Category: Wellness

GO BNMC Rewards Your Smart Commuting Choices

by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Parking, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on GO BNMC Rewards Your Smart Commuting Choices

GO BNMC offers employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus incentives for choosing to save money, improve their health, and help the environment by utilizing alternative transportation options. Now BNMC employees can get rewarded for choosing greener and healthier ways to commute to and from work.
A plethora of incentives including the monthly Smart Commuting Raffle, subsidized Metro Bus and Rail monthly and weekly passes, free GO Bike Buffalo memberships, discounted and free trial Buffalo CarShare memberships, and more are available. Sign up today at www.gobnmc-old.local.

Did you know that other than walking, biking is the greenest way to get around? There are bike racks throughout the Medical Campus. Coming soon will be the walk-in secure bike stations that can be accessed by GO BNMC members, allowing bikes to be stored in a dry location. Bike shelters that will be added to the University and LaSalle Stations in the near future, and a walk-in storage facilities will be added on the BNMC for those who want to store their bike out of the elements.

Signing up to become a GO BNMC member is quick and easy. Employees simply create a profile, begin logging commutes and voilà! Once the profile is created, members can enter into the monthly raffles.

RIA Takes the Challenge on Reducing College Student Substance Use

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Member Institution(s), News, Research, WellnessLeave a Comment on RIA Takes the Challenge on Reducing College Student Substance Use

For release: September 20, 2012Contact: Sara R. Saldi, saldi@buffalo.edu
University at Buffalo
716-645-4593

RIA Takes the Challenge on Reducing College Student Substance Use

BUFFALO, N.Y. — No longer considered an innocent rite of passage, binge drinking among college students contributes to wp-contentroximately 1,800 deaths and nearly 600,000 injuries each year.

And that’s just alcohol.

The University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), an internationally recognized leader on the subject of substance use and abuse since 1970, is tackling this problem head on.

This fall RIA will offer a three-pronged wp-contentroach to educating students, health care and mental health workers, and college administrators about the dangers, new trends and treatments for reducing substance use and excessive drinking in college kids.

RIA Director, Kenneth Leonard, PhD “Despite strong efforts, excessive alcohol and substance use among college students have not substantially diminished in the past decade. While many colleges have educational programs or referral services, many college administrators are not aware of or have not implemented services that have been shown to be the most effective.

“Therefore, there is a pressing need for a more active and ongoing dialogue among researchers, practitioners and administrators regarding the current state of knowledge about college student drinking and substance use—a dialog that will also benefit parents and their children in college.”

A photo of Leonard is available at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13681.

First, the RIA is releasing the fifth in its series of expert summaries, “RIA Reaching Others: College Student Drinking,” a fact sheet describing the dangers of college student drinking, especially binge drinking—the scope of the problem, specific points for parents and the value of prevention.

The fact sheet is available at: http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/ExpertSummaries/ES5.html.

Second, as part of RIA’s Fall 2012 Seminar Series, Mark Wood,  PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and an expert on substance use among college students, will speak on “Individual and Environmental Preventive Intervention to Reduce Collegiate Alcohol Abuse: A Full-Cycle Approach.”

His presentation will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 26 in Room 132 of the RIA building, 1021 Main St. on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. It will be free and open to the public.

For more information on the Wood presentation, visit: http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/events/index.html

Third, RIA is hosting a two-day conference, titled “The Challenge of Reducing College Student Substance Use: A Conversation in the Disciplines,” to take place Nov. 8 and 9 in the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, 2402 North Forest Road near the Audubon Parkway in Getzville, adjacent to the UB North Campus.

The two-day event will feature alcohol and substance use experts from UB and from across the state.  It is sponsored by the Conversations in the Disciplines Program of the State University of New York.

The conference will bring together front-line staff from throughout the SUNY system who grwp-contentle with the real problems of college students’ alcohol and substance use and abuse, and the researchers who seek to develop and evaluate substance-use prevention and intervention strategies. It also will provide an opportunity for participants to present information about their programs and to discuss issues regarding the startup and operation of effective programs.

