May 1, 2015
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 33, No. 35
MUSC helps launch first Mother’s Milk Bank in state Staff Report MUSC, the South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative (SCBOI), the South Carolina Neonatology Consortium and the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control have teamed up to open South Carolina’s first Mother’s Milk Bank to improve the health of the state’s most vulnerable infants. This milk bank will provide breast milk to very low birth-weight (VLBW) babies — infants weighing less than 3.3 pounds — in neonatal intensive care units in South Carolina. When babies are born prematurely, many of their organs are not fully developed. This puts them at risk for a number of diseases within the first weeks of life. In particular, these infants are predisposed to a deadly condition called necrotizing entercolitis (NEC), an inflammation of the gut. Two–thirds of babies who contract NEC die or develop debilitating conditions. However, this disorder can be prevented by the antibodies and nutrients found in human milk. Often, though, mothers who deliver prematurely have trouble breastfeeding their own babies because they can’t produce enough milk. In VLBW babies, breast milk is essential to increasing the survival rate and improving the development of these infants. Without a local milk bank, South Carolina hospitals have to rely on other states for
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their breast milk supply, which can lead to shortages. “MUSC and other hospitals in our state treat babies every day who, for different reasons, can’t have their mother’s own milk,” said Sarah Taylor, M.D., a neonatologist at MUSC and the new director of the Mother’s Milk Bank of South Carolina (MMBSC). “As a Baby–Friendly USA certified hospital that advocates breastfeeding, we are overjoyed to be able to help launch the state’s first milk bank and empower women to provide life — saving breast milk for sick babies in South Carolina.” Physically located in North Charleston, the milk bank, accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America as a developing milk bank, will be operated by MUSC. South Carolina mothers are able to donate breast milk already at 10 satellite milk bank depots around the state with seven more milk depots to open in the next few months. The average baby in the NICU needs 8 ounces of milk per day. MMBSC expects to process and distribute more than 5,000 ounces of milk each month. ”MMBSC is a key component in continuing our efforts to advocate the importance of breast milk in the health of babies in South Carolina,” said B.Z. (Melanie) Giese, director of the Birth Outcomes Initiative for the South Carolina
Wii Fitness Study proves video games get results.
U.S. Surgeon General Murthy to speak at May 15 Commencement Staff Report Approximately 600 graduates will hear newly-appointed U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., the speaker at MUSC’s 186th Commencement on May 15, five months to the day he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The commencement ceremony will take place at 9 a.m., weather permitting, at the MUSC Horseshoe, 171 Ashley Avenue. Murthy, 37, is the first surgeon general of Indian descent. As America’s doctor, he is responsible for providing the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve health. He also supervises the U.S. Public Health Service Commission
See Graduation on page 10
See Bank on page 11
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Transplant Angels
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DAISY Award
MUSC thanks troopers for going above and beyond.
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Dental Sculpture
5
Meet Anna
READ THE CATALYST ONLINE - http://www.musc.edu/catalyst
2 The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015
Transplant nurse is April DAISY winner The April DAISY (Disease Attacking the Immune System) award winner is Savannah Zimmerman, RN, who works in 6East (Transplant) University hospital. Zimmerman was nominated by the staff with MUSC’s Get Well Network. Below is her nomination: “The first night of our stay was very stressful. Watching our 18-year-old son go through a transplant was never a part of the plan we had for his life. However, we are thankful that we had a Zimmerman good medical team to care for our son. We praise God and the donor’s family for giving my son such a precious gift: his new kidney. My son’s nurse, who cared for him his first night post–op, was awesome. His nurse assessed and monitored him closely and made us feel at ease.
Savannah is what a nurse should be: genuinely caring, nice and loving. She made us feel comfortable and informed with every aspect of my son’s care. Even when Savannah was not his nurse she made me, my son and my husband feel special with the pats on the back, smiles and encouraging words as she saw us in the cafeteria and in the halls. Thank you for all you do and adding value to the nursing profession.” Each month, MUSC nurses are honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. It is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program, recognizing the efforts that nurses contribute daily in their jobs. The award is given to outstanding nurses in more than 1,800 health care providers in the U.S. and 14 other countries. Nominations can be submitted by anyone — patients, visitors, physicians, fellow nurses and all MUSC staff and volunteers. To nominate a nurse, visit http://www. musc.edu/medcenter/formsToolbox/ DaisyAward/form.htm.
