Valley Health System

Valley Medical Group is pleased to welcome Cristina Whelan, APN, Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine - Ridgewood, located at 223 North Van Dien Ave., Floor 3, in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

To learn more about Cristina, please visit www.ValleyHealth.com/CristinaWhelan.

A bear-y good time was had at Valley Home Care’s Teddy Bear Party! 🐻

Congratulations to Lisette Alicea, Clinical Coordinator, Valley Home Care – VC Pediatrics, Valley Home Care’s DAISY Award winner for the fourth quarter of 2025.

Here is an excerpt from her winning nomination:

“Lisette is a compassionate nurse who coordinates the team’s and back-office activities and passionately case-manages several patients in the field.

“She has a natural talent to engage children and families. She meets them where they are. On the journey to the end of life for children, she meets them at their most vulnerable times.

“Lisette was the case manager of Maya, a 7-year-old who was diagnosed with a diffuse high-grade glioma, a terminal brain tumor. Maya had bravely undergone three brain surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation in an effort to prolong her life. Despite receiving chemotherapy biweekly, her tumor continued to progress.

“In a final attempt to give Maya more time, her parents chose to proceed with a third surgery followed by another round of radiation therapy. These treatments were not curative but were done with the hope of creating more precious time together.

“Lisette made countless visits during the day, evening, and on weekends to help walk alongside this family’s journey. She would bring Maya’s favorite Barbie dolls and sit on the floor to play with them. She also included Maya’s younger brother in her visits, who was just 18 months old.

“Lisette can collaborate with the oncology and palliative care teams to serve as their eyes and ears in the home. Their plan of care and medications were often modified based on her expert assessment.

“Maya’s family was incredibly deserving of all the support the team provided. Lisette went above and beyond to walk along the journey with them.

“The week before Maya passed, Lisette prepared the family as best as possible. Maya died peacefully at home.

“Through the bereavement, Lisette has been a constant source of support, visiting them for lunch and cherishing the memories shared during the visits.”

The team at Valley LifeStart: The Center for Weight and Wellness™ is now seeing patients at Valley Health System – Montvale Campus!

If you or someone you know could benefit from a personalized weight loss program, call 1-800-VALLEY 1 (1-800-825-5391) to make an appointment.

For more information about Valley services in Montvale, visit ValleyHealth.com/Montvale.

The Valley Hospital announces the installation of the Elekta Esprit, a state-of-the-art Leksell Gamma Knife® stereotactic radiosurgery system that enables highly precise, non-invasive treatment of tumors and other conditions in the brain and skull.

The Esprit is now open and replaces the Elekta Icon as the technology used at Valley’s Gamma Knife Center. Valley is the first health system in New Jersey to acquire the Esprit, according to the technology’s manufacturer, Elekta. Since 2011, Valley has been a leader in Gamma Knife technology to treat benign and malignant conditions of the head and neck, including primary and metastatic brain tumors, and neurological pain conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a specialized form of radiation therapy designed specifically for the brain. Unlike conventional surgery, it does not involve incisions. Instead, hundreds of finely focused beams of radiation are delivered with extreme accuracy to a defined target, such as a brain tumor or vascular malformation, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. The technology provides a non-invasive alternative to open brain surgery.

“With Elekta Esprit, we can treat complex brain conditions with sub-millimeter precision,” said Chad DeYoung, MD, radiation oncologist and Co-Medical Director of The Valley Gamma Knife Center. “For many patients, this means effective treatment with fewer risks, shorter recovery times, and the ability to return to daily life sooner than with traditional surgery or conventional radiotherapy.”

“The Esprit gives us an exceptional level of control and consistency, which is essential when treating lesions located close to critical areas responsible for movement, speech, or vision,” said Rupa Juthani, MD, neurosurgeon and Co-Medical Director of The Valley Gamma Knife Center.

For more information about this new technology, please visit https://www.valleyhealth.com/newsroom/valley-hospital-brings-next-generation-gamma-knife-technology-region

Valley Medical Group is pleased to welcome Kati Daghestani, APN, VMG Women's Services located at 1578 Route 23, Suite 201, in Wayne, New Jersey.

To learn more about Kati, please visit www.ValleyHealth.com/Daghestani.

Valley Volunteer Resources, in collaboration with Valley's Joey's Friends, invites you to attend this year's Teddy Bear Clinic. Join Valley doctors and staff as your toy receives a comprehensive check-up in a fun, interactive environment!

This event will be held on Sunday, October 18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The Valley Hospital located at 4 Valley Health Plaza in Paramus.

For more information and to RSVP by the Tuesday, October 13 deadline, please visit www.ValleyHealth.com/TeddyBear