A member of the Laboratory Services secretarial staff since 1995, Rivers was nominated for the award in recognition of her problem-solving abilities, among other qualities. She holds a Medical Laboratory Technician certification from University of Vermont, which her peers say makes her a fast worker and thinker while guiding patients.

Her nominators say Rivers is committed to life and the hospital. She is the first person that pops into your mind when anyone is looking for someone to help solve a problem. The staff in the laboratory thinks of Rivers as a “human physician’s desk reference,” and if you need a witty response she always has one.

Denny Rivers and BMH CEO/President Steven Gordon

“She encourages improvement and progress while adhering to the letter with all policies and operating procedures. No matter what the subject or task, one can be sure that Denny will see that it’s handled timely and done well,” said BMH President and CEO Steven R. Gordon upon presenting Rivers with the award.

Outside of BMH, Rivers is an active member of her church and volunteers time with the Girl Scouts of America and the Humane Society. She and her husband, Mark, have two children, Janelle and Ben.

Chris Ellis, RD, presents “Starting Solids: Making Your Own Baby Food” on May 15. Ellis is a staff nutritionist at the Brattleboro Food Coop and part of the Early Education Services organization. On May 22, Dawn Kersula, RN, IBCLC, presents “The Advice I Would Give Someone Else About Birth.” Kersula is a perinatal specialist and lead lactation consultant at BMH. She is also president of the Vermont Lactation Association. The final Wednesday of the month, May 29, is an open session.

On June 5, New England Youth Theatre’s Jess Gelter presents “Poppa Momma Drama” followed by “Planning for the What-ifs” on June 12 by financial services professional, Inga Plisz. Michelle Stephens, author of the “JuiceBox Confessional” blog, presents “Using Your Baby Carrier” on June 19. The month closes with a screening and discussion of the infant CPR film “Baby Emergency! What do I Do?” on June 26.

The New Moms Network is a free program where new mothers meet and exchange tips and information about caring for newborns. It is open to the entire community, whether or not the child was born at BMH. Fathers and babies are also welcome. For more information, contact Dawn Kersula at 802-257-8278 or check the Events Calendar page at bmhvt.org.

The STAR program, which stands for Survivorship Training And Rehabilitation, is a national certification program that provides hospitals with the tools and training needed to minimize the debilitating side effects of cancer treatment. The clinicians that have completed the STAR certification course coordinate care to provide treatment tailored to the specific needs of cancer patients who may be experiencing musculoskeletal pain, limb swelling, general weakness, balance issues, fatigue, difficulty swallowing or other debilitating side effects caused by cancer treatments.

To receive its certification, a multidisciplinary team of BMH staff completed Oncology Rehab Partner’s unparalleled STAR Program Certification, a conventional medicine and evidence-based standardized model of oncology rehabilitation service delivery, successfully implementing the program’s evaluation and treatment protocols and rehabilitation training. These services are generally covered by health insurance providers and will be offered to patients by a knowledgeable and sensitive medical staff that is specially trained to work with survivors of all forms of cancer.

Specialty caregivers from a pool of disciplines—including physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, registered dietitians and oncology nurses—will work together with each patient on a personalized rehabilitation plan to increase strength and energy, alleviate pain, and improve daily function and quality of life.

“The STAR Program adds a critical component to BMH’s comprehensive oncology services, helping us fulfill our mission to provide exceptional care for patients in our community from diagnosis all the way through survivorship,” says Eileen Casey, BMH’s Director of Rehab Services.

STAR Program Certification from Oncology Rehab Partners provides hospitals and cancer centers with the tools needed to quickly and effectively implement an exceptional survivorship care plan.

Led by Connie Baxter, a certified yoga instructor and bereavement care coordinator at Brattleboro Area Hospice, the class teaches a sequence of easy-to-learn exercises that can be done from the safety of a chair to increase circulation and range of motion. Participants will be given a diagram of the movements along with clear instructions so they can practices these chair exercises, based on yoga postures, with their caregivers at home.

To register for the class or receive more information, call 802-257-8877. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is located at 17 Belmont Avenue in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Led by Michelle Rowland, RN, LISCW, the talk will cover expected stages of dementia and available support and treatments for patients in the community. The talk will also address how families, friends and caregivers can find support and relief.

To register for the program or receive more information, call 802-257-8877. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is located at 17 Belmont Avenue in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Daniel Walsh, MD

The BMH Center for Cardiovascular Health announced cardiovascular surgeon Daniel Walsh, MD, will begin seeing patients in its offices starting Monday, May 6.

Dr. Walsh has been a member of the medical staff at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire since 1987. He will be at BMH every other Monday between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00 PM to consult on a variety of arterial and venous diseases, including aortic aneurysm, carotid disease, peripheral arterial disease, venous disease, renal artery disease, hypertension, stenosis and mesenteric ischemia.

“Having Dr. Walsh here to evaluate and treat vascular disease adds another element of care we can provide for our community,” says the Center’s Medical Director, Mark Burke, MD, adding that Dr. Walsh will also be available as a consultative resource for the BMH Center for Wound Healing.

