Lynparza® (olaparib) Receives Health Canada Approval for the Treatment of BRCA or ATM Gene-Mutated Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Lynparza is the first targeted treatment approved in biomarker-selected prostate cancer validated by a Phase III trial1
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 25, 2020 /CNW/ - On August 21, 2020, Health Canada approved Lynparza® (olaparib), for the treatment of adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline and/or somatic BRCA or ATM-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have progressed following prior treatment with a new hormonal agent (NHA). BRCA1/2 or ATM gene mutation must be confirmed before Lynparza treatment is initiated.
The Notice of Compliance was granted under priority review and marks the first Health Canada approval of a PARP inhibitor in prostate cancer. Lynparza is the first biomarker-selected targeted treatment option approved in Canada, based on the Phase III PROfound trial of men with Homologous Recombination Repair mutated (HRRm) mCRPC.1 This approval follows previous indications in ovarian, breast and pancreatic cancers.
"Sadly, the risk of developing prostate cancer is significantly higher for carriers of the BRCA or ATM-gene mutation, which affects roughly 10 per cent of men living with mCRPC," said Dr. Kim Chi, Medical Oncologist and Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. "This new approval offers patients a much-needed new treatment option, and also reinforces the importance of BRCA and ATM testing."
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men, and the third leading cause of cancer deaths amongst this demographic.2 On average, 64 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 11 men die from it every day.2 Germline and somatic mutations in HRR genes, which include BRCA1/2 and ATM, are associated with potentially more aggressive prostate cancers and poor prognosis, demonstrating the importance of biomarker testing.3,4,5,6
Currently, mCRPC remains an incurable disease, and despite advancements in available therapies, the 5 year survival rate for men with metastatic prostate cancer is only 28 per cent.7,8
"We are thrilled to hear about this new indication for patients with BRCA or ATM-mutated mCRPC," said Jackie Manthorne, President & CEO, Canadian Cancer Survivor Network. "This aggressive form of prostate cancer can have a devastating impact on patients and families, but this new treatment option is providing much-needed hope for better outcomes."
The Health Canada approval of Lynparza for BRCA or ATM gene-mutated mCRPC was based on data from Cohort A of the global Phase III PROfound trial. The PROfound trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of Lynparza versus investigator's choice of a new hormonal agent (abiraterone or enzalutamide) in men with mCRPC who have a mutation in at least one of 15 qualifying HRR genes. Cohort A of the PROfound trial, which included men with BRCA1, BRCA2, and/or ATM gene alterations, showed that Lynparza significantly reduced the risk of radiographic disease progression or death and significantly delayed time to pain progression versus the investigator's choice of a new hormonal agent.9a At the time of rPFS analysis, the interim OS data for Cohort A also indicated a trend in OS benefits in Lynparza treated patients.9a
The safety and tolerability profile seen with Lynparza in the PROfound study was consistent with that reported in previous trials, except for the addition of venous thromboembolic events (VTE). In the PROfound trial, VTE including pulmonary embolism, occurred in 7% of patients with mCRPC who received Lynparza plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared to 3.1% of patients receiving Investigator's Choice of NHA.9 Patients receiving Lynparza and ADT had a 6% incidence of pulmonary embolism compared to 0.8% of patients treated with ADT plus either enzalutamide or abiraterone. Based on the available clinical trial data, a causal association between Lynparza treatment and VTE including pulmonary embolism has not been established. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and treated as medically appropriate, which may include long-term anticoagulation as clinically indicated.
Approximately 32 patients from 12 Canadian centres have participated in the PROfound trial to date.10 Participation in Canadian clinical trials will continue on an ongoing basis.
About Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Canadian men, with an estimated 23,300 diagnoses in 2020, representing 20 per cent of all new cancer cases in men.2 Approximately 34 per cent of men are diagnosed with mCRPC annually, and despite currently approved therapies, 16 per cent die each year.11
About Lynparza (olaparib) Lynparza was the first oral (PARP) inhibitor approved in Canada. Lynparza exploits tumour DNA damage response (DDR) in cells/tumours harbouring a deficiency in homologous recombination repair (HRR), such as mutations in BRCA1 and/or BRCA2, to selectively kill cancer cells.9c Lynparza is the only PARP inhibitor currently approved in multiple tumour types in Canada including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers. In 2019, it was the first PARP inhibitor approved as a first-line maintenance therapy treatment in BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer.
Lynparza is being jointly developed and commercialised by AstraZeneca and Merck, as part of a global strategic oncology collaboration.
About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of primary and specialty care medicines that transform lives. Our primary focus is on three important areas of healthcare: Cardiovascular and Metabolic disease; Oncology; and Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity. AstraZeneca operates in more than 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. In Canada, we employ more than 675 employees across the country and our headquarters are located in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.astrazeneca.ca.
About Merck For over a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.
Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola.
