Cobble Hill Blog » Health

SUNY Downstate to Slash Jobs, but LICH May Gain

Claude Scales — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:10:59 +0000

SUNY Downstate Medical Center, which took control of Long Island College Hospital last June, faces an operating deficit and will have to eliminate jobs and close or combine some operations.

New York Post: SUNY Downstate Medical Center announced tonight that it will have to perform extensive “financial” surgery to slash jobs and eliminate redundant services at its three medical facilities to stem red ink.

The scalpel will be used at University Hospital in Flatbush, Long Isand College hospital in Brooklyn Heights and its facility at the former Victory Hospital site in Bay Ridge.

However, the Post story says, a task force report to SUNY Downstate noted that LICH is “severely under-utilized” and that SUNY Downstate should “consolidate its inpatient services at the LICH campus and scale back University Hospital.”

Cruise Ship Air Pollution Response Stalled

Claude Scales — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:20:44 +0000

A year ago, Mayor Bloomberg announced a deal to eliminate air pollution resulting from cruise ships having to run their diesel generators to supply power while docked at the Red Hook terminal. Under the agreement, the parties involved: the Port Authority, the suppliers and distributors of electricity, and the cruise line, would share the cost of installing and maintaining equipment allowing ships to take power from shoreside. Now, it appears, that deal has collapsed, and local residents will have to continue to breathe fumes from the ships’ generators.

New York Daily News Cruise ships docked in Brooklyn continue to choke Red Hook with their fumes — despite a widely touted deal a year ago that was supposed to solve the problem.

The Port Authority approved $15 million to build a system allowing ships to plug into an electric grid — but costs have shot up another $4.3 million and the agency hasn’t shelled out the extra money, according to local elected officials.

The Daily News story quotes Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and other local elected officials as noting that “[a]sthma rates among Red Hook youth are high”. Red Hook resident Adam Armstrong, author of the blog A View from the Hook, accuses the Port Authority of “twiddling their thumbs.” A Port Authority spokesman says the agency is “evaluating options”.

P.S. 29 on List of Schools With Hazardous PCB Laden Lighting Fixtures

Claude Scales — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:19:59 +0000

We’ve received word from the office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler that P.S. 29 is on the list of schools, compiled by the City’s School Construction Authority, that have old lighting fixtures containing polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These are carcinogens, and are considered especially hazardous to pregnant women. According to Dr. Maida Galvez, Director of the EPA Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, “The bottom line is that there’s no safe level of [PCB] exposure in pregnancy, period.” There’s more information here.

Next Monday, December 12 at 10:00 a.m., Congressman Nadler, along with representatives of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, NARAL, Planned Parenthood NYC and others, will assemble on the steps of City Hall to demand action to relieve this hazard to public health. For more information, contact kterenzi@NYLPI.org

Debra Carey Named Interim CEO of LICH

Claude Scales — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:21:49 +0000

According to the Eagle, Debra D. Carey, CEO of SUNY Downstate Medical Center University Hospital of Brooklyn, will also serve as interim CEO of University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital, the ponderous name of what we will always know as LICH, following the departure at the end of July of LICH’s interim president, Dominick Stanzione. LICH is now part of the SUNY Downstate family of hospitals, and Ms. Carey will divide her time between SUNY Downstate Medical Center University Hospital of Brooklyn in Flatbush and LICH until a new full-time chief administrator for LICH can be found.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: Carey, a graduate of Syracuse University and the Harvard School of Public Health, has been with UHB since 2005, during which she oversaw major renovations of the 376-bed facility. Before joining the Downstate Medical Center team, she served as the associate executive director and CEO at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at the University of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins Medical System.

Ms. Carey will have a short commute to her office at LICH. She lives at One Brooklyn Bridge Park.

LICH Community Health Day Saturday

Claude Scales — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:08:54 +0000

This Saturday, June 18, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Long Island College Hospital will hold its Community Health Day at Henry Street Park, on Henry Street between Amity and Pacific Streets. This event will feature free health screenings, a CPR for kids demonstration, opportunity to meet LICH physicians, a tour of the pediatric emergency room, clowns and face painting, light refreshments, and, at 12:00 noon, a children’s sing-along and music. For more information, contact Natasha Burke at (718) 780-2860. The rain date is Saturday, June 25.

