Raleigh, NC: A prostate cancer center in Raleigh deemed necessary by the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council in 2009 is now on hold because of pending lawsuits by three local medical facilities. Cary Urologists Dr. Kevin Khoudary and Dr. John Leung filed an application with the state for permission to open The Prostate Health Center, or TPHC. Since the physicians want to purchase a costly radiation therapy machine for the proposed center, state regulators must rule whether it fits cost-control guidelines.

The project is now delayed until at least June 3rd because of legal appeals brought on by Rex Hospital, UNC Hospitals and Wake Radiology. Neither Rex nor UNC Hospitals applied for a CON, however, Dr. Khoudary feels the objections are based on pure economics. “These objections are difficult to understand given the expected increase in cancer in the next decade, “ notes Khoudary. “I am hopeful that wisdom and concern about the patients will prevail and we will soon be permitted to proceed with this important project. I believe that others will copy the program, once they see its effectiveness.”

Prostate cancer affects one of every six men. African American men in North Carolina are disproportionately affected, but all men struggle to make sense of the multiple treatment options and to tailor solutions that best fit their own situation.

A movement lead by NC Minority Prostate Cancer Awareness Action Team to call attention to the problem among those who it affects has succeeded in increasing prostate cancer screenings and is making some inroads on earlier referrals. This 15 year old volunteer group meets with men on their own turf. They are raising awareness. The next step is treatment and prevention. Seeing the numbers and the incidence of late stage prostate cancer among African Americans in his Cary Urology practice, urologist, Kevin Khoudary, MD, resolved to do something about the problem and began to call the attention of state regulators to the issue in 2007. He was joined in the effort by with several advocacy groups including NC Minority Prostate Cancer Awareness Action Team and The Institute for Health, Social, and Community Research at Shaw University. He found urologists throughout Wake County had the same experience.

Dr. Khoudary sees two issues to be addressed, one epidemiologic. We need to know why prostate cancer mortality is so much higher among African Americans in North Carolina, even when compared to African Americans in places like Louisiana. The second is programmatic. The prostate gland is anatomically complex, located in a tight space where nerves and vessels associated with urinary and sexual functions cross paths with one another. Addressing prostate cancer requires specialized knowledge of anatomy and radiation. This combination of skills is rare in the organization of cancer centers. Most are directed by people who specialize in radiation medicine or in chemotherapy.

Dr. Khoudary’s vision is to have North Carolina catch up with medical centers like Johns Hopkins, M.D. Anderson and the University of Rochester. The Southeastern Cancer Control Consortium and Edward Messing, MD, FACS, of the University of Rochester have agreed to evaluate clinical aspects of the project. The Southeastern Cancer Control Consortium is a national leader in clinical trials associated with prostate cancer

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Are you at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease?

(ARA) – There are many things that can put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Some of these things you have the power to change – if you smoke or exercise – and some you don’t – your age or family history. Either way, you should know how all of these things can add to your chances for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

My Health Advisor, an online tool from the American Diabetes Association, can help you understand your risk. All you have to do to is enter some basic health information, such as:

* Family history
* Height and weight
* Blood glucose level
* Cholesterol level
* Smoking history
* Age, race, gender

My Health Advisor takes your information and creates a personalized online health profile, and will let you know if you are at risk. Your results are compared to results of dozens of clinical trials to make sure it is accurate.

My Health Advisor will also create a personalized plan that will help you lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Tips may include eating healthier foods or smaller portions, and increasing your level of physical activity. But the real benefit is that you can see instantly how these small changes to your day-to-day routine can lower your risk.

With each small change, you will be on your way to a longer, healthier life. You can stop type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Visit www.CheckUpAmerica.org/MA today for your personalized risk profile.

To learn more about type 2 diabetes and heart disease, call the American Diabetes Association at (800) DIABETES (800 342-2383), e-mail AskADA@diabetes.org or visit www.CheckUpAmerica.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

On the Move With a New Breast Cancer Resource

(ARA) – When a woman is first diagnosed with breast cancer, all kinds of questions go through her mind, and not all of them are about the cancer itself. “Will I be able to remain active? What kind of impact will treatment have on my lifestyle? Can I still be intimate with my significant other?”

