Ascension Via Christi

08/20/2025

Did you know❓ Via Christi has online and in-person childbirth education classes, which are available at ✨ no cost ✨ to you.

🚼 Toni Howard, RN, IBCLC, CCE, CHBE, talked with KAKE News about the tours and classes available from the Via Christi St. Joseph NewLife Center team.
💛 All classes are offered at no cost to you, thanks to the help from Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Ascension Via Christi.

❗ During the interview, Toni gave 3️⃣ important points to remember when planning for the delivery of your baby:

"Make sure your insurance goes to where you plan to deliver and that provider is in the insurance network," she said. "Take the classes. Know your birth options. If you don't know your birth options, you don't have any."

📲 To reach Toni and the Childbirth Education team, call 316-689-5485.
⬇️ Check the comments to register for classes

08/16/2025

🤱 Via Christi St. Joseph Breastfeedling Clinic lactation consultants Becky Maddex, pictured on the left, and Lynel Kupec attended a World Breastfeeding Week last weekend in Andover, where they taught moms about breastfeeding and other tips for nurturing their babies. 🚼

💞 The Breastfeeding Clinic provides personalized care for moms by checking baby's weight, offering one-on-one coaching and educational support for moms struggling to breastfeed. Childbirth education classes are available at no cost, thanks to a grant from Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Ascension Via Christi.

📲 You can reach the team at 316-689-5426.

08/15/2025

👶🚼 Today is International Neonatal Nurses Day! Join us in celebrating all of the RNs who care for our smallest and most vulnerable Neonatal Intensive Care Unit patients at Via Christi St. Joseph in Wichita. This recognition highlights the exceptional nurses and advanced practice registered nurses for the crucial role they play in the lives of sick or premature newborn infants and their families. Thank you! 👏

08/15/2025

Congratulations, Laurie Labarca! 🥳 The Via Christi St. Francis hospital president was recognized as one of the Wichita Business Journal's 2025 Executives of the Year.

Did you know? Laurie was born at what is now Via Christi St. Joseph. She then started her career as an occupational therapist at the same hospital. Throughout her career, she's also served as hospital president of all four Wichita Via Christi hospitals. She credits her career trajectory to leaders who saw potential in her that she didn’t yet see in herself. Laurie leads today with the same commitment to encouraging and empowering others. She believes great leaders try to practice a positive attitude, deep knowledge, teamwork and passion, which she brings every day (and to Shocker games). 🖤💛

Thank you, Laurie, for your leadership and dedication to the Wichita and Via Christi communities.

08/12/2025

Thank you, Rotary Club of Wichita, for highlighting the importance of screenings for firefighters and first responders. 🚒🫁

Brett Grizzell, MD, medical director of Via Christi's Lung Cancer Screening and Cardio Thoracic Surgery programs, and Carrie Wi******er, the program's nurse navigator, spoke about the Protect Wichita Firefighters Initiative, which aims to catch serious health issues of Wichita's firefighters early.

In a collaborative effort between City of Wichita- Government, Wichita Firefighters - IAFF LOCAL 135 and Via Christi, this initiative was launched with one goal in mind: To protect the long-term health and well-being of those who protect us every day.

The program enhances cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary screenings and long-term wellness for active and retired Wichita firefighters. Carrie, the program's dedicated nurse navigator, is their advocate, coordinator and educator. The hope is to give firefighters the support and resources needed to catch potential health concerns before they become serious.

To give an idea of this initiative, the pilot project evaluated 21 firefighters. Of those, 17 had elevated blood pressure, 11 needed skin cancer care, 13 had abnormal cholesterol, one needed a cardiology referral within 24 hours, and nearly every participant had a family history of cancer.

As Chief Snow said, "The dangers don’t stop when the fire is out."

🔥 Call 316-718-FIRE (3473) to learn more.

08/06/2025

🤱 It's World Breastfeeding Week AND National Breastfeeding Month! Breastfeeding helps mom by reducing the risk of health issues, like breast and ovarian cancer, and helps baby by providing optimal nutrition and protection from infections and illnesses.