2nd Annual Community Festival and Sickle Cell S.A.C. Race/Walk
Saturday, May 2, 2015 Event take place between Berkeley High School to Moncks Corner Regional Recreation Sports Complex. Registration and Pep Rally at 9 a.m., Start gun for run at 9:45 a.m. and walk begins at 9:55 a.m. $10 registration fee for Run/Walk (persons ages 16 and older) For information, visit https://bigworks.eventbrite.com
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723
Editor: Cindy Abole
catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Mikie Hayes, hayesmi@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu J. Ryne Danielson, daniejer@musc.edu Helen Adams, adamshel@musc.edu Sarah Pack, packsa@musc.edu Jeff Watkins, watkinsj@musc.edu
The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
New resource to share research successes Attention all research faculty, students and staff: Do you have exciting research news or findings that you would like to see shared with the MUSC community, other scientific institutions and/or the general public? To help increase awareness about the research successes found here at MUSC, we have created a dedicated email address through which that information can be collected and appropriately disseminated.
Send an email to research-comm@ musc.edu with some basic information about what you would like to have shared, and you will be contacted by a communications expert who will help deliver your message to the appropriate audience(s). Share this address with everyone in your research cohort and encourage its use whenever appropriate. Help spread the word out about the amazing work being done here at MUSC.
The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015 3
Study reveals benefits of exercise video games By J. Ryne Danielson Public Relations
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n the battle for the nation’s health and well–being, video games are often seen as the enemy. Eva Serber, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, however, believes that doesn’t have to be the case. Serber, a licensed psychologist, is the principal author of a pilot study examining the feasibility of using exercise video games for cardiovascular risk reduction among adults. In the single–group study Serber conducted, 14 participants with prehypertension — slightly elevated blood pressure — completed a 12–week program which included supervised sessions using Wii Fit and similar exercise video games on the Nintendo Wii platform. “The program was modeled after a traditional exercise intervention,” Serber
said. “It consisted of three sessions a week for 12 weeks — intense enough that we could see some changes. We looked at all kinds of variables: height, weight, balance, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, heart rate, blood pressure. We also looked at attendance, satisfaction with the program and quality of life measures.” Unless lifestyle changes are made, prehypertension, as the name implies, can lead to hypertension — or high blood pressure — which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and other ailments. The program has been very successful, Serber said, at reducing systolic blood pressure. “They liked it. They had fun. And we got them engaged in moderate physical activity. We saw positive changes across a wide range of variables. Their physical activity minutes increased, obviously. We saw changes in peak heart rate, resting systolic blood pressure
photo by Ryne Danielson, Public Relations
Ninetendo Wii console with Wii Fitness balance board. Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences researcher Dr. Eva Serber is involved in a pilot study to prove benefits of excerise video games. and hip circumference. We also saw reach patients who might otherwise not improvements in quality of life — higher get enough exercise. satisfaction with health, improved “Using the Wii and other exercise emotional well–being and increased video games,” she said, “is another way vitality.” of reaching those struggling with being Serber believes that exercise video physically active. It can be particularly games present unique opportunities to
See Game on page 11
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4 The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015
Dental Class of 2014 gives unique sculpture to campus By CinDy aBole
Left photo: Lowcountry metal sculptor Daniel Miner and his brother, Stephen Williams, carry part of the Sabal Palmetto portion of the Dental Medicine sculpture. Miner was commissioned to create and install a custom sculpture that was a gift to the college by the Dental Medicine Class of 2014. Below: Miner and Williams complete the finishing touches of the exhibit, which is located at the Dental Clinical Education Center on Bee Street.
Public Relations
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hen MUSC James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine Class of 2014 president Brandon Cain met with fellow students last spring to decide what class gift they could present to the dental school, they were searching for something that would be both meaningful and unique. According to Cain, the group chose to commission an art piece for the college’s popular Dental Clinical Education Center. The gift would serve a dual purpose — honoring dental faculty and staff for providing dental training and educational experiences in the state’s only dental school and to show student appreciation. “We wanted to choose something that was meaningful and eternal and that’s what led us to consider art such as a sculpture that could be displayed, shared and enjoyed by others,” said Cain, DMD, speaking by phone from Columbia, where he is completing a dental general practice residency. Last spring, Cain and fellow dental graduate Yianne Kritzas and a few other classmates approached local metal sculptor and artist Daniel Miner of Miner Metal. Miner is known for his unique artwork transforming repurposed steel into detailed, handcrafted sculptures of Lowcountry animals, seascapes, landscapes and other designs. Cain and Kritzas prepared some concept designs of what they wanted in a customized sculpture. They chose South Carolina’s state tree, the Sabal Palmetto, as well as an emblem of dentistry to be embedded in the center of the stainless steel sculpture. They gave Miner creative freedom in enhancing their design to the sculpture project. Miner and his crew delivered and installed the one-
of-a-kind stainless steel sculpture to MUSC’s campus in early April. The design, which stands nearly 7-feet tall and weighs almost 400 pounds, is composed of ¼-inch thick repurposed stainless steel. It was installed on the Bee Street side of the Dental Clinical Education Center. The sculpture’s base features a cutout in the shape of South Carolina, including a brass inlay that signifies MUSC’s location. This is meant as a tribute to the dental school’s home in Charleston. At the sculpture’s focal point sits the dental caduceus, the official emblem of dentistry displaying Asclepius’ staff entwined with a single serpent and accented with branches of 32 leaves and 20 berries, representing the number of permanent and primary teeth. The intersecting triangle and circle represent the Greek letter “D” (delta) in dentistry and Greek letter “O” (omicron) for Odont. The recognized color of dentistry, lilac, flows through the background in different hues. “Everyone loves it,” Cain said referring to emails he’s received from alumni and friends and recent postings he’s read on the dental school’s Facebook page. “This has been a special way for all of us to give back and show our appreciation to the dental faculty, staff and the institution as a whole.” Tariq Javed, DMD, associate dean for academic and student affairs, is one of many dental faculty members who are pleased to see the sculpture’s presence on campus. “This is a wonderful token of appreciation by the Class of 2014 dental students. Many people continue to praise the sculpture’s beauty and spirit that this artwork comes to signify. All of us are appreciative of this unique gift,” he said.
