Erie County Medical Center Opens All New Great Lakes Café

Modern customer-centric dining space provides diverse and nutritious culinary offerings

June 25, 2014 (Buffalo, NY) – Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation, a state-of-the-art regional medical center and health campus, recently unveiled an entirely new cafeteria now called the "Great Lakes Café," with a formal grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony held June 24th. The renovation, completed in partnership with Morrison Senior Living, the leader in food, nutrition and hospitality services for the senior living industry, marks the healthcare organizations’ latest strides to deliver quality, patient-centric experiences.

“Creating a positive atmosphere for our patients, their families and our staff is top priority,” said ECMC President/Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer Richard C. Cleland, MPA, FACHE, NHA. “We wanted our café to be as diverse as the people we serve, so having a range of nutritious dining options proved key. Equally important is having a sleek and modern space that enables interactive opportunities for engagement and great customer service.”

The newly renovated space includes updated flooring, lighting, tables, chairs and an overall fresh contemporary design, creating an inviting space for patients, staff and visitors. Culinary offerings at the new Great Lakes Café include the: 2.mato Italian cuisine, Create made-to-order concept, So Deli, Crips salad bar, Morrison Classic, Bake Shoppe by Rich Products Corporation and the all new Tex-Mex inspired Austin Grill.

“For us, the opportunity to help ECMC further its mission of providing top quality experiences for its patients has been greatly rewarding,” said President of Morrison Senior Living, Kevin Svagdis. “By extending their patient-centric approach into their dining offerings, ECMC is showcasing their depth and range as a healthcare partner. We wish them continued success with the Great Lakes Café and in their overall pursuit of excellence.”

About Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation: The ECMC Corporation includes an advanced academic medical center (ECMC) with 550 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility. ECMC is the regional center for trauma, burn care, behavioral health services, transplantation, and rehabilitation and is a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo. Most ECMC physicians, dentists and pharmacists are dedicated faculty members of the university and/or members of a private practice plan. More Western New York residents are choosing ECMC for exceptional patient care and patient experiences—the difference between healthcare and true care™.

About Morrison Senior Living: Morrison Senior Living, a member of Compass Group North America, is the nation’s only company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and hospitality services to the senior living industry. Morrison has over 150 registered dietitians, 200 executive chefs, 400 hospitality associates and 7,000 professional food service team members. Actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service, the Atlanta-based company serves more than 450 senior living clients in 41 states, including some of the largest and most prominent senior living communities in the United States. Visit www.MorrisonSeniorLiving.com for more information.

Sunglasses can protect your eyes from damage year-round

Sunglasses have come a long way over the years, and you’re now seeing more and more people wearing them year-round and not just during the sunny summer months. When searching for the perfect pair to match your style, you’re sure to come across terms such as “UV protection” and “polarization,” which you may not be too familiar with.

“UV” is short for ultraviolet radiation, which is the energy that comes from the sun and can be damaging to your eyes and skin, according to Michael Tomasik, owner of Tomasik Optical offices in Orchard Park and Lackawanna. UV exposure can also contribute to the development of certain types of cataracts and possibly macular degeneration, so when you’re choosing sunglasses, look for UV-protection details on product labels and select sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Stay away from brands that don’t provide details on their UV protection.


Polarized sunglasses cut glare and haze so your eyes are more comfortable and you can see better. They contain a special filter that blocks intense reflected light and reduces glare, making them very popular among boating, fishing and outdoor enthusiasts.

Today’s sunglasses are made to be worn anytime you’re outdoors, particularly under these circumstances:

• During the summer, when the level of ultraviolet radiation is at least three times higher than during the winter.

• When at the beach or in the water.

• When participating in winter sports, especially at high altitudes.

• When using medications that can cause photosensitivity.

Tomasik Optical offers a wide variety of stylish slip-on and clip-on sunglasses, both prescription and nonprescription. They carry all of the leading brands, including Oakley, Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, Tiffany and several other designer brands.






