SaNOtize Obtains Health Canada Approval to Commence Phase II Trial for Potential COVID-19 Therapy

New Laboratory Tests Conducted by Utah-Based Institute for Antiviral Research Confirm SaNOtize's Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution (NORS^TM) is Over 99.9% Effective Against 
SARS-CoV-2, the Virus that Causes COVID-19

VANCOUVER, April 22, 2020 /CNW/ - SaNOtize Research and Development Corporation ("SaNOtize" or "the company") today announced that it has been granted approval by Health Canada to conduct a multi-Centre Phase II prevention and efficacy trial for a front-line antiviral prevention and early treatment for use against COVID-19. 

SaNOtize also announced that new tests conducted by the Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University confirm SaNOtize's Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution (NORS^TM) inactivated more than 99.9% of SARs-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, within two minutes, in laboratory tests.

SaNOtize has been evaluating nitric oxide (NO), a naturally occurring nanomolecule, as a first-in-class drug with the potential to be used as a topical antimicrobial agent to treat a wide variety of bacterial, viral and fungal diseases, including COVID-19. The company has been granted US and EU patents on a Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution (NORS^TM), and is testing ready-to-use, inexpensive and rapidly-scalable applications delivered through gargle solutions, nasal spray and nasal lavage. 

"We are grateful for Health Canada's rapid response and are moving as quickly as possible to conduct Phase II trials here in Canada, with a focus on frontline healthcare workers and other individuals at greatest risk of infection," said Chief Science Officer and co-founder, Dr. Chris Miller. "If our Phase II results confirm our earlier work, including the very encouraging results just received from the Antiviral Research Institute, we will be seeking emergency approval in Canada to proceed directly to Phase IV introduction of our product to the market as part of the global fight against this deadly pandemic. At the same time, we are seeking Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA so that we can make NORS^TM available to healthcare workers and other high-risk individuals in the US on an expedited basis."

Repeated application of NORS^TM has been demonstrated to be safe and potentially effective in patients with chronic sinusitis. Further trials have demonstrated its effectiveness in-vitro against viruses, including influenza A, hCoV-OC43 and H1N1. The company has robust data demonstrating NORS has a rapid and significant virucidal effect against Influenza A virus (6 log reduction within 30 seconds). Data from these trials has provided a strong foundation to suggest that application of NORS^TM may have considerable impact in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, SaNOtize believes that by reducing the risk of infection, daily use of NORS can help facilitate the gradual resumption of social and economic activity while we wait for a vaccine to be developed. 

Dr. Ferid Murad, a recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery that nitric oxide acts as a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system, and a member of the SaNOtize Board of Directors, said, "Nitric oxide is an incredibly versatile molecule that regulates almost everything in our body.  When used therapeutically, it has a well-documented safety profile and is demonstrated to be effective against a wide variety of viruses, bacteria and fungi.  I'm excited to be working with the SaNOtize team and believe that they have a safe technology that could be effective in treating infections, including COVID-19."

"Our goal has long been to find a way to use Nitric Oxide's antimicrobial properties to improve human health," said Dr. Gilly Regev, SaNOtize CEO and co-founder. "We are working around the clock to achieve that goal in time to help with the fight against COVID-19." 

The pharmacology, toxicity, and safety data for NO in humans is well-established. The NO produced from NORS^TM is an identical molecule to nitric oxide naturally produced by the human body, and to the nitric oxide that has a drug approval by the FDA for the treatment of premature infants with acute pulmonary hypertension. There is no biochemical, pharmacokinetic or physical difference between them. 

SaNOtize is currently in discussions with suppliers and potential partners to rapidly scale up production of NORS in North America upon receipt of regulatory approval. NORS^TM is formulated from readily available USP grade ingredients from multiple sources. High volume scale-up could be done rapidly in an extremely cost-effective manner. Shelf-life and stability have been determined to be one year in the appropriate container. 

For more information about SaNOtize, NORS^TM, and our efforts to bring to market antiviral nasal spray, gargle treatment and deep sinus wash products for use in the fight against COVID-19, please visit our website or download our discussion paper.

