Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Student overcomes thyroid cancer while attending OSU med school
Dr. Brandon Garner’s journey to becoming an Oklahoma State University physician was filled with unexpected challenges, including a battle with cancer.
Despite these obstacles, he has emerged stronger and more determined to help others. His interest in medicine began early.
“In fifth grade, we dissected a pig heart and lung for class. I just really liked it,” he said.
This early experience sparked his fascination with hands-on science.
A high school medical mission trip to Guatemala
Mike Gundy said his team was ‘undisciplined’ in Saturday’s practice
With the season now less than three weeks away, practice is heating up.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and select players spoke to the media Saturday, and this is what they had to say on a variety of topics.
Early struggles in practice
When you talk to Gundy about the fundamentals of what have made OSU successful during his tenure, he
will commonly use the acronym DAT — “discipline and toughness.” Whatever you want to call it, Gundy’s teams at OSU have often played above their level of talent, and that starts in spring practice and fall camp. Gundy wasn’t pleased with the level his team practiced at over the weekend, and he was quick to return to the commonly preached principles of DAT.
“We were way undisciplined today. Too many penalties, ball on the ground too much,” Gundy said. “We’ve got a lot of work (to do). We’ve got good players and guys that are returned and experienced, but we’ve got
See Gundy on page 4
with a family friend who was a trauma surgeon only solidified his passion for medicine.
The Start of a Medical Journey Garner entered OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine with excitement and anticipation. However, his journey took an unexpected turn.
“The summer before
medical school, I started feeling this kind of pressure in my throat. I just thought it was allergies,” he said.
It persisted, so Garner asked one of his clinical professors, Dr. Diana DeFelice, to check him out.
“His thyroid gland was enlarged and asymmetrical. I advised him to see his primary care physician and get his thyroid
worked up,” DeFelice said.
Following a series of tests and a biopsy, he received a life-changing diagnosis—cancer.
“I actually just finished a test at school and then I got the phone call,” he said, and the news was a shock. “Cancer could mean a lot of things. You don’t know if it’s really bad or if it’s treatable.”
Despite his thyroid cancer diagnosis, Garner continued his studies while undergoing treatment, which included three surgeries and radiation. “Medical school is stressful enough without trying to treat a potentially life-threatening illness,” DeFelice said.
See Cancer on page 3
CEAT professors aim to improve health and productivity of dairy cows
Dr. Lizhi Wang of IEM were recently awarded funds from Bovita Labs, a subsidiary of Select Milk Producers.
Dr. Guiping Hu, head of the School of Industrial Engineering and Management at Oklahoma State University, and
The proposal, titled “Systematic Integration of Data Sets for Identifying Environmental and Management Factors that
Affect the Health and Productivity of Dairy Cows,” aims to create an integrated data set which will lay groundwork for several follow up research and development opportunities to improve overall health and productivity of dairy cows.
Hu likens the research to a large puzzle. “A puzzle where each puzzle piece is a data set for either environmental conditions or management practices around milk production within the
See CEAT on page 5
Courtesy of OSU News
Dr. Brandon Garner was diagnosed with thyroid cancer his first year of medical school.
Courtesy of OSU News
Two OSU professors were recently awarded funds from Bovita Labs, a subsidiary of Select Milk Producers.
Courtesy of OSU News
Calif Poncy Staff Reporter
Courtesy of OSU News
Continued from page 1
Garner did eventually end up taking some time off from medical school, but not because his studies were suffering. He simply needed to get healthy. He said during it all, OSU Center for Health Sciences provided tremendous support.
“OSU was amazing. They really took care of me, and I’m very thankful,” he said. Throughout his treatment, Garner’s girlfriend and now wife, Emily Garner, was a constant source of support.
She said they hadn’t been dating long when Garner told her about his diagnosis.
“It was so wild. He was very casual about it, but I knew I had already started to like him. It never crossed my mind to
not date him, even though he was going through this,” Emily said. Her unwavering support, along with the encouragement of family, friends and their faith community, played a crucial role in his recovery, Garner said.
“My faith brought immense peace, knowing that you have a community praying for you,” he said.
A New Chapter Garner graduated
from OSU-COM in May and just started his family medicine residency with OSU Medicine in Tulsa.
He is excited about the future, and his experiences as a patient have given him a unique perspective that he believes will make him a better doctor.
“It definitely gave me a patient perspective. I think a lot of physicians don’t have that,” he said.
DeFelice agrees.
“He will be able to relate to the frustration of not being able to travel
a straight line towards your goal when your body doesn’t cooperate. And I know he will also remember how important it is to treat the patient, not the labs, procedures or tests,” she said.