With offices in Orchard Park and Lackawanna, Tomasik Optical has been serving Western New York for over 55 years. For more information or to make an appointment for an eye exam, please visit www.tomasikoptical.com, email mike@tomasikoptical.com, or call the Lackawanna store at 825-7434 or the Orchard Park location at 667-0004. The Lackawanna store is located at 1258 Electric Ave., while the Orchard Park location is at 3800 N. Buffalo Road. You can also follow Tomasik Optical on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TomasikOptical for frequent updates and eye health tips.

Make a designated driver part of your Fourth of July plans

With backyard parties, cookouts and fireworks, the July 4th holiday is a favorite time of year for many Americans. But the celebrating can turn deadly when people drive after drinking alcohol.  

“Impaired driving can turn celebrations into tragedy in an instant,” said Monica Farrar, director of The Resource Training Center Drinking Driver Program. “With July 4th approaching, we’re reminding people of the cost of impaired driving. In 2012, 179 people were killed in crashes over this holiday period. Of those deaths, 44 percent were in crashes that involved alcohol.”

“The tragic reality is that impaired driving isn’t a new concern,” added Farrar. “During the Fourth of July holiday periods from 2008 to 2012, there were 765 people killed in impaired-driving crashes. We’re asking for your support to remind everyone to plan ahead to ensure their Fourth of July includes not only fireworks at the park and hot dogs on the grill, but a sober ride home for themselves or their guests.” 

If you drive impaired, you not only put your life and the lives of others at risk, you also face a DWI arrest. The average DWI costs $10,000, making it difficult to recover financially. Arrested impaired drivers also face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses from attorney fees, fines and court costs to car towing and repairs, lost time at work and more.

The Resource Training Center recommends taking the following precautions:

• Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.

• If you’re impaired, call a taxi, ask a sober friend or a family member for a ride, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.

• If you see an impaired driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement. 

• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to safely get to where they are going. 

“Whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s never worth the risk to drive impaired,” Farrar said. “There’s always another way home.” 

For more information, please call 983-2258, email info@wnyresourcetraining.org or visit www.wnyresourcetraining.org. You can also follow The Resource Training Center on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Resource-Training-Center/112019195650348 and Twitter (@monica_farrar ).

NCQA Recognizes UBMD sites as Patient Centered Medical Homes

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has recognized both of UBMD Internal Medicine’s private primary care sites – 300 Linwood Ave., Buffalo and 3980 Sheridan Dr., Amherst – for Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Level 3 recognition, effective 6/02/14 through 6/02/17. The Internal Medicine & Pediatrics (Med-Peds) site, 300 Linwood Ave. recognition includes Medical DirectorDr. Tessa Flores, Dr. Jennifer Abeles and PA Julie Schmidt. The Dent Office site, 3980 Sheridan Dr. recognition includesMedical Director Dr. Sarah Thompson and Drs. Karuna Ahuja, Peter Elkin, Nasir Khan, Bonnie McMichael, David Milling, Ellen Rich, and the PA Team of Michelle Bielinski, Christie Morotchie, Victoria Boorman and Linda Weisenborn. Congratulations also to our providers at the Elmwood Health Center, 2128 Elmwood Ave. and at the ECMC Primary Health Clinic, 462 Grider St. Suite 15, who both received Level 3 recognition effective 3/29/2014 through 3/29/2017. UBMD Internal Medicine providers at the Elmwood-People Inc. facility included Medical Director Dr. Michael Aronica and Drs. William Blymire, Janki Patel and Mark Zambron. Our primary providers at the Grider-ECMC site included Drs. Karuna Ahuja, Smita Bakhai, Jyotsna Bhatnagar, John Fudyma, Nasir Khan, Ellen Rich and Scott Stewart.

