Mercy Health committed to residents of the Valley

Mercy Health committed to residents of the Valley

I read with interest the letter “Lobby Cleveland Clinic, others for Valley presence” in the Dec. 4 edition of your newspaper. I was pleased to see a member of our community express such passion about the health care landscape of our region.

The point Mr. Knafels makes is an important one: the people in the Mahoning Valley deserve access to the highest quality, sustainable health care, right here at home. And we’re grateful that he recognized the investment Mercy Health – Youngstown continues to make to deliver it to our community. We’re all fortunate to have the opportunity to take advantage of exceptional physicians and clinical staff, nationally recognized services, the highest level of trauma care and some of the most state-of-the-art healthcare technologies without having to leave the Valley. Continuing to elevate the breadth and quality of these resources is something in which we should all be invested.

The instability Mr. Knafels described is an unfortunate reality of the current transformative climate in health care. As we anticipate the changes that will undoubtedly come with a new presidential administration, we expect the healthcare evolution to continue. As it does, Mercy Health will maintain the tradition our St. Elizabeth Youngstown, St. Elizabeth Boardman, and St. Joseph Warren hospitals have upheld for more than 100 years: improving the health of our communities through high-quality, affordable, compassionate health care for everyone who calls the Mahoning Valley home.

I urge our community leaders, health care professionals, media, and citizens to continue this dialogue as we prepare to embark on 2017. You have my assurance that Mercy Health – Youngstown will remain deeply committed to and fiercely protective of access to the healthcare services our communities deserve.

Donald Kline, Youngstown

Donald Kline is president and chief executive officer of Mercy Health – Youngstown .

Let’s cure Alzheimer’s

Regardless of gen- der, race, age, or political party, 82 percent of voters nationwide are concerned about Alzheimer’s disease (according to a nationwide survey by the Alzheimer’s Association.) That’s not surprising when 73 million American voters know someone with Alzheimer’s. For me, it was my mother and my sister.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in Ohio and the U.S., and the only one in the top 10 with no method of prevention, treatment, or cure.

I want to thank Congressman Tim Ryan for his continued support of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, their caregivers and loved ones, and his vote in favor of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act (HR 6), which passed the House of Representatives and has gone to the Senate.

21st Century Cures would accelerate the discovery, development and delivery of new treatments and cures for many diseases. It would increase funding at the National Institutes of Health for innovative approaches to addressing complex diseases. And it would streamline the regulatory process to ensure that treatments can be available to patients as soon as possible.

Alzheimer’s disease has touched too many families already. I hope caregivers and other supporters affected by Alzheimer’s disease will join me in asking Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman to pass the 21st Century Cures Act before this session of Congress comes to an end.

Joe Fleming, Poland