Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) is pleased to share with the community the completion of the new Mercy Cross tower, which celebrates the heritage of the regional medical center’s founding sisters— the Sisters of Mercy. The announcement coincides with Feastday of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercy Day)—a date observed annually throughout the world in remembrance of Catherine McAuley’s establishment of the first House of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, on September 24, 1827. It is through Catherine’s ministry that the Religious Sisters of Mercy were founded.

The new Mercy Cross tower, which stands tall outside the hospital’s main entrance, celebrates the Sisters of Mercy and their contributions to the region’s health and well-being.

At the request of community leaders, the Sisters of Mercy arrived in Oxnard from San Diego in 1911 to help establish health care services for the thousands of residents who settled on the Oxnard plain. In May 1912, with Oxnard’s pioneer families’ help, the Sisters of Mercy opened the doors to the six-room wooden structure hospital, called by the name St. John’s Hospital. In its 108 years of service to the community, St. John’s has expanded its services and community outreach to stay true the founding principles of delivering high quality and compassionate health care to the community.

The new Mercy Cross tower was made possible by the generous contributions made by St. John’s employees to the St. John’s Healthcare Foundation’s Beacon of Mercy campaign. For more information about the St. John’s Healthcare Foundation, please visit SupportStJohns.org.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and St. John’s Regional Cancer Center (SJRCC) is also spreading awareness about advanced new treatment for patients with breast cancer, a population that makes up approximately 40% of the patients at the center.

St. John’s imaging services offer leading-edge 3D mammography technology, a technology that is easier and more thorough than before. Compared to traditional mammography, 3D imaging takes multiple breast images in just seconds, allowing your doctor to view your breast tissue in layers for a more complete picture. This is especially helpful for women with dense breast tissue, which can make cancer harder to detect.

“Offering the latest technology is part of our continued commitment to providing our cancer patients with care that meets the highest standards of quality,” said Darren W. Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo. “St. John’s Regional Cancer Center offers the most advanced treatment options, and the acquisition of this new technology offers an additional measure of care and safety for our community.”

This new technology enhances the preciseness of treatment provided to breast cancer patients by more accurately targeting the lymph nodes at risk and preventing radiation from reaching vital organs, such as the heart and lungs.

These state-of-the-art enhancements to the breast program at SJRCC provide for more targeted treatment and add quality of life to patients who have undergone radiation for breast cancer.

Diagnosing and treating cancer is complex. SJRCC uses a multidisciplinary approach, consisting of collaboration between specialized oncologists and physicians to determine the best treatment course. Every patient receives an individualized treatment plan.

To schedule an appointment for a screening mammogram, please call (805) 983-0883. Our Imaging Services are located at the Medical Pavilion at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. Most insurance companies cover 3-D mammograms.

St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo and St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard are members of Dignity Health Central Coast, an integrated network of top quality hospitals, with physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services – all recognized for quality, safety and service. Both hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities. Hospitals in the Dignity Health Central Coast region also include Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/PleasantValley and DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional.

At the next monthly meeting, on Thursday, Oct.15, Amy Towner, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Care Foundation for Ventura County, will give the East Ventura Community Council an overview of the Foundation’s mission and its role in stepping up to help in the Pandemic.

In addition, a representative of the Ventura Unified School District will present information on Measure H, the parcel tax extension measure on November’s ballot.

Additional agenda items may be added if time permits. Please check the website for updates.

The meeting will be held online via the Zoom application. Go here to view: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84566749793?pwd=VXNMY1EwRmlNdHNRY3pMTHZrb1NJUT09

You will first need to download the Zoom app on your desktop or smart phone. You do not need an account. If you miss the meeting, you can view it later on the website www.eastventura.org.

The meeting will start promptly at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact EVCC Chair Marie Lakin at [email protected]

Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Ethan McKinley has announced the beginning of the design planning process to replace the existing deteriorating dock at Anacapa Island to improve visitor access and safety.

To improve safety, the new dock will have a vertical lifting platform that will allow visitors and park staff to easily move from vessels to the landing dock. This new lift system requires widening the dock footprint by approximately six feet.

The new dock, designed to last 50 years, will be about two feet higher than the existing landing with the ability to later be raised an additional three feet in the event of sea level rise.

The dock replacement project will also enhance visitor experience, improve passenger and cargo operations, preserve cultural landscape characteristics, increase sustainability, and ensure the protection of marine and terrestrial environments.

To ensure the safety of park visitors, Anacapa Island will be temporarily closed to the public while construction takes place. Construction is estimated to occur in fall 2021. Updates on the project schedule will be posted on the park website at www.nps.gov/chis.

The public is invited to attend a virtual meeting to learn about the dock project on Wednesday, September 23 at 3:00 pm.

To join visit https://aq.webex.com/aq/j.php?MTID=m33bafa209f7eb5ff330a465c6af25b0a and use access code 133 653 5468 and password SRyJgdVr254. Join by phone via 1-404-397-1516 US Toll or

1-877-309-3457 US Toll Free.

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking your input to help inform the planning process for the Anacapa Island Dock Replacement project. To submit comments during the open comment period of September 9 through October 9, 2020, visit the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment project page at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/CHIS.

Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center is pleased to share that its new all private room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) welcomed its first patient on Tuesday, September 8. The Level III NICU features 20 all private rooms, allowing parents to stay close to their newborns receiving intensive care. The NICU is the first of its kind in Ventura County.

The new family-centered unit, located adjacent to Labor and Delivery and the Mother Infant Unit, creates a healing atmosphere for baby with the added comfort of privacy for parents to breastfeed and practice skin-to-skin bonding. Private rooms allow one of the parents to stay overnight with their newborn, while creating a more collaborative relationship between parents and care team.

“A parent never expects that their baby will need to spend time in a NICU. However, those who do will tell you that the most difficult part of the experience is leaving their baby at the hospital at the end of the day,” says Darren Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “Our new family-centered NICU provides parents with the space and privacy to bond with their baby while the baby receives excellent specialized care.”

The 12,492-square-foot unit exceeds the size of the hospital’s previous NICU, which included two open layout rooms that grouped patients into eight-bed pods. The new space includes two isolation rooms and rooms that adjoin can be used to accommodate twins. In addition, the unit includes a family lounge with a kitchenette and shower to ensure the comfort of the parents.

“A family-centered approach to care has proven to improve the growth and outcome of our NICU babies,” said Annie Nguyen, interim Medical Director of the NICU at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “We are excited to offer our NICU babies and their parents with the space to grow and bond.”

The Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC offers a loving start for every baby and loving care for every mom. Our private labor and delivery, and recovery suites are equipped with advanced equipment to ensure the safety of the mother and baby.

SJRMC has obstetricians on-site 24/7, as well as highly trained labor, delivery, and pediatric nurses, to ensure that mothers and babies receive the highest level of care at all times. To learn more about the Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC and our expansion projects visit, dignityhealth.org/stjohnsregional.

The 16-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. John’s provides family centered care for newborns requiring highly specialized attention. Learn more about other classes, events and support groups at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional/Classes-and-Events