His wife shares in his excitement.
“It’s extra wonderful because it felt like a long journey. Now he’s finished, and he’s going to be that Dr. Garner we knew he always would be,” Emily said.
Garner said he hopes
his story serves as an inspiration to others facing their own challenges, and proves that with determination, support and faith, any obstacle can be overcome.
“You just have to take it one step at a time and rely on your support systems,” he said. “I’m very thankful for everyone who was part of my team, my support system, including OSU.”
Courtesy of OSU News
Dr. Brandon Garner, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, has now started a family medicine residency with OSU Medicine.
Pediatric Obesity ECHO provides expert medical care for kids in rural communities
The Oklahoma State University Pediatric Obesity Project ECHO is transforming lives by addressing childhood obesity early, equipping health care and school professionals with the tools needed to make an impact.
The Pediatric Obesity ECHO was established in 2017 to improve understanding and care capabilities for both medical providers and school health professionals in managing patients with excess weight. It utilizes evidence-based knowledge and casebased learning to support children and families in leading healthier lives.
“Our whole goal for this ECHO is to help providers in the community and in rural Oklahoma, understand how to better care for our pediatric patient population that may carry excess weight,” said Dr. Kelly Murray, OSU Center for Health Sciences clinical professor of clinical pharmacy. “We have a growing population of pediatrics who are being diagnosed with obesity, which is most definitely impactful for not only what providers are treating at that exact moment, but also the consequences that can come about from that diagnosis for later in life.”
Children who carry excess weight are more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, hypertension or type two diabetes, which can have further consequences in adulthood, Murray said.
Using Project ECHO’s virtual platform, the multidisciplinary team — with more than 50 years of combined experience in obesity prevention and treatment — takes specialist care and knowledge to providers in rural areas every Tuesday from noon-1:15 p.m.
“A person in rural Oklahoma may not have the same access to care from specialists like a boardcertified pediatric obesity medicine physician or a dietitian who can help advise a family on how better to care for or prepare food for a child who has excess weight,” Murray said. “When a provider joins our ECHO line, they are able to have access to that entire team of professionals with expertise in obesity medicine and pediatrics specifically to then ask them questions, to gain
City where these specialists exist.”
The hub team said the reason these sessions work is because information sharing is more than just a presentation, it’s a highway with knowledge going in both directions.
“It’s not just us teach-
Our whole goal for this ECHO is to help providers in the community and in rural Oklahoma, understand how to better care for our pediatric patient population that may carry excess weight
Dr. Kelly Murray
knowledge about how we can better care for that kiddo who is out in rural Oklahoma, who potentially would have to drive four, five, six hours to get to Tulsa or Oklahoma
ing our spoke sites or those that join us.
We learn so much from the providers that are practicing out in rural Oklahoma,” Murray said.
“They bring so much
information to the table to us as well, that we’re all teaching and we’re all learning at the exact same time. It’s a beautiful symbiotic relationship with our spoke sites.”
In the last year, this ECHO line held 35 sessions reaching more than 480 participants across the country and awarded 417 continuing medical education credits.
Through the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, the hub team has been trying to broaden the scope of the ECHO line, encouraging those outside the medical field to participate.
“Medical professionals are still very much welcome and encouraged to join because we are talking about patients, but also this is educational, and you don’t have to be a health professional per se to participate and learn from it,” said Dr. Kerry Morgan, Uni-
versity of Central Oklahoma associate professor of public health. Those who work with youth, such as school counselors, administrators, educators and nurses, are encouraged to join to get ideas for physical activity and nutrition and to share their insights.
The ECHO line covers a wide range of topics from weight effects of medications and food insecurity/scarcity to weight-based victimization. They also discuss therapeutic approaches to prevention, family-based health interventions and behavioral strategies to support change.
But the topics don’t stop there.
“If someone, such as a social worker, dietitian, or school professional, had a case that they wanted to submit to gain insight on how to assist a child and their caretakers, we would love that they submit their case for discussion,” Morgan said. “It’s a great way to participate.”
To get the most accurate evidence-based
information to people where they are.
“We’ve got this beautiful, well-rounded approach to caring for these patients in Oklahoma to boost the knowledge base of our rural providers,” Murray said. “When you join the ECHO line, you get access to a file of knowledge and of presentations that have been given in the past to download and use to refresh knowledge.
“Our whole goal on our Project ECHO lines is to democratize knowledge. We want to share knowledge with anyone who joins us, so they then can be the experts within their specific rural environment. We want you to ask us questions, and we want you to bring those patient cases and allow us to help you take care of these patients in Oklahoma to hopefully better see a result and an impact for our community at large.”