LICH/SUNY Merger Now Official

Claude Scales — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:06:19 +0000

This in from University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital (that’s the new official name; I’m calling it Shea):

We are pleased to announce that Long Island College Hospital (LICH) is now officially part of the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center’s University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB). The unprecedented joining of a community, not-for-profit teaching hospital with a university-based, publicly supported academic teaching hospital provides education, clinical care, research breakthroughs, and employment to the communities of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook and beyond.

Being a part of University Hospital of Brooklyn preserves LICH’s heritage. The agreement also will strengthen SUNY Downstate’s education and training mission and its standing as the hub of medical education in Brooklyn.

There’s more information at the website.

Cruise Ship Terminal to Supply Shore Power, Ending Diesel Fumes from Idling Ships

Claude Scales — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:29:20 +0000

Mayor Bloomberg will announce today an agreement among the Port Authority, as operator of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, the New York Power Authority, and Carnival Cruise Lines, operator of Queen Mary 2 and other ships using the Terminal, under which electric power will be supplied to ships while in port from the land-based distribution grid. This will end the practice of using the ships’ auxiliary diesel powered generators while docked in order to produce power, and will greatly reduce the amount of pollutants spewed into the local atmosphere.

New York Times: The mighty Queen Mary 2 will no longer be belching diesel fumes over Red Hook when it docks at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal next year. Instead, the cruise ship will shut its engines and plug into a giant electrical outlet built especially for the port.
…

Plugging in to an alternative hydroelectric source at the Red Hook port would eliminate nearly 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide, 95 tons of nitrous oxide and 6.5 tons of diesel particulate matter annually.

State Senator Daniel Squadron released the following statement:

With this agreement to bring shore power to the cruise terminal, Brooklyn can finally breathe a little easier. The noxious diesel fumes that cruise ships in port have been spewing are bad for Brooklynites and bad for the environment. I have worked with Council Member Brad Lander, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, our colleagues in government and the entire community to advocate for an expedited agreement to implement shore power. I commend Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Cuomo, the Port Authority, the New York Power Authority, the Economic Development Corporation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Carnival Cruise Lines for working together to find this important solution.

Update: Mayor Bloomberg’s press release, which came out after this was first posted, includes more information on timing:

The project includes over $15 million in onshore infrastructure, funded with about $12 million from the Port Authority and a nearly $3 million grant from the US EPA. Carnival Cruise Lines will spend up to $4 million to retrofit the two Carnival Cruise Lines ships that dock at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Under an agreement reached by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the City and New York Power Authority (NYPA) will provide NYPA electricity to Carnival at a fixed and discounted rate for a period of five years, which is valued at roughly $2 million per year. Approximately 40 ship calls per year will use shore power. Construction of the on-shore infrastructure will begin mid-2011 and is expected to be complete in 2012. Additionally, beginning in 2012, Carnival Cruise Lines will be required to use progressively lower-sulfur fuel for its ships, further reducing the relative cost of shore power.

So, given the time needed to install shore and ship-based infrastructure, it appears that the changeover to shore power is at least a year off. However, the reduction in the sulfur content of fuel used by the shipboard auxiliary generators in the interim should be of some benefit.

Photo of Queen Mary 2 docked at Red Hook by C. Scales.

LICH Saved!

Claude Scales — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:20:14 +0000

According to a report on NY1, after meeting with elected officials in Brooklyn last night, Cuomo administration offficials have agreed to release the grant money that will allow the merger of Long Island College Hospital with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, thereby assuring that LICH will remain open. Addendum: The politicians involved are identified in the text of Senator Squadron’s press release, after the jump.

Thanks to Brooklyn Heights Blog reader Mike for the tip.