When California resident Mary Jean Lynberg was first diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer back in 2004, she felt numb and physically ill. “My doctor had informed me that the type of tumor I had was fast growing and as a result, she would be very aggressive with my treatment. She told me that meant several rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and maybe even surgery. I was very aware that life as I knew it was going to go through some drastic changes,” Lynberg says.

According to the American Cancer Society, 40,000 women (25 to 30 percent of women with breast cancer) are diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer every year. HER2 is part of a family of genes that play roles in controlling cell growth. In some breast cancers, for reasons no one understands, cancer cells have too much HER2.

Shortly after Lynberg was diagnosed, one of the first things she did was seek information and comfort online. “While I found several support groups that helped me get informed about my special form of breast cancer, I couldn’t find a site that spoke to the rest of my life – those topics that could benefit me on the road back to wellness,” she says. “I wanted to learn more about how to live the type of lifestyle I had before battling the disease. Would I still be able to enjoy my passions, like golf and travel?” Thankfully, Lynberg was able to continue pursuing those passions in one form or another, partly because her treatment included an oral therapy that she could take wherever and whenever she needed it.

Today, Lynberg’s breast cancer is in remission, but she remembers the struggles she faced at the time to figure it all out. However, she is happy to learn that the women who follow in her footsteps will not experience that same struggle. Launched this September, a new online resource is helping women and their loved ones continue to live a healthy, active, on-the-move lifestyle despite their cancer diagnosis.

HER Move (www.hermove.com) is the first ever Web-based, lifestyle program specifically for women in all stages of HER2-positive breast cancer, including the newly diagnosed, those living with advanced or metastatic disease and the long-term survivors. In addition to a unique offering of health and wellness information, there are resources that inspire women with HER2-positive breast cancer to live life to the fullest as best they can by staying on-the-move and living a healthy and active lifestyle.

Marybeth Bond, a travel expert and author of 11 travel books for women, is among the experts who have material posted on the site. “Travel has an uncanny way of taking us back to the simplicity that makes life precious again. A close friend recently told me that her first trip after diagnosis marked the beginning of hope – hope that she could live the life she had pre-cancer.”

But the key, points out Bond, is to recognize that “travel” has many definitions. “An afternoon visit to a botanical garden, a day cruise on a lake, or a walk in the woods with a loved-one can turn your attitude upside-down, change negatives into positives and pain into purpose.”

Those who have questions about intimacy, sexual connection and romance – generally not topics that are easy to discuss with your doctor, let alone their partner – can find answers courtesy of Ruth Peltason, author of the book, “I AM NOT MY BREAST CANCER.” A breast cancer survivor herself, she interviewed hundreds of women from all walks of life to get their take on the topic and shares what she learned on the site.

There’s also a section dedicated to caregivers headed up by HER2 Support Group’s (www.her2support.org) Joe Druther, whose wife, Christine, is a breast cancer survivor. “While being a caregiver can be stressful, there are many support groups made up of people like me who were unexpectedly given the role of caregiver. It can take some time to get adjusted to this new role, but know it is a crucial one – one that may be challenging at times, yet rewarding because you are, after all, helping someone you love.”

In addition to sharing resources, the site also creates a community where women can share their personal stories, anecdotes, recipes and photographs among new friends, and learn from the experiences of others. HER Move was funded and developed by GlaxoSmithKline Oncology.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

More than 60 percent of non-traumatic, lower-limb amputations occur among people with diabetes. Don’t become one of them.

(NewsUSA) – Nearly 21 million people in the United States are afflicted with diabetes, which accounts for 7 percent of the population. The prevalence of the disease is even higher among African Americans. In fact, approximately 13 percent of African Americans aged 20 years or older have the disease. And while diabetes is a chronic disease that can be managed, people need to be more aware of the complications associated with it.

