Loma Linda University | Loma Linda University Medical Center

News

School of Nursing professor and Medical Center selected for study

Nurses from LLUMC and an associate professor from the School of Nursing were selected to participate in a national study that will potentially enhance patient safety and quality of care in health systems across the nation. Loma Linda is among 16 health systems participating in the study.

Nurses from 5th floor, 6200, and 9200 will take part in the study, titled "Small Troubles Adaptive Responses (STAR-2): Frontline Nurse Engagement in Quality Improvement." Patti Radovich, MSN, RN, manager of nursing research, LLUMC, is site coordinator for the study, and Ellen Mockus D’Errico, MS, PhD, RN, an associate professor of nursing at LLUSN is the site principal investigator. They lead the team of LLUMC nurses in the national research collaborative for the Improvement Science Research Network (ISRN) landmark study.

In this ISRN Research Collaborative, the team members are investigating operational challenges frontline nurses encounter on a daily basis. The ISRN study will allow for a better understanding of how these small problems hinder patient safety and quality of care. LLUMC will use this opportunity to fill the gap in strategies that connect frontline staff with organizational learning for quality and patient safety.

Clinic With a Heart helps nearly 300 people

Two hundred and fifty adults and 29 children with oral health care needs, who otherwise would have been unable to receive treatment, attended the School of Dentistry’s 22^nd annual Clinic With a Heart earlier this year.

Each of the 279 patients received a complimentary cleaning, a filling, or an extraction. They were also given an assessment of what else was needed to restore and maintain their oral health.

The event was staffed by 477 volunteers, including dental school faculty, staff, and students. They were joined by dental assisting and dental hygiene students from local community colleges. During the clinic $45,455 in dental services, the highest amount in the event’s history, were provided at no charge. Procter & Gamble continue its support of Clinic With a Heart, funding the 500 custom T-shirts for the volunteers, as well as contributing $1,000 for the needy kids fund and $250 for toothbrushes and toothpaste.

San Manuel $3 million gift helps transform cancer treatment

Loma Linda University Medical Center has received $1 million in grant funding from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the second of three installments of their $3 million commitment in support of cancer care and research provided at LLUMC Cancer Center.

In recognition of the tribe’s generous gift, the center and laboratory were renamed the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Medical Oncology Center, and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Biospecimen Laboratory.

According to Ruthita Fike, MA, CEO, LLUMC, the funding supports Loma Linda’s mission to provide whole-person care to cancer patients.
"Among many positive outcomes," she says, "this donation has made it possible for us to move forward with plans to create a fully integrated and comprehensive cancer program in one physical space. It also provides a testament to San Manuel’s dedication and commitment to this community, a passion shared by LLUMC."

For Mark Reeves, MD, PhD, director of the center, San Manuel’s impact cannot be overstated. "It supports the development of personal, targeted cancer therapies in the Biospecimen Laboratory," he says, "and the translation of these therapies into patient care in the Oncology Center. The support from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for the Loma Linda University Cancer Center is truly transformative."

LLUMC ophthalmologist uses YouTube to educate eye surgeons around the world

Howard Gimbel, MD, chair of ophthalmology, LLUMC, began posting educational videos online in 2009. By searching "Gimbel Library" on YouTube, visitors from throughout the United States and around the globe are able to view 115 informative videos he has produced on a variety of eye surgery and ophthalmic topics. Currently, the Gimbel Library has had approximately 100,000 views.

"By posting these videos on YouTube," says Dr. Gimbel, "we are enabling residents and surgeons with less experience to utilize these videos at their own schedule to enhance their own surgical skills."

H. Roger Hadley, MD, dean, LLU School of Medicine, says the school appreciates Dr. Gimbel’s international reputation and unique contributions. "Dr. Gimbel is recognized by his colleagues as one of the premier ophthalmologists in the world," Dr. Hadley observes. "Loma Linda University Health System is delighted that he plays in integral role in the teaching of our students and the care of our patients."

School of Medicine ranks third nationally for graduating family physicians

For more than 10 years, Loma Linda University School of Medicine has ranked third in the nation graduating family physicians, according to the March/April 2012 issue of The Annals of Family Medicine.

The article states that while approximately 30 percent of practicing physicians in the United States have chosen to pursue primary care, in most developed countries with a well-functioning health system, the percentage is closer to 50 percent.

The article suggests that schools may rank highly due to reasons including the admissions process, the presence and prominence of members of the family medicine faculty, and the degree to which institutional leaders identify producing primary care physicians as a core part of the school’s mission. At LLU School of Medicine, the importance of primary care is emphasized. Students have responded with a variety of students gravitating toward that field.

School of Nursing’s new CRNA Program accepts first class

The master of science in nurse anesthesia is a two-and-a-half-year program that enables students to earn the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) credential. The program received accreditation in January, and is the third advanced practice nursing degree offered at Loma Linda University School of Nursing. Twelve students entered the program in September, 2011.

“Two years ago the School of Nursing created a steering committee to investigate the feasibility of a CRNA concentration,” says CRNA program director Kurt Cao, MSNA, assistant professor, School of Nursing. Committee members included CRNAs, anesthesiologists, and School of Nursing faculty. Mr. Cao said the program has tremendous support from both the Loma Linda University and Loma Linda University Medical Center. This degree concentration is the fourth of its kind in California and the first in the Inland Empire.

Today, nurse anesthetists deliver 65 percent of anesthesia services across the United States. The School of Nursing hopes to deliver services on a global scale. “Our goal,” says Mr. Cao, “is to one day incorporate a mission rotation to developing countries.”

School of Dentistry professor pursuing diabetes research

Lincoln Edwards, PhD, DDS, associate professor, Center for Dental Research, Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, has been awarded a $445,000 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for the purpose of conducting research on a novel compound known by the title S43126. The project is titled, “Novel Imidazoline compound as Antidiabetic Agent.”

While he was pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology and nutrition at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Edwards worked with Dr. Paul Ernsberger, associate professor of nutrition, neuroscience, and pharmacology. It was then that he became interested in the signaling pathways coupled to the imidazoline receptors that appear to play a significant role in Metabolic Syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes has a significant impact on periodontal disease; evidence has established the link between types 1 and 2 diabetes and periodontal disease. Diabetes is known to cause dysfunctional changes in blood vessels and the production of high levels of specific inflammatory chemicals (such as interleukins) that increases the likelihood of periodontal disease and infection in general. High concentrations of triglycerides (common in type 2 diabetes) also appear to degrade periodontal health. Stabilizing blood sugar in individuals with type 1 or 2 diabetes may help reduce periodontal disease.

New water feature aiding in healing dedicated at LLUMC East Campus

Patients at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus have a new place to relax, spend time with visiting family members and loved ones, and heal following the dedication on Friday, November 4, 2011, of a new water feature on campus.

Loma Linda University PossAbilities and LLUMC East Campus were chosen to receive a professionally installed water feature by the Ponditat for Humanity organization, sponsored by the International Professional Pond Companies Association in Georgia.

After experiencing the new water feature, Fermin Camarena of San Juan Capistrano spoke about the experience: “This place brings relief, comfort, and tranquility,” he said. Mr. Camarena is a PossAbilities member who is recovering from a stroke.

The Pond Digger of Yucaipa designed the water feature, which is valued at $10,000. It is located between the Zapara Pavilion and the Ambulatory Services building.

Enrollment soars in the School of Allied Health Professions

There was extra cause to celebrate at LLU during National Allied Professions Week, observed November 6–12: a record number of students are studying this fall in the School of Allied Health Professions. With an all-time enrollment high of 1,176, Loma Linda University’s biggest school just got bigger.

“It is exciting that our enrollment, year after year, continues to climb,” says Craig Jackson, JD, MSW, dean of the school. “It is a combination of exceptional programs taught by exceptional faculty and taking advantage of the growth in health care. “God has blessed our school, and we give Him all the glory; and we will stay committed to our unique focus on service and mission,” he adds. “That, we believe, is what attracts students to Loma Linda University.”

Allied health students in the school’s nine departments are learning to help patients breathe, speak, function, move, and heal. Their testing and imaging skills will help physicians accurately diagnose conditions and injuries. They will manage the health information systems vital to patient care. The School of Allied Health Professions offers approximately 50 associate’s, bachelor’s, doctoral, and certificate programs through its departments of cardiopulmonary sciences, clinical laboratory science, communication sciences and disorders, health information management, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant sciences, and radiation technology.

Emotional Health & Wellness conference at LLU draws international crowd

More than 500 individuals from 51 nations attended “Emotional Health and Wellness: a Biblical Worldview in Practice,” a conference held at Linda University October 12 to 15, 2011. The conference, a joint project of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and LLU, explored the inter-relationship between spirituality, religion, and mental health, and encouraged scholarly research on the subject.

According to Carlos Fayard, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, LLU, the goal was to help practitioners from the Adventist faith explore ideas remaining faithful to their tradition while connecting with cutting edge theory, research, and practice.

In his keynote address, Allan Handysides, MD, health ministries director, General Conference, asked, “Who is healthy?” He stated that many factors contribute to mental health, and observed that a biblical worldview doesn’t insulate people from depression and anxiety, but it does help them cope.

Top researchers and clinicians in religion and emotional health fields spoke; including representatives of the World Health Organization, Brigham Young University, Duke University Medical Center, Harvard University, and the University of California at Los Angeles.

