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I have experienced some exciting things in life, but never something of this magnitude. While working with Dr. Ted Bateman, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, he suggested that I fly to Florida to join his team for the final space shuttle launch. As manager of the broadcast program, it made sense to help document this historic moment.

So I flew into Florida two days before launch to observe and film the preparation of the 30 mice that would fly in STS-135.  NASA had some pretty strict rules about who could and could not be in or around the lab.  However, I was permitted to observe the ceremonial passing off of the research mice to NASA officials the day before launch.  A group of mostly scientists, and me, packed into a small hallway.  Cameras flashed constantly as three carefully boxed carts were wheeled to a van.  It was as if there were a celebrity sighting.  Now I am not a part of the research team, but I could only imagine what it must have felt like to witness years of hard work drive away to make history.  In the background, I am certain that I heard a few heavy sighs of relief.

Then it was time for the main event. Threat of a tropical depression loomed on the morning of launch but it didn’t dampen any spirits.  I joined Dr. Bateman and his lab team members and thousands of others for a walk to the perfect spot for viewing a shuttle launch.  We were two to three miles away.  This was the day we were glad the weather forecasters were wrong.  One of Dr. Bateman’s postdoctoral students, Anthony Lau, and I worked out a scheme for filming and taking pictures of what would be seconds of history in the making.  You’ll see a number of his photos in the video.  But I hope you will also see the culmination of hard work by scientists at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,

the University of Colorado, and Harvard University.  Even more, within that massive plume of smoke left behind by the shuttle is a bellow of hope.  Hope for millions of people with osteoporosis. Dr. Bateman’s research on bone formation and bone loss may one day make a tremendous difference in their lives. In the meantime, we hope for the safe return of the crew that took history and a piece of research into orbit with them.

I will always associate Jean Rogers with cheerfulness.  That’s the first word I thought of when I met her mid-way through her radiation treatments. I don’t know if it was her rosy cheeks, those eyes that sparkle with a hint of mischievousness or the matter-of-factness with which she spoke, but it’s clear she’s a woman who seeks the silver lining in everything – and finds it.

Jean Rogers

Jean’s description of her stay at SECU Family House as “a vacation if it hadn’t been for the treatment” was quickly put in context when she talked about the only other time in her adult life when she’s been away from family for weeks on end:  nine weeks in a hotel while attending training for her job.  I’m convinced if Family House had not been available to her, she would have made the two-and-a-half hour drive one-way daily to Chapel Hill for radiation rather than stay in a hotel.

Her tears of gratitude for her family caught me off guard.  It was near the end of the interview, when I looked up from my notes to continue the conversation.  I hadn’t heard a sound, but her cheeks and eyes had gotten redder, and the waterworks were well beyond a trickle. Through the tears she spoke with a sweetness graced with gratitude about the kindnesses of her family through her medical journey.  I’m confident her family would speak the same away about her daily presence in their lives in both sunshine and in rain.

Jean never expected the college work-study job she took with the Social Security Administration her first year at UNC-Pembroke in 1970 to become a career. She still got her teacher certification as planned, and she’s specialized in teaching life lessons by example ever since.  I was pleased to be an accidental student.

Since January 1^st, more than 30,000 wildfires have burned nearly 4 million acres.  This is well above the 10 year average of 33,210 fires and 1,489,038 acres burned.   As the summer heat continues to dry vegetation, the fire danger will slowly increase.  This is especially true for areas where human development is immediately adjacent to wilderness or wooded areas.

There are several steps you can take to protect your property from wildfires.