Even more importantly, however, the conference will explore the potential for developing a multi-campus network of researchers and practitioners across New York State to address excessive college student substance use.

“This will facilitate the development and evaluation of innovative and comprehensive wp-contentroaches to reducing substance use, and provide a communications network that will enhance the efforts of practitioners to offer the most effective strategies for their campuses,” Leonard said.

Information about the conference and how to register are available at http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/CID2012/index.htm

Division within WCHOB Department of Pediatrics Receives $1.1 M Grant

by BNMCin Health care, Homepage, Member Institution(s), News, WellnessLeave a Comment on Division within WCHOB Department of Pediatrics Receives $1.1 M Grant

The Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo’s (WCHOB) Division of Neonatology received a grant for $1.1 M from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. A published SUPPORT report trial revealed that there is a lack of knowledge regarding oxygen supplementation, delivery and toxicity in newborn infants. The Optimal Oxygenation in Neonatal Lung Injury grant will be used to propel the research focusing on infant oxygen supplementation.
Neonatal resuscitation is necessary when an infant is asphyxiated. When an infant is born, its pulmonary circulation shifts in order to adjust to the environment outside of the womb. When that adjustment is not flawless and is met with immediate complications, the result can be a condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) which can be fatal.

Dr. Satyan Lakshminrusimha, the Chief of the Division of Neonatology and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University at Buffalo, is the grant’s principal investigator. His research  focuses on the pathophysiology of the cardio-pulmonary transition – how fetal lungs change at birth in order to breathe air – and disorders of this transition such as birth asphyxia, PPHN, retained lung liquid and respiratory distress syndrome.

The Division’s research goals are to deliver the best critical care to infants with respiratory depression at birth and reduce oxygen toxicity; to discover the optimum management of newborns with PPHN; and to further the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gastrointestinal disease that disproportionately affects pre-term infants.

The grant’s disbursement over a 5-year period, with $235, 523 given to the Division each year will go towards the collection of physiological data that will help to establish guidelines for optimal oxygen delivery to premature infants.

The WCHOB has the region’s only level 4 unit in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, meaning it can provide immediate trauma care that can evaluate, diagnose, and stabilize patients, also offering a degree of surgery and critical care services. The hospital is Western New York’s center for state-of-the-art pediatric, neonatal, perinatal and obstetrical care.

National Study Recommends Smoke-Free Apartment Policies

by BNMCin Environment, Health care, Healthy Communities, Member Institution(s), News, WellnessLeave a Comment on National Study Recommends Smoke-Free Apartment Policies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 10, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

National Study Recommends Smoke-Free Apartment Policies
Majority of those surveyed support policies prohibiting smoking anywhere in multi-tenant residential buildings

BUFFALO — A majority of Americans who live in multi-unit housing have adopted smoke-free rules in their private homes but millions remain involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke in this environment, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers led by senior investigator Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), recommend smoke-free building policies to protect all multiunit residents from secondhand smoke exposure in their homes.

“A vast majority of multi-unit housing residents continue to be exposed to toxic compounds found in secondhand smoke in spite of the adoption of voluntary smoke-free rules for their private homes,” said Dr. Hyland. “This study demonstrates widespread support of the adoption of smoke-free building policies.”

The national study evaluated attitudes, experiences and acceptance of smoke-free policies among residents of multi-unit housing in the United States. Approximately 80 million Americans live in multi-unit housing. Using the results of this study, the researchers estimate that 30 million multi-unit housing residents with smoke-free rules in their homes may still be exposed to tobacco smoke that enters their residence from other areas of the building.

Hyland and colleagues conducted a nationally representative survey of multi-unit housing residents who live in apartments, duplexes, double/multifamily homes, condominiums or town houses was 2010. The study sample included both landline and cell-phone-only users. Overall, 29% reported living in smoke-free buildings. Among all respondents, 56% support the implementation of policies prohibiting smoking in all areas of their building, including living units and common areas.