“Loma Linda is pleased to host this meaningful conference,” notes Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, president, LLU. “Many presenters emphasized the centrality of mental health to spiritual understanding, and the unique balance in this area that we have been blessed with in the Adventist church.”

School of Dentistry hosts Total Sinus Graft Solutions seminar

With 275 participants from as far away as Germany, Indonesia, and Iran attending, Loma Linda University School of Dentistry’s "Total Sinus Graft Solutions" continuing education symposium and workshop, held October 2 and 3, 2011, was a gratifying success. From among four live surgical demonstrations, two workshops, four vendors, and seven lecturers, the complex seminar delivered attendees a wealth of treatment information and strategies.

Throughout the two-day symposium, numerous participants remarked that the event was among the best they had attended, citing the quality of the facility (the Centennial Complex), the first-rate professional presentations, the live surgical demonstrations, and helpful support staff as reasons they found the experience satisfying.

Jaime Lozada, DMD, director, advanced specialty education program in implant dentistry, LLUSD, coordinated the symposium and workshop; with Dentium USA™ providing financial support for the seminar. The following presenters joined Dr. Lozada in making the symposium a success (from the School of Dentistry): Alan Herford, DDS, MD, Philip J. Boyne and Peter Geistlich professor, oral and maxillofacial surgery; Nicholas Caplanis, DMD, MS, assistant professor, advanced specialty education in implant dentistry; Joseph Kan, DDS, MS, professor, pre-doctoral implant dentistry program coordinator; Aladdin Al-Ardah, DDS, MS, assistant professor, advanced specialty education in implant dentistry, coordinator, internship/externship program implant dentistry. Also participating were Christopher A. Church, MD, assistant professor of surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine; and Stephen Wallace, DDS, associate professor, periodontology and implant dentistry, New York University College of Dentistry.

School of Medicine welcomes displaced medical students from Puerto Rico

Eleven medical students from Puerto Rico are now attending Loma Linda University School of Medicine following the closure of their former school in October, 2011. The students—two seniors and nine juniors—were among 275 students attending San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas, Puerto Rico when the school lost its accreditation.

In October, the accrediting body for medical schools in Canada and the U.S., including Puerto Rico, withdrew the school’s accreditation based primarily on inadequate clinical resources. The displaced students then made a plea to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which contacted 134 accredited medical schools, requesting their assistance. Loma Linda University School of Medicine was among the first to respond; after a team of faculty members interviewed the students, a special committee identified individuals who would be the best match. The advisory council was led by Dr. Roger Hadley, dean.

This is not the first time LLU has assimilated students from other medical schools upon their closure (University of Southern California in 1920, and Oral Roberts University in 1989). Since it opened in 1909, the School of Medicine has trained medical professionals committed to Christian service. With 683 enrolled students and more than 10,000 graduates, the school is a national leader in educating future doctors.

School of Pharmacy celebrates 550th white coat student

Marie Hovespian, class of 2015, received a $5,000 scholarship for being the 550th School of Pharmacy student to receive a white coat during the 10th anniversary White Coat Ceremony held November 3, 2011.

“You may ask why the 550th? Well, here is the math: 5+5+0=10 to commemorate the school’s 10th anniversary,” says school Dean Billy Hughes. “Consequently, the 550th student represented this milestone.” Marie attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she majored in psychobiology and was exposed to the value of pharmacists and their role in the health care system.

For Marie, attraction to study at LLU came when she missed the small atmosphere of her Armenian high school while attending UCLA. “Going to UCLA was a different experience for me,” she explains, “since I did not have closeness with my classmates. The atmosphere of a smaller university, where long-term relationships are an important part of the curriculum—along with the unique and distinctive aspects of strong cultural and religious ties are what attracted me to LLU.”

According to Linda Williams, assistant dean, student affairs and admissions, the gift of the white coats during the first quarter in school signals the students’ entry into the helping profession. As students leave the classroom to complete elective rotations, the coats signify that they are gaining knowledge to become a professional and are representing not only themselves, but the institution and the school.

During the 2011–2012 academic year, the School of Pharmacy will commemorate its 10th anniversary with celebratory events, and 550 white coat students represent an important milestone. The School of Pharmacy tenth anniversary celebration will take place April 12, 2012.

Wil Alexander’s friends support Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness

On Sunday, October 9, friends of Wil Alexander, founding director of the Loma Linda University Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness, met in Wong Kerlee International Conference Center to celebrate Dr. Alexander’s 90th birthday. One of Loma Linda University’s most respected and beloved educators, Dr. Alexander has played a pivotal role within Loma Linda University as a leader in spiritual and whole person care. The concept of wholeness arose from the philosophy of whole person care that was explored and taught on the Loma Linda campus by Dr. Alexander.

His indelible influence during the past 38 years has made a lasting and positive impact on the culture of Loma Linda University. Through patient care, education, mentoring, and administration, Dr. Alexander has affected countless lives.

During the celebration, Dr. Jon Paulien, dean of the School of Religion, presented a plaque of recognition to Dr. Alexander. Those celebrating with Dr. Alexander contributed funds to support various projects at the Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness; netting $37,253.63. Most of the funds were contributed to the Wil Alexander Endowment.

School of Science and Technology undergoes reorganization

Loma Linda University School of Science and Technology is undergoing reorganization. The December 13-14 Loma Linda University Board of Trustees report states that with the national move to addressing behavioral health issues, the departments of social work, counseling and family sciences, and psychology are transitioning into the University’s new School of Behavioral Health.

The department of biophysics and bioengineering currently has no students and will be discontinued. As part of the transition, the School of Science and Technology's department of earth and biological sciences is exploring new opportunities for alignment with one of Loma Linda University’s seven other schools, with a final recommendation expected at the February Loma Linda University Board of Trustees meeting.

Proton therapy: New breast cancer treatment study results promising

Results of a Phase II clinical trial conducted by researchers in the LLUMC department of radiation medicine indicate that partial breast radiotherapy delivered with proton beam appears to provide excellent disease control within the breast with minimal side-effects. The treatment is less toxic to the patient and also reduces the radiation treatment time to two weeks instead of the typical seven weeks.

The disease-free survival rate at five years for patients who took part in the study was greater than 90 percent, with overall survival rate close to 100 percent. The study results were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting last fall, and were published in the scientific journal, Clinical Breast Cancer, this summer.

“Study results show that we are able to offer early stage breast cancer patients a treatment program that is less risky and can be completed in less time,” says Dr. David Bush, vice-chair, department of radiation medicine, and one of the study’s principal investigators.
At present, most women diagnosed early with breast cancer undergo surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation treatment is then performed over the entire breast. The study looked at treatment results using proton beam radiation confined to the area where the tumor had been located. “The size of the radiation area is reduced significantly,” says Dr. Bush, “lessening radiation exposure to the heart, lungs and other parts of the body. Proton beam allows us to do this better than any other type of radiation treatment.”

Proton therapy is a precise form of radiation treatment that uses machines to generate beams that penetrate the body from outside and destroy cancerous tumors and cells, with minimal damage to surrounding tissue and organs. It was 20 years ago when Loma Linda University Medical Center became the first hospital to offer proton radiation treatment to treat prostate, brain and other types of cancer. More than 15,000 patients have since been treated at the James M. Slater, MD Proton Treatment and Research Center.

Christmas stocking project assists families of NICU patients

Though December is a joyous time of the year, the holidays are stressful for families whose infants are patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. For some, the financial impact of their child’s illness is so immense that they cannot visit their infant in the hospital.

As she volunteered at LLUCH, Eva Guenther-James became aware of the hardship and stress so many families were facing. In 2006, she began a Christmas stocking project; stockings filled with donated infant clothing, burp pads, receiving blankets, knitted hats and ornaments were given to these families. Four years ago the project was renamed to honor an infant patient, A.J. Eva had snuggled baby A.J. on and off for some months. Sadly, A.J. passed away on December 25, 2007.

In 2011, for the fifth year, A.J.’s Christmas stockings filled with baby clothes and cozy blankets and other donated items help bring holiday cheer to families whose infants are patients at LLUCH.

LLU Heart & Surgical Hospital chapel dedicated

The late Julian A. “Jay” Moss III, well-known Riverside businessman and philanthropist, has been honored with the dedication of the chapel named in his memory at Loma Linda University Heart & Surgical Hospital.

Jay and his wife, Laura, were supporters of cardiac care programs at Loma Linda University Medical Center. They served on the Loma Linda University International Heart Institute Advisory Council (Jay until his death in 2004). To honor Jay’s memory, Laura invited family and friends to join her in providing philanthropic support for the International Heart Institute.

“Even after his passing, Jay continued the efforts of this worthy cause,” said Laura, who was joined recently by her husband, Robert Frusher, and Jay’s family and close friends in the lobby of Loma Linda University Heart & Surgical Hospital. They had gathered for a ceremony dedicating the hospital’s chapel in Jay’s memory. “It is our hope,” she said, “that those who enter this wonderful chapel, with their hopes and prayers, will feel some of Jay’s spirit, his love for the Lord and his understanding of God’s comfort and peace.”

“Chapels are an important place of refuge during times of physical and emotional challenge,” said Jim Greek, LLUMC head chaplain. Rachelle Bussell, vice-president for advancement at LLUMC, thanked the donors for their support. “Many people will receive inspiration within the walls of the Moss Chapel; this joins many other projects made possible by philanthropic support.”

