ALBUQUERQUE (March 22, 2015) – The Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center has announced that it now offers Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) surgery for high-risk cardiac patients, thanks to the new hybrid operating room, which opened in February. The minimally invasive procedure is a last resort for patients who have conditions that prohibit them from getting open-heart surgery, such as age, sickness or prior open-heart surgery.

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, a team led by Dr. Geoffrey Kunz, FACC and Dr. Kevin Richardson, FACS, both of New Mexico Heart Institute, successfully completed the first TAVR procedures in the new hybrid room.

The TAVR procedure involves placing a new heart valve over a malfunctioning one using a catheter inserted through the patient’s groin.

In January 2015, the FDA approved a new valve made by Edwards for high-risk patients which had previously been available only in clinical trials. As the technology develops, some surgeons across the country are considering making the procedure available to less high-risk patients as well.

While the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center is not the first or only hospital in New Mexico to offer the procedure, the new technology available via the new hybrid operating room has allowed surgeons at the Heart Hospital a previously unattainable opportunity to perform the TAVR procedure.

“The new hybrid operating room gives us the ability to perform this procedure safely,” said Elisa Gugerty, director of catheterization labs at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center. “The new radiologic equipment provides us unprecedented access, and the size of the room is big enough for the supplies and equipment we need to perform the procedure.”

The hospital anticipates doing more surgeries in the near future.

ALBUQUERQUE (March 23, 2015) – Lovelace Women’s Hospital was recently honored with two Women’s Choice Awards for Patient Safety and America’s Best Breast Centers. This is the second year in a row the hospital has earned the America’s Best Breast Centers designation. Lovelace Women’s Hospital is the only hospital in New Mexico to be recognized for both awards.

The Women’s Choice Award is the only distinction that identifies the nation’s best health care institutions based on robust criteria that considers patient satisfaction, clinical excellence and women’s highest preferences when it comes to treatment and a quality hospital experience.

“Lovelace Women’s Hospital is delighted to be part of the Women’s Choice Awards for the second year in a row,” said Sheri Milone, Lovelace Women’s Hospital CEO. “We take great pride in the care we provide to our patients, especially in the realm of patient safety. Being recognized by women for our work in that area and our commitment to women’s health in general is an important designation for us.”

Lovelace Women’s Hospital was one of the 472 America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety that were identified based on having a low incidence of problems arising from surgical errors and infections after reporting their frequency to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Hospitals were then ranked on eleven measures and eliminated from consideration for not reporting on at least four of the surgical complication measures or four of the infection measures, having a below average patient recommendation rating, and ranking in the bottom 5% for any one of the measures and not implementing surgical checklists.

Lovelace Women’s Hospital was eligible for the America’s Best Breast Centers award because they met the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers standards from the American College of Surgeons. Lovelace Women’s Hospital also carries the seal of the American College of Radiologists as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and scored above-average on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services patient satisfaction measures.

“We have found that recommendations are the single most important consideration used by women in selecting a hospital or care center,” added Delia Passi, CEO and founder of WomenCertified, home of the Women’s Choice Award. “By letting women know which hospitals in their area are among America’s best, we are able to reduce risk by helping them make better decisions and smarter health care choices.”

By carrying the Women’s Choice Award seal in these areas, Lovelace Women’s Hospital has joined an elite network of hospitals committed to a global mission empowering women to make smart healthcare choices.

Lovelace robotic surgeon Dr. Wayne Kuang joins us on the blog today to discuss a topic that affects men across the globe, yet many do not feel comfortable discussing: erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and incontinence: As a guy, I know these are two words you hope to never have to discuss with your health care provider. But, unfortunately, these are conditions that affect millions of American men and thousands of men right here in New Mexico. In fact, some of the most popular studies show that one in five American men over the age of 20 have ED and 43 million men worldwide have urinary incontinence or the inability to hold their bladder. As the only fellowship-trained men’s health specialist in the state, I see men at my office, MD for Men, with these conditions every day. Some of my patients have been suffering with sexual health issues for years, but have never visited with a doctor about it before coming to see me. When I ask why it’s taken so long to get help, many patients tell me they were embarrassed to talk about their ED and incontinence. I’ve also heard many patients say they just figured this was a normal part of aging and they didn’t think there was anything that could be done about it. Many of my patients have suffered in silence with conditions that not only affect their self-esteem and confidence, but can really damage their intimate relationships.