photos by Karson Photography
The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015 5
Meet AnnA
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6 The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015
In the nick of time, troopers deliver By Mikie hayes Public Relations
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orporal Antonio Brown and Senior Trooper Christian Basel were just doing their jobs. That’s what they would tell you, anyway. But the truth is the combined efforts of these two modest highway patrol officers saved a young man’s life, and both officers at a deep level understand the gravity of what they did. And they don’t take it lightly. The two men and their superiors were invited to the MUSC campus April 21 to receive a special award for their acts of kindness. Both men spoke about the effect that morning’s events had on them and how it feels to be singled out for doing something they hoped anyone would do for their fellow man. As it happened, January 23 was stacking up to be a pretty routine night shift for Brown, who was responding to dispatches and patrolling in Orangeburg, and Basel, who was finishing up paperwork, having just responded to a collision on Orangeburg Road in Dorchester County. For the Howle family, however, Thursday night would be anything but ordinary. Lon Howle, an employee of South Carolina Electric and Gas Company, pastors a church in Darlington, the town in which the family lives. Earlier that evening, he had
spoken at a congregational brotherhood meeting and returned home to settle in with his family of six, when he got the call. Little did he expect, at 10:30 at night, that the MUSC transplant team would be alerting them to the possibility of an organ match for their 23-year-old son Bradley, who had been on a waiting list for a kidney since 2011. Dare they hope? At 12:30 a.m., they finally heard the words they had long prayed to hear: “Get to Charleston ASAP.” “It was shock and awe,” Howle said. “We were in complete disbelief. We went into high gear, packing and getting babysitters lined up for our other three children.” The only snag was Bradley needed to arrive by 5:30 a.m. in order to undergo the transplant he so desperately needed. They knew they didn’t have a lot of time to spare, but the 140-mile drive to get to Charleston in time did not seem like a particularly tall order, especially considering what was waiting on the other end. But fate seemed to have a different plan in mind. While driving down Interstate 95, the family car blew a tire in Santee. They pulled over, not realizing they did not have a spare in the trunk. Timing could not have been worse. “This
Amy Hauser, from left, and Dr. Prabhakar Baliga and Medical Center CEO Dr. Patrick Cawley with Cpl. Antonio Brown, and Senior Trooper Christian Basel, as they receive the MUSC Transplant Angel Award.
