The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living is hosting a breast cancer survivorship conference 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 at the Academic Services Center on UT’s Scott Park Campus.

“A breast cancer survivor is someone who lives with, through and beyond cancer,” said Amy Thompson, professor of health education. “Whether or not she thrives is a matter of quality of life.”

A cancer diagnosis marks the beginning of a journey filled with physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial challenges. These challenges are more easily overcome if survivors receive support that empowers them to take control of their well-being.

The Mind, Body, Soul, Spirit: The Journey from Survivor to Thriver conference features keynote speaker Rev. April Hearn, who will share an inspiring message of hope and joy.

Conference breakout sessions include Peace, Tea and You; De-Stressing: Everything You Need to Know You Learned in Kindergarten; Essential Oils: Smelling to Feel Better; and Helping Yourself by Helping Others. The event also features nearly two dozen vendors, door prizes and the opportunity to make connections with other cancer survivors.

The event is co-sponsored by UT Health’s Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center and the African American Women’s Cancer Support Group.

“We especially want to reach out to women in underserved communities,” said Barbara Oxner, community outreach coordinator for the African American Women’s Cancer Support Group. “A cancer diagnosis can be especially challenging for minorities, older women, those with financial difficulties and those who do not have a strong network of family and friends. They need extra support to get the most out of each day and truly thrive during and after treatment.”

Registration is $5, which includes access to the educational sessions, health screenings, vendors, breakfast and lunch. There are a limited number of registration scholarships available to women who need assistance.

“We want to help breast cancer survivors reach a high level of mental, physical and emotional well-being while they adjust to living with a cancer diagnosis,” Thompson said. “It is our goal to help patients live longer, healthier and happier lives.”

To register contact Jeannine Everhart by June 15 at 419.530.5205.

A 45-year tradition of fun recreational and educational opportunities for Toledo area youth will continue June 6-24 when The University of Toledo hosts the 2016 National Youth Sports Program.

More than 150 income-eligible Toledoans between the ages of 9 and 16 will spend weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the UT Main Campus and other area locations participating in activities such as basketball, track and swimming throughout the free three-week program.

Along with the sports programs, the students will learn about nutrition, enhancing their self-image, the value of communication, healthy behaviors, and how to resist peer pressure.

“This program serves as a model for fair play and contributes to the development of life skills that are necessary for success in a competitive society,” said Dr. Ruthie Kucharewski, UT professor and director of the Recreation Therapy Program. “With generous donations from community partners, our program is able to provide its participants with a free summer program that includes a medical exam, transportation, daily sports instruction and educational sessions.”

UT President Sharon L. Gaber will welcome the students to the UT campus and National Youth Sports Program Monday, June 13, at 11 a.m. in the Student Union.

Other activities during the program include the Blue and Gold Field Games Friday, June 10, a trip to the Indian Creek Petting Zoo Wednesday, June 15, and a “Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs” field trip Monday, June 20.

For a detailed daily schedule of activities, click here.

The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living is inviting breast cancer survivors to sign up for free health coaching.

Enrollment in the six-month, personalized program begins May 1 and ends Nov. 30.

The goal is to equip and empower survivors to take control of their nutrition, fitness and mental health in order to live longer, happier lives.

“Cancer survivors are a vulnerable population,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, health education professor and co-director of the Center for Health and Successful Living. “They are at risk for a recurrence of cancer, as well as the development of other metabolic and mental health disorders. One-on-one coaching will help improve their health and well-being.”

A portion of a more than $50,000 grant from Susan G. Komen of Northwest Ohio will fund the personalized health coaching at UT for 30 people.  The coaches will serve as mentors and guide them on their path to better health.

“This will help the survivors enjoy a better quality of life and reduce the chance of recurrence of cancer,” Thompson said. “Modifications like diet and exercise are recommended to ensure a disease-free survival. This kind of coaching has proven to be an effective model for prevention and sustaining a lifestyle change.”

To enroll, call the Center for Health and Successful Living at 419-530-5199.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (April 25, 2016)
The Blade (April 26, 2016)

The family medicine physician behind the effort to increase the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products in cities across Ohio will give a free public talk 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22 in the auditorium at St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee.

Dr. Rob Crane, president and founder of Preventing Tobacco Addiction, will discuss the importance of raising the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21.

Crane, who also serves as clinical professor of family medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, will discuss how to advocate with city councils and persuade members that banning tobacco sales to people under 21 is important for the health of young people. He plans to explain how other Ohio communities have passed new laws. Across the country, more than 100 cities and the state of Hawaii have already passed similar legislation.

