Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy helps heal wounds Speare's Pulmonary Rehab Program

Learn more about Speare Memorial Hospital's Pulmonary Rehab from a patient with COPD, who has successfully completed the program and is more active than ever.

Speare's Pulmonary Rehab Program

Learn more about Speare Memorial Hospital's Pulmonary Rehab from a patient with COPD, who has successfully completed the program and is more active than ever.

The new way to buy glasses

Glasses are your most important accessory. But, when you're shopping and can't see yourself in the mirror without your prescription lenses to see how you look in your new frames, it can be more than a little frustrating. Check out how White Mountain Eye Care and Optical can help you find the look you'll love to wear every day.

Something to Smile About 

The Speare Golf Classic held on June 9^th to raise funds for the Dental Health Program, brought to mind the Mark Twain quote, “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” Fortunately, the 50-degree temperatures and 30-mile-an-hour winds were met with sunny skies and proved to be no deterrent to the 45 golf teams that hit the links at Owl’s Nest Resort & Golf Club in Campton. Their resilience paid off, helping to raise $31,200 for the Dental Health Program surpassing all previous fundraising records over the 18-year history of this event.

Health Care from the Heart #MyHospital

#HospitalWeek - We at Speare Memorial Hospital are invested in caring and providing health care from the heart all day, every day. We recognize and appreciate the dedication of our physicians, nurses, therapists, engineers, food service workers, volunteers, administrators and so many more who work at Speare to make it great 365 days a year.

Join us in thanking the many Speare employees who give their all and are committed to supporting the health and well-being of our community members in and around central New Hampshire.

#DressinBlueDay

One in 20 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer. Colon cancer typically has no symptoms until it has already progressed to later stages making it much more difficult to treat. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and affects men and women equally. Those are some scary statistic and just a few of the reasons why Speare Memorial Hospital employees wore blue on Friday, March 4, 2016, the Colon Cancer Alliance’s National Dress in Blue Day, commemorating March as Colon Cancer Awareness Month and to help raise awareness of colon cancer, a disease that can be prevented through screening.

Double the Love

Four years ago when Rebecca “Becky” and John Zumbach—both teachers in Gilford—moved to Ashland to be more centrally located between work and the mountains where they first met, the task of finding new doctors was simply part of their relocation process. A friend recommended Dr. Banister, at Plymouth OB/GYN, to Becky and having also heard great things about Speare Memorial Hospital, she established herself as a patient.

Two years later, the Zumbachs experienced the full continuum of care at Speare— from office visits to delivery room—when they welcomed their first child, Louis.

A year and half later, Becky was pregnant again . . . this time it was twins.

Building Better Hearts

Building Better Hearts was the established goal of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, or Cardiac Rehab, when it was introduced as a new service at Speare Memorial Hospital on October 24, 2005. Opened as part of the hospital’s then recent renovation and expansion, the Cardiac Rehab program was developed in response to a community health need. Today, Cardiac Rehab at Speare is celebrating its 10th anniversary with nearly 500 graduates of the program.

Harry George, Wentworth:  Valve Replacement Cardiac Rehab Graduate 2015

The first day Harry George came to Cardiac Rehab for his initial assessment, he was in a wheel chair. Nearly a year after open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve due to a bacterial infection, Harry was dancing down the hospital hall thanks to Speare's Cardiac Rehab program.

MaryAnn Adams, Holderness: Heart Attack and Bypass Surgery – Cardiac Rehab Graduate: 2010 and 2014

MaryAnn’s story starts in March 2010 when she had a heart attack, was brought to Speare’s Emergency Department, and air lifted to Catholic Medical Center (CMC). After her hospitalization, she was referred to Speare’s Cardiac Rehab Program. Being a retired nurse who had an active lifestyle, MaryAnn appreciated the monitored exercise program and learned a few tips from the nutritional counseling.

