Star Farms residents Barbara Malta and Lynette Cahill attend the expo to explore medical services because they're new to town.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
East County
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Star Farms resident Barbara Malta is new to the area, so she stopped by the New Year, New You Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at University Town Center Jan. 11 to check out the local medical services.
Malta lives part-time in Lakewood Ranch and part-time on Marco Island, but said she gets sick everywhere, so she needs to find some doctors in the area.
“Today’s a good opportunity to showcase our services, but also to introduce the great staff that we have,” said Brittany Gates, community relations and marketing coordinator for Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
Katherine Trail, director of infection prevention and control at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, brought plush toys for the occasion. They were as cute and cuddly as teddy bears, but they were made to represent infectious diseases.
“They’re an animated version of what (infectious diseases) look like under the microscope,” Trail said. “We use them for education purposes at the hospital.”
Trail’s booth was distributing hand sanitizer and stressing the importance of hand washing.
Gates said there was a steady flow of visitors all day. The expo was organized by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center showcases its staff and services Jan. 11 at the New Year, New You Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at UTC.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Star Farms residents Barbara Malta and Lynette Cahill attend the expo to explore medical services because they're new to town.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Liaison Vicki Hofferbert and volunteer Colette Purcell man the Tidewell Hospice table.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Volunteer Terry Purcell shows off his "We Honor Veterans" pin. Tidewell Hospice offers a pinning ceremony for its veteran patients.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Volunteer Colette Purcell wears the angel pin that's offered to family members of veterans in hospice.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The expo showcases Lakewood Ranch Medical Center's staff as well as services. Barbara Salvador is the Radiology department's front office supervisor. Katherine Trail is the director of infection prevention and control, and Heidi Takagi is an employee health nurse.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
These plush toys resemble what infectious diseases look like under a microscope.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Nurse Rick Bedard and Nursing Manager Gabbie Taylor work at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center's ER at Fruitville.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center volunteer Bill Carroll attends the expo with his wife Linda. Carroll drives the hospital's courtesy shuttle three days a week.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Lakewood Ranch residents Lola Selvach and Amy Curnick check out the LifeLink table. LifeLink is an organ donation program.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Director of Surgery Services John Hall says hip replacement surgery can be less intimidating if people see the instruments before entering the operating room.
Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.