The study also found that 79% of multiunit housing residents have implemented voluntary smoke-free home rules. Those who have reported having these rules were more likely to be non-smokers, have higher education and live with children. Forty-four percent of those with smoke-free rules at home reported being exposed to secondhand smoke in the past year that originated from smoking in other parts of their buildings.

“Residents of multi-unit housing are particularly susceptible to secondhand smoke exposure from nearby units and shared areas such as hallways,” said lead author Andrea Licht, MS, a doctoral student with the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University at Buffalo. “These residents are trying to protect their families from the dangers of secondhand smoke by not allowing smoking in their homes and would welcome policies that support that goal.”

The publication, “Attitudes, Experiences, and Acceptance of Smoke-Free Polices Among U.S. Multi-unit Housing Residents” can be found at http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300717.

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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Meet Rear Admiral Rebecca McCormick-Boyle During Buffalo Navy Week

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Event, Health care, Member Institution(s), WellnessLeave a Comment on Meet Rear Admiral Rebecca McCormick-Boyle During Buffalo Navy Week

Community members will get the opportunity to meet Chief of Staff, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Rear Admiral Rebecca McCormick-Boyle on Wednesday, September 12 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Swift Auditorium at Buffalo General Medical Center. The U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery is the headquarters of Navy and Marine Corps medicine. The event is free and open to the public.
Rear Admiral McCormick-Boyle will address Navy Medicine’s humanitarian assistance/disaster relief efforts, emergency medicine, research and development, and wounded warrior care to key medical personnel of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus during a presentation in honor of Buffalo Navy Week. McCormick-Boyle will also highlight the Navy’s global mission of being forward deployed to provide a power projection and deterrence role while also being ready to respond to humanitarian assistance and disaster response requirements.

“When the world dials 911, it’s not to make an wp-contentointment,” said McCormick-Boyle. “We are a global force for good. We build our Navy for war. But we operate our Navy for peace.”

Navy Medicine consists of 63,000 personnel that provide health care support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, their families and veterans in high operational tempo environments, at expeditionary medical facilities, medical treatment facilities, hospitals, clinics, hospital ships and research units around the world. Navy Medicine works closely with inter-agency, non-governmental organizations and community partners during humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions and homeland security operations around the globe.

 

Safe Routes to School Program Launches at PS 74

by BNMCin Biking, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, News, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on Safe Routes to School Program Launches at PS 74

GO Bike Buffalo has launched the Buffalo Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) at Hamlin Park School 74 . A part of a national program promoting the benefits of walking and biking to school  for students, SRTS seeks to help students become more physically active.  SRTS also aims to reduce vehicle congestion around schools, resulting in safer access and lower exhaust emissions.
Through a technology class at Hamilton Park, the Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) program will be incorporated into the curriculum. At Hamlin Park, students will learn how to build bicycles using salvaged parts and they will be taught how to make environmentally sound transportation choices which will undoubtedly have an impact on the health of the communities they live in. As they grow in their understanding of the importance of being physically active, the SRTS program will also teach them how to ride bicycles safely.

With the support of City Hall representative, Council Member Demone Smith, the program’s success will most likely be included into additional Buffalo Public Schools as a useful educational program. Smith stated that “Instituting healthy lifestyles and behaviors early in life are essential to developing healthy young people and communities.  We will continue to work with GO Bike Buffalo to make improvements in the District as well as among our youngest residents.”

Media Alert: BNMC Hosts Summer Block Party for Employees (8-20-12)

by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on Media Alert: BNMC Hosts Summer Block Party for Employees (8-20-12)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                                                                       

Tuesday, August 20, 2012

Contact

Kari Root Bonaro, BNMC

716.218.7157, kbonaro@bnmc-old.local

MEDIA ALERT

BNMC Hosts Summer Block Party for Employees

Hundreds of Employees Expected to Attend the “GO BNMC” Transportation-Themed Event Focusing on Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to Get Around

WHAT:                 GO BNMC Summer Block Party, a free event for employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC)

WHEN:                 Thursday, August 23rd from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Rain or shine –party will be under a tent)

WHERE:               941 Washington Street Lot (behind the Allen/Medical Campus NFTA Station)

 

This free event will highlight innovative and economical ways in which GO BNMC, a new commuting and rewards initiative, will promote healthy lifestyles and active living for employees on the Medical Campus.