The BMH Center for Cardiovascular Health is located on the second floor of the Richards Building on the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital campus, located at 17 Belmont Avenue in Brattleboro, Vermont. Appointments can be made by calling 802-275-3699.

According to Kelly McCue, RN, MSN, nurse navigator and administrator for the BMH Comprehensive Breast Care program, the grant will be used to support accommodation of patients with disabilities and improve accessibility to mammograms and other breast imaging services.

The Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Comprehensive Breast Care Program provides integration of all aspects of breast care in a friendly, professional manner assuring national standards of quality care are met. BMH cancer services locally include surgery, medical oncology, chemotherapy, physical therapy, dietary counseling and survivorship programs, while available imaging technology includes digital mammography, ultrasound, bone densitometry, CT scanning and stereotactic biopsy. BMH also offers Breast MRI technology and genetic counseling and evaluation services to patients who may be at high risk for breast cancer. To schedule an appointment with the BMH Comprehensive Breast Care Program, contact Kelly McCue, RN, MSN at 802-251-8437.

Since 1982, Komen has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer – transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. The organization has invested almost $2 billion towards ending breast cancer through groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has named Gregory Gadowski, MD, as Medical Director of the BMH Center for Wound Healing, scheduled to open May 9.

Dr. Gadowski has received intensive training in wound treatment from BMH’s partnering organization, Healogics. Under his direction, the Center’s trained staff of physicians, nurses and technicians will work with patients to set up individualized treatment programs utilizing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), negative pressure therapy, bioengineered tissue and biosynthetics to treat open sores and heal wounds.

In addition to his new role as medical director, Dr. Gadowski will continue his practice at Brattleboro General Surgery, a member of BMH Physician Group. He is a graduate of University of Chicago Medical School and a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

The BMH Center for Wound Healing will hold an Open House at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 7 to give the public an opportunity to tour the facility and meet the medical staff. For more information, call the BMH Center for Wound Healing at 802-275-3674 or visit the BMH website at www.bmhvt.org.

Madeleine M. Kunin

Based on her 2012 book The New Feminist Agenda (Chelsea Green), Kunin’s discussion will address longstanding concerns about opportunity and family responsibilities, including innovative work/family policies embracing affordable quality child care, paid family leave, and equal pay for equal work. “Can women and men unite on sensible and fair family/work issues?” she asks in her book The New Feminist Agenda. President Bill Clinton states: “In this important new book, Madeleine Kunin argues that empowering women to succeed at home and at work is both good economics and good social policy. She presents a convincing roadmap for how we achieve that vision, and calls on all of us to be part of a brighter future.”

The event begins with a social hour at 5:00 PM with Kunin’s presentation starting at 6:00 PM. There will be a Q&A session where Kunin will also take time to autograph her book. Special thanks to Everyone’s Books for donating a portion of the proceeds to the BMH Auxiliary. The BMH Auxiliary will host a brief business meeting after the Q&A session and anyone who is interested in becoming a member may stay.

Admission is free but donations will be accepted. The New England Youth Theatre is located at 100 Flat Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. Seating is limited. Call 802-257-0688 to make reservations in advance.

Madeleine M. Kunin was the first woman governor of Vermont and the first woman governor in the U.S. to serve three terms. She served as Deputy Secretary of Education and Ambassador to Switzerland in the Clinton administration. In addition to The New Feminist Agenda, Kunin is also the author of Pearls, Politics and Power (Chelsea Green, 2008), and Living a Political Life (Vintage, 1995). She is also a Marsh professor at the University of Vermont, a commentator for Vermont Public Radio, and founder and board member of the global Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), a nongovernmental organization focused on climate change and civil society. She lives in Burlington, Vermont with her husband, John Hennessey.

The Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is a charitable and diverse organization with a deep sense of collective purpose. Our challenge now is to attract new members who believe that small gestures matter a great deal to our family, friends and neighbors who use and need BMH. The Auxiliary carries the hope of many generations of dedicated volunteers. Please come to support this event and learn more about our mission.

Lynne Vantassel

Vantassel will be responsible for achieving clinical, operational and financial results at the center. Prior to joining BMH, Vantassel served as the Director of Global Program Management at WPP in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BSBA in Business Management from Western New England University.

“We’re very fortunate to have someone with Lynne’s qualifications on board as we launch the Center for Wound Healing,” says Greg Gadowski, MD, who is the Center’s Medical Director. “She has done a terrific job already just making sure we are fully prepared for our opening next month.”

The BMH Center for Wound Healing is a member of the Healogics network and the first clinic in Vermont to offer advanced treatment of chronic and non-healing wounds, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). It will begin seeing patients on Thursday, May 9. An Open House has been scheduled for 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 7 to give the public an opportunity to tour the facility and meet the medical staff. For more information, call the BMH Center for Wound Healing at 802-275-3674 or visit the BMH website at www.bmhvt.org.