Page 60 - Robeson Living Summer 2021
P. 60

SWHC SUPPORTS EIGHTH ANNUAL



       WOUND CARE AWARENESS WEEK


       WITH EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN











                                                             Pictured:  Kim Jean



                                                                 Jean’s foot-related issues resulted in surgery to remove a toe
                                                                 in June 2020. An additional injury to her foot caused Jean to
                                                                 have increased issues with wounds, but because she had to be
                                                                 hospitalized due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, Jean had to delay
                                                                 treatment for her foot condition.

                                                                 After her battle with COVID-19, Jean was able to focus on
                                                                 needed treatment for her foot condition, for which she was fac-
                                                                 ing  possible  amputation.  Upon  consulting  with  her  primary
                                                                 care physician and surgeon who were both located out of town,
                                                                 she requested to receive her treatment at Southeastern Wound
                                                                 Healing Center, which is just minutes away from her home.


                                                                 “I wish I had gone sooner,” said Jean. “If someone would have
                                                                 told me when I began treatment that I would have been healed
                                                                 to this level, I never would have believed them. ‘Absolutely
                                                                 amazing’ is all I can say about it. This is a great setting for
      Southeastern  Wound  Healing  Center,  an  affiliate  of  UNC   people who may be in danger of losing a limb, toe or foot.
      Health Southeastern and member of the Healogics network, is   There’s got to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and this office
      helping raise awareness of the risks of chronic wounds during   and the people in it have been my light. I go there and leave
      the eighth annual Wound Care Awareness Week, which was     feeling wonderful.”
      June 7-11.
                                                                  Jean has received five weeks of HBO therapy every weekday
      Healogics established Wound Care Awareness Week in 2014    for two hours.
      to bring attention to the growing need for wound care and the
      nearly 7 million Americans currently living with non-healing   “It has been absolutely amazing the progress that I’ve seen,”
      wounds. Program directors across the nation will dedicate the   added Jean. “I truly believe this wouldn’t have happened if it
      entire week to educating physicians, patients and the general   hadn’t been for not only the therapy but the people there.”
      public about the chronic wound epidemic and the advanced
      wound care solutions are available. Southeastern Wound Heal-  The incidence of chronic wounds is rising due to our aging
      ing Center offers advanced therapies to patients suffering from   population  and  increasing  rates  of diseases.  A person with
      chronic wounds.                                            a wound has an average of three to four chronic conditions
                                                                 like diabetes, PAD, cardiovascular disease and COPD. If left
      Kim Jean, 61, of Lumberton, is currently receiving hyperbaric   untreated, chronic wounds can lead to diminished quality of
      oxygen, or HBO, therapy at Southeastern Wound Healing Cen-  life and possibly amputation of the affected limb. Even more
      ter for the treatment of wounds on her feet which are the result   alarmingly, 50 percent of people die within five years of am-
      of issues related to diabetic neuropathy, a condition where pa-  putation.
      tients with diabetes experience numbness in their extremities,
      including the feet.                                        To support this underserved and growing population of people

      Page 60                                                                           Robeson Living ~ Summer 2021
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