Archives
from August 2005
Jack
Comstock: A survivor’s story
Being assigned to the Philippine Island of Luzon in the spring of 1941
seemed like an idyllic post for Jack Comstock (MD, ’38), a newly commissioned
Army officer. Luzon Island was one of the loveliest of the Pacific’s pearls
with pristine beaches, tropical vegetation and sparkling waters all around. Just
a few months after his assignment began, the dream became a nightmare. Everything
changed in the Pacific after Pearl Harbor was bombed on Dec. 7, 1941.
UCD
employees compete in Danskin Triathlon
On July 17, Annie Rietema, Jamie Snyder and Evelyn Casiano competed in the
Danskin Women’s Triathlon held at the Aurora Reservoir. The race consisted
of a .75K swim, a 20K bike ride, and a 5K run. This was the first triathlon
for these HSC employees.
Common
myths about breast cancer
Breast cancer, like any other cancer, is a complicated disease. One of the
best ways to understand it is to make sure you know what is fact and what is
fiction.
New
fitness program designed especially for bariatric patients
University of Colorado Hospital patients who undergo laparoscopic gastric
bypass surgery and other weight-loss procedures can now incorporate a unique
fitness program into their healthier, post-operation lives.
Possible
Prevention for Alzheimers Studied
Several new studies suggest that maintaining a healthy, active mental and
physical lifestyle may delay or possibly even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers from around the world met in Washington, D.C., June 18-21, to talk
about how to achieve such protection from this progressive brain disorder at
the first Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on the Prevention
of Dementia.
University
of Colorado Hospital ranks among top in 13 specialties
University of Colorado Hospital is ranked among the top hospitals in the country
in 13 of the 17 medical specialties evaluated in U.S.News & World Report’s annual
survey of “America’s Best Hospitals.”
$21 million
to recruit new librarians
and help offset shortage
The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services announced $21,087,684
in grants to 37 universities, libraries, and library organizations across the
country in order to recruit and educate a new generation of librarians.
Iron
plays important role in formation of drug-resistant bacteria
Understanding the role iron plays in the formation of bacterial infections
could shed more light on drug-resistant strains and give doctors new hope of
improving the health of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis and other debilitating
diseases, according to a recent report in a leading scientific journal.
UCH e-mail
service garners national innovation nod
An e-mail service that links patients directly to the University of Colorado
Hospital’s president and chief executive officer has received high praise
from the magazine that ranks the nation’s “most wired” hospitals.
When
it comes to stroke, ‘Time is Brain’
Effective new medical treatments developed over the past decade are saving
the lives of stroke patients – but family, friends, coworkers, emergency
medical personnel and health care professionals must work together to recognize
the signs of stroke and move quickly to get patients the critical care they
need, experts caution.
Defining
metabolic syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, is a relatively new diagnosis
that, if left untreated, can lead to diabetes and/or heart disease, the leading
cause of disability and death in America today.
Archives
from July 2005
Heat
Illness: A Preventable Condition
A few years ago, football lost a valuable and well-loved player to a severe
case of dehydration. Korey Stringer, a Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Minnesota
Vikings, died while in a coma brought about by heat stroke. His unexpected and
easily preventable death shocked the sports world. It also forced us to take
a new, more serious look at all heat illnesses from dehydration to heat exhaustion
to heat stroke.
Celebrating
Nurse Practitioner anniversaries
Two significant events in the Nurse Practitioner movement will be celebrated
this summer at Keystone Resort. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the
National Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Symposium and the 40th anniversary
of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program.
School
of Medicine in top 20 for NIH
research awards and ninth among public universities
Out of 126 private and public medical schools nationwide, the University of
Colorado School of Medicine ranks 20th overall and ninth among public institutions
in total award funding received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2004.
University
of Colorado Hospital offers
new high cholesterol treatment
The University of Colorado Hospital is now offering a new medical treatment
for people with extremely high levels of cholesterol who have not had success
lowering cholesterol through prescription drugs and diet.
Study
looks at environmental causes
of Type 1 Diabetes in infants
An international study at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes
at the University of Colorado Denver is currently
recruiting participants. The study is seeking families with or without a history
of diabetes, who are either expecting or have a new infant up to three months
of age to participate in genetic screening to identify indicators of increased
risks for type 1 diabetes.