School of Dentistry: responding to the need for dental hygienists

The School of Dentistry has enrolled the first Coachella Valley students in a new dental hygiene associate degree program. The program, which begins in September, was designed to attract under-represented adult students to pursue dental hygiene as a profession. Planning for the new associate degree program took place over the last three years.

Recent surveys indicate that there is a shortage of dental hygienists in the desert valley area located east of Loma Linda University. The program is administered by the LLU School of Dentistry, and graduates who earn the AS degree in dental hygiene will help improve access to oral health care in the region’s medically underserved communities.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics categorizes dental hygiene among the country’s fastest growing professions, and projects a 30 percent increase in employment for dental hygienists by 2016. LLU’s program fills a great need, as there is only one allied health education program available in the greater Palm Springs area. It is offered by College of the Desert, a community college located in Palm Desert. About 600 applicants apply annually, competing for 90 student slots.

College of the Desert administration originally approached Loma Linda University hoping to expand health profession educational offerings. The AS degree program in dental hygiene program emerged and was developed as a result. In its first year the program will enroll 28 students per class, with students primarily full-time adult learners seeking a career in health care and who are interested in pursuing dental hygiene as a career.

Run, Alex, Run!

A year after he lost part of his left leg in a train accident, 13-year-old Alex Garcia learned not only to walk, but to run. Only a few months after his accident, Alex was determined to finish a 5K race, Loma Linda University’s 8th Annual PossAbilities Triathlon.

Alex, a star soccer player before his accident, learned how to walk using a prosthetic leg, and a specially designed running leg was built for him for the triathlon. “I like taking on challenges,” reports Alex. His physician, Dr. Joan Le, was so confident of her patient that they challenged each other to meet at the starting line and compete in the race.

“Each of my patients inspire me,” says Dr. Le, “but Alex is something else.” Dr. Le is a physiatrist (a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation) at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus. “Alex has a lot of heart and great determination to do his best.”

Hundreds of racers participated in the race, which is sponsored by San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Alex not only completed the 5K race; he beat Dr. Le by more than 10 minutes. Alex plans to compete in the 9th Annual PossAbilities Triathlon on April 17, 2011 at Loma Linda University’s Drayson Center, where he will compete in a triathlon on a new bike sponsored by TREK. Alex’s mom, Rosalba Garcia, says: “Alex has a lot of will and excitement to do this, and it will encourage him to live life like he did before.”

School of Medicine graduates 10,000th student

During commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 29, 2011, as Reiker Schultz, MD, accepted his diploma, he became the 10,000th medical student to graduate from Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Dr. Schultz is a third-generation graduate of the School of Medicine. “Friends and family told me there were fireworks on the large screen,” laughs Dr. Schultz, “and that the band even played a special fanfare, but I don’t remember any of it.”

In October, 2009, the School began a five-year celebration of its 100th anniversary. In 1909, the first class of five students began training at LLU (then the College of Medical Evangelists). The first class graduated in 1914 and in 2014, when the 100th class graduates, the School will conclude its centennial celebration.

“During much of the School’s history,” says Roger Hadley, MD, dean, “the surrounding rural communities were orange groves. For a medical school to flourish in this setting is quite remarkable.”

According to Dr. Hadley, more students have graduated from the LLU School of Medicine than from any other medical school in Southern California. It is only one of a only a handful of schools in the United States with 10,000 or more graduates.

Saving children from a silent tragedy

Whether drowning occurs in a bathtub, pool, or any body of water, it is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 14. Each year, as many as 20 children are brought to LLU Children’s Hospital after near drowning accidents.

Doctors at LLU Children’s Hospital have completed a study where they carefully controlled young patients’ hypothermia for a short time, believing that this would help prevent brain damage after asphyxia or cardiac arrest. The study has been accepted as an oral presentation during the 2011 World Federation of Pediatric Critical Care in Sydney, Australia.

LLU Children’s Hospital has been invited to participate in a $21 million research project which expands upon the original study, and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers in 34 facilities in the United States and Canada are hoping to enroll 900 infants and children in the study, learning even more about what treatment is most beneficial for children who have experienced cardiac arrest due to near drowning, asthma, cold, flu, or pneumonia, among others.

Loma Linda University students join SIMS, providing health care in Honduras

Students from the Schools of Allied Health Professions and Dentistry, and Medicine have returned from a medical mission trip to Pena Blanca, Honduras. The trip was organized by the University’s Students for International Mission Service. The SIMS team provided health care at Pan American Health Services (PAHS), an organization that provides nutrition, medical assistance, and education for children living in poverty.

At PAHS, occupational therapy students designed and implemented a play/art therapy program for sick children and children with birth defects. During a mobile clinic they shared activities with kids in the community. During their one-week stay, teams comprised of preceptors and LLU students from the Schools of Dentistry and Medicine provided health care.

According to Clark Bassham, DDS, a 2011 School of Dentistry graduate, “The dental team was well equipped and able to treat patients with needs ranging from urgent to cosmetic.”

Emily Pinkerton, a student in the School of Allied Health Professions, says: “LLU has been instrumental in fueling my passion for medical missions. I have traveled [with LLU medical mission teams] to Mexico, Honduras, and Haiti. I have every intention of keeping this passion alive throughout my career as an occupational therapist, and I am grateful that LLU supported and shaped me along the way for His calling.”

School of Religion: Aly Benitez receives Gale Saxby Endowed Scholarship

When Aly Benitez, a graduate assistant and student in the School of Religion’s clinical ministry program, assisted with the School of Religion’s first Benefactors’ Banquet last year she was thrilled for Angela Li, recipient of the School’s first Gale Saxby Endowed Scholarship. “Though I had never had the privilege of meeting Gale Saxby,” she says, “I was impressed that her friends and colleagues had established a Scholarship in her memory.”

“This year,” says Aly, “when I opened the program during the School’s first Awards Chapel and saw my name listed as the 2011 Gale Saxby Scholarship recipient, it was truly a blessing and a surprise.”

Before coming to Loma Linda University, Aly had served as a children’s pastor at Toledo Adventist Church, and was pursuing master of divinity studies at Andrews University. “I needed and wanted to have close connections with people,” she says, “and the more I learned about Loma Linda University’s clinical ministry program which focuses on working with sick and bereaved families, I knew that it would be a good fit for me.”

Aly has begun work as a chaplain at Loma Linda University Medical Center--Murrietta, and in September she will begin a health care chaplain residency at University of California, Los Angeles.

In a letter to those who have contributed to the Gale Saxby Scholarship, Aly writes: “As I continue to grow in my own ministry and understanding of what it means to be a health care chaplain, I hope to further develop and strengthen the Christian values it takes to help others heal and to be made whole.”

The Gale Saxby Endowed Scholarship was the School’s first endowed scholarship, and was established in memory of faculty member Gale Saxby, MDiv, after her death in 1995 following an auto accident. Ms. Saxby the School of Religion in 1991, and developed a reputation for making Jesus real to students. Those who knew her recall she loved to preach, and was especially fond of the Gospels. They also remember her commitment to Jesus, the quality of her teaching, and her effervescent personality. Her legacy continues through the women who receive funds from the Gayle Saxby Endowed Scholarship.

Michael Jackson, executive vice president, transitions into retirement

Michael Jackson, MPH, has retired as administrator and senior vice president for Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus. “I wrote a vision statement for East Campus several years ago that we have faithfully followed,” he says. “I wanted people not to just hear about it; I wanted them to see it and internalize it. I am thankful for the opportunity to build-out the healing environment at East Campus. The environment is beautiful and is making a profound impact on the recovery of patients and families.”

“Service is an important part of my vision statement,” he says. “I’ve been connected with PossAbilities over the years and would like to continue to help and see it grow. Conceiving of PossAbilities and seeing it carried out has been rewarding. I’ve had participants tell me how much it means to them. One father said to me recently, ‘My son wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for PossAbilities.’”

When asked to recount highlights of his career, Mr. Jackson says he has much to be thankful for. “God has blessed me with an amazing career. He has allowed me to serve in leadership roles at critical moments in the development of San Diego Children’s Hospital, White Memorial, Glendale Adventist, Adventist Health, and Loma Linda University Medical Center. I am grateful to Him for guiding and directing me in such a loving and caring manner throughout my life.”

“I enjoyed my work at the East Campus,” he adds. “We have an outstanding, trusting relationship between administration and the medical staff. It’s the best I’ve encountered. Dr. Austin Colohan is an amazing medical director and friend, as are Dr. Gary Botimer, who heads the orthopedics department, and Dr. Murray Brandstater, who leads the rehabilitation program. The entire clinical council has worked tirelessly to support the East Campus vision and growth.”

“Most importantly, God has called us to this work and given us a heart for those we serve. He is the one who gives us faith and empowers us to do His work. Because of Him, we derive satisfaction, joy, and gratitude, as we serve Him and our patients, families, and staff. We are here to glorify Him as we carry out His healing ministry to those in need. What could be better?"

James M. Slater Proton Treatment Center treats 15,000th patient

At LLUMC’s James M. Slater Proton Treatment and Research Center, a new landmark has been reached—proton therapy has been used to treat the Center’s 15,000th patient. “I didn’t know until I got here that I was the 15,000th patient,” says Ted Bevis of Cincinnati, “but it does make me feel secure with my decision to come here. It’s reassuring to me to know that so many people have chosen to be treated with proton therapy.”

