Good News Gospel Festival will cruise the intersection of faith and health

Popular gospel musicians from across Western New York will come together Saturday (July 19) to celebrate faith and good health at the eighth annual Good News Gospel Festival and Health Fair.

The afternoon will feature live gospel music along with health screenings, healthy living information and a classic car show.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will present the free event from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC), 1201 Pine Ave. at Portage Road, Niagara Falls.

While attendees are enjoying live entertainment, the Niagara Falls OG Cruisers will display their famous collection of classic cars, thereby allowing spectators to cruise the intersection of faith and health.

Featured entertainment will be provided by popular Rochester recording artist Joe James and the Voices of Clouds.  The event also will feature local gospel entertainers the Shekinah Dancers and Zamar of Potter’s House, the Mount Erie Baptist Church Male Chorus, Christopher and Crystal Gandy, the Mount Sinai Baptist Church Gospel Choir and gospel rapper Xavier Change Mustcome.

Buffalo area performers will include recording artist Anetta Williams, Lady Kathy Bowman, the Men of Praise Band, Truly Committed and others still to be announced.

Pastor Raymond and the Rev. Lora Allen from Bethany Missionary Baptist Church will help host the event.  Health screenings will be offered from 1 to 3 p.m. Giveaways and food vendors will be available throughout the event.

Good News Gospel Festival and Health Fair is sponsored by Memorial Medical Center, the City of Niagara Falls, OSC Charitable Foundation, United Healthcare Community Plan and Cricket Wireless of Pine Avenue.

In case of rain the event will be moved indoors at the NACC.

For more information, contact Memorial’s Community Outreach Department at (716) 285-2382.

South Buffalo Alive Garden Tour set for July 20

South Buffalo Alive’s 14th annual Garden Tour, showcasing more than 40 beautiful properties throughout South Buffalo and the Old First Ward neighborhood, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 20. 

The Garden Tour includes a wide variety of homes and businesses showcasing amazing gardens, landscaping and other outdoor features. Tours begin at Tim Russert’s Children’s Garden located at 2002 South Park Ave., between Choate and Whitfield avenues and next to the Dudley Library. Participants are encouraged to make this their first stop, where they will receive a tour brochure and information to make the tour very simple to follow. 

Volunteers will be on location from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. While the self-guided walking, biking or driving tour is free of charge, donations to South Buffalo Alive would be greatly appreciated.

South Buffalo Alive is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the South Buffalo area. The organization is involved in the preservation and beautification of neighborhoods, promoting special events, and recognizing people who have made a difference in the community.

For more information, please follow South Buffalo Alive on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/South-Buffalo-Alive/174141769403626?fref=ts for frequent updates.

Cognitive Assessment Provides Window into Proficiency Level of Robot-Assisted Surgeons

Collaborative Roswell Park-UB study highlights value of incorporating approach into surgical training

BUFFALO, N.Y. — What clues might brain metrics hold about the skill levels of surgeons who perform robot-assisted surgeries? Looking for better ways to assess the proficiency of surgeons performing these complex procedures, researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and theUniversity at Buffalo (UB) determined whether cognitive assessment can effectively measure the expertise of robotic surgeons with varying levels of experience. They found that assessment of robotic surgeons’ cognitive processes during surgery gives a fuller, more reliable picture than other measurable indicators, and may be a valuable element to incorporate into robotic surgery training.
The study, published online ahead of print in the journal BJUI, is the first published report to evaluate surgeons’ cognition during robot-assisted surgery.

The research team evaluated novice, competent and expert robotic surgeons using both tool-based measures available through the daVinci Surgical System and continuous wireless electroencephalography (EEG) recording. Most of the 10 surgeons enrolled — two residents, three fellows and five practicing surgeons — were assessed on basic, intermediate and advanced surgical tasks. Those assigned to the novice group were assessed only on basic and intermediate skills. Each participant completed a pre-recording session to establish baseline responses.

For the cognitive testing, the participants’ cognitive engagement, mental workload and mental state were calculated from the measured EEG during each task. When they compared the results of both testing approaches among the three groups, the researchers found that cognitive assessment detected significant differences that were not identified by the tool-based metrics available through the surgical robot.

“The real distinctions emerged when we looked at the cognitive differences between our intermediate and expert groups,” notes the study’s first author,Khurshid Guru, MD, Director of Robotic Surgery and the Robert P. Huben Endowed Professor of Oncology at RPCI.

“We saw that the middle group, those considered competent but not expert, demonstrated greater high-level engagement, higher mental state and more cognitive load to complete each task when performing intermediate and advanced tasks — in other words, they had to work harder and devote more mental resources than the expert group,” added co-author Ehsan T. Esfahani, PhD, an Assistant Professor in UB’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of the UB Brain Computer Interface Laboratory.

