Archive for August, 2015
Benefits of pet therapy to be discussed at UTMC program
Tuesday, August 4th, 2015When it comes to comfort and recovery, sometimes a furry face can be a helpful complement to cancer treatments.Jane Ann Zeigler-Wentz and her therapy dog, Porshia, will present a program about the benefits of pet therapy 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5 at the Eleanor N. Dana Center at The University of Toledo Medical Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Jane Ann Zeigler-Wentz and Porshia, the therapy dog
Among her many clients, Porshia, a multi-generation Australian Labradoodle certified through Therapy Dogs International, is a therapy dog for UTMC. She visits the Dana Cancer Center every Wednesday, along with fulfilling special requests.
“Dogs lift everyone’s spirits and mood,” said Zeigler-Wentz, who would have benefited from pet therapy during her second bout of cancer. “If we can bring a little light into the darkness, that is a successful day for us.”
The benefits of pet visits include reduced stress, anxiety and loneliness, as well as motivation to participate in one’s therapy, according to Zeigler-Wentz. Therapy pets give patients a welcome distraction from illness, symptoms and worry, she said, in addition to giving them something to talk about, other than their cancer treatment that day. Several patients even show photos of their pets and talk about the unbelievable unconditional love their pets give them.”
“This breed of dog has great intuition. They are working dogs. They really want to serve,” Zeigler-Wentz said. “Porshia doesn’t attach to someone. She is able to go from room to room without getting distracted by hugs and kisses She intuitively knows who needs her TLC.”
Jan Tipton, the Infusion Center manager, said the pet therapy program on Aug. 5 is part of a larger project to encourage patients to talk about their pets. UTMC staff and patients are submitting photos of their pets, which will be displayed at the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center
“The pictures coming in are adorable,” Tipton said. “You see a lot of smiles and excitement. We are connecting with patients in a different way.”
Media Coverage
13 ABC and NBC 24 (Aug. 11, 2015)
August UT Board of Trustees Meetings
Monday, August 3rd, 2015Driscoll Alumni Center, Board Room
5:30 p.m. Special Board of Trustees Meeting
The Trustees will enter Executive Session immediately upon convening the meeting to discuss trade secret under the Ohio Uniform Trade Secret Act contained in Ohio Revised Code Section 1333.61.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Driscoll Alumni Center, Schmakel Room
10:30 a.m. Clinical Affairs Committee Meeting
1:00 p.m. Academic and Student Affairs Committee Meeting
2:00 p.m. Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
3:30 p.m. Trusteeship and Governance Committee Meeting
UTMC offering new clinic to provide preventative HIV medication
Monday, August 3rd, 2015The University of Toledo Medical Center is now offering medication that could prevent a person from contracting HIV.
Multiple studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for patients at risk for HIV infection through use of daily medication (emtricitabine/tenofovir). Patients can be evaluated at the Ryan White PrEP Clinic from 8 a.m. to noon every Thursday on the Health Science Campus.
Dr. Joan Duggan
“This is a very important part of HIV prevention,” said Dr. Joan Duggan, chief of infectious diseases at UTMC. “PrEP is highly recommended for people at risk for HIV, including people who are intimate with a partner who has HIV and men who are having sex with men. PrEP has also been proven to prevent HIV infection in injection drug users.”
Duggan compared the concept to women taking a daily birth control pill to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Just like birth control, though, nothing is a prevention guarantee, which is why UTMC also distributes condoms with all of its informational packets about PrEP.
“While use of the PrEP medication does decrease the risk of HIV, it does not eliminate the recommendation to use condoms to decrease the risk of HIV and it does not provide protection against any other sexually transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancy,” Duggan said.
People might be concerned that PrEP could cause high-risk sexual behaviors, but studies show that isn’t the case, according to Dr. David Grossman, commissioner of the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, which has been referring its patients who are at risk of getting HIV to UTMC for PrEP.
Grossman said a two-year study showed no increase in sexually transmitted diseases for the 545 participants, which indicates that the participants did not have more unprotected sex because they knew they were protected by PrEP.
“We have a good audience and hope we can refer a lot of people,” Grossman said. “We have people who come in for repeated HIV testing and we want to make sure they know about this option.”
Duggan said the medication is expensive, but some insurance companies do cover it and the staff at the Ryan White Program can direct uninsured patients toward programs that offer financial help.
“Offering this medication is the right thing to do and it is something that will go a long way in the war against AIDS,” Duggan said.
Media Coverage
NBC 24 (Aug. 3, 2015)
The Blade (Aug. 4, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Aug. 4, 2015)
WTOL 11 and FOX Toledo (Aug. 4, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Aug. 19, 2015)