Courtesy of OSU News
The Pediatric Obesity ECHO utilizes evidence-based knowledge and case-based learning to support children and families in leading healthier lives.
Gundy...
Continued from page 1
a lot of things we’ve got to get cleaned up to get back to the success we’ve had over the past 20 years.”
An off practice likely shouldn’t raise any flag, but with a two-time defending FCS champion South Dakota State team coming to Stillwater in less than three weeks, OSU will have to work out the kinks quickly.
Higher expectations for Rashod Owens
Before his fourth year on campus last season, Rashod Owens had never caught more than 20 passes or eclipsed 300 yards in a season and had only one career touchdown catch.
After a breakout senior season in which Owens recorded 895 yards and five touchdowns and capped off the season with a dominant 10 reception, 165-yard performance against Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl, he has firmly established himself as a leader for the Cowboys.
“He falls in the category with Ollie (Gordon II) and (Alan) Bowman and Brennan (Presley) and some of the veteran guys, Korie (Black), (Kody) Waltersheid, Nick (Martin), they have to train, practice and have a better attitude and work harder than they ever have in their career if they want this team to win this year, and he’s done that,” Gundy said.
Owens, Presley and De’Zhaun Stribling make up one of the best receiver trios in the Big 12, but it is Owens who is taking the baton as the vocal leader of the group.
“A lot of young guys look up to me, so I’ll say
being able to perform and show them how the work’s done, how to perform here and how to get the coaches to like what they see about the younger guys and everything,” Owens said. “So I feel like that’s a big happy part of my life, and just my play style and teaching the young guys how to get things done the right way.”
Secondary depth stands out early
In a long, brutal season in a deep Big 12 Conference, injuries are a formality at one point or another. Fortunately for OSU, the secondary, and specifically the safety room, is brimming with experienced players.
Lyrik Rawls, Cam Epps, Kendal Daniels,
A TRIUMPHED END!
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering , and the time of my departure Is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not to me only but to all who have loved His appearing.”.
(2 Tim.4:6-8 NKJ)
Here is a man who has lived a life in serving the Lord Jesus and others. He is in a prison cell, expecting his execution at any time. According to history, Paul was beheaded at Rome.
In his last words to a young man and minister, Timothy; Paul was looking ahead to greater and lasting judgement that would come from Christ himself. A
well done to a good and faithful servant. We all can take encouragement from his life of service to the Lord and his vision of something much better that awaited him.
As Jesus neared the end of his life. He prayed:to God “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me...with the glory which I had with you before the world was.”
(Jn.17:4-5 NKJ)
Brother and Sister in Christ: Let us set our goal for a triumphed ending by finishing the work God has called us to do. If it be large or small to our eyes; no matter! Let’s be faithful to that calling and receive a greatly blessed entery into the eternal presence of God. Remember, this life is not the end. It is only a short beginning that will last for eternity.
Tre Rucker, Cam Smith, and not to mention UTEP transfer Kobe Hylton are all players with significant experience, and most of them are versatile enough to play nickelback if necessary.
During the Gundy era, OSU has liked to be able to rotate players in and out to keep them
allow it to do so this season.
“Well, the good news is that we’ll play a considerable number of guys. That’s what we want to be able to get accomplished to keep guys fresh. We’re expecting that the depth we have allows us to grow and let guys stay healthy,” Gundy said.
young player plays too much in his career early, then he gets tired and that works against him. Right now, we have some depth there, so guys can rotate through, but that should help us.”
Mike Gundy said his team has “a lot of things” to clean up. The Cowboys will face South Dakota State University in its first home game of the season.
Kennedy Thomason Editor-in-Chief
A new audit program for Stillwater’s residents will help them conserve energy.
The free Home Energy Audit pilot program is available to Stillwater Electric Utility customers who have houses that are at least 10 years old. The program will give customers tips to conserve energy and improve their houses’ efficiency.
Loren Smith, Stillwater Electric Utility director, said she thinks the audit will allow customers to identify energy losses and help lower utility expenses.
“Stillwater Electric Utility is committed to finding innovative ways to support electric conservation and support sustainability efforts in our community,” Smith said in a statement.
The program began Monday and is available to customers on a firstcome first-served basis.
The Grand River Dam Authority is sponsoring the program. Its $15,000 sponsorship will allow for about 46 participants.
An online form must be filled out to request an audit. Thirdparty contractor Precise Building Performance LLC will schedule and conduct the audits. They will include tests such as a “blower door test, inspection of insulation in the attic, evaluation of the HVAC system and ductwork and inspection of windows.”
City Manager Kimberly Meek said she wants customers to be “fully engaged” in personal and city-wide efficiency efforts.
