Laurel Regional Hospital

The former Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital and Nursing Center, located for 43 years adjacent to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, has moved to Laurel Regional Hospital and has a new name. The Gladys Spellman Specialty Care Unit, or GSSCU, on the fourth-floor of Laurel Regional Hospital received patients transferred from the old facility June 30. The new unit has 46 licensed specialty care beds and offers comprehensive care for adults whose health care needs require more than what can be provided in a home environment or a nursing home.

These groups meet regularly. ALS Resource support group - First Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Educational support for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) patients, family members and friends. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, Conference Room 116B, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. 301-978-9855 or http://www.ALSinfo.org. Care for the Caregivers Group - Thursdays, through May 2. The group will meet at 11 a.m. weekly and provide information, support and counseling for anyone in contact with an adult with any kind of cognitive or communication disorder.

The proposal to move Adventist Hospital from Takoma Park to Calverton/Silver Spring can only have a devastating impact upon Laurel Regional Hospital. The new hospital would be only 6.1 miles away from Laurel and would draw from the same neighborhoods. According to filings by Dimensions, Laurel's operator, a new hospital so close would cause Laurel Regional Hospital to lose: 11.8 percent of medical/surgical patients; 4.9 percent of obstetrics patients; 12.4 percent of psychiatric patients; $8.5 million in gross revenue; and the growth opportunities associated with the Konterra development, BRAC realignment and the opening of the ICC and interchanges at I-95 and Contee Road (now Van Dusen)

Bluegrass music Savage Bluegrass plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Sam and Elsie's Bar and Restaurant in Laurel. No cover charge. Information: 301-317-7796. Blood drive Laurel Regional Hospital, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, will hold a blood drive from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in the J.R. Jones Conference Room, 7300 Van Dusen Road in Laurel. Donors should be healthy, 17 or older, and weigh at least 110 pounds. To schedule an appointment, call 301-497-7914. Walk-ins welcome.

The Laurel Regional Hospital Auxiliary is holding its 13th annual Tree of Lights fundraiser to benefit capital improvements at the hospital. Participants can purchase lights for an outdoor tree at the hospital to honor or remember a family member, loved one or friend. Donations for white lights are $5 per name, and names are listed on a Scroll of Honor and displayed at the hospital during December. Gold Life Lights are $100 for each name, and red Eternal Lights are $500; both gold and red lights are lit annually and the names of those honored or remembered are permanently displayed on a Wall of Honor at the hospital.

Linda M. Janzik has been hired as director of public affairs and development at Laurel Regional Hospital.In this senior-management position, Ms. Janzik will direct marketing communications, public relations, physician-support and community outreach programs for the hospital. She also will provide administrative support to the hospital's foundation, volunteer services department and auxiliary.Ms. Janzik has 18 years of experience in the health care marketing communications field. For eight years she headed the department of marketing communications and public relations at Montgomery General Hospital in Olney.

At first thought, a hospital coming so close to Laurel Regional Hospital does sound unfair, and could be a risk to Laurel Regional Hospital's actual existence ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital," Letters, Aug. 18). I speak from experience both as a past patient and having had a parent there, by ambulance, two weekends in a row with heart concerns. On the second visit, I spoke to someone in cardiology who said, "If this was my father, I would get him out of here; we can't help him. " I did, and he went to Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park.

Washington Adventist Hospital was very disappointed to see the Aug. 17 letter to the editor that contained serious inaccurate information regarding our proposed relocation and our plan to expand access to health care in the region ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital"). Washington Adventist Hospital has never stated that our move would have a devastating impact on Laurel Regional Hospital. In fact, language about the future of Laurel as an in-patient facility that came up during hearings before the Maryland Health Care Commission came directly from the May 21, 2010, "Final Report and Recommendations" from the Prince George's County Hospital Authority.

Maryland Del. Marilyn R. Goldwater, a Montgomery County Democrat, and Del. Barbara Frush, a Prince George's Democrat, JTC will talk about recent legislative developments pertaining to the prevention of osteoporosis, education about the disease and reimbursement of bone-density testing for the disease from 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow at a meeting of the Osteoporosis Awareness Group at Laurel Regional Hospital, 7300 Van Duesen Road, Laurel.The group meets quarterly. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served.

A motorcyclist was killed yesterday evening in Laurel when he struck a sport utility vehicle that turned in front of him, Howard County police said. Police said the driver of a Toyota RAV4 traveling north on Whiskey Bottom Road about 6 p.m. attempted to make a left turn into a store parking lot. The motorcyclist, who was not identified, was traveling south on Whiskey Bottom and struck the SUV. He was thrown from his motorcycle. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at Laurel Regional Hospital.

Linda Teixeira, of Laurel, is no stranger to emergency rooms. Her daughter is on dialysis and has other related health issues that require emergency care on a regular basis. What is new for Teixeira is that on this particular evening, she's waiting for her daughter in Laurel Regional Hospital's waiting room. "We live up the street and could walk here, but she was here a couple of times in the past and the service wasn't good, so we had been going to Howard General," Teixeira said.

