John C. May, President/CEO of Sebasticook Valley Hospital (SVH) has announced that on Wednesday, October 3rd at 1:00 PM, SVH Dietitian Kathryn (Kay) Spofford, RDLD, CDE, Coordinator of the SVH Diabetes and Nutrition Clinic, will be honored as the organization's Caregiver of the Year. Members of the community are welcome to attend. The event will take place in the SVH Cafeteria.
May stated, "Kay fully demonstrates all the characteristics that make an exemplary caregiver. She has taken a leadership role in developing a much needed Diabetes and Nutrition Clinic as SVH. She is the embodiment of caregiver compassion and empathy and models the pursuit of lifelong continuing education. She serves as one of SVH's most sought after and talented educators for not only patients, but for health care professionals and hospital staff. Kay is acutely tuned in to the needs and concerns of patients' family members and the challenges they face as their loved ones make life-altering lifestyle changes to achieve optimal health."
"We welcome members of the community to attend this event. Kay represents the best of Sebasticook Valley Hospital – quality of care, dignity and respect for those we serve. With diabetes as one of the most prolific chronic diseases in Maine, Kay has been the guiding force in helping SVH respond effectively to the growing number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes who need to learn to manage this serious disease."
David Pease, SVH Vice President of Human Resources and Community Health and Kay's supervisor shared, "Kay is the consummate professional. She is focused, self motivated, thoughtful, and able to manage multiple priorities. Kay has created and executed an amazing vision for our Diabetes and Nutrition Clinic. Thanks to her leadership, SVH was recently awarded the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program. She is a major contributor to SVH's mission to improve the health and well being of our community."
Kay Spofford volunteers her type for a wide variety of community events such as health fairs, women's health talks, community offerings, and presentations on nutrition and diabetes management. For the past two summers, she has also donated vacation time to volunteer at a camp for adolescents with diabetes, discovering that many young people with diabetes can feel isolated because their peers could not relate to the special challenges of managing diabetes as a teen.
She has used her own resources, both time and financial to encourage patients to stretch their expectations of their capabilities and provides the needed recognition when they reach their goals. Kay is noted for recognizing the achievements of the patients she serves, as well as the staff with whom she works.
Kay Spofford has been employed by SVH since 2000 and has been a registered dietitian since 1983. She obtained her bachelor of science in Dietetics at the University of Vermont and passed the rigorous exam to become a Certified Diabetes Educator.
For more information, contact SVH at 487-5141 extension 491 or TTY 487-4590. |
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