'This is the Future' Head Start on Good Health - Cedars-Sinai
'This is the Future' Head Start on Good Health - Cedars-Sinai
'This is the Future' Head Start on Good Health - Cedars-Sinai
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Head</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Start</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
FOCUSING ON<br />
PRESCHOOLERS<br />
AND PARENTS<br />
About 30 parents and children fill<br />
several rows of kid-size chairs in<br />
a preschool classroom at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 6th<br />
Avenue Early Childhood Educati<strong>on</strong><br />
Center in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mid-City area of Los<br />
Angeles. At <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fr<strong>on</strong>t of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> room<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> a d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>play of colorful posters with<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> in Span<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>h and Engl<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>h<br />
about nutriti<strong>on</strong>al differences<br />
between milk, fruit drinks, sports<br />
drinks, and soda.<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Educator<br />
Angelica Torres refers to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>play as she gives a half-hour<br />
talk. It <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> 4 p.m. and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pre-<br />
schoolers are playing in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> next<br />
room as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir parents and older<br />
siblings learn about healthy<br />
beverages.<br />
Steering Away from Soda<br />
At <strong>on</strong>e point, Torres holds up a<br />
box of sugar and an empty cup<br />
and asks, “How much sugar do<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinued page 4<br />
Surge<strong>on</strong>s for a Day . . . . . . . . . . . . 2<br />
Teaming Up with Telemundo . . . . . 3<br />
News in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Head</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Start</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Health</strong> . . . . . . 4<br />
‘Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Future’<br />
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VISIT CEDARS-SINAI TO EXPLORE<br />
WIDE RANGE OF NURSING CAREER PATHS<br />
Students are delighted to get a dose<br />
of reality as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y put <strong>on</strong> scrubs<br />
during a <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> tour.<br />
S U M M E R 2 0 1 0<br />
Tania Ramos was wide-eyed as she walked <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> corridors of<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> Medical Center during a behind-<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>-scenes tour<br />
that was part of a recent Nursing Career Lunche<strong>on</strong> for high<br />
school students.<br />
She was <strong>on</strong>e of about eight students in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> group. M. Carmen<br />
Adams, RN, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> OR/Anes<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>sia Department had <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir full<br />
attenti<strong>on</strong> as she led <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m through two surgical units. At <strong>on</strong>e<br />
point, Adams asked <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students to put <strong>on</strong> green scrubs over<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir clo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, as well as masks, so <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y could go into an<br />
operating room that was not being used. They were thrilled to enter a world <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y’d seen <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong> TV.<br />
An ‘Awesome’ Experience<br />
Daniel Bachar, RN, a clinical nurse in orthopaedic surgery, walked in just after <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students and<br />
was startled to find a group of teen-agers in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> OR. He immediately shifted to teaching mode,<br />
answering questi<strong>on</strong>s about imaging and surgical equipment and telling <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students: “Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> a cool<br />
place to work. You learn something new every day.”<br />
When it was time to move <strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students carefully folded <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir scrubs and kept <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m as souvenirs.<br />
“That was awesome,” said Ramos, who just graduated from nearby Hamilt<strong>on</strong> High School. Ramos feels<br />
a special c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong><br />
to <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>. She<br />
was born at th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> hospital<br />
and has l<strong>on</strong>g wanted to<br />
follow in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> footsteps<br />
of an aunt who <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> a<br />
nurse at <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>.<br />
The whole experience,<br />
which included a series<br />
of talks by nurses in<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Harvey Morse<br />
Auditorium followed by<br />
lunch and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> hospital<br />
tour, left Ramos feeling<br />
High school students v<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>it at an operating room at <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>. Their<br />
hospital tour was part of an event introducing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to career opportunities in<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nursing field. c<strong>on</strong>tinued page 2
Embracing Our Community Page 2<br />
‘Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Future’<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinued from page 1<br />
an even str<strong>on</strong>ger desire to become a<br />
nurse. As she said: “I love helping people.<br />
And <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> more to th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> job than I<br />
thought.”<br />
An Inside View of Nursing<br />
About 125 students from six high schools<br />
attended <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nursing career lunche<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Many were surpr<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed to learn that nurses<br />
work not <strong>on</strong>ly in a wide variety of patient<br />
care settings, but also in management and<br />
educati<strong>on</strong>al roles.<br />
“Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> annual lunche<strong>on</strong> gives high school<br />
students a rare opportunity to get an<br />
inside view of what nurses do,” said<br />
Andrea Perry, <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s <strong>Health</strong><br />