Based in Kirkland, Québec, Merck employs approximately 765 people across Canada. Merck is one of the top R&D investors in Canada, with investments totaling $69 million in 2018 and more than $1 billion since 2000. For more information about our operations in Canada, visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on YouTube and Twitter @MerckCanada.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).
References
1 De Bono et al. "Olaparib for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer." New England Journal of Medicine. (2020); vol. 382:2091-2102. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1911440
2 ESMO. (2019). Olaparib Outperforms Enzalutamide or Abiraterone Acetate in Men with mCRPC and HRR Alterations. Available at:
4 Markowski. (2018). Germline genetic testing in prostate cancer – further enrichment in variant histologies? Oncoscience, p.62-64.
5 Castro, Elena et al. "Germline BRCA mutations are associated with higher risk of nodal involvement, distant metastasis, and poor survival outcomes in prostate cancer." Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology vol. 31,14 (2013): 1748-57. doi:10.1200/JCO.2012.43.1882
6 Annala, Matti et al. "Treatment Outcomes and Tumor Loss of Heterozygosity in Germline DNA Repair-deficient Prostate Cancer." European urology vol. 72,1 (2017): 34-42. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2017.02.023
7 Annala, Matti et al. "Circulating Tumor DNA Genomics Correlate with Resistance to Abiraterone and Enzalutamide in Prostate Cancer." Cancer discovery vol. 8,4 (2018): 444-457. doi:10.1158/2159-8290.CD-17-0937
8 Albala. (2017). Imaging and treatment recommendations in patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Rev Urol. 19(3), pp.200-202
12 Geynisman DM, Plimack ER, Zibelman M. Second-generation Androgen Receptor-targeted Therapies in Nonmetastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: Effective Early Intervention or Intervening Too Early? Eur Urol. 2016 Dec;70(6):971-973. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2016.05.026. Epub 2016 May 26. PMID: 27238654.
SOURCE AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
What Part of Your Body to Focus on During Your Workouts
Whether it’s the gym or the comfort of your own home, workouts can help keep you fit and give your body some of the movement it needs to stay healthy. There are several types of workouts that you can do, and focusing on a particular part of the body can help you train those muscle groups for strength and repetition.
Whole Body
This tip is a good place to start if you are new to workouts and just beginning your fitness journey. In most cases, this kind of routine trains each muscle set in succession with just a few repetitions per set. You will also keep the overall volume of exercises low if you’re new to these workouts. A low volume helps your body adjust gradually to changes in your nervous system. You will teach your body how to activate additional muscle fibers that you may not use as much as others. Although it is important to rest in between training sessions like these, you shouldn’t let too many days go by before your next set.
Upper Body
Once you feel comfortable enough, you can start splitting the workouts into more specific areas of the body. If you’re not sure what you need to work on, a qualified physical therapy center can help you figure out what your next moves should be. These centers help people recover function after injuries, but they also work with athletes or people who want to know their own bodies better. If you want to do a workout that focuses on the whole upper body, you’re probably looking at the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Upper body workouts can improve your posture, are generally good for your heart, and may reduce your risk of injury during other activities.
Lower Body
If you’ve decided that a lower body split is the kind of thing you need, you’ll shift your focus to calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes. In most cases, your abdomen is also included in a routine for the lower body. A regimen for this area can include benefits such as improved balance, more stamina, and better bone strength. It could also help to prevent or mitigate injuries to your knees or ankles. If you tend to have weak balance or poor joints, you can meet with a therapist to discuss your options.
Neck
You can cover almost everything in workouts for both halves of your body, but what about your neck? If you’re experiencing stiffness in the neck muscles or a limited range of motion, exercises for the neck can relieve some tension. Giving your neck a workout could also improve circulation.
As you gain experience and increase your muscle, you may want to combine some of these splits or opt for different training that makes things more intense. However, it is important to note that higher volumes or intensity levels in your exercise routine will require more days to recover from than your average workout. You should listen to your body. Don’t try to push it beyond its reasonable limits while it is still healing.Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan
Legendary Actress Writes New Book to Help Kids Cope During Pandemic
New York City, NY, November 24, 2020 — When Donna Fae Mogul, a.k.a. actress Lisa Carroll, heard her NYC neighbor’s daughter cry from the fears of COVID-19, she thought there had to be a way to use her well-versed communication and survival skills from her movie, TV and Broadway career in a way to offer comfort in the eyes of her little neighbor—and beyond. That’s why Lisa teamed up with award-winning illustrator G.F. Newland to create The Big, Bad Coronavirus! And How We Can Beat It (Pixel Mouse House), written by Lisa Carroll, illustrations by G.F. Newland.