About SaNOtize
SaNOtize Research & Development Corp. is a biotech company based in Vancouver, BC working to commercialize the multi-faceted antimicrobial properties of a liquid producing nitric oxide. The company has developed and patented a Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution platform technology (NORS^TM) to treat and prevent microbial infections. 

SOURCE SaNOtize Research and Development Corporation

Hadassah Launches reConceiving Infertility and Introduces 
 Amy Klein as Initiative Ambassador April 22, 2020 – NEW YORK, NY – Hadassah announces the launch of reConceiving Infertility, a national information and advocacy campaign on this once-taboo subject during National Infertility Awareness Week (April 19-25). The New York Times“Fertility Diary” columnist and author Amy Klein will serve as the initiative ambassador. The initiative will raise awareness, destigmatize and confront prejudices and misconceptions, drive policy change at  the state and national level, and empower patients to advocate for their own health, according to Rhoda Smolow, Hadassah National President of the nation’s largest women’s Zionist organization with approximately 300,000 members, donors and supporters.  reConceiving Infertility will feature a series of videos narrated by Klein, author of The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind (April 2020, Penguin/Random House). The first video, "How to Help People Struggling With Infertility During COVID-19," is available at www.hadassah.org/infertility. “What Not To Say About Baby-Making” and “Infertility: Costs, Coverage, and Creativity” are next in the series. Klein’s powerful story involved nine rounds of fertility treatment, 10 doctors and four miscarriages – in just three years.   Future engagement opportunities with Amy Klein and other experts, including live and digital events, will be announced following updated COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions. Visit the Hadassah Resource Center on Infertility to learn more about this campaign, Hadassah’s participation in National Infertility Awareness Week, and activities throughout 2020.  reConceiving Infertility builds on Hadassah’s work empowering patients to take charge of their own health as it also encourages staunch advocacy engagement around women’s health policy in the United States. To further demystify infertility, Hadassah is organizing community programs, hosting trainings and empowering individuals to speak openly about their infertility journeys and pathways to parenthood – or their decision to live childfree. The initiative considers the whole family – parents who may never be grandparents or siblings who may never be aunts or uncles, who are equally affected. The inability to have a child affects 6.7 million women in the U.S, according to a Centers for Disease Control study, or about 11 percent of the reproductive age population. Given limited access to insurance coverage and the high cost of treatments, including assisted reproductive technology (ART), many families incur substantial debt or are prevented from seeking treatment due to the financial burden.  Smolow states, “The more women and men I talk to, the more I understand how infertility has made so many rethink their lives and expectations and how devastating this can be. In the United States, one in eight couples have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Among American Jews, it’s higher: nearly one in six couples, according to the Jewish Fertility Foundation."  Janice Weinman, Hadassah Executive Director/CEO adds, “Education and awareness are essential steps toward policy change. With our expertise championing health policy and a robust network of advocates across the country, Hadassah is continuing its fight to expand access to fertility care – from diagnosis and medication, to in vitro fertilization and other treatments.”     Hadassah is mobilizing supporters and partner organizations to support infertility-related legislation at the state and federal level by writing letters and meeting with officials in support of expanded insurance coverage and greater access to treatment. Its Infertility Policy Statement highlights the expertise of the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel, advocates for quality, affordable infertility diagnosis and treatment in the United States and affirms that insurance coverage for infertility screenings and treatments – like maternity care – should be required in every health insurance plan.  Klein states, “I have long respected Hadassah’s work building community and promoting women’s health. I am proud to be a partner with an organization that has always been at the forefront of important issues. As everyone suffers the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation, most fertility clinics have closed, forcing couples who were relying on treatment to stop as their biological clocks continue to tick. Many high-risk women, with histories of miscarriage or hospitalization during pregnancy, are told not to try to conceive naturally, as to not tax our already burdened healthcare system. I look forward to working with Hadassah to raise national awareness about the challenges of infertility and how we can support the people we love.” Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With over 300,000 members, Associates, donors and supporters, Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as security of Israel, combating anti-Semitism and promoting women’s health. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's (HMO) two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.  Photo ID Credit: Amy Klein, reConceiving Infertility Initiative Ambassador  