Employees will learn about the different transportation options available on the BNMC that can help them save money, get fit, and create a more sustainable environment, with the overall goal to improve employee’s abilities to get around in healthier, greener, and more economical ways.

Features educational videos and materials, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, including:

–       Bicycle obstacle course sponsored by GO Bike

–       Pedi-cab pick-ups (at Kaminski Park & the corner of high & Ellicott)

–       Buffalo CarShare and BikeShare, including a sneak peak at the new bikes

–       Segway tours

–       Test drive an electric vehicle

–       Public safety information

–       The Fender Blender from the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo

–       Lunch from Whole Hog Food Truck

This event is sponsored by NYSERDA and the NYSDOT.

ABOUT THE BNMC

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is dedicated to the cultivation of a world-class medical campus for clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship on 120 acres in downtown Buffalo. It is home to the region’s top clinical, research, and medical education institutions, including: the University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Olmsted Center for Sight, Kaleida Health, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo Medical Group, Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, Unyts, and the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. There are over 40 public and private companies on the BNMC. More than 12,000 people come to work at the Medical Campus every day, and BNMC institutions see over one million patients and visitors annually. The Campus has an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion on the region. The Medical Campus consists of more than 6 million square feet of research, clinical, and support space.  bnmc-old.local

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Medications Can Help with Smoking Cessation

by BNMCin Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Member Institution(s), WellnessLeave a Comment on Medications Can Help with Smoking Cessation

A new study conducted by researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) shows that FDA-wp-contentroved stop-smoking medications can help smokers who desire to quit. By using the stop-smoking medications, the chances of quitting successfully increase.
The study was published online in the British journal Addiction. Clinical trials have shown that medications such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion and varenicline have been effective even though population-based studies have produced mixed results on effectiveness when medications are used outside the confines of a research study.

The International Tobacco Control (ITC) research collaboration has administered one of the largest real-world evaluations of medication effectiveness conducted to-date. They are also the first to comprehensively control biases in participants’ recall of quit attempts. The study tracked the smoking behaviors of more than 2,500 adult smokers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States who reported making a quit attempt between 2006 and 2009. The participants were asked how recently they had attempted to quit and whether they used any type of stop-smoking medication. Six-month continuous abstinence among those who recalled making a very recent quit attempt was assessed at the next follow-up interview. The results showed that those who used varenicline, bupropion or the nicotine patch had much higher quit success at six months compared to those who tried to quit without using medication.

“By restricting our analyses to those who made very recent quit attempts, we reduced the extent to which differences in quit-attempt recall could bias the estimates of medication effectiveness. Consistent with the strong evidence from clinical trials, our findings show that medications are indeed effective in increasing smokers’ chances of quitting when used in the real world,” said Karin Kasza, MA, statistician in the Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences at RPCI and lead author of the study.

Ron Borland, PhD, Nigel Gray Distinguished Fellow in Cancer Prevention at the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne, Australia and a co-author of the study, added, “The major advance of this study is that we have been able to show that greater forgetting of unassisted failed attempts is the most likely reason other studies have not found a benefit for medication in population-based settings. This finding should reassure clinicians and public health workers to continue to encourage the widespread use of medications.”

“Despite the benefit of using medications, many smokers still try to quit without help. And even when medications are used, quitting smoking is hard, and relapses are common. Continued efforts are needed to develop and deliver more effective treatments to help smokers who want to quit,” said Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at RPCI.

