Tap into Trauma’s Emotional Energy and Use it to Power a Fulfilling Future
Los Angeles, CA, April 29, 2021 — Trauma doesn’t have to lead to a lifetime of weakness or hardship. In fact, trauma can lead to greater resilience and higher levels of achievement than we thought possible.
Dr. Randall Bell, widely considered the world’s top authority in the field of post-traumatic thriving, shares a process for not only surviving trauma but also thriving in the aftermath in his latest book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience.
“It can’t happen to me” is one of life’s greatest lies, he notes. But if or when it does happen, it’s possible to harness the emotional energy generated by the traumatic event — whether it was losing a loved one, surviving a natural disaster or being a victim of violence — and use it to heal and grow in entirely new directions.
“How do you take that energy from the trauma and tap into it to do something really remarkable that you wouldn’t have done otherwise?” asks Dr. Bell.
In Post-Traumatic Thriving, he shares stories of real people (many of them, like Leo Fender, are familiar) who have done exactly that, including:
• A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy.
• A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals.
• A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the White House three times.
• A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork.
• The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships.
• A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more.
• A man set to go to the Olympics had his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire.
Dr. Bell juxtaposes outcomes of scientific studies with these stories to reveal common denominators among “thrivers.” He divides his insights into three sections: The Dive Stage, The Survive Stage and The Thrive Stage, and outlines a step-by-step process toward authentic healing.
As a socio-economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals, major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.”
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at www.posttraumaticthriving.com.
Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience
Should a Person with Autism Be Allowed to Become a Professional Boxer and Put His Life at Risk?
Forest, VA, April 29, 2021― It’s a struggle that parents of children with special needs face every day and well into that child’s adulthood: how much decision-making latitude is safe?
NOKI is an empowering story from Douglas Farrago, MD, about a young man with autism who wants to become a professional boxer. Life’s circumstances have dictated the reason for him choosing this path. The lawless world of boxing has its reasons for embracing Noki and his abilities. And they are not good ones. So, the debate wages on: Should Noki be allowed to make the life-altering decision to enter the ring and put his life on the line?
Meanwhile, what few know is that Noki is actually a savant and can imitate and transform himself into any legendary boxer he wants — a plot twist that allows NOKI to pay homage to some of the greatest boxers of all time.
Dr. Farrago draws upon his experiences as an All-American collegiate boxer, a sports medicine trainer for professional boxers in Houston and his decades-long career in medicine during which he worked with autism patients to lend authenticity to his characters and narrative.
“Noki becomes somewhat of a hero to those with special needs in this story, which I think is pretty cool,” he said. “I felt it would be nice if a story showed that those with autism don’t need to be anything but themselves, and maybe it is the rest of us who need to change.”
Ultimately, NOKI is a heartwarming story that will spark real conversations about the limits that society places on people with special needs. Knowingly or not.
Author Douglas Farrago, MD, is board certified in the specialty of Family Practice. Recently retired, he had a large following of autistic and special needs patients in his career. Dr. Farrago is the inventor of the Knee Saver, which is currently in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Knee Saver and its knock-offs are worn by many major league baseball catchers. He also invented the CryoHelmet, used by athletes for head injuries as well as migraine sufferers.
Dr. Farrago received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia in 1987, his Master of Education degree in Exercise Science from the University of Houston in 1990 and his Medical Degree from the University of Texas at Houston in 1994. His residency training occurred way up north at the Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Dr. Farrago still blogs every day on his website Authenticmedicine.com and lectures worldwide about the present crisis in our healthcare system and the effect it has on the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Farrago has written six books to date, his latest one being NOKI.
Embrace Your Imperfections and Embark Upon a Healing Journey with God as Your Guide
Seattle, WA, April 30, 2021 — Crippling fear permeated every aspect of Christine Soule’s life from an early age and followed her into adulthood. Her past of brokenness — abuse, dysfunction, addiction and other trauma — could have very well defined her future. But once she turned to God and let Him lead the way, she found a path toward a brighter future.
“The key is discovering who you are in Christ — your true identify. And that’s especially significant if you, like me, have a past of brokenness,” Soule writes in her inspirational story, Broken and Beautiful. “So much of how we see ourselves revolves around the demands our society places on us, insisting we live up to its expectations. Don’t listen to the world. Listen to God.”
Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times. Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking. She had to break the cycle for the sake of her children. With nowhere else to turn, she dropped to her knees and prayed. And that’s when everything changed.
