CurexLab, a provider of approved COVID-19 PPE and lab supplies, provides safe traveling information for those who have been vaccinated
NEW YORK, New York – (May 5, 2021) – One of the things people are eager to get back to in their life is traveling. COVID has put a damper on their traveling, and millions of people are already working on travel plans now that things are opening up and the vaccination rate is so high. The good news is that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that people can travel once they have been fully vaccinated. Even so, there are safe traveling precautions that people should take in order to help reduce their risks because vaccines do not provide 100% protection.
“We all want to get back to our normal lives, which includes visiting people and traveling,” explains Shan S. Haider, chief executive officer of CurexLab, one of the largest suppliers of COVID-19 PPE and lab supplies. “But it’s still a good idea to take a few precautions to help reduce your risks of virus exposure. You will never regret having taken those little safe traveling steps.”
Once people are fully vaccinated, they can begin to cautiously travel. According to the CDC, people are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received their final vaccine. For those who have received the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, that would mean two weeks after their second dose. For those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, that would be two weeks after their one shot.
Here are some tips for safe traveling in the COVID age:
Choose a destination that won’t have big crowds. Now is not the time to plan to visit a big city where there will be crowds of people. If possible, opt for places where there are fewer people, such as national parks or other places in nature.
Stick to wearing a mask when you travel. While airplanes require them, it’s a good idea to continue to wear them everywhere. They are a good line of defense when it comes to the germs and viruses you are exposed to.
Take supplies with you that you can use on the airplane, in the rental car, and in the hotel. A container of sanitizing wipes gives you a quick way to clean your tray table, wipe down your rental car, and clean the television remote and doorknobs in the hotel room.
Wash your hands regularly and carry hand santizer with you for when it’s not possible. Avoid touching your face after you have been touching things and haven’t been able to wash your hands.
Try to socially distance where possible. If you see a crowd gathered, go the other way. You can still be social and get involved in things, but try to limit your exposure to a lot of people, especially indoors and where it’s poorly ventilated.
Eat healthy, exercise and get plenty of sleep so that your body stays healthier and your immune system stays stronger. This will help your body combat germs and viruses that do make their way into your body.
“There are different variants of the COVID virus, and we don’t know everything about them at this point,” added Haider. “Taking precautions is going to help keep you safe yet allow you to get back to enjoying doing things. Have fun, but protect yourself, too.”
Beginning June 2021, CurexLab will be offering a travel kit, which has been designed for travelers who are exposed to crowds and would like to clean and sanitize their immediate area. The travel kit includes two disposable 3-ply masks, two pair of gloves, 10 wet wipe sachets, and 10 sanitizer gel sachets. CurexLab Inc’s goal is to get the travel kits into convenient places around the US and Canada, such as CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid, and kiosk stores at the airports, train stations, and bus stops.
CurexLab Inc., pioneers in clinical diagnostic kits, offers a range of COVID-19 PPE supplies and lab supplies at affordable costs. Its product line includes antibody rapid testing kits, RNA COVID-19 extraction kits, inferred thermometers, ventilators, face shields, hand sanitizer, nitrile gloves, KN95 masks, three and four-ply masks, isolation and surgical gowns, and coveralls. To get more information or see the line of COVID-19 PPE and lab supplies, visit the site at: https://www.curexlab.com.
About CurexLab Inc.
Based in New York City and Toronto, CurexLab Inc. offers a range of COVID-19 lab and PPE supplies. It is one of the largest suppliers of COVID-19 medical supplies, including nitrile gloves and four-ply masks. CurexLab masks were designed in compliance with FDA and CDC guidelines. It is a vendor at the state and federal government level. Its products are manufactured in labs in the U.S., Canada, Turkey, Estonia, Vietnam, and China. All vendors are carefully selected to meet CureXLab’s high standards. To get more information or see the line of COVID-19 PPE and lab supplies, visit the site at: https://www.curexlab.com.
Butterfly Approach offers hope for future in Long-Term Care in Ontario
Meaningful Care Matters welcomes the publication of Ontario’s Long-Term Care Covid-19 Commission Final Report in its honest and powerful reflections of the impact of the last year on people living and working in long-term care.
