MUSC Catalyst 5-3-2013 by Cindy Abole

May 3, 2013

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Vol. 31, No. 36

Inside Low vision golfers tee up for LEADERSHIP BANQUET

MUSC students were recognized for their volunteer commitments in the community and abroad.

charity, eye disease awareness BY CINDY ABOLE Public Relations

n the game of golf, players may sometimes take what they can’t see for granted. Not so for golfers Jim Gilstrap and Peter Alan Smith. The duo are low-vision golfers who will play as first-time partners of a foursome at the eighth annual Charleston RiverDogs GolftoberFest charity tournament at Wild Dunes Resort, May 7. The pair will compete with College of Charleston golfers and play a captain’s choice format at the event, which features prizes and awards

RESEARCH SERVICE LINE

See Tee Up on page 8

Nexus will enhance translational research and serve as an extended partner for medical discoveries. 2 Campus News 5 Meet The Carters 11 Applause T H E C ATA LY S T ONLINE http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst

all built around a German Octoberfest theme. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit MUSC’s Storm Eye Institute. What’s special about this tournament is that it will include a variety of golfers including sighted, blind and visually-impaired participants. Both Gilstrap and Smith have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that gradually weakens vision. More specifically the disease attacks the light-sensitive rods and cones of the eye’s retina. As the disease progresses, people experience night blindness and a slow loss of side vision. With no cure, RP often results in overall vision loss or blindness. Smith, 53, is an executive-in-residence professor at the College of Charleston’s School of Business, and has played blind golf for years. He recently competed in the American Blind Golf Championship in San Antonio. In blind golf, the only rule difference is the use of a sighted coach who can assist a player by describing distance, hole characteristics and club head alignment with the ball. Blind or partially sighted golfers also are allowed to ground their club in a hazard. On the golf course, Smith feels comfortable with his game, and with help from his sighted coach, has choreographed a routine. For every shot, he works with his coach on his stance, alignment and swing. Just

Golfer Peter Alan Smith works with sighted coach Chris Haley to line up his putt during a practice round at Republic Golf Club in San Antonio. Right photo: Jim Gilstrap uses a club to align his feet and body with the target before swinging.

2 THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013

PEOPLE

Around Campus

Dr. Shakaib Rehman

Shakaib Rehman, M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and attending physician in the Primary Care Division at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, has been elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Membership in the society recognizes a physician’s dedication to the profession.

Dr. Mark Lyles

Mark Lyles, M.D., chief strategic officer for the Medical University Hospital Authority and assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, was recently elected as the vice president of the American College of Medical Quality. Lyles’ new role was announced during the organization’s annual national conference held in February. The ACMQ provides education and leadership to health care professionals in the field of medical quality management.

Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Kim Draughn catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Cindy Abole, aboleca@musc.edu Ashley Barker, barkera@musc.edu

College of Medicine Dean Emeritus Dr. Jerry Reves, left, holds up MUSC’s Tree Campus USA banner along with Nate Dubosh, arborist and assistant supervisor, and Robin Smith, grounds supervisor. The MUSC 7D5#DG@>( )7B C?=G& @AG $GD@?4$7@?#& #& 07@?#&79 3D5#D -7'. $G9G5D7@G" on April 26.

Dr. Prabhakar Baliga

Prabhakar Baliga, M.D., chief of transplant surgery, was selected as the next OR executive committee chair. He assumed the role of chair in February, leading his first meeting on Feb. 27.

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Cheryl Holderfield, R.N., nurse manager of the NSICU, was selected to receive the 2013 American Association of Critical Care Nurses Circle of Excellence Award, which recognizes and showcases the excellent outcomes of individuals in caring for high acuity and critically ill patients and their families. With this award, Holderfield will be welcomed into the AACN Circle of Excellence Society and will be 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.

honored at the 2013 AACN National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition in May.

Debbie Petitpain

Debbie Petitpain, a Sodexo dietitian with the bariatric surgery program, won the Clinical Advocacy and Engagement Award from the Health Care Without Harm Healthy Food in Health Care program. The award is one of four Sustainable Food Awards given this year to recognize leadership in health care food service. The Clinical Advocacy and Engagement Award recognizes clinical health professionals who are making the critical link between the industrialized food system and public

health. The award encourages innovative program development and educational outreach. “Our nation is in the midst of an epidemic of chronic disease, much of which is preventable,” said Gary Cohen, president and founder, Health Care Without Harm. “Eating healthy foods and producing foods in a sustainable manner is an important way to help reverse this epidemic. Debbie Petitpain has demonstrated exceptional efforts to take this message to those within the clinical setting and outside that setting to protect public health.” Petitpain serves on a distinguished leadership committee for MUSC’s Urban Farm and has brought her postbariatric surgery patients to the farm for tours.

