Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which in the Christian faith is the 46-day preparation leading to Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday is observed by marking one's forehead with the ashes from last year's Palm Sunday palms as an outward sign of our need for God.

This year we will observe Ash Wednesday during several worship services and throughout the hospital Feb. 22.

Worship in Saint Luke's Chapel:

• 7:30 a.m. - 20-minute service with Imposition of Ashes
• 11 a.m. - Ash Wednesday Liturgy with Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes (Episcopal Rite - all are welcome)
• 3:30 p.m. - Roman Catholic Mass with Imposition of Ashes

Imposition of Ashes

In addition to worship services, Imposition of Ashes will also occur at the following locations:

• Peet Center Lobby (near Coffee Corner),  8:30 - 9 a.m.
• Medical Plaza I Lobby, 9:45 - 10:15 a.m.
• Chapel, 1:15 - 2 p.m.
• Gift Shop Lobby (Heart Institute), 2:30 - 3 p.m.
• East 7 (near blue elevators), 3:30 - 4 p.m.

Chaplains are available to visit patients and staff upon request. Please feel free to call them at ext. 22180.   

The Hartford is now processing all leave requests except for bereavement leave.

Employees across SLHS can call one toll-free number to request a leave of absence or short-term disability (if they are enrolled in this benefit), or to report hours missed from work due to a leave. The-toll free number is 1-888-651-0393 and representatives from The Hartford are available Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. We encourage employees to call 30 days in advance of the leave if the absence is foreseeable.

A leave request should be submitted when a leave is expected due to:

• A serious health condition of the employee
• Injury
• Birth
• Adoption of a child or foster care placement
• Qualifying military deployment
• Illness of an immediate family member

Human Resources will continue to work directly with employees to facilitate return-to-work options. With this new process, employees continue to notify their manager regarding their leave requests. Employees should also present return-to-work notices to Human Resources before they are able to return to their current job.

Questions: Please contact your Human Resources Department for more information. A list of frequently asked questions is posted on the Single Source Sharepoint webpage.

Metabolic syndrome

If you have metabolic syndrome, you have an increased risk for heart disease. The syndrome isn't a disease itself but a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and other disorders, such as diabetes. 

One risk factor alone increases your chance of developing heart disease - having a group of them boosts your risk more. This is true even though some of the factors in metabolic syndrome may be at levels below those for full-fledged heart disease risk factors. In fact, research indicates that having metabolic syndrome can raise your chance of developing heart disease and diabetes even if your LDL cholesterol isn't elevated.

If you have three or more of the following factors, you have metabolic syndrome: 

• Large waist measurement: 35 inches or more for women, 40 inches or more for men (this is also one of the measurements that determine if you need to lose weight)
• Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher
• HDL cholesterol of less than 50 mg/dL in women, less than 40 mg/dL in men
• Blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher (either number counts as a raised blood pressure)
• Fasting blood sugar of 100 mg/dL or higher

Please discuss any concerns you have regarding your health with your cardiologist. 

Several Saint Luke's employees traveled to Mali, West Africa with Medical Missions Foundation. They performed surgical and clinical care and conducted hygiene education in the schools.

Dr. Neblcok and Dr. Heath work with other volunteers on a patient in rustic conditions.

Join the program voted best weight-loss diet, best commercial diet plan, and easiest diet to follow by U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets 2012 report.

Enjoy the convenience of the at work meetings or attend one in your community. The monthly pass allows you to attend any meeting and gives you the added control with the online tracking tools for $39.95 per month. If you don't want to attend the meetings you can purchase the eTools online tracking system for only $17.95. Sign up now! Go to the Weight Watchers portal to register and pay. Click here for login instructions. 

• Employee Portal URL: https://wellness.weightwatchers.com
• Company ID: 23615
• Company Passcode: WW23615 

At work meetings

  We must have 15 registrations to start our meetings. 

• Weigh in time: 11:30 a.m. - noon
• Class time - noon - 12:30 p.m. 
• Location - open area in former cafeteria (by windows)

For more information contact: Marianne Goulding at mgoulding@saint-lukes.org or call 816-932-3799. 

It's not too early to begin thinking of your nominee for 2012 Volunteer of the Year, who is selected to represent and honor all volunteers.

The Volunteer of the Year program recognizes volunteers who excel in supporting SLH's core values: Quality/Excellence, Stewardship, Customer Focus, Teamwork, and Learning/Innovation.

Nominations come from volunteers, co-workers, and hospital staff. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 29 and results will be announced at the Annual Volunteer Luncheon April 12.

A SLHS Human Resources committee chaired by Dawn Murphy, SLHS vice president of Human Resources, makes the selection. Please turn in your nomination form to the Volunteer Office by Feb. 29.