FHN Focus

December 12, 2024

Next Week's Calendar
of Events:

December 12

Blood Pressure, Glucose, and Cholesterol Screening
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Salvation Army, 106 W. Exchange Street, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

Breastfeeding Support Group
4 p.m.
Freeport Public Library, 100 E. Douglas Street, Freeport
Bring your baby and join other moms to share knowledge and talk about the most up-to-date breastfeeding information. Discussions will be led by lactation experts from the FHN/SCHD Breastfeeding Task Force. This group is open to all moms and free to attend; visit fhn.org/breastfeedingtaskforce for more information.

Parkinson’s Support Group
4–5 p.m.
FHN Memorial Hospital Conference Dining Room - Lower Level, 1045 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport
The FHN Parkinson’s Support Group meets monthly to provide a vital space for individuals and families affected by Parkinson’s disease to connect, share experiences, and find comfort in community. We offer a mix of emotional support, practical advice, and education about the disease. If you have any questions, please call Jackie Roach, RN, FHN Community Services Coordinator at 815-599-7437.

December 14

Safe Sitter Essentials with CPR – CLASS IS FULL
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Globe and Deaconess Rooms, Lower Level FHN Memorial Hospital, 1045 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport
Class designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they're home alone or babysitting. Registration is required - visit fhn.org/safesitter. The full-day course is $50, which includes the Safe Sitter Essentials Student Handbook, completion card, and basic CPR skill practice. (Class does not qualify for CPR certification.) Financial assistance is available for eligible students; call 815-599-6707 for more information about eligibility.

December 17

The First Steps Grief Support Group
10 - 11:30 a.m.
FHN Memorial Hospital Conference Dining Room - Lower Level
First Steps Grief Support Group is a bereavement group designed especially for anyone who has
experienced a loss within the last 6 months. To register or more information, contact FHN Spiritual Care Coordinator, Sean Huguenin, at 815-599-6160 or visit fhn.org/firststeps.

Blood Pressure Screening
3 - 5 p.m.
Joseph’s Pantry, 406 S. Adams, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

December 19

Blood Pressure Screening
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
New Jerusalem Soup Kitchen, 4 E. Iroquois, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

View all events

View past issues of the Focus

Welcome

Coming up in this week's issue of The Focus you'll find:

Celebrating Dr. Malladi's Retirement
Give the Gift of Life this Holiday – Give Blood!
Safe Online Shopping for the Holidays
Rx Renewal Available on MyFHN
FHN Career Corner
Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!
Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health
Classified Ads

Celebrating Dr. Malladi's Retirement

To celebrate Dr. Malladi's upcoming retirement, cake and punch will be served in the Public Dining Room in the hospital's lower level from noon - 1 p.m. Monday, December 23.

We look forward to seeing you there as we send Dr. Malladi off into his well-deserved retirement!

Please note that this event is for FHN staff only and is not open to the public or his patients.

Give the Gift of Life this Holiday – Give Blood!

FHN is hosting a community blood drive Monday, Dec. 23. If you are at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in general good health, please donate! Staff from the Rock River Valley Blood Center will draw blood from noon – 5 p.m. in the Globe/Deaconess rooms on the lower level of FHN Memorial Hospital.

Last year, FHN Memorial Hospital used 881 units of blood for our patients. We are counting on hospital staff and community members to help us replenish some of that blood! Walk-ins are welcome, but please sign up to donate at www.rrvbc.org – appointments help to ensure you can make your donation in a timely manner.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center is the only supplier of blood and related services to FHN Memorial Hospital, as well as Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, UW Health Swedish American Hospital, and UW Carbone Cancer Center of Rockford, where many Freeport trauma/cancer patients are transferred to in severe cases.

If you are not sure if you are eligible to donate, please call RRVBC at 815-965-8751 to check. The FDA has changed many regulations concerning blood donations in the past year, so if you were ineligible to donate in the past, we encourage you to check your eligibility now.