Shingles
vaccine proves
effective in large trial
In one of the largest adult vaccine trials ever, researchers from the University of Colorado Denver have shown that an experimental
vaccine against shingles prevented about 51 percent, of cases of shingles – a
painful nerve and skin infection – and dramatically reduced its severity
and complications in vaccinated persons who got shingles.
Fewer
prescriptions, lower costs after
Claritin’s over-the-counter switch
After the allergy drug Claritin became available without a prescription in
2002, insurance plans and consumers spent less on the prescription form of its
main ingredient, loratadine, and all similar allergy drugs, according to a new
report published in this month’s The American Journal of Managed Care.
Archives
from June 2005
Commencement
ceremonies applaud
graduates, honor awardees
At the May 27 University of Colorado Denver
commencement ceremonies on the Health Sciences Center campus at Ninth Ave. and
Colorado Blvd., 668 candidates for May and August graduation participated: 60
from the School of Dentistry; 116 from the School of Medicine; 154 from the
School of Nursing; 120 from the School of Pharmacy; and 228 from the Graduate
School.
Oyate
Diversity Student Council
supports campus diversity
The Oyate Diversity Student Council recently celebrated its 4th annual graduation
banquet for all graduating minority and underrepresented seniors from the Health
Sciences Center campus.
Tim
Byers Named Deputy Director of UCCC
Dr. Tim Byers, MPH, has been named deputy director of the University of Colorado
Cancer Center.
Science
Fair allows young scientists to shine
The 41st Annual Denver Metropolitan Regional Science Fair for students grades
6 through 12 saw nearly 100 of the best and brighest young scientists flex their
intellectual muscles for a chance to advance on to national levels of competition.
Celebrating
30 years of Nurse Practitioner continuing education
Two significant events in the Nurse Practitioner movement will be celebrated
this summer at Keystone Resort. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the
National Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Symposium and the 40th anniversary
of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program.
CDC
grants $2.8 Million to Marion Downs Hearing Center
The University of Colorado Denver has received
a $2.8 million federal grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
for the development and expansion of programs at the Marion Downs Hearing Center
at the Fitzsimons campus.
One
of the world’s largest magnets
delivered to Fitzsimons
Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Colorado Denver today received an enormous yet
delicate delivery of a much anticipated $5 million nuclear magnetic resonance
magnet.
The delivery came nearly two years after CU researchers were awarded a $6.5
million grant to bring to Colorado the largest NMR magnet available in the world
today. It will be the only magnet of its type in the Rocky Mountain region and
will be used for biomedical research.
Timing
of gluten introduction into
infant diets tied to Celiac Disease
A new study by researchers at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes
and the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics at the University of Colorado Denver has found that children with gluten
exposure from cereal grains at 4 to 6 months of age have a lower risk of celiac
disease than children with exposure before or after this time period. The findings
were published in the May 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association.
Nurse
Practitioner program to
celebrate 40th anniversary
From the seed of an idea planted by Dr. Loretta Ford and the late Dr. Henry
Silver 40 years ago at the University of Colorado, the Nurse Practitioner program
has grown into a global movement.
Study
at UCD identifies crucial islet
target in type 1 diabetes
Researchers at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes at the University of Colorado Denver have identified a crucial target
of islet cells in the pancreas that white blood cells attack, leading to Type
1 diabetes.
University
of Colorado Hospital
celebrates liver transplant milestones
The University of Colorado Hospital hosted a celebration in honor of its liver
transplantation program April 30 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Denver.
20th
Annual Nightingale Awards held
The 20th annual Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Human Caring, hosted
by the Colorado Nurses Foundation (CNF), was held May 7, at the Renaissance
Denver Hotel with a record attendance of more than 700 people.
Study
IDs possible marker of EGFR
inhibitors in lung cancer patients
Patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumor
cells contain extra copies of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene
may be more likely to respond to the drug gefitinib (Iressa), and this high
gene copy number may be an effective predictor of gefitinib efficacy, according
to a new study in the May 4 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute.
Evidence-based
practice topic of
Lola M. Fehr Lectureship at SON
The standing-room only audience of nurse practitioners, nursing leaders and
students in the School of Nursing auditorium was eagerly awaiting Dr. Bernadette
Melnyk’s talk, Making a Case for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and
Healthcare, at the 8th Annual Lola M. Fehr Lectureship held April 28.