Community Programs and Support Groups - Laurel Regional Hospital, 7300 Van Dusen Road, community programs such as childbirth education classes, HeartSaver first aid/CPR, maternity center tours, P.A.C.E. (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) and a babysitter course. For information and cost, if any, call 301-497-7914. For information on the four-week smoking cessation program, call 301-618-6363. Support groups at the hospital include: Alcoholics Anonymous, every Sunday at 7 p.m.; Al-Anon for family and friends of alcoholics, every Friday and Sunday at 7 p.m.; Bipolar Support Group, every Thursday at 6 p.m.; Nar-Anon, every Monday at 7 p.m. for friends and families of drug addicts and substance abusers; Narcotics Anonymous, every Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 11 a.m.; Parkinson Support Group, every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., call 301-497-7914 for information; and Rehabilitation Sharing Group (strokes and longtime illnesses)

The Laurel Regional Hospital Foundation is looking for businesses to donate items or services for the silent auction at its fundraiser "September Soiree," to be held Saturday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., at the Riggs Alumni Hall at the University of Maryland in College Park. Gifts to the silent auction qualify as a business tax deduction. More than 500 physicians, business leaders, government officials and other hospital supporters are expected to attend the fundraiser. Deadline for inclusion of donations in the silent auction is Friday, Aug. 10. To request a donation form or to have an item picked up, contact Lisa Hardesty at 301-497-7963.

The Laurel Regional Hospital Auxiliary is holding its 13th annual Tree of Lights fundraiser to benefit capital improvements at the hospital. Participants can purchase lights for an outdoor tree at the hospital to honor or remember a family member, loved one or friend. Donations for white lights are $5 per name, and names are listed on a Scroll of Honor and displayed at the hospital during December. Gold Life Lights are $100 for each name, and red Eternal Lights are $500; both gold and red lights are lit annually and the names of those honored or remembered are permanently displayed on a Wall of Honor at the hospital.

Adults of all ages are invited to attend the Laurel Senior Friendship Club's dance Friday, Oct. 7, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The club's new location is at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Road, near Laurel Regional Hospital. Dance to music by DJ Professor Jay. Donation is $2.99. Snacks and setups are free; sodas are 50 cents each. Adults, singles, couples and groups welcome. For information, call 301-937-2896.

Share your good news and events with the community. Contact Laurel Leader editorial assistant Pat Farmer, paf1@patuxent.com , or phone and fax 410-332-6653. Blood drive - Sponsored by Laurel Lions Club, American Legion Post 60 and Medstar Health Blood Donor Services, Tue., Oct. 4, 2:30-7 p.m., American Legion Post 60, 2 Main St. For appointments, call Donald Danneman, 1-888-757-7040. Walk-ins welcome. National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association - Chapter 422 luncheon meeting, Wed., Oct. 5, 11:30 a.m., upstairs, Main Street Sports Grill, 531 Main St. Rebecca Miller, of Maryland Relay, explains telecommunications access of the Maryland Department of Information Technology and shows latest in audio aids for those with hearing disabilities.

A Silver Spring man was fatally shot early yesterday during a fight outside a Laurel nightclub, Prince George's County police said. Ian Sean Davis, 26, of the 14100 block of Castle Blvd. was shot in the parking lot outside Dinosaurs nightclub in the 13500 block of Baltimore Blvd. about 2:50 a.m., police said. Friends drove Davis to Laurel Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. Police said they had no suspect and were trying to determine what caused the fight.

Adults of all ages are invited to attend the Laurel Senior Friendship Club's dance Friday, Oct. 7, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The club's new location is at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Road, near Laurel Regional Hospital. Dance to music by DJ Professor Jay. Donation is $2.99. Snacks and setups are free; sodas are 50 cents each. Adults, singles, couples and groups welcome. For information, call 301-937-2896.

At first thought, a hospital coming so close to Laurel Regional Hospital does sound unfair, and could be a risk to Laurel Regional Hospital's actual existence ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital," Letters, Aug. 18). I speak from experience both as a past patient and having had a parent there, by ambulance, two weekends in a row with heart concerns. On the second visit, I spoke to someone in cardiology who said, "If this was my father, I would get him out of here; we can't help him. " I did, and he went to Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park.

Washington Adventist Hospital was very disappointed to see the Aug. 17 letter to the editor that contained serious inaccurate information regarding our proposed relocation and our plan to expand access to health care in the region ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital"). Washington Adventist Hospital has never stated that our move would have a devastating impact on Laurel Regional Hospital. In fact, language about the future of Laurel as an in-patient facility that came up during hearings before the Maryland Health Care Commission came directly from the May 21, 2010, "Final Report and Recommendations" from the Prince George's County Hospital Authority.