Reading Hospital - Tower Health

02/20/2026

Recovery after a stroke looks different for everyone, but many patients are finding the same sense of comfort in the newest member of our Reading Hospital Rehab team, Raphie, a therapy mini-horse! 🐴

Small in size but mighty in impact, Raphie visits every Thursday to help stroke patients with their therapy exercises. With Raphie’s support, patients work on standing, balance, coordination, endurance, reaching, and even grooming, all while reducing stress and lowering the risk of post-stroke depression.

The program, funded by the Reading Hospital Foundation and in partnership with Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy, is helping patients not just physically, but emotionally too. “They see Raphie, and all of a sudden, they are talking, asking questions, they are engaging,” says Nikki Hartman, Program Director of Acute Rehabilitation.

Equine-assisted therapy has a long history, from Florence Nightingale in the 1800s to modern research showing benefits for stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological conditions. With gentle encouragement, a little hoofed friend, and innovative therapy techniques, patients are taking strides toward recovery and a better quality of life. 💛

02/19/2026

🛍️ Swag bag sneak peek 👀💗

We’re packing all the goodies for Let’s Talk, Period and counting down to Saturday! We can’t wait to see you for an honest, supportive conversation about puberty and periods. A big thank you to our partners Berks Teens and Junior League of Reading for helping make it happen.

📅 Saturday, February 21 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
📍 Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences, 1025 Old Wyomissing Road, Reading

🔗 Register here: surveymonkey.com/r/LetTalkPeriod

See you soon!

02/19/2026

🏒💗 Before the Reading Royals face off against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on February 28, take a few minutes for yourself and get your mammogram on our Mobile Mammo Coach!

Appointments are available from 12:20 to 4 p.m. Call 1-833-34-TOWER to schedule your spot and face off against breast cancer! 💪

to our 2024 Pink in the Rink sellout! 🩷

Snag your 🎟️'s to next Saturday's 𝙋𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙠 & 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨, presented by Reading Hospital - Tower Health, before they're gone!

Plus, Healthcare Workers who can enjoy a FREE ticket for with purchase of regular ticket 👉 https://bit.ly/46JtSZw! 🩷

Single Game 🎟️'s for Feb. 28th Snuggie Giveaway (first 1,500 fans): bit.ly/SGT25-26 | ECHL

02/18/2026

🌟 We’re proud to recognize Valerie Canon, PCT II, ED, as a Mountain Laurel Award recipient for her kindness and compassion in going above and beyond to support patients and their families.

💬 Read her nomination from a colleague:

“I was the RN caring for my patient who was being seen in the Emergency Department for a possible stroke. The husband of my patient was very concerned because of the condition his wife was in. This was a very stressful day for both my patient and her husband. Her husband needed help finding the café so Valerie went with him. Once there, she took it upon herself to purchase lunch for my patient and her husband.

The next time I went in the patient’s room, she and her husband were smiling and having lighthearted conversation while eating their lunch. They then explained to me how a kind employee purchased it for them.

This is not an isolated incident for Valerie. She is always doing random acts of kindness and is a true angel with such a kind heart and should be recognized.”

Join our team of dedicated professionals – apply online at Careers.TowerHealth.org.

02/18/2026

Some stories stay with you long after your shift ends. ❤️

For Sarah Wasielevski, RN, nursing has always been more than a career. It is a calling rooted in compassion, connection, and being present for people during life’s most vulnerable moments.

As a registered nurse on the heart failure and cardiac floor, Sarah has built meaningful relationships with many of her patients. But one holds a special place in her heart. They first met during Sarah’s very first year of nursing school. Since then, Sarah has cared for her as a student nurse, a nurse extern, and now as a registered nurse.

Over the years, they have shared so many milestones together. From celebrating the patient’s first great grandchild to Sarah graduating nursing school and passing her boards. Every visit, they pick up right where they left off.

And it is often the little things that mean the most. Setting an alarm so she does not miss her favorite TV shows. Bringing balloons from the gift shop. Making homemade get-well cards just to make her smile.

💬 “As a cardiac nurse, I see firsthand how bedside education and awareness can change outcomes and even save lives,” Wasielevski said. “Our hearts truly beat to save yours!”

Heart health shapes how people live, love, and care for those around them. Through education, awareness, and human connection, nurses like Sarah are helping change outcomes every day.

We’re here for the ♥️ of it all: TowerHealth.org/Heart

02/18/2026

🌟 Lunar New Year is a special time celebrated across many East and Southeast Asian cultures, marking the start of the new year on the lunar calendar. It’s centered on family, reflection, renewal, and welcoming good fortune for the year to come! 🐎

02/17/2026

Ramadan is a holy month observed by Muslims around the world, centered on fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. It is a time that emphasizes spiritual growth, compassion, and generosity, and concludes with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

Wishing peace and well-being to all who observe. 🌙🌟

02/16/2026

🎉 High fives all around! Because Reading Hospital has been named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades for the fifth consecutive year! A huge CONGRATULATIONS and thank you to our incredible staff – your dedication and expertise make these achievements possible!

Our teams earned five-star ratings in:

⭐️ COPD
⭐️ Heart Failure
⭐️ Cranial Neurosurgery
⭐️ Treatment of Stroke
⭐️ Outpatient Total Knee Replacement
⭐️ Total Hip Replacement
⭐️ Treatment of Sepsis
⭐️ Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery

Healthgrades also recognized our hospital for its exceptional patient outcomes in key service areas, including America’s 50 Best Outpatient Joint Replacement, Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award and Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award. 🏆

🔗 Read more here: TowerHealth.org/Healthgrades

02/15/2026

You may have heard the term before, “Sunday Scaries,” and perhaps you’ve felt it yourself on Sundays, especially in the late afternoon or early evening. 😟 “Sunday Scaries” is a form of anticipatory anxiety. These feelings of dread, worry, or stress about the upcoming workweek often surface as the weekend begins to wind down. 🌙

Anticipatory anxiety about heading back to work on Monday is something many people experience. The good news is there are simple ways to ease that stress before the week begins. 📆

👉 Check out a few helpful tips from Dr. Eduardo Espiridion, Chair, Department of Psychiatry.

02/15/2026

🌸💌 Today, our Environmental Services team continued their sweet Valentine’s Day tradition of delivering carnations to patients across the hospital! Proof that small acts of kindness can make a big difference. 😊 Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕

02/14/2026

This week, love was felt in a place many wouldn’t expect – the Emergency Department. 🏥

Patient Harold G. arrived as a trauma patient on what was supposed to be a special 26th wedding anniversary celebration with his wife, Jessica. Instead of a quiet dinner at Texas Roadhouse – their original plan – the Bernville couple found themselves navigating an unexpected medical emergency.

But in the midst of uncertainty, our ED team saw an opportunity to turn a frightening day into a meaningful memory. Recognizing the significance of the date, nurses Faith A. and Jenny N. created a handwritten anniversary card for the couple and invited Harold’s other caregivers to sign it, too.

Harold shared his deep appreciation for the nurses and physicians who cared for him, describing the team as wonderful and expressing gratitude for the kindness shown to both him and his wife.

What began as a heartfelt gesture quickly became a powerful symbol of love, caregiving, and compassion – a perfect way to feel the love this Valentine’s Day. ♥️

02/14/2026

❤️ While we celebrate love today, it’s also a powerful reminder of the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation. National Donor Day, observed every February 14, is all about giving hope and life to those in need.

Honor a loved one on the Donate Life America Tribute Wall: https://bit.ly/3Ojufnq and help share the gift of life.

Ready to make a difference? Visit donors1.org to learn more and register as an organ donor! 💙💚