ROCKWALL – Under the guidance of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Rockwall County has established a Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) to review the deaths of all children under 18 years old, regardless of cause or suspected cause.

According to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall Marketing Director Nikki Mutschler, the team brings together the expertise of 25 local law enforcement, legal, child advocacy and medical personnel who will review the reason for children’s deaths over the past decade, from a public health perspective.

By reviewing circumstances surrounding child deaths, she explained teams will identify prevention strategies that will decrease the incidence of preventable child deaths by:

• Providing assistance, direction, and coordination to investigations of child deaths;
• Promoting cooperation, communication, and coordination among agencies involved in responding to child fatalities;
• Developing an understanding of the causes and incidence of child deaths in the county or counties in which the team is located;
• Recommending changes to agencies, through the agency’s representative member, that will reduce the number of preventable child deaths; and
• Advising the State Committee on changes to law, policy, or practice that will assist the team and the agencies represented on the team in fulfilling their duties.

According to Gregory Sonnen M.D., a pediatrician with Pediatric & Adolescent Specialists of Rockwall, who is the Rockwall County CFDT Presiding Officer, there were 12 child deaths in 2011. Most died outside of the County, such as in traffic accidents.

Mutschler said the Rockwall CFRT is comprised of individuals who serve the community in a variety of occupations and whose backgrounds benefit the evaluation and review process for child fatality events. The team had its first quarterly meeting in January and will meet again May 29 at the County Courthouse.

Members of the Rockwall CFRT are:

• Gregory Sonnen, M.D., F.A.A.P., CFRT Presiding Officer; Pediatrician, Pediatric & Adolescent Specialists of Rockwall
• Tami Hawkins, RN, MSN, Child Fatality Review Team Coordinator; Vice President, Patient Care Services, CNO, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall
• Christy Peoples, Child Fatality Review Team Data Reporting, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall
• Kenda Culpepper, Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney
• Ashley Anderson, Rockwall County Assistant Criminal District Attorney
• Harold Eavenson, Rockwall County Sheriff
• Nancy Beaty, Justice of the Peace, Rockwall County Precinct 2
• Terry Garrett, Director of Public Safety, Heath, TX
• Sara Bonser, Assistant Superintendent, RISD Student/Family Services
• Nichol Smithers, RN, M.Ed., MSN, RISD Student/Family Services
• Laurel Tate, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
• David Lensch, M.D., Rockwall City Medical Director, Baylor Family Medical Center at Rockwall
• Gary Bonacquisti, M.D., Rockwall County Medical Director, Benchmark Family Medicine
• Katie Gerber, Child Protective Services Specialist
• Vickie Nettleton, Program Director, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
• Angie Scalf, Rockwall County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer
• Sumer Wassef, LPC, Victim Services, Texas Department of Public Safety
• Susan Clark, Traffic Safety Specialist, TxDOT
• Sue White, Rockwall County Victims Assistance Coordinator
• Samuel R. Crowley, M.D., Emergency Physician, Emergency Medical Consultants
• Vickie Oldham, Detective, Criminal Investigation Department, Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office
• Theresa Marie Snyder MS, RNC, CPN Womens Services, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall
• Tim Wolf, LP, CCEMT-P, Paramedic Supervisor, Rockwall County Emergency Medical Services
• Martin Ramirez, LP, Paramedic Supervisor, Rockwall County Emergency Medical Services
• Katie Martin, BS, RN, CEN, Director Critical Care and Emergency Services, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall

For more information on Rockwall County’s Child Fatality Review Team, contact Gregory Sonnen, M.D. at 214-771-3712.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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ROCKWALL – A Rockwall woman who lost 54 lbs. over the past four months won $1,000 last Wednesday in a local version of the Biggest Loser contest sponsored by Rockwall Healthy Solutions Weight Loss Center.

Shannon Raymond, 34, who also lost 20.4 percent of body fat, won the prize by defeating five other finalists.

They were:  Joelle Vercher, who lost over 50 lbs; Mario Aguilar, who lost over 44 lbs; Johnny Seals, who lost 27 lbs; Lisa Coppler, who lost 23 lbs; and Lou Williams, who reduced his insulin by 75 percent.

The combined weight loss of all the contestants was 200.8 lbs. The contest which was conducted from Jan. 6 – May 2.

The award ceremony was held at L’Trevinos restaurant May 9, where Healthy Solutions owner Pam Benedetto also provided a $1,000 donation to Rockwall Helping Hands. Executive Director Margo Nielsen was present to receive the donation.

Benedetto said all of the contestants were thrilled with the results of the four-month contest.

“Two of the contestants were able to have previously-required daily medications totally removed or reduced.”

“One contestant who is insulin-dependent decreased daily insulin by 75 percent by following our simple dietary recommendations (meal plan?).”

She explained that, from the beginning, each finalist was provided with Healthy Solutions all-natural amino acids and received a B6B12 injection at their weekly weigh-ins. They were also asked to follow their individual meal plans and get as much exercise as possible.

