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Dear HealthFirst Community,
February is Heart Health Month, a time when health ‘influencers’, healthcare providers, and the media focus on blood pressure, cholesterol, and exercise. Those things matter deeply. But at HealthFirst, caring for hearts means something more expansive. It means showing up when our community needs us most. It means leading with our hearts.
This month offered a powerful example of what leading with one’s heart looks like. At our first-ever HealthFirst Blood Drive, more than 40 pints of blood were donated. This is a remarkable showing that touch more than 100 patients. In moments of need, blood on the shelf can be the difference between life and death. To everyone who rolled up a sleeve: thank you for turning compassion into action. Please look out for HealthFirst’s next Blood Drive later this year.
That same spirit of service extends far beyond our walls. We are incredibly proud of Family Nurse Practitioner Jim Hodson, who recently returned from a volunteer medical mission along the Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon. Jim’s work reminds us that while HealthFirst is rooted in the SouthCoast, our values travel wherever care is needed.
Closer to home, Heart Health Month is also a reminder that small, consistent choices add up to stronger futures. In this month’s Heartbeat of Healthcare, Dr. Uma Jaladi and I discuss practical steps every individual can take to protect their heart. Prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have.
Finally, I want to thank our community for the momentum behind the Little Voices, Big Feelings Annual Appeal. With more than $11,000 raised toward our $25,000 goal, we are making real progress toward expanding pediatric behavioral health services. Behind every dollar is a child who may be struggling quietly and a community member leading with their heart.
At HealthFirst, mission is not a slogan. It is visible in every donation, every volunteer effort, every clinical visit, and every act of care. Thank you for being part of this work and for helping us keep the heart of our community strong.
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February
is Heart Health Month
Give Blood. Save Lives.
At HealthFirst, our mission is simple but powerful: we care for the whole community, especially when it matters most. In February, we often talk about heart health, but caring for hearts goes beyond cholesterol numbers and blood pressure checks.
Sometimes, it’s as immediate and lifesaving as a single unit of blood.
Right now, the American Red Cross is facing a severe national blood shortage. Hospital requests for blood are outpacing donations, and the nation’s supply has dropped nearly 35% in just the past month.
At the very same time, hospitals are navigating one of the worst flu seasons in nearly 20 years. Illness, winter weather, and canceled blood drives have created a perfect storm of leaving shelves emptier and patients waiting longer for care. And when blood isn’t available, the consequences are real.
Doctors may be forced to triage who receives blood first.
Emergency rooms can run dangerously low during trauma situations.
Surgeries and treatments may be delayed.
For patients experiencing trauma, childbirth complications, cancer treatment, sickle cell crises, or emergency surgery, blood isn’t optional — it’s lifesaving. Seconds matter, and it’s the blood already on the shelf that makes the difference.
Winter has only added to the challenge:
• Nearly 400 blood drives were disrupted last month
• Thousands of potential donations lost
• Fewer healthy donors are able to give
That’s why communities like ours matter more than ever.
Living Our Mission
Every day at HealthFirst, we show up for our neighbors with compassion, dignity, and care. Donating blood is another powerful way we live that mission. Its a simple act that directly saves lives.
And you showed up.
When the Red Cross was onsite for our first-ever HealthFirst Blood Drive, more than 40 pints of blood were donated. That is an incredible achievement for a first-time drive. Because a single pint of blood can help up to three people, HealthFirst has potentially helped save or improve more than 100 lives.
That is mission in action.
If you were unable to donate at our drive, there is still time to make an impact. Visit RedCrossBlood.org to find a blood drive near you and schedule an appointment.
Caring for our community means caring for every heart and sometimes that starts with yours. Thank you to everyone who donated and to all who continue to support our mission of better health for our community.
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Expanding our Reach
This February, HealthFirst's own Jim Hodson, Family Nurse Practitioner at HealthFirst Family Care Center, returned from an extraordinary two-week volunteer mission to the Brazilian Amazon.
Hodson, who has served patients at Health First for the past decade, joined an international team of volunteers to provide much-needed medical care along the Rio Negro near Manaus. The mission was organized by Instituto de Missões Noroeste, a humanitarian outreach associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Living aboard a riverboat deep in the rainforest, Hodson served as chief medical officer, overseeing exams, triage, interpretation, and treatment for nearly 250 patients across several remote villages. He was joined by his colleague Nivea Gonçalves, five Brazilian medical students, a nurse, and more than 25 volunteers.
The team’s work went beyond clinical care. Volunteers engaged with local families through community projects and brought joy through music, preaching, vacation Bible school, face painting, and more.