Roswell Park Grantees Earn More than $2.5 Million for Research Projects

Collaboration with organizations in Ghana, Nigeria one of 15 projects nationwide 

awarded specialized NCI funding

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Over the last three months, faculty members at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) have earned more than $2.5 million in grant funding from public and private organizations. That total includes an award of nearly $200,000 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to initiate partnerships with Noguchi Memorial Institute in Ghana and Lagos State University in Nigeria. RPCI was one of only 15 institutions awarded these specialized NCI grants, created to stimulate cancer research and expand the reach of cancer centers in low- and mid-income countries.

With that $199,982 award, Alex Adjei, MD, PhD, FACP, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and the Katherine Anne Gioia Chair of Medicine, and Chukwumere Nwogu, MD, PhD, FACS, Attending Surgeon in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, will head an initiative to build a well-trained group of clinicians and researchers in those West African countries to collaborate with basic and population-science investigations in cervical, prostate and breast cancer. West Africans and African-Americans in the United States show similar epidemiological trends with regard to breast and prostate cancers, creating clinical research opportunities to enhance drug development and novel therapeutics. The collaboration aims to improve cancer care in Ghana and Nigeria and serve as a paradigm for other developing countries.

In all, RPCI faculty members have recently received a total of $2.57 million in grants, including six awards from the NCI. Other recipients and funded projects:

Sarah Holstein, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, received a four-year, $985,707 award from the NCI to develop new drugs to use against multiple myeloma, by targeting a key process, Rab geranylgeranylation, within myeloma cells.

Carl Morrison, MD, DVM, Executive Director, Center for Personalized Medicine, and Director, Division of Molecular Pathology, received a five-year subcontract award of approximately $561,580 from the University of Pittsburgh for an NCI project to establish the TIES Cancer Research Network (TCRN) at RPCI. The endeavor is part of multi-institutional information-technology solution to connect electronic records and tissue banks at four institutions, increase access to tissues at local biorepositories, and foster collaborations across biorepositories.

Joseph Spernyak, PhD, Imaging Research Scientist, received a two-year award of $182,018 from the NCI to develop next-generation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents to track temperature-sensitive drug carriers engineered to release anticancer drugs locally to tumors.

Shahriar Koochekpour, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Cancer Genetics, departments of Urology and Oncology, received a two-year, $406,247 award from the NCI to investigate how prostate cancer aggressiveness and metastasis in black men may correlate to glutamate (an amino acid) receptor levels. Data from the study may prove useful in distinguishing between aggressive and nonaggressive prostate cancers, and help guide treatment decisions.

Peter Demant, MD, PhD, Distinguished Member, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, received a two-year, $177,740 award from the NCI for work that seeks to identify the specific genes in individual patients that determine whether they’re likely to suffer toxic effects from cisplatin therapy, a group of drugs used against childhood cancers and cancers of the breast and ovary. His work will help physicians personalize treatment choices for individual patients so that a drug’s toxic effects don’t weaken the benefit for the patient.

Gokul M. Das, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Co-Director, RPCI Breast Disease Site Research Group, received a one-year grant of $50,000 from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester for a project that focuses on triple-negative breast cancer. His team will investigate the role of a tumor-suppressor protein called p53 in this highly aggressive and treatment-resistant breast cancer.

Jason Eng, a graduate student working toward a doctorate in the Department of Immunology at RPCI, received a one-year, $2,500 Seed Grant Research Award from the American Medical Association Foundation to explore how physical and emotional stresses might increase the recurrence and spread of pancreatic cancer. The findings from this project may lead to new treatment strategies involving relatively safe and already widely used anti-anxiety or anti-hypertensive medications.