photos provided
The Howle family, Lon, Bradley and Robbie Lynn, thank their heroes, SC Highway Patrol Cpl. Antonio Brown and Senior Trooper Christian Basel. was a life-or-death situation,” Howle explained. Bradley’s kidney function had deteriorated to below 10 percent, and he was told he would soon go on dialysis. Some may have panicked, being stranded on the side of the road under such strenuous time constraints, but not Howle. His strong faith provided a sense of calm that everything would work out. He started to pray and remembered that the Highway patrol was but a mere three button presses away via cell phone. He dialed *HP and quickly reached the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. The dispatcher contacted Cpl. Brown who recalls being 25 miles away in Orangeburg when he received the urgent call. He arrived to find the family stranded on the side of the interstate. “When the situation was explained to me,” Brown said, “I was thinking about it from the aspect of it being about someone’s life, and how I could actually be the link between him getting the transplant he’d been waiting on for years, and the opportunity to live, or the flipside — he could have had to go back
home and possibly lose his life. I looked at it like a life lost or a life saved. I made the decision, ‘We’re going to save his life.’ I wanted to do my part.” Brown loaded up Bradley, Lon and his wife, Robbie Lynn, and the luggage they had packed for an indeterminate stay. He gassed up. They were on their way. Nothing was going to stop Brown from doing his part. “They didn’t have any options, so I was going to make it work. We made it work,” he said with emotion, remembering the way things played out. Brown drove them to the juncture of Interstates 95 and 26, where Senior Trooper Basel was waiting for them. He would handle the remainder of the trip and would need to do it in record time. The clock was ticking down. 5:25 a.m. With blue lights flashing and siren blaring, Basel got them safely to MUSC with five minutes to spare. The transplant team was ready for Bradley, waiting for him at the entrance to
See Transplant on page 9
The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015 7
Officer with a heart of gold surprises family By Mikie hayes Public Relations “All I was trying to do was make a little girl happy,” said Leslie Moore, an MUSC public safety officer, when she realized people had discovered her recent act of kindness. The quintessential “people person,” Moore hardly knows a stranger, engaging people all over the MUSC campus. While out on the Horseshoe recently, she struck up a conversation with the parents of two children who were playing together. The 2–year–old boy had just become a big brother and was really excited about his new sibling. The other was a 4-year-old girl with a medical mask over her face, intensely watching every bike that rode by on that picture-perfect April day. Little did Moore know, that little girl, Laura Brown was a patient in the Children’s Hospital undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Her mom had taken her outside to get out of the room that had been home for the last couple of months to enjoy some sunshine, when Moore started talking to the kids. “I love kids, and I love talking to people,” Moore said. “While I was talking to the little bitty boy, Laura was completely caught up in the bicycles going by. I said to her, ‘I bet you like riding bikes, don’t you,’ and she sighed and said, ‘They’re too big.’ So I asked her, ‘Do you have a bike?’ And she told me, ‘Yeah but it’s too big for me.’ ‘Well, baby,’ I said to her, ‘when you get bigger, you’ll learn to ride a bike.’ That’s when she dropped her head and said, ‘If I grow up.’” “When her mom told me she has leukemia,” Moore confided, “that’s when I lost it. At that minute, I didn’t care if it took the last dime I had, that baby was going to have a bicycle. I’d already made my mind up.” So Moore asked Laura’s mom, Courtney Carpenter, if it would be OK if she bought Laura a bike. She said Carpenter looked shocked and said, “Yeah, that’s fine,” hardly believing a stranger would really do something like that for her child. That weekend, Moore, true to her word, went shopping for just the right bike. “The way God works is funny,” she said. “My sister and I went to Wal-Mart and they happened to have two bicycles just her size. They had to be little bitty bikes to fit her. She’s 4, but she’s little,” Moore explained. “One was a princess bike, but the other one, way up on the top shelf, was a Doc McStuffins bike complete with a doctor’s medical bag on the front that she could open. The best part was, on the side of the bike it said, ‘Friendship is the best medicine.’ That was the one. She had to have that one.” Doc McStuffins is a children’s television program on the Disney Junior channel that features a young girl named Dottie McStuffins who wants to be a doctor just like her mom. They call her Doc because she pretends to be a doctor and fixes dolls and toys that come to life
photo by Mikie Hayes, Public Relations
Four-year-old Laura Brown, and mom, Courtney Carpenter with Pediatric Hem/Onc nurse, Lindsey Loth, R.N. Laura loves her Mickey Mouse masks and the braid her mom made from what little hair she has left. when she puts on her stethoscope. Moore could hardly get over how perfect a bike that would be for Laura. “I knew for sure that was the bike God picked for her. I bought it and a bug helmet with antennae on it. I just thought it was all so perfect.” Laura jumped for joy when she saw the bike. Being in the right place at the right time seems to be a theme in Moore’s life. “None of this surprises me, God always puts me where he wants me to be — where and when he wants me to be.” Laura’s mom still can’t get over Moore’s generosity. “I thought it was really awesome,” she said. “There really still are a lot of nice people out there. You don’t meet people like her every day. She didn’t do it for any other reason than just out of the kindness of her heart.” Carpenter’s cousin, Sabrina Wood, a student in the College of Health Professions, was overwhelmed by Moore’s act of kindness. “My whole family is praising God for the blessing of strangers,” she said. “We are grateful for her kindness and many others at MUSC. I knew when I started here that this was a great place. The staff has been good to me and my family for over 20 years when they saved my brother. To see that continued spirit still alive is so comforting.”