Secretary
of Health and Human Services
visits School of Pharmacy
Michael Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
visited the CU School of Pharmacy on April 19 and spoke to pharmacy students
about drug safety and the future of health care.
Schools
receive grant funding for projects
important to Colorado – and beyond
The Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy recently received funding
from the Caring for Colorado Foundation and The Colorado Trust.
A
difficult road to transplant
Andrea Salvo remembers well February, 1998. She noticed that her 31 year-old
husband’s eyes were yellow. After Alex’s jaundice became pronounced,
he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B.
UCD’s
graduate programs
rank among nation’s best
Several of the University of Colorado Denver’s
graduate programs have been ranked among the best in the country, according
to the 2006 U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of graduate
schools throughout the United States.
CU
School of Medicine Collaborates with
Newmont Mining Corporation
The CU School of Medicine has been contracted by Newmont Mining Corporation
to conduct baseline health assessments in Ghana and Peru.
NIH
awarded $10.5 million
trauma center grant
The University of Colorado Denver and Denver
Health have been awarded a joint five-year $10.5 million trauma center grant
from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Day-long
symposium focuses on
female health issues
On April 22 at 8:30 a.m., the RC1 research auditorium was nearly filled to
capacity with participants of the first Colorado Research Symposium on the Health
of Women and Girls. The day-long symposium highlighted Colorado-based research
on the health of females.
Fifth year
of Sushi, Sake & Sumo
Generations Cancer Foundation (GCF) celebrates its fifth anniversary by bringing
back its original cancer-research benefit: Sushi, Sake & Sumo. The one-of-a-kind
event will take place at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium on Friday, May 20,
at 8 p.m.
Golf
activities at Fitzsimons
The tulips are up, the grass is green and it’s time to play golf. Aurora
Golf announces the Annual May Spring Fling activities at Fitzsimons Golf Course.
Archives
from April 2005
UCH
announces search for new president and CEO
The University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors has begun
the search for a new president and CEO. Dennis Brimhall announced in February
that he will be leaving in June to preside over a mission in his church. Last
month, the hospital’s executive vice president, Joyce Cashman, was appointed
interim president and CEO, starting upon Brimhall’s departure.
Chief
of Police runs to support Special Olympics
Doug Abraham, chief of police for the UCD Ninth and Colorado Blvd. and
Fitzsimons in Aurora campuses, was selected to help deliver the Flame of Hope
to the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. He was one
of 80 law enforcement officers participating in the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement
Torch Run for the Special Olympics biennial event.
Barbara
Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes is Moving
Beginning the week of April 18, the Barbara Davis Center will begin moving
to its new home at the Fitzsimons campus.
School
of Nursing honors nursing pioneer
The UCD School of Nursing’s annual Diversity Leadership Reception honors
nurses who have made significant contributions working with diverse populations.
One of the honorees was Zipporah Parks Hammand, who in 1946, became the first
black woman to graduate from the University of Colorado’s nursing program.
Organ
and tissue donations save lives
April is National Donate Life month. Did you know that in the United States
an average of 15 to 25 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant?
It’s a disturbing number that could be reduced if more people became organ
and tissue donors.
Finalists
for Nightingale Awards Announced
Two University of Colorado Hospital nurses are among the 15 registered nurses
from throughout Colorado who have been named finalists for the 2005 Nightingale
Awards, which recognize nursing excellence in human caring.
The
Center for Midwifery
At one of the most remarkable times of her life, a pregnant woman wants to
have some control in how to make her childbirth experience special. Certified
nurse midwives at the University of Colorado Hospital’s new Center for
Midwifery couldn’t agree more.
Protect
the information you maintain
The HIPAA Security Rule goes into effect April 21. Campus-wide policies have
been drafted, thanks to the help of many people on all three campuses, and are
posted on the UCD HIPAA web site.
University
of Colorado Hospital names interim president
The University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors approved
the appointment of Joyce Cashman as interim president and chief executive officer.
The appointment will be effective in June, when current President and CEO Dennis
Brimhall departs his position to serve and preside over a mission in his church.
Honoring
and celebrating diversity
The Health Sciences Center community is a microcosm of the world, with people
from different backgrounds, countries, ethnicities, and gender identities. To
promote understanding and appreciation for the ethnic and cultural differences
among us, the Health Sciences Office of Diversity is hosting a week of activities
April 4-8.