It was particularly heartening that the report did not just highlight what went wrong, but also offered tangible recommendations based on ‘best practices and promising ideas’ highlighted during the Commission’s hearings.
One of the approaches mentioned was The Butterfly Approach, currently being implemented and supported by Meaningful Care Matters in a number of facilities across Ontario, and also in Alberta. The Butterfly Approach is both a philosophy of care and a clear roadmap on how to achieve this in practice. While there are other models of care which might include some similar features, The Butterfly Approach is one of the most comprehensive culture change models to be implemented thus far in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the USA.
In the Commission Report, The Butterfly Approach was commended in particular for its small family-feel household living, which was positive both in terms of quality of life and close relationships between people, but also in terms of infection control during Covid-19. Other key elements include a lessening of ‘them and us’ institutional features and less focus on tasks to be done and more on interaction and occupation. This has been particularly welcoming for people during the pandemic where loneliness and boredom became the norm in many long-term-care homes.
All the contributors who talked about the Butterfly Approach stressed the need for motivated and passionate leaders to drive the change needed. Peter Bewert, CEO of Meaningful Care Matters agrees; “It has never been more important to nurture and re-energise inspirational leaders in long-term-care. Many are exhausted after a devastating year of loss and trying to support a depleted and demoralised workforce. However, the Butterfly Family of partners implementing the Approach in Ontario have been supporting each other, and will continue to do so. Meaningful Care Matters has a strong team ready to help existing Butterfly Homes, as well as support services who want to find out more about this transformative approach.”
Meaningful Care Matters specialise in helping care homes to access a variety of services facilitating the effective and sustainable implementation of person-centred care models, for the health, social/aged, and disability care settings.
The care and culture consultancy group has recently launched Meaningful Connections Community, a comprehensive online platform offering individuals and care providers an opportunity to share, collaborate and debate issues impacting person-centred care cultures.
16 People, Impacted by Depression, Contribute Their Unforgettable Journeys to Encourage Dialogue
Bayview, Idaho, May 5, 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?”
Sarah shares Carolyn’s unforgettable story, along with the emotional journeys of 15 others, in Fighting Chance: How Unexpected Observations and Unintended Outcomes Shape the Science and Treatment of Depression.Included are interviews with more than 20 experts in the fields of neuroscience and psychiatry, plus current research, to give readers a 360-degree look inside the world of mental illness.
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.
Hello Trees. Hello Allergies. The Sneezing Season Is Here
How to stop allergies & allergic reactions naturally with wild spices
An interview with Dr. Cass Ingram, author of The Miracle of Wild Oregano
If it feels like the annual allergy season is getting longer and worse, it’s because it is.
Climate researchers say rising temperatures and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are prolonging the pollen production seasons and increasing the amount of pollen that plants produce.
For the more than 26 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis, or "hay fever," that means a longer span of irritated eyes, sneezing, a runny nose, and congestion. Healthcare professionals also believe that the combination of longer growing seasons and an increase in pollen, production is linked to a spike in patients developing allergy symptoms, an American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAI) survey found.
Millions of Americans experience year-round allergy symptoms, regardless of when pollen season starts, due to the presence of indoor allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and mold, says Dr. Cass Ingram, an expert on wild medicinal spices and author of the book The Miracle of Wild Oregano.
In fact, most nasal and sinus problems attributed to pollen are actually caused by entrenched colonies of fungi living year-round in the nasal cavity.
For natural health enthusiasts, Dr. Ingram reveals how to quiet allergy symptoms not with over-the-counter medications and their accompanying side-effects, but rather by using the medicinal power of wild oregano and other germ-fighting aromatic spices.
Here are Dr. Ingram's tips for beating allergy symptoms naturally:
Clean your home with natural antiseptics to eliminate indoor allergens, including dust mites and mold. Non-toxic medicinal spice OregaSpray will kill mold spores and other harmful microbes. Can be sprayed on air conditioner filters to decrease mold and viral transmission. The blended spray includes oregano, cumin, and other essential oils.
Saline-based nasal wash containing essential oils of sage, bay leaf, clove, and oregano will inactivate spores, microbes, and pathogens growing in the nasal and sinus passageways. All-natural SinuOrega can be used daily.
