Category Archives: Ascension

UPDATED Reminder to Give Thanks This Thanksgiving - Click the above photo of former patient Mark Lively for more pictures- In the spirit of Thanksgiving, former Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford patient Mark Lively is having one of the best weeks to give thanks and that is because of the help he received by hospital staff, doctors and nurses at the local medical facility.

On Monday, November 22nd, Mr. Lively returned to the hospital. The difference upon his return is that he was able to walk and properly breath again. During his return visit, Lively told WGNS NEWS

On Monday, November 22nd, Mark presented his healthcare heroes with the Foundation's Guardian Angel Award.

Mark tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2021, just before vaccines became available for his age group. Despite being a healthy eater and regular gym-goer, Mark experienced a rapid decline. He would ultimately spend time on a ventilator, develop a hole in his right lung that required surgical repair, and even experience a small stroke during the 2 months he stayed at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. Mark lost 54 pounds during his battle with COVID-19 and, when he was released from the hospital for in-patient rehabilitation, he was so weak that standing for even 20 seconds was a huge accomplishment.

Ascension Saint Thomas RutherfordHospital's President and CEO Gordon Ferguson noted

After his initial stay at the hospital, followed by weeks in rehab, Mark and his wife Cheryl celebrated his return home on June 18th. Mark has returned to work and is enjoying life, though he continues to visit his pulmonologist regularly.

Scroll down for more on this story and complete interviews...

Continued...

"After surgery on my right lung, Dr. Ward Houck called me Lazarus in reference to the Biblical man who was raised from the dead," reflects Mark in awe. This fall, Mark and Cheryl celebrated his 62nd birthday. Considering the near-death ordeal the couple experienced, Mark's birthday this year "meant everything."

Hear the Complete WGNS Interviews Below (Note - these will air on the Tuesday morning WGNS Action Line at 8:

Murfreesboro's Mark Lively said THANKSGIVING will be even more special this year (3min and 53sec).

WGNS spoke with Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital's President and CEO Gordon Ferguson (1min and 37sec)...

Listen to WGNS "LIVE" and online by clicking the below link:

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A Reminder to be Thankful This Thanksgiving comes easy for Mark Lively - after his COVID Journey and Recovery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford -...

Published on November 25, 2021

Chennai: Travel is back in a big way and consumers are excited to make up for lost holidays over the past two years. With a steady rise in vaccination coverage across geographies, combined with the easing of restrictions across regions, travellers have embraced the spirit of travel wholeheartedly, especially during holidays and festive long weekends in India, the US, the UK and Europe. As per OYOs booking analysis, consumers across the world are increasingly opting for short-haul destinations and making last-minute bookings over planned trips. Across Europe, summer travel saw the highest bounce back in demand. Whereas, Americans travelled the most during the Labor Day long weekend of September 4 6, 2021. Closer to home, in India, the long weekends of Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra ranked as the topmost holidays for travellers in 2021.

For Indians, festive long weekends are nothing less than sweet escapes

India is a land of diversities. This means many elaborate festivals and holidays. In India, some of the most popular holidays for travellers took place in the second half of this year, starting with Janmashtami in August, followed by Ganesh Chaturthi and Dussehra which saw a spike in bookings. This optimism around travel can be attributed to higher vaccination coverage and the opening up of several states for tourism in comparison to early 2021.

Indian travellers preferred spending their holidays across the countrys beautiful tourist destinations such as Jaipur, Goa, Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Udaipur during the festive season. Interestingly, short-haul destinations continue to be the go-to option for travellers across the country over long weekends. Some of the top short-haul destinations are Lonavala, Pondicherry, Shimla, Mysore. All of these destinations sit close to mainstream cities of Mumbai, Chennai, Chandigarh, Delhi and Bangalore, indicating that city folks are looking for respite closer to home. The long weekend of Dussehra saw a hike in demand, with an increase in trips to nearby destinations for a quick break. In India, last-minute bookings continue to be on the rise. Not surprisingly, Indians travel to destinations known for their festive cheer. During a festival, the preference for destinations well-known to celebrate the festival with great vigor witnessed a spike in bookings. For instance, during Ganesh Chaturthi, locals preferred going on short-haul trips to locations like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Lonavala, and Mumbai. The most recent long weekend of Guru Nanak Jayanti saw the majority of bookings for Varanasi, Jaipur, Goa, Puri and Alibag.

