Jenna - Nanna's Little Angel (and a PAL)

When Kathy Wood was 46 years-old, she was excited to be expecting her second grandchild. What she wasn’t expecting was to be diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer. Over the past nine years she has endured non-stop chemotherapy treatments, numerous surgeries, radiation treatments and participation in several clinical trials. The stylish Granite Falls resident has lost and regrown her hair ...

STAYING AFLOAT - Ruth Deaton Receives World's Smallest Heart Monitor to Help REVEAL the Cause of Stroke

Ruth Deaton has been surrounded by accomplished surgeons her whole life. Her father, Glen R. Frye, was a surgeon. Her husband Hugo Deaton and son, David Deaton are also surgeons. At the age of 81, Mrs. Deaton’s contemporaries covet the expert medical advice and wealth of knowledge upon which she bases decisions about her personal health care. Such decisions became of paramount importance in ...

Leaves are Supposed to Fall. People Aren't

September 23 rd is National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. “Fall prevention is particularly important to the elderly population, as more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year in our country 1, “ says Jeremy Frye, PT, DPT, director for outpatient rehabilitation services at Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Center for Rehabilitation. “Among older adults, falls ...

Meet Father Ed - Offering Compassionate Clergical Care

Although a hospital visit is typically a biological event, serious illness can be frightening and isolate a patient from their usual support system when that is what they need the most. Although he retired from Hickory’s St. Aloysious Catholic church seven years ago, Ed Sheridan (Father Ed), says that he enjoys supporting caregivers with a fresh infusion of spirituality. He works shoulder to ...

Protect Your Smile With a Sports Mouthguard

Whether it is a helmet under the chin or an elbow to the face, an unintentional collision during a contact sport like football or basketball can lead to permanently damaged teeth or a dislocated jaw. Wearing a mouthguard provides a barrier between the teeth and protects against orofacial injuries to the teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue. The American Dental Association (ADA) classifies mouthguards as ...

New Technology Treats Prostate Cancer with Speed, Precision & Excellent Results

CVMC now treats prostate cancer with patient outcomes similar to those of world-renowned cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering, in New York and MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Texas. Prostate cancer, which affects only men, forms in the prostate gland tissue found below the bladder and in front of the rectum. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading ...

Dr. Clark Joins Catawba Valley Family Medicine - Claremont

HICKORY, NC – Aug 7, 2014 – Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announced today that Vondell Clark, MD, MPH has joined the experienced team of practitioners at Catawba Valley Family Medicine in Claremont, NC. Dr. Clark Dr. Clark is board certified in Family Medicine as well as Integrative Holistic Medicine and Obesity Medicine. He also has an MPH in Public Health Nutrition from the ...

Dr. McManus Joins Catawba Valley Family Medicine - Maiden

HICKORY, NC – June 27, 2014 – Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announces the addition of Keith McManus, MD to the practicing physicians at Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Maiden. Dr. McManus is a board-certified physician with 28 years experience in family medicine. After earning a doctorate of medicine from UNC Chapel Hill in 1984, he has held several teaching roles and is ...

July Births Break Records at CVMC Birthing Center

HICKORY, NC – August 7, 2014 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) announced a record-breaking 206 babies born at its Birthing Center in July 2014. CVMC attributes the increased number of deliveries to its ability to serve a greater regional patient population with the 2012 addition of its Women and Children’s Pavilion. The new pavilion houses a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care ...

Andrews Joins Catawba Valley Family Medicine - Viewmont

HICKORY, NC – Aug 7, 2014 – Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announced today that Maureene Andrews, PA-C has joined Dr Shane Summers, MD at Catawba Valley Family Medicine in Viewmont. A graduate of Arcadia University, Andrews received her Masters of Medical Science with concurrent physician assistant degree in Glenside, PA. She has worked in internal and family medicine since 2005. ...

Local Mother Advocates to Have Twins Born at CVMC

Pregnant 20 year-old Raven Horton of Lenoir was advised to seek care at a hospital in another city to rule out complications from an underlying health issue that might compromise the health of the twins she was carrying. Raven traveled to Winston-Salem, NC where she was admitted for observation during two separate stays during which she underwent maternal/fetal monitoring tests. While in Winston, ...

What To Ask Your Heart Doctor

Do you know the top men’s health threats? The list is surprisingly short — heart disease, cancer and unintentional injury. Thankfully, most men’s health threats are largely preventable. However – men are notorious for avoiding the doctor. Don’t wait to visit the doctor until something is seriously wrong. Your doctor can be your best ally for preventing health ...