We Are Allowed to Be Irritated
By Jerry Sander

Winter is over. Birds, squirrels, foxes, and groundhogs are scurrying around my backyard as nature once again expands. But it is Week Number 5, 6, 7, or 8 (what difference does that make anymore?) of being cooped up with our spouses in the Pandemic-Protective isolation units of our homes. We are not doing the things we used to do as a matter of course—the things we did and called “life.” It’s hard to remember what the rhythm of those old lives felt like, isn’t it? One thing is for sure: our previous lives probably didn’t include being with our spouses 24/7, today, this day, tomorrow, EVERY DAY. 

We are increasingly irritated. Frustrated. Pissed off. Sometimes we know why, but often not. We’ve read all the online advice columns: exercise, stress-reduction meditations, blah-blah-blah. 

Often our irritation has something to do with what our spouse has just done (or not done). Sometimes we’re irritated by the way our spouses do things (we hadn’t been around to see this before). Dishes in the sink, dishwasher issues, bathroom habits, taking off shoes/boots before walking around newly cleaned floors, laundry, where things should go, etc., may be the presenting problems, but lurking just behind them are core issues of how we soothe ourselves as individuals (which often occurs when the other person isn’t around). Excessive drinking, smoking weed, pornography, masturbation, and other nonproductive lazy time may not have been what the World Health Organization meant when they urged people to use self-soothing strategies that have worked for them in the past, but as Americans we do what we believe we have to do to not lose our minds when we are receiving the dual messages that “this, too, shall pass” and “there will be a lot of deaths.”  Which one should you get ready for? Both?? If I’m getting ready for death, my behaviors will probably look different from getting ready to return to work next month.

Reuters reports that market investments in the makers of chocolates, legal weed, and alcohol are being rewarded well, and the smart money is going to buying shares of Novo Nordisk, the world’s biggest maker of diabetes treatments. It seems that the stock market is banking on us coming out of this fatter and more substance-dependent than we went into it. 

And couples are faced with the living reality of the words of an old Dan Hicks’ song: “How can I miss you when you never go away?”

The truth is that almost all of us are woefully unprepared for the idea of irritation being an ordinary, expectable part of relationships, rather than understanding that every relationship goes through phases of harmony, disharmony, and then repair—every week! Sometimes every day! Sometimes several times a day! We’ve been primed to see irritation and aggravation as a sign that something is seriously wrong with this relationship. Perhaps it is a “sign” that the End is Near, that divorce is up ahead. (A lot of speculation is circulating about what the divorce rate will be, coming out of these months. Or . . . the birth rate nine months from now.)

I know of one marriage that began years ago with one partner—from the first month of marriage—obsessively reading an old advice column called “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” She was focused strongly on “looking for signs” of failure. She was hypervigilant for things careening off the tracks. Sure enough, her marriage derailed, fulfilling her expectations. The things that were irritating and annoying about her spouse? They were all signs that it was a bad marriage that had to end. And it did.

Motorcyclists—and airplane pilots—are familiar with the idea of “object fixation.” If there is a dead skunk in the middle of the road and you are approaching it on your motorcycle, should you be foolish enough to stare at it and stare at it and tell yourself, “Oh, my God, there is a dead skunk in the middle of the road, right there! What if I hit it?” You will probably hit it. Why? Because we go where we are looking to go. This is literally true on a motorcycle. The lifesaving move on a motorcycle is to look for the safe path around the dead animal in the road.  If you want to stare at anything, stare at that! The same thing is metaphorically true for a marriage, or relationship. 

If you come to understand that being aggravated and irritated with your partner during this quarantine is as normal and to be expected as the sun rising in the morning and setting at night, you will understand that everything is going the way it is supposed to go. And that the small things can be talked about—laughed about, ultimately—if they aren’t made out to be “proof” of a failed, or failing, relationship. They are merely aggravating. There are ways of talking these things through and of sparing yourself the painful self-harm of accumulated resentments. 