The study, “Effectiveness of Stop-Smoking Medications: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey,” can be accessed at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04009.x/abstract

BNMC Summer Block Party 2012

by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Event, Healthy Communities, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on BNMC Summer Block Party 2012

Hundreds of employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) are expected to attend this year’s BNMC Summer Block Party, a BNMC Fit spinoff themed GO BNMC: Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to get Around.
The event’s theme will focus on active living and alternative transportation this year to promote healthy and sustainable options that are best for individuals and the environment. The event aligns with the launching of the new BNMC transportation campaign called GO BNMC.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 23 at the 941 Washington Street Lot,  GO BNMC: Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to get Around will motivate, inform, and empower employees throughout the Medical Campus to enhance their quality of life by making practical commuting choices.

GO BNMC aims to create an innovative and sustainable transportation system for Medical Campus employees. The initiative is a part of the GO Buffalo campaign, a greater project exploring and promoting better ways for Buffalonians to get around, in addition to creating safe streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. Through GO BNMC, employees are offered a menu of options to choose from to determine how they will get to and from work. This initiative will help expose  employees on the campus to commuting alternatives available such as walking, bicycling, Metro Bus and Rail, carpooling and vanpooling.

The event will feature displays and demonstrations related to the GO BNMC campaign, including bike and pedestrian safety and education, and car-sharing demos. The new Social Bicycles called SoBi will also be unveiled and employees will be able to test drive electric vehicles. There will be transportation related raffles and giveaways, including raffles for free monthly passes.

Organizations attending the event include: GO Buffalo, NYSERDA, NYSDOT, NFTA, Buffalo CarShare, GO Bike Buffalo, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo with the Fender Blender, R&R Pedicabs, and more. R&R Pedicabs will be giving employees free rides from Kaminski Park and a stop on the corner of High and Ellicott Streets. Information tables and booths will be set-up for employees to view the services available.

GO BNMC offers employees smarter, greener, and healthier options to get around and incentivizes these options through its member rewards program.

To become a member of GO BNMC and get rewarded for smart commuting choices, click here to create a profile.

The popular campus event, BNMC Fit, will adopt an active living and alternative transportation theme this year to promote healthy and sustainable options that are best for individuals and the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

Palliative Care Program at Roswell Receives Advanced Certification

by BNMCin Health care, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Research, WellnessLeave a Comment on Palliative Care Program at Roswell Receives Advanced Certification

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RCPI) has a strong, dedicated, and experienced team within its Supportive & Palliative Care Program. Most recently, the team received Advanced Certification in Palliative Care for a two-year period from The Joint Commission, an organization that accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
Palliative Care provides care for individuals with progressive illnesses, helping patients experience relief from symptoms such as pain and the stresses that come with a serious illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family as well as to work with the other doctors each patient has, providing an extra layer of support. At RPCI, the Supportive & Palliative Care team works with the attending physician and can join the care process at any time, including during curative treatment.

Led by Yashodhara Satchidanand, MD, and Amy Alvarez, MD, the certification makes RPCI the nation’s only dedicated cancer center. It is now also 1 of 15 national hospitals to receive advanced certification to date. “Our team was very excited about receiving the certification. This validates our work and acknowledges that RPCI is known not only for cutting-edge research, but also for compassionate care,” said Dr. Satchidanand, a staff physician and Assistant Professor with the program.

To receive this certification from The Joint Commission, palliative care programs must meet patient-oriented eligibility requirements. The care program must be provided within an accredited hospital, offering a full range of palliative care services to hospitalized patients 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The palliative care team must be easy to contact, readily available to come to the hospital to address patient and family needs when necessary, and must be able to constantly provide the same level of palliative care services around the clock, not just during business hours. Amongst having a minimum number of patients during an initial on-site review, programs must also administer a standardized method of clinical care based on clinical practice guidelines and/or evidence-based practice. To read about more of the eligibility requirements, click here.

“This certification allows us to enhance and help change the perception of palliative care as more than end-of-life care,” notes Dr. Alvarez, a physician with the Department of Supportive & Palliative Care. “It is care for the continuum of the cancer journey, focusing on the goals of the patients and their families.”

