Toronto, ON/New York, NY, January 19, 2022 — Spiritual drifting was a concern for many churches way before the pandemic kept parishioners at home. Here to help Christians re-evaluate and reaffirm their spiritual journeys is senior pastor Alan Davey.
“We forget him so quickly,” Davey says, referring to Jesus. “The commonplace platitude ‘out of sight out of mind’ applies not just to people we see and know, but also to our Father in heaven.”
Our noisy world constantly pulls our attention in new directions and prompts us to pursue other interests and desires, he notes.
“Subsequently, we become tired Christians who suffer from a lack of conviction, authenticity and prophetic insight,” he says.
In his new book, Walking the Line: Embracing the Imperatives of Jesus, Davey shares insightful commentary, perspectives from a rich variety of Christian sources and authors, and lessons from Jesus himself to create an accessible guide to viewing the Bible and Christ’s teachings in a fresh light. Included are original drawings from the late artist Joy Kim and study questions at the end of each chapter to help reinforce the messages.
Davey masterfully underscores the value and importance of understanding and following the rules of Jesus — not just for individuals but for entire communities of faith.
“The rule of Jesus articulated in Matthew’s Gospel is neither obscure nor archaic,” Davey says. “Jesus’ imperatives speak powerfully to the contemporary issues of our day, and do so by illuminating a way of clarity, simplicity and love.”
Author Alan Davey is the senior pastor of Weston Park Baptist Church, an inner-city church in Toronto, and Adjunct Professor of Christian Spirituality and Worship at Tyndale University and Seminary. He is co-author of Climbing the Spiritual Mountain (Wipf & Stock, 2014), Abba’s Whisper (Wipf & Stock, 2017) and The Passionate Bride (Wipf & Stock, 2019).
Davey is also an avid scuba diver, hiker, singer, guitarist and art lover. While writing Walking the Line, Davey was asked to officiate at the funeral for his wife’s niece, the late artist, teacher and musician, Joy Kim. While leafing through a collection from her final exhibition, “Have You Walked in My Shoes?”, Davey was inspired to include some of her oil pastel drawings of shoes, boots, and slippers in his book to represent the disciples who embrace Jesus’ imperatives in the everyday of their lives.
Walking the Line: Embracing the Imperatives of Jesus Publisher: Wipf & Stock ISBN-10: 1725290340 ISBN-13: 978-1725290341 Available from Amazon.com, BN.com and wipfandstock.com
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New survey finds Ontarians feel health-care recovery is the first step to economic recovery
TORONTO, Jan. 19, 2022 /CNW/ - Ontarians want the government to prioritize clearing the backlog of health-care services built up during the pandemic, even if it means a short-term impact on economic recovery, according to a new survey conducted for the Ontario Medical Association.
When asked to identify the issue that was most important to them, 40 per cent of Ontarians surveyed by Ipsos chose addressing COVID-19, followed by 10 per cent who said access to health care/long wait times/understaffed hospitals. Seven per cent said economic growth should be the government priority.
Younger Ontarians (ages 18-39) expressed more interest in mental health issues, suggesting a significant and growing generational divide. Housing affordability and climate change have risen greatly as priorities for Ontarians over the past eight months.
An overwhelming 96 per cent of respondents said they supported the five pillars of the OMA's Prescription for Ontario, a five-point plan for improving our health-care system. Reducing the backlog of 20 million health-care services is the top priority of that plan, which the OMA hopes all political parties will adopt.
The survey of 1,000 Ontarians was conducted in December before the Omicron variant swept through the province and the government paused non-emergency surgeries and procedures.
"Ontarians are sending a clear message that we have to have a strong health-care system if we want to have a healthy economy, and Ontario doctors agree" said OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam. "This will require collaboration among the public, health-care providers and all levels of government, including a significant investment from the federal government through the Canada Health Transfer to the provinces to cover 35 per cent of all health-care costs, up from the current 22 per cent."