State Senator Daniel Squadron said:

There is no doubt: Brooklyn needs LICH. The LICH-Downstate merger is vital and I am pleased that Governor Cuomo supports moving forward the HEAL grants to make it happen.

LICH is a crucial health care resource not just for the adjacent neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, but for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. In addition to stabilizing both institutions, the merger will improve health care across Brooklyn, bolster an important teaching hospital, and provide diverse communities with stronger options.

I was pleased to work with Governor Cuomo, Borough President Markowitz, Congresswoman Velazquez, Senator Montgomery, Assemblywoman Millman, Councilmember Lander, and Councilmember Levin to save these important hospitals.

LICH Asks For Support From Local Citizens

Claude Scales — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:57:27 +0000

LICH has asked that concerned citizens contact political officeholders whose influence would be helpful in getting New York State to release the funds needed to bring its merger with SUNY Downstate to fruition. A list of these officeholders, with contact information, and a list of talking points supplied by LICH, follows the jump.

List of officeholders:
Yvette D. Clarke, Member of Congress; (718) 287-1142; www.clarke.house.gov
Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor; (518) 474-8390
Robert J. Duffy; Lieutenant Governor; (518) 474-8390
Letitia James; City Council Member; (718) 260-9191; ljames@council.nyc.gov
Hakeem Jeffries; State Assembly Member; (718) 569-0100; jeffriesh@assembly.state.ny.us
Bradford Lander; City Council Member, (718) 499-1090; lander@council.nyc.gov*
Stephen Levin; City Council Member; (718) 875-5200; slevin@council.nyc.gov
Marty Markowitz; Brooklyn Borough President, (718) 802-3700; askmarty@brooklynbp.nyc.gov
Joan L. Millman; State Assembly Member; (718) 246-4889; millmaj@assembly.state.ny.us*
Velmanette Montgomery; State Senator; (718) 643-6140; montgome@senate.state.ny.us
Felix W. Ortiz; State Assembly Member; (718) 492-6334; ortizf@assembly.state.ny.us
John L. Sampson; State Senator; (718) 649-7653; sampson@senate.state.ny.us
Chuck Schumer; U.S. Senator; (212) 486-4430; rich_dziepak@schumer.senate.gov
Daniel L. Squadron; State Senator; (212) 298-5565; squadron@senate.state.ny.us*
Edolphus Towns; Member of Congress; (718) 235-8018; congressmantowns@mail.house.gov
Nydia M. Velazquez; Member of Congress; (718) 599-3658; nydia.velazquez@mail.house.gov
_____
*These officeholders have already declared support for LICH; however, communications from concerned citizens will be useful for them.

Talking points:

-Many of you have read or heard media reports that the proposed merger with SUNY Downstate is threatened. Everyone involved in the negotiations – SUNY, LICH, Continuum and the community – remain hopeful that the merger will go through.
-We have made clear to the State Department of Health and to the Governor’s Office that Long Island College Hospital is a valuable resource to the residents of Brooklyn, and that its closure would have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn residents.
-Over the past two years, our merger plan with SUNY Downstate was reviewed and approved by multiple State and federal agencies. The HEAL grants that were competitively awarded to LICH and to SUNY Downstate are essential to the merger moving to conclusion.
-All the Brooklyn politicians indicated their support as well.
-Former Gov. David Paterson came to LICH last October to announce a HEAL grant of $40 million to support the merger.
-All of the elected officials who came to that press conference agreed that day that the proposed merger will strengthen patient care in Brooklyn, the communities that are served by LICH and Downstate, and further Downstate’s educational mission. It also will save close to 2,500 jobs.
-This latest development by the Governor and DOH to reevaluate all pending HEAL grants poses a serious threat.

Squadron, Millman, Lander Urge Action to Save LICH

Claude Scales — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:32:09 +0000

This in from State Senator Daniel Squadron:

The deal to save Long Island College Hospital was a huge win for our community, Brooklyn and the state. Simply put, it must move forward. LICH has helped keep Brooklyn healthy for more than 150 years, and it must not be forced to close its doors now. I will continue to work with the governor, my colleagues in government and the hospitals as the merger moves forward.