Eliminate dairy, including milk and packaged products with dairy ingredients.
Your respiratory system is already under attack from allergens -- don't overtax your immune system by creating excess mucus that needs to be eliminated.
For Runny Nose and Sneezing
Studies show that molds are the cause of a wide range of sinus symptoms, including runny nose, postnasal drip, acute sinus infections, and stuffy sinuses, as well as chronic sinusitis itself, says Dr. Ingram. Treatment protocol: Inhale the wild oregano oil frequently, place a drop or two of oil on the skin next to the nose; consume it under the tongue, five or more drops twice daily.
For Congestion:
Oil of wild oregano is a type of natural sinus medicine. It helps to open clogged sinus passages while thinning mucus as well as halting excessive mucus secretion. Wild oregano has been used historically to relieve constricted breathing, including asthma attacks. As mentioned previously it possesses significant powers for reversing a wide range of lung- and bronchial-related symptoms, including congestion, cough, thick mucus, and wheezing, says Dr. Ingram. Treatment protocol: Inhale the oil frequently to help open clogged passages. Place a drop or two of oil of wild oregano on the skin next to the nose for a more direct effect.
For Coughing:
The oil is currently being evaluated in a clinical setting in the treatment of coughing. Of the twenty individuals so far tested, all noted significant relief from coughing after taking either oregano oil or the crushed oregano herb. Many have reported an outright cure, says Dr. Ingram. Treatment protocol: Inhale the oil of wild oregano directly from the bottle as often as possible. Take a few drops of the oil under the tongue twice daily or gargle with a few drops in saltwater.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR DR. CASS INGRAM (cassingram.com/ northamericanherbandspice.com) Dr. Cass Ingram is a nutritional physician who received a B.S. in biology and chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa (1979) and a D.O. from The University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA (1984). Dr. Ingram has since written over 20 books on natural healing. He has given answers and hope to millions through lectures on thousands of radio/TV shows. His research and writing have led to countless cures and discoveries. Dr. Cass Ingram presents 100's of health tips and insights in his many books on health, nutrition, and disease prevention. Dr. Ingram is one of North America's leading experts on the health benefits and disease-fighting properties of wild medicinal spice extracts. A popular media personality, he has appeared on over 5,000 radio and TV shows. He now travels the world promoting perfect health in the natural way.
Did you Purchase Glucosamine Sulfate Products Between May 6, 2004 and June 1, 2021?
If so, you might be affected by a class action settlement.
VANCOUVER, BC, May 5, 2021 /CNW/ -
The Class Action
A national class action was commenced in British Columbia, on behalf of residents of Canada, alleging that numerous manufacturers and retailers sold products labelled as containing "glucosamine sulfate", "glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride", "glucosamine sulfate KCL", or "glucosamine sulfate • KCL" ("Glucosamine Sulfate Products"), when they contained no glucosamine sulfate.
The class action alleges that the defendants were unjustly enriched, engaged in negligent misrepresentation, contravened the Competition Act prohibiting false and misleading representations, and contravened provincial consumer protection legislation.
The Settlement
A settlement of the action has been reached on a national level with Vita Health Products Inc. ("Vita") and Sisu, Inc. ("Sisu") under which these settling defendants have agreed to, among other things, make a product labelling change and pay CDN $450,000 for the benefit of the proposed class. In exchange, Vita and Sisu, as well as certain related parties, will receive, among other things, a full and final nation-wide release of all claims and potential claims that class members may have against them for any sort of alleged or perceived damages relating to the Glucosamine Sulfate Products.
The settlement is subject to court approval in British Columbia. The settlement is a resolution of contested claims, none of which have been proven, and is not an admission of liability, fault or wrongdoing of any kind by Vita or Sisu, nor is it an admission of any of the allegations made in the class action, which Vita and Sisu expressly deny.
Certification as Class Proceedings for Settlement Purposes
The court in British Columbia will be asked to certify the action against Vita and Sisu as a class proceeding for settlement purposes only.
Settlement Class Members
You may be a member of the proposed settlement class if you purchased Glucosamine Sulfate Products between May 6, 2004 and June 1, 2021, for purposes that were primarily personal, family, or household.
