Health & Wellness
Issues concerning the well-being of the African-American community
Healthbeat
Pre-race event held to promote the Komen
N.C. Triad Race for the Cure on May 5
To raise awareness of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foun
dation and to promote participation for the second annual Komen
N.C. Triad Race for the Cure on May 5, Triad area motorcycle enthu
siasts, volunteers and sponsors presented an exciting pre-race event.
On April 29 at 1 p.m. motorcyclists departed from Thruway Shopping
Center in Winston-Salem on the first leg of the N.C. Triad Bikers'
Tour for the Cure. Riders joined the tour at stops at Greensboro
Harley Davidson and High Point Harley Davidson. Celebrities
included Cindy Farmer and Rich Brenner of FOX8 TV and Big Paul
of WTQR Radio.
The Komen N.C. Triad Race for the Cure will be held on May 5
beginning at Salem Square in Old Salem, Winston-Salem. Seventy
five percent of the net proceeds will be awarded as local grants for
education, screening and treatment of underserved women in the
N.C. Triad area, with the balance going to support the Komen Foun
dation's national grant program.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established
in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan
G. Komen, who died of breast cancer at the age of 36. From its incep
tion through the end of fiscal year 2000, the foundation has raised
more than $300 million for breast cancer research, education, screen
ing and treatment programs across the country. The foundation is an
international organization with a network of more then 35,000 vol
unteers working through 111 affiliates fighting to eradicate breast
cancer as a life-threatening disease.
For more information on the local affiliate or the 2001 Komen
Race for the Cure, call (336) 721-0037 or visit online at www.tri
adrace.com.
Dirty footbaths blamed for outbreak of boils
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) At least 109 women who got pedicures
at a California nail salon developed boils from bacteria in the shop's
footbaths, health officials say.
The type of bacteria is common, but the outbreak last year in Wat
sonville is the first documented case at a nail salon in the United
States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The boils were caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium fortui
tum, which was found in the whirlpool footbaths used at Fancy Nails
to relax customers and soften their skin, the CDC reported last
Thursday.
Customers began developing the boils last April. They were given
antibiotics, and in some cases, the infections took as long as six
months to treat. Some of the women were permanently scarred.
Investigators found that women who had shaved their legs before
soaking in the baths had a higher risk of contracting the bacteria.
Tuan Ngo, owner of the salon, closed the shop in October and the
state suspended his license for 90 days for keeping dirty footbaths. He
was also billed nearly $19,000 for the cost of the investigation.
Because of the outbreak, the state Bureau of Barbering and Cos
metology is drawing up regulations for cleaning and disinfecting foot
baths.
House approves prescription drug proposal
RALEIGH (AP) A proposal to use some of North Carolina's
share of a national tobacco settlement to help seniors pay for pre
scription drugs was unanimously approved by the state House on
Thursday.
The plan would require the Health and Wellness Trust Fund
board, overseeing 25 percent of the $4.6 billion the state will receive
from cigarette makers, to provide money to programs to help seniors
buy prescription drugs.
The legislation, sponsored by Democratic leaders in the House,
comes on the heels of similar proposals by Gov. Mike Easley and
House Republicans.
The bill originally would have only encouraged the trust fund
board to help provide money for prescription drug proposals. House
Republicans, though, pushed through a change that would require the
board to use some of that money for that purpose.
Rep. David Redwine, D-Brunswick, said he believed the original
bill would have made lawmakers' intent clear. The appointments to
the board are split among the governor. House speaker and Senate
leader.
"If this body sends this to them without the requirement, I think
they pretty much get the message that this is what we want them to
do," Redwine said.
But Rep. Debbie Clary, R-Cleveland. said the trust fund board
would still have plenty of flexibility because the House proposal does
n't specify an amount to spend.
Unlike the House plan, Easley's proposal calls for developing a
specific program to help seniors with prescription drugs. Some of the
trust fund money would be funneled into the program.
Easley has estimated the cost of a such a program would run any
where from $15 million to $30 million a year depending on its
specifics and how much Congress decides to supplement prescription
drug costs.
Health system receives $1.2 million in honor of
physician who practiced at Wesley Long Hospital
GREENSBORO A former surgeon who practiced at Wesley
Long Community Hospital and his wife have been memorialized
with a $1.2 million gift to Moses Cone Health System. The dona
tion was given by the estate and in memory of Dr. William and
(Catherine W. Norment
Most of the gift will be used in the development of an outpa
tient surgical center at Wesley Long Community Hospital.
"That's a most appropriate use of this generous donation," said
Dennis Barry, chief executive officer. Moses Cone Health System.
"Dr. Norment was a general surgeon and inventor who would, no
doubt, be quite pleased to help this surgery center become a reality
on the campus of a hospital he loved."
A memorial honoring Dr. and Mrs. Norment will be part of the
center. The Greensboro Historical Medical Library will receive
$50,000 of the gift.