When asked to choose which was a higher priority to them, Ontarians most often chose the backlog in surgeries – 51 per cent of the time, followed by improving and expanding long-term care facilities for seniors, which was chosen 47 per cent of the time. Both of these were chosen more often than stimulating economic growth, which was chosen 39 per cent of the time.
The survey also found that one in 10 Ontarians have not been vaccinated against COVID or have received only one dose. Seven per cent said they did not plan to get vaccinated. They are more likely to be millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) or Gen X women (born between 1965 and 1980).
Twenty-four per cent of survey respondents who are not vaccinated or do not plan to be vaccinated – almost one in four – said they were afraid of side effects, with the same proportion saying they did not trust information coming from government. Others said they had made a personal choice to wait, don't believe the vaccine is effective, dislike needles, have medical reasons, or were not sufficiently concerned about getting COVID-19 to get their shots.
"This survey shows that Ontarians are deeply concerned about the pandemic backlog and other cracks in our health-care system," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "It shows they are aligned with a plan by Ontario's doctors, Prescription for Ontario: Doctors' 5-Point Plan for Better Health Care, that can be adopted by government to address these issues and build a strong health-care system for the future. This plan was the result of the broadest consultation in the OMA's history, including outreach to the public, stakeholders and our members."
The Ipsos survey was conducted online between Dec. 7-13, 2021. The representative sample of 1,000 Ontario residents aged 18 and older is considered accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Gold Medalist & Two-Time Canadian National Champion Gabrielle Daleman Joins Team MuscleTech®
Figure Skater and 2020 Miss Ontario turns her attention towards the Four Continents Championship this week
Oakville, ON, Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MuscleTech® (www.muscletech.com), the internationally recognized sports nutrition brand known for ingredients and products that bring active nutrition and human potential together, has announced a partnership with Olympic® gold medalist and two-time Canadian national champion figure skater Gabrielle Daleman.
The one-year agreement will see the Sochi and PyeongChang veteran champion the MuscleTech® brand’s award winning proteins, pre-workouts and amino-based products including Amino Build®, Shatter® Elite and Iso Whey Clear on social media platforms, in media interviews, through on-ice training, on advertising and at retail throughout Canada.
“I’m so excited to announce that I am officially part of the MuscleTech® family,” Daleman said. “I absolutely love this line. As a competitor, I know how important nutrition and health is and how important it is to recover and take care of your body. I absolutely love this line because they have products for before, during, and after my workout, it’s everything I could ask for and more”.
In addition to her success on the world stage, which also includes a bronze medal won during the 2017 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2017 Four Continents Championship, Daleman’s relentless work ethic has thrived on the pageant circuit, winning Miss Ontario in 2020.
Daleman's partnership with MuscleTech® will focus on her elite training regimen and an evolving career in a sport that favors those younger than the now 23-year-old. While most female athletes hit their athletic peak in their mid-to-late 20’s, many female skaters routinely find success throughout their teenage years, as the physical strain of jumping, spinning and training on bodies cause many to give up the sport before hitting their physical peak. Daleman came to MuscleTech® organically, as the MuscleTech® brand’s Amino Build (intra-workout BCAAs), Shatter Elite (preworkout), and Iso Whey Clear (protein) products propel Daleman through long days and early mornings for the last 18 months.
“Gabrielle represents everything the MuscleTech® brand stands for. Strength, resilience, perseverance, inspiration, and a commitment to health and fitness that is reflected in not only her physique but in her mental fortitude,” said Ioavate’s Chief Marketing Officer Jarrod Jordan. “Daleman has also been open and honest about her struggles with mental health, anxiety, and ADHD in a sport known for its brutally competitive nature. In spite of these complications, she remains committed to improvement, in every aspect of the word.”
For more than twenty-five years, MuscleTech has fueled those who want to raise the bar, helping to optimize human performance. Whether you’re an elite athlete training to improve your strength, endurance, and power for the upcoming season, or simply someone who is trying to stay healthy, the brand’s innovative line of performance supplements meets the needs of everyone.
