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With cooler air and changing leaves, Pennsylvania is waiting to be explored. Hike to a waterfall, jump in a kayak or cast a line into one of the beautiful waterways right in your own backyard. In this edition of PA Health, you’ll find suggestions on where to go, what to do and how to stay safe as you enjoy the great outdoors.

For many Pennsylvanians, hunting is the best way to celebrate the fall. If you or someone you know brings home a deer this hunting season, our recipe for venison smothered in mushroom sauce will give you a savory way to enjoy it.

Also in this edition, we share two stories of recovery and survival. Frank Ditaranto of Winfield underwent 19 hours of surgery to remove a rare spinal tumor, all aided by a 3D model of the tumor. And of course, during the recent months of responding to the pandemic, COVID-19 forced many to delay planned medical care. But surgery and other services for life-threatening or urgent conditions continued at Geisinger.

David Chapple of West Pittston had emergency surgery for an abdominal issue — and learned he also had COVID-19. The expertise of his surgeon and surgery team are all the more impressive when you consider the precautionary steps taken to protect the medical team from the spread of the virus.

One of the good things to come out of this crisis has been the increased use of technology to access care and maintain health. Telemedicine (visiting your doctor by video on the computer or by phone) is here to stay. It’s another way to make better health an easier and more accessible choice for all of us.

As always, I thank you for being one of our readers. If you’ve read our paper magazine, here you can check out more of what PA Health has to offer, including additional stories, recipes and health and wellness tips.

Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and safe fall,

Jaewon Ryu, MD, JD
President and Chief Executive Officer, Geisinger

Beautiful creek surrounded by changing autumn leaves.
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