I want you to know that you do NOT have live with unsatisfactory sex and wet pads. There are a variety of solutions available and most cases are entirely treatable. Join me for a free discussion on ED and stress urinary incontinence at Lovelace Westside Hospital Thursday, April 7 at 6:00 p.m. I will talk about these disease states, what causes these issues to arise and all the different ways we can treat them. I’ll also have one of my own patients with me to tell his personal story about how we were able to cure his ED.

Call 505-898-3030 or click here to get more information and register for the seminar.

Dr. Teicher is a generalist in obstetrics and gynecology with an interest in twins, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and preventive health. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

View the original here. 

Bensch has over 20 years of experience and particularly enjoys caring for young teens. She is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board and is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

See the original post here.

Lopez has several years of experience in midwifery care, including home birth, long-term birth control implantation and removal and other women’s health concerns. She received the Maternity Nursing Convocation Award from UNM in 2012.

See the original post here. 

Ryan brings over 30 years of experience and specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum services. She is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board and is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

View the original posting here. 

Christopher Ortiz
Assistant Managing Editor
Albuquerque Business First

The Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center now can offer a new procedure for high-risk cardiac patients.

The company announced it is now offering a new minimally invasive surgery called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) for cardiac patients who have conditions that prohibit them from getting open-heart surgery, such as age, sickness or prior open-heart surgery. The surgery is possible because of the hospital's new hybrid operating room. A team successfully completed the first TAVR procedures in the new operating room on March 15.

The TAVR procedure involves placing a new heart valve over a malfunctioning one using a catheter inserted through the patient’s groin.

“The new hybrid operating room gives us the ability to perform this procedure safely,” said Elisa Gugerty, director of catheterization labs at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center. “The new radiologic equipment provides us unprecedented access, and the size of the room is big enough for the supplies and equipment we need to perform the procedure.”

View the original story here. 

“I told my husband, ‘I just don’t feel right,’” Tonnie Lucero, 62 recalls. “I was tired, sleepy, had gained weight and felt bloated. I didn’t know why.” Tonnie picked up the phone and scheduled an appointment with her primary care physician for a complete physical. Blood work revealed she was anemic, which would explain why she was fatigued. To better understand what was causing Tonnie to be anemic, her doctor realized Tonnie had a family history of colon cancer, yet had not had any colon cancer screening, which should have started by well before the age of 62. “I had never had a colonoscopy. I had thought, ‘OK, I’ll do that,’ but never went.”

Tonnie scheduled the colonoscopy and prepared for what she thought would be a routine screening. She admits that fear had played a part in her putting it off for so long. “I was terrified of a colonoscopy,” she explains. “I thought that was only for men.” The reason Tonnie may have thought colonoscopy screening was only necessary for men may have been due to the fact that her family history of colon cancer only came from men. She was one of 12 children and two of her brothers had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

Fortunately, Tonnie had the long-overdue colonoscopy just in time. “I didn’t know I had cancer,” she says. “I found out during the colonoscopy.” Tonnie was referred to Lovelace Medical Group gastrointestinal surgeon Dr. Timothy Perez after an oncologist consulted with Tonnie and explained that she had cancer and would need part of her colon removed. “Dr. Perez explained everything he was going to do to a tee. He is the best doctor I have ever met. After surgery, he said he removed all of the cancer and would have it checked. He said I probably had it for at least ten years. Two days later he said it was stage II colon cancer, but that it didn’t spread. I was lucky.”

Due to her family history, Tonnie underwent genetic testing to determine if she was a carrier of colon cancer. It revealed that she is, in fact, a carrier. Her four sons, ages 44 to 35, will all have colonoscopy screening before the age of 50 – when it is recommended for anyone of average risk to begin colon cancer screening. Her nine grandchildren will also begin colonoscopy screening before the age of 50. In the meantime, Tonnie is advocating for her eight living siblings to be screened now. “I have everyone going,” she adds.