The event is sponsored by The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living, the Northwest Ohio Tobacco Prevention Coalition, St. Luke’s Hospital and the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.

Media Coverage
The Blade (April 4, 2016)
13 ABC (April 15, 2016)

The mayor of the City of Toledo and area church leaders will join The University of Toledo to kick off a “Campaign Critical” fundraiser to support scholarships for African American students in the health professions.

The initiative is lead by the President’s Committee for African American Recruitment, Retention and Scholarship Support, or PCARS, which was formed in 2006 to enhance the recruitment and retention of African Americans in the fields of health sciences, which include medicine, pharmacy, nursing and physician assistant.

A kickoff event for the fundraising campaign will be 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23 at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 1502 N. Detroit Ave., with UT President Sharon L. Gaber, Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson and the Rev. James Willis of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.

The committee’s goal is to increase the number of African-American health-care workers in the Toledo region as an important part of the solution to address the health-care needs of African Americans in the community.

Additional religious leaders active in PCARS who will join Pastor Willis in support of the initiative at the news conference include: the Rev. Cedric Brock of Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, the Rev. Waverly Earley of Wesley United Methodist Church, the Rev. K. David Johnson of Third Baptist Church, the Rev. John Walthall III of Mount Ararat Missionary Baptist Church and Sister Virginia Welch of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (Feb. 24, 2016)
13 ABC (Feb. 24, 2016)

Christi Paul, anchor of CNN New Day Weekends and HLN’s Daily Share, will address graduates at The University of Toledo’s fall commencement 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 in Savage Arena.

The UT graduate and Bellevue-native, who also will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony, will address more than 2,000 candidates for degrees, including 138 doctoral candidates, 556 master’s candidates and 1,372 bachelor’s candidates.

This marks the first University of Toledo commencement for President Sharon L. Gaber.

Christi Paul

“From her time at UT to her successful career at CNN, Christi Paul has devoted her life to thoughtful curiosity, learning, and helping others with the power of information,” Gaber said. “She has been at the forefront of many major news stories of our time. The award-winning journalist and advocate for women and children is an inspiring voice who will offer a passionate message to our graduates and guests.”

The national journalist graduated from UT in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree with a focus on broadcast journalism.

“I’m humbled and honored to give the commencement speech and so grateful to UT, the professors who helped me grow, the staff who guided me to solid internships, and the friends I made along the way,” Paul said. “I will always credit UT for giving me my springboard into the journalism arena.”

Paul has covered many high-profile events throughout her distinguished career, including President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, Hurricane Sandy, and the Casey Anthony murder trial. She was in the anchor chair walking heartbroken viewers through the early hours of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Virginia Tech.

Prior to joining CNN and HLN in 2003, Paul worked as an anchor and reporter in Phoenix, Ariz., and Boise, Idaho. The Idaho Press Club honored Paul for her series about a brave four-year-old girl who underwent a five-organ transplant. Paul began her career at WDTV in Clarksburg, W.Va.

The wife and mother of three also is passionate about helping children. Along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Paul is co-founder of the “Find Our Children” series that airs on HLN. Viewers have helped bring home 35 missing kids as a result of the news profile segments. The center honored Paul in 2012 with its prestigious Hope Award for her efforts to make the world a safer place for children.

Paul serves on the National Advisory Council for the One Love Foundation, which works with teens to help end dating violence. Paul also serves on the Advisory Board for When Georgia Smiled that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault find healing, safety and joy.

UT recognized Paul in 2006 as an Outstanding Alumna of the former College of Arts and Sciences.

The fall commencement ceremony will recognize graduates from the Colleges of Adult and Lifelong Learning, Business and Innovation, Communication and the Arts, Judith Herb College of Education, Health Sciences, Languages, Literature and Social Sciences, Medicine and Life Sciences; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Social Justice and Human Service.

Other college specific commencement ceremonies taking place are:

• College of Engineering: graduate commencement 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17; undergraduate commencement 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. Both ceremonies will be held in Nitschke Auditorium.

• College of Nursing: 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 in Nitschke Auditorium.

For more information, visit utoledo.edu/commencement.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Dec. 19, 2015)
The Blade (Dec. 20, 2015)

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually about shopping. This year, it is about surviving.

The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living is organizing a tailgate party for cancer survivors and their families before the Rockets football game versus Western Michigan on Friday, Nov. 27.

The free tailgate party will start at 10 a.m. in parking lot 1S in front of the Health and Human Services Building before the noon kickoff in the Glass Bowl.