If there is a deep pool of love and affection between the two of you, beneath the aggravation and ordinary irritations of everyday life in close quarters, both partners will emerge from this with a more intimate connection than ever before. 

Just don’t expect your partner (or yourself) to lose the irritation part. It might not be about what it was about yesterday. “It’s always something . . .,” the pessimists sigh. 

Yes, it is. But so is intimate repair work. That, too, is always something. Something to celebrate.

### 

Jerry Sander is a couples therapist in New York who specializes in Relational Life Therapy. He is the author of the novel, Convergence, and is at work on an episodic memoir titled “The Guyland.” For more information please visit www.rusa-ie.com and www.buzzsprout.com/987001.

NBC News Joins Covering Climate Now 

Earth Day announcement comes amid CCNow’s week of “climate solutions” coverage

NBC News announced today that it is joining Covering Climate Now, a global journalistic collaboration committed to better coverage of the climate story. MSNBC and Noticias Telemundo, both also part of the NBCUniversal family, also joined Covering Climate Now, which includes more than 400 TV, radio, digital and print news outlets with a combined audience approaching 2 billion people.

"Now more than ever it is important to cover one of the most pressing issues in our lifetimes,” said Al Roker, who made the announcement on NBC News' TODAY, the iconic morning news program where he is the weatherman and a co-host of the 3rd Hour of TODAY, as well as heading NBC News’ Climate Unit. "Climate issues are real, and what we will provide are real facts from real scientists so people can make choices and decisions for themselves." See Roker’s announcement here.

The NBC announcement comes as Covering Climate Now’s partners are presenting a week of coverage coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and focusing on climate solutions. From April 19 to 26, outlets including some of the biggest names in news—The Guardian, Reuters, Bloomberg, CBS News, HuffPost, Agence France Presse, The Times of India, and more—are running news articles, commentaries, interviews and multimedia presentations on climate solutions ranging from technical fixes such as solar panels and pricing carbon to civic actions such as voting and protest marches. During a similar week of coverage last September around the United Nations Climate Action Summit, Covering Climate Now partners ran more than 3,600 stories, helping to drive a massive increase in overall coverage of climate change after years of limited media interest.

“Covering Climate Now could not be more thrilled to have NBC, MSNBC and Noticias Telemundo join our collaboration,” said Mark Hertsgaard, CCNow’s executive director and the environment correspondent for The Nation, who has reported on climate change from 25 countries since the 1990s. “More and better news coverage is itself an indispensable climate solution, and we can’t wait to see how all of our NBCUniversal colleagues bring their talent and resources to bear on this challenge.”

“Noticias Telemundo is deeply committed to bringing our viewers news about the environment and excited to further our commitment by becoming part of Covering Climate Now,” said Vanessa Hauc, a Telemundo anchor and the network’s climate correspondent. “It reaffirms our mission to inform and empower our audience on an issue of vital importance to them.”

Co-founded in April 2019 by The Nation and the Columbia Journalism Review in association with The Guardian, Covering Climate Now is a non-profit organization designed by journalists, for journalists. Kyle Pope, CJR’s editor and publisher, and Hertsgaard co-authored an article on Monday explaining why they decided to proceed with a dedicated week of climate solutions coverage even as the public and fellow journalists are understandably focused on the coronavirus. "The overlaps between the coronavirus crisis and the climate crisis are many, and the same best practices when it comes to reporting are needed,” Hertsgaard and Pope wrote, adding, "We must report with compassion, candor, and courage, not only chronicling the ongoing devastation, as important as that is, but also illuminating credible remedies and reasons for hope."

All bona fide news organizations are invited to join Covering Climate Now. There is no financial cost, nor any “editorial line” to follow, except respect for climate science. Send inquiries to:  editors@coveringclimatenow.org.