EVENTS Rheumatology Pie Day The annual Rheumatology Pie Day will be held from noon until 2 p.m., May 6 in Room 816 (endocrinology conference room) of the Clinical Sciences Building. The event is not a sale or a fundraiser, it’s just a celebration of pie. Drinks, plates, napkins and forks will be provided. Guests just need to bring a pie. Remember, pies don’t have to be limited to just sweet fruit fillings. They can be savory pies of meats, vegetables and cheeses. The more creative, the better. For information, call 792-2003 or email bonnerjm@musc.edu.

May designated as Estate Planning Awareness Month

he Office of Gift Planning has designated May as Estate Planning Awareness Month on the MUSC campus. Every Tuesday and Thursday during the month, a broadcast message will be sent out with a different topic to help employees learn about planning or updating estate plans. During the next month, the Office of Gift Planning will answer questions as well as provide participants with estate planning resources.

The online Wills Planner, which is found at http://bit.ly/15XfqJN, is designed to help employees gather the information an attorney will need to begin the process of planning for the future. The planner will guide participants through a series of questions that will help identify estate assets and financial goals and need. For information, contact McLaurin Brunce at brucem@musc.edu or 7920002.

THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013 3

Banov Award winner nominated for volunteer work BY CAROLINE ASSEY Public Relations

day Alsarraf, M.D., a graduate of the MUSC College of Medicine, was selected as the recipient of the Charles H. Banov, M.D., Humanitarian Award for his genuine passion for service and volunteering of his time to serve the unmet needs of communities, both locally and in other countries. Alsarraf was inspired to go into medicine by his father, who is an ophthalmologist. “Ophthalmology is one of the few specialties that combines depth of medicine and surgery under one field. All surgeries that you perform have an immediate reward and change the quality of life for your patient,” Alsarraf said. After medical school, Alsarraf traveled to Oman, a country in southwest Asia, to help eradicate trachoma, a bacterial infection in the eye, in underprivileged rural areas. It was this trip that made him realize the importance of volunteerism in health care. He also has an interest in glaucoma due to a personal experience with it. During a routine eye exam, Alsarraf discovered he had an asymmetric optic nerve, which made him a glaucoma suspect. Although he is glaucoma-free, this event sparked his interest to volunteer his time

Dr. Oday Alsarraf received the Dr. Charles H. Banov Humanitarian Award, April 17. Presenting the award to Alsarraf was Nancy Banov, wife of Charles. The award recognizes 7& 28</ B@>"G&@ )A# A7B (7"G 7 B?C&?4$7&@ contribution locally or abroad. The recipient also receives $1,000. increasing glaucoma awareness and serving the less fortunate with free screenings, while simultaneously focusing his research on this disease. Alsarraf is currently in the graduate school program obtaining a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. His research

focuses on improving neuro-protective strategies in glaucoma, under the mentorship of Craig E. Crosson, Ph.D., professor and senior associate dean of research. Alsarraf presented some of his research findings at the 2012 Student Research Day and was awarded first place for best oral presentation. He has dedicated his time to many different causes including: Teach for America, Crisis Ministries, Ethics Consults Service, Graduate Student Association, Fight for Sight, Medical Student Ophthalmology Society, various MUSC committees, and he serves as the South Carolina representative for World Glaucoma Week. Alsarraf also holds the 2012 Mr. MUSC title, was nominated for the Earl B. Higgins Student Leadership in Diversity award in March 2013, and is a Presidential Scholar. J. Matthew Rhett, Ph.D., nominated Alsarraf for the Banov Award after nominating him last year for the MUSC 2012 Student Leadership Society award, which he won. “The active and passionate role he has taken in volunteering his time has benefitted everyone in our community from patients and the underprivileged to fellow students, researchers and clinicians. He is truly an outstanding individual in all respects, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will continue to surpass

See Award on page 4

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Leadership banquet recognizes exemplary students ! South Carolina College of Pharmacy Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity Inc.: This group hosted events including the Turkey Fry, Shrimpin’ for Charity, Swamp Party and Chicken Bog. In order to raise money for MUSC and the South Carolina College of Pharmacy, to attend the events, guests had to donate $5 or five canned goods. The fraternity successfully raised more than 3,015 pounds of canned goods and dried foods, doubling the amount it raised last year.