Chief Kevin Kerley, director of the Department of Public Safety, was not surprised when he learned of Moore’s actions. “This situation is not out of the ordinary for Leslie,” he said. “She has a real passion for helping people, especially children.” In fact, Moore was surprised and elated when Chief Kerley and Medical Center Chief Operating Officer, Matt Wain, presented her with an Exceptional Performance commendation for her actions. Moore and Carpenter stay in touch via text and plan to see each other again. Laura got to go home briefly this month and in early May will be back in the Children’s Hospital, which will serve as home for mother and daughter over the next two months. Carpenter sleeps in the room with Laura and stays with her at all times — no easy feat considering she also has a 7–month–old baby boy. She tries to keep some food stocked in the mini–refrigerator they have in the room to save money. She said, “You could say we’re living this 24/7.” Laura will be having a bone marrow transplant within the next month and has to have a little more chemotherapy before that time. Her mom said the good news is she’s in great spirits and has great energy. Her family set up a YouCaring page to help the family with the medical bills. Carpenter has had to quit her job to be there for Laura as she deals with leukemia. The page features a picture of Laura saying, “Please help me kick cancer's butt.” “We take so much for granted. There are people here who are going through so much,” Moore said. “I feel like my job is a calling. I am blessed because MUSC is a family. One big family, and we all help each other.” Laura’s YouCaring page can be found at http://www. youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-laura-karatekick-cancer-s-butt/327785.
Public Safety Officer Moore with Laura Brown.
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MUSC International Bazaar excites the senses By J. Ryne Danielson Public Relations MUSC’s International Bazaar was held Thursday, April 23 in the horseshoe. The annual event celebrates the richness of cultures represented on MUSC’s campus with food, crafts and performances from around the world. One hundred sixteen flags were arrayed around the Horseshoe. Of those, 86 represented students, faculty or staff at MUSC. Emcees for the event were Delia Voronca, a Public Health Sciences student from Romania, and Janina Wilmskoetter, a College of Health Professions student from Germany. The two are co–presidents of the International Student Association, representing the MUSC International Community. Performances included Taiko, a Japanese art form that combines percussion and martial arts; a Middle Eastern dance; music by a Chinese flautist; and an African drum and dance ensemble. “It was fun, interesting and a wonderful opportunity to get a flavor of international society in Charleston and at MUSC,” said Anjan Motamarry, an international student in the College of Graduate Studies. Kathleen White, RN, said: “We don’t often take the time to celebrate our international community. The international bazaar does just that — with music, dance, art, food and conversation. I took my daughter out of class mid-day to experience it with me. She missed high school global studies, but enjoyed Taiko Charleston performs at MUSC’s International Bazaar. Taiko is a Japanese musical form that combines drumming with martial arts.
speaking French, eating Greek for lunch and Romanian cookies for desert, while listening to Native American music and watching Latin and African dance.” Madhura Athreya was once an international student and now works at MUSC as the lab manager for Peter Kalivas, M.D., in the Department of Neurosciences. “It is such a treat to experience homemade food of different cultures and even more of a delight to get some homemade food from your own,” she said. Kevin Wiley, program coordinator for the Center of Global Health, said: “I enjoy helping Rebeca Mueller prepare for the Bazaar as a member of the Center for Global Health team. The work is really rewarding, especially raising flags of countries represented at MUSC. I marvel at the cultural richness and international diversity. Events like the International Bazaar go a long way in preserving that richness.” photos by Ryne Danielson, Public Relations
Top photo: Marina, from Russia, and Caesar, from the Dominican Republic, perform the tango. Developed in South America in the early 20th century, the tango is a sensual ballroom dance, usually performed by couples. Left photo: Zhou Yongming, father Dr. Zhou Jing, an associate professor in the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, performs two songs, “Golden Wind in the Harvest Season,” and “There is a Beautiful Land,” on his hulusi, a traditional gourd flute.
The Wona Womalan West African Drum and Dance Ensemble shares its knowledge and appreciation of African music and dance with people of all ages. Here, performers teach dance moves to an MUSC audience.
