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District Heights teen granted wish to meet boy band
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Afternoon Tea at The Club advocates women for technology
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD.
Blood Drive to honor Senior Airman John E. King, II Team Andrews, The 89th Communications Squadron is hosting a blood drive to honor our fallen, Senior Airman John E. King, II, 8 a.m. to noon March 22, in the Base Theater. In order to properly staff the event and eliminate donor wait times, the medical staff prefers participants schedule an appointment. To sign up follow these steps: 1. Click on www.militarydonor.com. 2. First-time users must register by clicking “create a profile” at the bottom of web site. 3. Fill in asterisked items as a minimum and click “submit.” 4. Answer the three security questions and click “submit.” 5. Click on “Donate Blood” (third option down). 6. In the “Code” section, type in “AAFB” to register for Senior
Disney Dreamers Academy inspires Cheltenham student
FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 | VOL. 2 NO. 11
Priceless Gown Project sends at-risk girls to the prom in style
Senior Airman John E. King
Airman King’s event, then click on “Search.” 7. Click on the “3/22/2013,” and choose a time slot by clicking on “Schedule.” Walk-ins may be accepted, but appointments are preferred.
JBA bioengineer encourages women to pursue STEM careers BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
Growing up in Florida as the daughter of an Air Force veteran, Amy Seaton always knew she wanted to pursue a career in marine biology or another environmental science. After earning her degree in environmental studies, now Staff Sgt. Seaton came to the Air Force herself to work in bioenvironmental engineering. Much of her work involves safety testing of water samples taken on Joint Base Andrews, whether in on-base buildings or from aircraft on the flight line. Classified as “industrial hygiene,” Seaton said her department serves as “the OSHA and EPA of the Air Force,” evaluating personal protective equipment, chemicals used on work sites on base, industrial ventilation systems and other equipment, “to make sure all is sufficient for occupational hazards, from dermatitis to hearing loss. We’re the prevention wing of the medical career field.” Seaton said that over the year and a half she has so far been stationed at JBA, she hasn’t had anything which she could call “a typical day.” She might inspect eyewash sta-
tions or survey new equipment, evaluate existing ventilation systems, do gas mask and respirator fit testing or serve as an emergency responder should fire and rescue workers determine that a suspicious package or an accident may include a suspected chemical involvement. “If it appears to have chemicals involved, we get called in,” Seaton said. Seaton calls her position “a unique job. We get to learn what other people do, meet people and get to know the bigger picture of how the whole Air Force operates, and protect them.” Though retirement from the armed services is at least a decade away for Seaton, she also knows that the career path she enjoys so much today has a great future beyond the Air Force. “It’s an easy transition for post-retirement to outside agencies,” Seaton said. Although she always knew she’d be working in a scientific field of some sort, Seaton acknowledges that many women feel shut out of those careers before they even finish their education.
see CAREER, page 7
PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM
Prom-going girls, along with their mothers and friends, look through racks of formal gowns sorted by size and color. BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
The days are longer, spring is in the air, and schools are full of excited talk about this year’s prom. But what if financial hardship or homelessness make going to the prom seem out of reach? The Priceless Gown Project, a nonprofit organization that provides donated, new and gently used prom gowns to girls in need has been creating real life Cinderella stories in Baltimore City since 2004. Four years ago, PGP expanded to the Washington area, in partnership with the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services and local formal wear and beauty-oriented businesses around the county. “It’s the perfect example of public/private/community partnership,” said Lavette Simms, who manages Community Education and Outreach programs for Prince George’s County Department of Social Services. “Working together, we can give these girls the whole prom experience.” More than 120 girls registered to participate in the annual gown
PHOTOS/CHRIS BASHAM
see DRESS, page 7
Miss Annapolis Teen 2013 Taylor Diggs helps girls find the perfect gown.
Look Good, Feel Better softens cancer treatment for women BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM
Oncology nurse Teresa Barnes watches Shavawn Lee of Ocular Illusions Non-Surgical Hair Replacement Center in Clinton, Md. teach Deborah Webster how to incorporate a colorful scarf into a turban made from a T-shirt.
For many women newly diagnosed with cancer, the prospect of treatment can feel almost as devastating as the disease itself. Chemotherapy and radiation can have visible side effects such as hair loss, skin and nail color changes, weight gain or loss and other changes in the skin that can make a woman feel like she doesn’t recognize her own image in the mirror. Although side effects are generally temporary and resolve themselves once treatment is completed, the nature of extended cancer treatment can mean living with those side effects for months or longer. The American Cancer Society partners with local hospitals to provide small group and individual classes for women with a cancer diagnosis, aimed at help-
ing them disguise some of those visible side effects of chemotherapy or radiation while restoring optimism and confidence in women undergoing treatment. Oncology nurse Teresa Barnes offers Look Good...Feel Better classes at Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, Md., with the assistance of local cosmetologists and hair replacement specialists. “I’ve been hosting the classes for a little over ten years, and an oncology nurse for a long time,” Barnes said. “It’s really rewarding for me. Patients come in sad about the side effects but after two hours they’re happy, making appointments to go to lunch with each other or with their husbands.” Some women in the classes have completed their treatment, while others have just begun or not even started. It’s an
environment where questions are welcome, stories are made to be shared, and women are encouraged to try new things-whether it’s a shade of lipstick they might never have chosen for themselves or a whole new beauty routine. Each patient leaves the classes with a tote bag full of high-end cosmetics donated by the National Cosmetology Association, hats and scarves from the Montgomery County-based Liza’s Lids Foundation, and tips on how to make the most of their appearance at a difficult time. Though most women sign up to learn tricks of the cosmetic trade from professionals, it’s often the casual conversation between women in treatment that has the greatest impact. “’Blend your foundation to
see CANCER, page 4