"Glucosamine Sulfate Products" means product labelled as containing "glucosamine sulfate", "glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride", "glucosamine sulfate KCL", or "glucosamine sulfate • KCL".
Settlement Approval Hearing
A hearing to consider certification and approval of the settlement will be heard by the British Columbia court in the City of Vancouver on June 1, 2021 at 9:00am by videoconference.
You may express your views on the proposed settlement to the court. If you wish to do so you must provide a written submission to class counsel by May 25, 2021 for consideration by the court. For more information see bdplaw.com, bennettmounteer.com, or cfmlawyers.ca.
Money Paid Under the Settlement
The settlement funds paid by the settling defendants will be held in an interest-bearing trust account. At a later date, the court will decide how the settlement funds will be distributed. The settlement funds may be distributed to class members, distributed to charitable organizations, used to pay for case expenses, or any combination of the above. If there is a distribution to the class members, the court will decide how you can apply to receive money from this settlement.
You are represented by:
Bennett Mounteer LLP
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP
SOURCE CFM Lawyers LLP
How to Prevent (and Treat) Tick Bites This Summer Naturally
There's a tiny, would-be assassin hiding in America's fields and woodlands that goes by the name of ioxides scapularis, but is more commonly known as the black-legged deer tick.
A single bite from this creature can destroy your life - and if untreated, may even kill you.
"The disease caused by this tiny biting insect is called, Lyme disease, and it's one of the most dreaded and destructive diseases known," said medicinal spice expert and health researcher Dr. Cass Ingram, author of "The Lyme Disease Cure."
With a minimum of some 400,000 Americans diagnosed with this disease every year, and with lockdowns being lifted in many parts of the country, those with Lyme disease need to understand why they are at a heightened level of risk and how to avoid being adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, says Dr. Cass Ingram, a Lyme disease survivor who developed his own successful plant-based treatment protocol which he details in his book, The Lyme Disease Cure.
Patients who have Lyme disease typically have a hyperactive immune system that is in a state of perpetual inflammation. This factor makes these individuals more at risk for developing severe illness.
As tick season ramps up this year, we have to be very vigilant, more so than any other year, so that we prevent Lyme disease from developing.
PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO LYME DISEASE AND TICK PATHOGENS:
Wear the lightest-colored clothes possible, preferably white or off-white. White is the best, since the tiny tick nymphs, which are black, can be seen more readily. Larger ticks can be easily seen against such a background.
Socks are pulled over the pant legs. The socks should be white.
Spray shoes, socks, and legs with a natural, potent tick repellent.
Check clothes often for evidence of crawling, climbing ticks.
Wear a hat to prevent ticks from falling from tall grass or trees onto the head.
Be sensitive, and be aware. Have a high awareness of entities crawling on the body or in the hair. If any such sensations occur, check the body immediately.
Upon arriving home or when in a secure place, strip down immediately; place all clothing in a plastic bag. Inspect the body fully for ticks.
The head and neck should be carefully inspected. The hair should
be thoroughly brushed and/or combed all the way down to the scalp. After any wilderness adventure take a shower and scrub the skin
RESPONSE TO BEING BITTEN:
Any tick bite, if discovered, should be treated topically. The tick itself, along with the bite area, should be saturated with the oil of wild oregano to attain constant contact, which is ideal to destroy any residual tick-related germs and the consequential local inflammation. That constant contact can also be achieved by saturating a bandage or a piece of cotton and once the tick is removed taping it against the region. This can then be changed every 12 or 24 hours and continued until all infection and inflammation is eradicated.