Charlie Sniffen, Holderness: Bypass and Valve Replacement – 2012 Cardiac Rehab Graduate

Charlie admits he was doing all the wrong things. His primary care doctor, Dr. Young, kept worrying about him and telling him he should be doing 10 thousand steps a day. Charlie says, “I didn’t listen.” While he hadn’t had a heart attack, Charlie says, “I was in really bad shape. I couldn’t walk very far without having to stop and catch my breath. Traveling for work I always used to look for the moving walkways in airports as I was so out of breath. ”

William Green, Campton: Heart Attack - 2005 Cardiac Rehab Graduate

William Green has the honor of being the first graduate of Speare’s Cardiac Rehab program. Before his heart attack William says, “I was not an exercise person in any way, shape or form.” A decade later he remains a changed man, continuing to exercise at RehabFIT at least three days a week.

National Hospital Week

Speare Memorial Hospital employees celebrate National Hospital  Week and show us why Speare is #MyHospital.

Speare Memorial Hospital: Meet the McLane Family

Rachael and Micah McLane could have been anywhere in the world when it came time to welcome their son, but they chose the Birthing Suite at Speare Memorial Hospital and the providers at Plymouth OB/GYN.

A Speare Success Story: Jack Sheffield

Hiking, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, landscaping, boating, cutting/splitting/stacking firewood or walking his dog, Piper. This is John “Jack” Sheffield’s New Hampshire lifestyle and one he and his wife, Sally, fully embrace. About four years ago Jack started to notice he needed to stop and catch his breath when hiking or skiing. At the recommendation of his doctor, he followed up with a pulmonologist and was diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder).

Then a couple of years ago Jack suffered a collapsed lung. X-rays revealed he had spots on his lungs. While closely monitored, in November 2013 Jack had to have a lobectomy, removing the lobe in his upper right lung and diminishing his lung capacity by 20 percent.

This is his success story…

Speare Memorial & the New England Heart Institute: Peggy Brown

Last December, Peggy couldn’t breathe, let alone sew. After coming to the Emergency Room at Speare she was transported to the New England Heart & Vascular Institute at CMC in Manchester where she underwent a six-way bypass. Coming back to Speare, she had follow-up visits with here cardiologists right here at Speare and completed cardiac rehab. She credits having access to specialty care and programs in her own backyard as the key to her successful recovery.

Dr. James Koren, Jr. 

A practicing surgeon since 2001, and board certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Koren brings experience in advanced laparoscopic procedures including complicated hernias, colon resections, stomach ulcers and a procedure for heartburn/reflux. He received his doctorate from The Ohio State University and completed his surgical residency at Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Youngstown, followed by a fellowship at Saint Peter´s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Karl Brucker: A Success Story

16-year-old Karl Brucker was 12 feet in the air when his foot slipped off the pedal of his BMX bike. With a torn ACL and significant damage to his medial meniscus, Karl was worried he wouldn't be able to get back to doing the physical activities he loves. Plymouth Orthopedics and Sports Medicine helped Karl get back on his feet and he's looking forward to a fresh new start back on the slopes, the bike track, and the basketball court.

Christine Gleason: A Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center Success Story

Christine Gleason of Thornton was simply walking barefoot across the pine floors of her log home. She cut her right heel. Not thinking much of it, she cleaned it up, put a bandage on it, and went about her day. A couple of days later, she noticed a red line moving up her leg from the cut on her heel. Nine years, and several treatments, later, Christine is still dealing with that cut on her heel. But thanks to Speare's new Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, Christine finally has hope that her chronic wound will finally heal once and for all.

Sharon Smith: A Success Story

Sharon Smith of Plymouth first met Dr. Giovan after her 91-year-old mother fractured her shoulder. She distinctly recalls his interactions with her, and how well Dr. Giovan calmed her mother's fear and anxiety, even commenting they shared the same birthday.

Sharon next met Dr. Giovan following her own injury.

Jerica Turgeon: A Plymouth Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Success Story

For Jerica Turgeon of Thornton, and her horse, Tiffany, everything was going great. They were in the middle of the second round of competition at a horse show in Freemont, NH. Having just cleared a jump along the outside line of the ring and they were rounding the corner headed for the next jump. That’s when Tiffany got spooked. Tiffany went right; Jerica went left and says, “The next thing I knew I was skating across the ring like I was water skiing.”