B.A.C.K. Center Unveils plans for new medical campus
In April, Dr. Richard Hynes and physicians and staff from the B.A.C.K. Center, Melbourne city officials and construction representatives broke ground at the future site of the Crane Creek Medical Center, a $23 million facility situated on the west edge of Highway US1, about one third of a mile south of historic downtown Melbourne. The six-story, 100,000 s.f. facility, expected to open late next summer, will house B.A.C.K. Center offices and a number of leased medical offices, including Osler Medical Center.

UCF breaks ground on new medical center
Sure to impact residents and facilities in Brevard, the University of Central Florida in May started construction at the UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona. The Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences building is expected to be complete by Fall 2009, kicking off an aggressive plan to create a state-of-the-art medical and research college that will enroll and eventually graduate about 120 medical students each year.

Doctor's foundation hosts expo for medical community
In April, the Brevard-based Doctor's Goodwill Foundation hosted their fourth annual expo, providing free continuing education classes to doctors, nurses and pharmacists. The event drew a record crowd who attended to take part in the programming and visit the booths of supporting businesses. Proceeds will go to support medical missions, healthcare scholarships and local efforts.

Health First nurse receives prestigious award
Yurda Karycki, ANRP for the Heart Center of Health First Heart, was honored by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in June with the State Award for Excellence. This award, given to one nurse practitioner per state each year, recognizes excellence in their areas of practice, research, Nurse Practitioner education, or community affairs.

National Health Review hosts first free health forum
In May, National Health Review hosted its first free community health forum at the Weusthoff Brevard Hospice and Palliative Care facility in Viera. Panelists included a family medicine physician, urgent care physician and emergency room physician and a school wellness nurse and registered nurse. A 40-minute presentation was followed by a conversational Q&A format where residents were offered time to query the healthcare experts on everything from medical testing to emergency room triage procedures to the uprising of urgent care facilities in Brevard.

Buena Vida estates breaks ground on expanson
Buena Vida Estates in Melbourne, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in May and unveiled plans to expand with 27 luxury apartments and 32 private assisted living apartments. The units will be available for occupancy by the fall of 2008, making Buena Vida the only retirement community in Brevard to offer independent, assisted and skilled-nursing care living on one campus.

Golf tournament raises $228,000 for needy residents
In May, Wuesthoff Health Systems Foundation raised $228,000 at the 24th annual Dave Nisbet Golf Tournament. The tournament is named for former activist and longtime Wuesthoff board member Dave Nisbet, whose philanthropic spirit was well known. The money will be used to assist families and residents in Brevard who are uninsured, underinsured or without resources pay for necessary medical services.

Our Congratulations to...

• Florida Governor Charlie Christ signed a bill requiring all kindergarten through fifth grade students to receive at least 30 minutes of physical education daily. The requirement will begin in the new school year (2007/08) and is expected to help in the battle against childhood obesity.

• Stone Middle School students, Zachary Melnik, Corey Needham and Brooke Wallace for qualifying in the Christopher Columbus Awards, a national science and technology program. The three teens created SoCo, or Sophie's Communicator, to help a friend who cannot speak communicate better. The design uses a simple keypad wired to a home computer to translate pictures into sounds and create sentences.

• Parrish Medical Center for introducing the C.A.R.E television channel – which features ambient nature images and uninterrupted instrumental music to enhance and promote healing – for patients at their Titusville facility. Other hospitals using this system have reported reductions in the administration of pain medications and an improved quality of rest for patients.