Broken and Beautiful is Soule’s remarkable story of how God took the pieces of her broken, astonishingly dysfunctional life and transformed it all into a breathtaking mosaic of joy and purpose.
“The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories,” Soule writes.
Told with honesty and surprising touches of humor, Soule shares her journey from drug-
addicted stripper to exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for helping others embrace God’s love. Broken and Beautiful is a raw, authentic story of hope, from a place of experience.
Author Christine Soule lives with the love of her life, Mitch Soule, in Seattle. They have five kids and three wonderful grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Providence Heights (www.providenceheights.org), a nonprofit created to house women and children in need and to provide counseling, education and jobs.
CHATHAM-KENT, ON, April 30, 2021 /CNW/ - Thunderbird Partnership Foundation says details from last week's 2021 federal budget can't come soon enough for First Nations communities and treatment centres to address substance use, addictions and mental health issues compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thunderbird's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Carol Hopkins, welcomes the proposed investment of $597.6 million over three years for a distinctions-based mental health and wellness strategy. It's certainly a step in the right direction.
"Communities know what they need to build their capacity to address opioid and methamphetamine use at the local level," says Hopkins, "but those solutions need investments that are equitable and sustainable to address the acuity of need."
The following are some of the community identified solutions:
adequate wages to sustain the workforce responding to addictions and substance use dependency, including those First Nations on the frontline of the opioid and methamphetamine crisis through outreach
harm reduction supplies
capacity to distribute safe supplies
overdose prevention safe consumption spaces
access to naloxone
emergency shelters for homeless people who use substances
training for the workforce
Hopkins adds that solutions also require a committed response from provincial and territorial health officials who also carry responsibility for mental health and primary care for every citizen, including First Nations communities. Every relevant solution must ensure services are delivered where people live in remote and rural communities in Canada and that services are relevant through the inclusion of land, language and culture. Funding and other resource allocations must be prioritized towards the right to health and the right to life for First Nation individuals, families and communities, who without adequate resources, do everything they can to ensure life for people at risk of death due to the contaminated illegal drug supply.
Equitable and sustainable funding support continues to be a priority for the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) and National Youth Solvent Abuse Program (NYSAP) workforce, who work in communities and treatment centres. First Nations addictions workers earn 45% less than their provincial counterparts yet exceed standards of excellence through accreditation, and the workforce consistently maintains core competency certifications.
Hopkins says despite stark funding inequities, this workforce continues to respond to the needs of First Nations with quick innovation during the pandemic. Some are maintaining in-person services at reduced capacity for safety, while others are seeing new virtual treatment services reach far more people than ever before. They also continue to demonstrate the value of land-based programs and remain committed to collecting data through standardized assessment tools to show the efficacy of their services during the pandemic.
"What more can be expected of this workforce unless their First Nations employers have capacity to retain them with meaningful wages and clear funding allocations that enable effective operational planning instead of maintaining the instability created by year-to-year funding promises," says Hopkins. She's hoping the new federal investments will honour the strengths of First Nations and provide parity for substance use and addictions workers because low wages make it impossible to retain a qualified workforce to ensure a response to the opioid and methamphetamine crisis many communities are experiencing.
Studies show the social return on capacity investments in First Nations treatment centres are significant with returns of $4 for every $1 invested and in some instances as much as $25 return for every 1$ invested.
SOURCE Thunderbird Partnership Foundation
Major Depressive Disorder: The Hope-Filled Battle for the Causes and the Cures
Spokane, WA, April 27, 2021 — The voice on the other end of the phone was familiar but shaky. It was Sarah’s friend Carolyn, and she was grappling with suicidal ideation.
“Something had her in its grip and would not let go,” Sarah Zabel explains. “I kept wondering, what’s doing this? How does a normal, happy person come to feel life is so bad that she must kill herself?”
A decade after that first phone call, solutions for Carolyn’s major depressive disorder remained elusive, and Sarah felt compelled to understand why.
Fighting Chance: How Unexpected Observations and Unintended Outcomes Shape the Science and Treatment of Depression delivers a 360-degree look inside the world of this debilitating illness, featuring interviews with more than 20 experts in the fields of neuroscience and psychiatry, current research and the unforgettable stories of 16 people personally impacted by depression.
