Health & Wellness
Healthbeat
N.C. Children's Hospital
ranked as one of the best
CHAPEL HILL - N.C. Children's Hospital is
one of the best children's hospitals in the nation,
according to U.S. News Media Group's 2009 edition
of America's Best Children's Hospitals, the most
extensive listing of its kind. The publication has rec
ognized N.C. Children's Hospital as 1 1 th in the nation
among those caring for children with respiratory dis
orders. The ranking will appear online at
www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals and be featured
in the August issue of U.S. News & World Report,
available on newsstands starting July 21 .
"This marks the second consecutive year that N.C.
Children's Hospital attained the highest ranking of
any children's hospital in the state," said Dr. Alan
Stiles, the Children's Hospital's chief physician and
chair of pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine.
"Families across North Carolina can rest easy know
ing that, if and when they need it. their children have
access to world-class care at one of the best children's
hospitals in the entire country ? not only here in
Chapel Hill but at more than 25 satellite clinics
throughout the state."
The methodology behind this year's rankings
weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcome,
and care-related measures such as nursing care,
advanced technology, credential ing, and other factors.
The hospitals were judged based on a combination of
opinions from pediatric specialists about the hospitals
they would recommend for the sickest children and
data gathered in a 65-page survey covering important
medical information ranging from surgical death rates
to whether pediatric anesthesiologists and other sub
specialists are on the staff. A detailed description of
the methodology can be . found at
MNnv.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.
Hall of Fame inducts IU VP
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Edwin C. Marshall,
vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural
affairs and professor of optometry at Indiana
University, will be inducted into the National
Optometry Hall of Fame in recognition Of his contri
butions to his profession on Friday, June 26, in
Washington, D.C., at Optometry's Meeting, the offi
cial annual meeting of the American Optometric
Association ana the American
Optometric Student
Association. He will join 47
other people ? including four
with IU ties - in the organiza
tion's Hall of Fame.
"It's great to be recognized
like this so early in my career."
Marshall said. "1 look at it as a
signal award in terms of a
composite of what one has
contributed so far.
Or. Marshall
An optometry professor at
IU for more than 30 years. Marshall has frequently
been recognized for his scholarship, teaching ability
and professional advocacy. A past president of the
Indiana Optometric Association and the Indiana
Public Health Association. Marshall was named
Optometrist of the Year by the American Optometric
Association in 2007.
The Indiana Optometric Association in 2006 also
recognized him with its Optometrist of the Year
award. The IOA previously honored him with the
Distinguished Service to Optometry Award in 1998.
In 2001, he received the State Health Commissioner
Award for Excellence in Public Health, in 2005, the
Indiana governor named him a Distinguished
Hoosier, the second-highest honor given by the state.
Marshall has been an adviser to the medical facul
ty of the National University of Malaysia and the
Cebu Doctors' College. College of Optometry in the
Philippines, as well as many other international
accomplishments .
National HTV Testing Day
Saturday, June 27 is National HIV Testing Day.
Agencies devoted to fighting AIDS/HIV are using the
symbolic day to urge everyone to get tested.
Held annually since 1995, National HIV Testing
Day was launched by the National Association of
People with AIDS (NAPWA) in an effort to raise
awareness of the importance of knowing one's HIV
status and to encourage at-risk individuals to receive
voluntary HIV counseling and testing. Some reports
say that approximately 250.000 people are unaware of
their HIV status.
Free HIV testing is available at most county health
departments. For other testing locations in your area,
send a text message with your zip code to KNOWIT
(566948) or visit www.hivtest.org or www.AIDS.gov.
Bayada earns accreditation
Bayada Nurses, a national provider of home
health care services with local offices serving
Davidson. Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin coun
ties. has achieved accreditation for home health and
private duty services from the Community Health
Accreditation Program (CHAP), the leading accredit
ing organization for the home health care industry.
CHAP accreditation publicly certifies that an
organization has voluntarily met the highest standards
of excellence for home and/or community-based
health care. To achieve accreditation, organizations
must demonstrate compliance with CHAP's national
standards of excellence in the provision of care serv
ices.
CHAP's rigorous accreditation process involves a
thorough examination of the business and service
aspects of the entire Bayada Nurses organization
including office and client visits which evaluates
service quality, structural strength, organizational
effectiveness, and human and financial resources.
Local kids take part in obesity study
C MRONK l.h SI AH RhHORT
A doctor at Brenner
Children's Hospital will use a
grant from the North Carolina
Health and Wellness Trust Fund
(HWTF) to develop programs to
prevent obesity among children.
Dr. Robert Schwartz, a pedia
trician, has been awarded a
$70,(XX) grant to use to develop
pilot programs at four separate
sites throughout the state.
"Our goal is prevention," said
Schwartz, lead project coordina
tor. "We want to provide commu
nities with an inexpensive but
effective plan to help families
make better choices and live
healthier lives."
More than 80 families will be
enrolled in the pilot project
statewide at sites in Goldsboro,
Raleigh, Chapel Hill and
Winston-Salem, where Brenner
is based. Parents will receive
weekly nutrition consultations
? ? * * Fife Pholf
The pilot program is led by pediatrician Dr. Robert Schwartz.
with a registered dietitian and
physical activity provided by the
YMCA three times a week.
Farrjily Memberships at
YMCA branches will be offered
for free to all families for the
duration of the 12-week pro
gram. The families taking part
will ha\e the opportunity to have
their memberships extended to 6
months or longer.