The researchers concluded that cognitive assessment is an effective complement to traditional methods of assessing the skill level of robotic surgeons at various stages of development and can be used to help tailor training programs to their individual needs. The authors acknowledge that further testing will be needed to validate the findings of this small study.

“Our results truly provided a window into how novice robotic surgeons develop into expert robotic surgeons, how they evolve to a point where they’re using their intuition, pre-planning their actions and demonstrating high comfort and competence in interacting with the machine,” adds Dr. Guru, who is also Director of the Institute’s ATLAS Project, or Applied Technology Laboratory for Advanced Surgery. “The implications for patient safety are striking. I think in the future we’re going to see cognitive assessment widely incorporated into surgeon training programs, and the model our team developed is a good foundation for subsequent investigations.”

The testing was performed at RPCI in collaboration with UB’s Brain Computer Interface Laboratory. Assessments were conducted using training modules and surgeries performed on synthetic organ models; no live surgeries were involved.

The study is “Cognitive Skills Assessment During Robot-Assisted Surgery: Separating Wheat from Chaff,” and the research was funded in part by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation and the John R. Oishei Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Wellness Institute Partners with Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market to host Wellness Lane

BUFFALO, NY – The nonprofit Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo has partnered with the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market and will host “Wellness Lane”—on Saturday July 19th from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Wellness Lane will consist of different partner groups all related to the community’s health and wellbeing including the Catholic Health System, Wellness Institute, Erie County Department of Health, massage therapist Eric Bamberg offering free massages, a chiropractor, and Swing Buffalo. Free BMI (Body mass Index), Blood pressure checks and nutrition information are among the health enhancing resources for participants.

Wellness Institute Director Phil Haberstro said, “We are excited to partner with the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market. One of the most widely known and respected markets in Western New York, we feel the Elmwood community will embrace the opportunity to speak with health professionals.”

To find out further information about the vendors at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market go to www.elmwoodmarket.org or to learn more about Wellness Lane, visit www.CreatingHealthyCommunities.org

Roswell Park-Led Team Identifies Mechanism of Chemotherapy Resistance in Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Specific cancer stem cells need to be treated in a different manner than the whole tumor, researchers conclude

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) have identified a mechanism of breast cancer cells that leads to chemotherapy resistance in inflammatory breast cancer. These preclinical findings, published online ahead of print in the International Journal of Oncology, provide evidence for a potential therapeutic approach that will restore sensitivity to chemotherapy and improve treatment of inflammatory breast cancer tumors.

“This study forms the basis for future research in patients with breast cancer and offers hope for targeted therapy for patients with aggressive triple-negative inflammatory breast cancer,” said lead researcher Mateusz Opyrchal, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Oncology at RPCI.

Inflammatory breast cancer is the most aggressive type of advanced breast cancer and is characterized by rapid development, resistance to chemotherapy, early metastases and a poor prognosis. Inflammatory breast cancer cells display a triple-negative breast cancer phenotype that lacks the receptors needed to promote tumor growth. Therefore, common treatments such as endocrine therapy and molecular targeting of the HER-2 receptor are not effective for this breast cancer subtype. No targeted therapy has been approved for noninflammatory and inflammatory triple-negative breast cancer tumors, and the standard of therapy for these tumors is a combination of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents.

In the laboratory, Dr. Opyrchal and colleagues used breast cancer cell lines to determine the extent to which chromosomal instability and resistance to chemotherapy — characteristics of inflammatory breast cancer — are linked to the CD44+/CD24–/Low stem-like phenotype. They found that CD44+/CD24–/Low cancer stem cells (CSCs) were resistant to conventional chemotherapy but were sensitive to SU9516, which is a specific cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) inhibitor. The researchers concluded from these findings that aberrant activation of cyclin E/Cdk2 oncogenic signaling is essential for maintaining and expanding the CD44+/CD24–/Low subpopulation in inflammatory breast cancer. Therefore, a novel therapeutic approach in inflammatory breast cancer could involve a combination of conventional chemotherapy with small-molecule inhibitors of the Cdk2 cell cycle kinase.

“Cdk2 cell cycle kinase seems to play a role in the ability of cancer cells to be more aggressive and resistant to standard chemotherapy,” Dr. Opyrchal said. “Blocking its function resulted in the improved ability of the chemotherapy drugs to kill cancer cells. Cancer stem cells will need to be identified and treated in a different manner than the bulk tumor.”

Dr. Opyrchal noted that these results will have to be confirmed before human trials can be planned. His laboratory continues to work on identifying the cancer stem cells and signaling pathways that play a role in growth, metastatic potential and resistance to standard therapies.

