists, surgeons, and oncologists (cancer specialist). Through prevention, early detection, and treatment there are over 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
Dr. C.V Ramana is a vascular and interventional radiologist with more than 20 years of practice experience. He has expertise in all areas of vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Ramana has a Ph.D from Yale University and MD from CWRU in Cleveland, Ohio where he subsequently completed his fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Cleveland Clinic.
NAADI HEALTH is located at 1 NW 64th Street in Oklahoma City. Call (405)-608-8884 or visit https://naadihealthcare.com

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital provides quality impatient treatment to help stabilize patients struggling with mental health issues. The multidisciplinary treatment teams consist of psychiatrists, licensed therapist and specialized nurse who collaborate to develop and implement compassionate, individualized, evidence-based treatment plans for our patients.
Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital is proud to serve our military families. We provide quality acute and residential services to children and teens ages five to seventeen. This program is designed to address specific treatment issues with psychiatric disorders in a secure and safe environment. -Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital-
With Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital comes a very professional staff. One special nurse is Chris Weigel, RN, Chief Nursing Officer. Chris explains that she has been a nurse for forty-two years. “I always wanted to be a nurse, ever since I could remember. I started out as a candy striper in a hospital. At the time, I loved caring for people but didn’t have any experience in the nursing field at all. When I was growing up, my mom was in and out of the hospital quite a bit so I felt like I wanted to be a nurse too, like the ones that cared for my mom. That’s when my journey began,” she said. “I have worked in many different areas of the medical field, but I especially like working with children. I feel like I am making a difference with the children here, helping them with their mental health issues.” Chris added.
Asking Chris what her favorite part of her job is, she replied, “I like helping the nurses get rid of any barriers that they might have so they can give the best care in a safe and therapeutic way. I believe my strongest asset is leadership. I had quite a few mentors in the past, especially in administration here at Cedar Ridge. We have a phenomenal CEO, believing in compassion and believing in the kids. I try to be that same kind of person, helping the nurses with whatever they need. I want to be a mentor to others,” Chris said.
How would you describe yourself? “I am very open-minded and I have strong communication skills. I am compassionate and make a huge effort to help others, whether it is one of the nurses or children,” she answered.
Chris Weigel was the president of the Oklahoma Nursing Association and has served on the board of Oklahoma Organization for Nurse Executives; Governor’s Clinical Work Force Center and Chris continues to stay active in the community. “I want to make an impact on nursing and how it can change lives,” Chris commented.
Asking Chris what motivates her, she replied, “I love to see change in anything. I like to see the children here change in their control and their temperament and I see such a difference when they get here and when they leave.”
On a personal note, Chris has lived in several different states. When growing up, her dad was an environmental engineer, working in the everglades. Chris was always running around with him. “At one point, I enjoyed myself so much, I wanted to be game warden and train the alligators.” she said with a laugh. “It was between being a teacher, nurse or game warden. I chose nursing because I didn’t think I would do very well with the other two,” she added. “Besides that, it was a lot safer.”
Chris is married to her wonderful husband and has two grown children and one granddaughter, Minnie who is five years old. Their pets include a miniature schnauzer, Cricket, and will soon be getting a second schnauzer mid-October. Chris’s hobbies include gardening, walking, scrapbooking and reading.
To sum up Chris’s life in one word it didn’t take long for her to answer, “That word would be IMPACT. I like to think that I have a great impact on others, especially the children that are here at Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital,” she said with a smile.

www.caresuitesokc.com

Free Zoo admission offered to active duty, veteran members of the military all month