Families taking part must
have a cfiild between the ages of
6 and II with a (body mass
index) B.M1 in the 85-97th per
centile. According to the Centers
for Disease Control, a child with
a BMI from the 85th to the 94th
percentile is overweight. A child
al the 95th percentile or above is
obese.
"The goal of the Healthy. Fit
and Strong Program is to develop
a low-cost model for family
focused. community -based child
hood obesity prevention pro
grams in North Carolina."
Schwartz said. "The hope is that
this project will provide an eco
nomically sustainable model for
expansion to other communi
ties." ..
Are full-bodied women being
left in cold by retailers?
BY SHANTELLA SHERMAN
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - National health reports con
ducted by the Centers for Disease Control and ^
Prevention say that the average American woman is ^
5'4" in height, weiglis approximately 164 pounds
and wears a size 14. In fact. 68 percent of American
women are now considered "plus-sized."
That fact made the recent announcement by Crain's I
New York Business that the nation's' recession .had]
caused national retailers, including some, major chains,]
to discontinue women's plus sizes to save money,
shocking to many.
Mores, including Ann laylor unci
Bloomingdales, started to reduce clothing sizes M
and will begin carrying only sizes 0 to 10, 12 orS
14 (depending on the clothing line) in store.
The rationale is that plus-sized fashion lines ?
are also more expensive to produce, given the*
extra material needed and the need to hire plus size 1
models. Still, as some shoppers at the Mall at
Prince George's explained, the cost has always
trickled down to the customers.
ine ciotning may cost more to produce, out we
are still talking pennies on the dollar. Anyway, you
only need to look at the tags of clothes size 10 and;
20 to see that the difference in cost - sometimes
three or four dollars, sometimes 10 or 15 dollars, is
being passed on to the plus-sized consumer," said
LaTavia Brown. 27, of Hyattsville. Md.
Eboni Fisher, 19, of Bowie, said that the retailers
were also not factoring ethnicity in the making of
clothing, which for some with larger hips, thighs, and
backsides, forced them into plus-sized pieces though
they were not considered plus-sized.
> "A lot of women of color have small waistlines,
but have apple bottoms' and hips. By my waist I
Sec Plus-size on All
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Phtrto tn Dcbra Claxton/YMCA
Rodney Sellers gives swim lessons at the Winston Lake Y.
Y continues focus on swim safety
Coach of Charlotte black swim team shares tips with kids
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
As part of its ongoing focus on
water safety, the Winston Lake
Family YMCA recently played host
to Rodney Sellers, the coach of the
accomplished Queen City Dolphins
Swim Team. The Charlotte-based
Dolphins is one of the state's few
all-black swim teams.
Sellers spent several hours on
June 6 giving swim lessons to
dozens of kids at the Winston Lake
Y pool. The branch has made a
commitment to help more local
minority children learn the life-sav
ing skill of swimming. According to
national statistics, minority children
die from drowning at a dispropor
tionately higher rate - more than 40
percent - than white children.
In the spring, the Y, in conjunc
tion with the Maya Angelou
Institute for the Improvement of
Child and Family Education, gave
free swim lessons to every third
grade Petree Elementary student.
"Swimming has always been
part of the YMCA. It's a great way
for families to spend time together
and improve their health and well
ness," says Debra Claxton. aquatics
coordinator at the Winston Lake
Family YMCA. "It's all about safe
ty, though. Our advice to all adults
and children is to learn how to swim
and to understand the importance of
being safe while in the water. It's
never too late."
Many Petree students were
among those who received lessons
from Sellers, whose swimmers have
won a plethotra of titles.
Sellers first learned to swim at
public pools in Winston-Salem
when he was just 5-years-old. He
was a lifeguard by 14 and a water
safety and lifeguard instructor by
16. Sellers, who is also the recre
ation coordinator supervisor for
Mecklenburg County Parks and
Recreation, swam competitively at
UNC Charlotte. He has coached at
schools like Johnson C. Smith
See Sw im on A9
Labor ; Delivery ,
arcd Postpartum
For the past two weeks, we have been sharing a brief overview
of planning for and what to expect during pregnancy. This week
CtiniC'
The lllffffl ftnceiou flEst??t?toTM ,
on fflmmm tow** ,,i
I y \ Wake forest University Baptist
i^amDEDmain
we are going to cuscuss laoor. deliv
ery, and postpartum (after birth)
expectations.
Birth Options
During your pregnancy, it is
important to think about what birth
option is right for you. Many women
choose to give birth in a hospital, with
an obstetrician (OB/GYN), but many
others also choose to give birth at home or in a birthing center.
Home births or deliver
ies in birthing centers
are often attended by
midwives, health care
providers who have
specialized training in
prenatal care, labor and
delivery, and postpar
tum care. You should
talk with your health
care provider to discuss
what birth option will
be best for you and
your baby.
Signs of Labor ~
It's important to
remember that each
woman's labor and
delivery experience is
unique, so not all women have the same symptoms. Below is a list
of common symptoms that, according to the American Pregnancy
Association, you may experience within days or hours of labor:
- Breathing becomes easier again: This is an indication that
the baby has dropped, settling deeper into your pelvis and reliev
ing some of the pressure on your diaphragm, so you are not so
short of breath.
Bloody show/Loss of mucus plug: During pregnancy, a thick
plug of mucus protects your cervical opening from bacteria enter
ing the uterus. When your cervix begins to thin and relax, this plug
is expelled: this may look like stringy mucus or discharge.
- Water Breaks: If your membranes have ruptured and you are
See Pregnancy on A9