To assist each finalist, free workouts and a personal trainer were arranged at Eclipse Fitness Club, located just north of The Harbor.

“Frizz and Scott, the owners of Eclipse, provided the finalists with free memberships so they could work out there for free during the four-month contest,” said Benedetto. “Hector, one of Eclipse’s trainers, even donated his time free-of-charge.”

She explained the contest began with 19 people writing a short essay about how losing weight would impact their lives. The six people with the best reasons to lose weight were chosen as finalists.

For more info, call Rockwall Healthy Solutions Weight Loss Center at 972-412-6600 or visit http://rockwallhealthysolutions.com.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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ROYSE CITY – the Royse City Early Bird Rotary Club and Royse City High School (RCHS) Interact Club will host a blood drive with the American Red Cross, Friday, May 4, in memory former Royse City High School assistant principal Craig Bowers, who recently passed away.

The blood drive will be at RCHS from 8 am to 2 pm.

The Red Cross urges those who are healthy to donate blood or platelets to help revive the nation’s blood supply. Because someone needs blood every two seconds, patients depend on consistent voluntary donations.

“Craig strived to make an impact on students’ lives and inspired everyone with his giving, selfless character,” said Mary Ellis, Red Cross blood drive volunteer.

“He was the type of person that would always volunteer to help or go the extra mile without being asked. A blood drive is a great way to honor Craig’s memory since it will help people and that’s what he loved to do.”

Please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets at a Red Cross donation center or blood drive.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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HEATH – Crooked teeth? Broken teeth? Whom do you know who REALLY needs dental work done but can’t afford it?

Because Dr. Robyn Abramczyk at the new Smile Ranch Family Dentistry in Heath has teamed up with TheRockwallNews.com to offer $5,000 worth of dental services for no charge to one lucky area resident.

All you have to do to nominate someone is to email a photo and letter to:   jamie@smileranchdentistry.com. You can also call 972-772-SMILE (7645) for more info.

Dr. Abramczyk, who just opened Smile Ranch last July at 6700 Horizon Rd (next to Baylor Medical Center on FM549), will review the nominations with her staff and select the lucky winner soon. Nominations should be sent in right away for the best chance of being selected.

Smile Ranch is a new kind of dental office.

In its spa-like environment, featuring heated massage dental chairs, they use the latest state-of-the-art technology and tools to provide frequently pain-free dentistry, while achieving highly reliable results in far less time than in the offices of traditional dentists.

“We call it Zen Dentistry,” said Dr. Abramczyk. “Everything we do is meant to put our patients completely at ease.”

“At Smile Ranch we take advantage of the latest advances in dental technology – such as water laser dentistry to replace painful drilling – which often means anesthesia-free procedures and no pain.”

For those who prefer anesthesia, Dr. Abramczyk offers nitrous oxide, conscious sedation, and IV sedation for a soothing experience.

Dental fear is common. Studies estimate that 50% of Americans avoid regular dental visits because of anxiety.

Dr. Abramczyk’s fear of the dentist as a child fueled her desire to give her patients a decidedly different experience.

“Before I became a dentist, I was ‘dental phobic.’ I just hated to go to the dentist.”

Rather than to give in to that fear, she decided to do something about it – for herself and others

“Many people avoid going to the dentist simply out of fear. The first thing that comes to mind are sharp objects, the high whine of the drill and the pain of a needle. It doesn’t have to be like that, though,” she explained.

“Whether your anxiety stems from a past negative dental visit, fear of discomfort, or embarrassment about the condition of your smile, sedation will allow you to face dental visits with confidence and achieve the strong, healthy smile you deserve,” she said.

One of the most exciting advancements in dentistry is the use of lasers.

Dr. Abramczyk uses hard- and soft-tissue lasers to perform a variety of procedures that once required invasive, fear-inducing tools. Dentistry performed with a laser is said to deliver a more comfortable experience. Most patients don’t require anesthesia during laser surgery, making laser dentistry ideal for children and adults.

Lasers work by emitting a high-frequency stream of focused light energy. Using a laser, Dr. Abramczyk can treat a precise area without affecting surrounding tissue. The laser seals and sterilizes tissues as it goes, so bleeding is minimal and there’s no need for stitches. Lasers speed up treatment and recovery time, so patients spend less time in the office.

Some examples of laser dentistry include:

• Gum tissue sculpting to create an esthetically pleasing gum line
• Gum disease treatment
• Biopsy
• Tumor removal
• Cold sore treatment
• Cavity preparation (great for kids!)
• Teeth whitening

Besides family and pediatric dentistry, Smile Ranch offers cosmetic dentistry, including Invisalign clear braces, Lumineers veneers, Snap On Smile, Lumibrite whitening, EZLaze laser whitening, plus oral cancer detection.

Dr. Abramczyk graduated from Rockwall High School and graduated in 2006 as a doctor of dental surgery at Baylor College of Dentistry. She is a member of the North Texas Dental Society, American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry and Christian Medical and Dental Association.

Prior to becoming a dentist, she completed two years of clinical research at the Retina Foundation of the Southwest in Dallas, Texas where she studied retinal diseases in the retinal degeneration laboratory. She then earned a M.S. in Biomedical Sciences in the Human and Molecular Genetics from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She has co-authored many publications during her research experiences.

Many insurance programs are accepted, plus flexible financing options are available through Chase Health Advance.

For info, call Smile Ranch Family Dentistry today at  972-772-SMILE (7645).

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ROWLETT – The first baby born in 2012 at Lake Pointe Medical Center was Corey Bryland Blackshear, the third child of Shanitra Barton and Corey Blackshear of Garland.

He was born Jan. 3, at 8:13 am, and weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20” long.

Presenting a basket of goodies to the family on behalf of the Lake Pointe Health Network are Sharon Groves, RN, Director of the NICU (left) and Debbie Moeller, RN, Chief Nursing Officer.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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(NBC5-TV News) WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday that Texas can’t enforce an abortion/sonogram law passed by the state legislature last summer while the measure is under appeal, the Texas Tribune reports.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Fifth Circut Court of Appeals refused to allow the law to go into effect while it was being appealed.

An Austin judge ruled that the parts of the law that required a doctor to display an ultrasound image, make the heartbeat audible and describe the fetus before terminating a pregnancy were unconstitutional.

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(Fox4 TV News) ROCKWALL – A family that recently moved to Rockwall from New York is still settling in. But they’ve already gotten to know the neighbors intimately thanks to their newest addition to the family.

When Anthony Harper got in the car Saturday to take his pregnant stepdaughter Teresa Critton to the hospital he assumed he had plenty of time. After all, Rockwall’s Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital was just a few miles away.

“I said, ‘Okay, my water broke before. I got a couple of hours,’” said Critton, who has two other children.

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(By Kelsey McGonigle) DALLAS – Tom Thumb and the Muscular Dystrophy Association are teaming up for their annual “Send a Kid to Camp” in-store fundraising campaign, Aug. 1 through Sept. 5, to raise funds for MDA Summer Camp.

According to Tom Thumb, customers can purchase “Send a Kid to Camp” mobiles with a contribution of $1 or more to MDA as they check out at any North Texas store. One hundred percent of the donations will go toward sending children with neuromuscular disease to MDA Summer Camp.

Approximately 90 children with neuromuscular disease from across North Texas attend MDA Summer Camp at Camp John Marc in Meridian TX each year. Children ages 6 to 17 spend the “best week of the year” among friends where physical disabilities are the rule rather than the exception.

This year’s Summer Camp lasted June 19 through June 24, and campers enjoyed power hockey, blow darts, water games, arts & crafts, a ropes challenge course, Camp dances, horseback riding, swimming, talent shows, and more. MDA Summer Camp is free of charge to families thanks to corporations, groups and individuals who raise funds for the Association.

“Tom Thumb is proud to join forces with customers and associates to help send children to Summer Camp,” said Tom Thumb Director of Public Affairs Connie Yates. “It means so much for us to be involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.”

Tom Thumb has a long tradition of assisting the Muscular Dystrophy Association with Camp and other signature MDA events. Each year at Camp, Tom Thumb presents a cooking class for campers. In addition, the grocer coordinates a group of employees to volunteer at the annual MDA Labor Day Telethon and donates gift cards for the Telethon Online Auction. During the Telethon, Tom Thumb presents a check from the “Send a Kid to Camp” fundraising campaign.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. MDA’s annual Labor Day Telethon will be broadcast in the Dallas/Fort Worth area Sunday, September 4 from 5 p.m. to midnight on TXA 21. Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.MDA.org.

For more information, please contact Jim Brown or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

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ROCKWALL – A group of local women raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society called Ethan’s Army is hosting a family-fun day dubbed “Operation Beat Cancer,” July 31^, 4:30-7:30 pm, at the Lofland Farms Community Center, 2400 Wagonwheel Dr. in Rockwall.

The event will include a bounce house and water slide, face painting, raffle prizes and burgers from Outback Steakhouse for $6 each.

Ethan’s Army was founded by Katrina Tate, mother of Ethan (shown above), who is currently in treatment for leukemia. Funds raised will support patients of blood cancers and their families as they face treatment and recovery.

For more information or advance tickets, call 214/674-2193 or visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/ethantate1.

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(The Dallas Morning News) ROWLETT – A Rowlett woman says that she contracted a potentially deadly blood infection while waiting overnight at a hospital for doctors to remove a fetus that had died.

Because of what she calls negligent care, Mashell Darden says she receives dialysis three days a week, has had two strokes, brain surgery, blood clots, liver damage, a partial hysterectomy and heart surgery. The mother of four is on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

Nearly three years after that emergency, Darden is in the midst of a lawsuit against Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett and several members of its medical staff. The complaint, filed in Dallas County civil court, states that in the 16 hours Darden was at the hospital, doctors failed to properly examine her until she had contracted a blood infection called sepsis and it had progressed into septic shock, which is often fatal.

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