UK’s COVID-19 response will shape digital health for years to come, says GlobalData

The UK National Health Service (NHS) has been forced to rapidly adapt its digital stance in the fight against the COVID-19. These digital shifts are not only a great way for Information Communication Technology (ICT) suppliers to showcase their capabilities but also provide an opportunity to create blueprints for other healthcare providers, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Stick or Twist: Digital Health after COVID-19’, highlights ten key ways in which the NHS is leveraging digital technologies in response to COVID-19 which includes data sharing, a new digital platform, Techforce19 funded innovations and virtual smartcards as well as analyzing which have the potential to engrain themselves into the DNA of the NHS after the crisis has subsided.

Jonathan Cordwell, Principal Analyst, UK Health & Social Care Technology at GlobalData commented: "The UK is accelerating the development of ICT innovations such as virtual smartcards, digital passports and contact tracing apps to assist in the national response. While some may be limited in their use cases outside of the pandemic, others are benefitting from the increased attention.

“Single sign-on solutions hit the headlines in January after the UK Government announced £40m of investment to reduce the amount of time wasted with staff accessing numerous ICT systems. NHS Digital recently procured a virtual smartcard solution with Isosec that aims to do just that and will prove vital in the new Nightingale hospitals opening up across the UK to tackle COVID-19.’’

No man is an island when it comes to pandemics and the COVID-19 response is no exception. The technology sector has witnessed several examples of high-profile partnerships to leverage individual areas of expertise for the greater good.

Cordwell continues: ‘‘One of the most impressive examples of collaboration in the UK is the consortium between tech giants Google, Amazon (AWS) and Microsoft, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) specialist Faculty and big data analytics enigma Palantir. The resulting data platform will help the NHS to efficiently deploy staff and equipment to meet the surge in demand.’’

The industry has also seen a relaxation in procurement policies, as well as less strict data security and privacy regulations. If successful, the bureaucracy of previous policies and regulations could be brought into question.

Cordwell adds: “The decision to process and share confidential patient information for disease surveillance or genomics purposes will greatly assist the UK’s fight against the coronavirus but could also potentially leave the system vulnerable to cyber-attacks, misuse or negligence amid the chaos.”

Assisting the NHS with new innovations or flexible commercial models will position vendors well for the projected increase in ICT procurement spurred on by the UK Government’s cancellation of £13.4bn historical NHS debt.

Information based on GlobalData’s report: ‘Stick or Twist: Digital Health after COVID-19’

New iPSC Master Cell Banks to Accelerate Development of Novel Cell Therapies

panCELLa and CCRM collaborate to benefit academia and industry

TORONTO, April 21, 2020 /CNW/ -Toronto-based panCELLa and CCRM have executed a collaboration agreement using novel technology to generate commercial-use and clinical-grade iPSC lines which will be made available to academia and industry to enable the development of new therapies. 

"panCELLa is an innovative company and a key partner in our local ecosystem. We're pleased to support their efforts to develop novel engineered cell lines that will enable multiple indications representing significant unmet needs," says Michael May, President and CEO of CCRM. "This collaboration will also support other companies in our network, as CCRM and panCELLa will work together to make these high-quality cGMP lines available to the global biotechnology community."

panCELLa, an early stage biotechnology company spun out of research conducted at the Sinai Health System in Toronto, will produce novel versions of the lines that are engineered for safety, and the ability to evade the immune system. CCRM, a leader in developing and commercializing regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene therapies, will develop master cell banks in the Centre for Cell and Vector Production (CCVP), a cGMP facility that CCRM operates with the University Health Network. panCELLa and CCRM will both have the option to license these lines out to academic and industry partners interested in working with clinical grade iPSCs.

Dr. Andras Nagy, a co-founder of panCELLa stated: "The long-standing support and commitment of CCRM to our technology was a critical component to our success in raising funds. This has enabled panCELLa to advance its platforms, making them more widely available to the regenerative medicine market. We look forward to continuing this fruitful relationship."