“We are proud,” says Jerry D. Slater, MD, chair, LLUMC department of radiation medicine, “of the work we have accomplished and the results we have seen. Reaching this milestone is an affirmation of the promise of proton treatment.”

Mr. Bevis, a diamond salesman, chose proton treatment after doing extensive research following a cancer diagnosis and looking for treatment which would result in minimal side effects. “For me,” he says, “the experience at LLUMC was awesome; my doctors, the support system; everyone was friendly and made me feel at home.”

Preparing Allied Health students for patient care

Imagine the following scene: a physical therapy student stands before a patient in an acute setting for the first time. She is there to help the patient sit at the edge of his bed and then stand with the help of a front-wheel walker and at least march in place if the patient is strong enough.

The student informs the patient of what the therapy will consist of and proceeds, discovering what all those lines do, where they come from, and where they’re attached. As the student transitions the patient to sitting position, the beeping sound of the monitor changes; his oxygen saturation readings drop; respiration rate readings escalate; and the patient says he doesn’t feel well. In an instant the student must make a series of quick decisions: how should she control the situation? What actions should she take and what should she say to the patient?

This is just one of many scenarios that physical therapy students in the LLU School of Allied Health Professions experience in the new Medical Simulation Center at LLU. “We are hoping to better prepare our students to meet real-life situations in their clinical assignments,” says Tony Valenzuela, DPT, EdD, “so that when similar situations arise they will be able to cope with the stress of making clinical decisions.” Students in the doctor of physical therapy program express great satisfaction completing the simulations, says Dr. Valenzuela. They say that they are able to learn and feel better prepared to work with patients.

The Medical Simulation Center is a state-of-the-art facility that provides real ICU and acute setting equipment and nurses, as well as mannequins that use high-fidelity simulators to physiologically respond to treatment similar to what real patients receive. The simulation lab is located in the new Centennial Complex on campus.

School of Public Health: Research shows health benefits to eating pecans

Naturally occurring antioxidants in pecans may protect people from developing ailments including cancer and heart disease, according to results of a School of Public Health research study.

“This study,” says Ella Haddad, DrPH, associate professor, SPH department of nutrition, “is another piece of evidence that pecans are a healthy food. While research has shown that pecans contain antioxidant factors, our study shows that these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against diseases.”

Pecans contain forms of the antioxidant vitamin E, known as tocopherols. They also contain numerous phenolic substances, many with antioxidant abilities, and are rich in gamma-tocopherols, a form of vitamin E. Findings show that after eating pecans, the body’s gamma-tocopherol levels doubled while unhealthful oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased by as much as 33 percent.

Oxidized LDLs may further contribute to inflammation in the arteries, placing people at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. “Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy antioxidants,” says Dr. Haddad. “This protective effect is important in helping prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”

Beginning in the early 1990’s, the School’s department of nutrition has conducted many controlled studies on the health effects of nut consumption. In 1993, The New England Journal of Medicine published LLU’s study establishing the link between walnut consumption and favorable blood lipid changes.

Behavioral Medicine Center: a place for recovery and a new chance at life

To celebrate the freedom he acquired at the LLU Behavioral Medicine Center and to encourage others, Sgt. Rob Olson, a 25-year-old unmanned aerial vehicle operator for the U.S. Marine Corps, is sharing his story. Rob began using drugs when he was 20 years old. “Drugs were my way to cope,” he says. “It was messy.” After using for a year and a half, he went to a clinic and with help, he was clean for awhile. He joined the Marine Corps, which he says was a great experience for him.

Then, in his second year with the Marines, he injured his knee. “They gave me narcotics,” he shares. “It took them a year to put me under the knife. If they could’ve fixed it with physical therapy they would have.” When they prescribed Vicodin, he noticed signs of addiction, and when doctors took him off medication, “I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep. Vicodin’s a painkiller, but pain is a withdrawal symptom. Every time I tried to stop using, I went back to it. I went doctor shopping. I hooked up with an outside dealer.”

“I was planning to go to my command and say, ‘Hey, I have a problem.’ Ironically, while I was planning my spiel, I popped up on a drug test. It was unfortunate timing.” Even after he owned his addiction, Rob needed to convince his superiors that he needed outside help. “The substance abuse counselor told me to stop, but [I couldn’t].” With the help of key personnel on base, Rob entered treatment at the BMC.

“You come in thinking ‘I have a drug problem, they’re gonna fix me,’ he discloses. “But there are underlying issues and they’ve helped me learn to cope with those. The BMC staff is nice; they helped me. The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you can’t keep lying to yourself.”

Rob was released from the BMC recovery program last summer, and is back at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twenty-nine Palms flying unmanned aerial vehicles on practice surveillance missions. “It can be stressful,” he admits. “We have to know emergency procedures. We’re the eyes in the sky for our ground troops. We save lives by foreshadowing the battle plan, seeing things before they happen. Recovery is going great for me. I’m getting good at recognizing my post acute withdrawal symptoms, and dealing with my issues. I go to meetings as much as I can, and I’m taking the 12 steps to heart and trying to extend my hand to anybody who needs it. Staying busy and active has helped with my sobriety. My wife has been supportive and is a great help. I am really happy!”

East campus: a place where peoples’ lives are forever changed

Zimry Solis tells his story quickly. One day when he was 10 years old, he became sick with a fever. By the time he was brought to the hospital for care, he had begun slipping into a coma. Zimry had contracted a rare form of meningitis, a severe infection of the blood that severely damaged his hands and leg. When he woke up from his coma three months later, he learned that he had no hands and that his right leg had been amputated.

Throughout Zimry’s teen years, Drs. Brandstater and Jobe in Loma Linda University Medical Center orthopaedics helped him with reconstructive surgeries so he could regain as much functionality in his leg and arms as possible. “I used to be afraid of Dr. Brandstater,” he says, “because every time I would see him, Dr. B would say I had to go for more surgery. But then he would smile and he helped me feel calm.”

Zimry’s resilience is inspiring, and is shown every time he applies for a job, attends college classes, or plays soccer. His pride in his ability to play soccer is founded, not only on what Dr. Brandstater and the other physicians have done, but on the efforts of the entire rehabilitation team including Michael Davidson, and the staff at the East Campus department of orthotics and prosthetics. “Mike and the O & P staff,” Zimry says, “give me a leg and I can play. They’re there when it needs to be adjusted, or when I need a new one.”

Zimry says that coming to Loma Linda was the best thing that happened to him. When he and his daughter pass by the hospital he tells her, “Check it out! That’s where I was born. And it is also where I was reborn.”

Loma Linda University Cancer Center opens new thoracic oncology clinic

Patients with diagnosed or suspected thoracic cancers, including lung or esophageal cancer, mesothelioma, and mediastinal cancers are benefiting from a new thoracic oncology clinic at Loma Linda University Cancer Center.

According to Cancer Center director Mark Reeves, MD, PhD, “One of the most important reasons for setting up the clinic was to provide a quantum improvement in the timeliness of care for thoracic cancer patients at Loma Linda.”

The thoracic oncology clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic, and provides immediate adjacent access to thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, medical oncology, and radiation oncology. “The clinic,” says Dr. Reeves, “functions like a real time tumor board, with physicians from all specialties providing real time input into patient management. In this way, a plan can be made and treatment started expeditiously.”

A wide range of patients are receiving care─from the new finding of a pulmonary nodule (with no diagnosis of cancer), all the way to patients with fully diagnosed cancers. Physicians then guide the workup and treatment for patients anywhere along this spectrum.

In addition to the new clinic, the Cancer Center has cutting edge therapeutic options. These include minimally invasive surgeries; a wide range of interventional pulmonology procedures; cutting edge clinical trials; targeted systemic therapy; and radiation therapy (including proton therapy).

To refer patients with thoracic masses or cancers, contact the Loma Linda University Cancer Center at 800-78-CANCER; email cancer@llu.edu or visit www.llucc.org.

International outreach: Alumni assist with post-quake health care in Haiti

Nathan and Amy Lindsey, graduates of Loma Linda University, are serving the needs of the people at Hopital Adventiste d’Haiti (HAH), a 70-bed, Adventist Health International-affiliated institution in Port-au-Prince. Nathan, who graduated with an MPH from the LLU School of Public Health in 2010, is both assistant administrator for the hospital and chief of party for Adventist Health International Services-Haiti. Amy, a 2009 graduate of the LLU School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene program, is volunteer coordinator at HAH.

When asked how many LLU and Adventist Health International volunteers have assisted in Haiti since the earthquake, Amy places the number at more than 500. “We used to get 50 volunteers a week,” she says. “Now it’s slowed down some, but we’re averaging 20 a week. I don’t know if LLU and AHI are the largest source of volunteers in all of Haiti, but it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Jerry Daly, MA, MSLA, associate director of the Global Health Institute at LLU, says the Lindseys are making a substantial contribution. “We could not begin to achieve the level of coordination we have achieved at the hospital if Nathan and Amy weren’t there,” Mr. Daly insists. “I also want to mention their Haitian counterparts at the hospital,” he adds. “The Haitian nurses, physicians, technicians, and administrators have endured a great deal since January, 2010. Many lost family members and friends in the earthquake. The road to full recovery in Haiti will be long and hard, but what is being done at our hospital through Nathan, Amy, our Haitian colleagues, and an army of volunteers brings hope and healing to those most in need.”

