Page 18 • September 10, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
Group looks at ways to help first responders
Lewis Moore
State Rep. Lewis Moore, R-Edmond, last week held an interim study focusing on ways to serve first responders. Presenters at the study discussed current resources and techniques first responders have available, and also shared some stories of programs designed to address this issue, such as one implemented two years ago by the Tulsa Police Department. Additionally, presenters highlighted training and funding needs to better equip first responders and their families in the future. “Recent years have put a greater spotlight on the mental health needs of our first responders and their families,” Moore said. “Our first responders daily are on the frontline serving the public while also dealing with stress and trauma and other effects within their own ranks. They need proper training and equipment, and it is urgent that we secure additional funding, especially for our police departments.” Moore has been a leader on this issue at the
Federal & state grants reach record levels at metro’s OHSC The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center earned a record high $190 million in federal and state awards during state fiscal year 2020, a milestone that advances research and other strategies to improve health and well-being among Oklahomans. The total includes $86.3 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), considered the gold standard in research funding. The OU Health Sciences Center brings the most NIH funding to Oklahoma through its national centers of excellence, and the total for fiscal year 2020 represents growth of 40% over the previous year. That growth is a testament to the innovative work taking place across all seven colleges on campus, said Vice President for Research James Tomasek, Ph.D. “Research is a primary mission of the OU Health Sciences Center, with the aim of advancing knowledge and improving the health of the state,” Tomasek said. “As the academic and research partner of OU Medicine, the state’s comprehensive healthcare system, a critical component of our strategic plan is to make research discoveries that lead to new methods of preventing, diagnosing and treating disease.” Two of the OU Health Sciences Center’s key research areas, cancer and neuroscience/vision, saw a significant increase in grants in fiscal year 2020. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Eye Institute (NEI), two major NIH Institutes, awarded $16.1 million and $10.9 million, respectively, to the OU Health Sciences Center. That represents an increase of 26% percent from the NCI and 62% from NEI over the previous fiscal year. Those grants are used for projects ranging from laboratory science to clinical trials, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes at Stephenson Cancer Center and Dean McGee Eye Institute. The OU Health Sciences Center also received $8.3 million from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, an increase of 221% over the previous fiscal year. Much of that research furthers the understanding and treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in children and adults at Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, advancing the search for a cure. One of the largest NIH grants over
the past year was a five-year, $11 million award to create the Oklahoma Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunity, a hub for research into many types of infections and the immune system response, which is critical in facing COVID-19 and other emerging pathogens. This Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) grant establishes multidisciplinary research in Oklahoma and enables talented researchers to compete for additional federal awards. “This grant is an exciting opportunity because it will allow us to advance our research through collaborations with scientists in other disciplines and other universities,” said Jimmy Ballard, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the OU College of Medicine. “But the grant is also significant because a major component of the program is mentoring junior researchers. They will contribute to better patient treatment with their projects, while building their careers and attracting additional grant funding that helps to drive Oklahoma’s economic growth.” Many of the NIH grants earned by researchers at the OU Health Sciences Center are made possible by an important local nonprofit organization – the Presbyterian Health Foundation (PHF). Each year, PHF awards millions in grants, which researchers use to further their investigations or purchase crucial equipment they would otherwise be unable to acquire. “Our partnership with PHF is indicative of the importance of local funding to the process of research,” Tomasek said. “Because of the generosity of entities like PHF, our researchers are able to enhance their investigations and make discoveries that then attract the attention of federal funding sources like the NIH.” Overall, federal funds awarded to the OU Health Sciences Center increased by 43% over the previous fiscal year. Grants from the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) were second behind the NIH in federal awards to the OU Health Sciences Center. In fiscal year 2020, HRSA awarded several multimillion-dollar grants, including one for suicide prevention strategies in Native American and other communities.
state Capitol. He has worked with Landmark Recovery to serve individuals with drug and alcohol addiction. Speakers at the interim study included: Carrie Slatton-Hodges, commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Verna Foust, CEO of Red Rock Behavioral Health Services; John Graham, EMSA Chief of Staff; and Sgt. Amber McCarthy with Tulsa Police Department. Help for first responders can be found at Red Rock’s crisis line 405-987-ROCK (7625) or online at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, https://www.ok.gov/odmhsas/. Interim studies give lawmakers a chance to hear from experts, asked detailed questions and examine issues in greater depth than is often possible during the legislative session. Today’s study was one of more than 70 approved by the speaker of the House.
School is a time for new fitness By Brian Attebery School is back in session. It may not be our normal yearbut schedules are being made and school is in session. For many, school year marks establishAttebery ing a routine. It is also a re-start of fitness and nutrition routines that fell off during the last few months. It is an important time to get your discipline back with fitness, nutrition and health. New Year’s Resolutions mark the beginning or new beginning of a fitness and nutrition program for many. Many of us have used the last few months issues as an excuse to park the exercise and eating healthy. We all know that is an excuse and not going to help our immune systems and over-all health. It is time to get back on track and treat yourself right! The start of the school year is a great time to start back on track if you have let it slip. Like New Year’s, this time of year marks the time to get back on a responsible schedule after having holidays and down time. Holidays and vacations are filled with high calorie, not so healthy foods that we all love to eat and drink. I do not exclude myself from this group. My trainers will fully admit we indulge in the yummy foods of life on occasion. Once again, moderation is the key. We deal with the same pressures as anyone. We don’t just eat broccoli and chicken. We fall off the wagon. We also get back on track after those indulgences and tighten up the diet, get back on the cardio and weights and start back over the day we get back. This year, I want you to get back on track but plan to have mini-breaks from your strict “nutrition lifestyle” and fitness. I use the phrase “nutrition lifestyle” because that is a long term, on-going process and not a moment in time like a “diet” tends to be thought of as. Food is intended to nourish our bodies. Treat food like that and think
about what it is doing for your body to make it healthy. Have junk food on occasion as a way to feel a reward for the lifestyle you have chosen to live. I like to use these “free days” where I allow myself some “fun foods” as a social release too. Make it a day when you gather with friends and family. We all appreciate having those social interactions no more than ever. We can talk about adults and their fitness without discussing kids. We all know that this has been a stressful year. Many people have been cooped up in their houses. It is easy to get into sedentary modes with your kids and grandkids. Kids absolutely need to exercise daily for their stress just like adults. It is vital for their physical and mental health. Limit their time on phones, movies and video games. Exercise as a family and get everyone back on track! The school year is when we must get back into a routine with our children and our selves. That really is the key to fitness and nutrition. You must make it a routine and schedule it. It won’t be perfect but you just keep going. Like school, where there are subjects that are more difficult to us than other subjects, fitness and nutrition can be the same. Some people lose weight easy but find muscle harder to build. Some people feel they get too bulky and can’t lose their fat on top of that. Some people find it difficult to workout because of health issues and do not know how to modify it. Once again, professional trainers are like teachers. Find one that has an education and allow them to help you get tutored on the “subjects” you struggle with. School would not be rewarding for children if they do not feel successful and as adults, we need to feel successful too. Let the new school year be a new start for you. Let’s get educated!
(Brian Attebery is a Degreed/Certified Trainer. He owns and operates Results Fitness and Nutrition Center, L.L.C. in Edmond. www.resultsfitnessusa.com)