The Center for Health and Successful Living also is selling discounted game tickets that anyone can purchase for $12 with $2 going toward the center for screening and outreach purposes. Use the code “CHSL” when buying the tickets at http://utrockets.com. Reservations for the tailgate party are appreciated.

“We wanted to thank our survivors for coming to our programs and we wanted to connect our survivors to each other,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, co-director of the center and UT health education professor. “We want to celebrate their survivorship journey and create some awareness about the center.”

Since its inception two years ago, the center has educated more than 5,000 people and screened more than 500 women for breast cancer.

The Center for Health and Successful Living, located on the first floor of the Health and Human Services Building on Main Campus, offers a variety of low-cost health promotion and disease prevention services, including health coaching, health screenings, case management, customized exercise programs and support groups.

“We are an arm of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center; we are Dana’s survivorship program,” Thompson said. “We do free screenings, mobile units and education in the community. We also do patient navigation. People will call us and say, ‘I need help finding a physician.’ We also help people who can’t afford health services.

“We have known people who have walked 5 miles to get a free mammogram,” Thompson said. “The more we work with people in the community, the more we see the need. Our students were doing health coaching at one point, and we were finding that people couldn’t even identify a vegetable.”

While the center is open to anyone, Thompson said specific attention is paid to minorities, the LGBT community and those suffering from mental illness.

“We try to serve the mentally ill because they live 25 years less on average,” she said. “They don’t get screened because they are focused on their mental health instead of getting a colonoscopy or a mammogram. We try to provide services for everyone, but we try to focus on people who are underserved.”

Thompson started the center with Dr. Tim Jordan, UT health education professor, because her mom, Gladys, had breast cancer.

“My mom had to go to so many different places to get support for her cancer. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have it all in once place?’” Thompson said.

Jordan said a large part of the center’s mission is to recruit and retain high quality students to UT while collaborating with other academic departments.

“We want to create more opportunities for students to gain more skills in their majors,” he said. “We have students in occupational therapy, social work and physical therapy, among other disciplines, who intern and volunteer in the center. We have even had international students specifically come to UT to intern in our center.”

As the center evolves, it has added many social events to its calendar. For instance, the Pink Sneakers walking group meets at 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. The center also hosts a Survivorship Book Club, which is meeting next at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.

“A lot of these programs are things that people have asked us to do,” Thompson said.

“Last year, we had a Christmas party for survivors at my home. Everyone had to say one thing he or she was grateful for this year. Someone said, ‘I am grateful that I had cancer because I would have never met all of you at the center without this diagnosis.’”

Thompson and Jordan are working to secure more funding for the center, which runs on $10,000 a year, to be able to offer additional services. Thompson and Jordan run the center in their free time.

“This is a labor of love, but if we had more money, we could do more for the community,” Thompson said.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 28, 2015)
13 ABC (Nov. 28, 2015)

Mental health, heart disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS are more prevalent in Lucas County when compared to other counties in Ohio and other states throughout the U.S., and the infant mortality rate in Lucas County outranks many developing countries.

Two University of Toledo faculty members are addressing these health disparities with a new Health Disparities Research Collaborative (HDRC) that grew out of a shared passion for health equity, social justice and interdisciplinary collaborative research.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define health disparities as “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by social disadvantaged populations.”

As co-directors of the new research collaborative, Dr. Kimberly McBride and Dr. Shipra Singh, assistant professors of health and recreation in the College of Health Sciences, hope to build the HDRC into a program that will be on the forefront of health disparities research, training and service in the northwest Ohio region, as well as nationally and internationally. Specific areas of focus include health communication, mental health, minority health, mixed methodology and sexual and reproductive health.

Both new to The University of Toledo, McBride and Singh joined UT with experience in research aimed at reducing health disparities and creating opportunities for social justice, particularly among minority communities.

“Health equity is increasingly a priority within public health and medicine. Health is now being recognized as a fundamental human right,” McBride said. “From that perspective, efforts to eliminate health disparities are critical to ensuring that every human has the opportunity to enjoy health.”

Health disparities result from multiple factors including poverty, environmental threats, inadequate access to health care, individual and behavioral factors, and educational inequalities. They are directly related to the unequal distribution of social, political, economic and environmental resources.

“Historically, the groups that have had to bear the largest portion of the burden of disease and disability have been poor and marginalized communities. When we look at northwest Ohio, we see the same trend,” McBride said. “Our mission is to address the underlying issues that contribute to disparities through collaborative, community-engaged research and practice.”

Aside from research initiatives, a significant focus of the HDRC is the training and mentoring of future public health researchers, teachers and practitioners in a model of collaboration the prepares the next generation of professionals to adequately respond to critical issues in public health.