“With the constant change in our weather and extreme temperatures, this year’s utility rate study and associated changes, and transition to AMI Residential Electric Meters – we encourage our customers to utilize this free pilot program,” Meek said in a statement.
The program will be reevaluated after its financing has been exhausted.
City of
CEAT...
Continued from page 1
industry,” Hu said.
The integrated data set that Hu and Wang develop could allow Bovita to better understand the environmental and management factors that affect their dairy cows — namely their health and productivity.
A possible benefit to the dairy industry worldwide could be made if the research is successful.
While the research involves data sets that are proprietary, both Hu and Wang see the possibility of using anonymized data sets in their course instruction to prepare their students for industry research opportunities.
The idea for this project came from a conversation that Hu had with an IEM alumnus who shares her passion for real-world impact through industrial engineering and data analytics tools. Combining that passion with detailed technical and managerial discussions eventually brought this research proj-
ect to fruition.
“I am always passionate about making societal impact through our academic research,” Hu said. In data analytics and decision-making, this translates to gathering data, analyzing data and extracting as much useful information as possible from that data.
Wang, who joined OSU in 2023, is an expert in the field with many awards in the area of agricultural engineering. His research areas of interest include plant breeding, crop modeling, data analytics among others.
“I truly believe the discipline of industrial engineering shines at the intersection of multiple disciplines,” Hu said.
“Our research team is always looking for new partners, especially those who have already collected or are ready to collect abundant data sets in agricultural practices and would like to extract useful information out of the data.”
To learn more about Hu’s research, click here. To learn more about Wang’s research, click here.
Courtesy of OSU News
Dr. Lizhi Wang: Professor Ken and Lynn Case Endowed Chair Industrial Engineering & Management
Courtesy of OSU News
Dr. Guiping Hu: Professor and Head Donald & Cathey Humphreys Chair School of Industrial Engineering & Management
OSU shows dominance, aggressive identity in exhibition victory over Tulsa
Kenzie Kraich Staff Reporter
Returning a talented core from last season, Oklahoma State showed an aggressive identity behind its young leaders, resulting in a dominant 5-1 home exhibition win for the Cowgirls Friday night against Tulsa. The Cowgirls had
three athletes put points on the board – Xcaret Pineda, Lexi Lee and Alex Morris. Pineda and Lee put up two goals each, with Pineda’s second coming from a penalty kick in the 69th minute. It was apparent from the start that OSU was going to be defensively aggressive and attack when in possession. TU had little room with the ball
in hand as the Cowgirls were instantly pressed on its back to disrupt any possible momentum. Offensively, OSU remained composed and patient, waiting for opportunities to attack on goal. The offensive patience and defensive prowess created a 28-5 shot difference in favor of the Cowgirls. Sixteen of the 28 shots were on goal for OSU, topping last season’s
average by nine.
Although Preseason All-Big 12 selection Laudan Wilson didn’t put up a goal or assist in the match, her presence was evident in the midfield throughout her playing time. The pace of play for the Cowgirls built off of Wilson, as she controlled the majority of the field through her quickness and vision.
OSU faced a familiar
face in the match as Hannah Chance took the field at Neal Patterson once again, but this time wearing TU’s blue and white. Chance was one of the Cowgirls’ leading scorers last season, playing 18 games and tallying seven goals. Logan Hausler is another standout from last season that wasn’t seen in uniform for the Cowgirls, but despite the absence
of two of its best players from last season, OSU looked ready for competition as they prepare for the upcoming season.
The Cowgirls kick off regular-season play in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Xcaret Pineda
Daniel Allen Staff Reporter
Oklahoma State was ranked 17th in the AP’s Top 25 Preseason Poll, which was released on Monday afternoon.
The Cowboys were the second-highest-ranked Big 12 team, five spots behind Utah (12). Also ranked from the conference were Kansas State (18), Arizona (21) and Kansas (22). The AP poll comes a little over a month after the Big 12’s preseason media poll was released, which projected OSU to finish third behind Utah and Kansas State, respectively.
The Cowboys were ranked 12th in the 2022 AP Preseason Poll, started 6-1, but sputtered to a 1-5 finish on the year, ending with a 7-6 record.
The most recent instance where OSU was the second-highest ranked Big 12 program in the AP Preseason Poll was 2020, where it garnered a No. 15 ranking. OSU finished with an 8-3 record in the shortened COVID-19 season, ending with a win against the University of Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl.
