Health & Wellness
Healthbeat
WFU Baptist Medical Center
will celebrate King holiday
t Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center will
hold its seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day cele- I
bration Jan 20 at 12:15 p.m. in Bahcock Auditorium. The
public is invited.
The Rev. Alton B. Pollard III, director of black church
studies and associate professor of religion and culture at
Emory University's Chandler School of Theology in
Atlanta, will be the featured speaker. Pollard is the author
of "Mysticism and Social Change," co-editor of "How
Long This Road: Race, Religion and the Continuing
Struggle for Freedom." He is former associate editor of
the journal Black Sacred Music.
An ordained Baptist minister. Pollard is an associate
minister of Trinity African Baptist Church, Mableton, Ga
He received his bachelor's degree with honors from Ftsk
University, a master's degree from Harvard University
divinity school and a doctorate in religion from Duke
University. He and his wife. Jessica, have a son. Brooks,
and a daughter, Asha.
At the celebration, musical celebrations will be pro
vided by soloist Devon B. C'uthbertson, the New Faith
Ensemble of Winston-Salem and the Ultra Sounds!, a
men's a cappella singing group made up of fust- and sec
ond-year students at Wake Forest University School of
Medicine
Admission is free. Free parking will be available on
the employees parking deck on Hawthorne Road.
Kernersville doctor has new title
RALEIGH - Dr. Kenworth Holness of Kernersville
was installed as minority physicians constituency director
of the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP)
during the NCAFP's annual Winter Family Physicians
Weekend and Annual Meeting at the Grove Park Inn in
Asheville. Holness will serve a two-year term.
The N.C. Academy of Family Physicians Inc
(NCAFPI is a nonprofit association, headquartered in
Raleigh, with a 54-year history serving family physiciaas.
family practice residents and medical students statewide,
currently numbering more than 2,400 members. The
academy also has a philanthropic arm, the NCAFP Foun
dation, a charitable public foundation recognized by the
Internal Revenue Service as a 501 CcK3) tax-exempt
wganization
The academy's mission is to improve the health of
patients, their families and the people of North Carolina;
to promote access to primary care services by family
physicians; to advance and represent the specialty of fam
ily practice; and to serve, with professionalism and cre
ativity. the unique needs of its members. The NCAFP is a
constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP). Founded in 1947, the AAFP is the
only medical specialty society devoted solely to primary
care and currently represents nationwide more than
93,100 family physicians, residents and students. For
more information about the NCAFP, visit the academyTs
Web site at www.ncafp.com.
New associate director named ^
Michael Batalia, Ph.D., has been appointed associate
director of the Office of Technology Asset Management
at Wake Forest University H&altjySciences.
Spencer Lemons, director ofthe Office of Technolo
gy Asset Management, said Batalia would join his staff on
Jan. 6.
Batalia comes to Wake Forest University Health Sci
j ences from the Office of Technology Transfer at N.C.
State University, where he served as the interim associate
vice chancellor and director of the office and before that
as associate director, managing inventions and technolo
gy from the life sciences and physical sciences.
"He has worked with many start-up companies and
businesses licensing intellectual property into the com
mercial sector," Lemons said. AVe are extremely pleased
to have someone of Michael's talent and experience join
ing our team."
One function of the Wake Forest office is to assist in
developing start-up companies "
Batalia joins Lemons and Dean Stell in the office.
Before hts appointment at N.C. Suite. Batalia wax a
postdoctoral fellow at the Linebetger Comprehensive
Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, where his research focused on molecular
immunology and structural biology. Batalia has a bache
lor's degree mihemistry from the University of Chicago
and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of
Texas at Austin."*
He is active in the Association of University Technol
ogy Managers, the major professional group in the field.
Group is gearing up for 2003
A Cleaner World MS Walk
GREENSBORO - The Central North Carolina
Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is
gearing up for its 14th annual A Cleaner World MS Walk.
The MS Society will host six walks within the Triad area,
including ttoo new walk sites.
This year's goal for the MS Walk is to raise $286.1)00.
The funds raised by the walk will provide services for
nearly 1,800 people with multiple sclerosis and their fam
ilies in the local area. Funds are also allocated toward
much-needed research into the cause and cure of this
unpredictable disease.
Call (336) 299-4136 for information or register online
at www.ncc.nmss.org. Be one of the first 200 to register
by Jan. 31. and receive A Cleaner World MS Walk license
2003 A Cleaner Wold MS Walk dates are: April 5 in
Winston-Salem at Wake Forest University and in Rei
dsville at the Penn House; April, 6 in Thomasville at Mills
Home at Baptist Children's Home: April 12 in Asheboro
at the N.C. Zoo and in High Point at the Piedmont Envi
ronmental Center; and April 13 in Greensboro at Country
Park
Set realistic resolutions |
Robert
Harris, M.D.
