About Cathy Stovell

BHB invites the public to celebrate birthday of 107-year-old resident

Friday 20 November 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Long Term Care Unit resident Louise Franks will celebrate her 107th birthday on Monday 23 November.

Capri Smith, BHB’s Long Term Care Unit activities supervisor and her team, have created an arch for Ms Franks to mark the occasion. Weather permitting, Ms Franks will sit under her birthday arch and wave to well-wishers as they pass by the Acute Care Wing on Point Finger Road. The drive-by birthday event will take place from 1pm-2pm on Monday 23 November.

“We wanted to make the day special for Ms Franks, and she does enjoy being greeted,” said Ms Smith. “We have consulted with her family who are on board with the plan and who will stop in to see her throughout the day.”

“Ms Franks has been a resident in our Long Term Care Unit for 12 years,” said BHB CEO Michael Richmond. “She has a very pleasant demeanour and is a familiar face to most of our staff at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. We’re looking forward to celebrating this milestone age with her on Monday.”

While BHB encourages the public to wave and toot to Ms Franks as they pass on Point Finger Road on Monday, the hospital asks drivers to be mindful not to disrupt the flow of traffic by stopping or moving at an excessively slow speed.

20 November 2020 Home Page, News

BHB celebrates Stroke Awareness Week

Tuesday 27 October 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Stroke Centre is focusing on stroke awareness for the public this week. Many Bermuda families are impacted by stroke every year.

“In recent years the number of stroke cases has increased significantly in Bermuda,” said BHB consultant neurologist and Stroke Centre Director Francene Gayle, MD. “Stroke is considered an epidemic on the island. An average of four to five people present at the hospital every week with stroke.”

Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability in Bermuda.

“The good news is that there are actions we can take to reduce our stroke risk,” said BHB Stroke Centre Coordinator Jamie Farrell.  “These include keeping our blood pressure at safe levels, lowering our cholesterol, following a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake and controlling diabetes.

“To determine your stroke risk you can use the Stroke Risk Scorecard – National Stroke Association,” said Ms Farrell.

“Recognising the symptoms of stroke is vitally important,” said Dr Gayle. “Every second counts and fast action can actually save lives and often greatly reduce disability. Everyone needs to know the simple acronym BE FAST and what it stands for.”

During the week, BHB will be handing out wallet-sized BE FAST cards. The cards are an easy-access reference guide if you suspect someone is having a stroke.

BHB invites the public to take the daily Stroke Awareness quiz on the Bermuda Hospitals Facebook page. The quiz questions appear at 8am each day until Friday. Answers to the morning questions appear at 6pm each day.

On World Stroke Day, Thursday 29 October, BHB encourages the public to do a physical activity, as regular exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle that reduces the risk of chronic disease including stroke.

Tag BHB in your Stroke Day activity Facebook posts. The Stroke Centre team would love to know what you did.

You can download the Stroke Risk Scorecard and BE FAST flyer below.

Stroke-Risk-Scorecard-2018

BHB BE FAST Flyer

27 October 2020 Home Page, News

BHB road traffic accident statistics for January to August 2020

Wednesday 21 October 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board Emergency Department (including the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre) attended to 123 cases in August. Nine patients had to be admitted to the hospital, 1 to ICU and 8 to the Acute Care Wing. Four of those who attended Emergency were tourists, 1 was admitted to ICU, the other 3 were treated in the Emergency Department and released.

21 October 2020 Home Page, News

Public Advisory: Road closure and traffic interruptions on Monday 5 October at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital

Friday 2 October 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public of a temporary road closure scheduled for Monday 5 October 2020 on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) campus. The closure will affect both vehicular and pedestrian through traffic from approximately 6:30pm until midnight.

To facilitate the replacement of some of the beds in the KEMH General Wing and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, a container will travel to the KEMH site, interrupting the flow of traffic along Point Finger Road from approximately 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Monday.

The container will be positioned on the KEMH through road between the ambulance bays and the General Wing lobby from 6:30pm, necessitating the closure of that section of the KEMH road until approximately midnight.

During this period, emergency vehicles and people attending the Emergency Department should use the Point Finger Road entrance. Ambulances will enter and exit on Point Finger Road.