MuscleTech® supplements are made with the highest quality ingredients in the world and the brand is dedicated to continuously researching, developing, patenting, producing, and globally marketing the safest, most effective diet and sports supplements to assist people in achieving their personal fitness goals.
For more information on MuscleTech® products, visit www.muscletech.com, or follow us atfacebook.com/muscletech and @MuscleTech on Twitter and Instagram for product and athlete information, news and updates, diet and training tips, special promotions and more.
About Iovate Health Sciences International Inc.
Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. (“Iovate”) is a dynamic, leading-edge nutritional company that delivers some of the highest quality, most innovative and effective active nutrition products in the world. With brand innovations such as MuscleTech®, Iovate is committed to being the number one active nutrition company in the world. MuscleTech® was born out of an obsession to redefine the limits of science and human potential.
Due to our commitment to research, development and innovation, we’ve been globally recognized as one of the leading sports nutrition brands in the industry, and continue to be one of the elite brands redefining performance through cutting-edge products and high-quality ingredients.
Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, Iovate is a family of more than 300 employees, six leading nutritional brands and growing, with effective products that can be found across the globe.
Glaucoma Awareness Month: Top NYC Doc Preventing Blindness in People of Color
New York, NY, January 19, 2022— Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans and people from the Caribbean, but there is a simple way to prevent the devastating effects of glaucoma: Don’t skip your eyecare visits, advises Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York.
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by three components:
1. Damage and loss of the retinal ganglions cells and optic nerve described as cupping
2. Loss of visual field
3. Usually increased eye pressure (the mean normal eye pressure is 15mmHG)
In most cases of glaucoma, there is no pain, and the loss of vision occurs slowly from peripheral to central. Many people do not even realize it’s happening until they have lost a substantial amount of peripheral vision.
People at risk for glaucoma include the elderly, Black people, people with elevated eye pressure, primary relatives with glaucoma, persons with high myopia, high hyperopia, history of eye trauma and diabetes.
Early cataract surgery and trabecular bypass have become the best options to stop vision loss in patients with glaucoma. The current use of eyedrops and laser help to lower intraocular pressure but do not address the causative mechanism of the glaucoma being the enlarged lens. Incisional cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery is often needed to truly stabilize glaucoma.
All people should be screened regularly for glaucoma as part of a medical eye exam that includes gonioscopy (examination of the drainage angle), intraocular pressure measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry and a dilated optic nerve examination. If there appears to be any damage to the optic nerve or abnormal pressure, then a visual field test should be performed, and optic nerve photos taken. Persons with thin corneas should be more aggressively monitored and treated for glaucoma as the disease tends to be worse in these patients.
If you have eye pressure or glaucoma and feel that you may be losing vision, Dr. Laroche recommends that you seek the care of a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion. DON’T GO BLIND FROM GLAUCOMA! People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with checkups.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses,” Dr. LaRoche says. “As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts.”
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
Dr. Laroche is also the author of the new young adult book, How to Become a Successful Black Man, which educates and empowers young boys and men of African descent about their history, heritage and legacy. Dr. Laroche connects history to the present-day life experiences and challenges of the Black Man to instill self-confidence and personal growth to succeed. The book helps to address health and wealth disparities and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Successful-BlackMan/dp/0578841770/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=daniel+laroche&qid=1623702468&sr=8-2.
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With All Kinds of Physicians Performing Cosmetic Surgery- Who Should You Trust for Aesthetic Procedures?