The screening she once avoided is now a part of her annual health regimen. Tonnie is also planning to have her ovaries removed, as the genetic testing revealed she has a 20 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. She has changed her diet, walks more and has become an advocate for her health and the health of her family.“It’s a life-saver,” she says of colonoscopy screening.  She shares this advice for others: “If you think something is wrong, go right away to the doctor. This is something I never thought would happen to me.”

Care Concierge is available to answer questions and help schedule a screening appointment or consultation. Please call 505-727-2727 in Albuquerque or 575-625-3222 in Roswell or click here. 

Eddie Garcia, KOB Eyewitness News 4

Dr. David Pelini, who is the Lovelace Regional Medical Director for Emergency Services says that flu season is off to a late start in New Mexico.

"It’s later than normal. Usually we see it in January or February and it's late March and it's really starting up now," said Pelini.

That claim is also backed up by the New Mexico Department of Health, which is expecting cases to continue for several more weeks. KOB asked Dr. Pelini if a late start to flu season equals an extended season.

"Some years it just sort of trickles along for a couple of months and sometimes we see a small peak and it's over. It's harder to tell particularly as people are mobile and they're flying around the country and around the world," Dr. Pelini said.

Whatever the outcome this flu season, Dr. Pelini says that he is encouraged by the success rate of this year's vaccine. According to the state department of health, its effectiveness is nearly 60 percent, meaning that if you get your flu shot you can reduce your chances of having to see a doctor for flu by about 60 percent. If you already have flu symptoms, Pelini recommends not putting anyone else at risk.

"If you've got a fever or if you've got a productive cough, stay away from your friends and coworkers," he said. "Stay at home and let yourself get better. Don't transmit it to the people around you." Dr. Pelini stresses that immunization as the key to help avoiding the flu.

View the original story here.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The health plan arm of the U.S.-based Mayo Clinic will manage the care of employees of Don Chalmers Ford, a new business collaboration that an Albuquerque insurance broker said brings a new layer of competition to the state’s health insurance marketplace.

In an alignment with Lovelace Health System, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health Solutions will handle claims processing and billing, member services, organize provider networks and manage other health care logistics for the Rio Rancho car dealership.

This is Mayo’s first foray in New Mexico offering health plan administration services.

The agreement was about a year in development, said Jamie Cox, managing partner with the Axcess Financial Group, the insurance broker who helped arrange the health coverage option for her client, Don Chalmers Ford. About 200 employees and dependents in the Albuquerque area will be covered under the arrangement. Chalmers is self insured, meaning it covers health costs and risks itself rather than buying insurance from an outside insurer.

Cox said she expects to get quotes for other employer-clients that might want to consider Mayo Clinic Health Solutions in their roster of health insurance options, which locally include such players as Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico, Presbyterian Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare and New Mexico Health Connections, among others.

Cox said Mayo, which bids for business from companies with 50 or more employees, unveiled its health coverage management expertise at a large broker event at Lovelace last year.

“They are targeting the small-employer group market,” said Cox. “It’s a great opportunity to associate with the high-quality Mayo name,” she said.

The Chalmers dealership was a particularly good fit for Mayo, she added.

“We felt Mayo was an excellent partner to complement the innovative spirit in health care that Don Chalmers Ford has championed the last 12 years with their on-site nurse,” said Cox.

According to Gary Housley, general manager of Don Chalmers Ford, “When Axcess brought Mayo Clinic Health Solutions to our table, we felt like that was a good next step for our plan and employees’ health.”

Bill Mascolo, vice president of network development for Lovelace Health System, said Lovelace providers and facilities will be the bricks-and-mortar component of the business partnership.

Not only will Lovelace be the tier one provider of care through its medical group, it will also connect Chalmers patients to its affiliated institutions, such as the Heart Institute. For more complex care, Chalmers employees could also access medical service in places like Scottsdale, where Mayo operates a major hospital.

“The agreement combines the national proficiency and expertise of Mayo Clinic Health Solutions with excellence in local medical care through Lovelace Health System,” said Dr. Greg Couser, chief medical officer of Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, in a prepared statement.

You can read the original story here. 

ALBUQUERQUE (March 29, 2015) – Lovelace Medical Center has announced a 25-bed adult inpatient psychiatric unit will open at the hospital on in early April, 2016.