Unyts Announces 1st Annual Danny Gare & Friends Golf Tournament

WHO:             Unyts & Buffalo Sabres Hall of Famer Danny Gare

Tournament presented by Northtown Automotive

Friend of Unyts Sponsor, the Buffalo Sabres

Cart Sponsor, Lumsden & McCormick

Lunch Sponsor, Integrity Distribution

Dinner Sponsors, First Niagara and David Gallant

WHAT:          1^st Annual Danny Gare & Friends Golf Tournament for Unyts

WHEN:          Monday, June 23, 2014

§  11:30am – Registration/Lunch

§  12:30pm – Shotgun Start, 18 holes of golf

§  5:30pm – Cocktail Reception & Dinner

WHERE:       Westwood Country Club

772 N. Forest Rd, Williamsville

The 1^st Annual Danny Gare & Friends Golf Tournament for Unyts is SOLD OUT! Over 150 people will participate in a fun and exciting day of golf playing alongside local celebrities, professional athletes, and legendary sports alumni. Each foursome will be paired with a friend of Danny’s, including Zemgus Girgensons, Kevin Sylvester, Jay McKee, Pat Kaleta, Rene Robert and Jerry Korab.

There are currently over 122,000 people across the United States waiting for a transplant, and 100 people in WNY will need blood today. All monies raised from the Danny Gare & Friends Golf Tournament will fund educational programming and outreach that will help Unyts- WNY’s only organ, eye, tissue and community blood center- broaden the scope of who they are reaching about the importance of giving the Gift of Life.

*Unyts now operates under d/b/a Unyts. We are no longer Upstate NY Transplant Services.*

Niagara Falls Named Semifinalist in National “Way to Wellville” Competition

One of 16 Communities Selected by Esther Dyson-backed Nonprofit

Niagara Falls, New York has been selected as one of 16 semifinalists in The Way to Wellville, a national competition to find five communities to compete over five years for the greatest improvement in five measures of health. The initiative is sponsored by HICCup (www.hiccup.co), a nonprofit founded by angel investor Esther Dyson to encourage community-led innovation that results in healthier people and places.

HICCup’s six-person advisory board selected the 16 semifinalists from a highly competitive field of 42 community applications received from 24 states. Semifinalist communities will now submit full proposals by June 27 detailing their vision and plans for the next five years.

“It sounds trite, but it is extremely difficult to choose,” said Ms. Dyson. “The number and quality of applications is a testament to the exceptional places and dedicated leaders eager to make a difference in the health of their communities.”

Mayor Paul Dyster said, “I am so thrilled and grateful that the “Creating a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative” was selected as a semi-finalist in the HICCup Competition.  Our Task Group to Create a Healthier Niagara Falls has worked diligently to bring health awareness to our citizens, and Niagara Falls with its high poverty rate and health issues will really benefit from the effects of the HICCup initiative.  Anything that improves the health and health care system for our citizens will go miles in securing their strength, stability, and dignity—and we all appreciate this special designation from HICCup”.

 “Having the opportunity to apply and to become a semi-finalist in the HICCup competition has been a catalyst to mobilize the Mayor’s Task Group to a higher level. Speaking on behalf of the Mayor’s Task Group we are thrilled to have this opportunity to become a finalist.” stated Shelley Hirshberg, Chair of the Mayor’s Task Group.

After reviewing semifinalist proposals, the HICCup advisory board will select a smaller number of finalist communities for site visits in July and early August. The selection will culminate in mid-August with the announcement of five Wellville communities to compete in the five-year contest. The Wellville Five will attend the Next Step to Wellville conference, September 16-18, 2014, in Tampa, Florida, to kick off the five-year effort.

The five communities that earn a spot in the five-year contest will receive support from HICCup and a network of partners in the areas of health data/measurement, consumer- and community-based health solutions, and innovative health financing strategies. The effort will measure the impact of coordinated, community-wide initiatives, while creating new models and markets for the production of health.

“The idea behind The Way to Wellville is not just to make a measurable difference in five places, but to design and deliver a comprehensive approach to health that can be replicated broadly,” said Rick Brush, CEO of HICCup. “Together with our Wellville partners, five communities will point the way to better health and financial sustainability.”