Norment was one of 12 doctors who purchased Wesley Long
Community Hospital from Dr. John Wesley Long in 1931. Nor
ment served the hospital as chief of surgery from 1961-67. He also
served on the medical board until his retirement in 1976. Norment
received numerous honors for his invention of the hysterscope, an
instrument used to detect tumors in the uterus. One of his hyster
scopes is part of the collection of the Greensboro Historical Med
ical Library.
Survey reveals U.S. apathy toward international AIDS crisis
Minorities especially unconcerned about issues
SPECIAL TO THE CHKQMl I I
SEATTLE Despite widespread awareness
of the international AIDS crisis, more than half
of Americans are not likely to donate to AIDS
education and prevention programs or to assist
children orphaned by the pandemic overseas,
according to a national survey released last
week.
Roughly three out of four Americans are
aware that many countries have a large popula
tion of AIDS victims; nearly a third are very
familiar with the AIDS epidemic overseas, the
Barna Research poll found. In addition. 61 per
cent of Americans are unlikely to help overseas
AIDS prevention and education programs and
54 percent are unlikely to help AIDS orphans.
Barna's random telephone survey of 1,003
U.S. adults was commissioned by World Vision,
a Christian humanitarian organization. "We
wanted to measure Americans' attitudes about
and awareness of the international AIDS cri
sis," said Richard Stearns, president. "Needless
to say, the results are deeply troubling, given
that 73 percent of Americans among the most
charitable people in the world say they are
aware or very familiar with the issue, but are
still not likely to help the international AIDS
crisis.
"Regrettably, this fits into the general land
scape of a nation with decreasing support for
problems outside its borders. What seems new
is the fact that knowledge of the issue has min
imal impact on people's concern, or their will
ingness to give their time or funds to the cause."
Stearns said.
w i ?
The Barna Research Group, which has con
ducted national polls since 1984, drew several
other conclusions from the latest survey:
? Lack of money, concern about domestic
issues and commitment to other charitable
causes are the top reasons Americans stated
they would not be interested in donating to
overseas AlDS-related causes.
? African Americans are the most likely of
any demographic group to say that they would
definitely support either AIDS education and
prevention programs (19 percent) or AIDS
orphans (20 percent).
? Hispanics also showed above-average sup
port, as did unmarried adults and adults under
age 36.
Among the least likely group to support
AlDS-related causes were seniors and married
adults.
"The overall poll results are alarming, espe
cially Considering the AIDS epidemic is literal
ly ripping the fabric of society in many African
nations," said Stearns.
Since the AIDS epidemic began, more than
18 million lives have been claimed by AIDS
almost 15 million of them in sub-Saharan
Africa. There are more than 13 million AIDS
orphans. The AIDS toll can be expected to
double over the next decade.
World Vision, one of the largest privately
funded Christian humanitarian organizations
in the world, started its first AIDS programs a
decade ago. The organization's first work
included assistance for AIDS orphans and their
foster families in Uganda, care for HIV-infect
ed babies and children in Romania, and sup
port for teens and young women escaping pros
titution in Thailand. Today. World Vision is
helping combat AIDS throughout Africa. Asia
and other parts of the world.
New study says that minorities in this coun
try are not concerned about the AIDS crisis
in places like Africa.
Local community
outreach programs
among six in nation
to get federal funds
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Two community outreach pro
grams affiliated with Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical Center
have been selected for a National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) project to prevent and
control heart disease and promote
heart-healthy behavior.
The NHLBI has announced a
partnership with six programs
nationwide to ensure that the lat
est information on heart disease
and stroke prevention reaches
people in low-income and minori
ty communities. The selected com
munities have coronary heart dis
ease and stroke death rates that
exceed national averages.
"Despite the scientific and
technological advances in cardio
vascular medicine during the past
50 years, many Americans are not
enjoying the improvements in
health that application of existing
information has the potential to
offer," said Dr. Claude Lenfant.
NHLBI director. "The NHLBI is
taking aggressive steps to enhance
dissemination and outreach activ
ities to address this disturbing
nroblem "
The Medical Center-affiliated
programs are HEARTQUEST in
Columbus and Robeson counties
and the DR CHIP program in the
Dan River region of Virginia. The
NHLB1 says these are among the
first of a network of community
based organizations that will
implement culturally sensitive
heart health education strategies.
HEARTQUEST (Heart
Attack and Stroke Education.
Awareness, Rapid Response,
Treatment Adherence, Quality
Enhancement through Science
Translation) is designed to
improve health-care services in the
rural and ethnically diverse coun
ties of Columbus and Robeson.
The area has one of the highest
rates of cardiovascular disease
mortality in the nation.
Ronny Bell. Ph.D., assistant
professor of public health sciences
at WFUBMC, will work with
local organizations to implement
a variety of health-care activities.
The program will include physi
cian training, health fairs, training
for lay educators and an effort to
educate the community about
responding quickly to heart attack
symptoms.