Story of LLU School of Medicine told in new cable series

For the first time, the story of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine (LLUSM) will be told in a 13-episode cable series, “Vital Signs.” In a magazine-style format, Vital Signs engages nearly 120 faculty and staff who share the LLUSM story in a rich video experience produced by young and talented producers Tim and Jaymie de LaTorre.”

A highlight of Vital Signs is a documentary segment featuring medical students Laura Hanson, Sylvester Paulasir, Jaysson and Brittany Brooks, Lindsay Bautista, and Mark Warren. Cameras follow these students throughout the 2009/2010 school year, providing an ‘up-close and personal’ view of life on the LLUSM campus.

Segments co-hosted by LLUSM faculty Drs. Dusty Rigsby and Bonnie Chi Lum, showcase what distinguishes LLUSM from other medical institutions. LLUSM’s emphasis on whole-person care, overseas mission, the value of spiritual life, cutting-edge teaching technology, the strength of its diversity programs as well as its approach to ethics in medicine are featured in various episodes.

Vital Signs premiered across the Hope Channel network on January 7, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. ET and PT. Hope Channel is the official television network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Viewers in North America can watch Hope Channel on DIRECTV Channel 368, on satellite G-19 where Hope Channel is part of the GloryStar package, or online at .

Vital Signs airs Saturdays (12:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.); Sundays (9:00 p.m.); and Tuesdays (5:30 p.m.). New episodes air on Saturday, with re-runs of that episode on Sunday and Tuesday. Individuals may also watch Vital Signs at www.hopetv.org.

Japanese and American exchange brings better understanding of OT

Life in Japan and the United States differs in many ways, yet when it comes to recovering from a stroke, brain tumor, other disease, or brain injury, similar care is needed. For three days this year, occupational therapy (OT) students from Japan’s Jikei College visited Loma Linda University to compare OT practices in the two countries.

The project centered around the fact that life’s myriad daily tasks, require specific physical capabilities and cognitive functions. Simple tasks become complicated when clients sustain brain damage, which varies from person to person and can happen to anyone at any age, says Karen Pendleton, MA, assistant professor of occupational therapy. “When we brush our teeth, how many of us must mentally process through each of the many steps involved?” she asks. “We usually perform these tasks automatically.”

Pairs of students from Osaka teamed up with pairs of LLU student and chose one of the cognitive deficits to explore. They identified and addressed challenges a client with this deficit might face, and then designed an interactive exhibit showcasing intervention strategies from each of their cultures.

The final day of the visit, interactive exhibits they had created opened at Wong Kerlee International Conference Center to more than 100 participants. “Both groups of students enjoyed the cultural exchange and commented that they had an increased understanding of how a brain injury can affect so many occupations,” Ms. Pendleton says.

School of Nursing faculty member receives award from Veterans Affairs

Sofia Puerto, PhD, RN, assistant clinical professor of nursing, Loma Linda University School of Nursing, has received an award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The RN in the Expanded Role Award was presented to Dr. Puerto in Washington, D.C., by General Eric K. Shinseki, United States secretary for veterans affairs, and Cathy Rick, chief nursing officer for veterans affairs. Dr. Puerto is recognized for her role as associate chief of nursing education and research, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.

Dr. Puerto also received a letter of congratulations from President Barack Obama. According to the award committee, she designed and implemented a nursing education needs assessment survey aimed at improving veteran health care while addressing exigent and ongoing staff educational requirements. Additionally, she developed an innovative format for nursing competencies that articulates VA nursing scope of practice. For the past seven years, Dr. Puerto has served as president of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (Inland Empire). She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

The VA Secretary’s Awards in Nursing Excellence program, established in 1984, annually honors one medical center director; nurse executive; registered nurse in a staff nurse role and one in a non-staff nurse role who are actively engaged in the care of patients at a VA medical center.

School of Science and Technology: Searching for answers on the low seas

The title of the study is daunting: “A year-long study of Salton Sea Cyanobacteria species and toxin production correlated to water chemistry.” These words describe the work that Nathan Strub, a graduate student in the department of earth and biological sciences at Loma Linda University, is doing to help determine the cause of die-offs of fish and bird species at the Salton Sea, the largest inland body of water in California. The Salton Sea is located 226 feet below sea level and is in the middle of the Colorado Desert.

Assisted by Carl Person, Nathan tests water quality at five locations and collects samples at predetermined depths each month. Then, using an inverted light microscope, Nathen evaluates the water samples for planktonic algae. He also counts specks of algae and records each specimen with a digital microscope camera. Using data he has collected, he will continue to search for correlations between the size and varieties of algal populations and toxin levels and numbers and locations of dead fish and birds which have been recorded.

According to one theory, temperature and salinity are the killers, but based on his study of the literature, Nathan believes the situation is far more complex. “By analyzing both algal concentrations and algal toxin concentrations over one year,” he says, “we hope to be able to correlate fish die-offs and to determine if fish die-offs are coincident with stop-overs made by migratory birds. In addition, by investigating the water chemistry—phosphates, nitrates, dissolved oxygen—we may be able to detect correlations between algal blooms and toxin increases with overall water quality.”

Nestle Foundation grants to benefit low income populations in Africa

Low-income residents of Cameroon and Kenya, Africa, will benefit from Nestle Foundation research grants awarded to a Loma Linda University nutrition student and a recent nutrition graduate. Kate Reinsma, a current doctoral candidate, and Hellen Ndiku, a recent doctoral graduate in the School of Public Health, have each been awarded grants.

Ms. Reinsma is testing the efficacy of an audio program and discussion guide in promoting exclusive breastfeeding in Cameroon, Africa. According to the World Health Organization, children who are not exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life are at greater risk of childhood morbidity and mortality.

Hellen Ndiku, a native of Kenya, Africa, has been funded to pilot test an intervention in rural Kenyan villages with the native grain pearl millet. In conducting her doctoral research, Dr. Ndiku found that children under 5 years who eat pearl millet have a 15 percent higher mean energy intake and greater intake of most key nutrients than those eating maize. Dr. Ndiku will attempt to determine the openness within the community toward incorporating the new grain in the daily diet, with the expectation that a large intervention can be conducted in this region in the near future.

The Nestlé Foundation for the Study of Problems of Nutrition in the World was established in 1966 by a donation from the Nestlé Company. Located in Bern Switzerland, the Foundation initiates and supports research in human nutrition with public health relevance in low income and lower middle-income countries.

International Heart Institute receives accreditation

In December of 2010, Loma Linda University International Heart Institute became the first institution in the Inland Empire to receive accreditation for cardiac rehabilitation. This followed an extensive, nine-month review of the Institute’s programs and services by the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).

The AACVPR certification process is the only peer reviewed accreditation process designed to review individual facilities for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by the organization.

The certification process is recognized by government entities, such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The essential standards required in certification are being recognized by insurance companies, as part of performance measurements in patient care.
This distinction follows previous recognition by private insurance providers Blue Shield of California and Blue Cross Anthem naming Loma Linda University Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care for its exceptional heart care programs and services.

Proton Treatment and Research Center celebrates 20th anniversary

On October 24, 2010, more than 600 people gathered in the Wong Kerlee International Conference Center to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the opening of the James M. Slater, M.D. Proton Treatment and Research Center. In the audience were many former patients and their families who had traveled to Loma Linda from throughout the United States and from many different countries. One of the presenters was Congressman Jerry Lewis, a long-time supporter of Loma Linda.

During the two decades of Proton Treatment at Loma Linda University Medical Center, many advances in clinical treatment have been achieved. Research teams have developed treatments for cancers of the prostate, brain, lung, breast and liver. There is continued, ongoing research to discover more applications for the use of protons in the treatment of children.

A recent enhancement is the installation of a robotic positioning system which enables protons to target areas of the body which were previously inaccessible. In addition, neuroscience study continues on the use of protons in the treatment and management of chronic severe pain, seizure disorders, and compulsive behavior disorders.

School of Dentistry: Learning through service

Since 1998, when the National Association of Seventh-day Adventist Dentists (NASDAD) board voted a five-year endowment of $50,000 to support a Loma Linda University School of Dentistry service learning program, service learning has become a significant part of the curriculum for dental and dental hygiene students, as well as for students in the School’s International Dentist Program.

While the preponderance of service learning takes place locally, and within the continental United States, overseas service learning trips provide an opportunity to demonstrate the School’s motto, “service is our calling,” in a variety of unique settings.

The numbers for the past year (June 2009 to May 2010) certainly are inspiring: 69 students, 15 faculty, 11 trips, 10 countries, 4,131 patients, and 6,148 procedures.

School of Public Health: Going green and keeping safe

Going green─we hear about it constantly and it sound like a great idea. But is there a downside to ditching plastic grocery bags for reusable ones? Ryan Sinclair, PhD, MPH, a sanitation expert in Loma Linda University’s School of Public Health, co-authored a report on health risks associated with reusable grocery bags this year.

He found that reusable grocery shopping bags collected at random from consumers contained high levels of microbial contamination, including Escherichia coli (or e coli) and other enteric bacteria. The report was co-authored by Charles Gerba and David Williams of the University of Arizona, in Tucson.

To prevent cross contamination of foods, Dr. Sinclair recommends washing reusable grocery bags weekly, which reduces bacteria in them by more than 99.9 percent. The study also found that geographic factors may play a role. Contamination rates appeared to be higher in Los Angeles than in the two other locations bags were tested—a phenomenon likely due to that region’s weather being more conducive to growth of bacteria in reusable bags.