There is a strong community need for adult psychiatric services in Albuquerque, as most existing facilities are at capacity more often than not. While there are several facilities devoted to geriatric or pediatric psychiatric services, the leadership at Lovelace Medical Center identified the need to expand services for adult patients.

The unit’s focus will be on patients ages 18-50 who are experiencing acute psychiatric episodes, such as depression, suicidal or homicidal ideation, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia and substance abuse disorders.

“Lovelace is committed to providing these needed services to our community. There are limited inpatient younger adult services in the Albuquerque area,” said Laurie Bigham, chief nursing officer for Lovelace Medical Center.

The program will combine a safe environment, a structured and supportive therapeutic milieu and the interventions of a skilled and caring interdisciplinary team to lead patients to optimal mental health and recovery.

Services offered will include recreational therapy, individual and group therapy, family meetings, psychiatric evaluation and medical management. The length of stay for most patients will be three to seven days, although the unit is equipped to house patients needing longer therapeutic care and intervention.

Lovelace Medical Center will offer tours of the new unit on Wednesday, March 30 from 10:30am -12 noon on the third floor of the hospital. 

Joe Cardillo
Reporter

A health care management option that came to Albuquerque last year is getting ready to take effect at a popular local car dealer.

The partnership between Don Chalmers Ford and Mayo Clinic will be delivered via Lovelace Health System and is expected to help increase the health and well-being of Chalmers’ employees as well as keep costs down, said Jamie Cox, a managing partner at Axcess Financial Group, which helped secure the coverage.

“Keeping your employee turnover down and keeping your budget reliable is the only way you’re going to help your business stay viable and competitive," said Cox.

The partnership comes as a result of an offering that Lovelace Health System began offering on behalf of the Mayo Clinic last year. It’s available for companies that self-fund their health care plans, and have 50 or more employees.

Perhaps the biggest thing Mayo Clinic brings to the table is a holistic model. In the past that might have sounded like a "nice to have," but the ability to break down health data in rapid fashion can make it easier to examine spending and efficiency on a quarterly or even monthly basis.

Because Mayo does integrated care management — taking care of things like wellness, chronic condition management, acute care and complex care support — they’re also more easily able to drill down and understand what’s happening in order to help patients that need the most care.

Traditionally a small percentage of patients dealing with complex medical conditions often make up the bulk of cost to any health care plan, with some data suggesting that 5 percent of the population may be responsible for up 50 percent of total costs. And the condition of those patients is often worsened by the task of trying to manage multiple priorities: making appointments, balancing nutrition needs and communicating with different doctors and nurses can all add up to an overwhelming amount of stress.

Integrated care also has effects on relatively healthy people, too, mostly in the form of preventive care. That includes benefits like being able to talk to a counselor or other mental health professional to help work through depression or stress, improving diet or putting together and executing on an exercise plan.

Don Chalmers knows its fair share about preventive care. It's had a certified nurse practitioner on-site since 2004, helping employees with everything from questions on their medication schedule to assessing what action to take in an urgent care scenario. She can also give flu shots, draw blood and help with dietary and fitness needs.

The Mayo Clinic contract is expected to cover around 200 Don Chalmers employees and their dependents.

View the original story here.

Lovelace Medical Group has hired seven new providers for their women’s clinic. They are Vicky Peng, M.D., Paul Shelburne, M.D., Joel Teicher, M.D., Dorothy Beach, CNM, Tambra Bensch, CNM,Melynda Lopez, CNM, and Dympna Ryan, CNM .

Peng previously worked as an OB-GYN for ABQ Health Partners for 15 years. She has a bachelor’s degree and medical degree, both from the University of Missouri, and is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the New Mexico Medical Board.

Shelburne previously worked for ABQ Health Partners as an OB-GYN for 22 years. He has a medical degree from the University of Texas and completed a residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Shelburne is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the New Mexico Medical Board, and is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists; the American Medical Association; theh Southern Medical Association; the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists; the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis; and the American Fertility Society.

Teicher is a generalist in obstetrics and gynecology, with an interest in twins, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (laparoscopy) and preventative health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the New Mexico Medical Board.