Bringing together the expertise of both parties with a state-of-the-art processing facility will make this work possible. CCVP is the largest cGMP facility in Toronto focused exclusively on manufacturing cells and viral vectors for Phase I/II clinical trials. With 10 class B clean rooms, it is designed to be Health Canada, USFDA and EMA compliant.

About panCELLa Inc.
Founded in 2015, panCELLa is a privately-held early-stage biotechnology firm based on the innovative technology developed in Dr. Andras Nagy's lab at the Sinai Health System (SHS). panCELLa has created platforms that allow for the development of safe, universal, cost-effective, "off-the-shelf" therapeutic cells and their source cell lines.  panCELLa's mandate is to accelerate cell-based therapies to a broad range of diseases by providing safe therapeutic cell products. panCELLa has secured partnerships with several biotechnology partners to enhance its patent position and provide expanded access to its exclusive FailSafe^TM and Stealth Cells^TM and its in-licensed SAFE harbor technology. panCELLa aims to develop therapeutic products in the immunology, mesenchymal stromal cell and pancreatic islet space and to partner with other companies to develop novel products in other areas of regenerative medicine. panCELLa continues its internal R&D efforts to develop additional novel uses of its platform technologies in areas such as bio-production, cancer vaccination and tolerization. To learn more about panCELLa's FailSafe^TM and induced Allogeneic Cell Tolerance, please visit https://pancella.com

About CCRM
CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and leading academic and industry partners, supports the development of regenerative medicines and associated enabling technologies, with a specific focus on cell and gene therapy. A network of researchers, leading companies, strategic investors and entrepreneurs, CCRM accelerates the translation of scientific discovery into new companies and marketable products for patients, with specialized teams, funding and infrastructure. CCRM is the commercialization partner of the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the University of Toronto's Medicine by Design. CCRM is hosted by the University of Toronto. Visit us at ccrm.ca.

SOURCE panCELLa Inc.

World Animal Protection Says COVID-19 Shines Light on a Broken Food System and Animal Welfare

TORONTO, April 21, 2020 /CNW/ - COVID-19 has affected the economy on many levels, including the agricultural sector. Several meat processing plants in Canada and the United States have had to close their doors due to workers becoming sick from COVID-19. Some have even died. This has slowed down food production and raised issues about the lack of protection for workers during the pandemic.

And while COVID-19 is hitting that industry hard, it is also shedding light on the impacts that the mass production of animals raised for food can have says the global charity World Animal Protection.

On most farms, animals are kept in unsanitary, crowded conditions, where they are unable to express natural behaviours. This makes them stressed and puts them at risk for illness. The exploitation of 50 billion animals globally on factory farms not only causes suffering to animals, these systems are increasingly being implicated in heightened public health threats and disease risk to humans.

Sixty per cent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate from animals. And while COVID-19 can be traced to poor wild animal welfare, diseases such as swine flu and bird flu emerged from farmed animals. If we are to avoid further pandemics, and the crisis we are all living through today, we must also look at the role intensive farming systems play.

This is a very trying time and the agricultural industry will have to make difficult choices due to partial or complete plant closures and that could further affect animal welfare. 

For example, the Beef Farmers of Ontario have recommended that producers delay the shipment of animals at the end of their productive life (called 'cull animals') to reduce demand on the system. These animals are often already in poor health and this has the potential to elongate their suffering. It can already take several days for these animals to be sold at auction markets and transported to slaughter in normal circumstances. 

If challenges with the slaughter and processing systems continue to develop, World Animal Protection wants assurances that animal welfare in the agricultural industry is a priority.

"While some in the industry are making efforts to deal with the new reality, such as the Chicken Farmers of Canada's decision to reduce their flocks over the coming months to prevent farmers having to cull their flocks later, the bigger issue is the intensive agriculture system", says Lynn Kavanagh, Campaign Manager for World Animal Protection Canada. "When there is a demand for cheap meat, that depends on thousands of animals being killed and processed daily, there is little room for the system to adjust to crisis situations, as we are seeing with COVID-19."