It’s not a recent development that gynecologists, internists and even dentists have made their way into performing cosmetic procedures that were once the domain of board-certified plastic surgeons or dermatologists. To add to that mix, are med-spas, aestheticians, nurse practitioners, and other M.D’s who then put, “aesthetic specialist” after their name. This can be incredibly confusing to patients as to who is qualified to do certain procedures and the credentials they should possess. The reasons for non-plastic surgeons or dermatologists “cutting” into this space are obvious- it's profitable. For the patient who sees someone with significantly less training, the benefit to them is lower prices. Dr. Michael Horn is a Board-Certified Chicago, Plastic Surgeon who worries about the price patients really pay when they seek subpar care. He seeks to explain the difference board-certified plastic surgeons provide as compared to others encroaching on the aesthetic provider territory.
Thinking about getting a Botox, fillers or a fat-melting procedure? There are many things to consider when making such an important decision. You want to know as much as possible about your prospective provider’s skills, experience, and credentials. Be sure to ask these vital questions before taking that leap and entrusting your face and/or body to someone. In the United States, anyone with an M.D. degree and some surgical training can hang out a shingle and announce that they are open for business as a cosmetic surgeon.
Make sure the surgeon is board-certified.
All plastic surgeons are not alike. Plastic surgeons that are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) are uniquely qualified and specially trained. They have been proven to provide the best patient care and have the lowest rates of complications. Do not assume that all doctors who claim to be "board-certified" have the same training. Be sure that your doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
If a doctor is certified by the ABPS this means that they are certified in plastic surgery and have met the following requirements:
They have earned a degree from an accredited medical school
They have completed 3 years of general surgery
They have completed 2-3 years of supervised residency in plastic surgery
They have had at least 2 years of professional practice
They have passed rigorous written and oral exams (only about 70 percent of physicians who take the test pass it)
What is the Surgeon's Area of Expertise?
Ask what kind of training the doctor has in the specific procedure you’re considering -you don’t want someone whose only training was a one-day or weekend course.
How Often Have You Done this Procedure?
It seems obvious that nobody would want to be any surgeon’s first liposuction. Ideally, your doctor has done the same procedure hundreds of times, over many years.
What Are the Potential Risks & Complications?
Every surgery carries some risk, some of which are common to all surgery. The most serious risks usually have to do with excessive blood loss, infection, or adverse reactions to general anesthesia. There are some procedures that are riskier than others, although recent advances continue to make complications more and more unlikely. Since plastic surgery is elective, surgeons will usually refuse to operate on any patient for whom they feel the risk is too great.
Do You Have Hospital Privileges?
Even if you're having a plastic surgery procedure at an outpatient clinic, it's worth asking where the doctor has hospital privileges, because hospitals do background checks. Plus, this could become very important if anything unexpected should occur during your procedure, and you needed to be transported to a hospital.
Facility Accreditation
Cosmetic surgery can safely be performed in a hospital, a surgicenter or an office-based surgical facility: Current published data show that accredited office-based facilities have a safety record comparable to that of hospital ambulatory surgery settings. However, the majority of office-based surgical facilities are not accredited. Another advantage of selecting an ASAPS member is that all ASAPS surgeons operate in accredited, state-licensed or Medicare-certified facilities
Are You Allowed to See Before & After Pictures of Other Patients?
It is vital to see many before and after photos from your plastic surgeon to evaluate the work that he or she has performed. These photos should subsequently be placed either on the doctor’s web site in galleries or albums in order for patients to review during consultation. Also, make sure to ask if the photos shown to you are pictures of actual patients of that particular surgeon and not stock images.
Don’t be impressed by P.C. after a doctor’s name
Dr. Horn advises the would-be medical consumer, "not to be impressed by a P.C. after the physician's name--it only means that they are incorporated. Jane Doe, M.D., F.A.C.S.', on the other hand, actually tells one something about the qualifications of the physician. The letters FACS (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after a surgeon's name mean that the surgeon's education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College.
Who are all the others doing injectables? There are five types of medical professionals who offer injectables. In order of years spent in school, they are: 1)Board Certified Plastic Surgeons/Dermatologists 2)any doctor of medicine (MD), 3) a physician associate (PA), 4) a nurse practitioner (NP), 5) a nurse (RN). As the patient, you must decide the level of credentials that makes you comfortable.