BASIC PROTOCOL TREATING LYME DISEASE WITH WILD SPICES
Wild spices in the form of oil of oregano will literally burn away the protective exterior membranes (biofilm) of viruses and pathogens transmitted by an infected tick. Many types of germ-killing spices are reviewed in the book, and readers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the healing properties and uses of each. Some of the spices used by Dr. Ingram to cure his own Lyme infection included:
Oil of wild oregano (P73)
Multiple spices - dried essential oil complex consisting of oils of wild oregano and sage, cumin, and cinnamon
Juice of wild oregano
ABOUT DR. CASS INGRAM (cassingram.com/ northamericanherbandspice.com) Dr. Cass Ingram is the foremost expert in medicinal herbs and spices. He received a B.S. in biology and chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa (1979) and a D.O. from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA (1984). He has written 24 books on natural healing and has been an invited guest on hundreds of radio and television programs across North America and the UK
LifeLabs announces collaboration with TELUS Health to support better access to healthcare services for customers in Ontario
Providing MyCareCompass users with access to allied health services such as counselling and dietitians
Toronto, ON, May 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, LifeLabs is proud to announce that it has partnered with Telus Health to offer MyCareCompass customers in Ontario improved access to allied health services such as virtual counselling through the Babylon by TELUS Health virtual care service.
A recent study by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) found that 40% of Canadians say their mental health has deteriorated since the onset of the pandemic. What's more, Canadians are continuing to rely on virtual care during the pandemic to support their health care needs.
LifeLabs' MyCareCompass portal goes beyond appointment booking and providing customers with their test results online. The portal includes several new features, including an online marketplace that features health, wellness, lifestyle products and services where the new featured virtual counselling service will be offered.
"Over 3 million users in Ontario rely on LifeLabs' portal to deliver convenient digital tools to help them manage their healthcare journey," says Charles Brown, President and CEO, LifeLabs. "Our goal with this partnership is to provide our customers with enhanced access to online services that empowers them to support better health outcomes for their lives."
The collaboration with TELUS Health will allow MyCareCompass users in Ontario to book 50-minute virtual mental health counselling appointments through the Babylon by TELUS Health mobile app on a smartphone. Sessions are provided by experienced, master's level registered counsellors who provide care that responds to the unique needs and goals of each individual; customers also have the ability to read counsellor bios in advance to select a care provider that they feel best meets their needs.
"We are seeing the mental health crisis in Canada escalate amidst a global pandemic causing considerable emotional, physical, and financial stress; and we know that Canadians need multidimensional support," said Juggy Sihota, Vice President, Consumer Health, TELUS. "Access to mental health support as well as a family doctor are equally important and that's why TELUS Health is committed to ensuring that Ontarians have improved access to that care, in addition to allied healthcare professionals, where and when they need it most, through our Babylon by TELUS Health service."
LifeLabs is Canada's leading provider of laboratory diagnostic information and digital health connectivity systems, enabling patients and health care practitioners to diagnose, treat, monitor, and prevent disease. We support 20 million patient visits annually and conduct over 100 million laboratory tests through leading edge technologies and our 5,700 talented and dedicated employees. We are a committed innovator in supporting Canadians to live healthier lives, operating Canada's first commercial genetics lab and the country's largest online patient portal, with more than 5 million Canadians receiving their results online. LifeLabs is 100% Canadian owned by OMERS Infrastructure, the infrastructure investment manager of one of Canada's largest defined benefit pension plans. Learn more at lifelabs.com.
Monthly sales and new listings in the Fraser Valley continue blistering pace; surge in inventory starting to calm prices
SURREY, British Columbia, May 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the eighth consecutive month, Fraser Valley real estate saw record-breaking sales with April topping the previous monthly high set in 2016. The 2020/2021 pandemic seller’s market in the Fraser Valley has now surpassed the previous longest stretch of seven consecutive, record-breaking months, last set in 2015/2016.
In April, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) processed 3,016 sales on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), an increase of 338 per cent compared to April 2020 and a 9 per cent decrease compared to March. (Note that sales and new listings in April 2020 were significantly restricted due to the pandemic lockdown.) The previous record high for sales in April was 2,969 in 2016.
Larry Anderson, President of the Board, said, “Although it remains very competitive and challenging for buyers, April could be the turning point in this historic market. In the last couple of weeks, we have seen evidence of a change in pace.
“In general, we’re seeing fewer multiple offers, fewer subject-free offers, and homes over-priced are starting to sit longer. These are positive signs that the market is responding to near-record levels of new inventory.”
The Board received the highest volume of new listings ever in March 2021 and that elevated pace continued in April. Last month, the Board received 5,018 new listings, an increase of 254 per cent compared to April 2020, and a decrease of 1 per cent compared to March 2021. The influx of new listings improved supply with total active inventory reaching 6,030 in April 2021, 20 per cent higher than in March and the highest it’s been in six months.