School of Pharmacy: Mission to Romania

A medical team from Loma Linda University’s School of Pharmacy has returned from a mission trip to Romania. Led by Naomi R. Florea, PharmD, the 11 students provided medical care to patients in two underserved, poverty-stricken villages.

Joined by local physicians, they screened, diagnosed, and treated hundreds of patients with disease states including congestive heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and a variety of acute and chronic infectious diseases, among others.

Medications and medical supplies were donated by the Loma Linda University Medical Center pharmacy, thanks to the efforts of Paul Norris, PharmD, executive director of pharmacy and medical management, LLUMC, and associate dean for clinical affairs and professor of pharmacotherapy and outcomes science, School of Pharmacy.

“The students from the School of Pharmacy were well prepared and had such a strong knowledge base,” says Peter Barbu, MD, a physician from Timisoara, Romania. “After working with them, I no longer consider them students; instead I consider them my colleagues. I count it my privilege to have worked beside them on this medical mission trip.”

LLUCH: Shawnee’s Smile brings hope to kids with facial deformities

Thanks to the generosity of two Inland Empire charities, children born with congenital facial defects can now receive the very latest and finest in facial reconstructive surgery at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) because of a sophisticated new software program the groups recently donated. Officers of the two charities—Shawnee’s Smile and Big Hearts for Little Hearts Loma Linda Guild—recently met with physicians for a demonstration of the new software’s capabilities. Each organization contributed $10,000 toward its purchase.

The new software allows physicians to compute a series of extremely complex algorithms essential in correcting cleft lip, cleft palate, jaw deformities, and other craniofacial anomalies.

In outlining other benefits of the new software, Mark Martin, MD, DMD, a reconstructive surgeon, says it reduces scarring, requires fewer operations as nasal and lip repairs can be done at the same time, improves facial symmetry, and restores normal anatomy.

Researchers find promising biomarker source in detection of Alzheimer’s

Neuroscience researchers at Loma Linda University School of Medicine (LLUSM) and George Mason University (GMU) in Virginia have found a trail of biomarkers they hope will lead to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Rather than a single protein marker,” notes Claudius Mueller, PhD, “we found the whole heme degradation pathway to be a very promising source of serum biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.” Heme—a key constituent of hemoglobin in red blood cells—is defined by an online dictionary from Princeton University as “a complex red organic pigment containing iron and other atoms to which oxygen binds.” A LLU alumnus, Dr. Mueller is now an assistant professor, Center for Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine, GMU.

Principal investigator Wolff M. Kirsch, MD, professor, neurological surgery and biochemistry, LLUSM, describes the process. “Inflammation of the brain causes a reaction,” he explains. “Blood cells break down and are digested by the body. These signal production of enzymes that break down the blood even more. Fragments of these enzymes are getting into the blood. It’s kind of like the Los Angeles Police Department in MacArthur Park. They bring out the billy clubs and in the process, there’s going to be some collateral damage.”

Lance Liotta, MD, professor of life sciences, GMU, notes that, "There is a great need to develop biomarkers for early stage Alzheimer's disease—the only time it may be treatable. This study provides some new candidates for that purpose."

School of Public Health trains Afghani physicians

Battling intermittent electricity, slow Internet connections, and the demands of their full-time careers, physicians from Afghanistan have earned master of public health degrees from Loma Linda University. They are: Drs. Mir Lais Mustafa, director of medical research, Afghan Public Health Institute (APH), Ministry of Health, and Bashir Noormal, who leads APH.

“As director general, I needed such an education and qualifications,” Dr. Noormal says. “In Afghanistan, we have many health problems because of the long-lasting war, and we have many communicable diseases.”

A third Afghani physician, Dr. Abdullah Salam, has spent the last three years in Loma Linda, earning his degree through a scholarship from the university. Dr. Salam served as former president, Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, in Kabul.

Dr. Salam is enthusiastic about what he discovered while a student in the School of Public Health. “We learned most importantly about healthful lifestyle…and the underlying causes of diseases that are killing our children. It will be a great advocacy to just go to the country and tell people to change their lifestyle.”

Out of the rubble

On January 14, two days after Haiti’s devastating earthquake, a passerby heard a child’s screams coming from rubble that had been a three-story apartment building in Port-au-Prince.

The screams came from 8-year-old Sebastien Lamothe, who had been playing with a friend and his grandmother on the second floor; Sebastien was trapped, his right leg crushed. After help arrived, it took another day before he could be freed. Sebastien’s aunt took the child to Hopital Adventiste d’Haiti (HAH) where doctors amputated his leg; his only wish was to go to church so a pastor could pray for his leg to grow back.

HAH, a 70-bed facility, had joined Adventist Health International (AHI), a nonprofit organization based at Loma Linda University, in 2001. Following the quake, HAH helped hundreds who had been injured during the earthquake. To maximize response to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, LLU partnered with Florida Hospital in Orlando, Florida.

After his surgery, Sebastien and his aunt moved into a small tent in the post-op section of the camp outside the hospital. He was given crutches and began rehabilitation. HAH continues to work to help Sebastien and many others.

School of Religion awards Gayle Saxby Scholarship to Angela Li

Angela Li has been awarded the School of Religion’s first Gayle Saxby Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship provides assistance to women interested in ministry.

In 1990, Ms. Li immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong, and completed a bachelor’s degree in international business and a master’s degree in business administration. She then worked as an accountant until the birth of her first child, Ryan.

Ms. Li enjoys outreach ministries to retirement homes and hospitals, and is passionate about women’s ministries. Three years ago she began exploring educational programs offered at Loma Linda University, she felt impressed to become a chaplain. She entered the clinical ministry program in 2007, and has completed clinical ministry degree requirements. She plans to become a board-certified chaplain and her goal is to serve God by providing spiritual care to patients and their families.

The Scholarship was awarded to Ms. Li during the School’s first Benefactors’ Banquet. The annual event, held in the Centennial Complex Chen Fong Conference Center, served as a “thank you” to donors who have contributed to the School of Religion.

New center to open at School of Science and Technology

William K. Hayes, PhD, professor, earth and biological science, Loma Linda University School of Science and Technology, and his colleagues are developing a Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies, with Dr. Hayes as director.

“We’re excited about opening the Center in our School,” says Beverly J. Buckles, DSW, dean. “It will create a new appreciation for our natural world and bolster support for saving our environment.”

Activities will include original research, the preparation and broadcast of nature series, articles in Seventh-day Adventist Church publications, a website, formation of a natural science society, visits to local and international destinations, and the support of conservation-related research.

Dr. Hayes envisions entire families spending an afternoon at the Center, learning and exploring. “We’re planning to create an experiential facility,” he says, “where people of all ages can see various microbes, plants, and animals, learn about the natural world, and be introduced to conservation efforts and concepts.”

School of Medicine: preparing students for service

Shannalee Martinez, who enters Loma Linda University School of Medicine (LLUSM) in the fall, began dreaming of becoming a doctor while in high school. She began participating in research at LLU in 2004 through the Apprenticeship Bridge to College (ABC) program. According to H. Roger Hadley, MD, dean, LLUSM, “ABC enhances our goal of increasing the number of biomedical scientists and physicians serving San Bernardino, Riverside, and the surrounding area.”

ABC encourages under-represented students in the sciences to enter biomedical research, and is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. More than 100 research internships have been awarded, with 81 students exploring a career in science.

Guided by her experiences as an ABC program participant, Shannalee plans to integrate clinical work with research. “I’m fascinated with cancer biology,” she says, “and I plan to continue researching it during my PhD studies. I also love children and can see myself working in a pediatric setting.”

School of Nursing students work to prevent skateboarding injuries

Skateboarding injuries result in 50,000 visits to emergency rooms every year. And failing to wear protective gear, including helmets, is a risk factor for these injuries according to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Loma Linda University nursing students studying public health nursing recently organized a helmet giveaway and education program. Enlisting help from the Beaumont police department and local skate shops, they designed an event that would capture the interest of teen skateboarders. “If we could teach safety to children at the skate park,” says nursing student Chanda Cinko, “and encourage them to wear safety gear, we could help reduce skateboarding injuries.”

At the skate park, 25 skateboarders paused to listen to the nursing students’ presentation, and took handouts. Boarders who completed a safety quiz were entered into a drawing for raffle prizes, including skateboards.

“At the beginning,” reflects Shelly Cayaban, “many kids were not wearing helmets. But after we gave out free helmets the younger kids wore them, and were very happy to have them.” Adds classmate Roechelle Appel, “We hope that the more times these kids hear about helmet safety, the more this message might sink in.”

School of Pharmacy provides medication consultations, health screenings

Guests were invited to unravel the mystery of medications in their medicine cabinets at a booth staffed by Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy students during National Patient Safety Week. In addition, the students offered blood pressure screenings.

Thirty-one students volunteered at the booth, set up in the Loma Linda University Medical Center lobby—many arriving at 8:00 a.m. and staying all day. “[Guests brought] their bag of meds,” explains Mohammed Ghonim, PharmD, director, pharmacy services, Loma Linda University Medical Center, “and we spent as much time as they needed to go over any specific questions.”