Beach previously worked for St. Joseph Hospital and the Bernalillo County Medical Center, and has 25 years’ experience in the women’s health field, including midwifery education, postpartum adjustment and family-centered maternity care. She has a master’s degree in nursing midwifery from the University of New Mexico; is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives; and is board-certified by the American Midwifery Board Association.

Bensch has 20 years’ experience in the field and is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. She has a master’s degree in nursing midwifery from UNM and is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

Lopez has several years’ experience in midwifery care, including home birth, long-term birth-control implantation and removal, and other women’s health concerns. She has a master’s degree in nursing midwifery from UNM.

Ryan has 30 years’ experience in the field, and specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum services. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hertfordshire in England and is a state-registered nurse (SRN) from Sheffield, England, and a state-certified midwife from St. Mary in Manchester, England. Ryan is also a certified Nurse Midwife in the United States and is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. She is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

View the original story here. 

Join Lovelace Medical Center and Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital on Thursday, April 28 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for an RN and Therapy hiring event! The fair will be in the 2^nd floor conference rooms at Lovelace Medical Center.

We’re looking for exceptional RN’s, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurse managers and case managers. All experience levels welcome!

Lovelace offers competitive salary, paid time off and a comprehensive benefits package. Ask us about our Sign on Bonuses and Loan Forgiveness Program! 

To sign up, please fill out the information below.

Join Lovelace Medical Center and Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital on Thursday, April 28 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for an RN and Therapy hiring event! We’re looking for exceptional RN’s, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurse managers and case managers. All experience levels welcome!

Lovelace offers competitive salary, paid time off and a comprehensive benefits package. Ask us about our sign on Bonuses and Loan Forgiveness Program! 

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016

Time: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Location: 601 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. (Lovelace Medical Center) | 2nd floor conference room

Click here to register.

Dr. William Cole, 77, has played bass clarinet throughout his life since high school. The retired family medicine physician joined a local band in Albuquerque, playing more regularly over the last two years than he was able to during his 34-year career practicing medicine in Juneau, AK. It was just one of the perks of retiring to New Mexico five years ago – the biggest perk being close to his daughter and three grandchildren. Retirement seemed to be treating him well in the warmth of an unseasonably mild winter, until one Thursday morning in February. “I was minding my own business, when I suddenly woke up with a fever and confusion that morning,” Dr. Cole recalls. His wife, Lynette, witnessed her husband quickly lose his cognitive function and speech as he was rushed to the Emergency Department at the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center. “She was quite frightened. We didn’t know if I was having a stroke or what was going on.”

An MRI revealed what appeared to be a large mass on Dr. Cole’s brain. “It could have been a brain tumor,” Dr. Cole explains. Neurosurgeons examined scans of Dr. Cole’s brain looking for markers of a brain tumor, while culture testing was conducted to determine if there was a possible infection in his brain. Aside from feeling flushed in his face at night over the last few weeks, Dr. Cole says this all came on unexpectedly. “It was out of the blue. That was my only symptom. There was never any indication that I was losing brain function.”

Doctors diagnosed Dr. Cole with a brain abscess resulting from an infection that had traveled up to his brain from another part of his body. Since receiving a liver transplant in 1993 after battling hepatitis C, Dr. Cole was more susceptible to getting infections. However, he had never experienced anything like this.

To treat the infection, doctors worked quickly to administer antibiotic medication and determined surgery would be needed to keep the infection from spreading. Dr. Cole was transferred to Lovelace Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit. His condition worsened as years of long-term memory appeared to be erased within days. “I can’t tell you anything about those three days prior to surgery,” he says. “The day of surgery, I didn’t even know my name.”

Surgeons performed a craniotomy to temporarily remove part of the bone from Dr. Cole’s skull to access the infected area of his brain. As soon as the infection was removed, something remarkable happened. “I could speak and knew my name,” Dr. Cole recalls. “We have video of me talking. It was amazing. I have memory and mental function from that time on.”

