By Jorge Luna Jr., LMSW, Behavioral Health & Social Work Supervisor

In my profession, I often encounter individuals with diverse feelings. I must educate my clients about how to recognize their triggers and healthy ways to manage them. I also work with caregivers because they are directly affected. It’s important to talk about feelings and emotions—the general thoughts a patient has about him or herself and their condition. When an individual is living with illness, or caring for someone who suffers from a chronic ailment, the journey can be scary, lonely and exhausting. It’s my job to help the patient and their families manage these feelings in a healthy way. I call it providing holistic support—mind, body and spirit.

Recently I led a six-week support group at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center for patients living with diabetes and their families. With the San Antonio diabetic population rising over 14 percent—which is double the national average of 7 percent according to the American Diabetes Association—the group was a very timely resource. The purpose was to help the patients better understand their personal thoughts, feelings and goals while coping with the chronic issues associated with diabetes. Using the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy concept, the main goal was to help all the participants understand how their state of mind affects their overall health and wellbeing. At the end of the session, participants left with new skills to recognize harmful and negative thought patterns, understand the importance of self-care and how to effectively manage stress.

Topics discussed during the diabetic support group included: Understanding Depression; Identifying Healthy Coping Skills to Manage Stress; Acknowledging Spirituality in the Healing Process; and Healthy Aging.

My favorite part of the group has been the opportunity to learn from the group members themselves as they openly share about their personal experiences. The personal testimonials from the group were both inspiring and touching. I look forward to the next session.

As a faith-based, not-for-profit organization, spirituality is a core component of MHM’s outreach. Our faith is not only something we talk about, but also something we practice. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

Students, families and community members gathered at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC) this week for a special invocation led by Rev. Mickey McCandless to start the 2014 academic school year. Arlynn Ellis, director of family wellness at MHM, greeted guests and offered her continued support for the students. The children were each presented with a cross to serve as a reminder that our Lord is always with them.

The behavioral health services, dental, parenting programs, health education and recreation and enrichment teams provided resources to the students and their families about services available at WHWC throughout the year. At the end of the evening, everyone enjoyed healthy snacks provided by the Wesley Café and a time for fellowship.

"This ceremony is intended to help students and their families start the new school year on the right foot. The event was so well received and attended that I hope to make this an annual tradition at WHWC," explains Arlynn Ellis. 

By Ann Scarth, Wesley Nurse, First United Methodist Church, Mason

The Summer Meltdown Challenge is underway in Mason, Texas and it seems to be catching on fast. Churches and area organizations have teamed up with instructors from various fitness genres to offer a variety of free exercise classes in locations across this small city of around two thousand people. From tai chi to Zumba, there is a class for every taste and fitness level. Participants are encouraged to track their time exercising using logs provided for the challenge, which are validated by instructors at the completion of each class. The tracking logs will be tallied at the end of the challenge and the top three participants who logged the most hours will win health and wellness prizes. The Summer Meltdown Challenge runs from June 11 to August 15 and will end with a covered dish event to celebrate the successful completion for all participants.

The challenge helps the citizens of Mason to develop a habit of pursuing exercise as a means of improving and/or maintaining optimal health, while fostering relationships with community members. In fact, the challenge was intentionally scheduled during the summer so school district employees would have the opportunity to participate if they wished to do so.

I feel a close connection to community events such as this. Exercise not only improves physical health, but improves mental wellbeing too. Exercise classes offer a psychosocial benefit in that they provide socialization, especially for those who travel into Mason from remote ranches or nearby smaller communities that lack such programs and opportunities to network with people who share their same interests. Similarly, this aligns with MHM’s holistic approach to health—mind, body and spirit.

As long as people are moving, they are actively taking steps toward a better life. Since this challenge began, participants reported feeling a difference in their health and feel a stronger connection to their community. Others, who had drifted out of class, have now returned with a renewed zeal for fitness and commitment to their health.

What inspires me most about being part of this endeavor is the fun that everyone is experiencing—myself included! I believe in exercise and a healthy diet, but strong relationships are also important. We are created for relationships. It’s one of those trickle-down things in life. If meaningful relationships exist, there is more meaning to all the other aspects of life. If someone comes to an exercise class, he or she may not make a lot of changes in looks (we are still going to have gray hair, a few wrinkles, etc.) but we will gain a whole cheering section to share in the victories and challenges in class and in life.

Read the original article featured in the Mason County News here.

