West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Development

Faces of Giving & Development News

Rosenbaum Family House celebrates 10 years

07/20/2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Ten years ago, Rosenbaum Family House opened its doors to patients and families traveling to Morgantown to receive medical care at West Virginia University Hospitals.

In that time, a total of 7,390 families have found it to be a temporary home away from home. Those families have come from all across in West Virginia, several states and more than a dozen foreign countries.

Rosenbaum Family House was the dream born of tragedy for the family of Hilda Rosenbaum, who co-owned a clothing store in downtown Morgantown with her husband, Richard. Two of their three children, Nancy and Richard, were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. In the 1950s, WVU Hospitals did not exist, so Hilda was forced to travel around the country in search of help. She spent many nights sleeping on cots in hospital rooms where she did not have the support of friends or social services.

Though she lost Nancy at age 6, Hilda fought for Richard’s life and traveled with him to find the care he needed. She also fought to bring that care to Morgantown. To make sure those who traveled to Morgantown for care didn’t have to go it alone like she did, Hilda’s founding donation combined with the gifts of individuals and businesses in the community resulted in the creation of Rosenbaum Family House, which officially opened on July 12, 1999.

Connected to Ruby Memorial Hospital, the Family House is available to adult patients and their caregivers who live more than 50 miles from Morgantown. No family is turned away for inability to pay.

While here, each family is asked to pay $15 per night. It costs $40 per night per room to operate the Family House. Donations from guests and others make up the difference. Guests are permitted to stay as long as their patient is undergoing treatment.

To celebrate 10 years of serving patients at WVUH, internal events for WVUH employees and a community event are planned during National Hospital Hospitality House Week, July 20-26.

Internally, several departments throughout WVUH are hosting a variety of fundraisers, including raffles and candy and bake sales.

Employees will also have the opportunity to participate in a “Cakeapalooza,” which will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 24 at Family House. This cake competition will feature employees’ culinary skills with cakes baked and decorated with a “happy birthday” theme. Prizes will be awarded.

The celebration will wrap up with a community event, which will be held at 7 p.m. on August 1 at Family House. Those who attend the “Take the Cake Birthday Bash” will have the opportunity to tour the floors of Family House, where food and entertainment will be provided. Local bakers have been invited to participate in a cake competition. Prizes will again be awarded. Tickets are $35.

For more information on the “Take the Cake Birthday Bash,” contact Suzanne Likins, development specialist for Rosenbaum Family House, at 304–598–6094 ext. 4 or by e-mail at likinssu@wvuh.com.

For information on Rosenbaum Family House see http://health.wvu.edu/rosenbaum/index.aspx.

written by HSC News Service

HSTA to celebrate 15th year

Program brings science and math to students in rural areas

07/17/2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) at West Virginia University celebrated 15 years of outreach to high school students in rural areas with a reception at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center.

Created in 1994, HSTA is a community based 9th through 12th grade science and math program designed to encourage and promote higher education for students in rural areas.

“HSTA is an original program created by West Virginians for West Virginians,” Ann Chester, Ph.D., assistant vice president for social justice at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center and HSTA program director, said.

The goal of HSTA is to increase the number of African-American and other under-represented high school students in West Virginia who pursue higher education and to increase the number of health practitioners in medically underserved communities in West Virginia.

Students who complete the HSTA program and maintain a 3.0 grade point average earn a tuition waiver from any West Virginia state-run college. There are currently 800 high school students from 26 counties in the HSTA program.

“This gives students who may not otherwise attend college a chance to do so, and best of all this is something they have worked hard to accomplish and have earned,” Kas Kasten, HSTA transitions and records coordinator, said. “It is so incredible to see students who never thought they would be able to go to school, fulfill their dreams and become doctors, pharmacists, engineers and more.”

One such student, Crystal Hickman, M.D., a 1999 HSTA graduate, said, “I had never thought about being a doctor. HSTA introduced the idea and gave me the confidence that it was possible.”

The anniversary celebration took place during HSTA’s Summer Institute camp, which ended July 24. Students who attended the summer camp had the opportunity to hear success stories from distinguished HSTA graduates. The keynote speaker was Brian Noland, Ph.D., chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Taylor J. Perry, Ed.D, interim diversity coordinator for the Berkeley County Board of Education and vice chair of the HSTA Joint Governing Board, presented two Appreciation for Dedication and Leadership Awards to Wallace Jones, current HSTA chairman, and Steve Starks, former HSTA chairman, who served from 1996 to 2008.

For information on HSTA see www.wv-hsta.org.

written by HSC News Service

WVU surgeon volunteers to treat injured soldiers

(Left): Alexandre C. d'Audiffret, MD

07/09/2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Alexandre C. d'Audiffret, M.D., a surgeon at West Virginia University, has volunteered to fill a slot in the surgery rotation of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany where many of the soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan are treated.

Dr. d'Audiffret began his stint July 4 and will return July 19. He joins 51 other members of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) in relieving the limited number of vascular surgeons in the military who are filling positions in military hospitals in the United States and internationally.

