Health & Wellness
Healthbeat
Complications from ??
heartburn on the rise
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chronic heartburn is
a daily acid bath for the esophagus, and complica
tions from it are on the rise New government fig
ures show a worrisome increase in esophagus dis
orders from severe acid reflux. The worst Ofltefi
esophageal cancer, is continuing its march as the
nation's fastest-growing malignancy.
What to do if you're one of the estimated 3
million Americans whose eroded esophagus
means high risk for this especially deadly cancer?
More doctors are trying to zap away the worst
damage, beaming radiotrequency energy down
the throat to burn off precancerous cells.
While it's not yet certain that will block can
cer from ever forming, the studies are promising
enough that specialists have begun debating how
to better find at-risk patients, people who suffer a
condition called Barrett \ esophagus. Ironically, a
damaged esophagus ma> no longer feel the bum
of acid reflux, keeping sufferers in the dark.
"You become desensitized. You can go a long
time without knowing you have Barrett's," warns
Dr. John I. Allen of the American
Gastroenterological Association.
Heartburn sometimes is a temporary problem,
but it also can signal gastrointestinal reflux dis
ease, or GERD, where a loose valve allows stom
ach acid to regularly back up into the delicate
esophagus. Millions have GERD, which is on the
rise along with expanding waistlines. For most
people, acid-suppressing medications are the
I II
red for
overseas volunteer work
s. Dr. Gopal H. Badlani, vice chaii of Wake
Forest University Baptist Medical Center's
j Department of Urology, was honored by an inter
organization for his significant contribu
te urologic patients and practitioners in die
developing woria.
IVUmed, formerly known
as the International!
Volunteers in Urology, has
sent mort than 175 medical
missions to 20 countries.
IVUmed recognized Badlani
has been a leader in this
realm and has participated in
medical service workshops in
India, Africa and South
America since 1994. Each
year he mentors a resident
recipient who participates in a
"provides free treatment to [
help, while at the same time
t to invaluable medical and hue
nce? B
MBi was honored on March 29 at
IVUmed's Carolina Spring Benefit in Charlotte.
He is a professor of urology and an expert in the
field of urinary incontinence. He has been invited
nationally and internationally as a visiting profes
Badlani is managing editor of the Journal of
logy, is editor of several textbooks ami
published more than 200 manuscripts and
chapters.
also specializes in minimally inva
for pelvic organ prolapse and
a. His lab has done basic research it
of pelvic organ prolapse.
med's mission is to make quality urologi
cal care available to people worldwide, by intro
new and appropriate surgical practices and
, by training physicians and nurses in
developing world, and by providing free uro
treatment to thousands of children and
parents' other three
removed by authorities
MBjfAUSAU, Wis.( AP) The three siblings of C
who died of diabetes that went untreated as her
prayed instead of taking her to a doctor
? been removed from the home during an inves
i, police said Friday.
parents and social services experts
would be best for everyone ,
Chief Dan Vergin said. The childrenl
with other relatives, though they were]
r, he said.
is no physical evidence of abuse or n
said.
Neumann, 11, died Sunday the]
home of an undiagnosed but treatable f
as her parents, Dale and
prayed for her to get better. Her i
never expected her daughter,
to die.
ly believes in the Bible, which i
from God. Leilani Neu
sn removed from the home
13 to 16 and are expected to
once an investigation of the
up, Vergin said.
not specify where they are
with another family member.
said his agency's final report wiU i
idations on possible charges
I, leaving that up to the district j
is no intent. They didn't want the
thought what they were doing '
he said. "They believed up to tl
breathing she was going to get 1
thought it was a spiritual attack,
if they prayed enough she would
it."
Forsyth Medical grant will
help build adult care facility
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
For more than 24 years, parents
from across the state and around the
world whose children are being
treated at one of Winston-Salem's
medical centers have had access to a
"home away from home" at Ronald
McDonald House. Soon, adult hos
pital patients and their families who
travel to Winston-Salem for medical
treatment will have a similar caring
refuge - the Josh and Marie
Reynolds Hospital Guest House.
The Hospital Guest House is a
collaborative effort involving
Forsyth Medical Center, "Wake
Forest University Baptist Medical
Center, Hospice and Palliative
CareCenter, and the community.
Forsyth Medical Center recently
donated $250, OCX) to establish an
endowment for ongoing support of
the House. A capital campaign is
planned to raise $6 million to pur
chase and prepare the property and
build the facility.
"Forsyth Medical Center is
proud to support the Josh and Marie
Reynolds Hospital Guest House, and
we encourage others in the commu
nity to get involved in this campaign
^ Photo by Jaeson Pitt
The Josh and Marie Reynolds Hospital Guest House will serve adults
the same way Ronald McDonald House serves young people.
to ensure the project's long-term suc
cess," remarks Sallye Liner, chief
operating officer for Forsyth
Medical Center. "We believe that
the Guest House will provide won
derful, needed services to the many
out-of-town patients and families
who seek medical care in Winston
Salem." ?