Click here for an informational flyer to print and share.

Safe Online Shopping for the Holidays

Happy Holidays from the Information Systems Cyber Security Team!

To help you stay safe this year while shopping online please review the information below and Happy Holidays to all.

To stay safe while shopping online during the holidays, you can:

Use strong passwords: Create passwords that are at least 12 characters in length, from either nonsensical strings of characters or a passphrase. Cybercriminals can use programs to crack simple passwords.

Avoid public WiFi: They are often poorly protected and can be used by scammers. If you must use public WiFi, you can use a VPN to help keep your information secure.

Shop on secure sites: Only shop on websites with a privacy policy and that you recognize as reputable.

Update your software: Keep your operating system, web browser, and security programs up to date to protect your device from attacks.

Review your credit card statements: Check your credit card statements regularly to spot any unauthorized charges.

Keep track of your orders: Keep track of what you order online.

File a complaint: If you are scammed, file a complaint immediately.

Rx Renewal Available on MyFHN

The MyFHN Patient Portal has become even more convenient!

Patients can now – in addition to calling their pharmacy – request to have their prescription renewed using the MyFHN Patient Portal. It’s easy, just click on the Medications tab, then click on the medication you need refilled, and request renewal. This will notify your provider and they will message you back once the refill has been sent in.

If you don’t already have the MyFHN Patient Portal, enroll online using one of two processes (depending on whether or not you have an email address on file with us and know your medical record number). If you need assistance, please ask the staff, call the MyFHN Coordinator at 1-815-599-6907, or email [email protected].

Register today and let your fingertips keep you on top of everything related to your healthcare! Already signed up for MyFHN? Download the app! Instructions available online.

FHN Career Corner

There are many career opportunities within FHN. If you or someone you know is interested in new challenges go to our Career page, displaying the latest open positions.

FHN Team Members
Friends and Family

Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!

We have a lot to be proud of at FHN, from our talented, dedicated staff to the many advanced capabilities we offer our patients. We’re working hard every day to be sure we provide excellent care to our patients.

Each week, look to the Focus for good news to share about FHN in the form of downloadable flyers you can print and post or hand out to patients who may be interested. Also look for links to our most recent radio interviews and past interviews to listen to and recommend to others. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook! Please encourage patients, friends, and family to also take advantage of these FHN information resources. Thanks for your help in promoting FHN!

Have you heard the latest radio interviews? Catch up on our Radio Broadcasts page!

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health

December is …
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
International Sharps Injury Prevention Month

December is Universal Human Rights Month. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 as a response to the Nazi holocaust and to set a standard by which the human rights activities of all nations, rich and poor alike, are to be measured. Some of the rights are: No one shall be subjected to cruel and inhuman punishment; being entitled to a fair and public hearing by an impartial tribunal; the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects; the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; and the right to a standard of living to include food, clothing, housing, medical care, and necessary social services; the right to education; the right to participate in the cultural life of the community; not being arbitrarily deprived of their property; a speedy juried trial and the right to legal counsel.

The people of Mexico celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. It’s an important religious festival commemorating the appearance of the Blessed Virgin to an Indian boy in 1531. Processions, dances, and visits are led to her Mexico City shrine.

December 13 is Aga Khan’s Birthday, an important holiday for the Ismaili sect of Islam. He is the religious leader of the sect.

In Sweden, December 13 is Luciadagen, also known as Queen of Light. A candlestick parade takes place.

Puerto Rico and Mexico mark the beginning of the Christmas season with Navidades on December 15. The season ends with Three Kings Day on January 6.

The people of Mexico begin the celebration of Posadas on December 15. It is a nine-day traditional celebration throughout Mexico. Processions of pilgrims go door to door asking for posada, which means shelter, commemorating the search by Mary and Joseph for shelter.

Classified Ads

The deadline to submit ads for each Focus is 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication. Please submit your classified ad information to Tammy Edler, and send your donation to the Foundation.