The study, “Inhibition of Cdk2 kinase activity selectively targets the CD44+/CD24-/Low stem-like subpopulation and restores chemosensitivity of SUM149PT triple-negative breast cancer cells,” was supported in part by National Cancer Institute (NCI) grants R01CA072836 and P50CA116201.

Deaf Access Services Invites the Community of WNY to Learn a New Language

Deaf Access Services (formally Deaf Adult Services) will be hosting American Sign Language (ASL) classes for both children and adults. “Beginner session one” starts July 8 and ends August 26, 2014. Classes are generally two hours long, running from 6pm-8pm. Tuition is $10 per class or $80 for the summer. No prerequisites are required.

Kids can also learn ASL. Children ages 5-12 years are welcome to learn the alphabet, numbers, basic signs, colors, animals, games and more! Parents/guardians are required to stay for the class. The use of sign language has proven to be beneficial for children in a wide variety of settings. Sign language can benefit children in their later years enabling them to communicate effectively with deaf individuals. Classes begin July 15 and end August 19, 2014. Tuition is $10 per class or $60 for the summer.

To register, contact Stacey Allen at sallen@wnydas.org or 716-335-9192.

For full-list of ASL classes or for more information about Deaf Access Services, please visit www.wnydas.org, www.facebook.com/DeafAccessServices, and Twitter.com/WNYDeafAS. All classes are held at Deaf Access Services, Tri Main Center, 2495 Main Street Suite 446, Buffalo, NY 14214

Deaf Access Services (DAS) is focused on providing services to create a bridge between the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing communities through Advocacy, Community Education, Community Employment, Technology Assistance and Interpreting Services that promote equal access.

DAS was established in 1993 by a group of committed volunteers interested in the welfare of the Deaf community in Western New York. DAS serves all eight counties of WNY. Our office is located inside the Tri-Main Building (Suite 446) on Main Street in Buffalo, NY. Their office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Support Groups for Alzheimer’s Caregivers Offered Across WNY

BUFFALO, NY (July 3, 2014) –  Providing care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful and isolating, but support groups can provide coping tools and a welcoming embrace from others in the same position.

The Alzheimer's Association Western New York chapter sponsors a number of caregiver support group across the region. The groups meet monthly, and are designed to provide emotional and social support for caregivers and help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. The groups encourage caregivers to maintain their own personal, physical, and emotional health, as well as optimally care for the person with dementia.

ERIE COUNTY:

·       Elderwood Village, 5271 Main St., Wmsvl
-- MEN ONLY: 1^st Monday, 7 p.m.

·       HighPointe on Michigan, 1031 Michigan Ave., Gates Conf. Rm., Bflo
--open to all: 2^nd Tuesday, 4 p.m.

·       Life Transitions Center, 1140 Delaware Ave., Bflo
--open to all: 1^st Tuesday, 6 p.m.

·       Clarence Senior Center, 4600 Thompson Rd., Clarence
--open to all: 4^th Friday, 10:15 a.m.

·       Grove Street Christian Church, 85 Grove St., Tonawanda
open to all: 2^nd Thursday, 7 p.m.

NIAGARA COUNTY:

·       St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Wilson-Burt & West Creek Rds., Burt
open to all: 2^nd Tuesday, 7 p.m.

GENSEE COUNTY:

·       Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia
open to all: 3^rd Wednesday, 7 p.m.

ORLEANS COUNTY:

·       Hoag Library, 134 S. Main St., Albion
open to all: 2^nd Tuesday BEGINNING AUGUST 12, 6 p.m.

WYOMING COUNTY:

·       East Side Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 62 Prospect St., Warsaw
open to all: 1st Monday, 10 a.m.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY:

·       Fluvanna Community Church, 3363 Fluvanna Ave., Jamestown
open to all: 3^rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

For more information about these and the other two dozen monthly support group meetings across WNY, call 1.800.272.3900 during regular business hours.

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. To learn more, including the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org/WNY or call 1.800.272.3900.

Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market to Serve as Double Up For Bucks Pilot Site

BUFFALO, N.Y. (July 4, 2014) – Beginning Saturday, July 5, the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market in Buffalo will serve as a pilot site for a new incentive program called Double Up For Bucks. This program has been arranged by the Field & Fork Network in order to provide the Western New York region with further access to fresh and healthy food.

Developed in Michigan, the Double Up For Bucks program provides individuals with EBT cards access to fresh produce. Customers can use their EBT card at the market to purchase dollar-for-dollar tokens that are used to purchase food products from participating vendors. With the Double Up For Bucks program, EBT users will now receive matching funds — in the form of silver tokens — that can be used only for fruit, vegetable and herb purchases. EBT users can receive up to $20 in Double Up tokens per visit.