“Our members understand how important expert surgeons are to the military in saving the lives and limbs of these young military heroes,” said K. Wayne Johnston, SVS past president. “We were contacted by SVS member retired Col. David Gillespie, who at the time was the vascular surgery consultant, Office of the U.S. Army Surgeon General, and a professor of surgery at Walter Reed Medical Center, and our members quickly responded. I am proud to represent a specialty that unselfishly contributes where they are needed.<”

Injuries incurred in the Iraq war are unique in that they include blast injuries from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and high-velocity injuries from crashes. Vascular surgeons repair the damaged arteries and veins that are injured as a result of the IEDs, using both minimally invasive and open surgery.

The Society for Vascular Surgery is a not-for-profit association that seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research and public awareness.

written by HSC News Service

WVU Eye Institute receives grant for
blindness research

07/09/2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Eye Institute has received a four-year, $200,000 Challenge Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) for the development of advanced research into the causes, treatment and prevention of blinding diseases.

The research will be under the direction of Judie Charlton, M.D., chair of the WVU Eye Institute.

RPB was founded in 1960 by Jules Stein, M.D., to fund and promote eye research into the causes, treatment and cure of all diseases causing blindness. It has distributed hundreds of millions of research dollars to medical institutions.

“We are particularly honored to receive this Challenge Grant since the founder of RPB, Dr. Jules Stein, was a West Virginia University student from 1912 to 1913. He supported his education by working as a musician, and legend has it that he travelled West Virginia playing his clarinet,” Dr. Charlton said.

“Dr. Stein eventually became an ophthalmologist, but his greatest financial success came from his astute organizational skills in the entertainment industry. He never forgot his roots in eye care, and his creation of RPB has benefitted the eyesight of millions.”

The Challenge Grant will bolster current Eye Institute research, which includes:

~ treatment for the childhood blinding disease Lebers’ amaurosis

~ biochemistry of retinal degeneration

~ development, genetics and treatment of glaucoma

~ infectious corneal ulcers

“This grant challenges us to grow research capacity, and we plan to explore new initiatives in the visual rehabilitation of children, epidemiology of blinding diseases in West Virginia and effectiveness of screening technologies in rural populations,” Charlton said.

written by HSC News Service

Bonnie’s Bus at Rowlesburg Clinic July 16

Nursing students organize free health fair

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Thanks to West Virginia University School of Nursing student organizers, Bonnie’s Bus visited the Rowlesburg Clinic in Preston County Thursday, July 16, while a free health fair was be held outside the clinic.

Bonnie’s Bus, a mobile mammography unit, offers digital mammograms, which are not free. But billing to third-parties will be provided, and women who lack insurance may be matched to government or nonprofit charities.

The free health fair, organized by nursing seniors Sarah Beth Thorn and Becca Claxton, provided cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose screenings. Body mass index, or BMI, were calculated as well. Sunscreen packets, toothbrushes, stress balls, canvas bags and more were given away.

“We started with Bonnie’s Bus because our main concern is women’s health and breast cancer,” Thorn said. “Our student capstone project is focusing on rural women's health, and we discovered that their rates for getting a mammogram were a lot lower, and breast cancer is often detected at later stages in rural women. So we thought Bonnie’s Bus could actually make a difference and bring the services to the women to improve accessibility.”

The 40-foot-long Bonnie’s Bus, underwritten by a $2.5 million gift from West Virginia natives Jo and Ben Statler, is owned and operated by West Virginia University Hospitals. The bus is named after Mrs. Statler’s late mother, Bonnie Wells Wilson. The bus made its first stop in Blacksville on April 15.

Women’s health isn’t the only concern for the nursing students.

“Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity are huge issues in West Virginia as well, so we wanted to provide some secondary screenings and health promotion for these women and the community in general,” Thorn explained. “With the declining economy and poor insurance coverage, we wanted to provide screenings along with education to empower patients to improve their health through prevention or early detection of disease.”

Health sciences students will staff the health fair, with representatives expected from all four schools: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.

written by HSC News Service

WVUH nurses hold community clothing drive

07/09/09

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Nurses at West Virginia University Hospitals are collecting clothing in new or excellent condition to benefit Christian Help, a United Way agency.

The Nursing Services Department organized the drive, in conjunction with the United Way Day of Caring, Aug. 5. This is the eleventh year the nurses have volunteered for this project.

Christian Help will accept backpacks, school supplies, children’s clothing and shoes, and men’s and women’s professional clothing.

Golf outing raises $11,000 for
WVU Children’s Hospital

07/07/09

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Michael Late Benedum Chapter of the American Association of Professional Landmen donated $11,000 raised during its annual golf outing to West Virginia University Children’s Hospital.

The Charleston-based chapter represents men and women from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York who perform land-related work, mainly for energy companies, such as oil and gas drillers. These men and women are employed by companies engaged in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas from the eastern United States.

More than 100 players participated in the June 11 outing at the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke.

Following golf and dinner, WVU Children’s Hospital Director Cheryl Jones, R.N., spoke to more than 200 association members on the importance of private donations to Children’s Hospital.

“Events like this golf outing are a great way to raise awareness of our programs and services,” Jones said. “We greatly appreciate the efforts of the Michael Late Benedum Chapter members. Their support will help provide the highest quality of care to our children.”

Each year, WVU Children‘s Hospital provides care to more than 7,000 newborns and children, who come from every county in West Virginia and also from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio. On average, 1,600 babies are born annually at WVU Children‘s Hospital. Almost three-quarters of the deliveries are high-risk. WVU Children‘s Hospital physicians provide care for children at the hospital in Morgantown and at clinics throughout the state.

written by HSC News Service

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