OSU is coming off a 10-4 campaign in 2023, which saw the Cowboys clinch the final Bedlam football installment for the foreseeable future, earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas, and end the season with a 31-23 win against Texas A&M in the
Act Texas Bowl. It also marked OSU’s eighth 10-win season under head coach Mike Gundy. The Cowboys return 21 starters from their
Ollie Gordon II (left) and Brennan Presley (right) celebrating together in Houston. OSU was ranked 17th in the AP’s Top 25 Preseason Poll.
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol
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E’COLLY
ACROSS
1 “Glee” teen played by Kevin McHale
Broken up over a breakup, say
Interest gatherers
Exodus mount
Making out on a park bench, say, for short
*Reacting to a “d’oh” moment
Developer’s parcel
“Table for Two” author Towles
Edge out
Disapproving look
“I caught a fish thiiiiis big,” e.g.
On the calendar
*Reimbursement on the go
Collision reminder
Took off
By Wendy L. Brandes
Cowboy Calendar
Wednesday, August 14th
Team Trivia Wednesdays @ 10 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Location: College Bar
Free Back to School Haircuts @ 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Location: Baker & Gambill’s EM
Admission: free, email j@theeveryman.co to schedule your Free Kids Cut
https://curatorsofcraft.co/ Wednesday Weaving - Textile Workshop @ 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: OSU Museum of Art
https://museum.okstate.edu/learn/programming. html
Singo Wednesdays - Tunes & Bingo @ 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Baker & Gambill’s EM
https://curatorsofcraft.co/pages/weekly-events
Structured Open Play Pickleball Wednesdays @ 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: 2513 All Star Dr. Stillwater, OK 74074
Admission: $8 per person
https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Portal/Index/11930
Bingo Night @ 9:30 p.m.
Location: The Union Beverage Co.
https://linktr.ee/theunionstilly
Live Trivia @ 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: Iron Monk Brewing Company
https://www.ironmonkbeer.com/
Open Mic Night @ 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: Bad Brad’s Bar-B-Q https://badbrads.com/
Summer Farmers Market @ 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Prairie Arts Center
https://www.stillwaterfarmersmarket.com/
Thursday, August 15th
Karaoke Thursdays @ 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: Baker & Gambill’s EM
https://curatorsofcraft.co/pages/weekly-events
Beth Lee Performing Live @ 7 p.m.
Location: Stonecloud Brewing Company
https://stonecloudbrewing.com/
Kid’s Night @ 5 - 9 p.m.
Location: Eskimo Joe’s
Admission: $1 Buffy meals
Fiber Arts Group @ 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Prairie Arts Center
https://artscenter.okstate.edu/
Live Music @ 7 p.m.
Location: Iron Monk Brewing Company
https://ironmonk.com/
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Daily Horoscope
Tribune Content Agency
Linda Black Horoscopes
Today’s Birthday (08/14/24). All for one and one for all this year. Contribute regularly to grow family fortunes. Collaboration builds a lucrative autumn. Challenging news requires winter adaptations. Reaping full baskets of springtime profits inspires an alteration of summer investigations. Combine forces and pull together. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Express your heart. The next three weeks, with Mercury in Leo, favor creativity, romance and fun. Discuss passions, hobbies and games with beloved people.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Enjoy creative domestic projects. The next three weeks, with Mercury in Leo, are especially good for family communication. Discuss dreams, visions and plans. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Talk about possibilities and solutions. it’s easier to learn, express and get your message out, with Mercury in Leo. Communications channels are wide open.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Communication gets especially profitable, with Mercury in Leo for three weeks. Negotiations come naturally. Wheel and deal. Craft win-win scenarios. Discuss lucrative possibilities. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Develop creative projects over the next three weeks. You’re especially clever and articulate, with Mercury in your sign. Sing your own tune. Indulge your imagination.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Complete or abandon old projects over three weeks, with Mercury in Leo. Clean messes. Write down dreams. Keep a diary. Envision and articulate plans.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Communication generates teamwork, with Mercury in Leo. Social participation opens new possibilities with friends and allies. Collaborate for common gain. Have fun together.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Brainstorm lucrative ventures. Communication leads to rising professional status, with Mercury in Leo for three weeks. Imagine perfection and share your ideas. Invent possibilities.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Educational opportunities arise, with Mercury in Leo. Expand your investigation over the next three weeks. Long-distance communication and travel open new doors. Make connections.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Tally shared resources. Profitable projects arise in conversation over three weeks, with Mercury in Leo. Collaborate to grow financial strength for a common venture. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Partnership flowers in conversation. It’s easier to communicate, articulate and delegate over three weeks, with Mercury in Leo. Learn from experts. Generate new possibilities together. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Research and learn new tricks. With Mercury in Leo, you’re especially clever and creative with your work, health and fitness. Genius sparks in conversation.