*Data insights in this table are based on OYOs internal booking analysis

Europes in holiday mode all year round in 2021

In 2021, Ascension Day, Halloween, Pentecost, Easter emerged as Europes favorite holidays to travel. Whats more interesting? Denmark tops charts as Europes most popular travel destination for a majority of public holidays. Europeans book an average stay of approx. 5 nights to celebrate the holiday and experience local offerings. In 2021, Halloween saw an overall uptick of 71% in comparison to 2019. Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France are the top 5 destinations for the holidays of Ascension Day, Halloween and Pentecost. However, a majority of these were last minute bookings considering the evolving local restrictions across European countries. For the upcoming holiday season, theres a peak in bookings for homestays with spa, sauna, pool, alternative accommodation options in resorts and holiday parks.

USA

Labor Day, New Years, Martin Luther King Jr Day, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving are Americas most travelled holidays. Coastal hotspots such as Seattle and Miami have been wildly popular during public holidays, followed by Californias Nevada City, Houston and Dallas.

UK

In the UK, May & August bank holidays are usually considered as the peak holiday season. Summer and Spring school holidays respectively have topped the UKs most travelled holidays list. London, Bath, Blackpool, Scotland and Great Yarmouth were the most travelled destinations during these holidays. In the UK, the average stay period during holidays was approx. 2 nights. Long weekend trips and school holiday travel are the most popular travel trends among the British. London, Bath, Blackpool, Scotland and Great Yarmouth remain the top 5 destinations for travellers throughout all holidays.

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Gandhi Jayanthi in India, Ascension Day in Europe, Labor Day in US and Summer Holidays in UK top charts as the most popular holidays among travellers:...

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Many Wichita community leaders speak of the desire to help individuals in crisis but say theres also a real dollars-and-cents cost to the way our system works now. Taxpayer dollars end up paying for services for many people stuck in the cycle.

Wichita State spent several years finding out just what that cost is. They looked at the expenses for Ascension Via Christi St Joseph, COMCARE of Sedgwick County, and the Substance Abuse Center of Kansas (SACK).

The researchers focused on high utilizers people with mental illness or substance use disorders who regularly cycle through the emergency department, crisis services, detox and sobering.

Often, they are uninsured or under-insured and end up back on the street without fully managing their illness. Then it starts the cycle again.

These are complex individuals. These are people who have decades of trauma, Joan Tammany, COMCARE executive director, said.

They just circle and cycle through all the different levels of care in our community and in our state and dont ever get exactly the right level of care that they need because it no longer exists, said Robyn Chadwick, Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph president.

With a growing behavioral health crisis, in 2015, the Kansas Health Foundation gave Ascension Via Christi a grant to study these high utilizers. The goal was to find the gaps in services and how much they are costing the community.

Wichita State Universitys Public Policy and Management staff did the research.The researchers analyzed data from 2015 to 2018, studying 519 high utilizer cases from Ascension Via Christi St Joseph, COMCARE, and SACK.

Were seeing them in the hospitals. Were seeing them in the mental health centers. Were seeing them receive substance use disorder services, said Dulcinea Rakestraw, WSU Public Policy and Management Center research evaluation manager.

The first finding was that 25% of people were high utilizers of more than one organization, meaning they would use not just the emergency department but possibly COMCARE and SACK, too.

There is a high crossover of these individuals, Rakestraw said.

The next finding was the cost.

When individuals access crisis services, those come at a really high cost, Rakestraw said.

Between the three organizations, the utilizers received nearly $56 million of care over the four years. Of that, $17 million was paid through taxpayer-funded services like Medicaid and Medicare, other grants and donations from the public.

In 2018, the median cost was more than $72,000 for each patient at the hospital, $20,000 for COMCARE, and $1,000 for SACK.

What it has clearly indicated and shown to us is there are huge gaps in care, Chadwick said.

The study found that once a high utilizer was released from care, they would not follow up for continued care.

Theyre feeling good, theyre discharged from the hospital, they dont want to see a mental health professional the same day or the next day, Tammany said.

The study also found wait times to transfer patients to longer-term facilities were too long.

Were lucky if we can get them to hold that thought long enough to get them transported from here to a facility, Chadwick said.

She said some wait times are two months long.

Since the release of the study in 2019, it has prompted more collaboration.As a result, the three organizations have developed a shared crisis plan to get high utilizers more help more effectively.

It also kick-started the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Coalition.

If we could have services in place that take care of people and address the needs they have, it will save tax dollars for the state, and it will save money for our hospital system, which then, in turn, frees up space for other people who need emergency services, Chadwick said.

