Leader0308b

Saturday, March 8, 2014 • Page 1B

MICHAEL SUDHALTER Editor

Social media drives a major life change Change. It’s something we’ve heard about for the past month or so. But enough about elections, and the importance of voting. One Oak Forest resident became an agent of change without ever expecting to play that role. Nikki Reihle, who has lived in Oak Forest since last summer, made a Facebook post last week about losing 100 pounds over the past four years through making good decisions. She received such a positive response from friends and family that she made another post on the popular Oak Forest Homeowners Association Facebook page, with the idea of creating a a nonproﬁt people-helping-people organization. The 29-year-old Lafayette, La. native was pleasantly surprised with the response, and three days later, she was branding the new organization, “Always A Better You‚“ – creating a Facebook page, buying a website domain (AlwaysABetterYou.org) and meeting with a lawyer. The quickness in which “Always A Better You” was established is a testament the power of social media. We’re constantly reminded of the negative effects of social media, whether it’s from our friends, or even, the evening news. So, it’s really cool to see a great idea come to fruition in less than a week, due to the positive effects of social media. But a social media outlet is only as good as the folks who are part of it, so Reihle is thankful for the Oak Forest community, and its corresponding Facebook page. “There really is a bond between Oakies,” Reihle said. “When you live in a big city, it really is special (to have a tight-knit community).” Reihle’s network will pair individuals who have successfully made a lifestyle change, with those hoping to get started. “We want to pair regular people, who fought the good ﬁght with people who See CHANGE, P. 2B

MHNW: Colonoscopies are crucial

Caught early, slow-growing colorectal cancer is treatable. It‚‘s also preventable. But many adults delay or ignore‚ being screened for polyps, abnormal tissue or other indicators of this disease, which can grow undetected until more serious, later-stage symptoms draw attention, explains Joseph Dr. Cali R. Cali, M.D., a colorectal surgeon afﬁliated with Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital. Don’t be squeamish, overly modest, or fearful, about having a colonoscopy, he says, calling the

procedure the Gold Standard of colorectal cancer testing. Dr. Cali believes that having a colonoscopy every 10 years ‚“should be considered one of your regular health checkups,” right up there with monitoring blood pressure, tracking skin conditions, having a mammogram or testing prostate-speciﬁc antigen levels. Over the past 20 years, due to more effective screening practices that catch precancerous polyps and signiﬁcant advancements in treatment, the survival rate for colorectal cancer has been increasing. Earlier treatment also means fewer complications and fewer patients needing a colostomy, chemotherapy or more surgery, Dr. Cali said. Still, about 50,000 adult Americans die each year from colorectal

cancer, the third most common type of cancer. An adult’s lifetime risk of a diagnosis is about one in 20, according to American Cancer Society (ACS) statistics. In 2014, for example, ACS estimates there will be more than 135,000 new cases of either colon cancer (96,000) or rectal cancer (40,000). QUIET ONSET Colorectal cancer can appear and grow undetected, Dr. Cali noted. “The disease was once considered to affect primarily the lower colon and rectum,” he says, ‚“but it now is understood to be more evenly distributed throughout the large intestine, including both colon and rectum.”

See COLON, P. 2B

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�� City Dance members enjoy a tap class on a Monday morning. (Photos by Michael Sudhalter)

Health beneﬁts of dancing

Dancing is good for mental health, too, says studio owner

Beyond the enjoyment and excitement of dancing, there are both obvious and not-as-well known benefits of dance classes. “It does involve an aerobic, and we’re going to stretch every part of your body,” said Sherise Campbell, owner of City Dance Studio, just south of Washington Heights at 1307 W. Clay St. “But dance is also beneficial for students who have Attention Deficit Disorder. They learn to sequence. Dance is about muscle memory and using your brain, so it helps those concerned about developing Alzheimer’s.” City Dance moved to its current location in July 2012 after many years in Rice Village.

For The Leader

Waltrip High School senior Melissa Martinez plans on becoming a neurosurgeon. She’s taken the ﬁrst step toward that goal by earning a full scholarship to Amherst College, a prestigious school in Amherst, Mass. Martinez has always been interested in human behavior and the brain. “The best way to com-

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By Michael Sudhalter

By Julia Pena

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michael@theleadernews.com

Waltrip senior sets sights on pre-medicine

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“I feel like I really enjoyed changing peoples’ lives,” Campbell said. The studio has 30-to-40 clients, ranging in age from 4 and 5, to 83 years old. They offer tap, ballet, modern, jazz and other classes. The classes are separate for adults and children, but there is one class of experienced teenage dancers with adults.

Campbell, who graduated from Southern Illinois University and moved to Houston 20 years ago, has always been interested in dancing and has performed as part of a professional dance troupe. Her troupe will be traveling to Scotland for a prestigious dance festival later this year.

Operation: Become a neurosurgeon

Above: Reihle in 2014. Below: Reihle in 2010. (Submitted photos)

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prehend how the brain works is to get to the root,” Martinez said. Martinez ﬁrst discovered Amherst when she visited the school’s Diversity Fly In Day program, which brings in minority students for free, to look at the campus. She became interested in Amherst because of the convenient open curriculum, which gives students freedom with the courses they take, and the small, private atmosphere. At Waltrip, Martinez has been very involved with many organizations and sports, such as soccer, See MARTINEZ, P. 2B

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�� Waltrip High senior Melissa Martinez will attend Amherst College in Amherst, Mass. on a full scholarship this fall. (Photo by Julia Pena)

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