News Releases

DERBY, CT (January 20, 2012) - Griffin Hospital is offering area residents an opportunity to learn Reiki -- a body, mind, and spirit approach to medicine and healing -- at a special Reiki Level 1 Workshop from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday, March 7 at the hospital.

Reiki is a complementary healing modality based on ancient healing practices. It involves the conscious direction of healing energy -- through the practitioner's hands -- to the patient. When channeled properly, this energy promotes healing by relieving energy blockages to the body. The practice of Reiki is intended to bring balance to the energy fields thereby promoting healing on all levels.

Instructors Eileen Carino, RN-BC, BS, ADS, Reiki Master, and Joanne Halstead, RN, BSN, MS of ED, LMT, will teach the basic concepts of Reiki, allowing ample time for hands-on practice.  The workshop is open to all individuals interested in becoming Reiki practitioners.

The Level 1 Reiki Workshop cost is $50, which includes a Reiki book, but $25 of the cost will be refunded to those who sign up to become a Griffin Hospital volunteer and provide a minimum of 100 hours of Reiki at the hospital within one year of the workshop date.

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Four-Year Study of Massage for Osteoarthritis of the Knee to be Conducted with Partners at Duke Integrative Medicine and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

DERBY, CT (January 20, 2012) - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Duke Integrative Medicine and its key research partners at Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) a $2.75 million shared grant to investigate the impact of massage therapy on people with osteoarthritis of the knee. The combined research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial to definitively evaluate an eight-week course of Swedish massage as a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee in terms of its effects on pain, stiffness, and physical function.

Newly appointed Duke Integrative Medicine Executive Director and Principal Investigator, Dr. Adam Perlman commented, “The team we have established has been working to study the efficacy of massage for this prevalent...

DERBY, CT (January 12, 2012) - The Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club and Father Leonard Kvedas, pastor of St. Michael’s Parish in Beacon Falls, will share honors as recipients of the 4th Annual “Caring Heart” Award.  The award is presented each year to an individual and a community organization in recognition of initiatives that support, promote, and improve the general health and well-being of the community. 

Sponsored by the Woman and Heart Disease Committee at Griffin Hospital, in conjunction with American Heart Month, the award presentations will take place on February 2nd at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby. Registration and a silent auction will begin at 5:00 pm, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm and the program and awards. The guest speaker...

DERBY, CT (January 12, 2012) - In late December, Marketing Disease Prevention & Awareness (MDPA) began announcing its inductees into the MDPA Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The first inductee to be chosen is David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.

The MDPA Hall of Fame is designed to honor those who have made substantial strides in helping to improve efforts in health through better efforts in marketing, communication, and improving awareness of important health issues. The focus of those inducted this year will be based on their contributions to fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity. 

Marketing Disease Prevention & Awareness is an offshoot of the established healthcare marketing conference company, DTC Perspectives Inc. The goal of this venture is to discuss how preventable diseases plaguing the U.S. can be treated and prevented and how to best communicate these options.

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DERBY, CT (January 3, 2012) - In conjunction with American Heart Month, the Women and Heart Disease Committee will host its 7th Annual Women and Heart Disease program on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby. Reservations for the event, which is open to the public, can be made by calling 203-732-7584 or 203-732-1137. The cost is $35.

Event registration and a silent auction will start at 5:00 pm, followed promptly at 6:00 pm by dinner and the program, which features guest speaker Samantha Heller, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

In addition to her duties at Griffin Hospital, Ms. Heller is a nationally known health and media expert, consultant, and author of Get Smart:...

DERBY, CT (December 28, 2011) - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning Wednesday, January 18. The free course, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask," will be held over four sessions, January 18 and 25, and February 1 and 8 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Avenue, Derby.

This groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes is taught by registered dietician and exercise physiologist Samantha Heller, a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, the CBS Early Show, and Doctor Radio on Sirius XM.

Participants will learn about a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

Reach and maintain a healthy weight...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DERBY, CT (December 27, 2011) - There are a limited number of spots still available for the next Patient Care Technician and Phlebotomy courses being offered by the Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers. Anyone age 18 or older with a High School Diploma or GED may apply for admission. Early application is encouraged for both courses, as space is limited.

The Winter session of the School's Patient Care Technician (PCT) program begins Monday, January 23, with classes held Monday and Fridays from 9am to 3:30pm. Students are able to choose the Tues., Weds., Thurs. portion of the program either days from 9 to 12 noon or evenings from 6pm to 9pm to accommodate busy schedules. The program runs for 16 consecutive weeks. The Patient Care Technician program offers ample hands-on training and opportunities for practical experience in the School's fully...

Study Shows that Adding KIND Fruit & Nut Bars to Daily Diet Aids in Weight Management

It might seem counter-intuitive, but when a group of people were asked by the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center to include nearly 350 calories’ worth of snack bars in their diets each day without boosting their physical activity levels, their weight remained the same after eight weeks of eating the snack bars.

The Prevention Research Center team, led by Dr. David Katz, conducted the study, which was published in the December issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. They purposefully designed the study to include a particular snack, the Kind Bar, which is made primarily from nuts and fruits.

Prior studies have shown a lack of association between eating nuts and weight gain, despite the fact that nuts are a concentrated source of calories. This may be due in part to a feeling of satiety,...

Derby, CT (December 8, 2011) - Griffin Hospital will donate the proceeds of its "Holiday Wonderland of Trees" fundraiser to Spooner House to help feed area families in need this holiday season.  The Holiday Wonderland of Trees, currently located in the hospital connector just past the main lobby, is comprised of 29 three-foot trees, each of which was decorated by a hospital department for the special fundraising effort. 

Tickets ($1 each or 10 for $15) for a chance to win the tree(s) of your choice are on sale now until December 15, and can be purchased from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday - Friday at the hospital. Winners will be notified after a special drawing that will take place at the hospital's December...

DERBY, CT (December 6, 2011) - With your car, a little preventive maintenance goes a long way.  Now, thanks to Curtiss-Ryan Honda, every oil change performed at its award-winning service department over the past year will go a long way toward fighting breast cancer in our area.

As part of the Griffin Hospital Campaign for BreastWellness, Curtiss-Ryan pledged to donate a portion of the cost of each oil change its service department performed since January 1 of this year to the campaign effort.  That total recently surpassed $10,000, and Curtiss-Ryan Chief Operating Officer Edward DeMarseilles will present a check to Patrick Charmel, President and CEO of Griffin Hospital and Co-Chairs of the Campaign Susan Coyle and Patricia Tarasovic at 1:00 pm Thursday, December 8 at the dealership’s 333 Bridgeport Avenue locationin...