The coalition is continuing its work and considering several initiatives like finding a centralized area for services to come together, finding a space for a COMCARE expansion and piloting new programs, such as a system that shares patients information between organizations.

This article is a collaborative effort involving two members of theWichita Journalism Collaborative, KSN-TV and The Journal, a print and digital magazine published by the Kansas Leadership Center. To report on this story, Journal contributor Mark Wiebe and KSN reporter Hunter Funk traveled to San Antonio to learn about the mental health system there. The Wichita Journalism Collaborative funded the trip through a grant from the New York City-based Solutions Journalism Network. The Wichita Journalism Collaborative, an alliance of seven media organizations and three community groups, formed to support and enhance quality local journalism. In addition to KSN, media partners include The Active Age, The Community Voice, The Journal (Kansas Leadership Center), KMUW, The Sunflower and The Wichita Eagle. Community partners committed to participating in the initiative include AB&C Bilingual Resources, The Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University and Wichita Public Library.

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Seeking Solutions: High utilizers cost the community millions - KSN-TV

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

Republican candidates Kim Landry and Lynelle Johnson are in the Dec. 11 runoff forJustice of the Peace 3rd Justice Court.

Johnson of St. Amant and Landry of Prairieville previously held off J. Russell-Roddy of Prairieville.

In the Nov. 13 election, Johnson led with 1,575 votes. Landry finished second with 1,284. Russell-Roddy, who registered as no party, finished with 377.

Unofficial turnout was 10.4 percent.

Landry was a previous candidate for judge. Johnson previously ran for the justice of the peace position.

The candidates are vying for the position formerly held by John Hebert.

Parishwide proposition - 2.0 mills renewal

Also on the ballot is the parishwide proposition to renew the special ad valorem tax of 2.0 mills property tax for Ascension Parish.

An estimated $3 million is expected to be collected from the tax per year.

The tax will be used to provide funds to the parish to be used to maintain the Ascension Parish Public Health Center, including buildings, maintenance expenses, and other related expenses.

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Johnson, Landry vie for Justice of Peace in runoff; parishwide proposition on ballot - Donaldsonville Chief

Passed away peacefully at St. Joseph's Hospital, in Hamilton, on November 21, 2021, with her family by her side. Jeane was born in Toronto on February 9, 1926, to Douglas and Margaret (nee Evans) Stevens. She was raised in Hamilton where she graduated from Loretto Academy and McMaster University. She is survived and sorely missed by her husband Christopher Barlow, her three children George (Debbie), Brian (Cristina) and Margaret (Kirk), three stepchildren, Persephone (Rob), Caroline (James) and Crispian (Christi), grandchildren Cameron (Angela), Alessandra, James (Jacqueline), Robert (Andra), Conor (Kennedy), Kahle (Jesse), and Joseph; and two great-grandchildren Freya, and Isla Rose. She is mourned by her sister Margaret and her nieces and nephews and all the members of the extended Hopkins family. During her lifetime she earned the love and respect of two exceptional gentlemen. Jeane was married to Cameron Gage Q.C. from 1949 until his death in 1991. She has been married to Christopher Barlow since 2003. Thanks to the patient and attentive care provided by Christopher, Jeane was able to remain in her home until shortly before her death. The family are grateful to Josie and Charmaine for the support and assistance they have provided over the past year. Jeane was active in the community throughout her life. She served as a member, and on the executives of, the Home and School Associations of Central Public and Ryerson Elementary, the Women's Wentworth Historical Society, the Junior League and the Big Sisters. She was a lifetime member of the Church of the Ascension. She participated in the restorations of Battlefield House and Dundurn Castle and led the restoration project at Whitehern. She maintained an interest in architecture and art throughout her life. She had an extraordinary life, full of travel, adventure, and fun. In 1965, she drove, completely on her own, and camped with her children all the way across the United States to San Francisco and then up to Vancouver. She had a close circle of good friends. Her New Year's Eve parties were justifiably legendary. She treasured her time in Tobermory, Naples, Florida and Ellicottville, New York. She lived her life to the fullest, with gusto and passion and courage. Family and friends will be received on Monday, November 29, 2021 from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. at Marlatt Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 615 Main St. E. Hamilton, Ontario (905-528-6303). A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Church of the Ascension, 64 Forest Ave. (at John St. S.), Hamilton, ON (905-527-3505). In accordance with the Covid-19 regulations, proof of double vaccination and ID is required for all guests attending the visitation and Memorial Service. Masks are required upon entry. If desired, memorial donations made to a charity of one's choice would be appreciated by the family.