The Big, Bad Coronavirus! And How We Can Beat Ittells the story of little Lisa as she struggles to face the realities of COVID-19. Little Lisa can't comprehend why she has to wear a facemask, why she has barriers around her school desk or why she’s confined to virtual learning from home. It all doesn’t add up. Because little Lisa longs for the life she once had, she imagines the virus as a giant, scary dragon. Fortunately, her mother comes to her side and comforts her, teaching her everything she needs to know to deal with this pandemic from a kid’s perspective. Lisa becomes a stronger and braver girl who inspires her classmates to live without fear.
Lisa’s journey to writing this book is extraordinary. Having appeared in such films as Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return,” starring Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum; “Battlecry,” starring Van Johnson; “The Shrike,” starring June Allyson and Jose Ferrer; “Diane,” starring Lana Turner; and “One Desire,” opposite Rock Hudson, Lisa is no stranger to hitting tremendous highs and overcoming incomprehensible lows to survive.
In the late 1950s, at 16, while driving from Hollywood to New York City with her mother for a Metropolitan Opera audition, Lisa survived a deadly car crash, which killed six. Lisa was told she would never walk or talk again. While in rehabilitation (for six years!) and listening to the radio, Lisa learned the art of rapping—paving the way for her mega-hit children’s hip-hop album for Capitol Records, “Rappin’ Up Christmas: Homeys 4 the Holidays.” This inspired her to make her first huggable toy, Hip Hop Randy Bear for the Gund company, part of a group of 10 plush toys, including Hip Hop Hamilton, inspired by the outstanding statesman Alexander Hamilton. In the ’60s, Lisa turned to the stage to appear as Carol Channing’s stand-by in “Hello Dolly!,” as well as toured in the national company of “Applause,” among others. She also appeared on the ABC TV national children’s show “Toybox” in which she featured 10 of her toys called “Furry Friends.” She was also in numerous other episodic TV roles, including “General Hospital.” In addition, Lisa hosted the BBC’s “Night Ride,” had a UK recording contract with CBS Records and starred as a cabaret artist in her own one-woman show at the Savoy in London, the Hilton in Hong Kong, plus stints in California and Vegas. With all this experience on TV, stage, screen, cabaret and even in the toy business, Lisa Carroll feels comfortable writing this gentle book on a big subject that many—young and old—can find comfort in.
Author Lisa Carroll captures the perspective of this moment that will resonate with children having a difficult time, while emotionally processing the coronavirus. Drawing from Lisa Carroll’s real-life survival “joie de vivre,” parents and educators alike can use the book to help children cope with COVID-19.
Tis the Season to Join Sahoja And Win One of Three Special Gift Packs
ATLANTA – Peace on earth, good will toward all – sentiments voiced often in the closing months each year as fundamental tenets of the new social-media community Sahoja which is marking this holiday season by launching a multi-faceted marketing program to attract new members and boost its Mindful Marketplace partners.
Sahoja is a new social media community dedicated to connecting good people to share good ideas, buy from companies dedicated to doing good and helping good causes. And providing complete privacy and transparency in all interactions.
The new-member promotion features three special give-a-way packages from vendor partners. All members who join between now and Dec. 18th will be eligible to win one of the following:
- The initial package combines examples of MOKA ORIGINALS chocolates and coffees. Two packages of medium roast and one of Ugandan dark roast coffee along with three unique chocolate bars, all made from different origins of cacao. Also included in the gift basket is a booklet reprising the mission and history of MOKA ORIGINALS.
- The second package will be a Luke’s Toy Factory set of four educational trucks (made from sustainable materials with no paint and no glue). These STEM educational toy trucks encourage early childhood development of problem solving, creative play, and fine-motor skills in kids aged 3 and up.
- New members will also have a chance to win a Shakti Warrior Yoga package including a mat and yoga straps. A mother daughter venture, Shakti Warrior the company using the timeless principles of yoga: awareness, high ethical standards, love, beauty and discipline.
The membership program will be promoted with advertisements on Facebook, Instagram and Sahoja’s site. Targeted in the marketing campaign are 20-40-year-old urban females, Sahoja’s principle target audience.
“Research shows this target group has a tremendous amount of empathy for the values Sahoja and its partners represent,” explained John Bonaccio of Sahoja. “These include causes such as poverty elimination, education, sustainability, peace and well-being, all of which are addressed by the partners producing the promotional items.”
Facebook, along with Instagram, will be the platform for a second marketing program to boost awareness of Sahoja’s partners as well as the social-media platform which will be announced in the coming weeks.
About Sahoja
Improving society overall through common positive goals are key factors for Sahoja (Sahoja.co) – a new social media community dedicated to connecting good people to share good ideas, buy from companies dedicated to doing good and helping good causes. And providing complete privacy and transparency in all interactions.
Sahoja is at its core a social media platform but goes beyond simply providing a forum for conversation. It offers ethical products, healthy advice and the ability to directly benefit worthy causes.
“The meaning of Sahoja is ‘stronger together,’” explained Rai, a Sahoja co-founder. “All the aspects of our platform, or more precisely, platforms, combine to improve the world around us in many ways.”
