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A mammogram may not be on the top of your to-do list when you turn 40, but it needs to be. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends a first mammogram at age 40, however you may need one earlier, so talk with your provider about your breast cancer risk. The purpose of a first time or baseline breast screening, is to get an accurate image of your breasts for future comparisons. Amber Snow, Supervisor of Renown Health Imaging, tells us why it’s important to get a baseline mammogram and what to expect during your visit. Mammogram Screenings Save Lives Simply put, a mammogram is a low-dose x-ray image of your breast from two views: top to bottom and side to side. A yearly screening reduces your risk of dying from breast cancer. Mammograms can detect signs of breast cancer even before you can see or feel it. That’s why it’s important to get a first- time mammogram. About 85% of breast cancers happen to those with no family history of it and in the U.S., one in eight women will develop breast cancer. Unfortunately, the two main risk factors for breast cancer: being female and aging. “Your baseline screening is important when you’re young, so that we know when changes occur,” explains Snow. “We compare your current mammogram to all your previous ones to know if anything changes year to year.” If you are under 40, talk to your provider about getting a formal risk assessment to see if a screening is right for you. If you have a family history of breast cancer a mammogram before age 40 or additional testing may be recommended for you. 3D Mammogram Technology Renown Health uses the latest 3D mammogram technology allowing our radiologists to see early changes in your breast tissue. This also reduces the number of false readings compared to traditional mammograms. While breast screening technology has improved, it is not uncommon to get called back after your first mammogram. According to the American Cancer Society, fewer than 10% of women called back for further testing have been found to have cancer. Reasons for being called back for further imaging include: Dense breast tissue, which can make it hard to see tumors A cyst, mass or unusual tissue is seen A possible area of concern needing another, closer look Preparing for Your Mammogram For an accurate image of your breasts do not wear deodorant, powders or lotions, as they can make it difficult to read your breast images. This is what will happen during your breast screening: A gown will be given to you and you will go to a private area to undress from the waist up, putting on the gown. You will then be escorted to the imaging room and a care team member will place one of your breasts between two plates. The plates will flatten to allow the most breast tissue to be seen and you will feel a firm pressure. You will be asked to hold your breath while the image is taken. An adjustment will be made to the plates to get a side view of the breast. The plate adjustments and images will be done on your other breast. Typically, a mammogram appointment is quick – only lasting about 15 minutes. Be Your Breast Friend While breast screenings are important, it’s also key that you know how your breasts normally look and feel. A monthly self-exam to check for lumps is essential, as breast cancers are often found during a routine self-exam. Remember your hormone levels change monthly, with your breast feeling tender and swollen right before your period. It’s best to perform a breast exam the week after your period after the swelling is gone. To avoid breast tenderness, this is also the best time for a mammogram.

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For Michael J. Elliott, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in scoliosis, it’s just another day helping patients. But to local five-year-old Makenna Christensen, her substantial spine correction is life-changing. Though her journey to body confidence was months in the making, her smiles are a reminder that a thorough, thoughtful treatment plan can yield amazing results. A Surprising Start Words don’t adequately describe the feelings you have when you unexpectedly learn your child has a birth defect. For Nicole and Nick Christensen it was a shocking surprise. During Nicole’s sonogram appointment something unusual was seen. After an amniocentesis, their baby girl was diagnosed with Noonan syndrome, which can affect a child’s height and bones. To prepare, the couple read all they could on the subject. Fortunately their daughter Makenna, was born full term and healthy. Shortly after birth, Makenna had some feeding issues and returned to the hospital. Although they resolved and she had no major complications, both parents felt unsure about their newborn’s future. With the help of Nevada Early Intervention Services , Makenna’s development was monitored until she was three years old. “Her posture has been an issue her whole