The 16 semifinalists for The Way to Wellville contest are:

·      Athens County, OH

·      Clatsop County, OR

·      Clinton County, NY

·      Columbus, IN

·      Garden City, KS

·      Greater Muskegon, MI

·      Jackson, TN

·      Lake County, CA

·      Lynchburg, VA

·      Niagara Falls, NY

·      Oxford County, ME

·      Scranton, PA

·      Spartanburg, SC

·      Starkville, MS

·      Wilkes County, NC

·      Winona, MN

About HICCup

HICCup stands for Health Initiative Coordinating Council. It is a nonprofit supported since mid-2013 through charitable contributions from Esther Dyson, in-kind resources, and extensive field research and development among a growing group of guiding organizations, partners and communities. HICCup is fiscally sponsored by New Venture Fund (www.newventurefund.org). Additional partners, funders and collaborators are encouraged to visit www.HICCup.co and contact rick@hiccup.co.

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The Longest Day Highlights Global Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease

BUFFALO, NY (June 13, 2014) - On June 21, 2014, people across the globe, including several teams across Western New York, will participate in The Longest Day® to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those facing Alzheimer's with a day of activity.

The Longest Day is a sunrise-to-sunset team event to raise funds to fuel the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association®. Across the eight counties covered by the Association’s WNY Chapter, several teams will complete approximately 16 hours of activity ranging from cooking and knitting to playing cards and go-kart racing, to honor those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Participants in The Longest Day are joining a global conversation about Alzheimer's disease, the brain and other dementias as part of the inaugural Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month in June.

These are a few of the local teams organizing activities (and accepting donations), which are open to the public:

·       Pole Position Raceway –  inside the Walden Galleria

·       The Unusual Suspects –  Johnson family at 49 Hamilton Drive in Amherst organizing a day-long music fest and chicken barbeque in the street

·       Gray Matters! –  team will be knitting and crocheting at Dancing Goat Yarn Shop at 11 W. Buffalo Street in Warsaw

“This new event is raising awareness about this terrible disease and the strength and endurance it takes to walk a mile in the shoes of all those impacted,” said WNY Chapter Development Director Lynn Westcott. “These are wonderfully compassionate and dedicated people doing what they can to raise money so we can fund research and continue to care for and support all those impacted by Alzheimer’s.”

Alzheimer's is the nation’s sixth leading cause of death. More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, including approximately 55,000 across WNY, and the national prevalence is estimated to grow to as many as 16 million by year 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association® 2014 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures report.

To learn more about The Longest Day, visit alz.org/thelongestday or call 1.800.272.3900.

Alzheimer’s Disease Quick Facts:

Every 67 seconds, an American develops Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in this country. More than 5 million Americans, including close to 55,000 across Western New York, are living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. To learn more, including the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org/WNY or call 1.800.272.3900.

Memorial Medical Center recruits four physicians to staff

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will welcome four talented physicians to its staff during the next several months.

Simmanjeet Mangat, M.D., will join Memorial’s team of primary care physicians. Dr. Mangat, who will be seeing patients at the Niagara Falls Memorial Primary Care Center, has completed residencies in both Internal Medicine and Medical Biochemistry and Genetics.  A graduate of Government Medical College in Patiala, India, she is a member of the American College of Physicians.

Kamran Ahmad, M.D., will join the faculty of Memorial’s Osteopathic Family Medicine Residency Program at the Summit Healthplex, where he will mentor new physicians and maintain a family medicine practice.

Dr. Ahmad’s hospital and family medicine experience includes both acute care and primary care. A graduate of the University of St. Eustatius School of Medicine (Netherlands), he completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, where he was chief resident.

Niels Ulrich Gothgen, M.D., will be joining the hospitalist team. Dr. Gothgen is an experienced intensivist who has provided attending physician coverage in both medical and surgical intensive care settings. A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, he served residencies in Surgery and Anesthesia before completing a clinical fellowship in Critical Care Anesthesia at Yale-New Haven Hospital. 

