Boquete Health and Hospice July Newsletter

[Boquete Health and Hospice]

View this email in your browser Table of Contents President's Letter Our New Treasurer Help Needed Data Base Project Coming Events Behind the Scenes Volunteers New Volunteers August Meeting Music Plus Meditation Chris's Corner - 4 Warning Signs of Melanoma Tree of Life BHH Policies Mission Statment Presidents Letter Our New Treasurer It is with great happiness that we all welcome Laurie Collier as interim Treasurer.  Laurie, who served previously as Treasurer, Vice President and President, steps in for Merl Will-Wallace whom we are sad to see leave BHH and Boquete.   Help Needed There are two other positions that will need to be filled starting in January, and your help is needed.  President and Vice President.  Both Lesley and Liz are stepping down. The job of Vice President is two-fold:  Support the President and lead the Education Team.  The Vice President will cover for the President when they are not available, will verify the Council Minutes and other tasks as the President requests.  As Team Leader for the Education Team, the Vice President will arrange for the short medical trainings that happen during the General Meetings and help coordinate any other educational trainings that we provide (CPR, for example). The job of President is to lead the organization:  prepare agendas for the Council Meetings and General Meetings, make sure the various Teams have what they need to be effective, provide vision and leadership for the organization, assist in the preparation of the Newsletter and encourage volunteers.  The job is not extremely challenging and does not require many hours per week.  The best part is that the Council, Team Leaders and volunteers are ALWAYS willing to help and offer support and advice. If you are interested in helping out with either of these posts, please contact Lesley to arrange a meeting to discuss further.  lesleyahughes@gmail.com Database Project After much discussion, it was decided to expand the project and move it from Excel to Access.  A consultant has been hired who will work with us to make a more robust system.   It is hoped that the new system will be up and running by October. Coming Events: Blood Drive – October 9 Volunteer Appreciation Lunch - December 1 Art Auction Febuary 4 - 6  "Behind the Scenes Volunteers”  Thank you! Those who volunteer with BHH are truly amazing.  If you remember last December’s newsletter, the list went on and on. Or look at the roots and trunk of our Tree of Life. Another of our volunteers that is always working to make sure that our General Meetings and special events flow smoothly is Cat Vann.  Cat has led the Logistics branch of the Ambassador Team for many years.  She arrives early to set up the chairs and tables, makes sure that the walk-through mat, thermometer and alcohol gel are available and that, if needed, the sound system is set up. Cat is also involved with the veterinary clinics, so she has shown her heart is geared for helping everyone (people or pets).  BHH is extremely fortunate to have Cat as one of our wonderful volunteers.  New Volunteers  BHH welcomes Kim Doherty and Sandra Cripe to the BEING PREPARED Team!  The July 21st Workshop guided 35 attendees through the step-by-step process of getting your affairs in order.   It is never to late the get started.  Being Prepared Guides are available at our BHH Tap Out Tuesday Market table and Mailboxes, Etc.  For a $10 donation. August Meetings The BHH Council Meeting will be held on August 4 at 10:00 a.m. via zoom. The BHH General Meeting will be held on August 11 at 1:00 p.m.  It will be a zoom only meeting.      Music Plus Meditation What happens when two popular stress-reduction, relaxation and wellness techniques are combined?   Research indicates a synergistic effect.  This month, the Magic of Music Team takes a deep dive into music-based relaxation and stress-management using mindfulness meditation.  The article includes a simple four-step method that you can use to try this out for yourself!  Included are links to videos produced by the Magic of Music Team to guide your exploration of music-based meditation. Full Article Guided Meditation  This section will contain an interesting article that we found on the web with a teaser, so you can see if you want to click through.  Many places want you to sign up for their mailing list; however, we only choose links that let you bypass the sign up. Later, if you like the site, you can choose to sign up, but not necessary just to read the article. 4 Warning Signs of Melanoma That Are Easy to Miss This dangerous skin cancer can take on odd forms and pop up in unexpected places Nearly 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma each year, making it one of the most common types of cancer in the U.S., especially among older adults who have endured decades of sun exposure and whose immune systems aren't as robust as they once were. And while melanoma can be deadly, it is highly curable if caught early. Do you know what to look for? The hallmarks of melanoma are asymmetrical or rough-looking moles that are not defined by a border. A spot on the skin that continues to grow in size or change is another indication, and a once-monthly body scan is an easy way to keep tabs on any of these concerning characteristics. But there are also some more unusual signs that could signal the presence of the skin cancer. "Melanoma is such a rule breaker,” says Elizabeth Buchbinder, M.D., an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Little moles can cause big trouble, and new spots can grow and spread quickly, she adds. “And so knowing what to look out for, it's super important.” Here are four warning signs of melanoma you need to know about so that no spot goes unnoticed.   Go to full article About the Tree of Life The tree was created to honor our donors and volunteers.  The roots are volunteers, the trunk is the council, the leaves are people who have donated $100 or more.  The two color leaves are people who have donated for two years.  The flowers are business sponsors who donate $100 or more every year.  The Lilies are new.  They are memorials to people who have passed.  Family or friends have donated $200 or more to honor them.  Add your leaf or flower or Lily.  Click the button to make our tree grow. Thank you. Donate Click Here to Enlarge Tree Many Thanks to Our New and Repeat Donors Davia & Adam Weiner Over the past year there have been questions about WHY Boquete Health and Hospice was doing things in a certain way.  The policies of the organization have now been posted on our website.  There is a link at the bottom of the home page or you can go to the “More” page to read them or download a PDF version.  The policies will be updated as needed.   View BHH Policies Our Mission Our mission is to provide palliative care for the terminally ill in order that they may experience death with dignity and limited pain; to inform and promote community health; and, to support people with health and wellness needs by providing information, equipment and volunteer services.   To Make a Donation  BHHF functions with donations provided by the community. If you are interested in supporting the work we do, please make a donation. To make a financial contribution by check or cash contact Merl Will-Wallace,our treasurer,at dharma49@icloud.com to arrange a time and place to pick up your donation. You can also click here  to make an online Paypal donation. For more information visit our website: http://www.boquetehealth.org We also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boqueteheartshandsandhelp/?ref=bookmarks  Please Like our page and share the contents with your family and friends.   Confidentiality All patient information shared with any Boquete Health and Hospice volunteer is kept in the strictest confidence. To Contact Us   Hospice/Health:  (507) 6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday,  9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday    Please!  Blood Donor Program:  WhatApp (507)-6590-2000 or call (507)-6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday,  9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday, Please. Email:  info@boquetehealth.org   Freely send this to anyone, use any part. Our mailing address is: info@boquetehealth.org Thank you