BY CAROLINE ASSEY Public Relations Students and organizations were recognized April 17 at the MUSC Student Leadership and Service Banquet for exceptional leadership and volunteer commitments. The students were chosen for their character, service and commitment to MUSC and the Tri-county area. The event honored inductees and scholarship recipients of the MUSC Student Leadership Society. Established in 2007, the society recognizes students who are caring, ethical, creative and compassionate leaders who work successfully in teams. The Student Leadership Society welcomed eight student-inductees for 2013. There were a record number of 42 nominees. The winners were Luke Dong, Alisa Joyner, Catherine Syretz, Caroline Griggs, Paul Lambert, Cody Chiuzan, Thomas Beckham and Cameo Green. For this honor, faculty, administrators and fellow students nominated individuals in good academic standing in any year of study. Nominees must embody the characteristics valued most by the society, including empathy, awareness, commitment to diversity, and a history of helping others and setting a positivity example through their character. Inductees were presented with a plaque and $1,500 scholarship. This banquet also honored student organizations that participated in the MUSC Gives Back program. Each of the six colleges and one universitywide student organization or group was given an award. Marking the 20-year anniversary, the MUSC Gives Back program’s purpose is to promote volunteer experiences to allow students to observe health care issues in the community. Mark Lyles, M.D., served as the keynote speaker for the event. He caught the attention of graduating seniors by saying, “Get out of the health care profession.” His speech stressed finding the balance between working and having fun. Lyles was one of the key players in

Front row, from left: Alisha Joyner (College of Medicine), Caroline Griggs (S.C. College of Pharmacy), Cameo Green (College of Nursing), Catherine Syretz (College of Health Professions) and Cody Chiuzan (College of Graduate Studies); back row, from left: Luke Dong (College of Medicine), Paul Lambert (College of Dental Medicine) and Thomas Beckham (College of Medicine and Graduate Studies). starting the MUSC Gives Back student volunteer program. Listed below are the student organizations that participated in the MUSC Gives Back program and were recognized for their service. ! College of Dental Medicine American Association of Women Dentists: This group participated in the Sugar Free Fall Festival for the diabetic children in the Charleston area. Members played carnival games with children and handed out sugar-free prizes and free toothbrushes. They were able to explain the importance of oral hygiene to the community. ! College of Graduate Studies Multi-Cultural Graduate Student Association: This group provided healthy meals each month to the children of Carolina Youth Development Center while mentoring, tutoring and playing games with the children. In addition to this organization, members have also helped raise money through the Ryan White fund to provide HIV-positive patients with medicine if they cannot afford it. To support both of these causes, the members held numerous bake sales to increase donations.

! College of Health Professions Doctor of Physical Therapy – Class of 2014: This group organized the second annual “Shots with a Spin” wheelchair basketball tournament. The group spent countless hours promoting the event and raising funds to benefit Achieving Wheelchair Equality. ! College of Medicine Surgical Training and Residency Student Group: This group volunteered in the MLK Day of Service by providing education to the community on various health care professions. Through the use of games, visual media and direct interaction, they were able to answer questions and promote interest in all health care specialties. ! College of Nursing Multicultural Student Nurses Association: MSNA participated in service activities around the community including the Aleta McLeod-Bryant and Delma Woods Health & Wellness Fair, as well as serving as medical volunteers at the Challenge MS Walk. The association’s main focus was to provide vital patient education to participants without access to health care, while identifying possible health concerns.

! Universitywide organization Student Interprofessional Society: In an organization of 70 members, this society aimed to provide information, enroll in a medication adherence program, volunteer at the CARES clinic and with Junior Doctors of Health, and to promote health and well being in the underserved Tri-county areas. Some events the society has benefitted are Sugar Free Fall Festival, MLK Bridges to Health Service Day, Tri County Black Nurses Health Fair, Harris Teeter pharmacy visits and student promotion.

AWARD

Continued from Page Three

all expectations,” Rhett said. “I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this award than Oday.” Zsolt Ablonczy, Ph.D., also nominated Alsarraf for the award. Although Alsarraf was born in England, he considers himself a Charleston native. He has been a part of the MUSC community since graduating from the College of Charleston in 2002, when he began working at the Storm Eye Institute as an ophthalmic research technician. After receiving the Banov Humanitarian Award, Alsarraf said, “I am grateful first and foremost to my family and friends for their love, my mentor for his continuous support, and all my lab mates and colleagues for their encouragement. I think everyone should give back to the community, especially the underprivileged, so to be recognized for that is just a bonus.”

THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013 5

MEET MEGHAN AND COLBY

Meghan and John-‘Colby’ Carter What colleges are you in Meghan, Dental Medicine; Colby, Health Professions. They will graduate in 2014. How you are changing what’s possible at MUSC By working with the community to prevent diseases in the young Volunteer hours (MUSC Gives Back) Meghan: 180; Colby: 150 Favorite NFL team Tampa Bay Buccaneers Favorite TV show )04.#3 ($' ,2*# !/"&1-$ +$0% Career goal Meghan: pediatric dentistry; Colby: cardiothoracic physician assistant What inspires you to volunteer with MUSC Heart Health Meghan: I grew up playing sports. I love engaging children in games and workouts to show them how rewarding exercise can be. Colby: I was an overweight child with poor exercise and diet habits. I can relate to the struggles of the children with whom I work. I have slimmed down so it’s exciting to show the children that they can transform their lives by eating right, exercising and having fun.

