TODAY news - June 27, 2002

Thursday, June 27, 2002 TODAY

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Willie Stewart wins silver medal in 2002 Paralympic Games

Willie Stewart, Drayson Center’s operations and security director, wears the silver medal that he helped the US Paralympic ski team win in the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympic Games.

Willie Stewart, operations and security director at Drayson Center, helped the US Paralympic ski team secure its first medal in Nordic racing last winter in Salt Lake City's 2002 Paralympic Games.

The team won the silver medal in the Nordic relay, a cross-country skiing event.

Mr. Stewart, who lost his arm in a construction accident when he was 18, has been on the US Paralympic ski team since 1994 and has competed in the Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and Nagano, Japan. However, winning the silver in Salt Lake was the first time he has ever medaled.

"No US ski team, Paralympic or otherwise, has ever won a medal in Nordic relay racing," explains Mr. Stewart. "It was a huge success for the United States to win this year."
Mr. Stewart adds, "In sports, home field advantage is very important. I think the United States really benefitted from the Olympics being in Salt Lake this year."

The team finished out of the gold by 1.6 seconds, behind Russia.

"Standing on the podium was thrilling, unbelievable," expresses Mr. Stewart about receiving the medal. "And when you're up there with your team, it's even better."

Mr. Stewart partially credits his performance in the Paralympics to the type of skis he used when it was his turn to race. "I chose to go with a style of ski that was a little older," he comments. "It meant that I lost a little speed in the downhill, but I could climb faster than the other skiers."

Besides skiing, Mr. Stewart also competes in triathlons, marathons, and adventure races. When he's not training for these, Mr. Stewart spends his time at Drayson Center.

"I like working for Drayson Center because it helps improve the community," Mr. Stewart says. "You can love your neighbor as yourself, but exercise allows you to love yourself more so you can contribute more to your neighbor."

Mr. Stewart also enjoys working with Drayson Center because even though balancing full time work and training is a difficult job, "Drayson Center is very supportive of my athletic endeavors," he declares.

On average, Mr. Stewart trains nearly three hours a day. However, depending on the time of year, that number can go up to seven or eight hours of training a day.

"It has been an experience working with Willie," smiles Don Sease, director of Drayson Center and Mr. Stewart's boss. "Trying to coordinate work with training and competition would be difficult for anyone, but Willie gets everything done that he's supposed to, and he does it better. He'll find a way to get it done."

Before coming to Loma Linda, Stewart ran ski schools for the disabled in Breckenridge, Colorado. He came to Loma Linda in 1996 so that his wife, Lynnsey, could attend the University's School of Medicine.

When his wife graduates from the School of Medicine next year, Mr. Stewart hopes that she will be able to do her residency at Loma Linda so that he can stay at Drayson Center.

In the meantime, his plans for the year include some of the toughest races in the world. Mr. Stewart will be one of only a handful of disabled particpants that compete in these races.

Escape From Alcatraz, a triathlon, is one of the most dangerous races in the world. The course includes a one-and-a-half mile swim from Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, a swim once deemed impossible. The race continues with an 18-mile bike ride and concludes with an eight-mile run through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Mr. Stewart will also be participating in Ironman this October, held in Hawaii. This triathlon features a two mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26-mile run. Some of the best athletes from all over the world will be joining Mr. Stewart in this year's race.

Other races Mr. Stewart will be competing in within the next year include the California Half-Ironman and the World Cup ski races that will be held in January, 2003.

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Hearing loss: causes and remedies

Staff from the department of audiology at Loma Linda University Surgery Medical Group, Inc., offer free hearing screenings to Just For Seniors 55+ Club members.

Editor's note: The following article appeared in the May/June 2002 issue of Wellbeing the Just for Seniors 55+ Club newsletter.

Do you have trouble following the conversation when you're at a party or in a noisy restaurant? Does your spouse have to tell you that the turn signal on the car is still blinking? Do you frequently miss phone calls when you're in the next room? If so, you are probably among the 28 million Americans with significant hearing loss. Charles, 58, attributes his difficulty hearing to advancing age; and for the most part, he's right. Presbycusis, caused primarily by age-related changes in the inner ear, is the most common kind of hearing loss. It affects about a third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 and nearly half of those are age 85 and over.