Baldev Gill, Chief Executive Officer of the Board, added, “Buyers and sellers will note that we’re already seeing increases in home prices start to slow in response to the new supply.
“If you have an active listing now or are thinking of selling, it’s critical to work with a professional REALTOR® to ensure your asking price is realistic and competitive based on today’s market, not yesterday’s.”
Across Fraser Valley, in March, the average number of days to sell a single-family detached home was 13 and a townhome was 10 days. Apartments took, on average, 22 days to sell.
MLS® HPI Benchmark Price Activity
Single Family Detached: At $1,293,300, the Benchmark price for an FVREB single-family detached home increased 4.5 per cent compared to March 2021 and increased 30.3 per cent compared to April 2020.
Townhomes: At $652,400, the Benchmark price for an FVREB townhomeincreased 4.5 per cent compared to March 2021 and increased 18.0 per cent compared to April 2020.
Apartments: At $478,700, the Benchmark price for an FVREB apartment/condo increased 2.9 per cent compared to March 2021 and increased 9.3 per cent compared to April 2020.
The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board is an association of 3,926 real estate professionals who live and work in the BC communities of Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, North Delta, Surrey, and White Rock. The FVREB will mark its 100-year anniversary in October 2021.
May is National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month: Thanks to a Transplant, a West Virginia Mom is Winning Her Battle
May 3, 2021-- May is National Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month. More than 30,000 adults and kids in the United States have CF. In West Virginia, a CF survivor is currently winning her 37-year battle with the disease -- thanks to her life-saving double lung transplant. Her transplant is not only allowing her to breathe easier; it is also the reason she will be celebrating a very special Mother’s Day this year with her daughter.
More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of CF, and 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. CF causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs, which over time leads to sinus issues, difficult food digestion and permanent lung damage due to constant infections. CF is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestines.
For Kristen Jagodowski of Falling Waters, West Virginia, these statistics and challenges have been her reality since was diagnosed the day she was born in May 1984. Kristen always knew that one day her CF would progress to a level that would require her to undergo a life-saving double lung transplant, but she never let that knowledge stop her from living life to the fullest and pursuing her dreams. Now post transplant and enjoying every second with her greatest gift, her daughter, Kristen recently reflected on her transplant journey to date and her beloved role as ‘Mother to Taylor.’
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” There is not a quote that better explains my transplant journey. The beginning is clear … the road is long … but the end always remains unknown.
I was born with a genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis. My parents never knew anyone with CF so it came as quite a surprise. I had a healthy older brother. When I was rushed to a different hospital after birth, my family was shocked and fearful of what the future held. Fast forward to today. I will soon be celebrating my 37thbirthday. At the time of my diagnosis as an infant, the doctors told my parents not to expect me to live past high school. I can proudly say I proved them wrong, and I now know my journey started then and there.
Growing up I was relatively healthy. I took medicine daily, but never experienced any serious illness. I visited a special clinic annually. I was a normal kid. I enjoyed sports, which likely attributed to my good health. I had a great upbringing.
During my freshman year of college I experienced my first ‘CF exacerbation.’ At the time, I did not really know that was the case. I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Years later I started to see a slight decline in my health. In February 2008, I married my best friend and we went on our honeymoon. On the way home I got very sick. We returned home and my condition gradually worsened. I finally scheduled a doctor’s appointment at the University of Virginia, and I was immediately admitted to the hospital. I was devastated. Although I always knew my health could deteriorate, for some reason at age 23 you feel invincible. I was newly married and starting a new life. Hospitalizations were simply not part of that picture.
Sadly, my health never returned to what it was before. The next several years were non-stop hospitalizations, IV therapies, doctors’ appointments, procedures, labs and tests. Although I remained upbeat and tried to live a ‘normal’ life, I could feel things slipping away. When it came to starting a family, the road was difficult. We tried naturally for one year and finally decided to see a specialist who told us it was not possible for me to have a healthy pregnancy. My world came crashing down. My health was worsening and my dream of becoming a mother was shattered. My dreams were being taken away.