Described by Sarah as a “science book for non-scientists,” Fighting Chancetackles key questions that have guided scientific research for decades and delves into the discoveries that have formed the medical world’s understanding of the disorder. Peppered throughout are more than 20 illustrations that help explain the science involved — making it widely accessible.
Sarah adeptly explores topics ranging from the neurobiology of depression to antidepressant medications; stress and inflammation; genetics; suicide; traditional and alternative therapies and treatments; and even gives a nod to Big Data’s efforts to clarify depression’s causes and cures.
Ultimately, Fighting Chance is a tale of human endeavor and ingenuity, of downright weird experiments and serendipitous discoveries, and of people who valiantly battle for answers for themselves and for people they will never know.
Author Sarah Zabel graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in computer science in 1987 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. She retired from the Air Force in 2018 as a major general and decided to turn her focus to her life-long love of learning and become a science writer. She set herself the task of first coming to understand, and then to explain for other lay-persons, the science behind some of life’s most complex but important human experiences. Inspired, intrigued and frustrated by an enduring friend’s battle with depression, she set that topic as her first task. Sarah does occasional consulting and other activities associated with her time as one of the military’s leaders in cyberspace operations and security, in the provision of communications and other services to a community, and leadership of a diverse workforce.
Optimi Health Finalizes Planned Build-Out of Mushroom Production and Research Facility
Awards contracts for interior finishing and technology installation
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTC: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) (“Optimi” or the “Company”), developers of a vertically integrated functional mushroom brand focused on the health and wellness sector, is pleased to offer an activity update at its 20,000 sq. ft. production and research facility in Princeton, British Columbia.
Optimi is advancing rapidly to final build-out of its two adjacent 10,000 square foot facilities which began construction in August of 2020. With the return of milder weather, final touches to exterior services, perimeter and access controls are well underway. The Company utilized the winter season to assess construction progress and to finalize a short list of contractors best suited for the critical interior layout. The entire process from engineering to tender process is now complete with all tenders graded through a fair percentile grading process including reference checks. For security purposes the tender winners’ names will be withheld but have met or exceeded the requirements per our engineering, responsiveness, and cost criteria.
All required building related permits have been obtained, and some materials have begun arriving onsite for inventory storage until required by the respective trades. Advanced HVAC equipment and controls, fire suppression, and 700kw backup electrical power systems have been contracted and are, or soon will be in transit to Princeton. Security systems play a major role to meet regulatory compliance for the companies stated goal to produce both functional and psychoactive mushroom products in-house. Perimeter intrusion detection incorporates a “smart” fence consisting of a robust chain-link fencing system which in conjunction with an integrated camera system and fence disturbance sensors, combines with wireless gate access including contact sensors and magnetic locks controlled by dual verification card readers and video intercom stations.
Agricultural production will be enhanced through the professional installation of an advanced Argus control system which provides software and hardware features such as secured local and remote connections, multiple user profiles, real-time monitoring and alarming of all critical environmental and system parameters, data recording, graphing, logging, exporting and data import for climate simulation, in a user-friendly, scalable control environment specifically designed for horticulture.
In addition, and in accordance with Health Canada protocols, the facility will include a Region III, Level 8 product vault with a projected capacity to initially secure a licensed 50kg of Psilocybin with the ability, subject to future licensing, to easily scale up to a maximum allowable level 8 capacity of 1,250kg. The company, in accordance with the respective physical security directives, has developed a comprehensive security plan and assigned responsibility for 24/7 management to its chief of security. This includes facility-wide personnel verification and tracking, intrusion or emergency notifications, CCTV monitoring and video archive of all secure areas, and further includes active response coordination with local emergency, fire and police services located nearby.
City of Princeton, Director of Economic Development, Mr. Gary Schatz notes, “I am excited to welcome Optimi Health into the Town of Princeton Industrial Park. The addition of such a cutting-edge company will help to further diversify the Princeton Economic landscape and create quality employment opportunities for our community. Optimi Health’s investment into the town is another example of the renaissance the Town of Princeton is experiencing and fits perfectly into the Town’s overall revitalization strategy. In my opinion they are doing an excellent job introducing this alternative business venture into our community and we are pleased to have them as a member of our business community.”