The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015 9
TRansplanT
Corporal Brown and Senior Trooper Basel.” She briefly recounted how their joint rhe emergency room. Quickly, he was whisked away so they could ready him for actions enabled Bradley to get to the Medical University that morning. “These surgery. two troopers got him here so he could Were it not for the actions of the two receive the gift of life, helping us extend officers, Howle believes they would have the life of one of our young people.” never made it on time. Fate may have For their acts of kindness, they were tried to waylay them, but he said he knew presented the Transplant Angel Award. God had a plan and sent divine help. “They are truly angels for having helped "I consider them angels — angels on the us to provide that gift of life,” Hauser interstate. We wouldn’t have made it said as the audience gave the gentlemen without them," he said. a much-deserved standing ovation. Basel weighs the magnitude of that Medical Center CEO Patrick Cawley, statement. “I knew for this young man M.D., shook their hands and said, it was a matter of life or death. That “Thank you. This is a great win.” And is a big responsibility. I knew I had an opportunity to help influence his life and with a broad smile he added: “I was go beyond what I am normally able to do up here talking to them and learned they patrol between Charleston and and a help somebody out in real time. That’s my job — I was just doing my job.” Columbia. It made me a little nervous. For anyone who has ever driven to A week to the day after his transplant, Columbia, you know you go a little Bradley was discharged, and he and his quickly.” The audience laughed heartily, family had an opportunity to thank the and Cawley added, “Hopefully, I don’t troopers in person. Basel and Brown had see you guys out there.” It was the driven back to Charleston to visit the officers’ turn to laugh. young man whose life they saved. It was It was a personally and professionally an emotional reunion. rewarding day for two men who three Basel described the visit, “It was months ago didn’t even know each other, something. Bradley seemed to be doing well and he was pretty grateful. Something but now share a common bond. “This is a great honor,” Basel said. like this makes all the difference when “but I was just doing my job. Hopefully doing my job.” Brown shakes his head as he remembers more people will do the same kind of thing and help others out in the same the visit with the family that day. “It was way.” pretty cool, especially when we saw him Brown felt similarly. “It’s so great to come out of the hospital. I can’t even express what that felt like seeing him walk have received this award. I do appreciate down, I can’t even explain the feeling. His the honor. I would hope that everybody would want to do something to help life was renewed. It was so rewarding. It somebody in that situation. The real made me feel really good.” heroes are the doctors and nurses and That brand of humility not only staff. They actually performed the service touched the family, but also the — we just got them here.” transplant team, who wanted to Brown, on March 19, was named do something special to show their Statewide Trooper of the Year, in part appreciation to the troopers for all they for his role in helping to get Bradley did to ensure Bradley would receive his transplant. And so they were invited back to MUSC for his transplant, as well as another act of valor in 2014 when he to MUSC to receive an award – one that located a kidnapping victim who had was created to honor them but will also been locked in the trunk of a car. be given year after year. And Bradley? He continues to When the guests of honor entered improve. “He’s doing great,” his dad said, the auditorium in the Drug Discovery “Last time we were at MUSC the doctors Building, a near capacity audience was said he’s doing as well as any transplant waiting to thank them. Amy Hauser, patient they’ve ever operated on. His service line administrator for transplant, skin tone is better, his energy is better. said, “With April being Organ Donor He’s a whole different person because Awareness month, we felt it was the of the transplant.” They credit MUSC perfect opportunity to recognize two for giving him a kidney and the gift of special people who made a significant life. “I can’t say enough good things contribution to our transplant program: Continued from Page Sic
Officers Antonio Brown and Senior Trooper Christian Basel and their superiors visit with the MUSC Transplant Center team. about MUSC. They took very good care of us. If we had our way, we’d move to Charleston.” The Howle family would like to have seen the troopers receive their award, but the timing just didn’t work out. “They can’t be recognized enough for what they
did,” Howle said. “There is so much unrest out there and you hear negative things about law enforcement. I like to tell Bradley’s story because it’s such a positive one. God provided, and these two men made all the difference. We're thankful for everything they did."
10 The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015
Class uses reading event to raise money for hospital By allyson CRowell Office of Development & Alumni Affairs
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hey showed up at school early that morning, toting sleeping bags, pillows, snacks — and books, of course. Lynn Newman’s class of 32 students at Charles Towne Montessori came ready to read as much as possible, knowing that each precious page consumed during their annual Read–A–Thon would translate to more dollars for the MUSC Children’s Hospital. They take it very seriously,” Newman said. “God forbid you interrupt them.” Read–A–Thon not only encourages students to read but also to research and persuade — all within the parameters of a democracy. The process works like this: Before the students ever crack open their books, they researched nonprofits and then developed campaigns to encourage their classmates to support their charities of choice. The students then conduct a vote to select the nonprofit organization to which they will donate. From there, the students spend a few weeks seeking out sponsors who can support them with a lump sum or a value per page read — or per book completed, for the younger readers. Helena Steenhuysen, a sixth grader whose mother works as an advanced practice registered nurse at MUSC, lobbied to support MUSC. Steenhuysen thought that MUSC’s state-of-the -art Children’s Hospital and Women’s Pavilion scheduled to open in 2019 made it especially deserving. “I thought it would be easier to give
to something close and not have to send money somewhere else,” Helena said. “My mom talks about it all the time.” The vote came down to the children’s hospital and Pet Helpers. The class previously supported Water Missions International, the World Wildlife Federation and the sea turtle hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium. Margeaux Burkhardt, a fourth–grader, said she and her classmates wanted to get back to helping people this year. “We decided to do this, because we’ve been doing animals the past few years,” Margeaux said. “We decided to do human beings this year. We chose MUSC, because a lot of people know about it, and we know it benefits humans.” On March 12, the students — who range in age from first grade through sixth grade — sat down to read for the MUSC Children’s Hospital. They broke only for lunch and recess. At final tally, they raised $5,060.05 that day. Amanda Mahaffey, special events coordinator with the MUSC Children’s Hospital, recently visited the class and brought them a framed drawing from a former patient to hang in their classroom. The students shared their spoils of victory: I read 11 books! I read 13 books! I read 614 pages! But Mahaffey had another question for them. “How many of you have been to the MUSC Children’s Hospital as patients?” she asked. Nearly every hand went up.
photos by Allyson Crowell, Development & Alumni Affairs
Charles Towne Montessori students raised more than $5,000 for the MUSC Children’s Hospital during their annual Read-A-Thon.