Follow-up Care
Good surgical care does not end with the surgery. For most surgeries, plastic surgeons want to see the results and monitor your progress. Non-surgical procedures usually require a consistent schedule, so you can maintain your results. You should inquire about follow-up visits and about the doctor’s policies should surgical revisions be necessary.
With more than 10,000 breast augmentation surgeries performed during his career of more than 23 years, Dr. Horn is known in the Chicago land area as the authority on breast augmentation. His artistic eye, mastery and surgical skill in performing various face and body procedures, his dedication to patients’ safety, combined with his focus on unparalleled care and attention, make him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the Midwest.
Dr. Horn earned his medical degree at Loyola University in Chicago. He completed a general surgery residency with the Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as a sub-specialty training in plastic surgery with a second residency at Loyola University. Dr. Michael Horn is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Chicago Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Dr. Horn is a frequent lecturer on plastic surgery and his work has been featured in several professional publications. He frequently attends national meetings to continue developing innovative plastic surgery techniques. His ongoing commitment to patient safety and satisfaction is evident in the personal attention and care he provides to each of his plastic surgery clients. From the initial consultation to the final follow-up exam, Dr. Horn provides compassionate treatment tailored to the specific needs and goals of each individual.
Evidence Partners and Clarivate Form Channel Partnership to Promote and Sell DistillerSR to EndNote Customers
OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 18, 2022 /CNW/ - Evidence Partners® Inc., a pioneer in AI-enabled literature review automation software and creator of DistillerSR™, and Clarivate Plc, a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, today announced the creation of a channel partnership to promote and sell DistillerSR subscriptions to Clarivate customers worldwide through its global multichannel sales and marketing facilities, including the Clarivate Innovation Exchange.
DistillerSR automates the management of literature collection, triage and assessment using AI and intelligent workflows to reduce the time it takes to complete a systematic review by as much as 60 percent. Clarivate's EndNote™ 20, meanwhile, is a reference management solution that enables researchers and students to efficiently manage their bibliographies and references when writing research papers and essays.
In a joint presentation at the Medical Librarian Association (MLA) 2021 Virtual Conference last year, representatives from Evidence Partners and Clarivate explained how the complementary use of EndNote and DistillerSR enables reviewers to complete their projects faster, more accurately and more transparently. A post-event blog co-authored by the presenters, The Best of Both Worlds: Use EndNote and DistillerSR Together to Produce Better Systematic Reviews, describes the details of the presentation.
"This alliance with Clarivate will further accelerate the accessibility of DistillerSR to our academic markets," said Peter O'Blenis, CEO, Evidence Partners. "The combination of DistillerSR and EndNote, two best-of-breed research products, will enable researchers to further accelerate their important work, resulting in the faster publication of more accurate evidence-based research."
Gavin Coney, VP and Global Head of Partnerships, Clarivate, said: "We accelerate innovation by ensuring researchers can find the right tools for the right job. Performing strategic literature reviews quickly and efficiently has long been a pain point for researchers, and this is a problem DistillerSR and EndNote can help with, ensuring reviewers can undertake reviews speedily and with trust in comprehensive results. We're delighted to add DistillerSR to the Clarivate Innovation Exchange, which provides researchers, publishers, biopharmaceutical device developers and scientists with novel solutions derived from combinations of our unique capabilities and those of our carefully selected partners."
Literature reviews are a cornerstone of evidence-based research. The challenge is that they have traditionally been difficult, time consuming and error prone. More than 300 of the world's leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies, contract research organizations, governments, NGOs and academic institutions trust DistillerSR to securely produce transparent, audit-ready and compliant literature reviews faster and more accurately than traditional, error-prone manual methods. As a result, healthcare researchers can make more informed and time-sensitive health policy decisions, clinical practice guidelines and regulatory submissions.
About Evidence Partners For more information about Evidence Partners and DistillerSR, visit www.evidencepartners.com.