Careers Academy program manager. “As<br />
our speakers share <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> struggles <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y’ve<br />
Audub<strong>on</strong> Middle School student Bij<strong>on</strong><br />
Lew<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> receives pointers about surgical<br />
instruments from Image Guided<br />
Surgery Coordinator Fred Smith at<br />
Brainworks event.<br />
It takes a leap of imaginati<strong>on</strong><br />
for boys and girls in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir<br />
early teens to see <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves<br />
performing brain surgery.<br />
But <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>tance between<br />
fantasy and reality shrinks for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> young people who v<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>it<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> to experience<br />
“a day in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> life” of a neuro-<br />
surge<strong>on</strong> during an event<br />
called Brainworks.<br />
Created by <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong><br />
neurosurge<strong>on</strong> Keith Black, MD,<br />
in 1998, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> annual event gives<br />
underrepresented 7th and 8th<br />
graders from Los Angeles area schools a first-hand look at what it’s<br />
like to be a neurosurge<strong>on</strong> or a neuroscience researcher.<br />
“Our goal <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> to fire a passi<strong>on</strong> for science and medicine by giving<br />
students a chance to talk with surge<strong>on</strong>s, clinical scient<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts, nurses<br />
and physical <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rap<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts, and d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> excitement that comes<br />
faced and talk about how <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir careers<br />
evolved, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students also see that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> no single, straight career path, and that<br />
gives <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m hope.”<br />
Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer<br />
Linda Burnes Bolt<strong>on</strong>, DrPh, RN, FAAN, told<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are needed in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
nursing field because <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are now about<br />
40,000 more jobs than nurses nati<strong>on</strong>wide,<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> shortage <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> expected to signifi-<br />
cantly worsen over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> next five years.<br />
O<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r speakers shared pers<strong>on</strong>al stories<br />
about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir career paths.<br />
Finding Inspirati<strong>on</strong><br />
Paulette Anest, RN, a nurse manager in<br />
labor and delivery, talked about how she<br />
was inspired by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> compassi<strong>on</strong> of a nurse<br />
Surge<strong>on</strong>s for a Day<br />
from helping patients and solving medical problems through<br />
research,” said Black, who <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> chair of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> Department of<br />
Neurosurgery and director of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical<br />
Institute, which sp<strong>on</strong>sor <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> day-l<strong>on</strong>g event.<br />
A Hands-<strong>on</strong> Experience<br />
Brainworks features interactive stati<strong>on</strong>s where students perform<br />
virtual surgery using 3-D imaging and a phantom skull, manipulate<br />
actual surgical instruments, examine microscope slides of various<br />
types of tumors, perform laser and DNA experiments, have <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir vital<br />
signs checked, and learn how it feels to use a walker and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> equipment.<br />
Through th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> hands-<strong>on</strong> experience and interacti<strong>on</strong> with healthcare pro-<br />
fessi<strong>on</strong>als, Black hopes to cultivate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> early curiosity and interest in<br />
medicine that he experienced with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> encouragement of parents who<br />
were educators. He was just 17 when he publ<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>hed h<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> first research<br />
paper and went <strong>on</strong> to author hundreds of scientific articles, including<br />
findings from pi<strong>on</strong>eering research <strong>on</strong> how to open <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> blood-brain<br />
barrier and enable chemo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rapy drugs to be delivered directly to<br />
brain tumors.<br />
who cared for her uncle during h<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> battle<br />
with liver cancer. “There <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> nothing about<br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> professi<strong>on</strong> that’s easy, and it’s not<br />
supposed to be because we’re dealing with<br />
human lives. It’s complex and challenging,<br />
emoti<strong>on</strong>ally and physically, and I can’t<br />
imagine doing anything else,” she said.<br />
After <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> talks and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lunch, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students<br />
broke into about 10 small groups for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
hospital tours. They were greeted warmly<br />
by those <strong>on</strong> duty in various medical units.<br />
At <strong>on</strong>e point, a surge<strong>on</strong> met Tania Ramos’s<br />
group in a narrow corridor. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> students<br />
made a path for him, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> charge nurse<br />
introduced <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> doctor. She said,<br />
“Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future.”<br />
BRAINWORKS EVENT CULTIVATES INTEREST IN MEDICINE
Teaming Up with Telemundo<br />
HEALTH FAIR ADDRESSES NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED<br />
HISPANIC COMMUNITY<br />
Children brush up <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir dental hygiene skills.<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> provided <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se props to help educate<br />
kids at a health fair organized by Telemundo 52.<br />
Nurse practiti<strong>on</strong>er Sylvia Estrada, RN, <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e<br />
of many <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> employees who speak<br />