Courtesy: Creative Commons-Crenshawbulldogs

• When designing a new property or building avoid building materials that are readily combustible
• Create a buffer area around your building or home with limited flammable materials
• Ensure landscaping near your building or home limits the use of highly combustible materials (pine straw, tall grasses, evergreen-type bushes)
• Develop an emergency plan for your building or home in the event of an approaching wildfire
• Always follow the directions of emergency personnel during wildfire emergencies
• Always consult with your local fire authorities before attempting to “burn off” vegetation or brush piles on your property.
• Always use caution when working with open flames

Even if a fire does not directly threaten your property, the smoke from wildfires can travel for hundreds of miles and create visibility and air quality issues.  If your area is impacted by smoke from a distant wildfire, consider the following:

• Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors
• Use caution when driving in low visibility areas
• Ensure all windows, doors, and vents are properly sealed and closed
• Consider specialized air filters for your HVAC system
• Realize that certain respiratory and medical conditions can be aggravated by smoke (consult your personal physician for more information)
• Stay tuned to your local media outlets and air-quality authorities for the most up-to-date weather forecasts.

More information on fire prevention and safety, please visit the NC Jaycee Burn Center,  Federal Emergency Management Agency, Centers for Disease Control, and The American Red Cross.

Dalton Sawyer is UNC Health Care’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Continuity Planning. He worked as a wildland firefighter from 1998 to 2002. 

Dalton Sawyer

Dalton Sawyer wrote this …

Summertime in North Carolina means beach trips, days at the lake, and lots of outdoor activities.  Unfortunately, summertime also means heat waves and an increased potential for heat-related emergencies.

Editor’s note: For additional tips about protecting yourself against extreme summer heat, watch this video featuring Dr. Abhi Mehrotra, an emergency physician at UNC Hospitals:

As is the case with any emergency, preparedness is key to avoiding negative consequences associated with the summer heat.  Extreme heat preparedness tips can include the following steps:

• Stay indoors and avoid direct exposure to the sun
• Avoid strenuous outdoor work or exercise during the hottest parts of the day
• Apply sun screen generously and often, consider wearing a full brim hat or similar covering
• Eat a well balanced diet and stay hydrated
• Check on family members, neighbors, and friends that may be more vulnerable to extreme heat
• Never leave children or pets in a vehicle, even with the windows cracked
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion and stroke, seek emergency medical attention at the first onset of symptoms

In addition to the health effects, extreme heat can also have significant impacts on your home and utilities.  These impacts can include not only increases in energy bills, but power failures as well.  Some tips to prepare your home and budget for extreme heat include:

• Set your thermostat a few degrees higher than normal
• Utilize portable or ceiling fans when possible
• Keep shades and/or blinds closed
• Check weather stripping and seals around vents, doors, and windows
• Ensure your home and vehicle HVAC system is good working order before the heat arrives

In event of a heat related power-failure:

• Check on any friends or neighbors that may have an increased vulnerability to the heat
• Avoid opening windows or doors
• If necessary, consider re-locating to hotel or friends home if someone in your household is especially vulnerable to the heat.
• Avoid opening refrigerators or freezers
• Once power has been restored, discard any perishable food items, especially meats if the freezer or refrigerator temperature has been > 40 degrees for at least 2 hours. (source USDA)

Dalton Sawyer is UNC Health Care’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Continuity Planning.

Beth Waldron

Beth Waldron wrote this …

Blood clots pose a well-known risk for hospitalized patients. News that Dr. Jack Kevorkian suffered a blood clot in his lungs, known as a pulmonary embolism, while hospitalized illustrates a fatal complication which can arise. Pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of hospital death in the United States.

Why?

Immobility and surgery—two things commonly associated with hospitalized patients—are both risk factors for the development of a blood clot in the deep veins of the body, known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT.  While a DVT can occur anywhere in the body, it is most common in the leg.  A pulmonary embolism, or a clot in the lungs, is a potentially life-threatening complication of DVT.  Pulmonary embolism occurs when a DVT breaks off, travels through the blood stream and lodges in the lung.  One-third of pulmonary embolisms are fatal.

Blood clots are serious, but the good news is that many clots can be prevented and early diagnosis can prevent complications.

