MedStar St. Mary's Hospital

08/03/2026

Join us on Monday evenings for the Healthy Next Steps 6-week workshop and take charge of your well-being!

This class teaches simple, realistic ways to prevent and manage chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Classes will be held on Monday's beginning August 24, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm (week 3 will be held on September 9th due to holiday), and located at 41550 Doctor's Crossing Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Please call 301-475-6019, Mon - Fri between 8am -4pm to register.

07/29/2026

Join us for our upcoming Farmers Market this Friday, July 31!

Come out and enjoy fresh local vendors, delicious food truck options, and a great way to support small businesses in the community.

Vendors this week include:
- Sweet Caribbean Bakery
- Trossbach Produce
- Dixon Family Farm
- Yoli’s Cakes & Treats
- Muzzy’s Wine Jelly
- Hidden Hills Farm
- OTP Wing Wagon
- Primal Brew Coffee
- Jillians Fare
- Mouth of the Bay
- Home Cooking is Better
- Done by Me Bracelets
- Horseshoe Farm

📍 Location: MedStar St. Mary's Hospital (main hospital parking lot)
🕒 Time: 10am - 2pm

We invite you to stop by, shop local, and enjoy a welcoming community atmosphere throughout the season. The event is free to attend, however, Items at the market are for purchase. We look forward to seeing you there!

07/29/2026

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2026 with us! 🌎🤱

August 1–7 is World Breastfeeding Week, a global campaign that recognizes breastfeeding as a public health priority. This year's theme, "Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems," highlights the importance of creating equitable, long-term support for breastfeeding families.

Our team of Board-Certified Lactation Consultants is committed to supporting parents every step of the way. We provide inpatient and outpatient lactation services, including bedside support, skin-to-skin guidance, breastfeeding and pumping education, follow-up phone calls, a lactation warm line, one-on-one consultations, prenatal breastfeeding classes, and our weekly lactation support group.

📅 Wednesday, August 5, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
📍 Education & Simulation Building (located to the left of the hospital)
41550 Doctor's Crossing Rd.
Leonardtown, MD 20650

Enjoy light refreshments, giveaways, and connect with other breastfeeding families in a welcoming, supportive environment.

This group is FREE, and registration is not required. For more information, call 301-475-6019.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

07/28/2026

Ask the Expert returns for August! Join us for an opportunity to ask questions, learn from an expert, and take an active role in your breast health. 💗

Join us for a complimentary Lunch & Learn featuring Dr. Cecile Moliva Anendaga as she shares important information about high-risk breast screenings and the role early detection plays in improving breast health outcomes.

During this informative session, you’ll learn about:
- Breast cancer risk factors
- Screening recommendations for those at increased risk
- The latest breast imaging technologies
- Why early detection matters

📅 Thursday, August 13
🕦 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the presentation begins at 12 p.m.)
📍 Health Connections Classrooms

Population & Community Health
41550 Doctors Crossing Road
Leonardtown, MD

This complimentary event is open to the community. Pre-registration is requested.

To RSVP or learn more, call Health Connections at 301-475-6019.

07/24/2026

Physical recovery from a severe or chronic wound is intertwined with psychological well-being. That’s why we’ve integrated behavioral health support directly into our Wound Healing Institute to provide a streamlined path to recovery. Learn from Dr. Daniel Powell how caring for the whole person can accelerate healing and improve quality of life.

Discover how MedStar Health’s integrated mind-body care supports and accelerates chronic wound recovery.

07/22/2026

With Cyclospora making headlines, it's understandable if you're thinking twice about tossing berries into your grocery cart or packing a salad for lunch. But don't let fear keep fresh fruits and veggies off your plate.

On the blog, physician assistant Amanda Joy explains what Cyclospora is, how it spreads, simple ways to reduce your risk, and when it's time to seek medical care—so you can make informed decisions without sacrificing healthy eating.

Worried about the Cyclospora outbreak? Learn how to safely enjoy fresh produce, recognize symptoms, prevent infection, and know when to seek care.

07/17/2026

Precision meets compassion to improve treatment for stomach cancer. Discover how robotic-assisted surgery can help patients start chemotherapy sooner and recover faster than traditional surgery. Dr. Timothy Kennedy, System Chief of Surgical Oncology, explains how combining high-tech surgery with multidisciplinary care helps improve treatment for stomach cancer.

Discover how robotic-assisted gastrectomy offers patients with stomach cancer faster healing, less pain, and a quicker path to continue treatment.

07/17/2026

Congratulations to Janet E. Smith, MHPE, BSN, RN, CNML, NPD-BC, Senior Director of Nursing Operations and Patient Care Services and recipient of a MedStar Health Nursing Impact Award!

The award is presented quarterly across our hospitals to nursing leaders whose work has meaningfully improved patient care, safety, or the associate experience.

Janet’s nomination recognized three specific accomplishments that speak directly to the safety of our patients and our teams: a 50% reduction in inpatient falls with injury, a redesigned Emergency Department boarding process that strengthened care for admitted patients waiting for a bed, and the daily Purple Diamond huddles that have cut workplace violence injuries in half at our hospital.

The three words her nominator used to describe her: professional, driven, humble.

Congratulations, Janet, on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you for the standard of safety, dignity, and care you set for our hospital every day.

07/17/2026

Nobody looks forward to surgery. Patients arrive nervous, families sit in waiting rooms watching the clock. It's one of the most stressful days of a person's life, and it happens at our hospital hundreds of times a year.

The team who walks patients and families through that day, from check-in through recovery, is our Ambulatory Surgery and Perioperative Services team. They take the time to explain what's about to happen, they come out to talk to the person waiting, and they send patients home understanding what recovery looks like and how to care for themselves.

For the care and comfort they bring to one of the hardest days in a person's life, our Ambulatory Surgery and Perioperative Services team is this month's Compassion in Action honorees. Thank you for all you do!

07/16/2026

Pregnancy can reveal more than how a baby is developing; it can provide important clues about a woman's future heart health.

In this episode of "MedStar Health DocTalk," Dr. Minhal Makshood explains why pregnancy is often called a "stress test" for the heart and what every woman should know about protecting her cardiovascular health before, during, and after pregnancy.

Listen to the full episode in the comments.