Diabetic complications can cause nerve and vascular damage, which can eventually lead to foot ulcers. If not treated in time, these ulcers can result in amputation. In fact, more than 60 percent of non-traumatic, lower-limb amputations in the United States occur among people with diabetes.

What can you do? The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) recommends regular visits to an APMA podiatric physician as part of a comprehensive foot care plan to help reduce your risk of amputation. Additionally, the APMA suggests following these simple tips at home.

* Check your feet every day

Especially if you have a loss of sensation, visually inspecting your feet daily will help you notice any cuts, sores, blisters or changes in the skin or toenails. You can use a hand mirror to help you check the bottoms of your feet. If you notice a change in your feet, see your podiatrist immediately.

* Clean your feet daily

Washing your feet will help avoid the build-up of bacteria. Be sure to wash in warm water, rather than hot. Completely dry your feet after washing, and pay special attention to drying between the toes.

* Keep skin healthy

By lightly applying lotion or moisturizer to your feet, you can help prevent dry, flaky or cracked skin. Use lotion on the tops and bottoms of your feet but never between the toes because excess moisture between the toes creates conditions favorable to forming an infection.

* Always wear shoes and socks

Soft, lightly padded socks will help you avoid blisters and sores. Socks with no seams are best. Also, examine the insides of your shoes to be sure there is nothing harmful that will injure your feet.

* Choose shoes that fit well and protect your feet

One of the best ways to avoid injuries to your feet is to wear sturdy and supportive shoes at all times.

For more information on diabetes and your feet or to find an APMA podiatrist in your area, visit www.apma.org.

The Wachovia Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to The Rex Hospital Foundation to support the renovation and expansion of Rex Cancer Center. The improvements to Rex Cancer Center will encompass the values long associated with Rex: high-quality care with the best technologies and clinicians available; a supportive and nurturing environment for the patient and family; and a focus on the whole person. Some of these improvements include: Expanded space for new medical equipment and medical treatments; a state-of-the-art linear accelerator and tomotherapy system, increased space for the cancer resource center and touch-screen kiosks for patient education.

Rex Cancer Center is devoted to preventing and treating cancer through cutting-edge therapies and individualized patient care. At the foundation of Rex Cancer Center are outstanding radiation oncology and hematology/oncology services. Rex provides cancer patients and their families with educational programs, screening programs, complimentary workshops, support groups and individual counseling. Rex diagnoses 1,800 new cancer cases each year. About 850 to 900 of these patients will come to Rex for cancer treatment, with 4,000 chemo treatments and more than 16,000 radiation treatments. Rex Cancer Center has been designated by the American College of Surgeons as a nationally accredited comprehensive community cancer center

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

APEX, N.C. – WiSpots has selected tyBit™ Unified Search, the search engine from tyBit (www.tybit.com), as the exclusive search engine for its WiPad devices that allow patients in medical office waiting rooms to connect to the Internet for free, even if they don’t have their own wireless device. Several physician practices already offer WiPads, and WiSpots will be rolling out this new interactive media/Internet access solution that uses the tyBit search engine throughout North Carolina and the United States over the next 18 months.

Advertising opportunities are available with tyBit and WiSpots. Please contact the tyBit team at advertise@tyBit.com or General Manager Kitti Jo Finch at kfinch@tyBit.com. Contact the WiSpots team at sales@wispots.com or by phone at (919) 387-6255.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Need for Prescription Drugs Propels Demand for Pharmacy Technicians

(ARA) – With our nation’s population, the demand for prescription medication is greater than ever before. This has created a huge need for pharmacy workers, according to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“There are numerous factors propelling demand for medication,” says Richard Nunez, department chair and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College, in San Francisco. “First, Americans are living longer than ever and need more medical treatments. Advances in medical technology are also producing more prescription drugs. The combination of these two factors is putting a real strain on the pharmaceutical industry to meet demand.”

The number of prescriptions filled increased by 60 percent in the span of a decade, rising from 1.9 million in 1992 to 3.1 million in 2002, according to the Association of Counter Drug Stores.