💙 Lynel Kupec, RN, IBCLC, gave KAKE News her best tips for moms, and how the Via Christi Breastfeeding Clinic can help moms with their feeding struggles.

📲 To learn more or make an appointment, call (316) 689-5426

08/02/2025

🫁 Raising awareness for lung health

👕 For , teams at Via Christi’s Cancer Center, CyberKnife Center and Lung Nodule Clinic wore shirts with one goal in mind: To cause a wrinkle in late-stage lung cancer diagnosis.

❗️ These teams work closely together to help find lung cancer sooner, when it is most treatable. Lung cancer kills more than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

🤍 Via Christi St. Francis, home to the hospital’s Cancer Institute, is putting a spotlight on this cause by illuminating white, representing the color of the Lung Cancer Awareness ribbon. 🎗️

Screenings are essential if you think you might be at risk. To learn more, call 316-268-LUNG (5864).

07/31/2025

☀️ Summer fun in the sun can have effects that are not fun at all, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. 🥵

😓 How do you know which is which, and what should you do?

💪 Heat cramps are muscle spasms. Take a break and drink water and get electrolytes
🥵 Heat exhaustion happens when your body overheats and can look like heavy sweating, fever and cold, clammy skin. Get in the shade, get water and apply cold items to the back of your neck.
😵‍💫 Heatstroke is when your body is seriously overheating. You'll sweat less, your skin will flush and feel hot. You'll also have headache, vomiting and convulsions. Get to an ER immediately!

🏥 Don't forget: Our ERs are here for you 24/7. Stay safe and cool! 🧊

07/30/2025

💚 Congratulations to Melinda Andazola, RN, Via Christi St. Joseph Emergency Department, on being recognized as a DAISY Foundation award winner! 🌼Nurses are nominated by patients, families and co-workers, and the DAISY Award is a way of honoring the exceptional, compassionate care of a nurse. Congratulations, Melinda! ⭐

07/28/2025

This Thursday, beat the heat with a sweet treat! 🍦You can cool off AND create a local impact for sick and injured Kansas kids. 🏥 $1 or more will be donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Ascension Via Christi, which helps provide direct support for children and their families at Via Christi. 💙

🍨Stop by any of these area DQ locations and do good, in exchange for something real good:
849 S Poplar, at The Little Dairy Queen
5335 E Central Ave
Towne East Square
3248 N Rock Rd
1520 South Webb Rd
212 W Central
314 N Baltimore Ave in Derby
416 W 7th Ave in Augusta

Mark your calendars for MIRACLE TREAT DAY on 7/31. $1 or more from each BLIZZARD Treat sold at participating locations will benefit sick and injured Kansas kids!!

07/25/2025

👏🏼 Kudos to the Childbirth Education team at Via Christi St. Joseph for supporting 70 expectant moms at the Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower at the Kansas Department for Children and Families Service Center recently! Grace Krizek, RN, shared information on labor and delivery, baby care, breastfeeding, car seat safety, and preterm deliveries. We are honored to join DCF and KIDS Network, Inc. in promoting safety for babies and families.

07/24/2025

🤖 Via Christi St. Francis surgical team celebrates 350th robotic-assisted hepatectomy

🍓 The St. Francis surgery team celebrated surgical oncologist Ali Ahmad, MD, who completed the 350th robotic-assisted hepatectomy with Intuitive's da Vinci Surgical System.

⚕️ A hepatectomy is a liver resection. It removes part or all of the liver, often to treat cancer. This is among hepato-pancreato-biliary, or HBP, surgery to treat conditions of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts.

😷 Robotic surgery helps patients have smaller incisions, less scarring, and potentially faster recovery times for some, offering more benefits than traditional open surgery.

🏥 At St. Francis:
- In the last 12 months, 100% of eligible HPB cases were done robotically. That’s compared to a national average of just 49%.
- St. Francis is one of a few hospitals in the country, and the only regional hospital, to offer virtual training and live case observations on the latest da Vinci 5 system.

📍 Because of that leadership, surgeons from across the country can either travel to Wichita to learn from Dr. Ahmad and the St. Francis surgical team or connect with them virtually.

👏 Congrats to all involved for providing our communities with close-to-home, advanced surgery options.