The goal of the Double Up incentive program is to promote healthy lifestyles for lower-income customers. The program also provides economic growth for local businesses, merchants and farmers.

Past pilot sites have found this program to be beneficial in encouraging healthy eating. According to surveys, over 90 percent of EBT customers from previous pilot sites say they began eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and almost all participating farmers have said they would like to participate in this program in upcoming years. Although the vouchers are only redeemable for local fruits and vegetables, it is likely that other merchants at the market will also benefit due to the incentive to make more purchases with an EBT card in order to receive the Double Up For Bucks tokens.

A positive outcome for the program could lead to expansion into other states, according to representatives of the Field & Fork Network. To learn more about Field & Fork and the Double Up For Bucks program, please visit www.fieldandforknetwork.com.

For more information during the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market, held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, please visit the Elmwood Village Association vendor tent.

About the Elmwood Village Association

The mission of the Elmwood Village Association is to work with businesses and residents to improve the quality of life for the entire community, with an emphasis on the district of Buffalo ranging from Allen Street to Forest Avenue and Richmond Avenue to Delaware Avenue. Founded in 1994, EVA represents residents and property owners in the Elmwood area and sponsors an array of community events, including the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market, the Picnic in the Parkway Summer Concert Series and neighborhood beautification. The EVA’s corporate office is located at 1068 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222. For more information, contact: phone: 881-0707; fax: 881-0708; email: Carly@elmwoodvillage.org; website: www.elmwoodvillage.org.

Vets for Vets to Host 2nd Annual K.I.A. Memorial Road March

Buffalo, NY – Vets for Vets is hosting the second annual K.I.A. Memorial Road March on Saturday, August 23, 2014.  

The K.I.A. Memorial Road March is a 10K ruck march through Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park, NY.  It is a fun and challenging way to remember those members of our armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

“Since my return from Iraq, I often think of Christopher Dill, my "Battle Buddy," as we say in the military,” stated March Executive Director Msg. Jason Jaskula, USA.  “He was killed in action in Iraq, and as I tried to think of a way to honor his memory, I realized that there was no single public event in Western New York to honor military members Killed in Action (K.I.A.) in the forefront.   That is the idea behind the K.I.A. Memorial Road March.”

To date there are 306 service members from Western New York that have been K.I.A. in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Participants will march in one of four categories - Individual, Team (2 Marchers), Squad (4 Marchers) or Platoon (10 marchers) while carrying rucks filled with canned goods.  Participants will carry a minimum of 50 pounds of weight, depending on which category they march in.

Those unable to carry the amount of weight for their category are still encouraged to participate and march the route.  Organizers ask that they consider donating canned goods and march with an empty ruck.

Although designed with the military in mind, the March is open to all – current / retired military, first responders, civilians. 

The K.I.A. Memorial Road March raises funds to help support Veterans organizations in Western New York.  Post-event all canned goods will be donated to help Veterans in need.

For more information or to register please visit www.kiamemorialmarch.com.

U.S. Paralympic Athlete Adam Page Joins Person First Forum at the Museum of disABILITY History

U.S. Paralympic Athlete Adam Page Joins Person First Forum at the Museum of disABILITY History

Presentation to focus on athlete’s personal experiences, road to Paralympic success

The Museum of disABILITY History is pleased to welcome U.S. Paralympic athlete, Adam Page, as the latest speaker in its Person First Forum Series. The event, entitled, “Living an Independent Life, Making Dreams a Reality,” will take place on Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 1p.m. to 3p.m. at 3826 Main Street in Buffalo.

The presentation will focus on Page’s personal experiences, highlighting his introduction to sled hockey and road to Paralympic success.

A resident of Lancaster, NY, Page is a Paralympic athlete who has inspired many with his abilities on and off the ice. Born on March 10, 1992, with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, Page found sled hockey at the age of 6, and has been playing for sixteen years. At 14, he was chosen for the USA Development Team and, not long after, joined the USA men’s national team at the age of 15. Page has participated in the 2010 and 2014 Paralympics in Vancouver, British Colombia and Sochi, Russia respectively. Additionally, he has taken part in four world championships, winning two gold medals, including silver and a bronze.

Alongside his role as an athlete, Page currently volunteers with his father, Norman, starting new sled hockey programs across the country. The programs give youth, adults and veterans the chance to play the sport that has given Page, himself, so many opportunities.

In his spare time, Page enjoys downhill skiing, golf and bowling. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sports management. Page’s childhood hockey sled, crafted by his father is on display at the Museum of disABILITY History as part of its Sports and disABILITY exhibit.

The Person First Forum with Adam Page 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.