State Assembly Member Joan Millman issued this statement:

The news that Long Island College Hospital (LICH) might be forced to close its doors has caused an outpouring of support from across the borough. Currently all of the elected officials are working together to convey to the state the importance of the HEAL grants for the future of LICH and SUNY Downstate. I call upon the Governor to expedite the release of this money. I join all of my colleagues in government to ensure that LICH remains a vital part of our community.

City Council Member Brad Lander, who represents Carroll Gardens, Gowanus and Park Slope, has urged the Governor to release the funds needed to consummate the LICH/SUNY Downstate merger. You can read his statement at Carroll Gardens blogger Katia Kelly’s Pardon Me For Asking.

LICH May Close in March

Claude Scales — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:54:43 +0000

A decision by officials in Governor Cuomo’s administration to delay release of funds needed to finance the merger of Long Island College Hospital with SUNY Downstate Medical Center may have doomed the local health care facility, which could be forced to shut down next month.

New York Times: A struggling Brooklyn hospital is making plans to shut down in March after a decision by the Cuomo administration to delay grants to help finance a merger intended to rescue the institution, officials said on Wednesday.

The hospital, Long Island College Hospital, on the border of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights, announced in October that it was merging with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, a major public university and medical center, as part of a deal put together last fall by former Gov. David A. Paterson and state health officials.

According to the Times story, Stanley Brezenoff, chairman of Continuum Health Partners, which now manages LICH, said the hospital is “running on fumes” and doesn’t have enough cash to last through next month.

Rabid Raccoon Found in Prospect Park

Mark Hayes — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:35:38 +0000

A dead raccoon found on 10th St. & Prospect Park West on December 2nd has tested positive for rabies, according to the NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene. Park visitors and pet owners are advised to be aware and remain cautious when visiting the park. Pets are at a greater risk since they are more likely to come in contact with wildlife. Owners are encouraged to make sure that their pets are up-to-date with rabies shots, to keep dogs leashed at all times when visiting the park and to avoid approaching or feeding wild animals. Bites or sightings of sick, diseased or injured animals should be reported to 311.

More information on rabies and how to avoid it can be found on the Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene’s web site.

LICH Doc Cautions Against “Vampire Fillers”

Claude Scales — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:48:07 +0000

Aging baby boomers, like your correspondent, may be a hot market for the latest wrinkle eradication technique. As reported by the Daily News, “vampire fillers” involve taking blood from the patient, centrifuging out the red cells, then injecting the remaining platelet-rich plasma into the wrinkled area. However, a dermatologist affiliated with Long Island College Hospital urges caution before undergoing such a procedure.

Daily News: Dr. David Avram, a dermatologist at Long Island College Hospital who also has a private practice, notes that it takes about three months for the “vampire” filler to work. (He does not offer them, but knows doctors who do.)

“There’s not a lot of data on it yet as an effective treatment, and the main gist is that more studies need to be done,” Avram said. “I would not have patients rush into having this done yet since we already have fillers that work very well and that we know are safe.”

Is there really, as noted elsewhere in the Daily News piece, an “aesthetic dermatologist” at Lenox Hill named Doris Day?

State Approval of LICH/SUNY Merger May Come Tomorrow

Claude Scales — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:58:32 +0000

See BHB for details.

Fresh Fruit CSA Accepting New Members

Caitlin Heikkila — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:57:58 +0000

Sample Full Share

Want farm fresh fruit at an affordable price? Here’s your chance to stock up your fridge AND support a local farm! Red Jacket Orchards is offering a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) to locals. Become a member and pay a farm upfront for a share of produce that you can pick up at a nearby distribution spot once a week. Not only do you get high quality fruit at a cheaper price, but a CSA also guarantees revenue for the farm. From August through November, members are provided with the best produce the farm has to offer, like peaches, plums, pears, apples, grapes, and even jams and juices.

Unlike most markets, CSA allows the consumer to learn about the farm heir food comes from, as well as the people who produce it. While most vegetable CSAs are sold out in the city, this fruit CSA is completely new and accepting new members!