See Grant on A12
Ifrlirnialri
Queen to trade crown for lab coat
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Miss N.C. Central University
will remove her crown and ball gown
and replace them with a white lab
coat.
Latoya Kay Ann Tate will attend
Duke University in August for an
accelerated three-year course leading
to a Doctor of Physical Therapy. The
DPT program falls within the
Department of Community and
Family Medicine, which is affiliated
with the School of Medicine.
The senior, * from Toronto,
Canada; is an honors student at North
Carolina Central University with a
nearly 3.79 GPA. She is an exercise
sports science major, minoring in
biology.
"When the admissions officer
from Duke called, she asked me if I
was sitting down. She said 'you
impressed everyone here during your
interview and we are inviting you to
join the program,"' Tate stated.
"After the call, I went into my closet,
my prayer closet, and fell to my
knees. I realized how blessed I am."
she said. Tate says she wants to go
into physical therapy because it gives
her that "fulfilling feeling of being
able to contribute to someone's qual
ity of life."
Anita Aiken, the coordinator of
admissions in the DPT program, says
Tate is one of 100 students accepted
into the DPT program. Aiken says
the committee was impressed by
Tate's "personality and her profes
sional demeanor."
The NCCU senior has received a
lot of blessings. She was voted All
CLAA First Team as a utility player in
volleyballin 2005. She held NCCU's
single-season record for assists and
had 215 service aces in 2004-2006.
The Eagles won the CIAA
Championships three times and went
to the NCAA playoffs three times
while Tate was a player.
In the fall of 2007, Tate began her
reign as Miss NCCU and during the
year, she has worked on getting
everyone on campus into a health
conscious mindset, through her
Eagle Fit Club. Tate also is part of the
NCCU Read to Achieve program,
which involves NCCU students
\
Miss NCCU is headed to Duke Medical School.
NCCU Photo
working directly with young readers.
She credits NCCU's interim ath
letic director, Ingrid Wicker-McCree
with being her mentor. Tate says in
the last several months she has been
living by a. statement made by chan
cellor Charlie Nelms: "Vision with
out focus is a mere illusion."
Tate's vision is to graduate from
Duke as a clinical physical therapist
go into practice in an orthopedic,
post-op rehabilitation setting, dealing
with everything from brain to spinal
cord injury.
David Mount
Angelou
Center's
Mount fights
disparities
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
National Institutes of
Health (NIH) designated
health disparities scholar
David L. Mount, Psy.D, M.A.
uses his skills as a neuropsy
chologist to address the emo
tional well-being of area com
munity leaders who work for
fairness and equality for the
poor and needy.
As one of the few African
Americans in his field and a
licensed psychologist. Mount
focuses his research at the
Maya Angelou Research
Center on Minority Health on
how well people diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes, hyper
tension, and cardiovascular
disease gain access to health
care and manage these chron
ic diseases that disproportion
ately affect non-whites.
Mount is working with
community organizations
such as Neighbors for Better
Neighborhoods thanks in part
to a Community Academic
Partnership Fund grant
secured by the Angelou
Research Center to examine
the needs of those who work
to make local communities
better.
"As a community health
psychologist, my research and
service focuses on closing the
gaps in health literacy and
mental health service delivery
and identifying strategies that
strengthen the emotional
well-being of social justice
workers," said Mount, assis
tant professor of internal med
icine at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical
Center. "Since coming to
Wake Forest Baptist, my com
munity engagement activities
have focused on working with
grassroots organization and
lecturing widely throughout
the community on topics that
are at the intersection of phys
ical health and mental health."
He is designated a health
disparities scholar through the
NIH National Center on
Minority Health and Health
Disparities (NCMHD). The
NCMHD was created to pro
mote minority health and
See Mount on All
Childhood Obesity: Raising Healthy Children
My child is already overweight or obese.
What can I do?
As parents, we are all struggling to keep
our children healthy. Parenting in 2008
requires us to educate ourselves about how
to feed our children in a
healthy manner, how to
keep them active, and
how to reduce the time
spent in front of a televi
sion screen or computer
monitor. There are some
quick and - easy habit
changes that can be made
in the home to impact
your child's health. Our
children need our support
? not rritirism nf their
weight ? so pay attention to ways you can
reinforce healthy behaviors like exercise or
eating more fruits and vegetables. The
Brenner FIT web site at
www.brennerchildrens .org/brennerfit lists
5-4-3-2-1-0 recommendations for habits
that support a healthy weight in children.
They are:
5 - Eat 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables a
day.
4 - Eat at least 4 meals together as a
family each week ("Family Meals").
1 - Eat three meals a
day.
2 - Allow less than 2
hours of screen time per
day.
1 - Aim for at least I
hour of physical activity
each day.
0 - Eliminate sweet
ened beverages.
It would be a great
idea to review the 5-4-3
2-1-0 list and choose one
goal for your home.
My child doesn't like the healthy food
choices I offer. How can I help him eat
better?
Way to go for offering healthy choices
See Obesity on All
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