Camp Wesley Campers learn about dental hygiene

MHM’s dental services team recently met with the 6–10 year old campers at Camp Wesley to share information about why it is important for the children to brush their teeth. The main learning from the day centered on photos of bacteria that live in our mouths and the consequences of this bacteria turning into plaque if we do not brush and floss regularly.

The dental team surprised the young campers when they covered one half of a raw egg with fluoride and placed it in a glass filled with vinegar, which symbolized acid made from bacteria in the foods we eat and drink. The children were amazed to see the acid begin to break down the egg’s shell as an example of how acid breaks down the enamel of our teeth and causes cavities. Once the demonstration concluded, campers received a goody bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and educational stickers.

“I love to educate children at a young age about the importance of oral hygiene. If you teach the child the value of their teeth, you set them up for life long health,” shared Maria Reyes, MHM dental hygienist.

Camp Wesley is underway at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC). With nearly 200 registered campers for Camp Wesley session 1, this year’s event is proving to be fun and educational for all involved.

Weekly themes help campers focus

Each week, the camp’s activities are based on a different theme. The first week’s theme was global awareness. Campers engaged in games that are played around the world, they learnedfun facts about different countries and the children participated in craft projects highlighting various cultures. These activities helped promote awareness and acceptance of different cultures. The second week’s theme was super hero’s week. Campers were excited to pretend to be their favorite super hero for the week, they even made their own super hero capes! This week, campers focused on building good character, and practiced finding different ways to help others and how to be a good friend and role model to others.

Social Workers engage older campers

Four social workers from MHM’s Behavioral Health services partnered with Camp Wesley for a special program for campers age 12 years and older. The social workers led gender and age neutral group-based discussions with the pre-teens about social issues currently impacting the group. The campers were given scenarios and encouraged to share their thoughts about how they would approach the situation. The social workers encouraged the campers to be proactive in the planning and prioritizing of their personal responsibilities.

Healthy eating during Camp Wesley

In addition to the nutritious meals served to campers during Camp Wesley MHM’s Nutrition services provided participants with information about how to maintain and keep a healthy diet. MHM’s registered dieticians taught campers about the five food groups and how they should portion their food and daily meal selection. The dieticians made healthy eating fun using coloring pages and visuals that even the youngest camper could get excited about. The hope is that each child will take the experience home with them so they can share what they learned with their families.

Free dental screenings at Camp Wesley

MHM’s Dental services offered a free dental screening to all campers. The campers were given fluoride treatments, in addition to an exam by MHM’s pediatric dentist, Dr. Webster. After the screenings were complete, the campers were sent back to camp with notes for their parents detailing the screening and their findings.

Anti-bullying initiative

Campers also participated in an anti-bullying program, presented by the United Communities of San Antonio. During the program, they partake in teambuilding exercises with camp counselors to help them understand the important of connecting with their peers and learning to respect each person’s differences. Campers also learned how to keep themselves from engaging in bullying and what to do if they witness any bullying in camp, at school or at home.

As the first session of Camp Wesley wraps up, we look back in gratitude to all the MHM team members who helped make camp, not only fun, but educational too! The collective efforts of our Behavioral Health Services, Dental, Nutrition and countless others helped the campers walk away with experience and knowledge from a variety of topics. At Camp Wesley, and throughout MHM, we are committed to holistic health—mind, body and spirit. Camp Wesley is just one way we deliver our mission.

Riders with a cause

Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM) and Methodist Healthcare System (MHS), once again, have teamed up to form team MHvsMS to participate in the Bike MS: Valero Ride to the River on October 11 & 12. This marks the seventh consecutive year MHvsMS has participated in the signature fundraising event benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society.

Since their formation, MHvsMS has made great strides: in 2008, the team was made up of 20 riders and brought in $402. Last year, the team doubled in size with 57 riders raising more than $58,000. On Thursday, June 19, the team came together for their official kickoff party. Representatives from the San Antonio chapter of the National MS Society were on hand to answer questions and team captain, Barry Blackman, motivated guests with tips and tricks to guarantee a successful ride.

The sale of vintage team t-shirts and uniforms also helped to kick start the team’s fundraising by bringing in $120 toward the team fundraising goal of $50,000.

MS has no cure. There are more than 2.3 million people worldwide affected by MS. It is a disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The symptoms can be unpredictable and often debilitating. Together we can offer support, fund research and help find a cure. Will you help us reach this milestone? Your gift will make a lasting difference to the people who must battle MS everyday of their lives. Donate to MHvsMS or join the team and show your support for the fight against MS. 