6 THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013

Medical Center Communications Corner

he month of May is filled with celebrations surrounding health care. National Nurses Week, to honor nursing professionals and all they do, will take place May 6-12. National Hospital Week, celebrating health care history, technology and the dedicated professionals that make our

facilities beacons of confidence and care, will take place May 5-10. MUSC will host a variety of special events and activities for staff over the course of the next week to celebrate Nurses Week and Hospital Week. See the calendar of events below.

Celebrating Excellence Nurses Week May 6 - 11

Monday, May 6

! Nurse of the Year ceremony and reception, 9 until 10 a.m., St. Luke’s Chapel ! Food truck rodeo, 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., MUSC Horseshoe

MUSC medical center night staff enjoyed treats at last year’s Hospital Week ice cream social. This year’s event will take place at 10:30 p.m. on May 9.

Hospital Week

Tuesday, May 7

! Bubbies Bakery, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Children’s Hospital lobby ! Healing Touch, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Ashley River Tower atrium ! Nurses Craft Fair, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., ART atrium ! Poster presentation, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. CH lobby ! Photo booth, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., CH lobby

Wednesday, May 8

! Chair massages, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., CH lobby ! Education and Professional Organization Day, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. CH lobby ! Question and answer panel, 1 until 2 p.m., Storm Eye Institute auditorium ! Chair massages, 2 until 4 p.m., ART atrium

Thursday, May 9

! Bubbies Bakery, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., ART atrium ! Nurses Craft Fair, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., CH lobby ! Poster presentation, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., ART atrium ! ANA “Innovation in Nursing Practice” webinar, 1 until 2 p.m., location TBA ! Nurses Night at the RiverDogs/Thirsty Thursday, 7:05 p.m., RiverDogs Stadium $5 upper reserve tickets available for nurses only, online password: scrubs13

Friday, May 10

! Closing celebration with pizza and cake, 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Hollings Cancer Center remembrance garden ! Caring for the Caregiver presentation by Jim McClure, noon until 1 p.m., Baruch auditorium on Calhoun Street, snacks and gifts from Hospice Care of S.C. ! Night shift pizza party, 6:30 until 7 p.m., ART and university hospital lobbies

Saturday, May 11

! Chair massages, 12:30 until 2:30 p.m., CH lobby

FUN FACT:

The celebration of National Nurses Week runs until May 12 each year. That date was chosen because it is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

May 3 - 10

Friday, May 3

! Hospital Week kickoff with food trucks, vendors, games and raffles, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., MUSC Horseshoe

Monday, May 6

! Fruit and muffins available, 6 until 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 until 3:30 p.m. ! Deadline for unit poster contest ! Voting for daily trivia and photo contest begins

Tuesday, May 7

! Sweet and Savory registration ! Voting for daily trivia and photo contest continues

Wednesday, May 8

! Sweet and Savory contest, 2W classroom; judging begins at 3 p.m. ! Unit poster contest judging ! Vendors will be on campus from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. ! Voting for daily trivia and photo contest continues

Thursday, May 9

! Voting for daily trivia and photo contest continues ! Unit poster contest winner will be announced ! Ice cream social for night staff, 10:30 p.m. until midnight

Friday, May 10

! Winners announced for online photo contest ! Vendors will be on campus, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. ! MUSC Family Night at the RiverDogs, game starts at 7:05 p.m., fireworks to follow

FUN FACT:

The celebration of National Hospital Week began in 1921 when a magazine editor suggested that more information about hospitals might alleviate public fears about the“shrouded” institutions of the day.

THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013 7

SCTR Institute introduces Research Nexus for MUSC investigators BY ASHLEY BARKER Public Relations

he South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute is launching the new SCTR Research Nexus, a comprehensive clinical research service line for MUSC investigators. The SCTR Research Nexus enables and enhances translational and patientoriented research through funding, infrastructure and expert clinical research staffing, serving as an extended partner for medical discoveries. An open house for the new Nexus will be held from 4 until 6 p.m., May 16 in suite 214 of the Clinical Sciences Building. “We have met with investigators across the campus to see how we can meet their clinical and translational science research needs,” said Patrick Flume, M.D., program director of SCTR Research Nexus. “Changes have been made in response to what we learned, and so the SCTR Research Nexus will be the home of patient-oriented innovation and discoveries that help secure a healthier future for South Carolina.” A new service offered through the Nexus is the Research Opportunities & Collaborations program to assist in establishing an industry-sponsored portfolio with a value-added revenue stream. MUSC investigators can access new funding for research opportunities,