Interested? Half shares are $13 and full shares are $22. The Brooklyn pickup center is at Brooklyn Pharmacy and Soda Fountain at 513 Henry Street in Carroll Gardens on Tuesdays from August 10th through November 9th 4-6:45pm. To see a sample share list and more information on membership visit http://redjacketorchardscsa.wordpress.com/ or email redjacketorchards@gmail.com.

CHB Chief Correspondent Featured on WCBS

Jonah — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:07:03 +0000

New York may soon become the first state to ban minors from tanning salons. Let’s hear it for the Empire State! With new research showing that even a single tanning booth session can increase the risk of melanoma by 75%, it’s high time that stricter regulations were placed on the salons.

WCBS Medical reporter Dr. Holly Phillips put together this story on the proposed ban. Malignant melanoma is the deadliest of skin cancers, and your friendly correspondent happens to be one of the few lucky survivors. Long-time local readers know that since 2008, I’ve kept people up to date on the latest news about skin cancer at groinstrong.com – with the help of WCBS, we’re reaching a much wider audience to educate about the risks – and the simple measures to prevent – advanced skin cancer.

Check out the video below and read the full story here.

Bloomie and Ray Tell Kids to Eat Yum-O Goodness at P.S. 29

Homer Fink — Fri, 14 May 2010 01:29:59 +0000

Mayor Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Quinn and food celebrity Rachael Ray were at P.S. 29 today. Their mission – getting kids to eat better and to find out “where their food comes from”.

From the NYC press release:

The Mayor announced new efforts that will help address these obstacles including:

Launching a new mini-grant program (grants of $500-$1,000) this fall for schools in need of funds to start a garden.
Creating a website for schools, being designed by GrowNYC, to be launched by this fall with resources including:
Additional technical assistance provided by GrowNYC and GreenThumb.
Information on how to locate and connect to local community gardens.
Complimentary programming provided by City and nonprofit partners.
Information for teachers on how to incorporate garden instruction into existing curricula to maximize their academic impact.
Expanding the “Garden to Café” pilot program from 25 schools to more than 50 schools in the 2010 school year. The program’s goal is to connect school gardening and lunch menus through seasonal harvest events and educational activities. PS 29 is one of the initial Garden to Café sites and the school uses what is grown in the garden in its salad bar and to create recipes for special events.
Starting a teen intern program to take care of school gardens during the summer months. NYC Service will also help coordinate volunteers to care for the gardens.

Full press release here.

Cobble Hill Claims Last Baby Born at St. Vincent’s

Jonah — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:19:35 +0000

Breaking news from the CHB Tip Jar! Cobble Hill resident Joetta Maue has informed CHB that she is the mother of the last baby born at Manhattan’s St. Vincent’s Hospital before its recent closure:

I am writing as the mother of the last baby born at St. Vincent’s Hospital. My son was born April 20, being the official last baby born at the historic hospital and delaying the closing of the maternity and NICU by almost a week. He was born to an emergency c-section after 30 hours of labor, 25 of which were at home in an all natural home birth. We with controversy were admitted to the hospital…

As the only patients in both the maternity ward and the NICU we had an amazing experience with an amazing staff of caregivers.

Congratulations to Joetta on her new (and healthy) baby boy! Score one for the nabe.

Photo: “Mother and Child” by Henry Essenhigh Corke via National Media Museum flickr photostream

More Nabe Hijinks: DPH Mustache-Net Crackdown in Cobble Hill

Jonah — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:28:55 +0000

Oh noes! Our right to whimsical facial hair must be protected!

Quick! Someone call Daniel Squadron!!

Image and the following report from Chow.com:

The artisanal cocktail movement suffered heavy casualties last night, when New York City Department of Health officials cited several restaurants in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn for old-timey facial hair code violations. For people preparing food and drink, state law requires that beards, sideburns, and mustaches be protected by a “mustache net.” However, in recent years, a trend toward aggressive nostalgia in the hospitality industry has encouraged whimsical mustaches at the expense of hygiene. There is often an equally compromising accumulation of Victorian clutter: phonographs, velvet flocked wallpaper, tarnished medical equipment, and pinned butterfly wings that officials warn can attract dust and crumbs.

