Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital

Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital Northern Light AR Gould Hospital, a leading provider of healthcare services in Northern Maine, is an "A.R.
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Gould is Aroostook County's leading provider of healthcare services, an advocate for the people we serve, and the area's largest employer. We're a non-profit organization with passionate employees dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of the people of
Aroostook County with outstanding skill and compassion."

Today (Friday, April 10), our team took part in National Blue & Green Day to help share the Donate Life message and prom...
04/10/2026

Today (Friday, April 10), our team took part in National Blue & Green Day to help share the Donate Life message and promote the importance of registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor.

Did you know that more than 100,000 people are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, and every 8 minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list. Sadly, 5,600 people in the US die each year while on the transplant waiting list.

A person who donates their organs saves up to 8 lives. Those who donate their corneas restore sight to 2 people. And those who donate tissue can help heal the lives of 75 people.

Here are just a few photos from the day.

To kick off National Volunteer Month, Northern Light Health is proud to bring a new volunteer opportunity to Northern Li...
04/08/2026

To kick off National Volunteer Month, Northern Light Health is proud to bring a new volunteer opportunity to Northern Light AR Gould Hospital with a therapy dog program. Therapy dogs spread warmth, connection, and joy to everyone they meet. These four-legged friends share their love and kindness with patients helping to reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and ease tension.

If you would like to strengthen the bond with your dog, support healing and emotional wellness in our community, and join a caring group of volunteers, the Code Koda Therapy Dog Program may be a good fit for you and your pup!

The program includes:
• Self-Guided Education: Take at-home video, reading, and remote learning assignments.
• Get Your Dog Ready: Attend an approved Therapy Dog Prep Training Clinic at your own expense ($275 - Scholarships are available on a case-by-case basis).
• Volunteer Onboarding: Complete the Northern Light Health onboarding process.
• Graduate and Mentor: Receive virtual coaching and support with Stacey Coventry, Director of Community Engagement, AAT Certificate.

northernlighthealth.org/ARG-Therapy-Dog-Program

Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer affecting young men ages 15-44.Early detection saves lives. “As a urologist,...
04/03/2026

Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer affecting young men ages 15-44.

Early detection saves lives.

“As a urologist, I’ve seen lives saved by a simple regular self-exam — if you can spend 30 seconds in the shower checking for any lumps, hardness, or changes in your testicles, you could catch testicular cancer at its most treatable stage.” Krishna Bhatta, MD

Yesterday we had a gathering to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Rebeca Ayala, who has been a beloved pediatrician at AR ...
04/02/2026

Yesterday we had a gathering to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Rebeca Ayala, who has been a beloved pediatrician at AR Gould for 26 years. The pediatric team, hospital leaders, and other staff members were on hand to wish her well and let her know how much she will be missed.

"I was looking for a place that had everything, and I found that here," Dr. Ayala told those gathered. "I found a family here, and I had a lot of fun."

While it makes us sad to say goodbye, we are very happy for her as she moves on to new adventures in this next stage of life.

Dr. Ayala, best wishes and thank you for all of your years of service to your patients, our team, and the community!

"My primary focus is on behavioral health needs and connecting patients with services and outpatient supports to help pa...
03/30/2026

"My primary focus is on behavioral health needs and connecting patients with services and outpatient supports to help patients maintain both physical and mental health."

Meet Dana-Michelle LaPlante, LSW, ACM-SW, licensed social worker care manager in the Emergency Department at Northern Light AR Gould Hospital, one of our featured social workers for Social Work Awareness Month.

"Social Work is a lot of problem solving and making connections with resources to help guide people to accomplish their goals. My day is never the same but very rewarding!"

Happy National Doctors' Day! Thank you to all the amazing doctors working for Northern Light AR Gould Hospital. We appr...
03/30/2026

Happy National Doctors' Day! Thank you to all the amazing doctors working for Northern Light AR Gould Hospital. We appreciate your dedication and care.

