Wentworth-Douglass awards grant to Triangle Club: Seacoast health news

Wentworth-Douglass awards $10K grant for ‘Art & Wellness in Recovery’

DOVER – Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has awarded a $10,000 grant to Dover’s Triangle Club to support a new art and wellness program for those in recovery or struggling with substance use disorder.

Triangle Club, a leading local center for substance use disorder recovery programs, implemented a new program last fall entitled ‘Arts & Wellness in Recovery’, which offers free weekly meditation, yoga, drawing, and painting classes.

“Wentworth-Douglass is privileged to award these funds to assist our community in the continued fight against substance use disorders,” said Michelle Hanson, Director of Strategic Planning and Community Benefit at Wentworth-Douglass. “Triangle Club has selflessly served the residents of Stafford, Rockingham, and York Counties for 38 years and we’re confident this program will once again make a difference.”

The ‘Arts & Wellness in Recovery’ program will offer 156 classes with a total of 1,500 slots available to patrons. The classes will be offered on a drop-in basis, with a cap of 20 attendees. The program will be available at no cost.

“I’m extremely grateful to Wentworth-Douglass for both their generosity, and their recognition that substance use disorders can affect the whole person – including their body, mind, and spirit,” said Heather Blumenfeld, Executive Director of Triangle Club. “These funds will go a long way to help us accomplish our goal of creating a holistic approach to recovery.”

Triangle Club offer over 55 support groups each week, including Alcoholics, Narcotics, Crystal Meth, and Heroin Anonymous. They also offer grief and peer support, serving more than 2,500 people annually.

Wentworth-Douglass conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years to identify where the hospital should focus its programs and services to improve the overall health of the individuals and families it serves. The funds donated are approved by the hospital’s Community Benefit Funding Disbursement Committee and are not raised through any public or private donations.

Dartmouth Cancer Center receives a national award of excellence

LEBANON – Dartmouth Cancer Center, New Hampshire’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been named a 2022 Human Experience (HX) Pinnacle of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey, the global leader in healthcare experience solutions and services. This award is part of Press Ganey’s annual ranking of the top hospitals and health systems in the country, according to performance in patient experience.

"Earning the Press Ganey Human Experience Pinnacle of Excellence Award for the third year in a row, is the perfect ending to the 50th anniversary jubilee that Dartmouth Cancer Center celebrated in 2022," said Cancer Center Director, Steven D. Leach, MD. "When we say 'Celebrating 50 years of innovative research world-class care,' we mean it. Our patients may not even realize it, but the stellar clinical care they experience from dedicated providers and staff is directly bolstered by an entire laboratory and clinical research infrastructure.”

2022 was a landmark year for the Dartmouth Cancer Center. The Byrne Family Cancer Research Institute was established with a milestone philanthropic gift. Additionally, The Prouty, Dartmouth Cancer Center’s largest annual community fundraiser, smashed a record in dollars raised. The Prouty funds the Complementary Care Program, which offers support services free of charge to all patients, and rounds out the Dartmouth Cancer Center’s ability to care for the whole person during and after cancer treatment.

“This trifecta is crucial in creating the type of human experience that earns us such meaningful recognition, and we are committed to maintaining and growing this level of excellence for as long as there needs to be a Dartmouth Cancer Center," said Leach.

Anchored at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the Dartmouth Cancer Center has consistently ranked in the top 5% of healthcare providers in delivering outstanding patient experience year-over-year. Press Ganey works with more than 41,000 healthcare facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality and experience of care.

“By putting their patients and workforce first each and every day, Dartmouth Cancer Center is demonstrating their unwavering commitment to their employees and to the communities they serve,” said Patrick T. Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer, Press Ganey. “The caregivers at Dartmouth Cancer Center have inspired us with the compassion, empathy and human connection they bring to the clinical healthcare setting. We are honored to partner with them as we celebrate their achievement.”

To learn more about Dartmouth Cancer Center visit www.cancer.dartmouth.edu.

Dartmouth Health Children’s nurse recognized by national nonprofit

LEBANON – A Dartmouth Health Children’s nurse is among 10 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses nationwide selected as a finalist in the 4moms first annual Nominate a NICU Nurse program. The initiative was sponsored by Project Sweet Peas, a national nonprofit organization that supports NICUs, their patients and families, and 4moms, to recognize the contributions of NICU nurses.

“I was completely surprised and honored to even be nominated,” said Victoria M. Hastings, RN, a clinical nurse in the NICU at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD). “Reading through all of the nominations was truly special. It’s nice to be reminded how important the work we all do in the NICU really is to our families, patients and co-workers.”

Co-workers, friends, and families of NICU babies nominated their favorite nurses with stories about what makes them so special. The winner and finalists were selected based on several factors, including submission stories and the number of times they were nominated.

As a finalist, 10 4moms MamaRoo Swings were donated to CHaD in Hastings’ honor. MamaRoo Swings are used in nearly 650 hospitals nationwide.

“4moms is thrilled to be honoring the incredible work that Victoria Hastings does at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center,” said Debbie Lee, chief marketing officer of 4moms. “We hope our donation of MamaRoo Swings to the NICU will further help Victoria and her colleagues with their lifesaving work.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Wentworth-Douglass awards grant to Triangle Club: Seacoast health news