Could you jump into a pool to save someone’s life? In the deep end? What if it was your child? That’s a scary thought but it’s a nightmare I lived through when my daughter was five years old. Had both of us not learned how to swim at the YMCA, she might not be alive today. 

It was clear from a young age McKinley was a fish. She took swim lessons at the YMCA when she was two years old and loved it. It’s so important to get your kids in the water early so they develop critical skills that’ll last a lifetime.
That was never more evident than the day she got stuck in a neighborhood pool. She was maneuvering her body to try and free herself, but she was trapped. There was no lifeguard on duty, so I jumped in and pulled my daughter out. She wasn’t breathing, so I administered CPR and was able to revive her before taking her to Baptist Medical Center, where Dr. Neeraj Neval, Neocritical Care ICU Medical Director took over.

I remember sitting in the emergency department, soaking wet, wondering what would happen next. I knew my daughter would survive, but would she be afraid of the water for the rest of her life? I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

About a month later, our neighbors asked us if we wanted to go the Williams Family YMCA to watch their kids take swim lessons. I immediately tensed up. I remember thinking the only way my daughter was going to be around a pool again was if we sold our house and bought one with a pool so we could constantly keep an eye on her. Reluctantly, I agreed to go with our neighbors and McKinley came too. 

I’ll never forget that car ride. She initially stared quietly out the window but then spoke up. 

“Do I have to get in the water?” she asked. 
“No, of course not,” I replied.
A few minutes passed.
“If I just want to put my feet in, can I?” she said. 
“Yes, if you want,” I answered.

We eventually got to the pool and after watching her friends go through their class, McKinley stood up and said, “I’m ready.” 

When she jumped in, I immediately started crying and thanking God for seeing us through this.
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My brave little girl, who I had to bring back to life just a month prior, fearlessly got back in the water and started swimming like nothing had happened.

​Jill is an architect of and for life. She has a unique way of listening, perceiving, and producing quality perspectives that make one think, move, know, and grow. She has been in practice of self-development for 15 years which has affected her personal and professional life to be able to bring you Continuum Life Coaching, LLC. She is an objective creator and has an uncanny way to get to the heart of the matter, seamlessly, all while painting a picture of opportunity that includes an objective view that is universal and inclusive of each subject. She has a natural and deep perceptive way of listening that makes one comfortable, at ease, and open to move to grow. Her natural ability to bring out the best in each one is truly a gift to experience.

"I am a Life Artist who coaches, constructs, and coordinates, the colors of our lives to produce a vision and view that reflects the internal hue.  As a result I produce the coordinated effect upon the white canvas to overcome the ultimate fear, the fear of the unknown called, "The Art of Transformation", which consistently and confidently connects us to the "Continuum" of life."

by Katie Nussbaum, Wolfson Children's Hospital

​"For a long time, we have been able to close these vessels in older and bigger infants and children because the devices used to close them are of a certain size, but they're too big for the premature babies," said Dr. English, who performed Jaden's procedure. "This tiny device is the first technology that allows us to close a PDA in premature infants."

Dr. English is specially trained to implant this technology in babies weighing as little as two pounds through a cardiac catheterization procedure in which the wire mesh device is guided through the vessels to close the opening.

A non-surgical option for premature infants

Previously, the only other option to close a PDA in infants was surgery.

"Heart surgery is more invasive and involves an incision between the ribs," said Dr. English. "The children usually recover well following the surgical procedure, but there are some risks associated so we prefer a non-surgical procedure to close the PDA when possible."

The smallest child to date to have a PDA closed at Wolfson Children's, Jaden was less than five pounds at the time of the procedure. Stewart said she noticed a positive change in Jaden just hours after the procedure was completed.
"Almost immediately, you could see a difference just with his oxygen support levels," she said.

Within a couple of days, Jaden was taken off the ventilator and put on low-flow oxygen support.

In late August, Jaden was removed from all oxygen support, breathing on his own and ready to join his dad Justin and sisters, Jordan, 12, and Riley, 10, at home.