03/27/2026

Say Hello to Kyro. Don't you just want to squeeze those cheeks!!! He's just 24 hours old at the time of this pic! Coming into the world is pretty hard work so he's sleeping soundly. Safe sleep is so important for infants, and there are these great newfangled outfits to safely swaddle a toddler. Check out the video to learn safe swaddling from one of our fabulous nurses, Krista! Oh and wait til the end of the video and make sure the sound is up if you want to hear how cute and peaceful a sleeping baby sounds! For more information on safe sleep, visit our resource page at https://ow.ly/H4w450YyESJ Cribs for Kids® National Infant Safe Sleep Initiative Safe Sleep for ME

"Being able to meet with patients and their families at a difficult time in their lives and to help them with many barri...
03/26/2026

"Being able to meet with patients and their families at a difficult time in their lives and to help them with many barriers they may face is the most rewarding part of my work."

Meet Ashley Legassie, LSCW, licensed clinical social worker in the Dialysis department and an Operations supervisor at Northern Light AR Gould Hospital, one of our featured social workers for Social Work Awareness Month.

"In Dialysis, social workers help patients with placement at the clinic, insurance, and resources. We advocate for our patients needs and provide empathy and kindness."

As part of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we shared the story of the personal journey of Carly Guerrette and her family f...
03/24/2026

As part of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we shared the story of the personal journey of Carly Guerrette and her family following a concussion.

WAGM did an interview with Carly and Jamie Guerrette, as well as AR Gould physical therapist Rachel Emery, who works with patients recovering from brain injuries.

Check out the story: https://ow.ly/US2m50YyivN

We are happy to welcome Dr. Craig Thompson to Northern Light Surgery in Presque Isle. While he is new to AR Gould Hospit...
03/20/2026

We are happy to welcome Dr. Craig Thompson to Northern Light Surgery in Presque Isle. While he is new to AR Gould Hospital, he has been working as a surgeon within Northern Light Health for about 16 years, having worked at both Northern Light Mayo Hospital in Dover Foxcroft and the Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville.

In addition to his wide array of general surgery skills, Dr. Thompson is passionate about cancer screenings through his endoscopy work; a big part of his role at AR Gould Hospital will be performing both diagnostic and screening colonoscopies.

Dr. Thompson earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in General Surgery at Louisiana State University. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is licensed to practice in Maine and seven other states.

According to Dr. Thompson, he loves to travel, whether it be for work or pleasure. He also enjoys riding his Peloton every day.

Welcome, Dr. Thompson!

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. As part of the information we are sharing about brain injuries this mont...
03/19/2026

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. As part of the information we are sharing about brain injuries this month, we want to introduce you to some of our Northern Light Rehabilitation team members who are specially trained to work with patients recovering from these kinds of injuries.

We have several rehab therapists at AR Gould Hospital who have special training in the area of brain injuries. Therapy is provided to inpatients recovering in our Acute Rehab unit, as well as to outpatients.

Rachel is a physical therapist who works with patients to regain strength, function, and independence. Treatments are individualized depending on the patient’s pain, activity tolerance, interests, and goals.

As an occupational therapist, Michaela works with patients on a variety of daily living skills, visual perception, reaction time, and more. She can also help patients develop strategies to compensate for deficits.

Anthony and Kayla, speech language pathologists, determine cognitive deficits through testing and then work with the patient to develop a treatment plan which might include coping with behavior changes or coming up with strategies to improve new memory or attention difficulties.

To heal after an injury, the brain requires a combination of early rest, gradual reintegration of activities, and targeted rehabilitation therapies for the best recovery results.

While some may think concussions aren’t serious, they are actually a mild form of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). 3 thin...
03/11/2026

While some may think concussions aren’t serious, they are actually a mild form of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

3 things you should know about concussions

1. They happen more often than you think.
Concussions can happen from blows to the head during sports activities or accidents, or may result from simple mishaps, like walking into a door and banging your head.

2. Symptoms aren’t always obvious.
Common symptoms can be easy to spot – headaches, dizziness, nausea, and hearing or vision problems. Less common symptoms are harder – sleep difficulties, depression, anxiety, and slower-than-normal reaction time.

3. Screen time, alcohol, and caffeine all impact recovery.
Avoid screen time in the first 48 hours of recovery. Limit both caffeine and alcohol consumption during recovery.

To read about Carly Guerrette’s personal experience with a concussion, click here:https://ow.ly/GthY50Yrm3t

Address

140 Academy Street
Presque Isle, ME
04769

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+12077684000

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"A.R. Gould is Aroostook County's leading provider of healthcare services, an advocate for the people we serve, and the area's largest employer. We're a non-profit organization with passionate employees dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of the people of Aroostook County with outstanding skill and compassion."