Guest
Columnist
It's that lime of the year again -
the time when many of us think
about the resolutions we made last
year and wonder what happened to
them. We all know the drill: Inten
tions run strong at first, then before
we know it, it's March and those res
olutions are faded niemories.
For many of
us, this year's reso
lutions will
include losing 1
weight, exer- M
cising more,
and lowering
stress or choles
terol levels. The
key to achieving these
M V V, I..
new icai s icsuiu
tions is to set reason
able. yet attainable
goals. Don't be dis- i
couraaed if vou I
don't see results
immediately.
Remember that ;
real changes J
happen slowly M
ovei lime.
And if you
think your .
plate is j
too full m
right now M
to possi- m
bly pile on H
one more ?
commit-H
ment. con- ?
sidcr these H
simple*
changes >
that can
add up to a
significant positive impact on your
overall health.
10 Obtainable Health Goals
1. Work on sensible eating
habits. ?*
Many of us eat on the run, but we
can still eat healthful foods. Take
along good-for-you snacks such as
fruit or nuts. Look for low-fat or
reduced-fat foods offered in restau
rants, and chew your food slowly.
Not only will you enjoy your meal
more, but also you'll be less likely to
overeat. Fuel your mind and body
with a balanced breakfast to jump
start your day. And don't skip meals.
Doing so may cause you to overeat
later in the day.
2. Drink water.
Drink those much needed six to
eight glasses of water a day. Carry a
water bottle with you at work and
around the house, and drink even if
you don't feel thirsty.
Make a habit of drinking water
whenever you feel hungry and
before each meal.
3. Form a support system.
Form a support system of friends
and family who will cheer you on
and help you keep your goals in
sight. Consider joining a support
group or getting an exercise partner.
4. Be active every day.
Get at least a little exercise every
day. You do not need to join a gym to
enjoy the health benefits of being
physically active. Take the stairs
instead of the elevator, take a 15
minute walk at lunch, or park farther
away from buildings. If you decide
^ to take on a full-fledged exer
cise program, good for
you! Just be sure
check
your doc- ?
lor ?
5. Find ?
a doctor &H0*"'
you like. ^
You will ?
take better ?
care of yourself I
if you feei com
fortable' dis
cussing your health
with your doctor. Find a doctor you
can trust and develop a good work
ing relationship with him or her.
6. Track goals.
Keep track of your new goals by
writing them down and reviewing
them regularly. And remember to
reward yourself when you make
progress toward your goals, but
choose a reward that doesn't involve
food.
7. Use positive reinforcement.
Create a list of all benefits of
, changing habits, and place it where
you will see it every day. Make a
collage of words and pictures from
magazines to help you visualize
your goals.
8. Wear sunscreen all year.
Remember1 that skin damage
happens all year round. Wear SPF 15
(or higher) particularly if you're out
side a lot to protect yourself from
skin cancer and premature skin
aging.
9. Make time for yourself each
day.
Stress is hard on your body, so
make rest and relaxation a priority.
Take a warm bath, meditate, read -
anything that gives.you that neces
sary down time each day.
10. Get your sleep.
Get plenty of sleep. Depriving
yburself of those important seven to.
eight hours of sleep
H.13 y\J U up HM
stress. acci
dents and
irritability.
Find
way to
I relax
before
going to
bed. and
try
turn in
a. n
wake
^B up at
e
same
lime eacn
day. even on week
M
By making these simple changes
to your life, you can make 2003 the
first of many healthy years to come.
Keep this list where you can see it.
and commit to making five or six of
these healthy ideas -a part of even,
day. Before you know it, you'll be
congratulating yourself on turning
this year's resolutions into healthy
new ways of life.
Robert Harris, M.D. is chief
medical officer of Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Med
student
takes top
prize for
research
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Frank Killian of the Class of
2(X)5 at Wake Forest University
School of Medicine took first
place at the 18th annual Medical
Student Research Day for his
project on the viability of a trau
ma service in orthopedics.
Killian. a combined
M.D./M.B.A. student, found that
establishing an orthopedic trau
ma service made sense econom
ically- because it concentrated
the trauma cases in a group of
orthopedic surgeons, freeing the
sub-specialists in the department
to concentrate on elective sur
gery within their specialty areas.
The new service also would
result in improved patient care,
enhanced education of residents
and increased research opportu
nities. he said.
"Our data sWggest that an
orthopedic trauma service is a
smart medical/and business
decision," fie-<aid.