"He's doing a lot better with his breathing and he's even starting to bottle feed now," Stewart said. "He is definitely pacing himself as far as being able to breathe and swallow at the same time, but the procedure turned things around."

Stewart said Jaden is growing stronger each day and hitting milestones a lot quicker than before.

"He's on his way to being healthy and being able to really function without as much support as he needed before," she said.
 
The pediatric cardiology, imaging, cardiac intensive care, cardiac anesthesiology and heart surgery teams with Wolfson Children's C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute treat a full range of pediatric cardiac conditions, from defects present at birth to heart rhythm disorders. To learn more, call 904.202.8550 or visit wolfsonchildrens.com/heart

​How did you have the idea to open 
Modern Aesthetic Centers in St. Johns?

Born and raised in the greater Jacksonville community, we started to notice a growth in the medical spa business over the last few years. With our backgrounds in the aesthetics and wellness industry, Paul and I wanted to bring something significant to the table and open our first center in the Saint Johns community. We know that we have to look at our clients as a whole, not just offer treatments to enhance their look. We have a growing service list for wellness offering to address the internal health of our clients and their overall wellbeing.  

When did you open your business? 

We opened Modern Aesthetic Centers in November of this year, 2022.

What are some of the unique 
services you provide?

We offer a few unique services that sets us apart from a traditional medical spa. One of those services is hormone replacement therapy, which consists of running a full lab panel and assessing if a client is a good candidate for hormone replacement. If so, we prescribe hormones to put them back in balance, which significantly changes their lives. It treats hot flashes, increases energy levels, increases libido and treats mood swings, just to name a few.

Another unique service we offer is skin rejuvenation with the addition of PRF and exosomes. These are cutting edge offering which dramatically increase collagen and elastin, resulting in visible reduction of wrinkles, age spots, skin brightness and firmness immediately and continuously as over time.

Bartram Dental Center, BDC, has been in business since 2005, and its focus has always remained on positivity, compassion, teamwork, and family with the goal of providing patients with quality care and treatment. The doctors, Dr. Jason Lewis and Dr. Royce Barlow live and work in St. Johns along with their families.

As they designed their new office, providing a premier patient experience was always their intention. From the inviting lobby, the offer of a blanket, a warm hand towel, or a fresh baked cookie, they want patients to truly enjoy their time. Customer service is a lost art in the medical profession, and they are passionate about providing it for their patient family.

BDC made an investment to become a “Complete Health” dental practice and continue to receive training to enhance the level of care and connection to the medical community of their patients. For patients this means they are focused on helping them maintain their very best “complete health” –not just ideal “dental health”.

BDC is also home to Bartram Dental Assisting School (BDAS). Classes are held in the dedicated classroom space on Saturdays 8 AM – 5 PM and is available for community use during the week. Educating students on the importance of caring for patients, professionalism, chairside technique, and enabling them for success is something they are proud to contribute to the dental community.

​Pediatric Associates has proudly established a reputation for providing convenient, compassionate, high-quality care to the children of Duval County in their Main Street and Town Center locations. In April 2021, the practice expanded to St. John’s County with a new, state-of-the-art location in the Bartram Market Shopping Center. In addition to brand new amenities, the office also includes on-site laboratory services – ideal for parents’ busy schedules!

Our team of clinicians is dedicated to providing LOVING CARE to its patients and their families. Both Dr. Giselle Habet and Lyn Yarbrough, PA-C relocated from the Town Center location to develop and cultivate this Bartram Park location. As St. Johns residents, they are committed to making our neighborhood a healthier, safer place. Dr. Habet received her medical degree from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad & Tobago before completing her residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lyn Yarbrough received a Master’s degree in the physician assistant program at Barry University, also in Miami. 

At Pediatric Associates Bartram Park, we’ll turn your child’s boo-boos into giggles! Our office is open on Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and also Saturday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. for sick visits only. Visit www.pediatricassociates.com to learn more!

