Quick Search

Beginning April 12, Forsyth Medical Center's Sara Lee Center for Women's Health will launch a Spanish-language radio program on Que Pasa Radio (WWBG 1470AM and WTOB 1380AM). The show, called "Vida Sana" which means "Healthy Life," will air every other Monday from 9:30-10:00 a.m. and will cover a range of women's and childrens health topics, including pregnancy and birth, parenting, nutrition, wellness, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases, breast cancer and heart disease.

The Sara Lee Center decided to launch the program in conjunction with Que Pasa radio, because of an increase in the Hispanic population and the growing need for basic health information in Spanish. According to US Census Bureau figures for the year 2000, Forsyth County has the fourth-highest Hispanic population in North Carolina, behind Mecklenburg, Wake and Cumberland counties. About one third of this population are women of childbearing age. In fact, a survey of births at the Sara Lee Center shows a steady increase in births to Hispanic women over the past four years. Of the more than 6,500 babies born at the Sara Lee Center every year, about 20 percent are born to Spanish-speaking mothers.

"This project is very close to my heart," said Sandra Kranzburg, a nurse at Forsyth Medical Center who will serve as the program's host. "So many people in our community don't speak English and don't know where to go to for basic health care. If we can help at least one person get the medical care she needs, we will have succeeded."

Kranzburg's family is from Puerto Rico and she grew up speaking Spanish. She has 13 years of experience in health care, as a nursing assistant and registered nurse, and she also volunteers her time to help Hispanic patients at the Community Care Clinic in Winston-Salem.

Que Pasa also publishes a Spanish-language newspaper, which reaches more than 68 percent of the Triad's Hispanic population. The newspaper distributes at least 20,000 copies to the Hispanic population every week.

The Sara Lee Center for Women's Health at Forsyth Medical Center is the second largest birthing center in North Carolina. It offers a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which has some of the highest success rates in the country in caring for high-risk, low birth weight babies, as well as a range of clinical and educational services for mothers and babies.

Forsyth Medical Center is one of seven hospitals that are part of Novant Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in North Carolina. In addition to Forsyth Medical Center, other hospital affiliates include Medical Park Hospital in Winston-Salem and Thomasville Medical Center in Thomasville; also Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital Matthews in the Charlotte area. Other facilities and programs of Novant Health include three philanthropic foundations, two nursing home and senior residential facilities, physician clinics, outpatient surgery and diagnostic centers, rehabilitation programs and community health outreach programs.

Novant Health has been nationally recognized as the "Best in Industry for Working Mothers" by Working Mother Magazine and one of the "Top 40 Family-Friendly NC Companies" by Charlotte Parent and Piedmont Parent magazines. Additionally, Novant Health was named to the 2002 SMG Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks in the country.