Span<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>h, understand <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> health problems facing<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> underserved, uninsured H<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>panic populati<strong>on</strong><br />
of Los Angeles, and welcome every opportunity<br />
to help.<br />
These employees are a crucial part of<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s community health programs,<br />
which deliver vital informati<strong>on</strong> and services<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> city’s most vulnerable populati<strong>on</strong>s. One<br />
opportunity to reach those in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> H<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>panic<br />
community with limited access to health<br />
services was a recent day-l<strong>on</strong>g health fair<br />
organized by Telemundo 52, a Span<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>h-<br />
language telev<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>i<strong>on</strong> stati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The annual event drew 20,000 people to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Los Angeles C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> Center, and Patricia<br />
Buchanan of Telemundo estimated that about<br />
half of those who attended were uninsured.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Educati<strong>on</strong> and Screening<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s team of 120 people provided<br />
free services for more than 3,000 people at<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fair. Adults received blood pressure and<br />
diabetes educati<strong>on</strong> and screening, nutriti<strong>on</strong><br />
counseling, and H1N1 immunizati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> also brought its two COACH for<br />
Kids and Their Families ® medical vans, which<br />
regularly v<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>it community sites in underserved<br />
areas of Los Angeles. In additi<strong>on</strong> to providing<br />
H1N1 vaccines for children and adults, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
COACH staff offered a variety of health<br />
educati<strong>on</strong> activities for children, including<br />
nutriti<strong>on</strong> and dental educati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Identifying Problems Early<br />
Estrada, a board member of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Los Angeles<br />
chapter of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Associati<strong>on</strong> of H<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>panic<br />
Nurses, recruited eight nurses from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
associati<strong>on</strong> to join o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs <strong>on</strong> <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s<br />
team who are bilingual, ensuring that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
many event participants who did not speak<br />
Engl<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>h would be able to communicate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir<br />
health c<strong>on</strong>cerns.<br />
“We see a lot of hypertensi<strong>on</strong> and unc<strong>on</strong>-<br />
trolled diabetes in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> large underserved and<br />
uninsured H<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>panic populati<strong>on</strong> of Los Angeles,”<br />
Estrada said.<br />
At <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Telemundo health fair and many<br />
o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r similar events throughout <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> year,<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s team teaches people how<br />
to take better care of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir health. “Our<br />
screenings identify problems before <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y get<br />
out of c<strong>on</strong>trol, and we make referrals to help<br />
people get <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow-up care <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y need,”<br />
Estrada said.<br />
Blood pressure<br />
screening<br />
was <strong>on</strong>e of<br />
a number<br />
of services<br />
provided by<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s<br />
team at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Telemundo<br />
health fair.<br />
NEWS IN BRIEF<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Start</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing Young<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> has expanded its <strong>Health</strong>y<br />
Habits for Kids program from four to<br />
eight elementary schools and, in additi<strong>on</strong><br />
to offering 10-week workshops in<br />
sec<strong>on</strong>d-grade classrooms throughout <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
school year, provides health educati<strong>on</strong><br />
classes for children in third and fourth<br />
grades. The program, offered primarily in<br />
low-income neighborhoods in Mid-City<br />
Los Angeles, seeks to get children started<br />
<strong>on</strong> a lifetime of healthy habits by teaching<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to eat well and exerc<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>e regularly<br />
from an early age.<br />
Yoga in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Park<br />
They did it for fitness—and for fun.<br />
About 35 mo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs recently brought <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir<br />
children to Benny H. Potter West Adams<br />
Avenues Memorial Park in Mid-City to<br />
enjoy a yoga workout and a nutritious<br />
potluck picnic. Many of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> moms walked<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> park from four nearby elementary<br />
schools that participate in <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Habits for Families program,<br />
which helps parents take steps to<br />
improve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir health and become positive<br />
role models for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir kids.<br />
Kids Mentor Kids<br />
Middle-school students will mentor<br />
elementary school kids through a new<br />
program <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing to<br />
help fight childhood obesity. The General<br />
Mills Foundati<strong>on</strong> has awarded <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong><br />
a $10,000 Champi<strong>on</strong>s grant for a pilot<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Habits Youth Mentoring Program.<br />
Studies have shown that peer mentors<br />
can be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> single most important influence<br />
in l<strong>on</strong>g-lasting behavior changes. The<br />
Medical Center was <strong>on</strong>e of 50 nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
recipients whose grant proposals stood out<br />
as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> most innovative am<strong>on</strong>g more than<br />
1,100 subm<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>si<strong>on</strong>s.