By Rev. Mickey McCandless,
Director of Spiritual Care & Church Connections

June 12-14, 2014 was the last time the Rio Grande Annual Conference and the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church met in their annual regional conference. Corpus Christi was host to the historic ending of these two conferences that are unifying into the Rio Texas Annual Conference to more effectively make up The United Methodist Church in South Texas.

There were elections of leaders for the new conference, the finalization of the first budget, and affirmation of the mission "to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World."

Delegates to the General Conference in 2016 were also elected at the June conference. We took time to begin planning for ways to implement our new conference and district structure. We celebrated the life of clergy leaders who were retiring, remembered those who had died during the previous year, and celebrated the commissioning and ordination of persons into the full time servant leadership ministry of the Church.

A new day is dawning for United Methodists in South Texas. We look forward with excitement, anxiety, questions, passion and faith to new opportunities to touch people and nurture faith and faith communities.

June is National Men’s Health Month

At Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM), we believe in a holistic approach to health care to encompass the mind, body and spirit. This model is truly embraced by the clients we serve through our medical, dental, behavioral health and family wellness services.

As we prepare to celebrate fathers this weekend, it is a time to reflect on the health and wellness of all the treasured men in our lives.

The week preceding Father’s Day is commonly observed as Men’s Health Week, part of “Men’s Health Month,” which was signed into law by former President Clinton in 1994. MHM uses this time of the year to highlight the need for awareness of men’s health issues, the importance of prevention, education about how to make healthy lifestyle changes and a focus on family—the reasons why health and wellness is important.

Statistics from Menshealthmonth.org are alarming:

• 1 in 2 men will develop cancer in their lifetime
• Men live five years less than women on average
• Men make half as many preventive visits to physicians as women
• Men are more likely to be uninsured than women

Prevention is key. Review the checkups and screenings guidelines provided by Menshealthmonth.org for helpful information that you can easily share with the men you hold dear in your life. Use this easy list to encourage your man to take action for his health.

MHM offers many options for men who want to improve their overall wellbeing. Our medical services include screenings and preventive care, such as vaccinations and wellness exams. Our dentistry team offers comprehensive, first-class dental care in a patient-centered environment. Our behavioral health services provide counseling and support services for men and/or families in need of additional assistance. Family Wellness programs offer basketball leagues for fitness, parenting classes for fathers and hands-on nutrition programs that teach healthy eating. With a full suite of healthcare services, the men of MHM’s programs and services have the tools they need to stay healthy and teach healthy living to others.

For more information about MHM or any of our programs or services, contact info@mhm.org.

By Kathi Hecht, Dental Operations Manager

Dentistry has evolved in many ways. Today, patients can achieve more aesthetic looking dental work with less pain in record time. Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM) believes that the least served and underserved in our communities deserve the same access to quick, painless and quality dental care. Our goal is to help create beautiful, healthy smiles, which in turn will improve the overall health of our patients.

Since 1999, the dental team at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC) has been using a new Cad-cam technology to create crowns in our on-site dental lab. It’s called Cerec. Cad-cam dentistry, which has been regarded as the future of dentistry, relies on digital imaging to determine the specifications of the crown rather than traditional dental impressions. This innovative process eliminates the need for patients to endure the sometimes unpleasant process of collecting impressions.

“As an added benefit, the Cerec crowns contain no metal which improves their aesthetics and are quite sturdy,” explains Dr. Phillip Brown, Dental Director. The digital image is prepared and a dental technician designs the crown using a computer. When the technician is satisfied with the design, a porcelain block is placed on a milling unit and the crown is cut. The technician will stain and glaze the crown before it goes into the oven to complete the process. Each dental technician completed specialized training to be able to use the revolutionary Cerec System.

The Cerec System not only improves the look of the crowns being produced, it is also fast! Through Cerec, it is possible for dental patients to receive quality dental treatment, including a new crown, in record time. “The one thing I find fascinating about using this system is how fast I can make a crown. Literally, if time permitted, a patient can come in for their dental appointment to have a single crown made and have it placed in their mouth faster than ever before,” shared Cynthia Ortegon, Dental Laboratory Technician Assistant. Today, at the WHWC Dental Laboratory, nearly 180 crowns go through this process each month.

The dental team is committed to patient satisfaction. Our ultimate goal as a health care provider of dental services is to fix existing dental issues, provide education to prevent further issues and help our patients feel more confident about one of their most important assets—their smile. The Cerec System helps us do this!