Hearing difficulty can start as early as age 50 or younger and get a little worse each year. Charles' daughter Jessica, 23, was also found to have some hearing loss, believed to be related to her frequent use of stereo headphones. Noise-induced hearing loss, also extremely common, typically results from exposure to potentially harmful sound levels either at the workplace or from recreational activities such as concerts or sporting events.

Both types of hearing loss have been occurring with increasing frequency over the past 20 years affecting Americans of all age groups. According to the National Health Interview Survey, between 1971 and 1990, hearing problems increased 26 percent among Americans aged 45 to 64 and 17 percent for adults aged 18 to 64. One survey found that nearly a third of college students had some evidence of high-frequency hearing loss.

A complex process

Some hearing loss, usually reversible, can be caused by a blockage of the passage leading from the outer to the inner ear. Known as conductive hearing loss, this is usually caused by a buildup of wax, abnormal bone growth or fluid in the middle ear resulting from an infection. When the blockage is removed, hearing usually returns to normal.

Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is caused by damage to the auditory nerve or the complex structures of the inner ear. This damage can be caused by head injury, a birth defect, a tumor, poor blood circulation, high blood pressure, a stroke, certain medications or other substances such as solvents or heavy metals that are ototoxic, or harmful to hearing.

David G. McGann, MS, chief of audiology services, Loma Linda University Surgery Medical Group, Inc., speaks to Just For Seniors 55+ Club members about hearing loss and associated communication problems.

Sound is transmitted from the ear drum through the delicate bones known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup to the snail-shaped cochlea and finally to the auditory nerve that transmits messages to the brain. In the cochlea are thousands of microscopic hair cells that bend and sway in response to sound waves.

Age-related changes can affect various parts of the hearing mechanism. The eardrum may become thicker and less flexible, the tiny bones stiffer and less responsive. All of these may be caused at least in part by decreased blood circulation because of heart disease, high blood pressure or other disorders.

Recent research has indicated that age-related hearing loss may also be caused by a miscommunication in the brain.

With age, there is a decline in the number of neurons in a certain part of the brainstem and in the speed with which these neurons recover, making it more difficult for a person to process speech and detect rapid changes.

Although age-related changes may be inevitable for some individuals, they are often made worse or have an earlier onset if a person has been exposed to loud noises over a long period of time.

About 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. Others are at risk because of their use of chain saws, power tools, motorcycles or snowmobiles. A major reason for the recent increase in hearing problems, particularly among young persons, is their exposure to amplified music at concerts or through stereo headphones.

Noise-induced problems account for more than a third of all cases of hearing loss. Loud noises create excessive wear and tear on all the delicate inner ear structures, but particularly the hair cells in the cochlea.

These hair cells function as amplifiers of the sound waves that reach them. When exposed to a very loud noise–such as the firing of a gun–the hair cells flatten out, resulting in the familiar ringing sensation and temporary loss of normal hearing. Chronic exposure to loud noises can cause permanent damage to these hair cells, which are unable to regenerate.

The intensity of sound is measured in decibels. Normal conversation registers about 50 to 65 decibels; any increase of 10 decibels doubles the intensity and increases the risk of damage.

The danger comes not only from the intensity but the duration. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has determined that a noise level of 85 decibels during an eight-hour period presents a risk of permanent hearing damage.

Noise is nothing new—noise-induced hearing loss was once known as "boilermakers" disease—but there are many hazards in our modern world.

The sound of city traffic registers about 80 decibels—just below the threshold—but a lawnmower is at least 90 decibels and a chainsaw, tractor or snowmobile, 100 to 120. Headphones can play music at 130 decibels; rock concerts, gunshots, and jet takeoffs can reach 140.

Although lost hearing can't be restored, virtually all cases of noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented through the use of ear protection. Cotton balls are no help because they dampen sound by only about seven decibels at the most. But earplugs and earmuffs are readily available and should be worn by anyone attending a loud concert or working for extended period around power tools or lawnmowers. They are rated for decibels and come with instructions for use. Special musicians' earplugs can be made that work equally at all frequencies.

Tinnitus, or continuous ringing in the ears, is often a sign of damaged hair cells in the inner ear. It can also be caused by a number of other problems such as a nerve disorder, use of certain medications or even a buildup of earwax.

Hearing loss is usually cumulative and progressive. Even if you've already experienced some hearing loss, there is no reason you shouldn't take action to stop the damage before it gets any worse.