The crackdown was a surprise to restaurant employees—one bartender apparently panicked and attempted to hide behind a taxidermied warthog. However, many of those cited have remained defiant.

“I’d be happy to have my staff wear mustache nets—if I could find a sustainable source,” said a representative of one of the establishments targeted in the raid. “And so far, I have not found a mustache net farm whose mustache netting practices I believe in.”

Breaking News: Gowanus Canal officially named Superfund site

Diana Rosenthal — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:26:32 +0000

This morning, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would declare the Gowanus Canal a federal Superfund site. Read NY Times coverage here.

The Brooklyn Paper: The controversial designation sets into motion a half-billion-dollar, decade-long federally overseen clean-up of the polluted waterway, which cuts a sclerotic artery through the gentrifying heart of Brownstone Brooklyn. But it also raises questions about whether developers, who currently yearn to build residential housing in the canal zone, will ever exhibit quite the same ardor now that the area has been deemed one of the most polluted places in the country.

“This site has a very long legacy of toxic pollution that plagues this urban waterway,” said Judith Enck, the EPA’s regional director. “And because of that, the EPA is saying it is adding the Gowanus Canal to the federal Superfund list. We believe it will get us the most efficient and comprehensive cleanup of this waterway.”

Enck started her statement by declaring that taxpayers should rest easy that the feds went with a Superfund designation, which sets into motion a process of getting restitution from responsible polluters.

“The goal of Superfund is to ensure that polluters pay for cleanup, not the taxpayer,” she said.

Rabid raccoon found in Boerum Hill

Diana Rosenthal — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:18:32 +0000

A rabid raccoon was caught last Friday in Boerum hill when officials noticed its strange interaction with a dog, Gothamist reports. The Department of Health is increasing raccoon surveillance in Brooklyn, looking out especially for animals that appear sick or dead.

LICH/Downstate merger approved

Diana Rosenthal — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:26:20 +0000

The plan for SUNY Downstate to take over the financially troubled Long Island College Hospital as a second campus that has been discussed since last year is almost finalized. The merger would transfer management of LICH from Continuum Health Partners to Downstate. Read more at Brooklyn Heights Blog.

Denis Hamill Pans LICH/SUNY Deal

Claude Scales — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:30:48 +0000

Denis Hamill, writing in today’s Daily News, detects something rotten about the proposed takeover of LICH by SUNY Downstate Medical Center:

NY Daily News: A smelly political back room merger of LICH with SUNY Downstate Medical Center is imminent, unless state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo steps in…”In September, the LICH medical staff submitted an alternative restructuring plan to the state Department of Health that we believe would make this private hospital profitable again,” says Dr. John Romanelli, head of the LICH medical staff. “We’ve received no response. Nothing. Instead they seem ready to approve the Downstate takeover, making it a public hospital, without even consulting the medical staff.”

In his column, Hamill alleges that Continuum Health Partners, LICH’s present manager, has “cannibalized LICH for the benefit of the network’s Manhattan mother ship, Beth Israel” and, according to Dr. Romanelli, “they are trying to bury the body with this deal with Downstate.”

Cobble Hill Bike Ride, this weekend

EJ — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:45:17 +0000

From the CHB inbox…

Come join the Cobble Hill Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for the second annual…

COBBLE HILL BIKE RIDE

When: November 8th, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Verandah Place at Cobble Hill Park
Cost: FREE, simply rsvp to cobblehillbikeride@gmail.com.
Space is limited to 50 riders maximum. Preference will be given to those who register ahead of time, as well as Cobble Hill Association members.

The Cobble Hill Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative are hosting a 10-mile casual bike ride that will start at Cobble Hill Park and pass through Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, the Columbia Waterfront District, Red Hook, and Carroll Gardens then loop back to Cobble Hill.

