Health & Wellness
Healthbeat
Inaugural Triad
Vision Walk set for Nov. 6
The Foundation Fighting Blindness
(www.HghtBlindness.org) will host its Inaugural 5K
VisionWalk in the Triad on Saturday. Nov. 6 at Triad
P?rk. Registration begins at 10 a m and the Walk will
start at II a.m.
The event will raise money for the research that
will lead to cures tor retinal degenerative diseases,
including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration.
Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and numerous
others. These diseases affect more than 10 million
Americans of all races and ethnic groups, young and
old.
"It's heartbreaking to sec children and adults alike
VisionWalk
A CURE IS IN SIGHT
suffer from dis
eases that are
causing blind
ness," says Tom
Serrin, Walk
Chair. "The
Foundation
Fighting
Blindness is fund
ing key research
around the world
that is leading to
very promising treatments and euro lor retinal degen
erative diseases. VisionWalk is an important event
that will move us one step closer to a cure."
More than 300 members of the community are
expected to participate in this year's Walk. Sponsors
include Winston-Salem Industries tor the Blind.
Green Ford, and DH Griffin Wrecking Company for
their support The Walk Chairman is Tom Serrin.
Foundation Fighting Blindness National Board
Member Marilyn Green has also provided leadership
and dedication. The entire family is inv ited to join in
on the fun and excitement dogs are welcome as
well! There will be various activities for children,
including a bounce house, and plenty of snacks and
refreshments, a creative t -shirt contest, and much
more.
To participate in the Inaugural Triad VisionWalk,
or to leam more about supporting local or national
VisionWalk events or the Foundation Fighting
Blindness, visit www.VisionWalk.otg or call Katie
Van Benschoten. Fvents Manager at 877-396-0049.
MHA to hold annual
meeting and awards dinner
The Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner of The
Mental Health Association in Forsyth Countv will be
held on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. in the
Auditorium at the Centenary United Methodist
Church, 646 W. Fifth St
The Annual Meeting not only highlights the
accomplishments of The Mental Health Association
in Forsyth Countv but also honors the hard work of
community citizens through the presentation of
awards.
Guest Speakers will be Mina J. Cook and IJenise
Mannon.They will discuss the "Reclaiming Futures"
program and how the program is helping teens who
are involved with alcohol, drugs and crime "reclaim
their futures "
The cost to attend is $20 per person, which
includes a full dinner (entree, vegetables, starch,
salad, dessert) prepared by Centenary Chef Suzan
Smith and her staff.
For more information, call 336-768-3X80.
Sugary drink ban considered
for food stamp recipients
NEW YORK (API - Using food stamps to buy
sodas, teas, sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened
beverages would not be allowed in New York City
under a new government effort to battle obesity. .
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Dfcvid
rwerson announced
Thursday that they are seek
ing permission from the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture, which adminis
ters the nation's food stamp
program, to add sugars
drinks to the list of prohibit
ed goods for city resid&ts
receiving assistance
If approved, it would be
the first time an item would
be banned from the federal
program based solely on
nutritional value.
Patermn
Spending government money on "foods of little or
no nutritional value not only contradicts the intent of
the program, it also effectively subsidizes a serious
public health epidemic," New York officials wrote in
their proposal
The idea has been suggested before, including in
2008 in Maine, where it drew criticism from advo
cates for the poor who argued it unfairly singled out
low-income people and risked scaring off potential
needy recipients
In 2004, the USDA rejected Minnesota's plan to
ban junk food, including soda and candy, from food
stamp purchases, saving it would violate the Food
Stamp Act's definition of what is food and could cre
ate "confusion and embarrassment" at the register.
New York Cit> Health Commissioner Thomas
Farley said he believes New York's request has a bet
ter chance of being approved than the "skimpy" 2004
Minnesota program because it focuses oni) on bever
ages
He said it also has the advantage of being a tern
porarv program with an evaluation plan to studv it <>
effectiveness
USDA spokesman Aaron Lav allec said the agency
received the proposal and will consider it
How Do I Get Health
Insurance If I've Lost My Job?
jkt Ptoo!U \ Ciituc:
A Sorth Carolina Minority
Health F duration (
The Via* a AngHou Center lor Health Equity
www. wfubmi edu math*
Waki: forest
v HI VI r s i r v
Si KOMlifMtOK IMJ
With the downturn in the
economy in recent years, many
people have lost their jobs and
often, this means losing their
health insurance as well.
However, there are options for
health insurance coverage in
this situation. Let's talk about
some of these options and how
you can access them.
COBRA Coverage
The COBRA (Consolidated
Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act) means that
displaced workers are provid
ed the right to continue cover
age under their employers'
group plans after they change
or lose jobs. COBRA coverage
can continue for 18 months,
but in order to take advantage
of it, you must do so within 60
days of losing your job.