® Evidence Partners is a registered trademark of Evidence Partners, Inc. ™ DistillerSR is a trademark of Evidence Partners, Inc. ™ EndNote is a trademark of Clarivate
SOURCE Evidence Partners
How Hope Helped Me Face Cancer—Twice—And Thrive
By Mike Armstrong
I grew up in Detroit, where I learned early on that in order to make it through high school and college, I had to hustle. I kept busy, worked part-time jobs, and steered clear of distractions. I had a goal, and ironclad hope. I went on to work my way from an entry-level position at IBM to a spot as one of the company’s top executives, and later I served in CEO roles at Hughes Electronics, Comcast, and AT&T. I had first-hand knowledge of how to effectively manage tough situations, but the game changed when doctors told me I had late-stage leukemia. It was a new challenge that threatened to take everything away.
Incredibly, I survived leukemia, and I thought that one life-threatening cancer experience was enough for a lifetime, but I was wrong. Fifteen years later, I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. The prognosis was grim, and the harsh treatment regimen triggered another serious disease, Parsonage-Turner syndrome. I was so sick I could hardly breathe. It would have been so easy to give up and let myself fall into cancer’s dark tunnel, but instead I did what came naturally to me and turned to hope. I made a deliberate decision to not let cancer own me.
Today, I’m 83 and thriving. If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that no matter how bad it looks, there is almost always a path to hope. With hope, we can find the strength to face adversity; hope can get us through almost anything. It can even help us heal. I write about this in my book Cancer With Hope: Facing Illness, Embracing Life, and Finding Purpose.
I’m on a mission to help cancer patients everywhere find and sustain hope. While it’s true each patient is different, there are universal moments we all face:
What do you know? Stick with that
The cancer journey is fraught with doubt and uncertainty. It’s understandable to get swept up in despair and start asking hypothetical questions. Don’t do it. The “what ifs” will drive you nuts. The only way to manage the uncertainty is, as hard as it sounds, to remain positive and be guided by hope as you deal with what is known. Trust your doctor’s experience and recommendations, research the latest data on your type of disease. Every day we know more about cancer, so don’t waste your time and energy focusing on what is unknown.
Get your game plan together
Now is the time to work with your help team to develop an action and treatment plan. This is far more constructive and empowering than worrying about things outside of your control. Once the plan is in place, concentrate on executing it one step at a time without getting lost in the frightening and often confusing bigger picture of cancer.
Develop a support system
No one should face cancer alone. You need a resource toolkit and a circle of support. In my book I provide detailed vetted lists of: National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers (the gold-standard of cancer care), questions to ask your doctor and care team, and trusted cancer websites. All are there to help ease your journey and improve your quality of life, which will strengthen your hope. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
Look at it as an opportunity
There’s no getting around it. Cancer dramatically shakes up your perspective on life and what you want to do with it. It’s the silver lining effect after the dark storm that makes one realize how precious it all is. There’s a strong push to use time wisely and with purpose. One patient featured in my book devoted her life to helping other cancer patients locate and enroll in clinical trials, while another launched a nonprofit to assist women with breast cancer. My own battles left my wife Anne and I with the desire to support projects that advance medicine, help the disadvantaged, and make the world a better place. It’s important to us to give back because we know how much of a difference these programs make.
In spite of the many challenges cancer brought into my life, it ended up teaching me just how much more I can do, and what I’m capable of. At the end of the day, it’s all about hope.
About
Mike Armstrong is the former Chairman and CEO of Comcast, AT&T and Hughes Electronics. He began his career at IBM, where he spent more than three decades rising through the ranks to become chairman of the IBM World Trade Corporation. Having battled leukemia and prostate cancer as well as serious illness throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, he became an active supporter of Johns Hopkins Medical School and its hospitals after retiring from the corporate world in 2002. In 2005, he was named chairman of the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Now fully retired, Armstrong is on a mission to share his story as a two-time cancer survivor to help others on the cancer journey find hope. He and his wife Anne are donating most of their net worth to projects that advance medicine, help the disadvantaged, and make this world a better place.