November is Military Appreciation Month at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, and as a thank you for their service, the Zoo is honoring active duty, retired and veteran members of the military, National Guard and Reserves with free general admission for the entire month. Plus, up to four immediate family members of qualifying individuals will receive 50% off of general Zoo admission on date of visit. Military members must show valid military ID to receive complimentary admission.
“Our servicemen and women put their lives on the line for us and it’s an honor to recognize their sacrifice and welcome them to the Zoo,” said Dwight Lawson, OKC Zoo CEO/executive director. “We want to offer those who have been away from their families for months at a time a great experience and a chance to rediscover their connection to nature and their connections to one another.”
Military members will also enjoy 40% off concessions and merchandise at the Zoo’s Safari Gift Shop and get $10 off all available Wild Encounter behind-the-scenes experiences. Plus, they can save on the Zoo’s premiere ticket options:
· Zoo-It-All (access to rides, experiences, feedings and shows): $16/adult, child and senior (Mon.-Sun.)
· Ride-It-All (access to train, carousel and tram): $10/adult, child and senior (Fri.-Sun.)
Also during November, Zoo guests can show their wildlife pride with an exclusive red, white and blue bison conservation wristband. The bison is America’s National Mammal and a guest favorite at the Zoo’s Oklahoma Trails habitat. The limited-edition design is exclusively available during Military Appreciation Month. The conservation wristband is $2 with 100% of proceeds supporting the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program.
The Zoo is proud to support military members the rest of the year with a 50% discount on general admission to all veterans, active duty, active reserves and retirees of the military (with valid military ID). This discount does not apply to children or dependents of veterans, active duty, active reserves or retirees of the military.
The Zoo salutes service with Military Appreciation Month this November! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the Oklahoma City Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org or in-person at the Zoo! To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Winter is coming.
So are changes to virtually every Medicare plan as the annual enrollment window opens.
For several years, MCM Insurance has helped seniors in our community navigate what can be murky health care insurance waters as time ticks down on a decision they will have to live with for an entire year.
“The biggest thing we want seniors to know is that every plan changes in some way, every year,” said MCM owner Ginny Curtis. “They need to know what those changes are before they enroll or stay on the same plan. “They also need to make sure they’re not paying too much for the benefits.”
As 2019 begins to wind down, one of the most important times of the year for seniors is here. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) occurs annually from (Oct. 15-Dec. 7). AEP is a time in which current Medicare beneficiaries can choose to change part of their coverage. They can change their Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) and/or Prescription Drug Plan (Part D). It’s a time to reevaluate based on their benefits, health, and finances. If they find a plan that is a better fit for their needs than their current plan, they can then switch to, drop or add a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
October 1 is the date consumers can start looking over new plans.
During AEP Curtis’ agency goes into overdrive to make sure that everyone that needs help facilitating the changes coming their way is reached.
“It’s very important to us that each person that comes through our agency chooses their plan based on their specific needs,” said Curtis. During an appointment with the agents from MCM, they will compare plans based on the customer’s list of medicines and doctors to narrow down which plan will cover all their needs the best.
In addition to individual appointments, MCM offers no-cost Navigating Through Medicare informational sessions around the metro.
The hour-long informational sessions allow people to become more familiar with the ins and outs of Medicare in a low-key setting.
“I think the big thing we focus on is people know why they made a decision or why they stayed,” said agent Jennifer Melton. “They need to know that.”
Melton recalled a recent conversation with a client who has had the same supplement and drug plan since turning 65.
“That’s OK, but it’s also problematic in that premiums for Part D can be over $100 whereas the average right now is just around $35. They just stay on that because they feel like that’s what they’re supposed to do,” she said.
Answering those questions and comparing plans is paramount.
“The cool part about dealing with a group like us is they can come in here without the fear of just being enrolled or sold something,” Melton said. “We consistently tell people ‘nope, that’s good, stay on that – even if they’re not our client.”
“I feel like it’s a safe place for them to come and say ‘I’ve been on this forever. Is this what I should be doing or do I need to do something different?”
While many appointments are scheduled in the comfort of client homes, Curtis staffs the office at 2232 W. Hefner Road in the Village so that clients can walk in anytime 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and speak with an agent directly without an appointment. During AEP they extend their hours.
Having those free conversations can take a load off of someone’s mind, especially when health care costs are eating into their retirement savings.
“You don’t want to change for the purpose of changing but when it comes to Advantage plans because the plans change and the drugs change every year they need to know the plan they’re going to be on next year will work as good as the plan this year and not all of them will do that,” Curtis said.
“That’s what I want, a whole bunch of savvy seniors that have done their research and know what they’re doing.”
MCM also has agents in Tulsa, Claremore and Lawton. You can reach the OKC office by calling 405-842-0494. You can also view their calendar and get more info on their website at www.mcmmedicare.com as well as www.navigatingthroughmedicare.info.