​Paige Hamilton is the Director of Community Integrated Health Programs at the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. Paige spearheads Healthy Living programming for the YMCA across Northeast Florida to improve individual and community well-being. The YMCA believes health and fitness are vital components of individual well-being and has developed programs to meet the needs of every individual at any age or skill level. The Healthy Living team has recently rolled out new programs including VirtuWell coaching, new personal training and nutrition packages, and Monday “Mini-Series” where the community can tune-in via Zoom on Monday nights to learn more about timely topics related to health and wellness. 

Paige is passionate about helping others make positive and healthy lifestyle changes. She believes the key towards making these changes is to meet people where they are on their health journey. As part of the Healthy Living Team, Paige is trained to facilitate several of the Y’s prominent programs including the YMCA’s Weight Loss Program, Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program, and Diabetes Prevention Program.

To learn more about the Healthy Living Team’s programs, visit https://fcymca.org/programs/healthy-living/

Awetism Wonderland is an autism therapy center created by Dr. Stephanie Vavilala, Ed.D., LMHC, BCBA, RPT-S. Dr. Vavilala struggled with infertility and after much struggle, conceived her daughter, Sabita. Her pregnancy with Sabita was normal and Dr. Vavilala and her husband, Raj, were head over heels in love with their miracle baby. All seemed to be going well until she was around two years old, when they noticed she wasn’t developing the same way other kids her age were.

Officially, when Sabita was two she was diagnosed with autism. Sabita is also non-verbal and uses an ipad communication program to talk. Dr. Vavilala wanted to do everything in her power to help Sabita and others like her to succeed and flourish, wherever they were in their journey.

Awetism Wonderland was born out of the need for Sabita and other children like her to receive all of their therapies under one roof. Awetism Wonderland was named after the concept of discovering the awe and wonder of autism instead of looking at it as a bad thing. It’s a way of seeing the world differently. While Awetism Wonderland offers traditional autism therapies like ABA, PT/OT/ST, and Anat Banial Therapy, they also provide therapies that give children the ability to explore their world, such as dance, music, art, and recreational therapies. They also offer a functional academic program that fosters a non-traditional learning environment so kids with autism can learn what is functional, at their pace, the way they learn best. 

Glenos and Hadgis Orthodontics PLLC
​Dr. Jimmy Glenos and Dr. Craig Hadgis


(904) 79.SMILE (797.6453)
St Johns Medical Park Dr  - US-1, St. Augustine AND
111 Doctors Village Dr - Ste 400  - Race Track Rd, St. Johns
www.smilesbyGHortho.com

A gorgeous new smile has the ability to give you confidence and to smile more openly with others. Really, it’s more than just a simple orthodontic procedure – a new smile can transform your life. Dr. Jimmy Glenos and Dr. Craig Hadgis specialize in these transformations. Together with their team they share a common mission to change people’s lives by enhancing their smiles and bites, and they accomplish this using state-of-the-art technology and services, like impressionless 3D scanning, Invisalign clear aligners, Damon braces, Insignia custom braces, and low-dose 3D x-ray. These technologies enhance precision results and overall patient comfort.

Backed by friendly, gentle, highly-trained and certified team members, Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis enjoy personally explaining all treatment options to every patient and providing ideal customized treatment for any orthodontic needs at any age. The path to a beautiful smile often starts early. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children see an orthodontist by the age of 7. “If you want a beautiful smile for yourself or your children or need an improvement in your bite, we are to explain all the options and offer the most enjoyable experience in a cost-effective manner,” says Dr. Glenos. “There is no charge for a new patient exam nor for having your children enter our dental growth and development program for periodic checkups. This will often allow us to catch a problem early or prevent it from worsening which almost always saves orthodontic time and expense later.”
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With Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis’ partnership, patients are under the expert care of two highly-trained specialists. Both Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis became orthodontic specialists after finishing two years of their competitive residency programs and completing four years of dental school to earn DMD and DDS degrees. Additionally, Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis are both certified by the American Board of Orthodontists (ABO), a distinction earned by less than 30% of orthodontists. Dr. Hadgis is currently serving as President of the St Augustine Dental Society. A tribute to their passion for their work, Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis have been able to help many thousands of local residents so far. “Our passion is helping patients achieve their desires when it comes to transforming smiles,” says Dr. Hadgis, “which in turn changes lives.”