Types of Exercises You Can Do When Going Through Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a type of medical precise health care that involves kinesiology, exercise recommendations, health education, mobilization, electrical, and physical agents to treat and reduce chronic pain caused by an injury initiated by accidents, trauma, or illnesses. If you have been experiencing pain and have loads of questions you need to ask, this is the perfect opportunity for you to visit an orthopedic clinic.
The most suitable remedy that your physiotherapist would recommend are exercises to aggravate the pain. PT exercise is part of your therapist's strategy to help regain your body's change and promote normal growth of muscles and tissues. If you have pain and abnormal functional mobility, your therapist may describe the following exercises.
Flexibility Exercises
Every patient who visits an orthopedic center has different forms of pain. Thus, every physiotherapy needs to consult with their patients and find out the exact cause of pain. They are keeping in mind that every condition has a different treatment and exercises.
Flexibility exercises aim to improve endurance, strength, and balance. Also, it stretches the muscles. The primary purpose of flexibility exercises is for one's body to stay pliable. It eliminates discomfort even when you are in a stationary place for a duration of time, like at your office place. Examples of flexibility exercises include body yoga, pilates, forward bend, stretches, cross-over, seat side straddle, among many others.
Range of Motion Exercises
Range of motion exercises involve activities that focus on improving movement with a particular joint. Therefore, ROM is the ability of the joints to move flexibly. A joint can move either 180 or 360 degrees.
The goniometer and inclinometer usually determine the amount of motion in the joints. The exercises recommended by your therapist may either be active, passive, or both. It helps to relax the muscles and lose tension. Operational activities involve the injured performing it, while passive exercises require a therapist to do it on behalf of the patient.
Functional Mobility Exercises
The exercises tend to improve the stability and mobility of the joints. The functionality helps us perform our daily activities; otherwise, we would remain useless in completing tasks or running errands. Ways to improve the whole body's function are to access it from the ground up through exercises to prevent injuries. Examples of these exercises are:
Foot stability-stationary runner
Ankle mobility standing plantar/dorsiflexion
Knee stability- lunge matrix
Lumbar spine stability
These are just examples, but there are many more others that your therapist might assist you in identifying with them.
Cardio-Respiratory Exercise
Most people believe that cardiovascular patients are not supposed to get involved in any exercise. These are all myths. Talk to any cardiologists, and they always encourage their patients to exercise. However, it is good to know and understand your cardiorespiratory endurance.Cardiorespiratory endurance is the level at which your heart, lungs, and muscles work collectively. Running and jumping exercises help your heart and lungs take in oxygen. Try also side to side hops and burpees.
Physical therapy exercises are good, but your therapist should include other forms of alternatives like electrical and physical agents, mobilization, among other treatments. Get direct access to a physical therapist and achieve your rehabilitation goals. Don't let that pain get in the way of your happy, healthy life.
TWO SPECIAL RELEASES SHIPPING ACROSS NEW YORK STATE, EAST COAST AND SELECT MARKETS NATIONALLY: Launches will be at its Tasting Room, 518 Craft, in Troy, NY throughout the holidays
Troy, NY -- Tuesday, November 24, 2020 --Shmaltz Brewing Company officially turns 24 this Hanukkah season as the largest, the smallest, the most award winning, and astonishingly still the only Jewish celebration beer company in the country. And what a time for Anniversaries as the roller coaster of a year just keeps rolling. With so much uncertainty still looming for 2020 and beyond, couldn't we all use some tasty and delightful craft beer comfort?! A long way from the first 100 cases brewed in 1996 and delivered in a Grandmother's Volvo - Hanukkah Beer is all new for 2020! 