Thursday, June 10, 2010

Telemedicine Service for Stroke Survivors Pushed

There is help for Northwestern Ontario's stroke patients.

Dr. Esme French of Thunder Bay has completed a 5-month pilot project involving telemedicine consultations with stroke survivors.

She's now hoping to provide the service to remote communities that don't have stroke rehabilitation programs.

"We're currently exploring potential ways to continue this project," says Dr. French. "People living with stroke in a community that doesn't have rehab we ask that if they can talk a health professional who would be able to contact the stroke network to look at seeing if we are able to provide that service."

French says stroke survivors and their families have a lot of questions after being discharged from hospital and telemedicine can help answer them.

Health and Safety Fair Today

Services Canada's Centre for Youth in Fort Frances wants to help keep young people safe this summer.

Youth Services officer Dayna DeBenedet says several safety messages will be taken directly to students today at a health and safety information fair at Fort Frances High School.

"We're having booths from all sorts of local organizations," says DeBenedet, "set up to let youth know about all sorts of health and safety information ranging from workplace health safety to even things like bear safety, boating safety and sun safety."

The fair runs begins at 8:30 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m.

Don't Touch that E-Mail!


A Fort Frances woman is advising the public not to open or respond to e-mails they may receive from her.

E-mails from Nancy Daley-Fulton's account began arriving on some computers yesterday, claiming she's in England and needs financial help to get home.

Speaking safely from her Fort Frances home, Daley-Fulton says both her e-mail and her Facebook accounts were compromised.

"Please do not open any e-mail from me," says Daley-Fulton, "that says be discreet. I'm trying to get it fix. I've been in contact with the authorities and the banks that I deal with so they can do the necessary precautions in case there was any information in those files."

Daley-Fulton was alerted to the e-mail after it started showing up on her friends and associates computers early yesterday morning.

Forest Fires Hazard Low

Rain continues to be a friend to Ministry of Natural Resources fire fighters.

Just one new forest fire was reported yesterday in the West Fire Region - a small grass fire north of the community of Perrault Falls.

Recent wet weather has pushed the forest fire hazard across the region down to low.

Meantime three lightning caused fires continue to burn in Quetico Provincial Park and are being monitored by the MNR.

Be Aware of Animals on Road


OPP are encouraging motorists to be on the watch for animals on the highways - especially if your travelling to Thunder Bay.

Constable Diane Cole says since May 1 there have been almost 40 collisions in the Thunder Bay involving moose, bears and deer.

Cole adds the deer are very unpredictable so be vigilant and keep an eye out for them in nearby ditches.