McBride and Singh are working to bring together faculty, graduate students and community-based organizations with plans to include undergraduate training opportunities in the future.

“Right now, our country is in crisis when it comes to the health status of the population,” McBride said. “The field of public health is supposed to be committed to improving social justice, which means that anyone who is working in the field should be making efforts to address health disparities and health equity.

“Our perspective with the HDRC is that bringing together people with diverse perspectives, skills and experiences improves our chances of making a meaningful contribution to these efforts,” said Singh.

For more information, visit utoledo.edu/healthsciences/depts/health_rec/healtheducation/HDRC.html.

A national leader in health-care education is returning to The University of Toledo to head the College of Health Sciences beginning Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Dr. Christopher Ingersoll has accepted the position of dean of the College of Health Sciences. Ingersoll received his PhD in biomechanics with a minor in research and statistics from UT.

Ingersoll

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Ingersoll to UT. His experience will prove a valuable asset for the College of Health Sciences, and the University as a whole,” said John Barrett, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Health-care professionals are integral to the growth and success of our nation and our world. Dr. Ingersoll’s leadership will greatly benefit our students now and in the future.”

“I am deeply honored to return to my alma mater and for the opportunity to work with the talented and motivated faculty, staff and students in the college,” Ingersoll said. “Together, we will be able to continue to build the already popular and highly regarded programs in the college, and raise the national and international profiles of those programs.”

Ingersoll most recently served as the dean of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions at Central Michigan University. He previously spent a number of years at the University of Virginia, Indiana State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and held many leadership positions.

“I also look forward to the opportunity to work with the faculty to increase research contributions and community outreach activities that improve the quality of life for people in northwest Ohio and beyond,” Ingersoll said.

He holds a bachelor of science in sports medicine and athletic training from Marietta College, and a master of arts in athletic training from Indiana State University.

Ingersoll was chosen to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Dr. Beverly Schmoll, who served as a dean at UT for six years.

“Dr. Schmoll masterfully guided the health professions for the University. She elevated the College of Health Sciences and provided a strong foundation for Dr. Ingersoll to cultivate and develop,” Barrett said. “We are grateful for her dedication and commitment to UT.”

A nationally renowned leader will address The University of Toledo graduates at the fall commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 20 in Savage Arena at 10 a.m.

Mike Thaman, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Owens Corning, will address the graduates from the colleges of Health Sciences, Adult and Lifelong Learning, Social Justice and Human Services, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Business and Innovation, Communication and the Arts, Languages, Literature and Social Sciences and the Judith Herb College of Education.

“Mike Thaman’s vision and leadership are truly aligned with the University’s commitment to best equip our students with the knowledge and guidance that will help them succeed,” said Dr. Nagi Naganathan, interim president.

There are 2,252 candidates for degrees including 113 doctoral candidates, 594 master’s candidates and 1,461 bachelor’s candidates. The remaining 84 candidates are for education specialist, graduate certificates or associate’s degrees. The ceremony will be broadcast live on video.utoledo.edu.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled for Sunday, Dec. 21 at 10 a.m. in Savage Arena.

Thaman has held positions in manufacturing, corporate development and international business since joining Owens Corning, a world leader in building materials and composite systems, in 1992.

He has held numerous positions including vice president and president of the Engineered Pipe Systems business, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium; vice president and president of Owen’s Corning’s Exterior Systems Business; and senior vice president and chief financial officer.

A longtime corporate strategist and leader, Thaman emphasizes a human-emphasized approach in helping American businesses thrive.

When he accepted a company leadership award from the National Safety Council earlier this year, he focused on the human-rights aspect of company safety. “For more than 75 years, Owens Corning has understood the importance of having engaged, productive employees who arrive home to their families and friends, without incident, the same way they left.”

Prior to joining Owens Corning, Thaman spent six years as a strategy consultant at Mercer Management Consulting, where he was a vice president in the New York office. He serves as director of Florida Power & Light Co., Owens Corning Fabricating Solutions and Advanced Glassfiber Yarns LLC. For NextEra Energy Inc., Thaman served as an independent director for more than 10 years and as its lead director until this year. He served as a director of AGY Holding Corp., and as director of Florida Power & Light Group, Inc.

Thaman earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University.

Other commencement ceremonies taking place include:

• College of Engineering: graduate commencement 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18; undergraduate commencement 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. Both ceremonies held in Nitschke Auditorium.
• College of Nursing: 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 in Nitschke Auditorium.

For more information, visit utoledo.edu/commencement.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Dec. 13, 2014)
The Blade (Dec. 21, 2014)