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Emergency Department

It’s Zucchini Season!

Zucchini is a resourceful vegetable that can be enjoyed on its own or added as an ingredient in dishes. It is mild in flavor. It does not overpower other tastes and makes a great addition in spaghetti sauce and stir fries. Zucchini is known for its high moisture content and it is a star ingredient in baking such as zucchini bread and cake.        

Fresh zucchini can be frozen to use at a later time. Check out Getty Stewart’s website for tips on freezing zucchini  

Have you been gifted a zucchini from a neighbor or have an overstock of zucchinis from your own garden? If so, give this recipe a try!

Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread makes 2 loaves so you can eat one now and freeze the other one for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Tips:

  • To add more moisture to the bread you can add another ½ cup grated zucchini and/or add 2 heaping tablespoons of low-fat sour cream.
  • If you like a sweeter loaf, use 1 and ¼ cups of lightly packed brown sugar. If you enjoy a less sweet bread, use ¾ cup sugar.
  • You can jazz up the zucchini bread with nuts, chocolate chips or even blueberries. 

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ – 1 ¼  cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups packed grated zucchini (do not drain)
  • ½ cup grated zucchini (optional)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons low fat sour cream (optional)
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts or ¾ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously grease two 8×4-inch pans.
  2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
  3. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and sour cream together in a separate large bowl until mixed
  4. Stir in zucchini.
  5. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just until combined (batter will be thick).
  6. Add walnuts or chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
  8. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Remove loaves from pans onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Submitted by Vanessa Hamilton, Registered Dietitian/Healthy Living Facilitator

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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day |September 9

Every year, on September 9th, International FASD Awareness Day is observed. People worldwide gather for events to raise awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). This is an opportunity to spread awareness of FASD, diagnosis, strategies, and prevention. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term that describes the range of effects that may result when prenatal alcohol exposure occurs. These lifelong effects include physical, behavioural, and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities. It is estimated that 4% of Canadians have FASD. The Brandon and Area FASD Coalition will distribute 700 children’s books for FASD Day! These will be available to program participants at The Brandon Friendship Centre, Westman Christmas Cheer, Prairie Mountain Health and Westman Regional Library.

Prairie Mountain Health FASD Program

In Manitoba, all assessments for children/youth to diagnose FASD are done by the Manitoba FASD Centre in coordination with the Manitoba FASD Network. The Prairie Mountain Health FASD Diagnostic Coordinator in Brandon at 204-578-2487 or the FASD Diagnostic Coordinator in Dauphin at 204-622-6223.

There are a number of programs available that can support individuals with FASD.

SOS CAMP at Brandon Friendship Centre

Day respite camps for children 6-12 years of age with FASD. Camps run one Saturday each month, along with some weekday skill development. The SOS MB program is designed to provide children a fun, safe day to learn and practice social skills, self-regulation, and fine and large motor skills. Call 204- 571-0670 for more information about the Brandon Camp.

Life’s Journey Inc.

Life’s Journey is a not-for-profit agency supporting individuals with neurodevelopment and co-occurring disorders. Life’s Journey helps people with diverse abilities living in Manitoba. Life’s Journey includes traditional Indigenous healing as a significant component of their clinical services.

This agency strives to provide clinically informed, culturally relevant, wellness oriented, relationship and strengths-based services.

Westman Services

Westman Services is located in Brandon and provides services to individuals eligible for funding through Community Living Disability Services. Individualized services include:

  • outreach support and mentorship
  • family support
  • supported independent living
  • cluster housing
  • homeshare (foster)
  • shift-staffed residences
  • day program

Westman Services offers various clinical services, including psychology, occupational therapy, addiction support, and access to a Nurse Practitioner. All services are voluntary.

Rural Connections Program

The Rural Connections program provides individualized services for transitional youth and adults impacted by FASD and ineligible for other government support programs. Individuals must be ineligible for funding through Community Living Disability Services, Provincial Alternative Support Services and Community Mental Health. The program is available within the Brandon and Steinbach regions. Rural Connections offers outreach support and mentorship..

For more information on Life’s Journey, Westman Services or the Rural Connections Program call 204-772-1591.

If you are interested in joining the  Brandon and Area FASD Coalition, please call 204-578-2487.

For more information visit the Manitoba FASD Coalition

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Swan River area residents receive update on CT Scanner project

Provincial officials provided an update August 1 on the CT Scanner project for Swan Valley Health Centre. Health Minister Audrey Gordon informed local representatives that the CT scanner is expected to be in service next summer. The Minister noted a location within the facility has now been selected, the scanner has been ordered and staff have begun training so they will be qualified to operate the new equipment.

The Manitoba government is investing $2 million while community groups have contributed $1 million toward the project, which includes equipment, installation and renovation of the space at the Swan Valley Health Centre.

“Investing in a new CT scanner in the Swan Valley region will significantly reduce travel time for residents in Swan River and the surrounding communities while building overall provincial capacity for the service,” stated Health Minister Audrey Gordon. We thank the Town of Swan River and the surrounding Swan Valley communities for their contributions and persistence in helping to bring this project forward.”