obtain assistance with the research site selection process, feasibility assessments, site visits, and budget development and agreements. For investigator-initiated research, in addition to the SCTR Pilot Project and Voucher programs, SCTR Research Nexus Translational Awards are available to provide up to 50 percent of the cost of clinical research nursing, laboratory, bone density and pulmonary function testing services. “In these difficult economic times of state and NIH funding cuts, the SCTR Institute is working hard to fill gaps and support researchers at MUSC by continuing to provide and expand research support services,” said Royce Sampson, R.N., SCTR chief operating officer and director of the SCTR Success Center. Available on a fee-for-service basis to fully support investigators or complement existing personnel are clinical research nurses, nutritionists, grant managers, and coordinators for research, recruitment and data. The 9,200-square-foot SCTR Research Nexus Research Center, located on the second floor of the Clinical Sciences Building, includes eight examination rooms, three procedure rooms and a dental suite. Also available are a pulmonary function testing suite, which contains a Carefusion Vmax system, and a specialized imaging and

:AG +.6**,BF>7DG,E##@ E7$?9?@' 9#$7@G" #& @AG BG$#&" 1##D #E @AG /9?&?$79 Sciences Building includes eight examination rooms, similar to the one pictured here, in addition to a dental suite and three procedure rooms.

The SCTR Research Nexus laboratory processes biological specimens, provides nucleic acid extraction services, offers a variety of ELISA !D#@#$#9B 7&" A7B @AG 75?9?@' @# "G=G9#! 7&" $>B@#(?%G !D#@#$#9B @# 4@ individual investigator needs. more information about the SCTR body evaluation suite designed to limit Research Nexus can be found at http:// radiation exposure, making studies available to pregnant women, infants and academicdepartments.musc.edu/sctr/ nexus/ or by calling the SCTR Success neonates. Center at 792-8300. For the convenience of the research teams and their patients, the Nexus Research Center includes registration personnel, free patient parking, a phlebotomy and blood processing station, computer access in each room, study personnel access to phones and copiers, dry ice, medical gases, vital sign and electrocardiogram machines, and stock supplies. The Nexus also has a fully equipped research laboratory for processing biological specimens and extracting nucleic acids in addition to a biorepository to store samples of plasma, DNA and urine. The laboratory includes nine work benches, a biological safety cabinet, nine freezers and an automated temperature monitoring system. “We’re bringing a higher level of functionality to what we do,” The Imaging and Body Evaluation said Colleen Corish, R.N., Nexus suite includes a BodPod, which administrator. performs body composition In addition to the open house, measurements.

8 THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013

TEE UP

Continued from Page One

prior to contacting the ball, he repeats instructions to himself like a personal mantra: “Slow back, head down and follow through.” Playing the game with his senses more than with his sight, Smith says he relishes those moments – the crisp sound of his club face contacting with the golf ball on his drive or the soft plunk of an approach shot on the fairway. He finds joy in every part of the game. “There’s just something about finding that one shot throughout 18 holes when you know you can do it while enjoying a beautiful day outside. It’s what attracts me to play and compete every time,” said Smith, who mentors others diagnosed with blinding eye diseases. Smith has battled RP since he was a college student and manages his disease with specialists at SEI. Despite his disability, he lives an active life running, cycling (he won a silver medal in the Para-Olympics.) and volunteering as board chairman of the S.C. Commission for the Blind and other organizations. Unlike his golf partner who has lived with gradual vision loss for more than 22 years, Gilstrap, 49, continues to learn to adjust with his disability. Before, the Summerville native was a leisure golfer active in sports. Since his diagnosis in 2004, Gilstrap’s blurred vision changed his game especially when he lined up his shots or tracked his golf ball around the fairways or greens. Just recently, he reconnected with a friend who is an avid golfer, and returned to playing golf again. In 2012, Gilstrap was introduced to blind golf through the American Blind Golf Corporation where he connected with Smith. Gilstrap is legally blind with 20/400

“We are immensely grateful to the RiverDogs for their sponsorship of this year’s golf outing along with the other various events throughout the year that benefit Storm Eye.” Dr. Lucian V. Del Priore vision and limited sight vision, but manages to roll with the changes. “I’m active and doing more things now than before my diagnosis. I enjoy what I can thanks to my friends and my will never give up on life,” he said. SEI director Lucian V. Del Priore, M.D., Ph.D., is proud to partner with the Charleston RiverDogs and other local and statewide organizations that inspire others to support clinical programs and sight-saving research conducted at MUSC. “We are immensely grateful to the RiverDogs for their sponsorship of this year’s golf outing along with the other various events throughout the year that benefit Storm Eye. Their donations to our research help us continue and escalate our efforts to find cures and treatments for blinding eye diseases like retinitis pigmentosa. I wish to thank Mike Veeck and the entire staff at the RiverDogs for their tireless efforts and dedication in helping us in our quest to eliminate blinding eye diseases,” said Del Priore. For information, visit SEI at http:// www.muschealth.com/eyes/.

THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013 9

Around 750 to graduate May 17 from MUSC A

pproximately 750 graduates are expected to receive degrees from MUSC’s six colleges during commencement exercises scheduled for 9 a.m., May 17 at McAlister Field House on the campus of The Citadel. Donna Christensen, M.D., a delegate to the House of Representatives for the Virgin Islands, will be the keynote speaker. Currently serving her ninth term, she is the first female physician to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as the first woman to Christensen represent an offshore territory. She serves as assistant minority whip in the democratic caucus. In the 113th Congress, she serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and its subcommittees on health, energy and power, and on commerce, manufacturing and trade.

A graduate of St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind., Christensen went on to earn her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine. Christensen will receive an honorary Doctor of Medical Science degree following her remarks to the graduates. MUSC will also confer honorary degrees on: ! Bruce Pratt, DVM, of Ladys Island, retired veterinarian and conservationist, will receive a Doctor of Medical Science degree. ! Kelley Smith O’Quinn, S.C. native who is active in several community and statewide organizations including acting as an MUSC Foundation board member emeritus, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. ! South Carolina Senator and retired Alcoa executive Paul G. Campbell, of Goose Creek, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. ! South Carolina Senator and businessman Thomas C. Alexander, of Walhalla, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Poster contest to illustrate domains of quality Participate in National Hospital Week, May 3 through 10, by creating a poster illustrating how your department has embraced at least one of the Six Domains of Quality (safety, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, equitable). Posters must be on poster board,

which will be displayed in the university hospital cafeteria hallway. Pick up a poster board by 3 p.m., May 3 in Room 841 North Tower (one entry per department). Return the completed poster by 3 p.m., May 6. For information, email Star Ross at rosssl@musc.edu or call 792-7956.

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS The Employee Wellness program promotes the health and wellness of the MUSC community. The following are events and classes offered through the program. For information, contact Susan Johnson, Ph.D., at johnsusa@musc.edu or Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@ musc.edu. Events, speakers, classes, or any other ideas are welcome. Be sure to like the Employee Wellness page on Facebook to keep up with events. ! Zumba at Harborview Office Tower: Join licensed Zumba instructor Felecia Curry for a weekly Wednesday night class held from 5 until 6 p.m. in Room 302, Haborview Office Tower. Email curryf@ musc.edu for more information or to register. ! Worksite screening: The next worksite screening will be held May 16 in the Wellness Center Auditorium. This screening, valued at about $350, is available to employees with the State Health Plan for $15 (covered spouses can also participate for $15). Employees and spouses without this insurance can participate for $42. The screening includes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blood draw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and a blood lipid profile. To register, go to www.musc.edu/ employeewellness and click “Worksite Screening Appointment.” ! Gold Pass: Play in seven different county parks all year long for one price. Charleston County Parks and Recreation Gold Pass membership is valid for up to 15 people per vehicle and offers unlimited visits on an annual basis and a VIP booklet packed full of park and event related discounts. The cost is $55.25 and includes one free Adventure

Out T-shirt for participation in all fitness classes during the month of May. Purchase at http://ccprc.com/index. aspx?NID=10 or call 795-4386. ! MUSC Healthy Challenge Tuesdays with the RiverDogs: Tuesday night games will now be geared toward living and promoting a healthy lifestyle featuring a sponsorship with MUSC Wellness Center, Healthy Charleston Challenge and with support from MUSC Urban Farm. Healthy concessions options are now available throughout the season, featuring the MUSC Urban Farm Veggie Taco, made from crops grown on the MUSC Urban Farm. Special discounted tickets to all Tuesday games, with reserved group seating just for MUSC are available (tickets must be purchased by noon the day of the game). Gates open at 6 p.m., and game time is 7:05 p.m. To purchase discounted tickets, visit http:// cr1.glitnirticketing.com/crticket/web/ gpcaptcha.php. When prompted enter the Group Password: “healthy.” Stop by the MUSC table to enter a drawing for free wellness center passes and other health and wellness information. MUSC Urban Farm ! Work and Learn with child-friendly activities on the first and third Saturdays: The next one will be from 9 until 11 a.m., May 4. Bring a plastic bag and take home produce in return for your work efforts on the farm or help gather for donations on certain days. Closed-toe shoes must be worn. The event is open to the community. ! Early bird maintenance: Come help take care of the farm from 7:30 until 8:30 a.m. May 8.