Two-thirds of all vein clots occur either in the hospital or within a few weeks after discharge.  If you are hospitalized or planning for surgery, ask your doctor:

• Am I at risk for blood clots?
• Know your risk factors and tell your doctor about any family history of clotting.
• Should I be on a medication to prevent blood clots? (You may hear such blood clot prevention measures called ‘DVT prophylaxis’ by your doctor.)
• If the answer is yes, then ask:  How long should I be on this medication?  Only while I’m hospitalized or also after I go home?

Additionally, know the symptoms and risk factors for developing a blood clot.  For more information on blood clots, visit www.clotconnect.org and review the “What do I need to know about blood clots” section.  Clot Connect is a collaborative blood clot education project of the UNC Blood Clot Outreach Program.

 Beth Waldron is Program Director of the UNC Blood Clot Outreach Program.

Elizabeth Swaringen wrote this …

Crystal Sharpe, at left, and her mother, Patricia Sanders.

When I called to set up the face-to-face interview with Crystal Sharpe and her mother, Patricia Sanders, it was Patricia’s number I dialed, and she was ready for the interview then – at Crystal’s bedside.  I sensed I was dealing with a natural storyteller, and Patricia didn’t disappoint.  Her description of the fundraiser for Crystal was so vivid, I could almost taste the chicken leg quarters her brother cooked and the boiled potatoes and string beans.  And when she told me that she told her brother she didn’t know what he’d done to that chicken but “you must have flown that heart in there,” I don’t know who was cackling harder, Patricia or me.

Crystal Sharpe

And yet again with this story there was evidence that life works in strange and mysterious ways.  Patricia was working a job assembling gas pumps, but the job ended without much notice in February 2009, just after Crystal went on dialysis.  About the same time, Patricia’s brother, was diagnosed with cancer.  Although no longer employed for pay, Patricia had two full-time jobs caring for two near-and-dear family members who were seriously ill, in addition to being a devoted sister, a wife, a mother to two other children, and a grandmother.  Caring for her family is a labor of love Patricia never regrets.

After I interviewed Patricia for about 45 minutes, she put Crystal on the phone.  The first thing I “heard” was the smile.  I wouldn’t see it with my own eyes until a few weeks later when she returned to UNC for a routine heart biopsy.  When the petite, stylish woman rounded the corner, the smile gave her away.

Elizabeth Swaringen wrote this …

Michael Beard

As I am not a parent, I can only begin to imagine the depth of emotions the Sperlings and the Beards have experienced and will continue to experience in the days ahead. I do know that there is no more helpless feeling than when a loved one is sick, and that there is genuine healing for the soul when you can use the lessons learned – especially the most difficult ones – to ease someone else’s journey.

From left to right: Michael Beard, Judith Beard, Randy Sperling and Shelly Sperling enjoy a lighter moment at SECU Family House.

For Randy and Shelly and Judith and Michael each has been teacher and student simultaneously in ways that transcend what was happening with Philip and Jane.  There were opportunities for lessons in religion and culture – the Sperlings are Jewish and the Beards are Catholic.

The Beards, from Australia, are used to warm weather at Christmas. In Chapel Hill they got snow instead.

Then there was the Christmas snow – a welcome gift for the Sperlings who are natives of Colorado – and an oddity for the Beards who are accustomed to warm Christmases given that December is summer Down Under. And it was clear in the interview that regardless of the darkest hours, humor was always an active partner in their friendship. There were plentiful puns, and Shelly talking about the difficulty of riding in the back seat of his own car as Michael and Judith drove him and Randy back to Charlotte after Philip’s death.  Think about it.

Randy Sperling

After the interview, Courtney Potter, who took the photos that accompany the story, and I were invited to join the Sperlings and the Beards for a late breakfast that each had a hand in preparing in the SECU Family House kitchen: a scramble of eggs, potatoes and onions, challah bread, good coffee and orange juice.  There, over that simple meal of comfort food, we witnessed the tender counsel and gentle support on which their friendship was founded.

