May 22, 2017 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Thomas Hunt Brattan Jr. of West Grove

Thomas Hunt Brattan Jr. of West Grove, died after a long period of declining health on Thursday, May 18, a day after his 88th birthday. Tom was the son of Eugenia Furlong Brattan and Thomas Hunt Brattan.

He was the husband of Janet Marcelite McClure for 67 years, father of Thomas Hunt Brattan, III, Brooke Frances DeSales Mann and Todd Rice William Brattan. He was predeceased in death by his parents and brother, Joseph Yancy (Pete) and sister, Elizabeth “Betsy” Brattan Hobbs.

He was born in Baltimore, Md. on May 17, 1929. He grew up in Baltimore, attended McDonough School, played lacrosse, football and graduated with honors. He then attended Johns Hopkins University, graduating magna cum laude. He received a master’s of business administration degree from the University of Delaware in Newark.

He served in the National Guard during the involvement in Korea. His unit was based in Baltimore. He received an honorable discharge.

He was a longtime employee of the E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. He worked in Wilmington, where he held various senior posts in their International Finance Department. As the director of finance for DuPont in Europe, he worked in Geneva, Switzerland, Dusseldorf, Germany and Holland. He retired in 1990 after 40 years of service.

Tom had many and varied interests. He was an avid reader enjoying histories and biographies. Mr. Brattan and his wife traveled extensively around the world. They were one of the first American tourists to visit Red China. He was an avid sports fan following his eldest son’s football coaching career and his grandchildren’s sporting endeavors.

He is survived by his wife Janet Marcelite McClure (Brattan), his children, Thomas Hunt Brattan III, wife, Anne (Wisniewski) and their three children: Kristen Genevieve Brattan Bennie (Andrew), Kate Johanna Brattan Willis (Daniel), Megan Hunt Brattan Bliss (Jon) and great-granddaughter, Vivian Hunt Bliss, daughter, Brooke Frances DeSales Mann, son, Todd Rice William Brattan, wife, Carolyn (Dana) and their three children, Kyle Dana Brattan, Jacqueline Nicole Brattan and John Ryan Brattan.

His graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 26, at St. Mary Cemetery, 233 Homeland Avenue, Baltimore.

Family asks in lieu of flowers to make contributions to Johns Hopkins University or McDonogh School, Owings Mills, Md.

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com

Arrangements by the Foulk & Grieco Funeral Home, West Grove.

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Sucker puncher arrested

Police

•••Update: Baker no longer lives in Coatesville, according to the district attorney’s office.***

The person who sucker punched a man with cerebral palsy in West Chester has been arrested.

The Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the West Chester Police Department announced the arrest of Barry Baker for assault. The defendant saw a man with cerebral palsy walking into a convenience store, mocked the victim’s disability, then sucker punched the victim in the face, according to a press release from Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.

The entire incident was captured on video.

West Chester Police Chief Scott Bohn said, “The defendant’s actions are appalling. You wonder what would make an individual treat somebody like that.”

According to Hogan, “This defendant is a bully. Every decent citizen should be outraged by the defendant’s conduct. The victim is to be commended for keeping his cool and notifying the police.”

The defendant is 29 years old. He lives on Somerset Drive in Coatesville.

According to the press release, on May 10, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the defendant and his friends were at a 7-11 convenience store located at 200 South High Street, West Chester. The victim, a 22-year-old man with cerebral palsy, drove into the parking lot and parked his vehicle. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination.

The victim got out of his vehicle and entered the store. The defendant started making fun of the victim, mocking how the victim walked. When the victim came back out of the store, the defendant again mocked the victim, imitating how the victim moved. As the victim was standing in front of his vehicle, the defendant punched the victim directly in the face, without any warning. The defendant then fled around the corner of the store.

Baker has been charged with simple assault and related crimes. Bail was set at 10 percent of $25,000. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 30, 2017.

Anybody with information about the incident should contact the West Chester Police Department at 610-696-2600.

About Press Release

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May Fair tradition continues

School & Education

The annual May Fair at Chadds Ford Elementary School continued last week. It was the 69^th such fair at the school that began May 21, 1949.

“Without question,” school Principal Shawn Dutkiewicz told the crowd, “the reason it continues to be a part of our CFE culture is all of you. The Chadds Ford Elementary School family spans many generations and many of you return each year to participate and keep the tradition going.”

The first May Fair was a daylong affair that included a pet show, a May Procession, the Maypole Dance, a rodeo, a softball game, a community sing and a square dance. The Square dance closed the event at 11 p.m.

As has been the case for years, however, it’s now a student event with kids from each grade singing songs. Highlights include the Parachute Party and the Maypole Dance.

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Managing chronic medical conditions

Health

Primary-Care-2015 — Managing chronic medical conditions

If you have a cold or the flu, you go to the doctor to receive treatment. Once you’re over the sickness, you may not see the doctor again until your next physical or injury. This is called “acute care.” But if you have a chronic illness, you need to be continually vigilant about your condition to keep it stable, controlled, and manageable. For this reason, chronic illness management is an important strategy for the more than 117 million American adults who have one or more chronic health conditions.

“Chronic illness management prevents complications and disabilities through frequent monitoring. It helps to identify problems earlier,” says Ellah Nota, CRNP, a nurse practitioner specializing in chronic illness management at Crozer-Keystone Health System. “It improves the patient’s quality of life, decreases emergency room visits, and gives us the opportunity to collaborate with other disciplines and specialties when the patient needs it.”

What is a Chronic Illness?

A chronic illness is any disease or condition that persists for longer than three months, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, congestive heart failure, anxiety and depression. Simply treating the symptoms of these illnesses as they occur is not a long-term strategy that will help patients improve their quality of life.

The risk factors for some of the most common chronic illnesses – such as high blood pressure and obesity – are in part related to dietary and lifestyle factors. By changing the behaviors that increase the risk of developing these conditions, patients can reduce and control their symptoms. For this reason, a significant focus of chronic illness management is placed on patient education, self-awareness, and self-management of the condition.

Patients Are Encouraged to Be Proactive

“We encourage patients to play a proactive role and be participatory in their care,” said Nota. “We do this through education about medical diagnoses, symptom recognition, treatment, and management. We also stress how their participation and role is critical in managing their chronic illnesses.”

Part of creating this feeling of empowerment and ownership over the disease helps patients develop a rapport with their primary care physician. The doctor encourages the patient to express preferences about treatment options, and the patient is then expected to comply with the plan they created together.

“Patients may have cultural or lifestyle preferences that may mean one treatment approach is better than another,” said Nota. “For instance, if a patient is unlikely to take a certain medication three times a day and there is an option for a once-a-day dosage, that type of preference will be accommodated.”

This requires the patient to be completely transparent and honest about their wants and needs. If the doctor has done a good job of creating trust with that patient, this type of relationship will flourish and chronic illness management will be successful.

“If I had one additional piece of advice for patients receiving chronic illness management, it would be to ask more questions,” said Nota. “There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, so asking questions and providing feedback can help ensure that you can get the care that is right for you.”

About Crozer Keystone Staff

Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment. Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425

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