10 THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013

Information helps protect babies with heart defects BY ALLYSON BIRD Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

Ashton Simons learned five months into her pregnancy with twin girls that the left side of one daughter’s heart had failed to form. Simons, who lives in Columbia, decided that she would deliver Briana and Viviana at MUSC so that doctors could move Briana directly to photo provided the Neonatal Intensive Briana and Vivian Care Unit after birth. Simons’ doctors warned her that a delivery before 34 weeks meant Briana would not breathe on her own. Then, at 32 weeks, Viviana’s heart rate dropped, as the umbilical cord knotted and wrapped twice around her neck. Simons had to deliver her girls that day by an emergency caesarian section. “Doctors gave Briana a less than 5 percent chance,” Simons said. But Briana took her first breaths on her own. Simons’ daughter numbers among the 20 to 30

patients treated in the MUSC Pediatric Cardiology Department each year for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a defect in which babies are born with only one pumping heart chamber. Their births mark only the beginning of a complex medical journey that involves everything from specialized feeding plans to developmental studies. Woodard Nurse practitioner Frances Kline Woodard arms new parents with a simple tool to ensure that their fragile babies get the care they need: binders containing helpful, and sometimes life-saving, information. These resource books include a first page with all the critical information that a parent might need to provide if her child winds up in the emergency room. The remaining sections, marked off with tabs, include diagrams of the heart condition, a list of surgeries and medications, and outlines of other services the baby receives, such as occupational therapy. The YES Campaign dedicates the money needed to provide every parent with a binder and monitoring by a pediatric cardiologist, a nurse practitioner and a registered dietitian. The campaign, short for Yearly Employee Support, encourages MUSC employees to

donate toward education, patient care and research projects in need of extra cash. “We were doing this before the YES Campaign funding, but I was buying the binders out of pocket,” Woodard said. MUSC Pediatric Cardiology belongs to the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative, a group of pediatric centers across the country that share a goal of improving care for single ventricle patients. Many of those patients come to MUSC from hundreds of miles away, and then their referring pediatricians back home must provide their ongoing care and meet their complex needs. “The main issue is they get pediatric cardiac care here but then leave,” she said. “The binders aid in improving the communications among all those involved with the care of these patients. This has helped bring everyone back together.” Baby Briana successfully underwent two of three surgeries that all patients with her condition face in the first three years of life. Simons adds new information to her binder for Briana’s care along the way. “In case anything happens,” Simons said, “I know what to look for.” Editors note: To donate to the campaign, visit https:// giving.musc.edu/yes

THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013 11

APPLAUSE PROGRAM The following employees received recognition through the Applause Program for going the extra mile: Medical Center Rebecca Hank, 6W; Denise Dopson, Meduflex; Shirley Cummings–Jamison, GI Clinic; Kathy Shelton, ART 6E; Justin Caldwell, Inpatient Pharmacy; Kate Miccichi, Revenue Cycle; Jessica Bonavita, Revenue Cycle; Murray Passo, Pediatrics Rheumatology; James Johnson, Biomedical Engineering; Toccarra Pasley, Women’s Services; Nekeesha Green, Urology Clinic; Jill Mauldin, Obstetrics Gynecology; Casey Howett, Women’s Services; Ashlyn Savage, Obstetrics Gynecology; Karen Johnson, 5E; Olivia Burgess, Labor & Delivery; Mary Ann Bates, 5E; Maria Pirraglia, Women & Infant Services; Hazel Washington, Medical Records; Chris Prestel, Pediatrics Residents Program; Melissa Hucks, 6E; LaRenzo Champagne, Transplant; Amy Gagliardi, 6E; Judy Singleton, 6E; Amanda Styslinger, 6E; Melvena Nelson, Environmental Services; Elizabeth Lynn, Meduflex Team; Charlene Fessler, Radiology; Margaret Young, 6E; Kevin Freeman, Environmental Services; Emily Nowell, Venipuncture; Sarah Hichman, 6E; Sharon Jones, STNICU; Adrian Green, Peri-Anesthesia Unit; Andrew Reynolds, Residents Ophthalmology; Brenda Brown, Women’s Services; Annie Williams, Ambulatory PreOp Clinic; Connie Kersey, Endocrinology Clinic; Adrienne Gregory, Revenue Cycle; Caesar Mackey, Patient Transportation; Vernita Snider, Children’s Services Registration; Brenda Singleton, Dietetic Services; Shirley Lawrence, Dietetic Services; Kindra Taylor, Women’s & Infant Services; Lesley Weick, NNICU; Christina Van De Castle, Women & Infant Services; Shana Bondo, Pediatrics Emergency Medicine; Cecilia Gillens, 6E; Kristen Quisenberry, Dietetic Services; Tracy McClure, 6W; Tammi Morrison, PAS; Janet Stone, PACU; Zack Halewood, Patient Transportation; Melissa Parker, 6W; Shatora Williams, GI Clinic; Mary Moultrie, Pediatrics Primary Care; Lisa Foster, Revenue Cycle; Maude Smith, 6W; Gail Simmons, Environmental Services; Brittany Pearson; 8E; Rocky Wong, 8E; Kristin Stober, 8E; Lisa Klasek, 8E; Amy Hanna, 8E; Cassandre Noble, 8W; Leah Ramos, 9E; Deborah Jones, PAS; Mary Robinson, PAS; Evelyn Polite, OR; Suzanne Ramage, Volunteer & Guest Services; Philip Middleton, Hospital Computer Services; Daniel Williams, Patient Transportation; Tara Hall, 8W; Diana Williams, Environmental Services; Leon Walthall, Department of Medicine; Mechelle Rouse, GI Clinic; Virgetta Cromwell, 4E; Chris Wieters, 4E; Faye Parker, Volunteer & Guest Services; Trista McLeod, Hollings Cancer Center; Darryl Lee, Revenue Cycle; Margaret Maynard, PAS; Ashley Harrison, 7A; Hannah Hutmacher, Clinical Neurophysiology Services; Robert Turner, Neurology; Rebecca Moore, Labor & Delivery;

