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Why Summer Is the Best Time 20 Years Reaching for the Cure

to Talk to Your Family The Scleroderma Foundation’s

About Divorce National Patient Education

School is out, the extra-curricular activities Conference, July 27-29, 2018
are over for the year and everyone is looking
forward to a slower schedule during the sum-
mer months. Most families contemplating a This year, the Scleroderma Foundation’s annual National Patient Education
divorce tend to put things on hold during the Conference also celebrates the organization’s 20th anniversary. Taking place July
summer while the children are around and not 27-28-29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the conference will be held at Loews
occupied with their regular activities and lives. Philadelphia Hotel in Downtown Philly.
At first glance, this seems like a smart idea. But Often described as a life-changing experience, particularly for individuals
when a little more thought is put into it – sum- whose scleroderma was recently diagnosed, the conference offers more than 60
mer is the perfect time to address divorce educational workshops, dozens of exhibitors, and networking opportunities for
issues with your spouse and children. people living with the disease. Caregivers, family members, and friends also gain
So why is summer a good time to do this? from attending. And, there is a program specifically for youth who have sclero-
For starters, many children attend sleep away derma (ages 5 to 17) and their siblings, and for children of an adult who has scle-
camp during the summer or visit grandparents roderma.
or family who live in another state. The best BY ANGELA R. NEAVE, Leading scleroderma researchers and healthcare professionals present on mul-
time to tell your spouse you are thinking ESQUIRE tiple topics. The National Patient Education Conference helps individuals with
about a divorce is while the children are away. scleroderma learn to cope with emotional challenges and to develop strategies
Every person reacts differently to the news that their spouse is thinking for staying motivated. For many, the most rewarding part of the experience is
about leaving the marriage. If this conversation happens while the children meeting others who have scleroderma. For the newly diagnosed, seeing others
are away, each person has the ability to talk without worrying if the children who have learned to take charge of their health and their lives gives hope and
will overhear what is being discussed or to have an emotional response with- inspiration.
out worrying how it will affect the children. Past workshop topics include African Americans and Scleroderma, Caring for
You can really focus on yourself and your spouse can really focus on his Yourself While Caring for Another, Disability: Understanding Your Rights,
or herself while the children are gone. If you are the one who wants to leave Gastrointestinal Involvement with Scleroderma, Scleroderma in Kids and Teens,
the marriage, you may need to have patience with your counterpart. This Lung Transplantation and Scleroderma, Raynaud Phenomenon, Scleroderma and
may be completely out of left field for your spouse and he or she may need Pregnancy, and Understanding the Psychological Effects of Scleroderma.
a few days to process your request before you can have any discussion. If The registration fee is $250 for members and $300 for non-members if submit-
your spouse tells you they want a divorce, this gives you time to process ted on or before July 5. Children aged 5 to 17 are $75. Corporate attendees pay
your shock, hurt, anger and any other feeling that comes up. $495. (Other registration categories and fees may apply.)
When your children return from camp or travel away, you will want to tell Register online at scleroderma.org/conference by credit card, download a reg-
them and give them time to process the news before school resumes and istration form and mail it in with a check, or call the Foundation, (800) 722-
activities kick in to high gear. Talking to them during the summer will allow 4673, and staff will assist you.
them to process without the pressure of taking tests or doing homework.
You and your spouse may decide that your children would benefit from
speaking to a therapist. Commencing therapy during the summer when chil-
dren have more time, may be the best way to help your children process the
divorce. Most importantly, children will need extra reassurance and love
after they have been informed of a divorce.

If you want to learn more about how to talk to your children about divorce,
call Angela R. Neave, Esquire, at (954) 981-2200 and
schedule a free consultation today.

Century Ambulance Expands

to Broward County

Century Ambulance Service is set to expand to South Florida where it will provide
ambulance transport and patient logistics services in Broward County beginning July
9. A staple in the Florida healthcare community, Century Ambulance will serve
patients and healthcare customers from a new station in Ft. Lauderdale.
“We’re not just an ambulance company, we’re the local community’s healthcare
partner,” Century Ambulance General Manager Matthew Johnson said. “We bring not
only high-quality ambulance service to the area, but logistics solutions through our
Covalent Health brand.”
Century Ambulance’s latest expansion is the Jacksonville-based company’s second
in as many years. In
June 2017, Century Ambulance opened a station in Panama City, Florida, from
which it provides service to Bay County. Broward County will be Century
Ambulance’s 12th county of operation and its first outside of North Florida and the
Florida Panhandle, where it already provides close to 90,000 transports per year.
Ft. Lauderdale is the ideal location from which Century Ambulance will provide its
comprehensive transport services to state’s second most populous county. In addition
to inter-facility transport services ranging from basic life support (BLS) to critical care
transports (CCT), Century offers logistics tools and services surrounding the trans-
port process that streamline efficiency for hospitals and health systems.
Leading up to its latest operational rollout, Century Ambulance selected industry
veteran Jonathan Pauwels to serve as its Broward County Operations Manager.
Pauwels was one of the Florida’s first community paramedics and has nearly a decade
of emergent and non-emergent ambulance transport experience, all in the South
Florida region in which he will provide local leadership for Century.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of Century Ambulance,” said Pauwels. “We hope
to change how ambulance transportation is provided in South Florida.”

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com July 2018 9