Closing the Gap in Preterm Labor Education: Isabella Sesay’s Impact as a Zufall Public Health AmeriCorps Member
Isabella Sesay recently completed an 11-month service term with Public Health AmeriCorps, a volunteer program at Zufall Health dedicated to expanding the public health workforce, promoting health equity, and increasing access to services for underserved populations. Assigned to support the Prenatal Program at Zufall Health – West Orange under the guidance of Midge Clarke, RN, Sesay took on the critical task of preventing preterm labor among prenatal patients. Preterm labor,...
Zufall Health and Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation Support Veterans’ Smiles
Zufall Health and Delta Dental of New Jersey (DDNJ) Foundation recently partnered to host "Smiles for Our Heroes,” a day-long event that provided no-cost dental services to 70 veterans from across New Jersey. Held on sunny Saturday June 15, the festivities marked the return of the event in this format after a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Edward Miuccio, a 36-year-old Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, was...
How “Cover All Kids” Provided Access to Essential Specialty Care for a Zufall Patient
For 10th grade student Asumi, being a patient at Zufall Health - Dover has meant more than receiving routine pediatric care. With the dedicated support of Pediatrician Christine Pagano, MD, Registered Nurse Maribel Ali, RN, and other providers, Asumi has experienced significant improvements in her self-esteem and quality of life over the past year. In August 2023, Asumi underwent surgery at University Hospital in Newark that fundamentally changed her life, a...
Meet Your Provider: Nereida “Nettie” Mendez, MS, LPC, NCC, PMH-C
Licensed Professional Counselor Nereida “Nettie” Mendez, MS, LPC, NCC, PMC-C, is a Behavioral Health Counselor and Recovery Support Services Coordinator at Zufall Health - Dover. Asked about her beginnings here, Mendez says that she “came in with the storm” – both literally and figuratively true. Superstorm Sandy, one of the most devastating natural disasters in New Jersey’s history, made landfall in the state on Mendez’s first day, October 29, 2012. Right...
Why Public Health AmeriCorps Member Geralda Francois Is Committed to Her Community’s Health
When Zufall AmeriCorps member Geralda Francois was 15 years old, her life was upended by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. Considered one of the biggest natural disasters in recorded history, the 2010 earthquake claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Francois remembers that for the millions of survivors, the public health impact was devastating. “Before the earthquake, most people couldn’t get adequate health care, unless they were very wealthy or left...
Save the Date: Smiles for Our Heroes Returns June 15
When Navy Vietnam War Veteran Albert Grazevich received free dentures at Zufall Health, he regained the confidence to smile freely around his friends. Grazevich had lost several teeth—the restoration of which would have cost him thousands of dollars out of pocket. Similarly, Army Veteran John Boardman was overjoyed when his chipped tooth was expertly bonded by Dr. Antonella Maietta without any financial burden. “He was so excited to show everyone his...
For AmeriCorps Member Kiara Isaza, Maternal Health Advocacy is a Year-Round Effort
Aspiring obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) Kiara Isaza is a Public Health AmeriCorps member in Zufall Health’s West Orange prenatal program. Recently, for Maternal Health Awareness Day (MHAD), Isaza and prenatal staff provided critical self-advocacy resources to pregnant patients—an experience she says she’ll be carrying with her to medical school and beyond. Like all teams at Zufall, the prenatal program works hard to bridge gaps in health care access and reduce disparities. Many patients...
Volunteer Spotlight: Howard Rappoport, DDS
Howard Rappoport, DDS, knew dentistry was his calling by the time he was eight years old. His family dentist, Dr. Eisenberg, made the career look like a wonderful way to work with and help people. Besides, it was an interesting application of Rappoport’s artistic inclination that included a love for drawing and model making. Little did he know that this childhood aspiration would one day lead him to a fulfilling...
Universal Developmental Screenings Will Put Kids on Track for Healthier Futures
With 11,000 pediatric patients under its care annually, Zufall Health is dedicated to the healthy development of all children, regardless of their circumstances. To that end, the health center is preparing to add a standardized approach to childhood development in its Dover and West Orange locations. What Are Developmental Delays? In the U.S., one in six children experiences developmental delays in their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Relative to their peers,...
Navigating New Beginnings: Compassionate, Comprehensive Care for Refugee Patients
In the busy halls of Zufall Health – Plainsboro, a diverse array of patients receives health care services. Among them is Hassan*, a father of four and refugee from Afghanistan. Since his first visit to the health center in September 2023, Hassan has been addressing a number of health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and hypertension, under the care of nurse practitioner Nancy Patel, DNP, FNP-BC, and colleagues....