Optimi Health COO and Director, Bryan Safarik comments, “Activities are moving ahead rapidly, and every day brings us another step closer to moving in and getting to work. We are extremely excited by the interest in our venture and pleased by the response to our commitment to all-natural products. We aim to become the leading supplier of natural mushroom-based goods to the health & wellness community, as well as a future developer of clinically proven therapeutic psilocybin formulations for discerning users who understandably prefer a non-synthetic solution for what are very personal care solutions. Mental health care options are going to change with the advent of innovative products, and we believe the finest products come from nature – naturally. We are passionate about delivering the best and we plan to build our brand based on that. This is what this entire facility in Princeton is dedicated to, and we are committed to a plan of action designed to deliver a simple outcome; the very finest Canadian made and naturally optimized mushroom products available.”
On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Optimi Health Corp.
Mike Stier President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
ABOUT OPTIMI (CSE: OPTI) (OTC: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) Optimi is developing a sophisticated mushroom brand that focuses on the health and wellness markets. With a vertically integrated approach, Optimi intends to cultivate, extract, process and distribute high quality functional mushroom products at its two facilities comprising a total of 20,000 square feet nearing completion in Princeton, British Columbia. To fully investigate the science of mushrooms, the Company has received a research exemption under Health Canada Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) for the use of Psilocybin and Psilocin for scientific purposes via its wholly owned subsidiary Optimi Labs Inc. Optimi has also applied for a dealer’s license under Canada’s Narcotic Control Regulations governing possession, distribution, sale, laboratory analysis of and research and development of Psilocybin and Psilocin formulations. Optimi is committed to expert cultivation and quality production subject to and in accordance with the terms of all applicable laws and governing regulations to ensure safe, superior Canadian fungi production.
FORWARD‐LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward‐looking statements") that relate to Optimi’s current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "expects," "will continue," "is anticipated," "anticipates," "believes," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "forecast," "projection," "strategy," "objective," and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward‐looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward‐looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward‐ looking statements pertaining to the dealer’s license application, activities proposed to be conducted under the Company’s research exemption and associated business related to Psilocybin and Psilocin and Optimi’s plans, focus and objectives.
Forward‐looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi’s control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward‐looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID‐19 pandemic and other factors set forth under “Forward‐Looking Statements" and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Final Prospectus dated February 12, 2021. Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward‐looking statement. Any forward‐looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
No More Sugar Coating It - New Book, No Sugar In Me™, Takes on Sugar and Delivers Better Health!
TORONTO, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ - People across the globe are consuming more sugar than ever before! The fallout of this worldwide added, processed, and refined sugar addiction comes at a very high price—our health. Brad Woodgate, self-made, serial entrepreneur and nutrition industry expert is taking on sugar with his first book: No Sugar In Me™, available for purchase on May 3rd, 2021.
"Sugar consumption is out of control and has become a health concern for everyone—it's addictive and completely detrimental to our health," says Woodgate. "This book is my effort to help people struggling with their sugar dependency. In my 21 years in the health and nutrition industry, I've never seen anything worse than refined sugar."
No Sugar In Me™ isn't an all-or-nothing detox or a quick-fix diet. This book is about changing your lifestyle by eliminating refined sugar from your diet and embracing better nutrition to gain better health. In his debut book, Woodgate details what sugar really does to your body, how it is hidden in the foods you eat every day, and the cold hard truth about refined sugars. He also arms readers with important and shocking information, such as 72 variants of refined sugar included in our food, and how to watch out for them. Big culprits include: No Fat Yogurt (often loaded in sugar) and bread.
"Refined sugars are like a modern-day cigarette — their negative effects are finally being publicized and it's only a matter of time before they become regulated," says Woodgate. "But until then, consumers can take the power into their own hands and fight for their health. I feel strongly that the No Sugar In Me lifestyle will be one of the biggest health movements to date."
Also included are simple, but delicious, No Sugar Food Swaps, a special section on how to crush cravings and how to bring your kids into the no sugar lifestyle with you.
If Woodgate has his way, we'll start to scroll down the nutritional labels past the fat content on our food to see what sugars are hiding in plain sight.
Brad Woodgate is a self-made serial entrepreneur, who turned a thirty-thousand-dollar investment into over a billion dollars in sales. Having launched several successful companies over the past 21 years in the health and wellness space, he managed over 500 employees, launched over 700 products, and distributed to more than 50 countries. Through all of this, he learned what works in this space and what doesn't. Over the years, Brad also helped many people and celebrities reach their wellness goals. In 2015, based on his own health concerns, Brad took a very strong interest in the effects of refined sugar on our health. This led to the establishment of the No Sugar Company in early 2019, which has quickly disrupted the global food industry and is now one of the fastest growing food companies in North America.