COBRA will be more expen
sive than your health insurance
was when you were on the job.
because you will be paying out
? it pocket, versus your employ*
er paying your premium It is
important to know that some
employers with other health
plans may not be required to
provide COBRA continuation
coverage, so you should check
with your employer to see if
this is the case. It is also
important to know that
COBRA is not always avail
able for workers of companies
that go out of business When a
company shuts its doors and
also terminates its health
insurance plan, usually there is
no COBRA coverage avail-,
able
Catastrophic Health
Insurance
This type of health insur
ance is designed to cover
emergency medical expenses
The regular cost is low but the
deductibles can be high These
plans do not cover routine doc
tor's visits, maternity care or
mental health care. The way to
think about this type of insur
ance is that it is coverage for
the worst case scenario, so that
any other assets you have do
not get w iped out in the case ol
a serious medical emergency
Persons with pre-existing con
ditions such as heart disease or
diabetes are generally not eli
gible for this type. of coverage
Sec Insurance >n A9
UNCS A Chocolate Festival to
raise funds to fight breast cancer
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts will once again join the fight against breast
cancer.
The school's Fifth Annual Chocolate Festival to benefit the North Carolina Triad Affiliate of Susan
susan c. Komen
--cure.
G. Komen for ihe Cure will be held
on Wednesday. Oct. 20 from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. The festival will take place
in Eisenberg Social Hall, which is on
the lower level of the Hanes Student
Commons on the UNCSA campus.
1533 South Main St.
Tickets are S10 and $7 for col
lege students with a valid ID. Raffle
tickets are SI . Each entry ticket will
allow your choice of six chocolate
items, which have been donated by
local vendors. All proceeds will be
donated to Susan G. Komen for the
Cure.
Last year, the festival raised more
than $2,200 for breast cancer aware
nesv l .nl 5 A students nave been key volunteers tor the project by helping to solicit donations, sell
tickets, plan, decorate, set up and break down the event.
Tickets may be purchased at the door. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted the day of
the event. Advance tickets may be purchased from 1 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday in Room 334. the
College Life Office, in the Hanes Student Commons.
NCAJkTPW
From left: Adrian Ambrose stands with Shauna Adams, Jasmine Hrooks and Matthew Stanco.
Best of
The Best
Students recognized for research projects
SPI C'lAI TO THl CHRONICLE
Research on topics ranging
from arthritis to ultrasonic
vibration has won recognition
for four undergraduates at
North Carolina A&T State
University.
The students were honored
on Sept 22 at the university's
first campus-wide
Undergraduate Research
Symposium, which was created
to give A&T undergraduates an
opportunity to gain experience
in giving scholarly presenta
tions and producing research
posters
Twenty -nine students par
ticipated. representing the
College of Arts and Sciences.
School of Agriculture and
Environmental - Sciences.
School of Business and
Economics. College of
Engineering and School of
Education.
Shauna Adams received the
Best Presentation Award for
"Longitudinal Heat Transport
as a Method for the
Determination of Thermal
Conductivity " Adams is a sen
ior from Hampton. Ya . major
ing in mechanical engineering
Her advisor is Dr John Ki/ito.
Matthew Stanco was named
runner-up for "Measurement of
Ultrasonic Vibration Using
Ultra-High Frequency CCD
Laser." Stanco is a senior
from High Point, majoring in
industrial engineering. His
advisor is Dr Zhichao Li
Adrian Ambrose received
the Best Poster Award for "The
Effects of Age on the
Progression of Osteoarthritis
and the Gene Expression in
Mice." Ambrose is a junior
biology major from Roanoke.
\'a His advisor is Dr. Greg
Goins.
Jasmine Brooks was the
poster category runner-up for
"Evaluation of Select Plant
Essential Oils as Potential
Antimicrobials." Brooks is a
senior from Knightdale. major
ing in food science. Her advi
sor is Dr Ipek Goktepe
Wake Forest
Medical
Alumni
Association
honors three
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Louis C. Argenta. M.D..
William T. Carpenter, M.D..
and Caryl J Guth. M D
have been recognized with
awards from the Medical
Alumni Association (MAAl
of the Wake Forest
Uni\ersitv School of
Medicine.
The MAA honored
Argenta with its
Distinguished Faculty
Award: Carpenter with its
Distinguished Achievement
Award; and Guth with its
Distinguished Service Award
during a ceremonv on Sept
30.
Argenta. a resident of
W inston
IS a I e m .
joined Wake
Forest
I University
Baptist
Medical
Center in
1988. as the
founding
chairman of
t h e
Department
\rgenta
of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery I nder his guidance,
the department has become
recognized as one of
America's best Techniques
that he helped develop are
now used around the world
for breast, facial, scalp and
other reconstructive surger
ies
In 1989. he co-invented
Vacuum Assisted Closure
(VAC> to treat difficult
wounds and burns, which has
been used on more than three
million people and is esti
mated to ha\e prevented
2(H) .(MX) amputations He and
his family also traditionally
have devoted a month a year
to providing medical care to
children in the Third World
Carpenter, a 1962 gradu
ate of the School of Medicine
and a resident of Columbia.
Md.. is professor of
Psychiatry and
Pharmacology at the
University of Maryland
School of Medicine, where
he has directed the Maryland
Psychiatric Research Center
since 1977. He has worked
on schizophrenia and psychi
atric research projects with
the World Health
Organization and National
Institute of Mental Health,
and has been honored for
research achievements with
awards from leading national
and international organiza
tions He is listed as one of
the world's most cited
Set Honors . >n A*