life,” says Nicole. Nick also noticed when Makenna started walking her range of motion was poor. It was especially noticeable when she got dressed and raised her arms to put on clothing. Nicole observed Makenna was falling a lot in preschool. She asked Makenna’s pediatrician about physical therapy to support her coordination and muscle tone. Although physical therapy was helping Makenna, her therapist suggested Nicole seek the opinion of Dr. Michael Elliott, a pediatric specialist in orthopedics at Renown Children’s Hospital. Scoliosis Casting - A Successful Treatment Approach Dr. Elliott diagnosed Makenna with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine. While this condition is most common during a teenage growth spurt, it can also happen in early childhood. Affecting about four million people in the United States, it is estimated 20 percent of all spinal deformities in the U.S. are people living with scoliosis. Makenna’s spinal curve was significant – over 30 degrees. Through years of experience Dr. Elliott opted to put Makenna in a spinal cast, instead of multiple surgeries. “My approach is to postpone surgery as long as possible - it is tough for the patient and families,” he says. “Often excellent results can be achieved through non-invasive treatments such as, casting and bracing.” Nicole appreciated Dr. Elliott’s reassurance through the treatment plan. “It was obvious through the X-rays that there was a significant issue,” she shares. “He guided us through the timing and process and how correcting it sooner would help keep her future growth on track.” For seven months Makenna wore a cast that looked like a tank top, bracing her spine while allowing movement. Now she wears a hard plastic brace, specially fitted to her body.  “Kids tolerate casting well,” explains Dr. Elliott.  “It is a 45-minute procedure. The patient sleeps while their spine is put into traction as the cast dries.” She will continue to wear larger braces as she grows, eventually only wearing them at night. A Straight Path into the Future Dr. Elliott admits, “Not every cast is a cure. Two thirds of a child’s spinal growth happens by the age of five. Getting past the five-year mark means fewer surgeries. It’s wonderful to see Makenna’s body image improved.” Nicole agrees, “The way Makenna holds herself is completely different. She’s more confident on her feet and more balanced.” She can now play with her sister Aria, 4, and brother Lexi, 8 months, without the fear of falling. Nick is in awe of the improvements she has made, “Seeing her thrive more has been wonderful.” The Christensen’s are hopeful about the future. “Makenna is doing really good. She’s wearing her hard brace full time and her growth is consistent,” expresses Nicole. “She’s even starting swim lessons this week.” With mask wearing at every doctor visit during the COVID-19 pandemic, Makenna and Dr. Elliott look forward to seeing each other’s smiles in the future. Makenna’s story highlights the over 18 different specialty options for children locally at Renown Children’s Hospital.

Read More About Reno Pediatric Scoliosis Expert Gives New Hope to Young Girl

Alzheimer’s disease is not normal forgetfulness as we age. Instead, it is a specific form of mental decline. And according to the Alzheimer’s Association it accounts for nearly 80 percent all dementia cases. Natasa Dragicevic, MD, PhD., behavioral neurologist and Alzheimer’s disease specialist with Renown Institute for Neurosciences, weighs in on diagnosing it and the importance of early medical action. How to Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease In general, the signs of Alzheimer’s disease occur slowly, getting worse over time. For example, forgetfulness is a daily search – for shoes, keys and other misplaced items. Not only is memory affected, but also speech patterns and behavior. There is no single test for Alzheimer’s disease. “Specifically, a neurologist should be the one to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease given differences in presentation,” clarifies Dr. Dragicevic. “And ideally a behavioral neurologist (Alzheimer’s sub-specialist) will be managing the treatment,” she adds. Brain Imaging Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease involves multiple approaches and medical providers. In short, medical history is reviewed along with a physical exam, lab tests and other diagnostic testing. “A medical workup includes a variety of tests. These include MRI and other brain imaging, as well as neurological and psychological testing. Furthermore, a lumbar puncture is performed to look for markers of the disease,” she states. What Causes Alzheimer’s disease? Although no one knows the cause, researchers think many factors play a role. Uncontrollable risk factors include your genetics and having a family member with the disease. However, the controllable risk factors include: reducing the risk of head injury and keeping your heart healthy. It’s important to realize that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and diabetes play a role in brain health. Blood loss to the brain causes vascular dementia, leading to long-term blood vessel damage. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease Generally speaking, the signs of this disease differ in each person. Yet noticeable behaviors include: • Losing the way to familiar places • Forgetting to pay bills • Trouble finding the right words when talking • Repeating questions • General confusion • Social withdrawal Alzheimer’s Disease – Benefits of Early Diagnosis Equally important, spotting Alzheimer’s disease early allows more time to benefit from medications and possible clinical trials. Likewise, nutrition and exercise changes can be made, increasing blood flow to the body, and perhaps delaying symptoms. Early diagnosis also allows for personal health decisions and quality-of-life conversations to take place.   According to the Alzheimer’s Association, these benefits include: 1. Medical advantage 2. Emotional and social comfort 3. Time to plan ahead 4. Cost savings A Brain Supporting Lifestyle “At the present time, treatment is limited,” explains Dr. Dragicevic. “Usually Alzheimer’s is a progressive ongoing disease – any management at this time is purely symptomatic.” However, she states the following lifestyle changes can help support brain health: • New hobbies such as painting, pottery, music classes or learning a new language • Crosswords, puzzles and playing games, such as Scrabble • Brain challenging mobile apps, such as Luminosity • 30-45 minutes of mild to moderate physical activity per day, such as walking • Eating a Mediterranean diet (primarily plant based foods)

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Stroke is unfortunately common, with 1 in 5 American women experiencing it each year. When it comes to a stroke the phrase “time is brain” speaks to the urgency of getting rapid care. In fact, a woman may lose nearly 2 million neurons per minute of oxygen loss to the brain. The Renown Health Comprehensive Stroke Center experts share the importance of timely treatment and how stroke symptoms can differ in women. Women and Stroke – Surprising Symptoms  Each year stroke affects more women than men. Even more concerning, women are less likely to recover from a stroke. The following non-traditional, less common, warning signs can be common in women: Hiccups with chest pain Sudden disorientation, drowsiness, confusion or a general altered mental status Nausea or vomiting A sudden headache that feels like the ‘worst headache of your life’ Unusual chest pain (especially with hiccups) Body numbness or weakness, such as an arm or leg suddenly ‘falling asleep’ Fainting or loss of consciousness Stroke Diagnosis The first step is neuroimaging by CT scan. This allows for rapid identification of any bleed, and also assists in determining candidacy for the early clot busting medication. MRI brain imaging is much higher resolution, and can better determine the core stroke size, assisting in prognosis and recovery. Since strokes have several different origins, an inpatient workup is essential to determine the underlying cause. Whether the stroke is secondary to plaque in the large vessels, clots being thrown in the setting of atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm), or small vessel disease from years of uncontrolled vascular risk factors (high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes), determining the cause is essential to implementing a management plan to reduce risk for further strokes. Quick Treatment for Stroke is Key Early recognition of stroke symptoms and seeking prompt attention is paramount. There are interventions that can be instituted to minimize the stroke and increase likelihood of recovery, but only if a patient presents to the hospital early. A clot busting medication, called tPA, can be given to patients with stroke if given within 4-5 hours from time of onset. Renown Regional Health Center is designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the highest level of stroke certification available. To earn the designation of comprehensive stroke center, a hospital has to meet stringent requirements, including biannual on-site evaluations. This includes care for ischemic stroke patients (lack of blood flow), hemorrhagic stroke patients (bleeds), and determining the underlying cause to guide secondary stroke management prevention. Stroke Symptoms Remember “B.E.F.A.S.T.” to recognize the symptoms of a stroke below: B – Balance Being off balance or dizzy, is common. E – Eyes An eyesight change such as blurring or double vision may occur. F – Face droop One side of the face, or lip, droops A – Arm weakness Does one arm drift down? S – Speech Talking may slur or sound strange. T – Time Time to call 911. Call an ambulance immediately if you or anyone else, experiences any of these symptoms.