KEMH and the visitor parking lots will remain accessible from both Point Finger Road (Acute Care Wing) and Berry Hill Road (General Wing and Agape House). Traffic will not be able to travel between the General Wing lobby roundabout and Point Finger Road.

For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution and adhere to the barriers, signage and directions of the security officers.

Bermuda Hospitals Board apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.

KEMH Road Closure Map – 5October2020

-ends-

2 October 2020 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board invites the public to Be Kind for Mental Health Awareness Week

Tuesday 29 September 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) through its Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI) invites the public to Be Kind in its mental health awareness campaign for 2020. Kindness is the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week this year and MWI is highlighting its connection to good mental health.

While we all know that when someone is kind to us it makes us feel good, research now shows that it is more far reaching than most of us may have considered – it actually has a positive impact on mental health.

In April 2020, an online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation in the UK saw 63% of the 4,246 surveyed; agree that when other people are kind, it had a positive impact on their mental health.

BHB Chief of Psychiatry Chantelle Simmons, MD said, “Studies indicate that kindness is associated with increased happiness, wellbeing and life satisfaction.

“There are multiple opportunities for kindness as we go about our day. A compassionate word to a colleague, an encouraging text message to a friend or a video chat to check in with a neighbour are all good examples.

“Such acts of kindness may be one of the ways we create and maintain our social connections which is a key contributor to overall wellbeing.

“It is also important to be kind to ourselves. This may include self-care, meditation, or giving ourselves the opportunity to rest and recharge.”

Mental Health Awareness Week chairperson Shanay Scott said, “Mental Health Awareness Week runs from Sunday 4 to Monday 12 October. We are calling it Acts of Kindness Week and are encouraging everyone in the community to commit to doing acts of kindness. It may be to friends, relatives, work colleagues, complete strangers and, no less importantly, to themselves. Then, in a show of support for good mental health, we would like all those who did so, to wear green on Friday 9 October our Be Kind BDA Grub Day. Additionally we are inviting everyone to take photos and post to social media #BEKINDBDA.

“We also encourage the public to share their thoughts on kindness. Email essays, poems, artwork etc. to bekindbda@bhb.bm.”

The Acts of Kindness Week culminates with a Keep Bermuda Beautiful Committee (KBB) clean-up on Sunday 11 October. Participants should observe social distancing and carry out their clean-ups in small groups. Those who do not have a group can join MWI at 9am on Devon Springs Road.

On Monday 12 October, a proclamation on Mental Health will be read at City Hall at 12:30pm.

For more information on Acts of Kindness Week email bekindbda@bhb.bm. You can download the calendar of events and Kindness flyer below.

Mental Health Awareness Week-Events calendar OCT2020

Mental Health Awareness Week Kindness-flyer OCT2020

29 September 2020 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics for the period 1 January – 31 July 2020

Friday 11 September 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board road traffic accident statistics for June and July 2020 are as follows:

Total cases seen in the Emergency Department (at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre): June – 96,  July-133

Number of cases admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: June -1, July -2

Number of cases admitted to an acute care unit (not including ICU): June – 5, July -18

Number of cases discharged to overseas care facilities: June – 1, July -1.

Below is a year-to-date report and annual reports for 2019,2018, 2017  and 2016.

2020 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31 July 2020

2019 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31December

2018 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31December

2017 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January

2016 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January

11 September 2020 News

Essential Dads

From Bermuda Parent Magazine: Dealing with Covid-19 has been challenging for parents throughout the island. Home schooling, endless Zoom classroom sessions, quarantining, curfews, and keeping their energetic children indoors. Can someone please pass a glass of bubbly when this is all over!

While some parents have been able to stay home with their children during this pandemic, others have had to venture out daily because they are essential workers on the island. Bermuda Parent Magazine honours three fathers who have been committed not only to parenthood, but their jobs.

Antonio Russell: Thirty-seven-year-old Antonio Russell has been an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for 12 years. He is the father of four beautiful daughters, Mhila, 11, Yara, 19 months, and one-year-old twins Akaio and Akiko.

