Mahoning Valley Hospital’s loss would hurt area

Mahoning Valley Hospital’s loss would hurt area

EDITOR:

It was very disheartening to hear that the Mahoning Valley Hospital may have to close due to the relocation of Select Specialty to the Boardman campus of St. Elizabeth Hospital. Although both have been able to co-exist up until now, current news stories make it apparent that the move of this billion-dollar company to Boardman could cause the demise of the locally-owned Mahoning Valley Hospital.

What a loss this will be to our community. My family experienced firsthand the competence and compassion of the staff through the excellent care given to our father when he was a patient at the MVH. Being that it was a smaller hospital, we met and even got to know the CEO, Mike Senchak, who would frequently come to check on my dad’s progress, to make sure the staff was providing the necessary services, and to see if he was getting the medical care he needed. Mr. Senchak’s staff was hardworking and really cared about our father being restored to health. Everyone, including the nurses, aides, therapists, dietitians, cooks, TV repairman, and even the security guard knew his name and came in daily to check on his progress and encourage him to stay positive during his up-and-down journey to getting well. After six weeks, we felt like they were friends who really cared about our dad. Upon his discharge, they all came to say good-bye and wished him well. They who were a part of his recovery shared our happiness.

Our decision to have our dad treated at Mahoning Valley Hospital was a good one. My hope is that Mr. Senchak will find a way to keep his hospital open. We can’t afford to lose it or the wonderful staff that works there.

PHYLLIS MESSURI
and the D’Apolito family

Canfield

Americans get worked up about all the wrong things

EDITOR:

What is wrong with us American people? We don’t have to look further than the brouhaha over steroid use in baseball. Talk about a tempest in a teapot. This trivial pursuit by the public about nothing is indicative of why things are the way they are.

While the public is obsessed with this sports story, the real scandal is the misuse of power by the executive branch of our government.

Until we get mad and ask for a real accounting of what is wrong with the George Bush administration, they will keep stealing our tax money for their own use. They will keep torturing people in our name. They will keep treating our Constitution as nothing but “just a piece of paper.”

Call our congressman and senators and tell them we want real hearings. We want people subpoenaed and charged with contempt if they don’t testify. We want real answers, not evasion by convenient bad memory. We want the House and Senate to use the powers they were given by our Constitution.

Call this paper and all media. Tell them you want real news and not trivia. The media is part of the problem. They have given up their responsibility to inform and motivate the public.

The legislative and judicial branches of government, along with the news media, are not holding up their end. When only one branch of governemt is active, then our government does not work.

PAUL SHANABARGER

New Springfield