Palliative care is wp-contentropriate at any age, at any stage in a serious illness and is designed to meet the patient and family’s psychological, emotional, and physical curative needs.

Real-life Spider Men Using Protein Found in Venom to Develop Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, Research, WellnessLeave a Comment on Real-life Spider Men Using Protein Found in Venom to Develop Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

News Release

Real-life Spider Men Using Protein Found in Venom to Develop Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

A grandfather is working with UB scientists in an attempt to save grandson’s life

JB, Jeff Harvey’s grandson. When Harvey discovered JB had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the grandfather started a company with UB researchers to develop a treatment.
UB researchers Frederick Sachs, Tom Suchyna and Philip Gottlieb are working to develop a treatment for muscular dystrophy using a peptide found in tarantula venom.
UB researchers are developing a treatment for muscular dystrophy using a peptide found in the venom of a Chilean rose tarantula.

Contact

Charlotte Hsu

chsu22@buffalo.edu

716-645-4655

Release Date: July 16, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — While Spider-Man is capturing the imagination of theatergoers, real-life spider men in Upstate New York are working intently to save a young boy’s life.

It all began in 2009, when Jeff Harvey, a stockbroker from the Buffalo suburbs, discovered that his grandson, JB, had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The disease is fatal. It strikes only boys, causing their muscles to waste away.

Hoping to help his grandson, Harvey searched Google for promising muscular dystrophy treatments and, in a moment of serendipity, stumbled upon University at Buffalo scientist Frederick Sachs, PhD.

Sachs was a professor of physiology and biophysics who had been studying the medical benefits of venom. In the venom of the Chilean rose tarantula, he and his colleagues discovered a protein that held promise for keeping muscular dystrophy at bay. Specifically, the protein helped stop muscle cells from deteriorating.

Within months of getting in touch, Harvey and Sachs co-founded Tonus Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company devoted to developing the protein as a drug. Though the treatment has yet to be tested in humans, it has helped dystrophic mice gain strength in preliminary experiments.

The therapy is not a cure. But if it works in humans, it could extend the lives of children like JB for years — maybe even decades.

Success can’t come quickly enough.

JB, now four, can’t walk down the stairs alone. When he runs, he waddles. He receives physical therapy and takes steroids as a treatment. While playing tee ball one recent day, he confided to his grandfather, “When I grow up, I want to be a baseball player.”

It was a heartbreaking moment.

“Oh, I would be thrilled if you could be a baseball player,” Harvey remembers replying. He’s doing everything he can to make sure that JB — and other boys like him — can live out their dreams.

For the complete story and multimedia, visit http://www.buffalo.edu/home/feature_story/good-venom.html.

Support for Bike Lanes Sought to Increase Safety for Riders

by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on Support for Bike Lanes Sought to Increase Safety for Riders

GO Bike Buffalo is helping to create a city where people of all ages can safely bike to work.
Through a push to create awareness of the need to establish safe streets for all users upon roadways, GO Bike is looking to increase safety on Buffalo’s streets through the Bicycle Lane Request Form. Unfortunately, most people choose not to ride their bicycles because they do not feel safe doing so. The initiative is a part of the Complete Streets campaign to promote health, safety, community, environmental sustainability, and quality of life for all, in every season.

GO Bike seeks to have parents in the City of Buffalo feel comfortable about allowing their children to bike to school and ensure fellow citizens have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation. By replacing drive-alone trips with alternative methods such as biking, individuals will not only improve their health, but the health of the environment and the health of the greater community will be improved as well.

Working with the City of Buffalo, Go Bike is looking to build safe and well-designed bicycle facilities throughout Buffalo. Join GO Bike by signing the Bicycle Lane Request Form in order for the demand and need for bike lane locations to be made known.

The goal is to reach 1,000 signatures by the end of July! For more information on how to increase safety on the streets for cyclists, visit the GO Bike Buffalo website, a GO Buffalo partner helping to increase alternative transportation options in Buffalo.

Help create a more bike-friendly city today!