John Patrick Blundell, M.D., also will be joining Memorial’s hospitalist team. An internist who served his residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Dr. Blundell is a graduate of Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland.  He is a member of the American College of Physicians.

Lockport Artist Cindy Few Joins Person First Forum at the Museum of disABILITY History

Lockport Local Artist Cindy Few Joins Person First Forum at the Museum of disABILITY History

Artist’s struggles, successes and whimsical illustrations to be the focus of presentation

The Museum of disABILITY History is pleased to welcome its latest addition to the ongoing Person First Forum series: local artist Cindy Few. Few’s discussion, entitled, “Art, My Gift and My Companion,” will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2014 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 3826 Main Street in Buffalo.

The presentation will focus on the artist’s personal experiences and will highlight numerous aspects of her growing career, from the people who have supported her to her plans for the future. Few will also discuss the evolution of her work over time.

A resident of Lockport, Cindy Few is a local artist whose whimsical illustrations have helped her overcome life’s hurdles and have inspired many in the process. Few was born with a congenital heart defect and, at 14, underwent open heart surgery to help correct oxygen insufficiency and the possibility of stroke. Alongside this complication, learning disabilities made schoolwork a challenge. However, Few discovered a talent that was more powerful: her artistic abilities.

Throughout her student career, Few found numerous outlets for her talent, even discovering that her illustrations could be used to better understand her studies. However, Few would later find she had another challenge facing her besides her learning disability. She developed schizophrenia, which adversely affected her concentration, as well as the motivation she had once had for her illustrations. However, with the help of a naturopathic doctor, medication and alterations to her diet, Few has since reconnected with her artwork. She now has greeting cards professionally printed and would like to write and illustrate a book in the future.

The Person First Forum is a free event. Regular admission applies to those who wish to tour the Museum of disABILITY History, which is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information or to register for the event, call 716-629-3626.

The Museum of disABILITY History, a project of People Inc., is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and display of artifacts relating to the history of people with disabilities. The mission is to tell the story of the lives, triumphs and struggles of people with disabilities as well as society’s reactions. The Museum of disABILITY History, located at 3826 Main Street in Buffalo, NY, offers educational exhibits, programs and activities that expand community awareness.

Niagara Falls Memorial receives OK to pursue Niagara-Orleans healthcare coalition

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has received state approval to form a two–county coalition to help reform the state’s Medicaid system.

The effort was prompted by the federal government’s recent approval of a groundbreaking Medicaid waiver that will bring $8 billion in new federal healthcare dollars to New York State over the next five years.  The state plan, known as the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP), will result in the transformation of the state’s healthcare system and ensure access to quality care for all Medicaid members.

Memorial Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Sheila K. Kee said the state Health Department will be selecting coalitions of healthcare providers in a competitive process to determine who will administer DSRIP in regions across the state. 

The DSRIP program will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform, specifically a goal to achieve a 25 percent reduction in avoidable hospital readmissions over five years. Safety net providers will be required to collaborate to implement innovative projects focusing on system transformation, clinical improvement and population health improvement.

“I am pleased to announce that in its first round of decision-making the New York State Department of Health approved our Letter of Intent to form a Niagara-Orleans organization,” Kee said. “We are now asking other healthcare organizations to join the Niagara-Orleans DSRIP Coalition.  Agencies and organizations that do so can be sure they will play a significant role in New York State’s healthcare delivery system reform.”

More than 100 providers have already confirmed their intent to participate. Included in that group are the both the Niagara County Health Department and Orleans County Health Department, Eastern Niagara Health System, Medina Memorial Hospital, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Niagara Hospice and Hospice of Orleans, Inc.

Kee noted that Niagara and Orleans counties have a long history of working together through such organizations as Orleans-Niagara BOCES, the NIOGA Library System and the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance. 

“By working together as a united DSRIP coalition, we can maximize our counties’ receipt of federal funding by reducing the cost of healthcare while delivering better healthcare,” Kee said.

To learn more about the Niagara-Orleans DSRIP Coalition, contact Kee at (716) 278-4301.