She adds that, "In these difficult times, it may also be a chance for people to reflect on our food system and consider rethinking how we can make things better for farm animals. Canada's food guide already recommends eating less meat and dairy in favour of more plant-based proteins for health and environmental reasons. We can all play our part by eating less meat, choosing plant-based alternatives and demanding a better life for farm animals being raised for consumption." 

It's clear now more than ever, the relationship between humans and animals needs to change.

World Animal Protection urges the industry and consumers to work together to transform the food system and end cruel factory farming by reducing meat intake, which will lower the demand for cheap, fast meat. Only then will animal welfare improve. 

About World Animal Protection

From our offices around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Kenya and Canada, we move the world to protect animals. Last year, we gave more than 3 billion animals better lives through our campaigns that focus on animals in the wild, animals in disasters, animals in communities and animals in farming. More information can be found at www.worldanimalprotection.ca

SOURCE World Animal Protection

Ah, quarantine. It’s something many of us are already experiencing, and with Coronavirus spreading like wildfire across the U.S., it doesn’t seem like it’ll be long before we are all stuck inside for precautionary measure. But how can we make sure we maintain a healthy lifestyle during this time, especially when gyms are closed and the pantry is right next to your new desk (aka, the kitchen table)? Dr. E. Gaylon McCollough, a facial and nasal plastic surgeon and founder of McCollough Plastic Surgery Clinic & Skin Center and Total Health Spa, has some ideas of how to do so. In his forthcoming book, The Gift You Give Yourself: Surgical and Other Choices That Enhance Your Appearance, Confidence, and Health, he explains that “the key to remaining healthier and more prosperous through good times and bad is to do the things that have been shown to be effective on all-the-time basis. With the unprecedented restrictions being imposed upon us by state and local governments, people are being confined to their homes and may become careless about doing the things that keep us healthier and happier. Here are several measures you can take to avoid falling into that trap.”

Here are Dr. McCollough’s top 10 ways to stay healthy while under quarantine:

1. Keep a positive attitude. Think healthy and productive thoughts. Remember, “Your body is the servant of your mind.” The mind that harbors negative thoughts usually causes its body to function in negative ways.

2. Exercise vigilance and safety. Follow the protocols that health organizations have published. Contact your personal physician if you should develop the signs and symptoms of Coronovirus: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and fatigue. Then follow your doctor’s recommendations.

3. Keep your mind active. Learn more about things you’ve always wanted to know or master. Read books you’ve put aside for such times.

4. Keep your body active. Exercise the muscles of your body every day and throughout the day, whether walking up and down stairs, jogging in place, and performing calisthenics.

5. Get in touch with your spiritual side. Meditate or pray every day for yourself and your fellowman.

6. If possible spend at least 30 minutes outdoors in God’s Grand Cathedral, on your balcony, terrace, yard, or nearby woods or beach.

7. Take nostalgic trip into the past. Review old photographic albums, scrapbooks, and journals.

8. Write a manuscript for the book or memoir you’ve always wanted to publish. Don’t worry about getting it right. Just begin writing down your unfiltered thoughts. There’ll be time, later, for editing and formatting.

9. Pick up the phone and call friends, family, and customers you’ve neglected. Write letters or emails to everyone who you owe a “thank you”—co-workers, classmates, teammates, teachers, coaches and mentors.

10. Review and revise your “bucket list.” Peruse the internet for vacation and educational packages. Make tentative plans for the trip(s) you’ve always wanted to take and places you’ve always wanted to visit.

For more information about Dr. McCollough and his book, please visit www.mccolloughplasticsurgery.com. For media inquiries and book review requests, please contact ashlie.pollard@theagencyatbb.com 

Jewish General Hospital Foundation launches $5M COVID-19 Campaign: Three Quebec women are leading the way with gifts totalling $1.3M

An additional $500,000 in gifts will be matched. 