Michael Donovan, 2CCV; Ramona Smith, 9W; William Williams, Environmental Services; Gwen Frazier, Peri-Anesthesia Unit; Dorothea Rosenberger, Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine; Fred Tecklenburg, Pediatrics Critical Care; Cagney Lauderman, 7A; Erin Farella, Child Life; Nicole Cool, 9W; Drake Holmes, Safety & Security; Rita Forrest, Environmental Services; Sonia Larson, 5W; Misty Gordon, 6E; Shavon Gruber, 6W; Kim Poulakis, 6E; Sara Sullivan, 6E; Kathy Shelton, 6E; April Braisted, 6E; Kari White, 6E; Sandy Carpenter, 6E; Eugenia Mathias, 6E; Melanie Hines, 6E; Elaine Sola, 6E; Michelle Mitchell, Energy Management; Vicki Shelton, 6E; Jacqueline Smith, Women’s Services; Katelyn Dunahoe, 6W; Darian Epps, 6W; Jeff Pauley, Newborn-Special Care Nursery; Jennifer Weeks, 6W; Janessa Sumter, Dietetic Services; Sally Key, 6W; Estelle Asby, PAS; Lisa Kirkman, DDC; Rita Duffy, Volunteer & Guest Services; Rebecca Ladson, Environmental Services; Kevin Clayton, Hospital Maintenance; Jessica Johnson, 10W; Britini Camarato, Meduflex Team; Ciara McDermott, Med/Surg ICU; Matthew Bogart, Med/Surg ICU; Karen Kelley-Long, Med/Surg ICU; Kenneth Gordon, 2JRU; Vicky Lennen, 2 JRU; Michelle Stecklein, 2JRU; Keri Walker, PACU; Katy Benjamin, 2JRU; Collette Mayes, Scheduling; and Shana Bondo, Pediatrics Emergency Medicine. University

Eartha Bonneau, Mail Services; Greg Buck, Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Pat Casano, Enrollment Services; Barbara Donnelly, Human Resources; Laura Droege, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck; Cristol Duke, Pediatrics; Jacoba Gillians, OCIO-EPIC Training; Elizabeth Gossen, College of Medicine/Dean’s Office/CME; David Hallett, OCIO; Carissa Howle, Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck; TJ Jennings, Engineering & Facilities/ AC Shop; Martha Jones, Public Safety; Destiny McQuire, Procurement Services; Ashley Miller, Hematology/Oncology; Kyle Pinckney, Engineering & Facilities/ Housekeeping; Teresa Rogers, Procurement Services; Leanna Christine Shelter, Pediatric Dentistry; Christine Strange, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck; Jennifer Ullum, Human Resources; and Celeana Wood, Pediatric Dentistry.

Talent show to support charity MUSC Live! will be held from 6 until 10 p.m., May 3 at NV Dance Lounge (48 N. Market St.). The annual talent show, hosted by the College of Medicine, features bands and acts highlighting comedy to a blend of music performed by students, physicians, professors and other MUSC staff. Admission is free, and food and beverages will be provided. Wrist band purchases will support charity.

12 THE CATALYST, May 3, 2013