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Corps stationed around the world to promote and protect the health and safety of the U.S. In the fields of clinical care and research, Murthy has made substantial contributions and has a world vision in the area of public health and awareness. Starting as early as his matriculation at Harvard, he co–founded with his sister an HIV–AIDS education program in India and the United States, eventually reaching more than 45,000 youths. He also co–founded a program in rural India to train women as health providers and educators. Murthy’s research activities have focused on vaccine development and the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials. His findings have been published in Science, the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In an effort to improve the clinical trial process, he co-founded and chaired a successful software technology company, TrialNetworks, which in seven years sponsored dozens of clinical trials affecting more than 50,000 patients in approximately 75 countries. Murthy intends to concentrate his efforts as Surgeon General on issues such as healthy eating, active living, tobacco–related diseases, mental health and vaccination rates. At MUSC’s Commencement, he will receive the honorary degree Doctor of Medical Science, honoris causa.
Other honorary degree recipients — all receiving Doctor of Humane Letters degrees — include: q Wendy C. H. Wellin, a licensed stockbroker, founder of a fashion consulting business and philanthropist who, with her late husband, established the Wellin Stroke Center at Roper Hospital and the Keith Wellin Head and Neck Cancer Center at MUSC. She is a member of MUSC’s Heart & Vascular Center board. q W. Hayne Hipp, a private investor and former chief executive officer of The Liberty Corporation, is involved in several civic and charitable activities and is a staunch supporter of MUSC’s Physician Assistant Scholarship and the Center of Excellence in Lipidomics, Pathology and Therapy at the Hollings Cancer Center. q John and Jill Chalsty, with combined experience ranging from financial management to video production, have a shared commitment to community service. John has held the offices of president, chairman and CEO of the investment bank Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc. and is a former vice chairman and director of the New York Stock Exchange. Jill founded 3E Productions, and as chairwoman and CEO, created and produced a series for public television. She also founded the Community for Education Foundation to assist middle and high school students in communication, decision-making and goal–setting.
The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015 11
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Department of Health and Maternal and Child Health Bureau. “Building on the state’s Obesity Action Plan, the breast milk provided by MMBSC and its supporting milk depots will ensure that South Carolina’s youngest and most vulnerable resident have access to the nutrition and support they deserve. We look forward to working with MMBSC on this key initiative by offering equipment, staff, and outreach support at five of our local health departments across the state. “ The milk will be shared among infants at five regional hospitals that have a NICU: Greenville Health System, McLeod Health Hospital (Florence), MUSC (Charleston), Palmetto Health Richland (Columbia) and Spartanburg Regional Hospital. It will also be available to level II hospitals in our state when caring for infants born before 34 weeks gestational age. Costs to set up the milk bank are approximately $200,000 and about $230,000 a year to run. Funding from sponsors including Tidelands Hospital System nurses, SCDHHS, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation, the South Carolina Perinatal Association and other stakeholders have covered the initial
costs of the state’s first milk bank and MUSC is providing facility and staff support. SCBOI, which is spearheaded by SCDHHS but involves stakeholders statewide, was established in 2011, and develops strategies to improve the health of moms and babies in South Carolina. In three years, the group successfully reduced the number of non-medically necessary, early elective deliveries in South Carolina by 70 percent. In addition, as a result of the Baby-Friendly initiative, 24 percent of babies in our state are born in a Baby-Friendly hospital.