MONTREAL, April 21, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - A comprehensive COVID-19 campaign has been launched by the Jewish General Hospital Foundation and already has the support of three major Quebec philanthropists:

• Sharon Azrieli - C.Q., D.Mus. 
• Sophie Desmarais – recipient of the Quebec National Assembly Medal of Honour and 
• Lisa Mierins on behalf of the Mierins Family Foundation - former JGH Foundation Board member

The three women have proudly stepped up to fund the front-line fight against the worldwide pandemic today, tomorrow and well beyond the peak of the novel coronavirus. They are asking for those who can, to join them.

Dr. Sharon Azrieli has generously contributed $563,000 to fund the Sharon Azrieli Creative Space which will be equipped initially with three state-of-the-art industrial 3D printers. "In our tradition, we believe strongly in the proverb - Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. I conceived of the Creative Space with this in mind. Not only will the JGH be able to prototype ventilators now but once they have helped battle COVID-19, they will be able to create other critical equipment for the future," said Dr. Azrieli of the first-in-Quebec space she personally made possible. "I honestly believe in this idea, and if the community likes it too, I ask that they give generously. I will match whatever additional amount is raised up to $500,000," said the Montreal born-and-raised opera singer and creator of the Azrieli Music Prizes.

For her part, Sophie Desmarais has made a $500,000 gift towards COVID-19 research at the JGH. "The Jewish General Hospital is one of the top Hospitals in Quebec, and when they informed me of these projects, I immediately decided to get involved. I am compelled to support our hometown research and expertise in the face of this global pandemic. We are all in this together. We need to come together and support the exceptional efforts made by medical professionals and researchers. It is essential everyone contributes what they can. Together we will get there," said Ms. Desmarais.

The $250,000 donation of Ms. Lisa Mierins, on behalf of the Mierins Family Foundation, is directed to the immediate COVID-related equipment needs of the JGH. "It is not an option to do nothing when there is so much need. Whether big or small, we all must step up. Our family has benefited in many ways over the years from the hospital's incredible doctors and medical services. It is our pleasure to help the hospital and the JGH Emergency Department deal with the COVID-19 crisis during these unprecedented difficult times," said Ms. Mierins.

COVID-19 related initiatives funded by the $5M campaign include projects such as: 

• The first of its kind in Quebec: 
  • The Sharon Azrieli Creative Space equipped initially with three state-of-the-art industrial 3D printers, where the JGH will begin prototyping 3D ventilators and other medical equipment
• High-impact research to keep our healthcare professionals ahead of COVID-19 such as: 
  • Creating a biobank that will make predicting optimal treatment for COVID patients possible 
  • Using artificial intelligence to predict where the coronavirus will hit and warn at-risk people 
  • Investigating what makes this new coronavirus transmit so rapidly and what drugs could combat it 
  • Reducing the time and space required to diagnose COVID-19
• Important mental health programs – such as telepsychiatry to help people through pandemic-related distress
• Patient-centred eldercare – aiding the most vulnerable members of our community using technology like ESOGER1, an online tool used to evaluate the socio-geriatric situation of a specific elderly person
• Critical resources for now and beyond COVID-19 – including: 
  • COVIDOM, an e-health application that allows patients who are COVID-positive (or suspected) to benefit from home monitoring 

"The JGH is part of a global community and there are no borders when it comes to COVID‑19. We are striving to strengthen efforts in the face of this virus. These three women and those who join them will change the course of this worldwide pandemic saving thousands of lives," said Bram Freedman, President and CEO of the JGH Foundation.

About The Jewish General Hospital Foundation
Since 1969, the Jewish General Hospital Foundation has led a dynamic fundraising program in support of the Jewish General Hospital (JGH), one of the province's largest and busiest acute-care hospitals. A McGill University teaching hospital, the JGH is renowned for the excellence of its healthcare and the calibre of its medical and research staff. Thanks to our passionate and generous donors, volunteers and supporters, the JGH can continue to deliver awe-inspiring medical breakthroughs and keep pushing forward, improving lives and patient-centred care. Our donors and supporters can be proud: Newsweek Magazine rated the JGH the #1 hospital in Quebec, #5 in Canada and among the top hospitals in the world.

SOURCE Jewish General Hospital Foundation