During the mission, healthcare needs ranged widely, from treating tropical ulcers and infections to addressing lice, parasitic worms, rashes, and other conditions common in the region. “HealthFirst has many Brazilian patients,” Hodson shared, “and we hope word travels that our clinic cares for patients both in the United States and beyond its borders.”
This isn’t Hodson’s first international outreach trip, last year he participated in a similar mission to Ethiopia. Each volunteer mission trip highlights his deep commitment to service both at home and abroad.
Thank you Jim for your commitment to individuals here and abroad!
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Heart Health Month
February is Heart Health Month — a time to focus on the small, everyday choices that keep our hearts strong and our community healthy.
From staying active and eating well to managing stress and prioritizing preventive care, every step we take toward better heart health matters — because every healthy heartbeat makes a difference.
During this month’s episode of Heartbeat of Healthcare, HealthFirst CEO Dr. Lisa Jones is joined by HealthFirst’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Uma Jaladi, to talk about heart health, prevention, and simple ways we can all take charge of our wellness.
Let’s make February a month of awareness, action, and heart.
Learn more about Heart Health by visiting the "Heartbeat of Healthcare" page at Fall River Community Media .
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As HealthFirst’s Behavioral Health Director, Michaél Shaughnessy, oversees the day-to-day operations of the Behavioral Health Department, supervises clinicians, helps implement the TEAM UP model of care, and continues to provide direct patient services. His clinical focus includes LGBTQIA+ care, trauma-informed care, and HIV/AIDS support.
After moving to New Bedford during the pandemic, HealthFirst offered both a shorter commute and the opportunity to grow into a leadership role — the perfect next step following advanced training in community health center management.
A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Micheál has long been passionate about advocacy and inclusive care, beginning with leadership roles in college and continuing throughout their career. He also feels deeply connected to their Irish heritage, embracing cultural traditions, ancestral spiritual practices, and learning Gaelic.
Outside of work, Micheál is a self-proclaimed gamer and “nerd” who enjoys video games, anime, Dungeons & Dragons nights with friends, reading, theater trips, and time with his husband and two dogs. Fluent in Spanish and currently learning Japanese and Irish, they love exploring language and culture.
We’re grateful for the leadership, heart, and authenticity Micheál brings to HealthFirst every day.
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To view your child's MyChart information, you must first confirm proxy access.
What You Need To Do:
- Log in to your MyChart account using your own username and password
- Find the proxy access alert on your MyChart home screen
- Select "Review Access"
- Enter your child's date of birth
- Check the box to accept the Proxy Access Disclaimer
- Click "Confirm"
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Once confirmed, your will have access to your child's MyChart record.
| | Learn about the ways you can give and make a difference in the lives of our patients. | | |
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we have raised $11,567 toward our $25,000 goal for the Little Voices Big Feelings Annual Appeal. We are deeply grateful...but the need has never been greater.
Winter months can be especially difficult for children and teens. Shorter days and less sunlight often intensify feelings of anxiety and seasonal depression. At the same time, today’s youth face pressures many of us never experienced — the constant presence of social media, cyberbullying, academic stress, and the challenge of navigating friendships in an always-connected world.
Behind every quiet child may be big feelings they don’t yet have the words to express. That’s why Pediatric Behavioral Health services are so critical. Early intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s life. It can mean the difference between struggling in silence and receiving compassionate, professional support when it’s needed most.
Your gift to the Little Voices Big Feelings Annual Appeal will directly support the expansion of our Pediatric Behavioral Health program, allowing us to:
- Increase access to timely counseling and support services
- Expand staffing to meet growing demand
- Provide families with tools and resources to help their children thrive
- Ensure more children in our community receive care close to home
Every dollar brings us closer to our goal and closer to helping more children feel heard, supported, and understood.
If you haven’t yet given, we invite you to consider contributing today.
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Mark your calendar and join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating culture, community, and creativity at HealthFirst Fashion Fusion.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Doors Open at 5:00 PM | Fashion Show Begins at 5:30 PM
Experience a vibrant runway show featuring traditional and modern fashion from cultures represented throughout the Greater Fall River community. Following the show, enjoy tastings from local restaurants inspired by the cultures highlighted on the runway.
Fashion Fusion is a family-friendly event and a wonderful way to spend Mother’s Day weekend—celebrating diversity while supporting the important work of HealthFirst Family Care Center.
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HealthFirst Family Care Center
387 Quarry St.
Fall River, MA 02723
(508) 679-8111
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