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On March 19, 2020, Renown Regional admitted the first patient in need of care while sick with COVID-19. Our providers navigated two years of a pandemic and overcame many challenges while providing the best care for our patients and the community. Anicia Beckwith’s series “The Art of Healing” captured Renown Health during this time. Let's take a look back on the last two years. February 2020: Standing Up the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) On February 25, 2020, leaders at Renown Health stood up Renown’s Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), a standardized system used to organize response personnel and resources and manage response operations during emergencies and crises. March 2020: Temporary Deployable Medical Structure Placed Outside Renown Regional Emergency Department On March 12, 2020, Renown set up a deployable medical facility to serve as a respiratory illness screening center for emergency room patients at Renown Regional. A similar tent was also set up outside the emergency room at South Meadows Medical Center. This proactive measure helped our teams care for community members with respiratory illness symptoms while protecting patients and staff in the emergency department and other areas of the hospital. Check out photos of the tent here. Read the Reno Gazette Journal Article about the tent here. April 2020: Alternate Care Site at Mill Street Parking Structure at Renown Regional Renown’s HICS team decided to create an Alternate Care Site (ACS) in the Renown Regional Medical Center Mill Street parking structure. The ACS served additional hospitalized patients and allowed caregivers to remain on campus and still have access to existing hospital infrastructure such as lab, pharmacy, imaging, food services and other critical services. After just 10 days of construction, the ACS was completed on April 3, 2020 with space to hold up to 1,400 patients. Check out photos of the ACS under construction here. On Nov. 12, 2020, Renown opened the ACS to serve additional hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were clinically stable or improving. Healthcare workers at Renown cared for hundreds of patients at this site. In early Jan. 2021, the remaining patients returned home. Check out the video of Connie, a patient who received care in the ACS. April and July 2020: The LOVE Sculpture Placed at Renown Regional On April 16, 2020, during a time of darkness and uncertainty, Artown loaned Renown the LOVE sculpture, a one-ton aluminum piece of art created by artist Laura Kimpton and fabricated by Jeff Schomberg. The structure, which originally debuted at Burning Man, was lit up Renown Regional's main entrance on Mill St. Watch a video about the LOVE sculpture’s debut at Renown Regional. On July 13, 2020, thanks to the support of former board chair and community supporter Blake Smith and the Keyser Foundation, the LOVE sculpture is now a permanent fixture at Renown Health. Throughout the pandemic, it has served as a source of inspiration, hope and positivity for our community and care providers. Check out a video of the LOVE is Here to Stay celebration. June 2020: Renown Offers In-House COVID Testing In June 2020, the Renown laboratory team sprang into action to help meet the growing demand for COVID-19 testing amongst Washoe County residents and businesses. Renown invested in expanded staffing and in-house testing capabilities that ensured our teams could swab and process up to 1,000 COVID-19 tests for patients each day. All with results returning within hours. November 2020: Renown Introduces “Hospital At Home” Remote Monitoring In November 2020, six patients at Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center diagnosed with COVID-19 were outfitted with a remote Hospital at Home monitoring system. Renown clinicians plan to continue using this system to monitor upwards of 1,000 hospitalized patients and lower acuity patients from their homes. December 2020: Renown Administers COVID-19 Vaccines to Health Care Employees On Dec. 17, 2020, Renown began to vaccinate its healthcare workers. Among those receiving the first vaccines was Luis Martinez, a technician on Renown’s Clinical Decision Unit who cared for patients recovering from COVID-19 in the Alternate Care Site field hospital. Read the Reno Gazette Journal article about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout at Renown. January 2021: Renown Administers COVID-19 Vaccines to Community After several weeks of successful employee and volunteer drive-thru vaccination events, Renown supported the Washoe County Health District and the state in vaccinating Washoe County community members. Click here for a playlist of videos featuring Renown Health employees and patients talking about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine. February 2021: Local Widow Inspires Renown to Change Visitor Supporter Policy Darlene Randolph’s husband Dave spent 17 days hospitalized at Renown Regional Medical Center before losing his battle with COVID-19 on December 13, 2020. Darlene wrote a passionate letter to Renown Health asking for the visitor policy that allowed patients with COVID-19 to receive visitors. In February 2021, Renown hospitals were among the first in the country to lift visitor restrictions for patients with COVID-19 to encourage families to be at the patient's bedside. Read Darlene’s full story here. May 2021: Renown Celebrates Volunteers, Partners and Community Who Aided in Vaccine Efforts In May 2021, Renown administered the last dose of COVID-19 vaccines to community members in Renown’s drive-thru clinic. Between January and May 2021, over 80,000 doses were administered at the drive-thru. View drone footage of this effort here. Click here to see pictures of vaccine volunteers and employees. November 2021: Renown Offers Vaccine for Children Ages 5+ In November 2021, Renown vaccinated children in the Reno-Sparks community with the 2-dose series in a limited round of weekend clinics. The vaccine clinics featured therapy dogs, local mascots and donuts donated by Doughboy’s Donuts. Click here to see pictures of the children’s vaccine clinics and watch a video about the clinics here.

Read More About Two Years We Won't Forget: COVID-19 at Renown Health