Read the full article at mybermudaparent.com – Summer 2020 page 24

Published Summer 2020
19 August 2020 Media

BHB road traffic accident statistics for January-May 2020

Wednesday 17 June 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board road traffic accident statistics for the period 1 January – 31 May 2020 are as follows:

  • 65 cases were seen in the Emergency
  • 2 people were admitted to ICU
  • 11 people were admitted to acute wards (not including ICU)
  • one child, an 11-year-old, was among those admitted to acute wards due to road traffic accidents.

You can download a PDF of these statistics below.

2020 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31 May

 

17 June 2020 Home Page, News

A COVID-19 birthday story

Tuesday 19 May 2020: Sixty-eight year old Mark (not his real name), did not have a cold and was not feeling sick but one day he suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

“I was very short of breath. If I took six steps I had to stop to catch my breath,” he says. “My wife wasn’t having me waiting. She said I might be having a heart attack and that I had to go to the hospital.”

Mark was not keen on the idea, but after his wife called the Health Department and they said he needed to get to the Emergency Department right away, he complied.

“I was very weak so they admitted me to the intensive care unit and that’s where I was introduced to the CPAP mask,” he recalls. “It is placed over your nose and mouth and pumps oxygen in at a furious rate. I had never experienced anything like that before. It was scary.

It was so hard for me to breathe. Using the CPAP didn’t hurt me at all. I wasn’t in any pain, but I was scared. If it hadn’t been for the nurses consoling me and calming me down, I may have had to go on a ventilator. And I kept telling them I didn’t want to be on a ventilator,” he says.

Mark says he had not wanted to use the CPAP machine either, but when the ICU doctors and nurses explained that his body was not getting sufficient oxygen, he regarded the CPAP as “the lesser of two evils”.

“Apparently the ventilator is a lot worse,” he says.

So he made an honest effort with the CPAP but doubts he would have made it all the way without the nurses.

“They were wonderful; they were there for me encouraging me every breath of the way. The biggest surprise I had when I was admitted, was to find out that some of the nurses in ICU are praying nurses. They actually prayed with me and over me. That really lifted my spirits and gave me the courage to continue with my CPAP mask. I give all the praise to the nurses there!

While his memory is cloudy, Mark says he had to use the mask for about three days.

“I guess after I came off the CPAP mask everything has been recovery. I haven’t experienced any pain or anything like that.”

However, he was weak and his condition serious enough that he remained in the ICU for 4 weeks. Eager to get better, he says the support and comfort afforded to him by the ICU physicians and nurses renewed his faith and fed his soul.

Elaine Campbell, MD ICU physician

BHB ICU physician Elaine Campbell, MD, was part of Mark’s care team.

On Tuesday 5 May he was discharged from ICU to a general ward. It was a great way to celebrate his 69th birthday and hospital staff were happy too.

“My phone blew up that day with calls from family and friends. I was so glad to be out of ICU and on a general ward that I couldn’t think straight. The hospital kitchen baked me a small cake and the nurses sang happy birthday.”

Although he was happy to move to his new room, he is now looking forward to returning home.

“I thank God for his mercy, his grace and his deliverance from this terrible virus,” he says.

“I feel like I am ready to go home. I don’t feel sick. I don’t think I’m displaying any symptoms or anything like that,” he says. “They want to wean me off the oxygen. I don’t have an expected discharge date yet, but I am talking to you freestyle (i.e. without needing to take a break or use supplemental oxygen), so I am ready to go home.

“If I look out the window, I can see the hill where I stay. I can see the neighbourhood. I am almost home.”

19 May 2020 Home Page, News

BHB road traffic accident statistics from January-April 2020

Friday 15 May 2020: The Bermuda Hospitals Board reports the following road traffic accident statistics for the period 1 January – 30 April 2020:

  • 19 total cases were seen in the Emergency Department of KEMH
  • 3 persons were admitted to to an acute care unit

The full statistics are available in the table above. The low figures are likely due to the shelter in place order for COVID-19, which was in effect at the time.

You can download a pdf of the the table below.

2020 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 30 April

2019 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31December

2018 Bermuda Hospitals Board Road Traffic Accident Statistics 1 January – 31December

 

15 May 2020 Home Page, News