 

Ride for Roswell Raises $3.7 Million

by BNMCin Biking, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, WellnessLeave a Comment on Ride for Roswell Raises $3.7 Million

In its 17th year, the 2012 Ride for Roswell annual fundraiser held on June 23rd raised $3.7 million, which is $500,000 more than the amount raised for 2011’s Ride. The event which began at the University at Buffalo’s North Campus had over 10,000 supporters. With more than 8,000 cyclists who took one of the ten route options, participants had a great time at the event. Pictures from The Ride show a range of cyclists showing their support.
Over time, millions of dollars have been raised to support cancer research and patient care at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). This year’s funds will support 25 lifesaving cancer research studies and 30 patient care programs, bringing RPCI closer to its goal to fully fund a new building that will house a new breast center and chemotherapy clinic.

For the first time, an opening ceremony kicked off the event on June 22nd. The opening ceremony honored and celebrated cancer patients, survivors and those who have lost a battle with cancer. The event featured remarks by cancer research advocate and former Buffalo Bills linebacker Chris Spielman and a live concert by Grammy winner Rick Springfield.

 

Buffalo Green Code Open House Meetings

by BNMCin Community, Construction, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment on Buffalo Green Code Open House Meetings

Buffalo Green Code open house meetings for the community will take place June 4 until June 9. Through the City of Buffalo’s new zoning ordinance, a land use plan that was created last year will be improved upon as specific and detailed laws will govern development that takes place throughout the city.
The open house meetings will offer community members the opportunity to learn more about how the zoning ordinance will work and benefit their neighborhoods. There will also be Youth and Family Sessions. The BNMC and Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) partners have organized and will lead the family sessions at the meetings. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Buffalo will help kids and parents provide input into the process and fully understand the zoning initiative.

HKHC Blog.

Visit the Buffalo Green Code website for more information.

Community
Date
Time
Location
Address
West
Mon, 6/4
6-8:30 pm
Lafayette HS
370 Lafayette Ave.
Northwest
Tue, 6/5
6-8:30 pm
Riverside HS
51 Ontario St
South
Tue, 6/5
6-8:30 pm
South Park HS
150 Southside Pkwy.
Ellicott
Wed, 6/6
6-8:30 pm
Montessori School #32
342 Clinton St.
Northeast
Wed, 6/6
6-8:30 pm
Bennett HS
2885 Main St.
North
Thurs, 6/7
6-8:30 pm
North Park Academy
780 Parkside Ave.
Central Morning
Fri, 6/8
8-10:30 am
Central Library
1 Lafayette Square
Central Afternoon
Fri, 6/8
Noon-2:30pm
Central Library
1 Lafayette Square
E. Delavan-Masten
Sat, 6/9
9-11:30am
East HS
820 Northampton St.
East
Sat, 6/9
1-3:30pm
Matt Urban Center
1081 Broadway Pkwy.

BNMC Becomes a Tobacco-Free Zone

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Healthy Communities, News, WellnessLeave a Comment on BNMC Becomes a Tobacco-Free Zone

As the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus continues to promote healthy lifestyles and sustainable environments, on July 4 the Medical Campus will officially be declared a tobacco-free zone across its 120 acre footprint which spans from Goodell Street to North Street and east-west from Michigan Avenue to Main Street. The tobacco-free adoption wp-contentlies to all of the BNMC’s employees, visitors, patients, vendors, contractors and will not be permitted on any of the BNMC properties.
Many of the member institutions such as the Buffalo Medical Group, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the University at Buffalo have already declared that their sites are tobacco-free zones. Working with the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, BNMC created a tobacco-free plan that included data from campus employees about their receptiveness for creating a tobacco-free campus. There was a great deal of support from many of the employees who took the survey since a major reason mentioned for choosing to work at one of the medical and research institutions was to help create healthier environments.

This adoption will affect more than 1 million patients and visitors, as well as the 12,000 employees and students. Secondhand smoke is a dangerous contributor to tobacco-related health issues. Residents that live near the BNMC will be influenced by this change as well, ceasing the litter that builds up on neighboring properties. To continue to show dedication to becoming a good neighbor promoting healthy communities, a detailed implementation strategy will be established in order to promote and enforce the initiative.