3-D Mammography

At Catawba Valley Imaging Center (CVIC), a service of Catawba Valley Health System, you have access to some of the most advanced breast cancer screening technology available. This includes digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) mammography, an imaging technique that creates a three-dimensional (3-D) like image of breast tissue, to help screen patients for breast cancer. While standard mammogram ...

Jerry Sigmon Donates Newborn Hats

In his wildest dreams 72 year-old, Jerry Sigmon never imagined being recognized for his knitting skills. Nor did he foresee that he would fill a special need for a group of women and their newborns participating in CVMC’s Centering Pregnancy program. “I want to offer a HUGE thank you to the amazing gift of handmade hats that Jerry donated. We rely on community donations to support this ...

LIVING Life After Cancer

Physical, occupational, or speech therapy treatments are routine for patients who have had joint replacements, or a stroke. But what about oncology patients? According to the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, rehabilitation services are “an absolutely essential part of cancer care”. Many oncology patients undergo debilitating treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation ...

Events Grows Awareness of Child Seat Safety

In July, CVMC and Safe Kids celebrated the success of a community child passenger seat diversion program which offers drivers the opportunity be granted a one-time only dismissal of a citation for violating child safety seat laws. CVMC is the lead agency for Safe Kids Catawba County, who has partnered with the Office of the District Attorney for Catawba County to continue this ongoing program. ...

Dr. Neal Joins Catawba Valley Cardiology

HICKORY, NC – July 14, 2014 – Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announced today that Jeff Neal, DO, PharmD has joined the experienced team of practitioners at Catawba Valley Cardiology in Conover, NC. Previously with OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio and The Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia, Dr. Neal earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the Medical College of Virginia and a Doctor of ...

3-D Mammography Enhances Breast Cancer Screening

HICKORY, NC – July 2, 2014 —Catawba Valley Imaging Center (CVIC), a service of Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC), has added digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) mammography, an imaging technique that creates a three-dimensional (3-D) like image of breast tissue, to help screen patients for breast cancer. While standard mammogram machines take a static picture from above the breast, ...

Facing COPD

Primarily found in people ages 65 to 74, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), also known as emphysema, refers to a group of conditions that lead to airflow blockage and breathing-related problems, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and some forms of bronciectasis. Also falling into the COPD category, chronic lower respiratory disease was the third leading cause of death in the United ...

Strides to Recovering from Breast Cancer

Finding out that you have cancer can leave you feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable, and alone. So much of the road to recovery is beyond the control of breast cancer patients. However, the ever-increasing numbers of survivors who do take charge of one major component of recovery find that it significantly improves their overall health and quality of daily life. That one component of recovery is ...

Sleep is Central to Good Health

How you function during the day is related to both the quality and quantity of sleep you get the night before. If sleepiness interferes with your daily activities, more sleep each night might improve the quality of your waking hours. However, if you have one of any number of different underlying sleeping disorders, simply sleeping more hours each night might not solve the problem of daytime ...

Back is Best Bedtime Position for Baby

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy infants be placed on their backs for sleep, as this is the safest position for an infant to sleep. Putting your baby to sleep on his or her back decreases the chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is responsible for more infant deaths in the United States than any other cause during the first year of life (beyond the newborn ...

Stroke Robot Saves Lowman

Nancy Lowman didn’t need a miracle. She just needed the right diagnosis and she needed it quick. Lowman, a 59-year-old Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) employee had no obvious stroke risk factors, but one morning in February 2014, the vision in her left eye became completely yellow, then she was unable to open the eye, and a sharp pain began to radiate from her left temple down her neck. ...

Tips to Prevent Heat Stroke in High School Athletes

Every summer, you see the tragic headlines: football player collapse in the heat during summer practice sessions. Last year, several high school football players died from exhaustive heat stress, a trend that is, unfortunately, increasing over time. Since 2006, at least 20 high school football players have died from exertional heat stroke according to the University of North Carolina’s ...

Water Aerobics - Great Option for Seniors

As people age, rigorous physical activity naturally becomes more difficult. Because of this, many individuals stop exercising altogether, when in reality, water aerobics provides a beneficial workout with less stress on the body. Water aerobics is classified as a low-impact activity. While it provides aerobic exercise, it is also easy on the joints and is recommended for people with conditions ...