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Volume5/2005_May16May 16, 2005 Rite UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Cheung to Hold Dialysis Foundation Chair Alfred K. Cheung, M. D., professor of internal medicine, was honored earlier this month as the first holder of the Dialysis Research Foundation Endowed Chair in the Department of Internal Medicine. The chair was established in January with a $ 500,000 gift from the Utah- based Dialysis Research Alfred Cheung Foundation, with matching funds from the department. A U faculty member since 1983, Cheung is a professor in the medical school's Division of Nephrology. The nonprofit Dialysis Research Foundation was established by a group of patients in 1980 when a private Ogden dialysis center was closed. The patients joined with the owner of a dialysis center in Midvale to form Bonneville Dialysis Center, which later became the foundation. In 1989, it signed an affiliation agreement with the U. The foundation operates nine dialysis centers throughout Utah, with two more under construction. Over the years, the Dialysis Research Foundation has donated some $ 3 million toward research in nephrology. Employees Enjoy Health Fair Fairgoers, including social worker Camille Gleave, enjoyed chocolate- covered strawberries at last week's employee health fair. Read more on back. Capecchi Wins March of Dimes Prize Mario R. Capecchi, Ph. D., distinguished profes-sor of human genetics and biology, co- chair of the U Department of Human Genetics, and an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was named a co- recipient of this year's March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology, to be given today in Washington, D. C. Oliver Smithies, D. Phil., excellence professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of North Carolina, shared the prize. The two were honored for independently develop-ing " gene targeting," a method of knocking a gene out of action in mice to determine what goes wrong and thereby identifying the gene's normal function. The March of Dimes Prize is a cash award of $ 250,000 and a silver medal in the design of the Roosevelt dime, in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who founded the March of Dimes. Mario Capecchi Putting Loss into Words People who've lost a friend or family member to death are invited to a gathering to help them focus on ways to honor and memorialize deceased loved ones. The program, " Seeds of Remembrance," is sponsored by the College of Nursing ( CON) and U Hospitals & Clinics and will take place May 24 at 7 p. m. in the CON auditorium. Kimberley Heuston Sorenson, M. F. A., Utah author of nationally recognized adult and children's books, is the featured speaker and will focus on putting loss into words in her remarks, " Healing Words." There is no charge to attend. For more information, call Caring Connections, x5- 9522. Westridge Health Center's Joshua Hurd gave health- fair visitors, including Jody Gailay, free glucose tests. Health Fair Exhibits, Activities Staff, patients, and visitors enjoyed last week's U Hospitals & Clinics Employee and Volunteer Health and Information Fair in the hospital cafeteria. Fairgoers received free glucose screenings, giveaways, and treats, and also entered prize drawings at several of the more than 40 exhibits from the U and community. About 5,000 chocolate- covered strawberries also were given out. Thanks to members of the UH Social Activities Committee for organizing the event. Library Offers Tablet PC Instruction The Eccles Health Sciences Library is giving introduc-tory courses on using the Table PC for teaching. The one- hour sessions will include topics such as pen calibra-tion, screen orientation, input panel, Windows Journal, and annotation. To register, go to the library's classes Web site at http:// registration. med. utah. edu/ classes. cfm? textonly= false# TPC. Classes are limited to five participants. The library has purchased several Tablet PCs for faculty to use in curriculum- related courses. The technol-ogy may be checked out up to two weeks before it's needed. For more information contact Jeanne LeBer, x5- 6744 or jeannele@ lib. med. utah. edu. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Center Promotes Stroke Awareness In recognition of Stroke Awareness Month, the UH Stroke Center is educating staff and the community in May about the nation's third leading cause of death. Sudden trouble walking, seeing, and speaking, or weak-ness on one side, are signs of stroke and should be treated as an emergency. The Joint Commission on Accredita-tion of Healthcare Organizations recently named the Stroke Center as the Intermountain West's first Primary Stroke Center. ' Baby Shower' Aids Teddy Bear Den Employees in the U Health Plans office recently organized a " community baby shower" to collect items for the March of Dimes' Teddy Bear Den, a program that helps low- income women who are pregnant. Approximately 30 employees donated gift bags, shoes, toiletries, blankets, clothing, and other items, according to Karen DeMara, R. N., U Health Plans case manager. The prenatal- health program gives future mothers incentives, such as baby- care items, for healthy behaviors. " Not only does this program directly impact many of our patients and health- plan members, but also it's a great support for our community" she said. " Everyone was excited to help." The office also is promoting the U Health Plans Baby Care program, which gives a $ 100 cash incentive to future mothers when they enroll within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. For more information about hosting a community baby shower event or the U Baby Care program, call DeMara, x7- 6427. Shape Up for Summer PEAK Academy is offering a variety of classes to help you get in shape for any type of physical activity. Sum-mer- term classes, such as weight training, walking and jogging, yoga, and circuit training, begin Wednesday. Faculty and staff classes are available for all full- and part-time employees, and their family members. The College of Health program is open to participants of all experi-ence and fitness levels. For more information, fitness tips or to register, go to uuhsc. utah. edu/ peak. Cardiology Team to Run Marathon Relay Preventive Cardiology staff are working together to practice what they preach. Five members of the department have been preparing for weeks to run the Ogden Marathon Relay on Saturday. Runners are Tricia Stracher, Kim Machara, Marci Howard- May, Thea Brannon and Heather Romouldo. Good luck and congratulations for setting an example of heart- healthy living! u u h s c . t a h . e d