The Minister noted that the new scanner will help to reduce ambulance inter-facility transfer costs, while also improving the work environment for health-care providers at Swan Valley Health Centre by providing an additional diagnostic tool to enable treatment decisions.

“We thank the Manitoba government for recognizing the importance in investing in health care in the Swan River Valley,” said Mayor Lance Jacobson, Town of Swan River. “This CT scanner will save lives in the Swan River Valley and benefit our medical professional recruitment and retention efforts.”

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August 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day

Purple chairs from around the region in 2022

This annual worldwide campaign to end overdose aims to remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.

In 2022 some Prairie Mountain Health staff joined in the efforts to acknowledge and support people in their communities, raise awareness about the hidden impacts of overdose, and reduce stigma by creating purple chairs and placing them in visible locations with an explanation of their purpose. Community partners were invited to join in and bring this topic to light in our communities.

The 2023 theme for International Overdose Awareness Day is “Recognizing those people who go unseen,”: aiming to honour the people whose lives have been altered by overdose. They are the family and friends grieving the loss of a loved one, workers in healthcare and support services extending strength and compassion or spontaneous first responders who selflessly assume the role of a lifesaver.

Join us in continuing to be a part of the change. Get Involved – International Overdose Awareness Day (overdoseday.com) has other options for getting involved, resources, and campaign materials available if you’d like to host an event in your community. Help bring awareness to the Purple Chair Campaign. Print this poster and display it in your community. If you decide to paint a purple chair or do another campaign, let us know; we would love to see all the efforts made. Email Ashley Vandepoele at [email protected] and let her know about it!

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Grill Up Some Cauliflower

Did you know? Cauliflower is part of the mustard family, as well as being a cruciferous vegetable along with broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, and kale. The white part of the cauliflower, sometimes called the “curd” due to the resemblance of cheese curds, is the edible part of the plant. There are about 80 different varieties of cauliflower in North America, including green, yellow, and purple varieties.

Raw cauliflower is roughly 92% water, with a small amount of carbohydrates and protein. Cauliflower is considered high in Vitamin C, with moderate levels of B Vitamins and Vitamin K and a good source of fiber. Cauliflower is a very delicous and versatile plant that can be roasted, grilled, boiled, fried, steamed, pickled, or eaten raw. In recent years cauliflower-based product consumption increased by 71% in the United States as cauliflower started being used as a low carbohydrate and gluten free alternative to grains.

Before you go loading up on cauliflower it’s important to know that eating cruciferous vegetables may cause gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort. This is due to the high fiber content as well as raffinose, a complex carbohydrate that ferments in the gut. When increasing your fiber intake, it’s important to drink plenty of water, increase the fiber intake gradually, as well as chew food well to decrease those side effects. Over the counter gas reducing products can help break down those complex carbohydrates like raffinose. Since cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables have moderate to high levels of Vitamin K, people that take blood thinning medication like warfarin need to be mindful that eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables can impact the efficacy of these medications.

Check out these delicious ways to enjoy cauliflower:

Bang Bang Cauliflower Best Bang Bang Cauliflower Recipe – How to Make Bang Bang Cauliflower (delish.com)

Loaded Grilled Cauliflower Best Grilled Cauliflower Recipe – How to Make Grilled Cauliflower (delish.com)

Roasted Cauliflower Roasted Cauliflower – 4 ways

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June 2023 Donations for PMH

Reston Medical Clinic Receives Grant

L-R: Ashley Mitchell (NP), Amanda Isaac (Administrative Assistant), Lindsay Cooper (CTM), Lori Grieg & Sherrill Berry (Reston Area Foundation Board Members)
Photo Credit: Reston Area Foundation

On June 5, 2023, the Reston Medical Clinic was presented with a grant from the Reston Area Foundation, in the amount of $3000, to cover the cost of purchasing a cryogenic system and new infant/toddler scale for our clinic.  This new equipment will allow us to better serve patients, as well as client of the Willowview PCH.

We greatly appreciate the support of the Reston Area Foundation of this project, and look forward to putting our new equipment to good use!


Brandon Foundation

View the latest information from the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation. To get your tickets for their “Evening Beneath the Ocean” Gala Dinner & Dance on Saturday, September 16, contact the BRHC Foundation office at 204-578-4227.

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Know the signs of STROKE


You could save the life of someone you love. Time is everything during a stroke. In fact, there is a saying that “time lost is brain lost.”

Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. Brain cells die at a rate of 1.9 million per minute after a stroke, so the sooner blood flow can be restored, the better the chance of survival – with little or no disability.

If you, or someone with you, experiences any of these signs, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number FAST.
FAST is an easy and memorable way to remember the major signs of stroke:

F Face, is it drooping?
A Arms, can you raise them?
S Speech, is it slurred or jumbled?
T Time to call 9-1-1 right away.