For Taye Torio (left), Center Strutters <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> about<br />
friendship as well as fitness. Torio, Irene<br />
W<strong>on</strong>g (center) and Shiz Takagaki like to walk<br />
and talk.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Head</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Start</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinued from page 1<br />
you think <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> in a 12-ounce<br />
can of cola?”<br />
She asks for volunteers, and Alicia Cobbs<br />
and her daughter, Selena, step up to help.<br />
The entire group counts as Selena scoops 16<br />
teaspo<strong>on</strong>s of sugar into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> glass cup. Torres<br />
pauses to let <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> impact of th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> sink in. “Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> why it’s better to drink water or milk,” she<br />
tells <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> group, stressing that soda causes<br />
cavities and c<strong>on</strong>tributes to obesity.<br />
The educati<strong>on</strong>al d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>plays—and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> talk—are<br />
part of a pilot program launched in January<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact Informati<strong>on</strong><br />
For more informati<strong>on</strong> about<br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> newsletter, please c<strong>on</strong>tact<br />
Cindy Levey, MPH, (323) 866-2997,<br />
or cindy.levey@cshs.org.<br />
Step by Step<br />
FOR FITNESS AND FRIENDS,<br />
CENTER STRUTTERS WALK<br />
25,000 MILES A YEAR<br />
At 88, Taye Torio <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> nearly always a few steps<br />
ahead of her peers.<br />
A member of <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s Center Strutters<br />
walk for fitness program for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> past 19<br />
years, she <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> enjoying <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefits of a<br />
l<strong>on</strong>gtime habit of regular exerc<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>e.<br />
She not <strong>on</strong>ly drives herself to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Beverly<br />
Center to walk laps around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mall three<br />
times a week with Center Strutters, but also<br />
works in her garden, does her own cooking<br />
and housework, and takes an art class. She<br />
wakes up feeling good nearly every day, and<br />
her blood pressure <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> normal.<br />
“I’m pretty healthy and energetic. I can do<br />
just about everything, and I’m very thankful<br />
for that,” Torio said.<br />
by <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s Community <strong>Health</strong><br />
Initiatives team. The program reaches about<br />
700 families through six <str<strong>on</strong>g>Head</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Start</str<strong>on</strong>g> schools<br />
in low-income neighborhoods of Mid-City.<br />
Six different health d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>plays are posted at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
entrances of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> schools <strong>on</strong> a rotating bas<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Topics include healthy snacking, why exerc<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>e<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> good for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> body and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> brain, and how<br />
to determine porti<strong>on</strong> sizes.<br />
“Parents are taking <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> time to read <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
informati<strong>on</strong> when <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y drop off and pick up<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir kids, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> children are drawn to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
pictures,” said Jeannie Nguyen, MPH, who<br />
works in Community <strong>Health</strong> at <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>.<br />
“Th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e of a number of ways we’re<br />
Caring for Our Community<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> Medical Center dem<strong>on</strong>strates its<br />
commitment to improving community health<br />
through a wide range of Community Benefit<br />
programs that serve vulnerable populati<strong>on</strong>s. For<br />
example, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medical Center provides free or<br />
low-cost care for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> needy and, in partnership<br />
There’s no doubt in her mind that Center<br />
Strutters has a lot to do with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> spring<br />
in her step. The program involves about<br />
300 people over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> course of a year, with<br />
a core group of about 50 people, ages<br />
60 to 90. They walk around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> shopping<br />
mall between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. every<br />
M<strong>on</strong>day, Wednesday, and Friday.<br />
Beverly Center has been partnering with<br />
<strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong> to offer th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> fitness program for<br />
20 years. Logan Williams, associate director<br />
of Community <strong>Health</strong> and Educati<strong>on</strong>, said<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> group, which includes many l<strong>on</strong>gtime<br />
members, puts in a total of nearly 25,000<br />
miles a year.<br />
It’s not just <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> health benefits that motivate<br />
Torio and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs to maintain <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir walking<br />
regimen. She explained: “I’ve made very<br />
good friends in th<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> group. We look forward<br />
to getting toge<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r for coffee after we walk.”<br />
Angelina Dias and her s<strong>on</strong>s, Oswaldo (fr<strong>on</strong>t) and<br />
Sergio, study <strong>Cedars</strong>-<strong>Sinai</strong>’s healthy beverages<br />
d<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g>play at 6th Avenue Early Educati<strong>on</strong> Center.<br />
working in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> community to develop healthy<br />
habits early.”<br />
with many community organizati<strong>on</strong>s, offers<br />
hundreds of health educati<strong>on</strong> programs and clinics<br />
where screening can lead to early diagnos<str<strong>on</strong>g>is</str<strong>on</strong>g> and<br />
referrals. Community Benefit efforts also include<br />
graduate medical educati<strong>on</strong> and training programs<br />
for health professi<strong>on</strong>als and research that results<br />
in major medical advances.