Answers
to your consolidation questions
These questions and answers about the consolidation are from brown bag sessions
held in March with Teresa Berryman, vice chancellor for Finance & Facilities
and Dana Gibson, vice chancellor for Administration and Information Systems.
A
letter to President Hoffman
In response to the resignation of CU president Betsy Hoffman, members of the
Student Senate of the Health Sciences Campuses of UCD wanted to express their
appreciation for her efforts to make positive changes at The University of Colorado.
Neurosurgery
Residency Program receives accreditation
The Neurosurgery Residency Program of the School of Medicine has been re-accredited
by the Neurosurgery Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), a national accreditation organization.
UCD’s
Graduate Programs Rank Among Nation’s Best
The 2006 U.S. News & World Report’s annual publication ranking
graduate schools throughout the United States has ranked several programs at
the University of Colorado Denver among the best
in the country.
Marion
Downs Hearing Center receives donation
The University of Colorado Hospital received a donation from Siemens Hearing
Instruments, Inc. for construction of the Marion Downs Hearing Center for the
deaf and hard of hearing.
Giving
the gift of life
Becky’s dad always made her feel like she was #1 - her two sisters would
agree that their dad made them feel that way too. When he was put on the list
to receive a kidney, Becky realized that she could be his donor - she just knew
she would be a match with her dad, and when tested, she was.
Archives
from March 2005
UCD
School of Nursing to offer
Doctor of Nursing Practice degree
The University of Colorado Denver will offer
a new graduate program in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, beginning
Fall 2005.
Aspen
Given Institute hosts dental fair
On Feb. 25, second graders from Aspen and Basalt, Colo. went to The Given
Institute in Aspen, to participate in a dental education and screening fair.
Nearly 200 children were given dental orthodontic screenings, of which 32 appeared
to have decay and many needed sealants.
Barbara
Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes
celebrates 100,000th patient visit
The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes at the University of Colorado Denver completed the 100,000th patient visit March
10. The center, which opened in 1980, provides clinical services for children,
adolescents and young adults with Type 1 diabetes.
CU
Receives Gift from Avon Foundation
The Avon Foundation has awarded a $220,000 gift to the University of Colorado
to support breast cancer outreach programs to underrepresented minorities and
breast cancer research. It is the fifth year that the program has received Avon
Foundation funding to support its work on this important health issue, and in
recognition of the excellence of the program.
University
of Colorado Hospital
establishes partnership with Lowry
The University of Colorado Hospital announced an agreement to be the exclusive
hospital partner of the Lowry community. The agreement allows University of
Colorado Hospital, in conjunction with the Lowry Foundation, to provide Lowry
residents with events and programs that promote health and wellness.
Watch
Out for Identity Theft
Colorado ranked fifth in the country in per-capita identity theft in 2004,
according to a Feb. 18 article in the Denver Business Journal. This
is compared with eighth the previous year. Identity theft is a serious crime.
People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years cleaning
up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record.
Are
you ready for the HIPAA Security Rule?
Units that create, collect, maintain, use, or transmit ePHI (“electronic
Protected Health Information”) are required to comply with the HIPAA Security
Rule by April 2. The Security Rule requires administrative, physical, and technical
safeguards of ePHI.
Father’s
gift of life keeps giving
As Chelsea struggled to find impetus for her own young life after her father's
death, she realized that she needed to get on with life – it was "a
real kick in the butt", she says.
Coyotes
and eagles and deer -- oh my!
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway is a place to get away from the hustle and
bustle of urban life, without even leaving the city.
Questions
about moving to Fitzsimons?
If you are looking for answers to questions about the Fitzsimons campus, the
4Move Web site is ready to help.
Updates
about electronic security
The HSC Electronic Security Department is making excellent progress with the
conversion of security systems for both campuses. Although the changes are virtually
transparent to cardholders, the new system will provide many new features to
assist in the protection of people, equipment and research.
Call
for Florence Sewall and Joseph Sabin Award nominations
You are invited to submit nominations for the Florence Rena Sabin Award and
the Joseph Addison Sewall Award. These awards will be presented at
this year’s Commencement on Friday, May 27.