Pharmacy students also volunteer in their School’s health information booth at Redlands’ weekly market night, providing screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

“Some people ask why we’re allowed to do osteoporosis screenings,” says pharmacy student Regie Tayaben. “I explain to them that we’re drug experts for all disease states and can do assessments not only for high blood pressure. It’s rewarding when people realize that pharmacists can do all these things.”

Physician living in Germany spreads the good news about proton beam therapy

When he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Arnd Hallmeyer, a physician living in Germany, was devastated. His own father had passed away from the same disease when Dr. Hallmeyer was a medical student. As he and his wife, also a physician, began looking for a surgeon a well-known radiologist told him, “You don’t need a surgeon, you need Loma Linda.”

“Loma Linda,” replied Dr. Hallmeyer, “is that a type of medicine?” The reply was certain. “Loma Linda University Medical Center is the only place where you can be healed.”
Dr. Hallmeyer would eventually travel from Germany to California’s Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he would receive eight weeks of treatment at the James M. Slater, M.D. Proton Treatment and Research Center.

He discovered that the treatments were painless and caused minimal discomfort. “I scheduled my treatment times,” he says, “to take place early in the morning or late in the evening and took day trips. I also hiked in the high mountains of the San Bernardino valley…LLUMC became my second birthplace; a place where I restarted my life; I wasn’t only cured of my cancer, Loma Linda is where I learned to live a better life.”

“Now I'm doing fine overall,” he says with a warm smile. “I'm living a normal life, back to my daily work.” Back home in Germany, he has referred nearly 60 patients from Austria, Spain, France, and Poland to the James M. Slater, M.D. Proton Treatment and Research Center. “Many were prostate cancer patients,” he says. “But there were also patients with brain tumors.” One of the patients he referred to Loma Linda for treatment for lung cancer was treated in 2004. Dr. Hallmeyer was invited to his 50th birthday celebration on June 5, 2010.

Dr. Hallmeyer is quick to smile, quick to share his story, and quick to urge everyone he meets: “If you ever have the chance, be sure to visit the statue of the Good Samaritan that is near the Loma Linda University Church, for it so beautifully captures what Loma Linda is about.”

East Campus PossAbilities documentaries win two regional Emmy Awards

Two documentaries which capture the story of how PossAbilities outreach program is changing lives received regional Emmy Awards. The first, “Armed for the Challenge,” follows Willie Stewart—a man of steel...and, yes, carbon fiber. “One Arm Willie” defies his physical limits, training for the physically challenged triathlon USA championships. As director of the PossAbilities outreach program at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus, this world-class athlete demonstrates that anything is possible. “Armed for the Challenge” won in the documentary-cultural category.

In the human-interest category a second documentary, “PossAbilities,” also received an Emmy. In the film, PossAbilities members share their take on life after their injuries. From “normal” lives to broken dreams, they discover that they can still achieve their goals—they just have to do it differently. The awards were presented during the 36th Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards in San Diego.

“These compelling films demonstrate the impact we strive to have on all people who come to us for care at Loma Linda University Medical Center,” says Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president. To watch the Emmy-winning documentaries, visit
www.llu.edu/360

LLUSD rides the technological wave

From how each student learns, to treatment planning, new and better ways of processing and accessing medical records, to sterilizing equipment, the School of Dentistry is implementing technology that is impacting learning, patient care, and research.

During classes and seminars in the high-tech Nobel Biocare Laboratory, students throughout the classroom now study faculty demonstrations close-up, on computer monitors.

Electronic patient records are providing secure access to electronic patient records from any location. And post-doctoral programs including dental anesthesia, implant dentistry, prosthodontics, and orthodontics are benefiting from advances in web-based learning tools.

Behavioral Health Institute: a place of hope and healing

The LLU Behavioral Health Institute has opened its doors, and is a place for hope and healing that is helping meet the community’s growing need for behavioral health care.

For the first time the departments of psychiatry, psychology, and social work are located in one place, bringing together expertise and clinic services to assist with peoples’ unique behavioral health needs. Additional specialty areas include the faculty practice clinic and psychiatric nursing.

The LLUBHI is located across the street from Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center, which has expanded several outpatient programs, including the youth services to LLUBHI, providing a continuum of care for children ages 8 to 17.

“This integration of academic, research and clinical practice,” says Jill Pollock, administrator, LLUBMC and LLUBHI, “is working to improve treatment outcomes as well as focusing on prevention. We are committed to providing excellent care, with the added benefit of easy access to these services.”

LLU International Heart Institute, a leader in cardiac care

One of every 100 babies is born with congenital heart disease (CHD), and approximately 1 million adults live with CHD in the United States. It is astonishing that 10 percent of those with CHD are diagnosed as adults; today more adults are living with CHD than children.

Loma Linda University International Heart Institute (LLUIHI) has opened a comprehensive cardiology interventional clinic offering cardiac imaging and diagnostics, treatment of structural heart disease, and complex percutaneous coronary interventional procedures, among others.

LLUIHI provides comprehensive cardiac diagnostics and treatment for all ages. It is one of only two designated heart attack centers for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, providing rapid, lifesaving responses to those who are experiencing a heart attack. In addition, LLUIHI specializes in heart valve repairs─treating severe congenital heart defects in infants and children, and is the only hospital in the region performing heart transplants.

Men don't get breast cancer, do they?

Strangers often comment when the see the bright red hat that Leslie Lawhead wears and when they do, he smiles. It’s part of his plan to raise awareness about breast cancer. “Did you know,” he asks them, “that men get breast cancer too?” He then goes on to share his story. Mr. Lawhead, a retired fire department battalion chief with Stage II breast cancer, received treatment at Loma Linda University Cancer Center. He was one of nearly 2,000 men diagnosed with the disease in 2007.

After undergoing a mastectomy, a second surgery, and chemotherapy, Mr. Lawhead is cancer free. He’s grateful to the caring staff at Loma Linda University Cancer Center, who he credits with saving his life and with helping him regain strength and faith he needed to return to health.

If you experience unusual changes in your breast, speak with your primary care physician. Many conditions may cause changes. However, it is important for men and women to seek medical attention to prevent cancer from spreading. To schedule a mammogram with a Loma Linda physician, call 1-800-78-CANCER.

The Kathleen & Ken Venturi Pharmacy: a vital resource

Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital’s tiniest patients, some weighing as little as a pound, reside on the neonatal intensive care unit. It’s a place where a weight gain of an ounce is a landmark, and tiny breaths and heartbeats are carefully monitored.

Creating a satellite pharmacy on the unit has made it possible for medication to be retrieved in just one to two minutes; a dream of Ricardo Peverini, MD, chief, division of neonatology; Paul Norris, PharmD, executive director, pharmacy services; and the NICU staff.

A gift from Ken Venturi, retired professional golfer and broadcaster and his wife, Kathleen, made their dream a reality. Mr. Venturi had been awarded the Byron Nelson Prize in 2008. The award, sponsored by T. Boone Pickens, is given to a person or organization in the golf world who exemplifies the ideals of giving back that Byron Nelson personified. Salesmanship Club of Dallas solicits nominations from PGA TOUR, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour professional golfers, and reporters. The Club awarded $100,000 to the charity of Venturi's choice─Big Hearts for Little Hearts Desert Guild. As an extension of LLUCH, the Guild partnered with the Venturis, providing the additional $40,000 needed to complete the project.

The pharmacy recently opened, and Dr. Peverini is pleased. “The Kathleen and Ken Venturi Pharmacy,” he says, “has made it possible to improve the timeliness and care we deliver to each of the 1,000 infants who receive treatment in the NICU each year. And pharmacists are now available on the unit, providing a vital resource.”

Cancer Center patients benefit from “Believe and Walk for the Cure”
More than 6,000 people – from infants in strollers to seniors – gathered in downtown Redlands on a Sunday morning last fall to participate in the second annual “Believe and Walk for the Cure.” Sponsored by Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer, the event raised $320,000 in support of the Loma Linda University Cancer Center.

Walk co-founders Cathy Stockton, Annie Sellas, and Nancy Varner were present and addressed the walkers. Jack H. Brown, chair and CEO of Stater Bros. Markets, shared that “Everyone is affected by cancer at some point in their lives, and it’s amazing to see how our community has stepped up to the plate to do something about it.”

Funds raised are providing patients and their families with an avenue for emotional and health support through the Cancer Center’s Patient Resource Center.

Research may lead to improved health in West African nation

The northern half of the African nation of Ghana is likely to benefit from more donations of medical products—ranging from high-tech medical equipment to disposable sterile gloves to prescription drugs—following the release of results of a Loma Linda University School of Public Health study. Sometimes donations are the only way medical personnel in parts of Ghana can obtain needed supplies.

The School of Public Health oversaw the survey, which studied the way medical products are donated throughout the country. The ultimate goal was to make recommendations for how donor organizations can best meet the country’s needs. The nonprofit Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD) and Johnson & Johnson sponsored the project.

Nursing professors work to improve health of people with diabetes

Diabetes is a growing health concern across the nation and in the area surrounding Loma Linda University. Professors in the School of Nursing are determined to learn how best to help people living with diabetes implement lifestyle changes that will help control their disease.

For one year, nursing faculty led focus group discussions with clients of Social Action Community Health Services–Norton Clinic in San Bernardino who are living with diabetes. SACHS, led and coordinated by Loma Linda University, provides services to medically underserved individuals in the community. The Clinic currently offers classes that provide people living with diabetes a variety of health information.

