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Health news and events around the valley, Dec. 17-23, 2015

Toy drive for children in hospital: Angels of Las Vegas is set to host its annual toy drive event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Angels of Las Vegas Wellness Center, 4850 W. Flamingo Road, Suite 24. The group is a nonprofit organization focused on helping families affected by all types of cancer and life-threatening diseases. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy and get their picture with Santa. Holiday crafts and snacks are planned. The toys will be delivered to St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena Campus and given to those children who are unable to be home for the holidays. Visit angelsoflv.org.

Endoscopy clinic opens: Independent endoscopy center Las Vegas Endoscopy, 7315 S. Pecos Road, recently opened and offers flexible GI endoscopes, which provide a 330-degree panoramic view. Visit lvgastro.com or contact Las Vegas Gastroenterology at 877-584-2787 or email lv@lvgastro.com.

HealthInsight awards: HealthInsight, a nonprofit, community-based health care collaborative working to improve health and health care for patients and providers, announced 35 physician office practices across the state that were recipients of the 2015 HealthInsight Quality Award, including Cambridge Family Health Center, 3900 Cambridge St., No. 102; Eastern Family Medical & Dental Center, 2212 S. Eastern Ave; Las Vegas Outreach Clinic, 47 W. Owens Ave.; Martin Luther King Health Center, 1799 Mt. Mariah Drive; and North Las Vegas Family Health Center, 2225 Civic Center Drive, No. 224.

Record sale benefits nonprofit: "A Las Vegas Christmas, Vol. 4," featuring 14 tracks performed by more than 12 of Las Vegas' entertainers, is available on iTunes or ordered online as a physical CD. The cost is $10, and proceeds from the sale of the compilation benefit the Neurofibromatosis Network. Visit nfnetwork.org.

My Hope Chest receives donation: My Hope Chest, a nonprofit funding reconstructive surgery for uninsured and underinsured breast cancer survivors, was chosen as the latest recipient of the Spirit of Humanity Award from the DeBartolo Family Foundation and received a donation of $25,000. Visit myhopechest.org.

Valley Health System residency programs: The Valley Health System is expanding in the Southern Nevada graduate medical education system by adding eight residency programs among four hospitals. The programs include Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry and the transitional /internship year at Centennial Hills, Desert Springs, Spring Valley and Summerlin hospitals. Visit valleyhealthsystemlv.com.

Health spa donation: On Dec. 10, Valhalla Wellness & Medical Centers, 2851 N. Tenaya Way, presented a check for $2,304 from ticket proceeds from its pre-holiday event to nonprofit Baby's Bounty, which provides clothing and gear to babies born into low income families. Visit babysbounty.org.

Passionately Pink Pong: PONGSTARZ, in partnership with USATT, Caesars Entertainment and Cornilleau, announced that the inaugural Passionately Pink Pong — a Social Ping Pong Event to Benefit Passionately Pink, a program of Susan G. Komen — is set to take place as part of the 2015 USA Table Tennis National Championships on the evening of Dec. 18 at The Linq, 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Guests can pick up a paddle and play from 8 to 11 p.m. under the pink lights of the Vortex rooftop. Standard tickets cost $25 each and include one free beverage. VIP tickets, featuring early admission and an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., cost $100 per person. All proceeds benefit Passionately Pink. Advanced tickets can be purchased by visiting usatt.org or calling 719-866-4583, ext. 5.

New hospital staff: Southern Hills Hospital, 9300 W. Sunset Road, announced that it had named Alexis Mussi as its new chief operating officer effective Jan. 1. In this position, Mussi will oversee the operations of the emergency department, surgical services department and other areas for the 134-bed facility. Mussi most recently served as the vice president of operations at MountainView Hospital, 3100 N. Tenaya Way.

New partners at health care group: HealthCare Partners Medical Group, part of the HealthCare Partners division of DaVita HealthCare Partners, recently announced that the organization has acquired Community Family Doctors, a primary care provider located in Southern Nevada. Effective Dec. 1, all CFD physicians have been operating in conjunction with HealthCare Partners Medical Group, bumping the number up to 310 primary care providers. Visit hcpnv.com.

Walk with a UMC Doc events scheduled: Free Walk with a UMC Doc events are planned at 9:30 a.m. the third Thursday of the month at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. The next topic is Coping with Holiday Stress on Dec. 17. Visit umcsn.com.

Hyperbaric treatment: MountainView Hospital, 3100 N. Tenaya Way, opened Dec. 1 a Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center to serve patients with chronic wounds in an outpatient setting. The center includes the treatment of chronic wounds, relief for ulcers, infections and difficult-to-heal wounds. The center will also include MountainView's first Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers, used to treat a variety of patients suffering from wounds or illnesses that deprive their bodies from adequate oxygen. Call 702-562-5816.

Sign-Up Saturdays: Nevada Health Link is collaborating with licensed insurance brokers and agents to offer Sign-Up Saturdays enrollment events to help close the gap between insured and uninsured residents. The events occur on select Saturdays during the health insurance open enrollment period, through Jan. 31. Visit nevadahealthlink.com. Many partnering licensed broker agents will also be open on various Tuesdays and Thursdays during the enrollment period. Nevadans are invited to attend a special enrollment event from 4 to 8 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 S. Water St.

Healthy holiday challenge: The Southern Nevada Health District's free, web-based program, the Get Healthy Holiday Challenge, is set to run through Jan. 1. The event offers a weekly challenge and tools to track progress during the 12-week period. Each week, an email health challenge will be distributed that provides tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle and tips to navigate the holiday party buffet table. The program also provides recipes and an interactive blog. Contact the Southern Nevada Health District's Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at 702-759-1270 or visit snhd.info or gethealthyclarkcounty.org.

Flu vaccines: The Southern Nevada Health District's flu vaccine clinics began Sept. 21 at all locations where patients can receive the injectable, quadrivalent flu vaccine. The cost of the vaccine is $41, and the trivalent high-dose vaccine for people 65 or older is $59. Contact the health district's immunization clinic at 702-759-0850 or visit snhd.info.

Free STD testing available: Free weekly STD screenings are available at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada and the Richard Steele Boxing Facility. Visit snhd.info/sexual-health-clinic.

Better Breathers Club plans meetings: The American Lung Association in Nevada invites those with lung health disease, their loved ones and caregivers to a Better Breathers Club meetings planned at the following locations and times each month:

Second Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. in the conference room at Centennial Hills Hospital, 6900 N. Durango Drive; 702-835-9898.

Last Fridays, 3 to 4 p.m. at Prestige Care at Mira Loma, 2520 Wigwam Parkway; 702-431-6348.

First Thursdays, 1 to 2 p.m. at St. Rose Women's Care and Outreach Center, 2651 Paseo Verde Parkway; 702-616-4910.

First Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m., United in Hope: Lung Cancer Survivors Support Group, at Kindred Hospital Las Vegas, 2250 E. Flamingo Road; at 702-353-2039 or lysa71@cox.net.

Fibromyalgia group meets second, third Thursdays: The Fibromyalgia Friends Support Group of Southern Nevada is scheduled to meet during lunch and evening sessions the second and third Thursday of the month. Lunch meetings are set from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Fiesta Henderson buffet, 777 W. Lake Mead Parkway. Evening meetings are planned from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Barbara Greenspun Women's Care Center, 2651 Paseo Verde Parkway, Suite 180. Visit fmfriends.org.

Breast cancer empowerment group set to meet monthly: A free Breast Cancer Empowerment/Support Group is set to meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, 657 N. Town Center Drive. Topics vary and include guest speakers, resources and open discussion with the goal of helping to empower and support women. RSVP by calling 702-233-7155.

Stroke support group planning monthly meetings: The Stroke Support Group is set to meet at various times monthly:

From 3 to 4 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, 657 N. Town Center Drive, 702-233-7061.

From 3 to 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Centennial Hills Hospital, 6900 N. Durango Drive, 702-629-1309.

From 10 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of the month at the South Magna Conference Center, south of the Desert Springs Hospital main entrance, 2075 E. Flamingo Road, 702-369-7560. Recommended parking is off Bruce Street. Lunch is provided.

From 10 to 11:30 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of the month on the fourth floor of Valley Hospital, 620 Shadow Lane. Call 702-388-8441 or 702-388-4619. Light refreshments will be served.

Bloodmobile drives planned across valley: UBS Bloodmobile drives are planned at multiple times and locations around the valley. Call 702-233-9620 or visit unitedbloodservices.org and enter the code, if available. The locations include:

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at Southwest Medical at Nellis, 420 N. Nellis Blvd. Enter code L1N88.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive. Enter code CHLibrary.

From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Enter code FlamingoLib.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at Durango Hills YMCA, 3521 N. Durango Drive. Enter code durangohills.

From 8 a.m. to noon Dec. 20 at Dignity Health — St. Rose Dominican Hospital, 3001 St. Rose Parkway. Enter code StRoseSiena.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21 at the Cannery, 2121 E. Craig Road. Enter code cannery.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 21 at Barclaycard, 2280 Corporate Circle. Enter code Barclay.

American Red Cross blood drives scheduled around the valley: The American Red Cross encourages residents to donate. Blood drives are planned continually across the valley. All blood types are needed, especially O negative, A negative and B negative, on a regular basis. To schedule a donation appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767. Recently, Red Cross announced a new RapidPass program, which allows donors to complete pre-donation reading and health history questions online on the day of their donation using a computer at home or work, reducing the time spent at blood drives by approximately 15 minutes.

From 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at MetLife, 1401 N. Green Valley Parkway, No. 250

From 1 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, 2980 Robindale Road

From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Trader Joe's, 10345 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 180

From 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at East Las Vegas Stake, 2285 Tree Line Drive

From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at Lowe's, 6050 W. Craig Road

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 21 at Home Depot, 2200 E. Serene Ave.

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