On March 1, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute announced a new position statement on how patients with a high-risk form of Barrett’s esophagus should be treated. The bottom line of that statement? It says that using any of three treatment methods to remove pre-cancerous cells from inside the throats of these patients is now the preferred course of action instead of “watchful waiting,” which is what was previously recommended.

The title page of Dr. Shaheen's NEJM article on RFA for Barrett's esophagus.

Curiously, this important development has gotten very little media coverage to date. I say this is curious because in 2008 and 2009, the media treated the results of a nationwide clinical trial of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for Barrett’s esophagus, one of the three now-preferred treatments, as very big news indeed. For example, coverage in May 2008 — when Dr. Nicholas Shaheen of UNC presented results of the trial at the Digestive Disease Week conference in San Diego — included stories in the Wall Street Journal and the CBS Evening News. This clinical trial received additional national media coverage one year later, when an article by Dr. Shaheen reporting the results was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here’s a video our office produced with Dr. Shaheen about the NEJM study:

Why do I call your attention to this now? Two reasons. First, Dr. Shaheen was a senior author of the new AGA position statement on management of Barrett’s esophagus. And second, April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month — and the greatest risk faced by Barrett’s patients is the fact that some of them go on to develop esophageal cancer, which is one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

Of course, Dr. Shaheen did not do this work alone. There were participating investigators at 19 other sites across the U.S. Others involved here at UNC included Dr. Evan Dellon, Dr. Ryan Madanick and Dr. Tara Rubinas, who all contributed to the video below, which was posted on the NEJM website and on YouTube. (The narrator you hear in the video is Dr. Dellon.)

Geri Dawson, PhD

Written by Geri Dawson, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks, and Research Professor of Psychiatry at UNC-Chapel Hill

One out of 110 school-age children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given these numbers, it is likely that you know someone who is affected by autism. Please join me and thousands of others around the world in shining a bright blue light on autism by wearing blue on April 1st and 2nd. This is one way you can show your support and increase awareness of autism.

People with ASD have difficulties in social interaction and communication and tend to have restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Autism is not one condition; rather, it is many conditions with many different causes, which include both genetic and environmental risk factors. When autism is identified at an early age and appropriate early intervention is provided, children with autism can make substantial gains and learn to communicate and interact socially.

With appropriate intervention, many children with autism are able to attend a regular classroom, learn to speak, and develop friendships. ASD affects each person differently. Some individuals are highly verbal and experience mostly social challenges, while others are nonverbal and unable to live independently. Some people are affected by medical conditions such as seizures or sleep disorders. Although most people think about autism as a condition affecting children, the challenges are typically life-long. A half-million adolescents with ASD will be entering adulthood over the next few years.

UNC employees team up in blue for autism awareness: Autism researchers, clinicians, and hospital staff posed to show their support of World Autism Awareness Day.

New research on the biology of autism is pointing toward novel treatments, including medications that could help address the core symptoms of ASD. Each year, Autism Speaks provides $25-30 million in research funding to discover autism’s causes and effective interventions (www.autismspeaks.org). In fact, several scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are currently conducting Autism Speaks-funded research on topics ranging from infant screening to animal models to clinical trials that are assessing new behavioral and medical treatments. This research offers hope for the many families struggling with autism in all of its forms.

The diversity of the presentation of ASD is just a part of the awareness we hope to raise this year on World Autism Awareness Day by shining a light on autism. We want more people to appreciate the lives of those living with autism, both in terms of the daily challenges and the celebrations of special abilities and milestones achieved.

Saturday, April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day, dedicated in 2007 by the United Nations to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. On Friday April 1st and Saturday April 2nd, we will light the world up blue to raise awareness and show support. Landmark buildings, hospitals and schools around the world will change their lighting to blue. Please join us at work and at your home by wearing blue, changing your porch light and hanging a sign to show your support. For more information on how you can light it up blue, please go to www.lightitupblue.org.