Pfizer Receives Health Canada Authorization for COVID-19 Oral Treatment
PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets) is authorized for use in high-risk adults (18 years of age and older)
Pfizer is ready to start immediate delivery in Canada, in accordance with its agreement with the Government of Canada to supply one million treatment courses in 2022
KIRKLAND, QC, Jan. 17, 2022 /CNW/ - Pfizer Canada announced today that Health Canada has authorized the use of PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults (18 years of age and older) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. The treatment includes nirmatrelvir, a novel main protease (Mpro) inhibitor originating in Pfizer's laboratories, which was specifically designed to block the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, an enzyme that the coronavirus needs to replicate.
"We are very proud to share this news with Canadians today. As our healthcare system and hospitals face significant pressures in this ongoing pandemic, this new treatment will provide a new option in the management of COVID-19," said Kevin Mohamed, Pfizer Canada Hospital Business Unit Lead. "Pfizer is ready to begin delivery in Canada immediately to help get PAXLOVID into the hands of appropriate patients as quickly as possible."
Health Canada based its decision on clinical data from the Phase 2/3 EPIC-HR (Evaluation of Protease Inhibition for COVID-19 in High-Risk Patients) trial, which enrolled non-hospitalized adults aged 18 and older with confirmed COVID-19 who are at increased risk of progressing to severe illness. Additional Phase 2/3 clinical trials are ongoing in adults at standard risk (i.e., low risk of hospitalization or death) of progressing to severe illness, and in those who have been exposed to the virus through household contacts.
With PAXLOVID now authorized, Pfizer is ready to begin delivering the product across Canada. In December 2021, Pfizer announced an agreement with the Government of Canada to supply one million treatment courses of PAXLOVID in 2022.
About PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets) PAXLOVID is a SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitor (also known as SARS-CoV2 3CL protease inhibitor) therapy. It was developed to be administered orally so that it can be prescribed at the first sign of infection or, pending clinical success of the rest of the EPIC development program and subject to regulatory authorization, at first awareness of an exposure – potentially helping patients avoid severe illness (which can lead to hospitalization and death) or avoid disease development following contact with a household member who contracts COVID-19.
PAXLOVID is authorized to be administered twice-daily for five days. One carton contains five blister packs of PAXLOVID, as co-packaged nirmatrelvir tablets with ritonavir tablets, providing all required doses for a full five-day treatment course. Consult the PAXLOVID product monograph for dosing instructions and other conditions of use.
About Pfizer Canada Pfizer Canada ULC is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. Our diversified healthcare portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most prescribed medicines and vaccines. We apply science and our global resources to improve the health and well-being of Canadians at every stage of life. Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from our disease awareness initiatives to our community partnerships. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca or you can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
SOURCE Pfizer Canada Inc.
Glaucoma Awareness Month: Top NYC Doc Preventing Blindness in People of Color
New York, NY, January 17, 2022— Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans and people from the Caribbean, but there is a simple way to prevent the devastating effects of glaucoma: Don’t skip your eyecare visits, advises Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York.
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by three components:
1. Damage and loss of the retinal ganglions cells and optic nerve described as cupping
2. Loss of visual field
3. Usually increased eye pressure (the mean normal eye pressure is 15mmHG)
In most cases of glaucoma, there is no pain, and the loss of vision occurs slowly from peripheral to central. Many people do not even realize it’s happening until they have lost a substantial amount of peripheral vision.
People at risk for glaucoma include the elderly, Black people, people with elevated eye pressure, primary relatives with glaucoma, persons with high myopia, high hyperopia, history of eye trauma and diabetes.
Early cataract surgery and trabecular bypass have become the best options to stop vision loss in patients with glaucoma. The current use of eyedrops and laser help to lower intraocular pressure but do not address the causative mechanism of the glaucoma being the enlarged lens. Incisional cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery is often needed to truly stabilize glaucoma.