www.mcmmedicare.com

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), the leading association for long term and post-acute care, recently held its 70th Annual Convention & Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Representatives from Golden Age Nursing Facility of Guthrie, Oklahoma were on hand to accept the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award during the National Quality Award Ceremony on October 15, 2019. This year, more than 800 member centers across the nation were recognized with a Quality Award, including 615 Bronze, 184 Silver and an elite group of five at the Gold level. Golden Age Nursing Facility was distinctive as the only facility in Oklahoma to receive the Silver Award this year. The Silver Award is the second of three progressive award levels through the National Quality Award Program, honoring association members that have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality of care for seniors. The Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award was earned by Golden Age in 2017.
The National Quality Award Program, which AHCA/NCAL established in 1996, is based on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The Baldridge program helps organizations in different business sectors improve and achieve performance excellence. As a recipient of the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award, Golden Age may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award criteria.
Care Providers Oklahoma President and CEO Nico Gomez said he was glad Golden Age Nursing Home is being recognized for their hard work and dedication to resident care. “The staff at Golden Age Nursing is delivering excellent care and raising the bar for quality services,” said Gomez. “Their residents are benefiting from the staff’s hard work and receiving a better quality of life.”
“We are proud of our Golden Age team,” said Golden Age administrator Linda Smith. “They have shown the dedication and motivation it takes to achieve such a prestigious distinction. Our team will continue to provide compassionate care and services to our residents, families and the community we are blessed to serve.”

www.meadowlakesretirementvillage.com

by Greg Schwem

Elizabeth Warren, exactly what do you eat for breakfast?
There must be something in your cereal, your eggs, your breakfast smoothie, or whatever it is you start your day with, that allows you to take selfies with strangers for four hours AFTER you’ve completed the stump speech that you hope propels you to the nation’s highest office in 2020.
If I posed for that many photos, my first act as president would be to lock myself in the White House, alone, and not come out for four years. Want my signature on a bill? Just slip it under the Oval Office door and wait patiently. Eventually, I’ll push it back out. Along with an executive order banning selfies.
In your case, calling the photos “selfies” is misleading, for it implies that every one of your fans held their own phones, extended their arms, took the pictures themselves, viewed them with disappointing looks and said, “Wait, can we do one more? In landscape mode?”
Your loyal subjects hand their phones to a staff member who takes the photos. Other celebrities use similar methods. Two years ago, I was one of 1,500 fans who waited in a Chicago bookstore for over three hours simply to meet and take a photo with Bruce Springsteen. A member of The Boss’ security team took my iPhone and held the photo button down continuously for about five seconds. I was left with 10 pics, including one of Springsteen welcoming his next fan while my rear end exited the stage. I deleted that one.
Truthfully, I’ve never understood the desire to take, and post, photos of oneself, regardless of the background or situation. Several times a year I open my social media feeds to find someone has snapped a “hospital bed selfie,” taken just before the subject sees an emergency room physician or undergoes an operation. Invariably, the photos are accompanied with text such as, “Guess where I am?” as if the hospital gown wasn’t a clue. Seriously, what kind of medication makes a person think, “Hmmm, I have a tube in my nose, a needle in my arm and all my body hair has been shaved. DAMN, I LOOK GOOD!”
But the chance to rub shoulders with celebrities and come away with proof is a different story. My Bruce pic is on my office wall and elicits cries of, “Whoa, you met Springsteen?” from most who see it. Mere seconds after taking the photo, I posted it to all my social media feeds and happily read the comments expressing awe and jealousy. I’m sure 1,499 others were doing the same thing that day.
So, Sen. Warren, I understand your strategy. The more pics of you floating around cyberspace with everyday Americans, the greater your likability. I doubt President Trump even knows what a selfie is. Then again, it’s impossible to snap a photo while simultaneously tweeting and golfing.
But senator, are you sure this is the right strategy? With all those people waiting in line, chances are excellent at least one of them is a pedophile, a Ponzi scheme creator or a future school shooter. In 1978, after serial murder John Wayne Gacy was arrested, a photo emerged of him posing with First Lady Rosalynn Carter, taken just seven months prior. Oops.
Of course, you can’t possibly know the backgrounds of everyone waiting to smile with you, but would that stop vicious memes from circulating? Would it stop the hosts at Fox News from plastering that photo onscreen every time they mention your name? Doubtful.
I have yet to decide who among the Democratic candidates will receive my vote. But Sen. Warren, I do admire your grass-roots approach, not to mention your stamina. If you win, thousands upon thousands of Americans will be able to say they met the president of the United States.
Let’s hope they all know how to back up their iPhones.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.) (c) 2019 GREG SCHWEM. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC