Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse is the first health system location to have a full-time, trained facility dog. Lunar III, known as Luna, graduated from Canine Companions for Independence in Delaware, Ohio. She was assigned to Mayo Clinic Health System free of charge.
Luna is an expertly trained assistance dog and can understand over 40 commands. She is trained to assist patients and the health care team in the hospital setting
Luna's commands can be modified for patients' needs. She can assist with exercise, motivation and calming; open and close drawers or doors closed; retrieve all kinds of items; and pull pediatric patients in wagons or on scooter boards or helping them swing.
Luna lives and works alongside Lisa Morgan, a supervisor in Occupational Therapy at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. She visits patients and staff in the Stephen and Barbara Slaggie Family Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Services, Acute Care and other departments. She assists La Crosse's child life specialist and travels with Morgan to other clinics in the region, including Onalaska, Sparta and Tomah.
While Luna will provide comfort and support to patients and the healthcare team, she is different than a therapy dog. Therapy dogs are commonly found at hospitals, schools and nursing homes, and are solely there to provide joy to others. It's important to remember that no national standards exist for the training of therapy dogs, and they are not certified. Rather, the dog-handler teams that pass evaluations are registered as a team, according to Canine Companions for Independence.
On the other hand, facility dogs are bred for this line of work and must pass the nationally standardized public access test administered by a certified evaluator. Luna must pass follow-up assessments periodically to ensure safety in a public setting.
Luna can be requested to visit or participate in patient care, and she also can be requested to visit families and staff members.
Last Week: Brian Udermann; Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine?
Brian Udermann is a health and motivational humorist, and the author of “TV Rots Your Brain … Or Does It?” and “25 Ways To Cure The Hiccups.”
Brian has been a professional speaker for over 20 years and his interactive and energetic style is entertaining and appeals to a wide variety of groups and organizations.
Brian speaks to school districts, colleges and universities, government agencies, small and large businesses, hospitals, non–profit organizations, and national and international associations.
Brian's passion is encouraging people to laugh a bit more, stress a bit less and regain the healthy balance most people desire.
If you missed this presentation, please follow the link below.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnl if know you are bringing guests but last minute invites are also welcome!
Raffle Basket Items Needed by April 11
As a Polio fundraiser, each club is assigned to bring a raffle basket to TriCon. Our theme this year is:
POLLINATION ATTRACTION
We are looking for things like flower seeds packets, gardening tools/gloves, knee pad, bird house, humming bird feeder, yard decor, potting soil, pots, etc.
Bring your donated items to a club meeting by April 11th or drop off at the Rotary office at 432 Cass St.
Also accepting cash or Venmo donations to purchase items.
This is an ongoing club fundraiser and cards are available at every meeting. Our club receives a percentage of the each AND YOU receive the full value of the card your purchase.
We have cards for $10, $20, $25, $50, and $100 available for gas and/or groceries. We accept cash, check, Venmo, or billing on your next quarterly invoice.
It’s Week ONE of RI’s Month of Maternal and Child Health...and that’s not April Fool!
An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of
malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation — all of which can be prevented. Rotary provides education, immunizations, birth kits, and mobile health clinics. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmission, how to breast-feed, and how to protect themselves and their children from disease.
More than $102 million (USD) has been spent by TRF on Global Grants targeting Maternal and Child Health
Haiti has the highest maternal and infant mortality rate of any country in the western hemisphere. Rotary provided a fully equipped medical Jeep to volunteers and midwives to reach mothers and children in remote areas.
Cancer screening: Rotarians provided a mobile cancer screening unit and awareness trainings around Chennai, India, where there is a high mortality rate of women with breast and cervical cancer due to late diagnosis.
Preventing injuries and deaths: Rotary members launched a $3 million, five-year pilot to save lives of mothers and children during home deliveries in Nigeria. Since 2005, they’ve also repaired 1,500 obstetric fistulas — 500 more than their initial goal — restoring dignity and hope to vulnerable mothers.
“If mothers are empowered and healthy, so are their families, leading to an alleviation of poverty and hunger.” Robert Zinser, co-founder of the Rotarian Action Group for Population and Development and retired president for Asia at chemical giant BASF
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