Nunez links this growth of the pharmaceutical industry to demographic changes. “The growing need for prescription drugs is one of the long term side-effects of the aging baby-boom generation. The pharmaceutical industry is one of many industries in healthcare that is feeling the repercussions,” says Nunez.

“Pharmacy technicians are one way the profession is responding to this need for workers,” he adds. “They really play a crucial role in a pharmacy. In many ways, the work of pharmacy technicians complements that of pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians help patients, explain dosages, update patient information, and help with labeling and filling prescriptions.”

Pharmacy technicians are one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. right now. According to the National Pharmacy Technician Association, more than 39,000 pharmacy technician jobs open each year. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that pharmacy technician jobs are expected to grow more than 32 percent over the next decade.

Yet with increased demand, Nunez explains that the role of pharmacy technicians is changing. “Pharmacists just do not have the time to do everything themselves. Pharmacy technicians have to step in to fill multiple roles,” he says. Nunez explains that pharmacy technicians will begin to assume responsibilities for a range of tasks that were previously reserved for pharmacists or pharmacy aides.

“The profession has really had to develop in response to this need,” says Nunez. “Pharmacy technicians are no longer seen as simply assistants to pharmacists, but as full-fledged pharmaceutical professionals.”

Pharmacists have to focus more on patient care, and pharmacy technicians refer questions regarding prescriptions, drug information or health matters to them. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for measuring, recording and labeling medications, and they are also taking on more administrative duties, including updating patient profiles, preparing insurance claims and taking inventory of pharmacy stock.

As responsibilities of pharmacy technicians grow, obtaining certification is also becoming more important. “Although pharmacy technicians have traditionally received on-the-job training, employers are increasingly looking for employees who have prior professional degree,” says Drew Jones, Pharmacy Program director and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College in City of Industry, Calif.

More importantly, Jones explains that better training could lead to more professional opportunities. “The shortage of pharmacists opens up opportunities for better qualified pharmacy technicians to take on more responsibilities,” says Jones.

“We recognize the importance of this career in helping keep Americans healthy. Pharmacy technicians have become a crucial part of the pharmacy team, and we really stress the career’s potential to our students. They come to us to be part of an accredited program, because they recognize the new opportunities the career offers for qualified employees,” says Jones.

To learn more about career opportunities as a pharmacy technician, visit www.everest.edu.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Mariam Clinic, a new nonprofit organization that provides free health care to low-income, uninsured adults in Wake and Durham Counties, opened its doors in October 2007. The clinic is located near Rex Healthcare Center in Raleigh and provides medical treatment for acute and chronic illnesses, as well as social service and physician referrals, psychiatry and counseling, discounted lab and radiology services, and interpreters for five languages, including Spanish and Arabic.

Open on Sunday afternoons from 1 PM – 5 PM, the Mariam Clinic was created to fill the gaps of other local safety net providers. With more than 100,000 uninsured citizens in Wake County alone, the need for such clinics is enormous. The Mariam Clinic offers weekend hours because 80% of the uninsured are employed, mostly in hourly-wage jobs, which can make it difficult to keep appointments during the traditional weekday hours of many clinics

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

RALEIGH, NC — Allen Weiss, a film director based in Raleigh, recently completed a series of 30-sec television spots for Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) in Norfolk, Virginia’s only free-standing, full-service pediatric hospital, treating children from birth through age 21 and the site of the state’s only dedicated pediatric emergency center.

The series of spots, with editing and custom music done in-house at Park Group, is being aired throughout the Tidewater area, which includes Chesapeake, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Newport News, Norfolk, Suffolk, Smithfield, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Raleigh — Kenneth L. Burgess, a Partner with Poyner & Spruill LLP in Raleigh, has been appointed to the legal committee of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) for a 3-year term.

For more information, contact Cindy Caldwell at 704-342-5255 or mailto:ccaldwell@poyners.com.

Read More:CarolinaNews Wire