Don‘t drive yourself or the person having a stroke to the hospital – an ambulance will get you to the best hospital for stroke care. The emergency medical services will be able to determine which hospital in your area can best help.

Treatments can reduce the severity of a stroke and reverse some of its effects, but only if they are given as quickly as possible.

More signs of stroke

The FAST signs are the most common signs of stroke and are more likely to be caused by stroke than any other condition. There are some additional signs of stroke that are less common. They include:

  • vision changes – blurred or double vision
  • sudden severe headache – usually accompanied by some of the other signs
  • numbness – usually on one side of the body
  • problems with balance

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and the 4th leading cause of death in Canada. Currently 878,000 people are living with stroke and more than 108,000 strokes occur each year – or approximately one every five minutes.

We can all beat stroke.
Share the signs and help save lives.

For more information, visit heartandstroke.ca/FAST

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Rural Week 2023

Rural Week is coordinated annually by the Department of Family Medicine, Shared Health (Manitoba HealthCare Providers Network) and rural regional health authorities.  It provides medical students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of how rural and northern Manitoba medical practices function.  It also promotes the many benefits of working and living in a rural/northern Manitoba area. This year, there were 24 first-year medical students participating within the PMH communities of Brandon, Dauphin, Hamiota, Neepawa, Roblin, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose and Treherne.

Pictured (l-r) are James Wagner, Edwin Tse and Roblin physicians Dr. Hina Atif, Dr. Dalia Bushara and Dr. Donatus Osurah.


Medical Students who participated in Rural Week in Dauphin, Ste. Rose and Brandon spent a day at Clear Lake.


U of M Medical Students Lexie Wu, Felicia Daeninck, Davis McClarty and Nolan De Leon enjoyed their time in Ste Rose!


Jun Kim, Jainik Shah and Orest Fylyma were in Russell for Rural Week. “During our time in Russell we were able to see another side of healthcare and the unique environment of rural medicine. We were welcomed with open arms by the community and were able to visit farms, learn more about rural living, and gain a greater appreciation for the entire network of healthcare professionals that keep our rural communities healthy.

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Nurse Practitioners recruited to PMH Region

Primary health-care providers to begin taking appointments in early June

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is pleased to announce that three new Nurse Practitioners (NPs/Grad NPs) will soon begin seeing patients and clients within the communities of Carberry, Swan River and Virden. PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert says recruitment and retention of health-care professionals remains a top priority for the health region and the Province, and growing the NP program within the region continues to see positive results.

Grad NP Jenny Ives will see clients at the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre

“Along with our health partners and stakeholders, which include our communities, we continue to look for ways to support, recruit and retain healthcare staff within PMH.  By having NPs provide services from base locations across our region, we can maintain the provision of primary care closer to home,” Schoonbaert said.

Upon receiving their full designation, Nurse Practitioners work independently and can provide many services, including:

  • Completing assessments and physical exams, including pap tests and pre-natal exams;
  • Diagnosing and managing common issues and chronic conditions;
  • Prescribing medications and therapies;
  • Ordering diagnostic tests like blood work, x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans and MRIs;
  • Performing minor procedures like suturing, biopsies, wart and mole removal; and
  • Referring to other health providers, including specialists.

During the first week of June, Nurse Practitioner Vicky Irwin will see clients at the Virden Medical Clinic and in Swan River, Grad NP Jenny Ives will see clients at the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre. In Carberry, Grad NP Robin Catton will begin seeing clients at the Carberry Medical Clinic, effective June 12. To make an appointment with the new NPs, contact the community clinic/site, or find out more information through the PMH website or social media.

As of June 2023, the region will have 26 NPs providing service within 27 PMH communities, nine of which are First Nation communities. NP services are provided at medical clinics, 7th Street Health Access Centre in Brandon, the Brandon Emergency Department, Souris acute care, First Nation Health offices, multiple long-term care sites, and the PMH Mobile Clinic (primary care bus).

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Construction work proceeding for new Neepawa Health Centre

If you have recently ventured down Highway 16 on the easterly outskirts of Neepawa, one thing certainly catches your attention. It’s all of the frenzied activity north of the highway near the Lions Campground, which happens to be the site of the new Neepawa Health Centre. A favourable spring has allowed construction to proceed nicely and with the stairwell tower very noticeable, there’s growing excitement on what the finished product will look like.

The state-of-the-art hospital is being built to serve current and future needs as the community of Neepawa grows and town and area residents can access services closer to home. Once completed the new Neepawa Health Centre will feature the following:

  • around 60 acute care inpatient beds, up from 38 at the current Neepawa site.
  • an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that includes treatment and assessment rooms,  trauma rooms and an ambulance bay.
  • adding a hemodialysis suite with nine dialysis stations.
  • enhanced space for a number of other programs, such as surgery, diagnostics, and palliative care, as well as outpatient services like chemotherapy (6 treatment stations).

The new health centre will be over twice the size of the current hospital. Construction is tentatively slated for completion in 2025.

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