8 malts, 8 hops, 8% abv of course - Shmaltz cooked up bright shiny gift of its new Golden Jelly Doughnut Pastry Ale brewed with 600 pounds per batch of real purees of Raspberry & Cherry with a generous slathering of pure vanilla. A glorious tribute to the beloved Sufganiyot, dating back to the 1500s, the official chosen beer of this holiday season will be available in 12oz Can 4-Packs and limited draft through their East Coast wholesalers and through Brew Pipeline nationally: -Shmaltz Direct: Gasko Meyer - Upstate New York, SKI Beer - NYC, Long Island and Westchester, Horizon - Massachusetts, Black River Traders - New Jersey, Shangy's - Philadelphia PA, Savatt - Pittsburgh PA, DOPS - Maryland/D.C./Delaware , Freedom Beverage - North Carolina, Aleph - South Carolina, Cavalier - Florida, Full Clip - Texas, Johnson Brothers - Iowa, Kysela - VA, WV -Brew Pipeline: Guardian (So Cal), Mussetter (Nor Cal), Orcas (WA), Quail (AZ and NE), Beverage Distributors (OH). Regional retailers confirmed to carrying Hanukkah Beer this year include Total Wine, Whole Foods, Price Chopper, ABC and Publix in FL plus 100s of high-end independent craft beer specialty stores across the country. Check shmaltzbrewing.com or info@shmaltzbrewing for local availability. For this very special release, celebrations kickoff all week long including a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Wednesday 11/25 at its Tasting Room (518 Craft, 200 Broadway, Troy, NY) now featuring local artisanal chocolate hero, Primo Botanica and new 3rd wave custom espresso roaster, Alias Coffee. Plus Thanksgiving morning for the virtual Turkey Troy with Collar City Runners, Small Business Saturday with local Troy food and craft markers, Small Brewery Sunday (Brewers Association) and Cyber Monday with new gift pack offerings, delectable flavor collaborations, and the annual favorite, the "Build Your Own Beer Menorah" promo. Details at Facebook.com/ShmaltzBrewing. Shmaltz will also be launching Hanukkah 2020 along with its newest art installation at their Tasting Room in Downtown Troy: Negative is Positive: Hindsight is 2020, a curated art show by photographer Thom Williams of Troy Arts Center with over a dozen regional and local artists exploring personal, political, and aesthetic themes of the current moment. The local launch began with WEQX and Capitol Craft Beverage Trail Virtual Makers Happy Hour and will also include a Holiday Doughnut Festival featuring renown Cider Belly, Cosmic Donuts, and more for the Hanukkah holiday, this year from Thursday, Dec 10 to Friday Dec 18. More details for local and regional delights will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. PREVIEW ALERT! Coming in December and launching into the New Year: SHE'BREW: #RBG IPA4-packs of 16oz cans and draft, this soon to be #Notorious IPA will be launching in New York State at both breweries in December and around the region and the country over the coming week. Details to follow! From the label for the coming #RBG Tribute: For our fourth She'brew Release, when Lauri from Moustache Brewing mentioned that #RBG was her Beacon of Empowerment - the verdict was IN! The perfect inspiration for our next Shmaltz tribute collaboration. The launch was set for Int'l Women's Collab Brew Day in March 2020 -- and then the disastrous case of our current Global Pandemic stormed into reality. But RBG was also a once in a lifetime kind of event -- a truly epic hero who changed our country and our consciousness for the better through her work and by her example. Intelligence and emotion, collaborative in spirit yet ferocious in her commitment to progress, the most serious positions from the highest responsibilities exhibited with constant charm and wicked wit. This year is clearly different from all other years -- and we brewed this sincere offering to give huge thanks to a guardian and a champion in the way we know best -- by upholding the bar for #Notorious IPAs equally balanced for a commemoration of life and just causes everywhere - L'Chaim! -Jeremy and Lauriand the extended Shmaltz/Moustache posseA portion of the profits from She’brew’s #RBG IPA will go to the ACLU Women's Rights Project and the Pink Boots Society. Judges L to R: Laura Kavanaugh (Shmaltz Den Mother), Megan Kanan (518 Fam - spranklemarketing.com), Teresa Casey (CCBT, Mackin & Casey), Alex Haraburda (Shmaltz Sales Rep), Deanna Fox (Food Journalist), Shikole Struber (518 Fam), Mariah Fannan (MFR Sales), Jeremy Cowan (Shmaltz Founder/Owner), Kimberly Stoehr (Moustache Sales Rep), Lauri Spitz (Moustache Co-Founder), Vinessa Monaco (Head Unicorn Wrangler), Erin Grace (CCBT, Mackin & Casey), Matthew Spitz (Moustache Co-Founder), Elise Deming (Cap. Lawrence), Kirsten Brenner (518 Fam), Tracy Kennedy (Collar City Runners), Matt Polacheck (Shmaltz Art Director) About Shmaltz Brewing CompanyFounder and owner Jeremy Cowan established Shmaltz Brewing in San Francisco in 1996. The first 100 cases of He'brew Beer® were hand-bottled and delivered throughout the Bay Area from the back of his Grandmother's Volvo. Shmaltz Brewing now sells across 25 states, through 40 wholesalers and in nearly 5,000 retailers. RateBeer.com ranked Shmaltz as one of the "Top 100 Brewers in the World" in 2013, and the brewery recently brought home 1 platinum, 10 gold and 6 silver medals from the World Beer Championships. In the past several years, Shmaltz Brewing introduced its line of upstate New York focused farm beers under the 518/838 Craft brand name and acquired and rebranded the Alphabet City Brewing beers. In July 2018, Shmaltz opened 518 Craft, a new bar and tasting room in downtown Troy, NY. Shmaltz beers are available at 518 Craft as well as throughout Upstate New York, the East Coast and in select markets nationally at the best craft beer bars and retailers.