The
sound of science
Since the time of Pythagoras, science and music have been interwoven. Christina
Yu, a second year student at the CU School of Pharmacy, is linking right brain
with left brain by founding Melomania: the UCD Interdisciplinary Orchestra.
In
Memoriam: Dr. Brandt F. Steele, pioneer of child protection movement
Brandt F. Steele, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry, CU School of Medicine
and Kempe Children’s Center, was an internationally respected psychiatrist
best known for his work in child abuse prevention. Steele was 97. He died of
natural causes. The CU School of Medicine will hold a memorial service for Dr.
Steele in the coming weeks.
UCH
president to accept church mission role
Dennis Brimhall, president and CEO of University of Colorado Hospital since
1988, announced that he will leave his position to serve and preside over one
of the world-wide missions in his church. His wife, Linda, will serve with him.
Brimhall will leave the hospital in early June. An interim president will
be named shortly and a search for a new president will begin.
New
Latino staff and faculty organization formed
The New Year brings the launch of a new organization on the UCD campuses.
The UCD Latino Staff and Faculty Association (LSFA) has begun its membership
recruitment, and membership is open to all.
The LSFA mission is to support Latinos on the three campuses in their business
and professional lives, by helping with and supporting networking and education
to increase opportunities for promotion.
Health
fairs help promote a healthy lifestyle
Health fairs are an effective way to provide valuable health information and
screening services to large numbers of people in a convenient “one-stop
shop” format. Volunteers are essential to staff and provide logistical
support to the fairs.
Your time and talents, both medical and non-medical, are needed to help with
various positions at upcoming community health fairs.
Pharmacy
is a family affair
Three generations of the Easterday family have chosen pharmacy as a career,
although none of them are following exactly the same career path.
Archives
from January 2005
A
daughter’s love, and the “heart” to prove it
In February 2004, Cheryl Chonoles’ mom, Dorothy Maks, was in a desperate
place. At age 62, she had experienced two heart attacks, three stent placements,
and was now experiencing end-stage congestive heart failure.
The
Howard and Lynne Landesman Educational Pavilion
On Nov. 15, 2004, Dr. Howard M. Landesman resigned as Dean of the University
of Colorado School of Dentistry after serving in the position for nearly six
years.
Health
experts offer free interactive chat about pregnancy
University of Colorado Hospital is offering a new way for members of the community
to connect with health care providers – through online interactive chats.
She
hurts to see children in pain
Roxie Foster’s commitment to understanding and alleviating pediatric pain
offers hope during a challenging time for hospitalized children and their families.
Although she never intended to choose pediatric nursing as a career path, it
chose her. And when it did, pediatric nursing became her calling; her passion.
School
of Dentistry receives $2 million grant
to benefit Colorado’s underserved
The University of Colorado School of Dentistry is the recipient of a 3-year,
$2 million grant to treat the teeth of Colorado’s underserved children.
Learn
About the Great Trail System Adjacent to Fitzsimons
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway is another jewel in the necklace of trails
that has made the metropolitan Denver area a national model for developing a
linked regional trail system.
Keeping
the HSC Communities Safe
The Health Sciences Center (HSC) Police Department has a job to do – as
you do. Our job is to provide for your safety and security in the campus environment.
Prickly
milk thistle is finding a niche in medical research
In the movie Medicine Man, Sean Connery’s character discovers
a cure for cancer from a rare Brazilian flower. Time is running out to reproduce
the serum however, since a construction company is building a road through the
area where the special flowers grow. That’s not so far fetched when you
consider that only about 5 percent of the flowers, fungi and plants in the world
have been studied in any great detail.
Celebrating
50 years of saving lives through transplantation
When Nobel laureate winner, Dr. Joseph E. Murray and his colleagues transplanted
a kidney from Ronald Herrick into his identical twin, Richard, on Dec. 23, 1954,
they were exploring unknown territory. It was the first time an organ from one
individual had ever been successfully transplanted into another. Fifty years
and some 400,000 transplants later, transplants have evolved from an experimental
procedure to common therapy for many serious conditions.
CU
Foundation releases a decade of financial
records regarding CU Athletics
The University of Colorado Foundation has adopted a new, comprehensive public
information disclosure policy to clarify its spirit of cooperation and openness.
The new policy will give the public and media increased access to information,
and will protect competitive business strategies and confidential donor and
personnel information.
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