August 16, 20(H)
Page A3
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Health/Education
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International patients find special
services at Providence St. Vincent
CONTRIBCTEDSIORV
W hen A m ina S h arief o f Bangalore,
India, needed to have a valve replaced
in her heart, she d id n ’t go to any o f
the hospitals located ju st m iles from
her home. Instead, the 56-year-old
w om an elected to travel m ore than
8,000 m iles to Portland, OR., to have
surgery. H erhusband, C.K. Sharief, a
high-ranking m em ber o f the Indian
Parliam ent, did research to find an
excellent h o spital for his w ife 's
s u r g e r y . T h e S h a r ie f s c h o s e
Providence St. V incent Medical Center
after a physician friend told him that
it w as the best heart center on the
W est Coast. A fter a successful valve
r e p la c e m e n t a n d 2 0 d a y s o f
recuperation, A m ina returned hom e
w ith a stronger heart.
Mrs. S harief isju st one o f dozens o f
people who have been helped through
Providence St. Vincent’s International
M edical Services Program , now four
years old.
Overseas patient-from such countries
as J a p a n , S a u d i A r a b ia , a n d
A fgh an istan — ch o o se P rovidence
St. V incent every year for a variety o f
m edical procedures ranging from
heart surgeries to orthopedics.
Susan B aum gardner has directed
the program from its inception.
A ccording to Baum gardner, there are
d if f e r e n t re a s o n s in te r n a tio n a l
patients com e to the United States
and Providence St. V incent. Some
have been referred by their doctor
w h o ’s looking for a physician or
facility w ith expertise in certain
procedures. International em bassies
P ortland O bserver
Since it’s birth in 1989, The Y outh
Employment Empowerment Coalition
(Y EEC) has served as a strong, yet
silent force in shaping the lives o f
Portland’s at-risk youth. Initially, the
coalition’s founders, who include Jim
Francesconi, C ity C om m issioner,
Tony H opson, Self-E nhancem ent,
Inc., andLolenzoPoe, Jr., Multnomah
County Children and Family Services,
designed the YEEC program primarily
to address the em ploym ent needs o f
gang-affected youth. H ow ever, as
tim es have changed, so have the
needs o f our youth. W e are now
lo o k in g a t m o d ify in g Y E E C ’s
approach to m eet the changing needs
of today’s youth population—and
Q: My nephew, w ho’s a pretty big kid, was ju st diagnosed
w ith Type 2 diabetes. Isn’t this som ething only adults
can get?
A: A n epidemic o f “extra-large” kids has caused an
alarming rise in the number developing Type 2 diabetes,
said Dr. M orey Haymond, a diabetes researcher at the
USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research C enter and
professor ofpediatrics at Baylor College ofM ed icin e in
Houston. Fifteen years ago less than five percent o f
children diagnosed with diabetes had the T ype 2 form,
and m ost o f these had syndrom es that predisposed
them to massive obesity. Today, the num ber being
diagnosed with the Type 2 form is over 20 percent.
Once known as “adult-onset” diabetes because it was
as rare in children, Type 2 diabetes usually develops in
genetically predisposed individuals who gain too much
weight.
It’s im portant that your nephew ’s family w ork closely
with his physic lan to help him bring his blood sugar levels
and w eight under control. Solid family support, the right
m edication, proper diet, and excise can do much to limit
the serious com plications associated with this disease.
The threat o f heart, kidney, nerve, and vision dam age is
real and frightening in diabetes, especially for those
w hose blood sugar levels are poorly controlled.
Q: W hat’s the best w ay to introduce a bottle to my-
5m onth-old breastfed son?
A: consider introducing your son to a sippy cup rather
than a bottle, said Dr. Judy Hopkinson, a lactation
physiologist with the USD A /A RS C hildren’s Nutrition
Research Center at Baylor College ofM edicine in Houston.
A t 5 m onths o f age, he should take to a sippy cup fairly
easily. H e ’ 11 ju st need som e tim e to practice and a patient
caregiver.
Looking for a great learning
environment for your child?
Amina Sharief, a Providence St. Vincent Medical Center patient
from Bangalor, India, gets her blood drawn as part o f the
treatment follow ing her heart surgery. The hospital’s
International M edical Services program assisted Sharief and
her fam ily with travel arrangements, transportation, housing,
dietary, and medical needs during their stay.
contract forsom e acute services. And,
overseas patients often have some
connection to Portland - perhaps a
fam ily m em ber lives or w orks here.
For exam ple, M oham m ed Al-
Shammari, a factory m anagerin Saudi
A ra b ia , fo u n d o u t a b o u t th e
international program through his
brother who lives in Portland. A stroke
had left A l-Sham m ari with m otor and
cognitive deficits and he needed a
craniotom y. O nly one craniotom y a
year is done at the hospital near Al-
Sham m ari’s hom e in Saudi Arabia,
w hile there are alm ost 100 such
procedures perform ed at Providence
St. V incent every year. The Saudi
em bassy selected P rovidence St.
Vincent as the site for Al-Sham m ari’s
operation.
Our youth need YOU to succeed
for T he
Kids’ Nutrition Q & A
that is w here our youth need your
help.
W e are asking all people o f all ages
to contribute to the rebuiliding o f this
youth-serving agency by sharing
your ideas. To teachers, principles,
tutors, students, and all other citizens
and students o f the com m unity, we
are requesting that you write a 3 to 5
paragraph paper addressing all or
som e o f the follow ing questions:
W hat can be done for a student who
has to w ork year round and go to
school at the sam e tim e?— A re there
jobs out there? A re there enough
tutors? Can we, the com m unity, help
raise hope and excellence in our
students? W hat should you do?
W hat should w e do? W hat can our
students do?
Please type your paper. M ail a copy
to K ariA l Sheri fa t 1818 N.E. M artin
Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland,
Oregon 97212.
Finally, w e invite all citizens to come
celebrate the new changes to YEEC at
the August 26"’ YEEC “Support Youth
E m ploym ent” event, sponsored by
th e P o rtla n d T ra il B laz ers an d
featuring several guest speakers. All
subm itted papers will be studied and
discussed by a group o f volunteers,
and the two best essays will be read
at our upcom ing event.
Itwillbeheldat3920N.Kerby. Limited
space is available, so com e by the
YEECoffice locatedat 1818NE Martin
Luther King, Jr. Blvd. or call (503)287-
8332 betw een the hours o f 8am and
12pm to register and pick up a ticket.
W e w elcom e any help or suggestions
you have.
Now Enrolling Pre-K - 4,h grade
• Small Classes
• Christian Values
• Convenient Location
• Reasonable Rates
Community Learning Center
4 2 12 NE Prescott
281-8596
Continuing her commitment to
family and community
£ W ashington
a S cholarship
was tireless
ommumty.
is Contlhuingjthis
loving legacy by awarding high school
seniors from coir community scholarships to
help them achieve their dreams.
© b seru e r
Two reasons I quit smoking.
You can do it too.
Toll Free 1-877-270-7867
TTY 1-877-777-6534
Department of Human Services, Oregon Health Division
You can help by sending your contribution
to the Joyce Washington Memorial
Scholarship Fund in care of Bank o f
America.
Your support will be truly appreciated.
Call your local Bank of America
for more information,
Thank You.
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