Euless resident wins year of free groceries

Meet Migdalia Cruz.

Amy McCall and Jordan Echols present Migdalia Cruz with her prize.

The Euless resident was the lucky grand prize winner of the Texas Health Resources “Love Game” Sweepstakes. For her prize she won a year of free groceries. In addition she also met with Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford registered dietitian Emily Bullard. Bullard, who works in the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB, offered tips and suggestions for how best to use the year of free groceries.

Bullard and Cruz chat about the health benefits of nuts.

Cruz entered the “Love Game” sweepstakes at www.texashealth.org/heart. The site offers information about heart disease, prevention and treatments as well as the chance to request a healthy heart kit or to find a physician. The site also offers a blog with daily tips.

“I didn’t believe it when they called me,” Cruz said. “I’m sure we are going to make good use of that. I’m very excited and thank you so much.”

Check out the video for Bullard’s tips on swapping regular pasta for a whole wheat kind.



Congratulations Migdalia!

52 to a Healthier You: Week 22 Proper running technique

Welcome back to 52 to a Healthier You from the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB.


Check back next week for Week 23 when we'll share information about the benefits of reflexology.

If you need help finding a physician, please call 1-877-THR-WELL or log on to www.TexasHealth.org. If you want to find a trainer to help you set a fitness program, please call 817-267-9191.

Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital.

Nurse recognized for positive spirit, dedication

Pat Davenport, R.N., is one of those people that brings out the best in others. But now, Davenport is also being recognized as one of the best.

The Keller resident has been named to the annual list of the Metroplex’s Great 100 Nurses, which is sponsored by the Texas Nurses Association and the North Texas Organization of Nurse Executives. The awards honor registered nurses in the D/FW area who exemplify excellence in the art and science of nursing.  Nurses are nominated by their peers, and may only be named to the list once in their career.

Davenport recalls what drew her into nursing 38 years ago.

“It is an opportunity to make a positive impact on someone’s life and see a miracle every day,” she said. “My mother was a nurse and I often heard phone calls from thankful neighbors and patients whose lives were improved by her care. The combination or art and science sprinkled with compassion and caring lured me in to a life’s calling.”

Common car seat questions answered

A recent news headline broke my heart: “Toddler riding on mom’s lap killed by airbag after pickup hits utility pole near Dallas Love Field.” Reading this headline after recently having a discussion with my brother about his decision to turn my not quite one-year-old nephew forward-facing led me to Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Julie Smith R.N. to clear up some common car seat misconceptions. My questions are in bold, followed by Julie’s responses.

My brother just recently turned his 11-month-old son forward facing because “he weighs 22 lbs?” What is the current recommendation on when an infant or child can face forward in the car?
The latest recommendation is as follows: keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him safe and protects from head, neck and spine injuries. Keep the infant/child rear-facing to the maximum height or weight limits on the seat, which should be at least age 2. 

Letter from the president: Trauma designation process to benefit community

When I first joined Texas Health Harris Methodist Hurst-Euless-Bedford as President in 2007, I was immediately impressed with how much the hospital offers its local communities. It didn’t take long for me to notice that the hospital’s combined strengths could provided us with a unique opportunity — an opportunity to offer trauma services.

No one wants to imagine that they’ll have an accident that is life-threatening, nor do they worry which hospital would care for them if they do.  As health care providers, it’s our job to think of all the possibilities.

Texas Health HEB has always had an emergency room to handle accidents and other health emergencies. In the recent years we have worked diligently to increase our ability to treat the number of emergencies we see on a daily basis. We haven’t just been talking about it; we have worked at it by investing numerous work hours and even capital investments to put systems and equipment in place.

It’s been paying off…

52 to a Healthier You: Week 21 Crunches 101

Welcome back to 52 to a Healthier You from the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB.



Check back next week for Week 22 when we'll show you tips to learn proper running techniques.

If you need help finding a physician, please call 1-877-THR-WELL or log on to www.TexasHealth.org. If you want to find a trainer to help you set a fitness program, please call 817-267-9191.

Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital.

Message of hope in Bluebonnet Retreat

For Donna Crawford this year has a special meaning. It marks 31 years since her cervical cancer diagnosis and 19 years since she battled breast cancer. Added together this year marks 50 years of surviving cancer for Crawford.

So how is she celebrating? She’s packing her bags for the Bluebonnet Retreat. The Bluebonnet Retreat is an adult camp experience for cancer patients and survivors, the only of its kind in North Texas. The retreat is held each spring and fall and is funded by private donations as a special project of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford.

Crawford has attended the retreat as a counselor since 2000. She even got her husband involved and now he’s a counselor too. Each year counselors are paired with campers, other adults who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past five years.

Cancer camp offers reminder of what’s important

When most people think of an adult cancer camp the first image that comes to mind likely isn’t one of celebration, but that’s one of the things that keeps Julie Smusz coming back year after year.

Smusz has volunteered as a camp counselor for the Bluebonnet Retreat since 1999. She works in the information technology area of Texas Health Resources and says this is her chance to give back to individuals facing cancer. Smusz has a personal tie with it because her daughter was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy at age 12 and her father passed away in June of 2010 after a 9-month battle with cancer.

“It heals my heart every time I go,” she said. Smusz’s daughter is doing well and is now 33 years old and has three children of her own.

52 to a Healthier You: Week 20 Finding target heart rate

Welcome back to 52 to a Healthier You from the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB.


Check back next week for Week 21 when we'll show you how to properly do a crunch and what to watch on your form.

If you need help finding a physician, please call 1-877-THR-WELL or log on to www.TexasHealth.org. If you want to find a trainer to help you set a fitness program, please call 817-267-9191.

Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital.

Not just clowning around

Linda Stigler, R.N., CMS, isn’t a stranger to the inpatient floors of the hospital. She’s worked them for 29 years after all and is currently a nursing supervisor of one floor at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford.

Stigler recently was named to this year’s Great 100 Nurses list. The Texas Nurses Association and the Dallas/Fort Worth Nurse Executives annually sponsor the “Great 100 Nurses,” which honors registered nurses in the D/FW area who exemplify excellence in the art and science of nursing. Nurses are nominated by their peers, and may only be named to the list once in their career.

Stigler’s calling to nursing came early in life. She knew by 16 years-old that was where she wanted to be.

52 to a Healthier You: Week 19 Zumba 101

Welcome back to 52 to a Healthier You from the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB.

Check back next week for Week 19 when we'll show you how to find your target heart rate.

If you need help finding a physician, please call 1-877-THR-WELL or log on to www.TexasHealth.org. If you want to find a trainer to help you set a fitness program, please call 817-267-9191.

Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital.

Women's center gets a facelift

If you've visited the Women's Services area at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford recently you've noticed we've been hard at work updating the rooms for our new moms.

We’re happy to report that many aspects of the Women's Services renovation are completed. About half of the labor and delivery rooms are finished with the remainder being finished throughout the summer. More than two-thirds of our postpartum rooms are complete and new furniture is arriving weekly. 

We've created a new registration area so Moms can stay in our Women’s services wing. And the lobby also has been spruced up. 

"We are so pleased with the reactions our patients have to the new rooms and are looking forward to having the project completed later this year," said Mary Lou Wilson, director of Women's Services at Texas Health HEB.

We'll share more photos as the project continues to be completed, but in the meantime here are a few photos of the new labor & delivery rooms.

For more information on Women's Services at Texas Health HEB, click here. For more resources for Moms from Texas Health you can also visit Texas Health Moms.