Current Statewide Depots MUSC Children’s Hospital After Hours Clinic; Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital; Parkside Pediatrics (Breastfeeding Center of Greenville); Roper St. Francis/Roper Mount Pleasant (in process); SC DHEC (5 locations): Beaufort County Health Department, Goose Creek Health Clinic, Richland County Health Department, Spartanburg County Health Department; Sumter County Health Department; Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System; and Waccamaw Community Hospital
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problematic for those at home with children to meet their physical activity requirements. The Wii is at home, it’s convenient, and, physically, it’s as beneficial as other moderate activity. “There is a huge appeal to its portability and its ability to reach into the home. These games are used in assisted care and rehabilitation facilities, as a way to get people moving. It definitely beats kids or even adults just sitting there on the couch. Video games are going to be around for a while; they’re not going anywhere. So it’s useful to tap into their appeal.” Serber also believes that video games, being games, might hold the key to keeping people engaged and helping them meet their physical activity requirements over the long term. “We’re struggling to find ways to get people to maintain physical activity over a period of time,” she said. “Due to psychosocial factors, like motivation, exercise video games might even be better than traditional forms of exercise.” Serber said she had never played exercise video games herself before to conducting the study. “I play them now,
but I was not a Wii Fit user when I started. I have purchased a Wii for my family. I think they hold a lot of promise, and they’re a lot of fun. One of the things I’m passionate about is trying to get people to adopt healthy behaviors, whether eating better, getting more physical activity or taking care of their emotional health.” Prior to Serber’s work, most similar studies only looked at snapshots of adolescent populations, rather than adults over multiple sessions. Serber said her study provides a good basis to continue the research going forward. Beth Bock, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Miriam Hospital and Brown University’s Centers for Preventive and Behavioral Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island, is a co-author on Serber’s paper and has obtained an R01 grant from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to continue the research, comparing exercise video games to other forms of physical activity. Serber is also a co-investigator in Bock’s study and is hopeful that video games will continue to prove themselves not only entertaining distractions, but keys to good health as well.
12 The CaTalysT, May 1, 2015
Longtime peds abuse expert surprises with new proposal Eighty percent of cases in the latest Child Maltreatment Report avaiable involved neglect By helen aDaMs Public Relations
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hen Sara Schuh took stage at the child abuse conference named in her honor, people were expecting to see a wise pediatrician toward the end of her career imparting wisdom and encouragement. What they got in addition to that was a surprise: The 79–year– old physician proposed a new Schuh way to help troubled
families learn how to raise children without neglecting them. She called it “the Skill School System”: a program to help parents who have neglected their children, whether it’s due to ignorance, substance abuse, or something else, learn how to change. “Most parents and other caregivers want what’s best for their children. They don’t get up in the morning deciding to neglect them,” she told the audience of advocates and health care professionals at the Sara Schuh Child Abuse Conference in Mount Pleasant. Neglect can involve anything from abandonment to hunger to an unsafe home. Some cases make the news. Last month, a couple in Inman, South Carolina were charged with neglect after deputies found children in a room that
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Pediatrician Dr. Sarah Schuh wants to meet the challenge of child neglect with a special school. had been chained shut. The condition of the house was “deplorable,” according to deputies, with clothes, trash, food and roaches littering the house. Schuh said four common problems contribute to neglect: poverty, ignorance about parenting and household management, educational deficiencies preventing the parents from rising from poverty and illness or disability. “The way things currently work is difficult for parents and caregivers to navigate,” Schuh said. When parents or other caregivers are accused of neglect, “we send them all over everywhere to get the different services.” That leads to duplication of efforts and wastes the time of families and the professionals who work with them, Schuh said. “The key to long-term help is not a quick fix but a set of steppingstones and guideposts that lead to improved capacity for negotiating the community systems and rewarding caregivers for meeting goals to improve their lives and the lives of their children.” She said the school she envisions would play multiple roles. First, it would assess how much the parents or other
caregivers know about raising children and offer counseling and education, with an emphasis on dealing with the trauma those kids have experienced. Second, the parents would learn how to work together in the children’s best interest and resolve conflict in a productive way. Third, the school would assess the parents’ education level. “Everyone should have access to educational achievement at least in literacy, math and home financial management assessment,” Schuh said. Finally, the school would explore caregivers’ job histories, mental health and substance abuse issues. It would offer professional counseling and drug testing. To make “the Skill School System” a reality, Schuh said, agencies would have to work together and the community would have to be willing to invest in the program. Schuh’s ideas are the result of a career spent helping abused and neglected children that began in 1979 at MUSC. She remembers the days when there was no emergency room for children, minimal information about child abuse and too few doctors trained to recognize and treat victims. Schuh was part of the movement to change that. Today, MUSC Children’s Hospital has a 24–hour emergency department; knowledge about child abuse and neglect is much more accurate, in-depth and widespread; and MUSC has several experts on pediatric abuse, including Schuh, ready to help. Schuh is preparing to retire as she approaches her 80th birthday, but she’s clearly not ready to stop advocating for children and families. She wants to use what she’s learned over the years to keep improving the system. Schuh is also paving the way for newer child abuse advocates, many of whom see her as a role model and mentor. The pediatrician envisions a similar mentoring role for graduates of “the Skill School System”: parents who complete the program would become mentors for new students, showing them the path toward becoming good parents. “If you can get somebody who can negotiate the system and get out and be successful, they can be a good mentor for people coming up, saying I did it – you can do it too. And this is how you can do it too.”