Pictured left to right, WHWC Dental Laboratory Team: Richard H., Dental Laboratory Technician – Removables; Carlos G., Dental Laboratory Technician; Cynthia O., Dental Laboratory Technician Assistant; Perry S., Dental Laboratory Supervisor; Karin H., Dental Laboratory Technician; and Yuridia A., Dental Laboratory Model Technician.

In preparation for the American Lung Association’s (ALA) 2014 Fight for Air 5K Run/Walk, team members from Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ (MHM) School Based Health Centers (SBHC), alongside Krueger Elementary and Marion Elementary staff and faculty, held a penny drive to promote awareness of asthma and lung disease and to support the Bulldogs for Better Breathing – MHM’s official team at the event. In addition to the $2,500 contributed by MHM as a bronze sponsor for the Fight for Air 5K, over $800 was raised by the team during the two-week drive—which included a penny drive supported by the students at each school campus. As congratulations, the winning classrooms from both campuses will receive ice cream on behalf of Communities in Schools and the SBHC will present the top fundraising class with a trophy.

On April 26, 2014 – in what marks the SBHC’s 5^th consecutive year participating in the ALA 5K – all 47 members of the Bulldogs for Better Breathing team took to the track at SeaWorld® San Antonio. The team enjoyed an early breakfast before departing by charter bus to the theme park. Each family member received an MHM backpack filled with snacks, a pedometer, and educational health information and gift items to keep them on target during their trek. Many of the families took advantage of the additional events taking place in connection with the ALA 5K, including a free health fair and massages. It was fun-filled day for team members and their families alike.

Each year, both MHM team members and members of the communities in which we serve look forward to MHM-sponsored events such as the ALA Fight for Air 5K. “These opportunities provide us with a chance to connect with our patients and community members in a meaningful way. It’s a way for us to walk the talk—literally,” explains Wanda Thiele, Bulldogs team captain.

MHM would like to extend a special thank you to the following volunteers who helped to make this year’s team effort a success:

• Wanda T., team captain and event organizer, for her leadership and enthusiasm for this event.
• Alicia H., co-captain, for her help to make the event flow more smoothly, assistance with the penny drive, and organizing the families during the event.
• Sonia F. and Cynthia M., volunteers (front office), for contacting families and helping to prepare team backpacks and t-shirts.
• Debra I. and Victor R., volunteers, for registering families and helping on the day of the event.
• Jae K., volunteer, for her photography and the team’s #1 fundraiser.
• Rhonda S., volunteer, for picking up the food for the event and ensuring the team was nourished.

To view the Bulldogs for Better Breathing team page or to donate to the team, click here.

About the Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ School Based Health Centers

The School Based Health Centers are a mission of the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. and provide pediatric primary healthcare and dental services and counseling and case management to children enrolled in the Marion and Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School Districts, as well as their siblings up to age 21.

At Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM), we believe our team members are the heart of our organization. As a way to say ‘thank you’ to our team members and their loved ones for their dedication to our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God,” MHM hosts an annual Family Day event where team members can relax in the sun, relish in festivities, and meet and mingle with the extended MHM family. This year, over 660 team members and their families gathered for this popular annual event.

Each team member uses their unique talents, skills and expertise to achieve our organizational goals. MHM’s Family Day is one way we show our appreciation to our team members and their families. “MHM’s success occurs because of the work being done by our hardworking team members. The MHM Family Day is a sign of thankfulness for the work team members do on behalf of MHM’s mission. We hope this small gesture of appreciation captures our gratitude for the loyalty and support provided to MHM by our team members and their loved ones,” explains Kevin C. Moriarty, President & CEO of MHM.

MHM’s Family Day has been a longstanding tradition for the organization; as it has grown, so too has its extended family. This year we decided to move the fun-filled day to a venue that is as exciting as we are – Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas.

MHMers and their guests enjoyed lunch together at the Picnic Grove where a few lucky attendees left with some great door prizes, including a grand prize that provided free admission tickets to visit the park again. The day was spent enjoying the variety of attractions the park has to offer from roller coasters to and entertaining shows, to the midway games and water park. A spectacular fireworks show topped off a long day of family fun.

With the 2014 MHM Family Day behind us, we look forward to an even bigger family of MHMers in 2015!

The Family Wellness Programs at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC) help to uphold MHM’s holistic approach to healthcare by providing recreation and enrichment classes such as Baila2Fitness and Line Dancing, as well as offering nutrition education through healthy eating classes provided by a Nutrition Services team.