God has always put amazing people in my life. One of those is my childhood best friend, Jennifer. We were both seven years old when her family moved in down the street from us. I had no idea then just how dear of a friend she would be. Fast forward to December 2009 after receiving the devastating news about not being able to have children. I was on the phone with Jennifer updating her about our progress with adoption. Jennifer asked me if she could be our gestational carrier. Wow. In May 2010 we implanted our embryo and Jennifer was pregnant with our miracle baby.
February 2011, on our third wedding anniversary, Taylor Mae was born. My dream came! I was finally a mother. As many mothers know, pregnancy takes a toll on your body, which I did not experience. But motherhood also takes a toll. In 2012, I began the preliminary tests for my first transplant evaluation. It was concluded I was too healthy to be listed for new lungs, but it was something we should start thinking about. In 2013, we decided to move my care to the Johns Hopkins Adult CF Clinic. I was followed carefully there; the reality of transplant started to take hold.
My health continued to decline. I soaked up every moment I had at home with my beautiful baby girl. After a very rough year in 2015, my medical team decided it was time to begin serious discussions about transplant. I was in and out of the hospital, spending months on IVs, and my lung function was down in the 20s. In 2016, I started pulmonary rehabilitation to get myself in the best shape I could, and in July I was officially listed for a bi-lateral lung transplant. There is immense anxiety and fear that comes with being listed for a transplant. There was so much I wanted to do first. The week before being listed we moved into a new home. And just three weeks later, Taylor would be starting kindergarten. There was simply so much to do.
Yet again, life was out of my control. Three weeks after being listed I was called for a new set of lungs. It was the night before Taylor’s first day of kindergarten. I had just put her to bed. After a missed call and a text, we threw together what we could and headed to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. That night I received a beautiful set of healthy lungs. My seven-hour surgery was a success. My medical team was amazing. They were able to send me home just eight days after my life-saving transplant, and for the first time in my life … I took long, deep breaths. Never had I known my normal was not normal.
I wish I could say everything from then on was easy. I traded one health issue for another. I continue to be on a lot of medications, endure lots of tests andlab work. Doctors’ appointments continued and even some hospitalizations. Sadly my marriage ended and life was not as perfect as I thought it would be post transplant. But I am alive. I am breathing and loving every minute. I am able to work and provide a good life for my daughter. I am able to enjoy sunny rays on a summer day and relish the taste of a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. My life and transplant journey are intertwined and I cannot wait to see what comes next on this journey.
Kristen attributes a big part of her successful transplant journey to date to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). “COTA completely understands that a transplant, of any kind, is a journey,” Kristen said. “Many people understand the difficulties associated with getting a transplant and the long road to recovery, but very few understand it does not end there. COTA is with a transplant family every step along the way … it is what makes this amazing organization so vital to anyone on a transplant journey.”
Kristen learned about COTA when she had her official transplant evaluation at Johns Hopkins. A transplant social worker talked to her about the myriad of transplant-related expenses associated with a double lung transplant and suggested Kristen reach out to COTA to see how they might be able to help. Kristen remembers the social worker telling her a transplant carries with it an emotional, physical and monetary burden; therefore, she was eager to learn more about COTA. Kristen had an uplifting and hope-filled call with a COTA staff member. She completed and submitted the necessary paperwork and in late May 2016 the Jagodowski family officially became part of the COTA Family.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) uniquely understands that parents who care for a child or young adult before, during and after a life-saving transplant have enough to deal with, so COTA’s model shifts the responsibility for fundraising to a team of trained volunteers. COTA is a 501(c)3 charity so all contributions to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and COTA funds are available for a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.
On July 26, 2016, a COTA fundraising specialist trained the family’s large group of volunteers at the family’s beloved home church. The COTA staff member talked to the team of volunteers about COTA’s fundraising process and shared information about fundraising templates, fundraising guidance and the no-cost website they would be given for fundraising and promoting the family’s story. This group of family and friends quickly got to work organizing fundraisers for COTA in honor of Kristen J to help with mounting transplant-related expenses. Working nonstop they planned and implemented creative COTA fundraisers that generated more than $40,000 for transplant-related expenses.