For more information on hearing loss, call the Loma Linda University Medical Center audiology department at (909) 558-2343.

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Faculty notes

Joseph Kan, DDS, assistant professor, implant dentistry, School of Dentistry, lectured at the American Association of Implant Dentistry Western District Meeting in University City. Periklis Proussaefs, DDS, assistant professor, also lectured.
Alejandro Kleinman, DDS, assistant professor, implant dentistry, School of Dentistry, lectured at the First Symposium on Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Its Growth Factors in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Jaime Lozada, DDS, MS, professor and program director, implant dentistry, School of Dentistry, has been invited by Nobel Biocare to lecture in Australia and New Zealand in
June, and has been asked by California Dental Board to participate on the onsite team for foreign dental schools.
Periklis Proussaefs, DDS, assistant professor, School of Dentistry, has been awarded the Tillman Award from the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics.
Kitichai Rungcharassaeng, DDS, assistant professor, implant dentistry, School of Dentistry, authored a recent poster presentation titled, "Peri-implant tissue response of immediate anterior single tooth replacement: 1-year results," that was presented during the Academy of Osseointegration meeting in Dallas, Texas.
Alan S. Herford, DDS, MD, has accepted the position of chair, department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, School of Dentistry, effective June 1, 2002. Wayne Tanaka, DDS, will continue oversight of the predoctoral program. Philip J. Boyne, DMD, MS, provided interim leadership in the department. Dr. Herford was an invited lecturer, April 8, 2002, at the KLS Martin, meeting in Frankfurt Germany. His topic was "Maxillofacial Trauma." In addition, Dr. Herford and Liviu Eftimie, DDS, assistant professor, have been notified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery that they have successfully completed the 2002 Oral Certifying Examination for certification as Diplomates of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Stan Appleton, DDS, professor, oral diagnosis, radiology and pathology, has been named a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain.
Dan Hall, DDS, assistant professor, restorative dentistry, was recognized by the Southern California Sections of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists during an awards dinner at the Anaheim Hilton. He was recognized for 25 years of membership in the ACD and the ICD.

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12th Annual Celebration of Life draws lively crowd

Mary Rice Hopkins involves the kids at the Celebration of Life concert.

Amidst the singing and laughter, the afternoon of June 2 was no doubt a celebration. For more than 500 people it was a celebration of life, as they participated in the National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration of Life at the University Church of Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda.

In its 12th year, put on by the Loma Linda University Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, the Celebration of Life recognized cancer survivors along with their loved ones. It was also designed to help raise community awareness regarding the more than 8.9 million Americans living as cancer survivors.

The event consisted of two distinct parts; an inside program and an outside fair. It began with a program inside the University Church, where Gerald A. Ellis, MBA, senior vice president, administrator, and signature programs for professional & support services, LLUMC, welcomed guests and recognized the cancer survivors. A live concert presented by Mary Rice Hopkins followed.

Brandon Schroeder, 3, a one-year cancer survivor, throws a ball to knock down the bottles at the country fair themed Celebration of Life as his family cheers him on.

Ms. Hopkins performed a number of songs from her 14 albums and six videos. Her red tennis shoes exemplified her light spirit and kid-friendly manner. For several songs, she invited the kids to come up and sing with her on stage. She presented a positive message, asking those present to plant seeds for Jesus.

After her concert concluded, a special presentation was made to honor one of the many medical professionals who provide unending support to cancer patients. Arthur Kroetz, PhD, chair, department of radiation technology, School of Allied Health Professions, presented the Courage to Care Award to Summer Knowlton, an oncology nurse at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Leigh Aveling, DMin, director of chaplain services at LLUMC, and Judy Chatigny, administrative director for the Loma Linda University Cancer Institute, held a special recognition of cancer survivors at the end of the program. Mr. Ellis then invited everyone to take part in the refreshments and fun waiting outside on the lawn in a country fair fashion.

The outside portion of the event provided 14 different booths where families and friends could play and eat. Kids and adults alike enjoyed the face painting booth, the Family Medical Offices Pediatric sponsored banana throw booth, the LLUMC oncology department's ping-pong toss booth, the basketball booth, and the Medical Oncology Outpatient Chemotherapy sponsored baseball throw booth. While they weren't busy playing, fair-goers were treated to the tastes and smells of fresh popcorn, roasted corn-on-the-cob, lemonade, cotton candy, and snow cones.

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