SOURCE Brad Woodgate
CHPCA is inviting Canadians to shine a light on the people and issues that matter most
National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2021
OTTAWA, ON, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ - May 2nd – 8th , 2021, marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week. It is a time to celebrate and share the achievements of Hospice Palliative Care throughout the nation, look at shortcomings, and create bridges for these gaps. This year, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) will be taking a moment to memorialize those who have passed, as well as appreciate those who have made this hard year a little brighter by shining a light on those who matter to us most.
Whether it is our loved ones or those working and volunteering in the hospice palliative care field, CHPCA recognizes the efforts made this year and aims to shine a light on those who matter most. To brighten up these dark days, CHPCA is inviting Canadians to light their candlelight, porch light, or spotlight on May 7th between 7–8 PM in honour of the light of their lives.
From access, funding, advocacy, and awareness, CHPCA is bringing hospice palliative care issues to light with the help of their 2019–2022 Strategic Plan. CHPCA is inviting all Canadians to join them in writing a letter to a Member of Parliament about what issues matters to them most when it comes to hospice palliative care in Canada. Participants can download CHPCA's letter template here as well as resources to help draft a letter here.
Laurel Gillespie, CEO of CHPCA states that "Our loved ones, essential workers, volunteers, and hospice palliative care workers have been the shining lights throughout this dark year of uncertainty. As Canadians, we are coming together this National Hospice Palliative Care Week to show our gratitude for the sacrifices made, as we continue to advocate for progress in the field of hospice palliative care. By casting a light on people and issues that matter most to us, we are one step closer to making a difference. Alone we can light up a room—together we can light up the whole nation."
CHPCA has created a downloadable poster and a fact sheet that helps bring hospice palliative care issues to light. To continue the conversation online, social media users are invited to share the light of their lives by engaging with CHPCA's Facebook (CanadianHospicePalliativeCare) and Twitter (@CanadianHPCAssn) with the hashtag #TheLightOfMyLife.
National Hospice Palliative Care Week is coordinated by CHPCA. Funding for National Hospice Palliative Care Week is provided by GSK, Purdue, and Innovative Medicines Canada. For more information and downloadable resources for National Hospice Palliative Care Week, please visit chpca.ca/week.
The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association – the national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada – is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in care for persons approaching death so that the burdens of suffering, loneliness and grief are lessened. The CHPCA operates in close partnership with provincial hospice palliative care organizations and other national organizations and continues to work to ensure "that all Canadians have access to quality hospice palliative care."
SOURCE Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
Shock and Denial Consume Parents of Addicts
“About Natalie is groundbreaking. It doesn’t preach or pretend to offer a panacea. Instead, it offers a refreshing, authentic look at one family’s struggle with addiction, easily the most powerful book published on the subject in the 21st century.”— Dr. Maryel McKinley PhD, Addictions Expert, Former Co-Host, “All Talk Recovery Radio,” Los Angeles, Arbitron rated No. 1 in Southern California
Pittsburgh, PA, April 27, 2021 — Like the band that played on as the Titanic sank, Christine Naman unpacked the groceries and made a meatloaf — the simple act of normalcy distracting her from an unthinkable reality: addiction was pulling her daughter under.
“Even with the picture of the situation coming more clearly into focus, I clung to denial like a kayaker who has been thrown from his boat would cling to a branch lying across the water,” Christine says. “It is amazing how deep into denial a person can go and how strongly they can hang onto it before reality smacks them around enough so that they let go.”
Christinetraces her daughter's years-long battle with addiction in About Natalie, a gripping, cautionary tale of how, in spite of a loving family and a comfortable life, a child can end up on the wrong path, meet the wrong people and get lost in the unthinkable.
About Natalie takes readers deep inside Christine’s emotional and mental turmoil as she grows into her new, unfortunate role as the parent of an addict. She steps on syringes left on the floor and wrestles one from the family dog’s mouth. She lives the nightmare of finding an unresponsive child on the floor and uses Narcan to revive her. She chases away a drug dealer and stays up all night waiting for her missing child to come home. She rejoices during periods of recovery and hope and is devastated during relapses. When her daughter suffers, Christine suffers right along with her.
Interwoven with Christine’s reflections are Natalie’s compelling poems that share her personal pain and the unvarnished truth of her struggle.
At its core, About Natalie is a story of fighting for — and right alongside — the ones we love, no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is a story of keeping the faith, battling hard and never giving up.