Online tributes and condolences may be made at http://www.marlattfhhamilton.com

Published by The Hamilton Spectator on Nov. 25, 2021.

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Jeane BARLOW Obituary (2021) - Hamilton, ON - The Hamilton Spectator - Legacy.com

Three family members had escaped to safety from their burning north Oakland County house buta woman refused to leave the blazebecause she was concerned about $10,000 worth of exotic pets in the basement, according to the Oakland County Sheriffs Office.

The 41-year-old woman became trapped in herbasement with the pets, which included birds and ferrets, the Sheriffs Office said. As the house became fully engulfed in flames, the only exit from the basement through the garage, where the fire started became a wall of flames, according to a news release and photos from the Sheriffs Office.

At that point, county deputies arrived, only to learn that the woman was in the basementbut refusing to leave,the release said. The deputies then broke out a small basement access windowand talked her into letting them pull her out by the wrists early Thursday, according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

They quickly assessed the situation (and) pulled her to safety, despite her reluctance to leave. We were able to save a few of the animals but more importantly, this woman is alive today and aThanksgiving Day tragedy was avoided, Bouchard said in the release.

The womanand three other residents of the house, on Milford Roadbetween White Lake and Chana roads,were taken to Ascension Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, where they were treated for smoke inhalation.Emergency responders also rescued a pig and three dogs.

The contemporary brick house, valued at about $350,000, was a total loss, the release said. The fire likely started when one of the family dogs knocked over a heater in the garage, which caught a bed of straw on fire, after which flames spread to the home's living areas, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Contact: blaitner@freepress.com

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Highland Township woman refuses to leave burning house with $10K in exotic pets - Detroit Free Press

GREEN BAY He runs like an armored tank, plowing over anything in his way, so it is easy to forget A.J. Dillon is in fact mortal. There is flesh underneath those shoulder pads, though his quadriceps are built like tree trunks, impressive enough that each has its own nickname.

Watch him truck into a pile of full-grown men, as he did more than once during the Green Bay Packers 36-28 win Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, and its a marvel how that pile is almost always pushed backward. He is one man swarmed by three, four, sometimes five defenders, but built strong enough to fall forward anyway. It has reached the point that if the Packers offense is in a short-yardage situation, and No. 28 is lined up in the backfield, everybody in the stadium knows whos getting the ball.

And it does not matter.Dillon gets the first down almost without fail.

Dillons box score did not blow anyone away Sunday afternoon. He finished with only 69 yards on his 20 carries, a pedestrian 3.5-yard average. But those 20 carries, along with five catches for 21 yards, were a lunch-pail effort. Dillon was the foundation of the Packers offense Sunday, a battering ram that continually extended scoring drives and kept the Rams defense honest.

Take the third quarters opening drive. With a 20-17 halftime lead, the Packers got first possession in the second half and marched 75 yards in 13 plays. Dillon touched the football on eight snaps, including a 5-yard touchdown to open a 27-17 lead.

The Packers lead didnt cut to single digits until the Rams kicked a meaningless field goal with 18 seconds left.

Dillons touchdown catch, his second this season, was perhaps the best example of his implausible strength. Aaron Rodgers pass was thrown a touch behind Dillon, on his hip. When Dillon caught it at the 5-yard line, he had Rams linebacker Troy Reeder firmly between him and the end zone.

Most running backs might have lost that battle short of the goal line. Not Dillon. The 250-pound bruiser ran through Reeders arm tackle like he wasnt even there, shaking the 6-3, 245-pound linebacker like a doll on his way to the end zone.

Dillons ascension this season has long ago justified general manager Brian Gutekunsts decision to draft him in the second round last year. Now the question is just how much the decision to take a running back when that position looked anything but a need will pay off for the Packers.

Aaron Jones returned from an MCL sprain Sunday, and though he started, it was Dillons game. Jones had three carries in the Packers' first four snaps. Then he carried the football only six times the rest of the way, finishing with 23 yards.

There is no question Jones is a star. Hes one of the NFLs best home run threats, capable of breaking off a highlight touchdown from anywhere on the field. Dillon is built like the prototypical workhorse back, the kind who can handle north of 20 carries each week.

Asked if he even felt all those hits 25 touches Sunday brought, if he was even sore, Dillon did not hesitate.

Not really, he said.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Dillon and Jones have become 1A, 1B in the Packers backfield. On Sunday, Dillon was the Packers primary tailback in part to limit Jones workload in his return from the MCL injury. The time might come where, depending on the match-up, Dillon could warrant being the featured tailback even with Jones healthy.