Bills Partner with Independent Health to Improve Health and Wellness in WNY

Independent Health Selected as the Official Health and Wellness Partner of the Bills

Buffalo Bills Linebacker Kiko Alonso with students
at Buffalo Public School #18

The Buffalo Bills and Independent Health are teaming up to better the health and wellbeing of the Western New York community. Today’s announcement launches a long-term partnership between the organizations, centered on a community-wide fitness and nutrition initiative to encourage healthy living.

“We are confident this partnership will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of Western New Yorkers,” said Michael W. Cropp, M.D., president and CEO of Independent Health. “At Independent Health we are committed to creating a culture of health through our member benefits and community-wide programs and partnerships. Our team is eager to work with the Bills to help tackle some of the most important health challenges we face in this region.”

       Independent Health President and CEO Dr. Michael Cropp
with Buffalo Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon

“This new partnership with Independent Health only strengthens our commitment to improving the Western New York community, especially the health and well-being of our youth,” said Russ Brandon, president and CEO of the Buffalo Bills. “The Bills are looking forward to making a difference by working in lock step with Independent Health to promote healthy living in schools and throughout our region.”

In a continued effort to make the next generation of youth active and healthy, the Buffalo Bills and Independent Health will work together to support the children of our community by encouraging physical activity and healthy eating in school and at home. The Independent Health Foundation’s Fitness for Kids Challenge and the Buffalo Bills Play 60 Challenge will be offered in collaboration to more local elementary school children during the 2014 season and will include both in-school programming and participation incentives for schools, teachers and students.

“Independent Health has a long history of partnering with community organizations to make access to health and fitness programs easier for Western New Yorkers. We’re excited to team up with the Bills to further enhance these efforts,” said Dr. Cropp.

Details on the community-wide fitness and nutrition initiative, including the establishment of a community advisory committee to help guide our efforts, will be announced in the coming weeks.

RPCI Selected by NCI to Take Leadership Role in Clinical Research on New Cancer Treatments

$3 million Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) grant to fast-track phase III research

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) was chosen by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to serve as a Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS), providing scientific leadership for the development and conduct of clinical trials within the NCI’s new National Clinical Trials Network(NCTN). The NCTN was created to speed the late-phase clinical trials that are necessary to establish new therapeutic agents as cancer treatments for the 1.6 million Americans diagnosed with cancer each year.

As one of 30 LAPS institutions, RPCI will provide scientific leadership in the development and conduct of clinical trials. RPCI receives a five-year, $3.08 million grant for this work and for increased patient-accrual costs.

The previous structure of the NCI’s national clinical trials program, which brought together nine adult Cooperative Groups, was deemed to be inefficient. The new NCTN consolidates the nine groups studying adult cancers into four, and one large group will continue to focus on childhood cancers. In addition, the NCTN aims to achieve four crucial goals suggested in a 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine:

• Speeding the design, launch and conduct of clinical trials
• Optimizing scientific innovations
• Prioritizing research endeavors
• Expanding participation of patients and physicians

In particular, the NCTN aims to streamline the late-phase clinical research necessary to assess and validate new treatments for use in larger numbers of patients. The that end, the NCTN has created:

• A single, common data-management system to be used all clinical studies, easing data sharing and analysis
• One NCI Central Institutional Review Board to cover all studies
• Integrated tumor specimen banks and informatics systems

RPCI’s efforts will be led by four Roswell Park faculty leaders: Ellis Levine, MD, Professor of Oncology in the Department of Medicine; Alex Adjei, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and Katherine Anne Gioia Chair in Cancer Medicine; Shashikant Lele, MD, Clinical Chief of Gynecologic Oncology; and Anurag Singh, MD, Professor of Oncology and Director of Clinical Radiation Research within the Department of Radiation Medicine.

“Through RPCI’s participation in the NCTN, the population of Western New York has access to new approaches to cancer care that would not otherwise be available to them,” says Dr. Levine, “potentially improving quality of life for patients and their families.”