Healthcare Workers and Trauma: Why COVID-19 Is the “Perfect Storm”
Healthcare workers are a gritty and resilient lot. But in the face of COVID-19, many are now struggling with PTSD. Mark Goulston, MD, and Diana Hendel, PharmD, explain why—and explore some of the “storm factors” that have come together in such a devastating way.
Nashville, TN (November 2020)—Healthcare professionals are no strangers to stress. They must regularly field huge challenges, rapid changes, and the unpredictability that comes with caring for human beings—and many thrive in this demanding environment. But COVID-19 is a new ball game. The deadly virus, currently in full surge mode, has healthcare workers struggling like never before—and many are showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Psychiatrist Mark Goulston is not surprised. He says for almost a year now, workers have battled a “perfect storm” of factors that have overwhelmed them to an unprecedented degree.
“Fear, grief, and exhaustion are only part of it,” says Dr. Goulston, coauthor along with Diana Hendel, PharmD, of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99). “COVID-19 has unfolded amid a backdrop of devastating political and cultural reactions as well as other factors that have coalesced in a way that’s deeply traumatizing.”
History has shown us that frontline workers may suffer from post-traumatic stress following a deadly outbreak. It happened following the SARS and Ebola epidemics, and early research shows it is happening with COVID-19 as well. Why Cope When You Can Heal? takes an empathetic, informed approach that helps people navigate traumatic stress and PTSD, process their experiences, and heal from the inside out.
“Traumatic stress is different from routine stress,” notes Dr. Hendel. “Stress is temporary. We can build the resilience to endure it. But trauma threatens our sense of safety and changes how we see the world. It can create long-lasting harm—and it must be approached in a different way from stress.”
The first step is understanding why this pandemic and the conditions surrounding it have proven to be so devastating. Drs. Goulston and Hendel list some of the factors that add up to a perfect storm for trauma and PTSD:
STORM FACTOR 1:It all happened so quickly. Reports of a pneumonia-like virus in Wuhan, China, began circulating in December 2019. The virus spread across the globe like wildfire, and by March 26, the U.S. had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world, with at least 81,321 infections and over 1,000 deaths.1 This was just the beginning of the surge in the U.S. A massive nationwide effort to “flatten the curve” went into effect. Nonessential businesses closed, and office workers set up shop at home. Education went online. Churches closed. Every aspect of normal life changed drastically…and it happened shockingly fast.
STORM FACTOR 2:Healthcare workers have faced (and continue to brace for) wartime conditions.Many have seen and done things that have scarred them for life. At the beginning, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare workers braced for a massive influx of sick patients. Hospital leaders launched government-recommended, stringent infection control protocols as they went into “surge” mode, setting up triage tents and dedicating floors and wings for coronavirus patients. And they prepared for the grim likelihood that a shortage of beds and ICU equipment would force them to make impossible life-and-death decisions. Surge mode continues in current hot spots today, and healthcare workers everywhere are either bracing for either a resurgence or anticipating that they will become the next hot spot.
STORM FACTOR 3:Workday realities are harsh and upsetting. Healthcare workers experience intense, overwhelming, and unforgettable moments on the job. They face moral injury when having to make impossible life-or-death decisions. They grieve for patients who die alone with no soothing human touch, and comfort family members who must say goodbye via video screen (if at all). Plus, many healthcare workers must isolate from families, or if they must continue living at home, they must go to extreme measures to stop the spread of the virus and constantly worry that exposure could happen at any moment.
STORM FACTOR 4: Their own lives are at risk. While healthcare workers have been busy caring for their patients, they have been getting infected themselves. As of June 2020, nearly 600 healthcare workers had died.2 By September 2020, the latest report by one of the largest nurses unions, National Nurses United (NNU), has that number at more than 1,700.3
STORM FACTOR 5: They are running on fumes. Healthcare professionals work long shifts that they compare to living nightmares. They post photos of their exhausted faces marked by red and purple bruises caused by their PPE. Many have been working 24-hour shifts so they can make fewer trips home and lower the risk of passing the virus on to family members and other citizens. But what’s more, they don’t have time to hit pause—the need for healthcare workers is too great—and the shortage of available healthcare workers continues to grow. This means they don’t have the time or ability to pause, reflect, and process the crisis that continues grinding away at them.
STORM FACTOR 6: They have received a distressing lack of national and united support. From supply-chain issues, to clear and concise guidelines, to messaging and instructions to the public, there has been a lack of a cohesive plan for the country. Unfortunately, healthcare leaders and workers must do their incredibly difficult jobs inside a healthcare system that is often disjointed and fragmented and part of a deeply divided nation wracked by strife. And in the early days of the pandemic, America’s lack of readiness equated to equipment shortages of virus tests, ventilators, and PPE.
STORM FACTOR 7: The just-get-over-it culture in America AND in healthcare make matters worse.America’s just-get-over-it culture has created a double whammy for healthcare providers in terms of trauma. Exhibit A: the big push to quickly reopen the country and the divisiveness that has only intensified over the course of 2020. As more and more businesses reopened (too soon, in the eyes of many experts), the virus surged in many places. As a result, healthcare workers have gotten little relief from their workload and its heavy psychological toll.