Not only had Dr. Cole made it through surgery, Lynette could also see her husband returning back himself. “She was extremely relieved,” he says. It was clear, however, a full recovery would be a slow process. “I was extremely weak and unsteady. The medications I have taken for 23 years for hepatitis C, I couldn’t even remember their names. It was frustrating. I didn’t let that overwhelm me, because with the support of my wife and family, as a doctor knowing what this was, I was happy to have survived.”

Dr. Cole was transferred from Lovelace Medical Center to Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital to begin intensive therapy to regain what the infection in his brain had taken away. From cognitive therapy, to physical therapy and occupational therapy, trained staff worked with Dr. Cole several hours each day. “They jumped right on that right away,” he says. The first-time rehabilitation patient saw his treatment through the lens of a physician. “I can’t say enough good things about the care in all areas at Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital. I am a doctor after all and I tend to know what good care is and what not good care is. I was treated in excellent fashion.” In addition to receiving therapeutic instruction, Dr. Cole says his therapists were “understanding, cheerful, encouraging and helpful.”

After two weeks at Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital, Dr. Cole was strong enough to return home, where he continues to work on rebuilding his cognitive skills, especially speech and memory. “They told me I may not be good with numbers,” he says. “When I came home, I didn’t know multiplication tables anymore. I couldn’t visualize numbers.” Knowing multiplication tables used to come with as much ease as recalling the notes of a song, which Dr. Cole admits is difficult to face each time he plays the bass clarinet. That isn’t stopping him from practicing, however. “The notes don’t come to me quickly enough to play with the band, but I’m still working on it.”

ALBUQUERQUE (April 21, 2016) – Lovelace Medical Group (LMG) is announcing a new medical clinic in Albuquerque’s South Valley at the Las Estancias shopping center. At over 9,000 sq. ft., the new clinic will allow four new providers to give care to the growing community.

Construction is set to start on the new medical clinic in July 2016, with a grand opening slated for late 2016. The LMG clinic providers will include an OB-GYN, certified nurse midwife, primary care physician and a primary care advanced practice provider at the clinic, as well as supporting staff.

“Albuquerque is in need of physicians across the city, and the South Valley is no exception,” said Lovelace Medical Group CEO, Dr. John Cruickshank. “Primary care and OB-GYN providers are especially important in these neighborhoods where families are growing. We are committed to providing quality health care for our entire community.”

Lovelace Medical Group has been focused recently on expanding health care options in New Mexico. The group now includes nearly 100 health care providers and physicians, and has expanded to nearly 25 clinics in Albuquerque and Roswell.

The new clinic will be designed by the Hartman + Majewski Design Group, and developed by Maestas Ward. Dan Newman and Debbie Dupes from CBRE Commercial Real Estate represented Lovelace. Wilger Construction is building the clinic. 

Spring brings new life around each corner and we enjoy seeing growing bellies as moms visit our birthing centers. This spring, we are happy to take time to salute all mothers and mother figures for the widely celebrated Mother’s Day holiday. At Labor of Love, we recognize the extensive array of emotions this day can bring. Mother’s Day is celebrated in more than 40 countries worldwide. Although the season or time of year may vary for this celebration, love for mother is often shown with flowers, cards, hugs, kisses or a special meal made by someone other than mom.

The origin of Mother’s Day is quite different from how we celebrate today. Julia Ward Howe, author of Battle Hymn of the Republic, was horrified with the effects of both the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. Julia made an “impassioned ‘appeal to womanhood’” to rise against war. She was inspired by an Appalachian homemaker, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, who taught basic sanitation and nursing skills to other women in order to improve the outcomes or save lives of men and women on both sides of the American Civil War. This particular plea for peace became the first Mother’s Day. Later, Ann Marie’s daughter, Anna Jarvis, petitioned for the Mother’s Day holiday we are familiar with today. After her mother’s passing, Anna longed for a way to remember her.

Labor of Love supports moms and the family unit in several ways through programs and community resources. We offer prenatal education, free webinars, a new parent support group, “The Story of You” book and home visiting. Please call us for details on any of these opportunities at 505.727.7677. Mothering is a place where life leaves an imprint. We are honored to celebrate this special time of growth with you. 

This blog was written by Catherine Roth, Community Health Education B.S., Community Health Worker, Labor of Love, and Darlene Lundquist, RN, Community Health Worker, Labor of Love.