For information about tobacco cessation resources, please visit the NYS Department of Health Tobacco Control Program and the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition websites.

Read coverage about the adoption below:

City Hall Looks to Broaden New Tobacco Ban on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is Now Smoke Free

Medical Corridor Snuffs Out Smoking

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Going Tobacco-free

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to Ban Smoking

Medical Campus Wants to Expand Smoking Ban

Smoking Banned at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Reduce the Risk Factors as You Walk on Wednesdays

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, WellnessLeave a Comment on Reduce the Risk Factors as You Walk on Wednesdays

Did you know that walking can help prevent many chronic and cardiovascular diseases? On the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus we are encouraging healthy lifestyles through our Healthy Communities, Wellness, and Transportation initiatives, all created with the goal of improving your quality of life in mind.

Begin your commitment to maintain a healthy lifestyle right where you live and/or work. Walking for 30-40 minutes each day can ultimately have a positive affect on your life expectancy. Join the Walking on Wednesdays group as they meet at Roswell Park Cancer Institute‘s Kaminski Park every Wednesday starting May 23 until September 26 from 12:10 – 12:50 p.m. Every week, there will be a different route and giveaways as the walks take place in rain or shine.

Need more motivation to begin walking while on the BNMC or walking in general? Check out all of the great benefits of walking every day as you add Walking on Wednesdays into your daily activity routines. Walking can:

  • Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
  • Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
  • Lower your blood pressure
  • Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
  • Manage your weight
  • Improve your mood
  • Help you stay strong and fit
  • Burn up at least 100 calories of energy if you walk one mile (1.6km). Walking two miles (3.2km) a day, three times a week, can help reduce weight by one pound (0.5kg) every three weeks.
  • Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are also often risk factors for other chronic diseases. Many risk factors are related.
  • Reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases associated with physical inactivity. Risks for cardiovascular disease associated with physical inactivity are similar to that of cigarette smoking.

For more information on how walking can increase your health, take a short 10 minute break to watch the video below by the University of Toronto’s Dr. Mike Evans, who is a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health for the university.

TrainSMART

by BNMCin Innovation Center, WellnessLeave a Comment on TrainSMART

TrainSMART creates and coaches customized fitness programs that empower you to perform better in life and your career.  One on one personal training and semi private group sessions are available.
TrainSMART was founded on the belief that training SMARTER produces greater results than training HARDER.  You need to train the MIND before you can train the BODY.  Initial gains in strength and performance come from the central nervous system and NOT the muscular system.

Clients seek the Buffalo Personal Trainer TRX Trainer for the following reasons:

  • Lose Weight & Fat
  • Low Back Pain
  • Core Health
  • Add Lean Mass (Muscle) & Increase Strength
  • Improve Performance

Among other things, TrainSMART ultimatley helps clients to:

  • Increase Confidence
  • Feel Great
  • Boost their Immune System
  • Decrease & eliminate LOW BACK PAIN
  • Have More Energy
  • Get Stronger Physically & Mentally
  • Perform Better in life, the office, & in the competitive playing they compete in every single day

Website: www.trainsmartbuffalo.com

BWI National Health Promotional Training Institute

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Innovation Center, WellnessLeave a Comment on BWI National Health Promotional Training Institute

BWI National Health Promotional Training Institute has been a national leader in providing comprehensive wellness management services, health education training programs, and wellness-team building events for corporations, schools and communities since 1994. With rising healthcare costs, now more than ever before, BWI recognizes the universal attention placed on a healthy workforce and personal health advocacy. BWI’s outcome-based health promotion services are aligned with national standards and performance metrics that are documented to create behavior change. BWI is committed to improving our nation’s health…one community at a time, one company at a time and one person at a time.
Wellness Institute initiatives include strategic planning services, as well as health promotion industry incubation and job creation activities.

Website: www.battleworks.com