Another important benefit of this new national structure will be seen in the ability to conduct clinical research involving rare cancers, studies in which accruing enough patients to yield meaningful results has always been a challenge. Furthermore, as more cancers are molecularly defined and classified into smaller subsets, the new network enables scientists to conduct trials on specific cancers, specific populations or particular methods.

Get moving this summer with Fitness in the Parks

Have you ever wished you could attend a fitness class outside during the summer so you don't have to trade the good weather for a good workout? Well, now you can have both.

Independent Health and YMCA Buffalo Niagara are once again teaming up with local parks this summer to promote the value of a healthy lifestyle and encourage Western New York residents to participate in physical activity.  You'll be able to enjoy some free fitness fun with YMCA certified instructors starting June 22 through August 30.

Parks hosting Fitness in the Parks include: ArtPark (Lewiston), Bassett Park (Williamsville), Canalside (Downtown Buffalo), Cheektowaga Town Park, Chestnut Ridge (Orchard Park), Delaware Park, Ellicott Creek Park (Tonawanda), Goehle Marina (Lockport) and Main Street Park (Clarence).

Everyone is welcome to participate in these free 60-minute fitness classes, which feature:

• Boot Camp - This challenging yet enjoyable workout will focus on speed, endurance, agility, strength, power moves and cardiovascular training.

• Cardio Dance - Get moving with this class that sets choreography to music. Enhance your cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, flexibility and coordination.

• Cardio Kickboxing - A great way to relieve stress and tension, this aerobic-based class combines boxing, aerobic exercises, and strengthening exercises to increase flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination.

• Pilates - Strengthen the body's core muscles, including the abdominals and lower back, with this method of body conditioning. It will tone the body and increase flexibility.

• Yoga - Enjoy gentle, effective postures that promote stretching, strengthening and relaxation. Benefits include increased blood circulation, improved mental awareness, strengthened muscles and reduced stress.

No sign up or registration is required. For a detailed exercise class schedule, visit independenthealth.com/fitpark.

WNY Pediatric Gastroenterology opens office in Batavia

WNY Pediatric Gastroenterology (WNYPG) announces the opening of their Batavia practice focusing on the care of infants, children and adolescents with gastrointestinal, liver and nutritional disorders.

With the escalation of autoimmune disorders in WNY children, including celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, the physicians and other medical staff at WNYPG want Western New Yorkers to know that they are accepting new patients without long wait times.

The medical practice is located at 166 Washington Ave. Phone is 225-4132. (Web: wnypedgi.com)

They are committed to see patients within 48 hours. Dr. Daniel Gelfond focuses a significant portion of his practice on celiac disease and is a medical advisor to the WNY Gluten Free Diet Support Group.

Gelfond completed his residency at Long Island College Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, and completed his fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he worked with world renowned, Dr. Alessio Fasano at the Center for Celiac Research.

A nationally recognized physician scientist, Dr. Gelfond conducts clinical investigations studying gastrointestinal disorders in patients with cystic fibrosis. He is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and accredited by the Royal College of Physician Educators. He has contributed to numerous publications, and recently published a textbook titled Pediatric Gastroenterology.

Dr. Humaira Hashmi completed her residency in Pediatrics at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey, and her fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Women & Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. Dr. Hashmi enjoys teaching, and has a special interest in managing children and adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She also focuses on childhood obesity and helps families educate and manage their children’s nutrition.

Dr. Hashmi is actively involved in local and national clinical studies, is a member of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and a member of the Gastroenterology Women’s Coalition. Dr. Hashmi is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and accredited by the Royal College of Physician Educators, and contributes to numerous publications.

Both physicians are excited to be working together to help children and families throughout Western New York with gastrointestinal and nutritional issues. Dr. Gelfond lives with his wife and three children in East Amherst. Dr. Hashmi also lives in East Amherst with her husband, and their three children.