Meanwhile, healthcare has its own version of the just-get-over-it culture. In some settings, workers are expected to buck up, figure it out, get it done with the equipment they have, and move on to the next patient. Trying to navigate a pandemic in such a culture (where burnout is already rife) is pushing workers to the breaking point.
It’s clear health workers need help. And while there are no clear or easy solutions, providing healing tools and plenty of empathetic support can go a long way, says Dr. Goulston.
“It’s imperative that symptoms that arise in the face of this trauma are not ignored, downplayed, or dismissed and that the stigma of PTSD is not perpetuated because of lack of knowledge or unwillingness to learn,” he says.
“With good leadership in healthcare, PTSD can be treated and managed,” adds Dr. Hendel. “We owe it to healthcare professionals to give them the tools and support they need to heal from the trauma they have faced and continue to face every day. We owe it to the patients they serve. And we owe it to the future of the healthcare industry, our nation, and our world.”
About the Authors: Mark Goulston, MD, FAPA Dr. Mark Goulston is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). He is a board-certified psychiatrist, fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, former assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA NPI, and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer. He is the creator of Theory Y Executive Coaching—which he provides to CEOs, presidents, founders, and entrepreneurs—and is a TEDx and international keynote speaker.
He is the creator and developer of Surgical Empathy, a process to help people recover and heal from PTSD, prevent suicide in teenagers and young adults, and help organizations overcome implicit bias.
Dr. Goulston is the author or principal author of seven prior books, including PTSD for Dummies, Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior, Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone, Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In, and Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life. He hosts the My Wakeup Call podcast, where he speaks with influencers about their purpose in life and the wakeup calls that led them there. He also is the co-creator and moderator of the multi-honored documentary Stay Alive: An Intimate Conversation About Suicide Prevention.
He appears frequently as a human psychology and behavior subject-area expert across all media, including news outlets ABC, NBC, CBS, and BBC News, as well as CNN, Today, Oprah, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune,Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Fast Company, Huffington Post, and Westwood One. He was also featured in the PBS special “Just Listen.”
Diana Hendel, PharmD Dr. Diana Hendel is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). She is an executive coach and leadership consultant, former hospital CEO, and author of Responsible: A Memoir, a riveting and deeply personal account of leading during and through the aftermath of a deadly workplace trauma.
As the CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Hendel led one of the largest acute care, trauma, and teaching hospital complexes on the West Coast. She has served in leadership roles in numerous community organizations and professional associations, including chair of the California Children’s Hospital Association, executive committee member of the Hospital Association of Southern California, vice chair of the Southern California Leadership Council, chair of the Greater Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, board member of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and leader-in-residence of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University Long Beach.
She earned a BS in biological sciences from UC Irvine and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UC San Francisco. She has spoken about healthcare and leadership at regional and national conferences and at TEDx SoCal on the topic of “Childhood Obesity: Small Steps, Big Change.”
About the Book: Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99) will be available in bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.
Wonderfilm Announces Its Latest Feature, All In, Has Begun Filming in Boston
Against all odds, the students, faculty, staff and parents of one of the smallest private educational facilities in America band together to save their school. How they did it was nothing short of a miracle. LOS ANGELES/BOSTON (November 24, 2020) – Emmy Award winning producers, Jeff Bowler and Bret Saxon’s Wonderfilm Media just completed the forth of eight weeks of principal photography on the highly anticipated documentary, All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s. The feature-length documentary is based on the incredible true story of how St. Bernard’s, a small private Catholic high school in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, found itself 100 years after its founding, facing a dramatic shut-down. The film follows the community as they pour their hearts and souls into saving their school from being permanently shuttered. A miracle ensues. A Real-Life David and Goliath StoryWith enrollment dwindling, by 2018 St. Bernard’s was the smallest school in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a total of 99 students. The Catholic Diocese of Worcester made the difficult decision to close the school. Led by the school’s principal, Linda Anderson, students, parents, faculty, alumni and the townspeople of Fitchburg hatched an idea to raise enough money to take the school independent and keep it open. They worked tirelessly to raise the daunting amounts needed. Unfortunately, like the school, the town was struggling, and fundraising proved extremely difficult. With quickly approaching deadlines, extreme pressure from the budget shortfalls, the Diocesan Superintendent of Schools informed all parties of the dire straits they were facing, and that short of a miracle, the school would cease to exist. Then the football team started winning. It All Came Down to Football Almost every eligible student at the school joined the football team. With an enrollment so small, that meant the St. Bernard’s football team had 26 boys. Miraculously, despite