Grief and suicide workshop to meet Thursdays

A 12-session workshop, "Understanding Suicide Grief," for people grieving from the loss of a loved one to suicide, will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays beginning Jan. 17 through April 17 at First Congregational Church. No meetings will be held on Feb. 14 or March 13. Pre-registration is required. Participants are asked to commit to attending at least 10 of the 12 sessions. Sponsored by Black Hills Area Survivors of Suicide, the cost is $50 in advance for the materials.

Understanding Suicide Grief offers participants support from others who have experienced a death from suicide and focuses on helping people mourn in their own way, according to the workshop's developer, Franklin Cook, a longtime member of the Black Hills Area Survivors of Suicide support group. Cook, who is himself a survivor of his father's suicide, will facilitate the sessions with assistance by Brandy Strom Dugger, a licensed mental health practitioner who lost her cousin to suicide. To preregister, call Cook at 209-0292 or e-mail: franklin@unifiedcommunities.com.

Support group's meeting set for January

Transplant/Dialysis Support Group will meet at 1 p.m. to

3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, in Conference Room 1 (basement level) at Regional Rehabilitation Institute, 2908 Fifth St. The group welcomes people interested in organ donation or transplants, those who are on dialysis or a supporter, those who have a transplant of any kind, donors or those who had a loved one who was a donor. For more information, call 719-6964.

Power wheelchairs available for disabled, seniors

The Senior Wheels USA Program, a national program, will offer power wheelchairs to qualifying senior citizens and the permanently disabled people at no cost. The wheelchairs are provided to those who can no longer walk safely, or self-propel a manual wheelchair as well as those who meet the additional guidelines of the program.

If patients do not meet all requirements, they may still be to receive help through the organization's donation program. For more information about qualifying, call 1-800-246-6010.

2007 Dodge truck raffle winner announced

Della Hanson of Rapid City won the 2007 Dodge Dakota red pickup truck raffle that benefited the Rapid City Regional Hospital Hospice House. The Dec. 15 drawing for the truck took place at the Rushmore Mall.

The $23,100 proceeds from the raffle ticket sales will benefit the hospice house at 224 Elk St., just south of the hospital. The Hospice House is a 12-bedroom facility where people who are terminally ill can live their last days in a home-like setting with the support of caring, professional staff and dedicated volunteers. For information about the Hospice House or to donate, call the Rapid City Regional Hospital Foundation office at 719-5840.

Residency program earns re-accredidation

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recently awarded Rapid City Regional Hospital's Family Medicine Residency Program re-accreditation for five years, the maximum term. The program received re-accreditation without any deficiencies or areas of concern, according to Dr. Douglas Bright, Family Medicine Residency Program director.

It reflected the hard work and dedication of faculty, staff, the Graduate Medical Education Committee, physician teaching faculty and residents, the strong support from the Rapid City Regional Hospital Board of Trustees and hospital administration, in partnership with the Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota, Bright said in a news release.

ACGME, a private nonprofit organization, accredits 8,200 residency programs in 120 specialties and subspecialties that educate 103,000 residents. Its field staff conducts one-day site visits to programs every two to five years, depending on the strength of the program, with one-third visited every year. Programs must be accredited to receive the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services graduate medical education funds, for graduating residents to be eligible for board certification examinations and, in many states, as a requirement for physician licensure.

The Family Medicine Residency Program faculty includes Bright, Dr. Lois Becker, Dr. Brian Smith, Dr. Kurt Stone and Dr. Ruth Thatcher. A local volunteer physician faculty also supports the program. For more information or to visit the clinic, call 719-4060.

Rapid City orthodontist earns fellowship

The International College of Dentists awarded Dr. Richard Meyer, a Rapid City orthodontist, the honor of "Fellow." This college was formed to advance the science and art of dentistry for the health and welfare of the public; to bring together the world's outstanding members of the dental profession for the exchange of dental knowledge; to encourage the growth of the profession; and to promote relations among dentist worldwide.

The International College of Dentists is a not-for-profit organization that awards fellowships to dental professionals for conspicuous and meritorious service to the profession of dentistry. Fellows in the college continually strive to maintain and elevate the dignity of the profession through the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct. This award is voted on by current members of the college. Meyer's induction ceremony was held Sept. 28 in San Francisco.

Race for the Cure's newest race set for Sept. 28

The South Dakota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has set Sunday, Sept. 28, as the date for the inaugural Komen South Dakota Race for the Cure in Vermillion.

The 5K run/walk route will go through the streets of Vermillion before finishing inside the University of South Dakota's Dakota Dome with an awards and tribute ceremony honoring race winners and breast cancer survivors. One of the newest entries in the Komen Race for the Cure Series, the South Dakota Race joins a more than 100 races in the world's largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer. Up to 75 percent of net proceeds from the race will remain in South Dakota to fund breast health community outreach programs. The remainder of the net proceeds -- a minimum of 25 percent -- will support the Susan G. Koman for the Cure Award and Research Grant Program, which funds groundbreaking breast cancer research. For more information, and volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, go to www.komensouthdakota.com or call 297-9102.

Regional Health collaborates with laboratories

Regional Health has entered into an association with Mayo Medical Laboratories, the national reference laboratory of Mayo Clinic, at Rochester, Minn. Regional Health will have immediate access to Mayo Medical Laboratories extensive test menu of nearly 3,000 laboratory tests.

Mayo Medical Laboratories, a medical center-based, physician-led organization, will collaborate with Regional Health to consolidate reference testing, improve turnaround time and strengthen Regional Health's efforts to provide exceptional laboratory services and patient care in its service areas.

Specimens taken at Regional Health will be flown to Mayo Medical Laboratories, with test results often available online the following day. Mayo's pathologists and scientists in every specialty laboratory will consult with Regional Health regarding test selection, utilization, methodologies and result interpretation. Mayo Clinic has one of the largest clinical laboratories in the world, with a team of pathologists, physicians, scientists, medical technologists, medical technicians, laboratory assistants, biologists, chemists, microbiologists, geneticists and other specialists.

All health-related announcements must be received no later than noon Thursday to appear in the next Monday's edition. Send announcements to Health Briefs, the Rapid City Journal, P.O. Box 450, Rapid City, SD 57709, fax them to 394-8463 or e-mail to features@rapidcityjournal.com. Items will appear once and as spact permits. For information, call 394-8418.