"We are excited about this
opportunity to partner with the
NHLBI in this very worthwhile
endeavor," said Bell. "The data
clearly show that Robeson and
Columbus counties have a tremen
dous need to address cardiovascu
lar health."
DR CHIP (Dan River Region
Cardiovascular Health Initiative
Program) has been providing car
Sir Grant >ti C7
'Stop Childhood Poisoning'
Are your kids protected from poisons in your home?
BY.PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE
In the next 30 seconds, a child
will be poisoned somewhere in
America. In 30 minutes, almost
anyone can learn how to prevent
that from happening, according
to a news release about a
statewide program to teach
North Carolinians how to poi
son-proof their homes that was
launched recently in Raleigh.
Built on the theme "Stop
Childhood Poisoning., because
you can." the N.C. Pediatric Poi
son Prevention Project, a public
private partnership, will teach
families and other caregivers
how they can prevent accidental
childhood poisonings by learn
ing to identify, handle and safely
store potential hazards around
the house.
Wake Forest University
School of Medicine is coordi
nating the project and conduct
ing a yearlong research study
that will evaluate its effective
ness and suitability as a national
I1IVJUW1.
Shari Barkin. M.D.. pediatri
cian in the Department of Pedi
atrics. and Darrell Sumner.
Ph.D.. a toxicologist in the
department of physiology and
pharmacology both at Wake
Forest University Baptist Med
ical Center are working on the
N.C. Pediatric Poison Prevention
Project. Other agencies involved
are the N.C. Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Ser
vices with the N.C. Department
of Health and Human Services.
The Carolinas Poison Center.
N.C. State University, the Con
sumer Specialty Products Asso
ciation and concerned children's
advocates statewide. Carolinas
Poison Center, a division of Car
olinas Medical Center, is the des
ignated Statewide Poison Center
of North Carolina and certified
as a Regional Poison Control
Center by the American Associ
ation of Poison Control Centers.
In an interview last Thursday.
Sumner discussed potential poi
sons in and around the home and
how to make the home safer.
Sumner said. "It is we adults,
people who care for children,
who can stop the poisoning." He
said young kids don't know the
difference between, say. a green
drink product and anti-freeze or
a blue drink product and wind
shield washer fluid.
"The program focuses on
children. I tend to ... focus on
toddlers. They are the ones in
greatest risk," Sumner said.
Items on Sumner's poison or
danger list include:
("Keep in mind toddlers can't
read; keep all these things that
can be harmful out of reach of
children", Sumner said.)
? "Mouthwash contains a
high level of alcohol," Sumner
said. "A child can drink a dan
gerous amount of alcohol by
drinking mouthwash, depending
on the weight of the child and
the amount of alcohol."
? In the kitchen, remove
cleaning products, dishwashing
products and drain cleaners,
especially drain cleaners. Tod
dlers move very quickly. They
can get under the sink and can
get into anything there. Move
these items out of reach of chil
dren and. if possible, out of
sight.
Do not place medicines on
counters or in open areas. Keep
all medications out of reach of
children and out of sight.
Many hardware stores sell
child safety latches. Use them on
doors where sharp objects and
toxins are stored.
Never store a toxic product
near food, and never store a toxic
product in a food container. A
lot of poisonings have occurred,
say. when a toxin such as ammo
nia for cleansing was put it in a
soft drink bottle. "Children
mimic what we (adults) do. We
drink from soft-drink bottles,"
Sumner said.
? In the bathroom medica
tions, cosmetics, hair-care prod
ucts, mouthwash, bathroom
cleansers. Keep them out of
reach and preferably out of
sight.
Clean out the medicine stor
age area regularly. "The usual
thing we say is to flush the old
medicine down the toilet.' Sumn
er said.
"Keep all medicines in the
original child-resistant contain
ers. Child-proof caps are not
cjiildproof; they just slow down
the'access so we can catch them
before children get in any harm.
They arc not truly childproof.
They are child resistant and they
slow the access," Sumner said.
? In the bedroom Medicines
tend to show up in the bedroom,
bathroom and kitchen. Other
potential poisons include
colognes, after shave, cosmetics
and powders. Do not keep any of
these items on the night stand,
dresser or in a drawer that is eas
ily accessible.
? In the laundry room laun
dry bleaches, soaps, detergents,
fabric softeners and sprays, such
as anti-cling sprays or cleaning
sprays for particularly soiled
areas. A child can turn that spray
toward his or her face and push
the button down.
? In the garage or basement
insect sprays, rat and roach
killers, lawn-care products, gaso
line. paint, paint thinner, home
care products and car-care prod
ucts. "We have a lot of toxic
things we use in our cars." Sumn
er said.
"Keep everything in the orig
inal containers." he said. "Be
extremely careful with these
around toddlers."
? General household It's
wise to have storage areas for
medicines and other dangerous
items, areas that are either locked
See Poisons on C7
Photo b\ Paul ('ollins
Medicines and many household products should be kept out of
reach of children, officials say.
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