Latinos represent the largest ethnic group living in San Bernardino, and during the study the researchers identified barriers to lifestyle changes in this population. According to the researchers, ongoing inquiry will help lead to improvements in diabetes education throughout the United States.

Research suggests a method for healing difficult wounds

There are people who have to worry about any tiny scratch or cut they receive on their foot. This is because wounds that won’t heal can lead to tissue death and potential amputation. Jerrold S. Petrofsky, PhD, JD, professor of physical therapy and director of research laboratories in the School of Allied Health Professions (SAHP), is very interested in solving the puzzle of these non-healing wounds.

Using a three-electrode system, SAHP researchers are able to evenly distribute an electric current across wounds, increasing blood flow to the area and improving the healing process.

“Implications for patients with diabetes and other non-healing wounds are immense,” says Dr. Petrofsky. “If we can speed up the healing process for these patients, we not only save them pain and suffering, but we reduce the time they spend in the hospital or under other types of costly medical care.”

Philanthropic support strengthens earth and biological sciences department

According to Leonard Brand, PhD, professor of earth and biological sciences, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the only denomination that has put significant money into the study of origins and faith and science.

“There are many Christian colleges,” says Dr. Brand, “where the Bible is held in high regard, yet they don’t offer graduate-level science programs. A Christian university with a department that offers doctoral-level education in biology and geology results in a depth of study that doesn’t happen in other places.”

This productive integration of faith and science has led to contributions of more than $400,000 from church organizations and individuals. The funds are strengthening the program through the purchase of special equipment and scholarships for top-notch students.

Fun Centers bring joy to kids at Children’s Hospital

In the Stater Bros. Activity Center at Children’s Hospital, a child dressed in fuzzy pink pajamas played her very favorite game on a Nintendo Wii—bowling. Her mom cheered her on as she bowled a strike. Across from them in front of another Wii, a 10-year-old matched his basketball skills against Dennis McIntyre, executive vice president of marketing, Stater Bros. Markets.

The kids were special guests for a ribbon cutting event unveiling five Fun Centers, donated by Stater Bros. Charities and Kraft Foods, through Starlight Children’s Foundation. The Fun Centers each feature a Nintendo Wii, a DVD player, and an LCD TV.

Fun Centers are an important part of therapy at Children’s Hospital. While playing, kids forget about the critical healthcare issues that brought them to the hospital and, for a little while each day, can be just kids having fun.

Stroke research is alive and well at Loma Linda University

“Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country, behind heart disease and cancer,” notes John H. Zhang, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery, anesthesiology, physiology, and pharmacology, and director of the Zhang Neuroscience Research Laboratory, LLU School of Medicine.

He points out that stroke, which affects approximately 700,000 people in the United States, is a particularly debilitating disease. “It paralyzes its victims,” he notes, “and creates chaos not only for patients, but family members as well.”

A team of 15-25 researchers is hard at work on 20-30 ongoing studies at any given time. Three promising projects currently underway in the lab include pre-conditioning, hydrogen therapy, and a surgical brain injury model.

East Campus patients, staff and OT students benefit from new collaboration

When the Tom and Vi Zapara Rehabilitation Pavilion opens later this spring on the Medical Center's East Campus, occupational therapy (OT) students from the University's School of Allied Health Professions will begin to work directly with patients there. Up to this point, they gained skills through simulated environments in the classroom.

"We welcome the OT students at East Campus. The students enrich the learning and development of our own OT staff," says Mara McCarville, RN, service line director. "Our staff is challenged by the students' questions, and they learn together while providing excellent rehabilitation services to those patients we serve. All of this is done in an environment of healing and wholeness here at East Campus."

The 24-bed, 30,000-square-foot Zapara Rehabilitation Pavilion is dedicated to treating patients who have suffered from a recent disability.

Progress continues on installation of image-guided proton therapy system

Installation of the first image-guided proton therapy system is now in its final stages at the James M. Slater, MD Proton Treatment and Research Center. Joining cutting edge medical equipment that benefits patients through computer-controlled positioning, the new system is aided by a proprietary Precision Patient Alignment System, also called the “robotic positioning system.”

According to Jerry D. Slater, MD, chair, department of radiation medicine, the recommissioned treatment gantry and state-of-the-art positioning system will not only allow radiation oncologists to increase the number of patients, the new system will increase the disease sites that physicians will be able to treat.

Researchers discover source for additional transplant hearts

With children who are placed on the transplant waiting list dying before new hearts become available, the need for pediatric donor hearts is critical. A Loma Linda University research study should make life-saving transplant operations a reality for many more children.

Leonard L. Bailey, MD, chief surgeon at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, and three other investigators found a potential source for an additional 250 hearts per year for transplantation into pediatric patients. The source: donor hearts that had previously been excluded on the basis of organ quality. The researchers have learned that hearts that would have been rejected previously perform as well as A-list hearts when transplanted into children.

Religion’s first endowed scholarship honors Gayle Saxby

A fund established to provide scholarship assistance to women dedicating their lives to ministry has grown by leaps and bounds at the School of Religion. The fund was established in memory of faculty member Gale Saxby, MDiv, after her death in 1995 following an auto accident.

The fund reached the requisite level of $25,000 last year to become School’s first endowed scholarship. However, it has now grown to about $76,000 and continues to build its principal through additional gifts.

Ms. Saxby joined the faculty at the School of Religion in 1991, where she developed a reputation for making Jesus utterly real to students. Those who knew her recall she loved to preach, and she was especially fond of the Gospels. They also remember her commitment to Jesus, the quality of her teaching, and her irrepressibly effervescent personality. Her legacy will continue through the women who receive funds from the Gayle Saxby Endowed Scholarship.

Behavioral Health Institute provides comprehensive outpatient services

A standing room only crowd flooded the precincts of the new Loma Linda University Behavioral Health Institute building during grand opening ceremonies earlier this year.

The Institute will provide comprehensive outpatient behavioral health services, while integrating academic, research, and clinical practice—the first collaboration of its kind in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. It is adjacent to the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center in Redlands.

“Loma Linda has always considered mental health as part of its overall mandate ‘to make man whole,’” said Richard Hart, MD, DrPh, during the grand opening ceremonies. “We have always wanted to encompass all the expertise we could, to bring this together. This building is the latest example of that commitment.” Dr. Hart is president of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda University Medical Center and Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center.

Children with heart problems benefit from foundation gala

Children who come to Loma Linda University Children’s hospital for specialized cardiac care are benefiting from the generosity of more than 850 individuals and businesses who helped to raise $675,000 through the 17^th annual Children’s Hospital Foundation Gala earlier this year.

Honored for his pioneering work 25 years ago in infant heart transplantation was Leonard Bailey, MD, surgeon-in-chief, Children’s Hospital. Teresa Beauclair, mother of the infant known to the world as “Baby Fae,” was also recognized. Joining them on stage were 11 of the hundreds of children who would have died had they not received a heart transplant at Children’s Hospital.

Clinic with a Heart celebrates 20th years of dental service to community

For 20 years, School of Dentistry students, faculty, and staff have volunteered their time and expertise for the Clinic with a Heart, a day of complimentary dental care for the community. People in need of dental care, and who would otherwise not be able to afford it, began arriving in front of the School of Dentistry just after midnight Sunday, January 24. On that day 481 volunteers provided a variety of dental care to 223 individuals, from toddlers to grandparents.

Scott Arceneaux, School of Dentistry class of 2011, reveals why he volunteers: “I love helping people,” he says simply. “I love to manage people with trauma. It’s my favorite thing in the world. I love the challenge.” He emphasizes the importance of having a relationship with a patient. “It’s a lot about empathy,” he adds. “This program is good for the community. It’s a tough time for people right now.”

Inland Empire boy helps University assist children in Haiti

Six-year-old Zaphire Borghi was disturbed by the images of suffering and destruction in Haiti. The kindergartener, who lives in the Inland Empire, heard about the quake that devastated the people of Haiti on the Cartoon Network. “They have a whole bunch of stuff about that,” he says.

Zaphire came up with a plan: he and his dad would put change jars in classrooms at his school. Then, the kids would collect pocket change and donations from their parents, and put the money into the jars. The response was incredible, resulting in more than $2,700 to help the people of Haiti.

According to Jerry Daly, MA, MSLS, associate director, Loma Linda University Global Health Institute, “It’s amazing to see this kind of response from schoolchildren…a little boy hears about other children who are hurting, and he decides to do something to make a difference.” Mr. Daly has assured Zaphire that the funds he helped raise will go directly to help children in Haiti.

Faculty conduct pharmacist-patient communication research

Pharmacist-patient communication has rarely been studied, according to Elvin A. Hernandez, Dr.PH, CHES, assistant professor of pharmacotherapy and outcome science, LLU School of Pharmacy. And yet, “Communication between patients and pharmacists in a clinical setting is extremely important for positive outcomes for the patient,” he emphasizes.

The pharmacist-patient communication process and how those processes influence patient outcomes will be the focus of a new research project in the Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Hernandez was one of 15 recipients from a pool of 70 proposals—and the only individual in California—to receive a new investigator award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to aid him in this research. Dr. Hernandez received a $10,000 grant from AACP, which has provided an additional $10,000 seed grant to School of Pharmacy faculty members.

© 2012 Loma Linda University 1-909-558-1000 | Parking, Maps & Directions | Contact us
Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center | University | Medical Center