1/ : i
I\ I 1 -
lian, who
is from
Asheville.
worked
w it h
Mitchell
B. Harris,
M . D . .
professor
of surgi
cal sci
e n c e s
(orthopedics) and with two
members of the Class of 2(X)3,
Jimmy G. Garas and Gregory S.
Freidel, who also are in the joint
MD/MBA program.
"The work they performed
was instrumental in our depart
ment's decision to go forward
with the service." Harris said.
Krishna Tansavatdi. also a
second-year student, finished in
second place with a project that
looked at variants of the BRCA
I gene, which is linked to breast
cancer. Her project compared 21
women who carried different
BRCA1 variants with 21 worr.cn
with "normal" BRCA 1 genes, to
see if they would react different
ly to ionizing radiation (one
indicator of whether BRCA1 is
also involved in DNA repair.) ?
She found that some of the
BRCA I variants showed
increased response to radiation,
while others had almost no
response.
"Specific types of BRCA I
abnormalities seemed, to predis
pose cells to the effect of radia
tion exposure (more) than oth
ers," said Tansavatdi, who is
from Los Angeles. "Our results
provide a likely explanation for
the variations in clinical out
comes that we see among indi
viduals with BRCA 1 muta
tes."
bhe worked with Jennifer
Hu, Ph.D.. associate professor of
cancer biology aijd public health
sciences.
Kattron Rhodes Cofield of
the Class of ^!005 took third
place for her project that focused
on trying to find an early marker
for pvarian cancer. Ovarian can
cer has a high mortality rate
because it ordinarily is not diag
nosed until the disease is in the
advanced stages.
Cofield. who is from'
Wimauma. Fla.. found that an
enzyme, phospholipase D. is
produced in excess amounts in
conjunction with ovarian cancer
cells and may serve as an indica
tor that ovarian cancer is pro
gressing. The presence of the
' enzyme may offer a new focus
of attack for anticancer therapy.
She worked with Brigette
Miller. M.D.. associate professor
of obstetrics and gynecology,
and Larry Daniel. Ph.D.. profes
sor of biochemistry.
Ashley Noel Rush, 2(X)5.
fro?Basking Ridge, N.J.. won
See Student on C4
t "~ ;m i
Kiltian
Three Mile Island plaintiffs throw
#
in the towel after 20-year battle
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARRISBURG. Pa. - Attor
neys for 1.990 plaintiffs who alleged
that their health was damaged by the
1979 accident at the Three Mile
Island nuclear plant say their legal
action is over, nearly two dozen
years after the reactor meltdown.
Earlier this month, rtjte 3rd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals refused to
hear an appeal of a lower-court deci
sion granting summary dismissal of
the claims against former TMI
owner General Public Utilities Corp.
and related defendants.
"There's nothing more that can
be done to proceed with them,
essentially." said Harrisburg attor
ney Lee C. Swartz, who has been co
counsel for the plaintiffs from the
beginning. "We doubt the U.S.
Supreme Court would agree to hear
the case."
No other major litigation
remains from the March 28-April I.
1979, accident at TMI. the nation's
worst commercial nuclear accident.
The plaintiffs said their health
was harmed by radiation that
escaped from the damaged TMI-2
plant for several days before the
reactor was brought under control.
An estimated KX).(XX) people fled
the region during the crisis.
GPU and Nuclear Regulatory
Commission officials have main
tained that not enough radiation was
released to cause adverse health
effects, but some "doctors as well as
anti-nuclear activists argued that that
was unclear.
"It just seemed to me there was
scant, if not zero, evidence of a true
corollary between the radiation and
the illnesses." former GPU president
and chief operating officer Herman
M. Dieckamp said last Thursday.
"So it was probably the right thing
for them to do."
In 1990, a Columbia University
study concluded that the reported
exposure levels were too low to have
caused increased lung cancer and
leukemia cases near the plant, which
is on the Susquehanna River, about
10 miles south of Harrisburg.
But a later study by Dr. Stephen
Wing and others at the University of
North Carolina-Chapel Hill School
of Public Health used the same data
and concluded that "downwind"
areas during the 1979 accident had
increased cancer rates. Wing con
ceded that his study did not prove
more potent radiation releases, hut
said there was little else that would
explain the higher cancer rates.
A spokesman for a watchdog
group that monitors Three Mile
Island vowed last Thursday that the
group "will continue to pursue and
track radiogenic cancers."
"While this is a setback. I
believe we'll endure and prevail,
probably when I'm a very old man."
TMI Alert spokesman Eric Epstein
said.
Two of the plaintiffs were Terry
Sec Plaintiffs on C4
rue riKMo
Three Mile Island has several nuclear reactors like these.