Health Check: Matters of the Heart

By NEREYDA FRANCO

February is the time of year when people across the country celebrate all matters of the heart. Many focus on the perfect gift or plan the perfect date for their sweetheart on St. Valentine’s Day. At Montefiore Einstein, we bring our attention to the physical health of our hearts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every three deaths are related to cardiovascular disease, also known as heart disease. With such alarming statistics, we must ask, “What matters when it comes to heart health?” A great place to start, is learning about your

By SÍLE MOLONEY

District 13 Council Member Marjorie Velázquez and colleagues rejoiced as Int 559-A, also known as “Skip The Stuff” bill was signed into law by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 19. Representatives for the Northeast Bronx council member said for years, local advocates have urged the City Council to pass legislation to decrease the usage of single-use plastics and unnecessary condiment packets or extras. They said the majority of these items are tossed directly in the garbage or a drawer, never to be used and local businesses simultaneously throw away thousands of dollars while overwhelming our landfills.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

City health officials announced on Wednesday, Feb. 1, an end to the MPV [monkeypox / “mpox”] outbreak. The news comes as transmission remains “very low” in the City for two consecutive months health officials said, adding that the declaration followed the successful vaccination of more than 100,000 New Yorkers, and community partnerships in education and behavior change. The City had been the epicenter of the outbreak last year but according to health officials, DOH launched a number of successful response strategies to curb transmission. The declaration of the end of the outbreak also comes as the U.S. public

By SÍLE MOLONEY, MIRIAM QUIÑONES & DAVID GREENE

The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. Longtime Bedford Park resident, Joy LaFontaine, told Norwood News she is fed up complaining to both 311 and her landlord about various, ongoing maintenance problems she is encountering in her Decatur Avenue building, including a lack of heat, dampness, flooding, disruptive neighbors, and alleged rat sightings, saying she has seen little in the form of results for her efforts. Based on 311 public data, LaFontaine’s complaints are emblematic of those logged by thousands of other New Yorkers, particularly tenants on the federal housing

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The 15-year-old male gunshot victim who was fatally shot in the Longwood section of the Bronx on Jan. 19, as reported, has provided the gift of life, via organ donation, saving seven people, according to LiveOnNY. The latter is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. Working closely with transplant centers and hospitals, LiveOnNY coordinates transplants, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation and transplantation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry.

By SARASWATHI CUFFEY

Tobacco remains the number one cause of preventable death and disease with over 28,000 New Yorkers continuing to die every year, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Fact Sheet: The Toll of Tobacco in New York. May 18, 2021. Although the rates of youth smoking cigarettes are declining, the rate of e-cigarette use by high school youth continues to rise, according to a 2019 survey on New York City Youth Risk Behavior conducted by NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. The same survey found that 37,000 New York City high school students use e-cigarettes and are

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Staff at Beth Abraham Center nursing facility held a successful holiday wellness clothing drive in December 2022, designed to support both residents and some of the residents’ families. This included both long-term and short-term residents at the Allerton-based, 448-bed, skilled nursing facility. This year, organizers said staff members focused on low-income residents who may not have a family to support them, as well as on the families of some residents. Staff members donated old jackets and other items and let both the residents of the center and their families pick out the items they needed. “We always accept any donation

By NAOMI PEMBERTON

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to share information about one of the leading causes of blindness. Glaucoma is part of a group of common eye diseases and disorders that effect vison. It is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, so it is essential to know the risks and how to prevent the disease. What is Glaucoma? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Glaucoma effects about 3 million Americans. Glaucoma is part of a group of diseases that damage the eye’s central nerve, also known as the optic nerve. The optic

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The first anniversary of the Twin Parks fire tragedy which ripped through the towering housing development in Fordham Heights on Jan. 9 2022, was marked by a somber ceremony on Monday, Jan. 9. As reported extensively at the time, the tragic event claimed the lives of 17 Bronxites, including 8 children, mostly of Gambian descent. The cause of the fire was found to be a combination of a “malfunctioning space heater” and reportedly malfunctioning self-closing fire doors. With legal proceedings against the Twin Parks building owners still pending, Mayor Eric Adams and other Bronx elected officials attended the private