Dillon showed Sunday against one of the NFLs best defensive fronts just how important a constant threat of the power run game can be to the Packers offense as the weather gets cold, the playoffs get closer.

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Dillon the battering ram the Packers needed in victory over Rams - packersnews.com

DONALDSONVILLE - State Troopers are investigating a crash along LA Hwy 1 near Fontana Road in Ascension Parish. The crash claimed the life of 31-year-old Cameron James Thibodeaux of Pierre Part, Louisiana.

The initial investigation revealed that the crash occurred as Thibodeaux was traveling southbound on LA Hwy 1 on a 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycle. At the same time, an unidentified vehicle began to make a left turn onto LA Hwy 1 from a private drive. The unidentified vehicle turned directly in front of Thibodeauxs motorcycle. The motorcycle then ran off of the road to the right and impacted an embankment. After causing the victims motorcycle to run off the road, the suspect briefly stopped before fleeing the scene.

Despite wearing a DOT approved helmet, Thibodeaux sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash. He was transported to an area hospital and was later pronounced deceased.

Troopers believe that the unidentified vehicle may be a green four door sedan with a possible primer type paint on the hood and the trunk area. This crash remains under investigation, and Troopers ask that anyone with any information regarding this crash please contact Louisiana State Police.

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State Troopers looking for hit and run vehicle that killed motorcyclist in Ascension Parish - WBRZ

The multimedia publisher and chart-topping media giant earns 2021 Great Place to Work Certification

Ascension, the leader in faith formation, is proud to be newly Certified by Great Place to Work.

The prestigious certification is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Ascension. 93% of employees said its a great place to work34 percentage points higher than the average US company.

Our employees start work each day inspired by our mission to share the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith with a growing number of people in America who are searching for a deeper relationship with God, comments Jonathan Strate, Ascensions president and CEO. This recognition by The Great Place to Work Institute is a tremendous affirmation of the thriving culture that all of us at Ascension have built together.

Employee participation in the Great Place to Work survey was voluntary, and responses were confidential. Ascensions highest scores were related to leadership and camaraderie. For example, employees said, Management is honest and ethical in its business practices (98%), people here are given a lot of responsibility (98%), people care about each other here (97%), and management recognizes honest mistakes as part of doing business (97%).

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation.

Great Place to Work Certification isnt something that comes easilyit takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience, explains Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. Its the only official recognition determined by employees real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Ascension is one of the best companies to work for in the country.

According to Great Place to Works own research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the companys profits, and have a fair chance at promotion.

About AscensionBest known for the #1 Apple Podcasts chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast, Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 20 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of over 10 million people in over 8,000 parishes through more than 50 unique faith formation programs and the Ascension Presents media and YouTube platforms.

About Great Place to WorkGreat Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Ascension Is Hiring!Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first?Visit: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/careers

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Contact:Lauren Joyce, Ascension484-876-1400[emailprotected]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.

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Ascension, the leader in Catholic faith formation, named one of the best companies to work for in America - Religion News Service

The Skyward Blade is a 5-star weapon that boosts a characters Energy Recharge by a substantial amount. However, the weapons passive is pretty weak, leaving the Skyward Blade a strict support option for most Sword-wielding characters. The Skyward Blade is a part of the Skyward Series of weapons, which includes the Skyward Spine, the Skyward Harp, the Skyward Atlas, and the Skyward Pride.

As a 5-star weapon, the Skyward Blade is obtainable from the Standard Banner and the Weapon Banner. You can get this weapon at any time from both banners, being a standard 5-star weapon. Its challenging to obtain, as it is a 5-star, so count your blessings if youre lucky enough to pull it.

The Skyward Blade is a bad option for most DPS-focused characters, despite being a 5-star. The Base ATK is on the lower side as a 5-star weapon, only barely eclipsing over 600 ATK. Additionally, the weapons passive is functionally useless, and the 4% boost in Crit Rate is not generally useful due to how small the boost is.

However, the weapons high Energy Recharge substat makes this a suitable support weapon for many Sword characters. This weapon is a solid choice for characters like Bennett, Kaeya, and Qiqi, for example. Chances are, if your Sword support character is in need of Energy Recharge, the Skyward Blade will be a good option.

Still, the Skyward Blade is less desirable than most other 5-star weapons. Some characters may even prefer a 4-star weapon, like the Sacrificial Sword. Generally, though, this weapon is fine for supports.

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Genshin Impact: Skyward Blade How to get it, stats, and ascension materials - Gamepur