All people should be screened regularly for glaucoma as part of a medical eye exam that includes gonioscopy (examination of the drainage angle), intraocular pressure measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry and a dilated optic nerve examination. If there appears to be any damage to the optic nerve or abnormal pressure, then a visual field test should be performed, and optic nerve photos taken. Persons with thin corneas should be more aggressively monitored and treated for glaucoma as the disease tends to be worse in these patients.
If you have eye pressure or glaucoma and feel that you may be losing vision, Dr. Laroche recommends that you seek the care of a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion. DON’T GO BLIND FROM GLAUCOMA! People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with checkups.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses,” Dr. LaRoche says. “As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts.”
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
Dr. Laroche is also the author of the new young adult book, How to Become a Successful Black Man, which educates and empowers young boys and men of African descent about their history, heritage and legacy. Dr. Laroche connects history to the present-day life experiences and challenges of the Black Man to instill self-confidence and personal growth to succeed. The book helps to address health and wealth disparities and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Successful-BlackMan/dp/0578841770/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=daniel+laroche&qid=1623702468&sr=8-2.
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TD BANK GROUP FORGES EXCLUSIVE SPONSORSHIP AS THE OFFICIAL BANK OF THE BRANDON GONEZ SHOW
(TORONTO, ONTARIO - January 17th, 2022) – The Brandon Gonez Show celebrates a significant milestone on its first anniversary, with TD Bank Group (TD) signing on as the Official Bank of The Brandon Gonez Show.
The sponsorship will help launch an exciting new series on The Brandon Gonez Showtitled "Building Better with Brandon," dedicated to financial literacy, educating Canadians about money, developing financial skills, and the ability to build a happy, healthy financial future.
Launched in January 2021, The Brandon Gonez Show has become Canada’s #1 online news and entertainment show reaching 1 million views by the end of 2021. This monumental achievement comes as the show marks its official 1-year-anniversary, which has also seen significant growth in its news program spin-off, News You Can Use.
The talk show has become a staple for Canadians during the pandemic after airing exclusive 1-on-1 conversations with the biggest names in news and entertainment including, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada's Top Doctor Theresa Tam, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and international dance duo Les Twins.
TD has a long history of supporting and investing in diverse communities. This sponsorship of the Brandon Gonez Show builds on TD's commitment towards greater inclusion and the importance of highlighting underrepresented voices in media, arts, and culture. Content will focus on helping young Canadians and communities of colour to improve their financial knowledge, skills, and capabilities while also sharing uplifting stories of individuals and initiatives that help amplify diverse voices and shape our local communities.
"We are so excited about this relationship with TD because I feel that this program will impact so many people's lives for the better," remarked Brandon Gonez, President of Gonez Media Inc (GMI) and host of The Brandon Gonez Show.
"This new and innovative series, Building Better with Brandon, is going to present crucial information about financial literacy, along with the key tools and resources to help build a financially secure future. The new segment will not be your old-school boring money class. It's going to be a series that is authentic, relatable, entertaining, and available to anyone who wants to access this life-important information. Listen, I just want to help as many people secure the bag as possible!".
"As the Official Bank of The Brandon Gonez show, we're excited to reach new audiences with informative and uplifting stories that help viewers feel more confident about their future," said Michael Armstrong, Vice President, Brand & Corporate Sponsorships, TD Bank Group. "As part of our continuous effort to help strengthen and support racially diverse communities across Canada, this new series will contain content designed to help viewers with their financial literacy, while also representing diverse voices that help people feel a sense of belonging in their communities."
Viewers can tune in to The Brandon Gonez Show every Sunday, with new episodes dropping for the New Year on January 23rd, 2022. And don’t forget to tune in to one of Canada’s most-watched online news programs, News You Can use every Tuesday and Friday on The Brandon Gonez Show YouTube channel.
Follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, @brandongonez @brandongonezshow
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