going up against schools often ten times as big as St. Bernard’s, the team, led by Coach Tom Bingham, was winning, and winning, and winning. And with each win, the media started reporting on this David beating Goliaths. “St. Bernard’s was going up against teams from the top schools in New England, with thousands of students, multi-million-dollar endowments, and players who were much larger physically – and winning,” said All In producer Jeff Bowler. The St. Bernard’s team went on to win the state Super Bowl played in Gillette Stadium. The 26 boys on the team, fighting for every inch of the field that their hero, New England Patriot Quarterback Tom Brady, called home on Sundays, won the State Championship, generating enough national publicity to raise the money needed to save the school, including a huge donation from a still anonymous donor. Shortly thereafter, with funds in hand, the school officially became independent, with the full support of the Diocese. In the first year following the miraculous football season, admissions are soaring, and an entire town’s spirits have been raised in celebration of saving their historic high school. “As a St. Bernard’s alum and filmmaker, I was tapped by the school to help tell this truly remarkable story to the world,” said Bowler. “This feel-good, underdog tale is about so much more than football. The story is about a community that rallied together to create their own miracle. Faced with the closing of their beloved high school, students and faculty members stepped up to the plate to save their school, with unwavering perseverance.” All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is being produced by Wonderfilm’s Jeff Bowler and Bret Saxon. The Emmy Award-winning duo have enjoyed success in feature documentaries, including the 2017 documentary, UNCHAINED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS, narrated by Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, which won the Emmy for Best Documentary, in the sports category, as well as the 2009 feature-doc, DIRTY OIL aka DOWNSTREAM, directed by Leslie Iwerks, which was short-listed for an Oscar. All In is being directed by Gregg Backer (Producer/Director HBO Sports, Real Sports). Other producers include Foglight Entertainment’s Gregg Backer and Evan Kanew with Nathan Bilotta serving as Executive Producer. All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is currently shooting in Fitchburg, Boston and Los Angeles. Wonderfilm Media recently wrapped supernatural horror LULLABY directed by John Leonetti (Anabelle), with Alcon, in Toronto. Cast and crew adhered to all COVID-19 production guidelines and there were no cases of the virus on set. The film is set for a major release next October. Wonderfilm latest release, Dead Reckoning with K.J. Apa and India Eisley, just premiered November 13. Upcoming Wonderfilm Media projects include the biopic on Tampa Bay Rays breakout star, Randy Arozarena. The outfielder escaped Cuba on a makeshift boat in 2015, started a new life in Mexico before making his way to the U.S and has become the most talked-about MLB player in baseball. Wonderfilm is also developing the highly coveted Steve McQueen biopic as a limited series based on Marshall Terrill’s book, “A Tribute To The King of Cool”. About Wonderfilm MediaWonderfilm is a leading entertainment company with offices in Hollywood, Boston and London. Wonderfilm focuses on the production of high-quality feature films and episodic television that offer international appeal through the Company’s commitment to elevated storytelling. Wonderfilm has seen twelve of its features released over the past twelve months, including the Nic Cage thriller Primal and the Guy Pearce vehicle Disturbing the Peace. Wonderfilm was founded by Jeff Bowler, Bret Saxon, and John Lewis.
Morneau Shepell announces appointment of Chitra Nayak to Board of Directors
TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell is pleased to announce the appointment of Chitra Nayak to its Board of Directors, effective today. Ms Nayak was previously the Chief Operating Officer (COO) platform and Senior Vice President of global sales development for Salesforce. She currently serves on the board of directors of Invitae and of Intercom.
"On behalf of the Board and the Company, we are thrilled to welcome Chitra," said Jill Denham, Chair of the Board. "She has held numerous leadership positions and brings a wealth of expertise in technology, sales and operations that will help to advance our strategic plan."
Ms Nayak was also COO of Comfy by Building Robotics and COO of the U.S. business of Funding Circle. She held leadership positions at AAA Northern California, Charles Schwab & Co and she began her career at the Boston Consulting Group. Ms Nayak holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Engineering from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
About Morneau Shepell Inc. Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.
SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.
Morneau Shepell announces appointment of Brad Levy to Board of Directors
TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell is pleased to announce the appointment of Brad Levy to its Board of Directors, effective today. Mr. Levy currently serves as the President and Chief Commercial Officer of Symphony Communications Services.
"On behalf of the Board and the Company, we are pleased to welcome Brad," said Jill Denham, Chair of the Board. "Based on Brad's experience in financial services and technology, we are confident he will bring innovative ideas to the table. We look forward to working together to further advance our strategic plan."
Previously, Mr. Levy was the Chief Executive Officer of MarkitSERV and held various positions at Markit, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. He also held board and advisory positions with TradeWeb, LoanX, BondDesk, CDS IndexCo and others. Mr. Levy's charitable involvement includes Relay for Life, St. Baldrick's Foundation and the Center for Food Action. Mr. Levy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the State University of New York at Albany.
About Morneau Shepell Inc. Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.
SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.
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