There will be several scenic rest stops as we ride along mostly calm streets with some light vehicular traffic. Several Bike Marshals will travel alongside as well as a mechanic for any urgent bike repairs needed. It may be chilly so please dress accordingly, and know that riders should bring helmets and observe all the proper rules of the road.

NYC Marathoner is Groinstrong

Homer Fink — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:18:08 +0000

CHB pal Jon Quinn ran the NYC marathon not only because he is one efficient and powerful human machine but also because he supports his pal Jonah and his Uncle Dave both of whom are battling cancer.

Our pal and Quinn’s friend/Cobble Hillbilly Jonah Eller Isaacs has been battling melanoma since last spring. He discusses the latest developments in his treatment (BRAF blockers) on Groinstrong.com :

Groinstrong: There is a pea-sized subcutaneous nodule just below my right clavicle that has tested positive for melanoma. back in march it seemed as if we were done treating the cancer at the skin level, even as we were finding tumors in my stomach and upper intestine. and now a new spot has appeared in my skin. it’s a frustrating setback when last week’s chemo infusion was supposed to be the last one. but it’s not a surprise. my disease is aggressive, fast-moving and widespread across my body. melanoma is a slippery bastard; treating it is like trying to punch jello. you may feel like you’re making progress, but it can squiggle out of your grasp and take root just about anywhere. so as much as we abhor it, new growth is not unexpected. and we are prepared.

Governor Announces $22 Million State Aid to LICH

Claude Scales — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:40:49 +0000

Governor Paterson today announced $22 million in state aid to Long Island College Hospital under the Health Care Affordability and Efficiency Law (HEAL-NY) “to ensure continued delivery of essential health care services in Brooklyn.”

According to the New York State Department of Health’s press releease:

Under the grant, LICH will pay off some of its long-term debt, which will improve its financial standing and make it more attractive as a merger partner. LICH officials have been in discussions with SUNY Downstate Medical Center concerning corporate consolidation, which would create a more-efficient health care delivery system to serve the greater Brooklyn community. Restructuring LICH’s debt portfolio is vital to the creation of a merged system, allowing for the re-direction of resources to make health care services more cost-effective.

DOH Commissioner Richard F. Daines said he believes LICH and SUNY Downstate “are taking the right steps to analyze the health care needs of their community and address those needs into the future”, and that “[t]he funding awarded today will make it possible for consolidation talks to move ahead.” He concluded, “We look forward to seeing health care in this section of Brooklyn ‘rightsize’ itself to deliver more community-based care in a most cost-effective manner.”

Blood Drive Tomorrow

Diana Rosenthal — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:53:12 +0000

There will be a blood drive tomorrow (9/17) from noon to 7:30 pm at the 76th Precinct Stationhouse (191 Union Street between Hicks and Henry Streets) hosted by the precinct in conjunction with the New York Blood Center. Information about blood donations can be found at nybloodcenter.org.

LICH Doctor Says Seasonal Allergies Could Limit Your Love Life

Claude Scales — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:24:35 +0000

According to MSN News:

THURSDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) — Having allergies can take a toll on your sex life, new research shows.

When polled, 83 percent of people with allergic rhinitis said it affected their sexual activity at least sometimes, with almost 18 percent of those affected saying their allergies nearly always got in the way of a satisfying sex life.

The article cites a study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, but quotes Dr. Clifford Bassett, clinical assistant professor of medicine at LICH/SUNY as saying the finding “makes sense…based on what patients report to him. ‘If people have a runny, drippy nose and feel unsexy, they might be embarrassed by what would be normal intimate contact,’ he said.”

Bassett and other medical experts recommend using anti-allergy medicines, avoiding allergy triggers, and keeping bedroom windows closed to minimize negative effects. You “don’t need to be a casualty in the lovemaking department”, Bassett concluded.

Paterson announces state grant saving LICH in-school clinics.

Claude Scales — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:43:22 +0000

Read about it in BHB.

LICH slammed in Consumer Reports poll.

Claude Scales — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:53:06 +0000

Read about it in BHB.