“Once we met with COTA a huge weight was lifted,” Kristen said. “COTA provided great advice on how to raise money, continually tracked the team’s progress and offered ongoing encouragement, shared helpful campaign materials and tech support … all of the things that were necessary for the volunteers to gain the support and confidence of our community. COTA was simply amazing in helping the volunteers know exactly what to do and to get going raising funds for transplant-related expenses.”
Every day Kristen is excited to wake up and see what blessings the day will bring. She loves life and is living it to its fullest each and every day. When she thinks about her favorite things, the top of her list is her daughter, Taylor. She also loves spending time with her friends and family, watching the television show, “Friends” and drinking Mountain Dew and coffee.
“My hope for the future is to live a long and healthy life with my daughter at my side enjoying all of my favorite things. I am now almost five years post transplant and COTA is still on this journey with me. Doctors’ appointments, medications, procedures, travel expenses are all part of my life and all of those come with a cost. The transplant-related bills do not stop. I am so thankful COTA’s support and guidance continues to be a vital part of my journey, relieving the financial stress still today. What a blessing it is to know COTA will continue to help me breathe easier and give me HOPE … for a lifetime.”
She continued, “COTA has been such a blessing for me in many ways and I am so very thankful for all they do. Even with the uncertainty in our world, it is good to know our family can count on COTA through it all.”
Happy Mother’s Day to an Amazing COTA Mom from your COTA Family!
For more information about the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA),
or to find a COTA family in your area, please email kim@cota.org.
COTA Patient Kristen Jagodowski, Lung Transplant Recipient, and Her Daughter
Optimi Health Partnership with Numinus Wellness Provides Update on First All-Natural Psilocybin Protocol
--R&D Program Developing 100% Optimi-Owned Psychedelic Capsule for Human Clinical Trial Dosing Study
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 04, 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 announce that its previously announced lab services agreement with Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus") (TSXV: NUMI) is progressing forward with an initial candidate for clinical trials, subject to Health Canada approvals.
Recognized as a global leader in supporting and expanding the safe, accessible, and evidence-based use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies (PAP), Numinus is aiding Optimi’s mission to further the research and development of all-natural, Canadian-grown psilocybin-producing mushrooms and related product formulations.
Optimi Chairman of the Board JJ Wilson notes, “Today’s news is another step forward as we prepare for our first all-natural proprietary psychedelic mushroom formulation for human trial. We recently noted several advancements at our substantial facilities in Princeton, BC which are ultimately designed to meet or exceed GMP standards for production. This commitment to cultivation, production and processing excellence is reflected by our dedication to “all-natural” formulations. This approach, combined with early-stage research aimed at quickly moving into human trials is all part of a multi-faceted strategic plan aimed at ensuring we have advanced stage product formulations in readiness for timely regulatory review and approval. Optimi’s strategy to generate revenue and sell functional mushroom products is all about laying the groundwork to develop world-class processes to support and build our all-natural mushroom brand. The heavy lifting we are doing today with Numinus will scale into multiple development projects and revenue streams aimed at an array of future commercial opportunities focused on treating a variety of human health conditions naturally and safely.”
As part of the research and development agreement with Numinus, Optimi gained near immediate access to services encompassing laboratories, equipment, and expert talent specifically related to Psilocybe mushrooms, psychedelic compounds, and formulations within Numinus’ licensed facilities. The pre-submission for Optimi’s first candidate whole psilocybe mushroom extract will be fully documented in readiness for applicable Health Canada review in preparation for entry into the proposed clinical trial with IMPACT at the University of Calgary. Optimi believes several additional candidates may be forthcoming and could join the initial candidate profile, thereby jumpstarting the research clinicians’ efforts through access to multiple options for study. All resulting intellectual property (IP) will be 100% owned by Optimi.
Optimi’s CEO, Mike Stier concludes, “The relationship with Numinus has rapidly delivered right out of the gate with what we trust will be a very significant collection of all-natural formulations for study. Attention to detail and rigorous documentation are critical at this stage as we must be prepared to validate the work to the clinical trial team. Accelerated advancement is critical for us to capture sector leadership in order to create tangible returns to our shareholders. This is very important to us. So, I’m truly pleased by today’s news and thank everyone involved for the collaborative approach and eagerness to move forward. The path ahead is getting clearer every day.”
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.
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