Bestselling author Christine Pisera Naman is a wife to a beautiful man named Peter and a mother to three fantastic kids named Jason, Natalie and Trevor. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, which she does poorly; painting, again poorly; and volunteering at her local hospital, which she hopes she does well. She is the author of the Faces of Hope series of books that are now housed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City. Her other works include Caterpillar Kisses, Christmas Lights, The Novena and The Believers.About Natalie is her heart poured onto paper.
She hopes that by sharing her family’s difficult story she can bring understanding and knowledge to those who do not know the problem firsthand as well as provide comfort to those who know the nightmare of addiction all too well.
Revive Therapeutics Files for FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Psilocybin in Traumatic Brain Injury
TORONTO, April 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revive Therapeutics Ltd. (“Revive” or the “Company”) (CSE: RVV, USA: RVVTF), a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for medical needs and rare disorders, is pleased to announce it has filed an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") to receive Orphan Drug Designation ("ODD") for Psilocybin to treat moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (“TBI”).
There are no FDA approved treatments for cognitive impairments due to TBI. Moderate to severe TBI is a subset of TBI and can lead to a physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes over the course of a person’s life. These changes may affect a person’s ability to function in their everyday life. Approximately 50% of people with severe TBI will experience further decline in their daily lives or die within 9 years of their injury. People with TBI are fifty times more likely to die from seizures and six times more likely to die from pneumonia.[1]
Psilocybin offers a potential solution to manage moderate to severe cases of TBI. Psilocybin has the potential with its neuroreparative effect to improve loss of cognitive function after TBI lessening disability. The clinical effect of psilocybin appears to be related to its attenuation of traumatically-induced glutamate excitotoxicity during the early post-injury period. In preclinical studies conducted at the National Health Research Institutes, which was part of the research program acquired from PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (CSE: PHRM) (OTCQB: PHRRF), characterized the potential neuroreparative effect of psilocybin compared to being treated with a vehicle (saline) using a TBI mouse model. Adult mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups: (1) control, (2) TBI+vehicle, (3) TBI+low dose psilocybin, and (4) high dose psilocybin. Cognitive function was examined by the Morris water maze test after the injury. It was found that psilocybin, given after injury, improved cognitive function in TBI mice. Also, there were no adverse effects observed with psilocybin.
Michael Frank, CEO of Revive commented: “The FDA orphan drug application for psilocybin to treat moderate to severe TBI is an important milestone for Revive as we focus on building a robust product pipeline focused on novel uses and delivery forms of psilocybin to treat significant unmet medical needs. We are currently seeking to evaluate psilocybin in a clinical trial for moderate to severe TBI and advancing our development of a proprietary oral thin film psilocybin product for the potential treatment of certain neurological disorders, such as brain damage caused by all forms of TBI and stroke, and other related mental health and substance abuse disorders.”
The Orphan Drug Act grants special status to a drug or biological product to treat a rare disease or condition upon request of a sponsor. This status is referred to as orphan designation (or sometimes "orphan status"). The FDA grants ODD status to products that treat rare diseases, providing incentives to sponsors developing drugs or biologics. The FDA defines rare diseases as those affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States at any given time. ODD would qualify psilocybin for certain benefits and incentives, including seven years of marketing exclusivity if regulatory approval is ultimately received for the designated indication, potential tax credits for certain clinical drug testing costs, activities, eligibility for orphan drug grants, and the waiver of the FDA New Drug Application filing fee of approximately USD $2,400,000.
About Revive Therapeutics Ltd.
Revive is a life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare disorders, and it is prioritizing drug development efforts to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the FDA such as Orphan Drug, Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. Currently, the Company is exploring the use of Bucillamine for the potential treatment of infectious diseases, with an initial focus on severe influenza and COVID-19. With its recent acquisition of Psilocin Pharma Corp., Revive is advancing the development of Psilocybin-based therapeutics in various diseases and disorders. Revive’s cannabinoid pharmaceutical portfolio focuses on rare inflammatory diseases and the company was granted FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) to treat autoimmune hepatitis (liver disease) and to treat ischemia and reperfusion injury from organ transplantation. For more information, visit www.ReviveThera.com.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Revive’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the the Company’s cannabinoids, psychedelics and infectious diseases programs. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Revive at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Revive is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Reference is made to the risk factors disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual MD&A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, which has been filed on SEDAR and is available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.
