UVA Today News Blog

Check out the new episode of the UVA Today Radio Show, a weekly five minute segment on WTJU radio. Look for new editions of the show every Wednesday at 11:55 a.m. and every Friday at 3:55 p.m. on WTJU. Afterward, all of the segments will be posted on iTunesU.

Read more about the stories featured in this week’s program:

• Neatline Helps Map New World of Digital Humanities Scholarship (David McClure)
• U.Va. Research Finds Effects of Common Chemical BPA Span Generations (Emilie Rissman)
• Rising Second-Year Student at U.Va. Joins Top 20 in Canada (Joseph Linzon)

• Air Date: 7/18/2012

To download mp3, click here.

Arts & Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences, Health and Safety, Health System, International, News, Radio, research | Wednesday, July 18th | By: brevy @6:19 pm | 0 Comments     

Check out the new episode of the UVA Today Radio Show, a weekly five minute segment on WTJU radio. Look for new editions of the show every Wednesday at 11:55 a.m. and every Friday at 3:55 p.m. on WTJU. Afterward, all of the segments will be posted on iTunesU.

Read more about the stories featured in this week’s program:

• U.Va. Discovery Unlocks Secrets of Cancer’s Critical ‘Chimeras’ (Hui Li)
• U.Va. Students Ponder Ethical Questions in Summer Philosophy Course (Stacie Thyrion)
• Summer Reading, Part II: Family Sagas, Dilemmas and a Treasure Hunt (Beth Blanton-Kent)

• Air Date: 7/4/2012

To download mp3, click here.

College of Arts & Sciences, Health and Safety, Health System, News, Radio, research, Science | Thursday, July 5th | By: brevy @5:04 pm | 0 Comments     

Two years ago, just before graduation in 2010, UVA Today featured the story of Matt Miller, who in November 2008 was cycling on the Blue Ridge Parkway when he crashed face-first into an oncoming vehicle. Somehow, he survived the crash; more remarkably, he stayed on track to graduate on time and headed off to med school.

His story was the subject of a three-part series in the Philadelphia Inquirer, written by reporter Michael Vitez. (It was later republished in the Daily Progress.)

Vitez, a 1979 graduate of the University and former editor-in-chief of the Cavalier Daily, has expanded his series into a new book, “The Road Back: A Journey of Grace and Grit,” which became available on Amazon last week. The book highlights not only Miller’s amazing drive to survive, but the contributions of others, including the nurses and doctors in the U.Va. Health System, U.Va. swimming and diving coach Mark Bernardino, Miller’s girlfriend, and Miller’s parents — both also U.Va. alums.

Continue reading…

Alumni, Health System, Sports | Monday, April 30th | By: Dan @4:01 pm | 0 Comments     

On Saturday, the main lobby of John Paul Jones Arena looked more like a casino than a monument to basketball. More than 120 men and women were seated around 14 large poker tables, attended by dealers clad in black and burgundy tuxedo vests, for the second annual Cavaliers Against Cancer Texas Hold’em Tournament.

With their $60 entry fee, players had a shot at almost $10,000 in prizes, including three iPad2s, a football signed by Cavalier head coach Mike London, a Washington Nationals jacket signed by Ryan Zimmerman and hotel vacation packages.

The tournament raised more than $12,000, said event founders Shawn Brydge, Jason Chestnutt and Joshua Scott, all of whom are U.Va. alumni. (The latter two also work in Development for U.Va.)

The proceeds benefit the Rebecca Clary Harris, M.D. Memorial Fellowship, which honors the life and work of Harris, a researcher in the U.Va. Cancer Center‘s Human Immune Therapy Center. The center is a national leader in the development of treatments that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, an approach with the promise of avoiding the debilitating side-effects that accompany more traditional cancer treatments like radiation chemotherapy.

Chris Hubert, a researcher in U.Va.’s Development office, won the high stakes section of the tournament ($150 entry fee), and took home a Wyndham Vacations four-night stay in a two-bedroom villa. Jeff Wood (pictured above) beat out 89 players to win the main tournament, and selected a prize package with an iPad2 and a one-year subscription to TheSabre.com EDGE.

Community, Health and Safety, Health System, News, On Grounds, research | Tuesday, March 27th | By: Dan @8:00 am | 0 Comments     

Tornadoes are in the forecast for Tuesday.

Well, at least tornado drills; Tuesday marks Tornado Preparedness Day across Virginia. The University will participate in a statewide tornado drill scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. The University will test its emergency notification system, and the Health System will conduct a tornado procedures drill.

According to the U.Va. Emergency Preparedness Office, during the emergency notification system test you should:

• Receive a UVaAlerts text message (and possibly email) if you have signed up; see www.virginia.edu/uvaalerts to sign up
• Receive an e-mail on your University email account
• Receive a page if you are part of the U.Va. Health System
• Hear an overhead announcement if in the U.Va. Medical Center complex
• See a test message on your computer if the desktop pop-up is installed
• See a test message on the UVa home page
• See a display on LED or LCD screens in some areas and classrooms across Grounds
• Hear the outdoor siren and public address system if you are outside
• Health System employees will be provided receive specific guidance on drill procedures and performance expectations.

For those not in the Health System, unless you are in a meeting, in class or engaged in a critical activity when you see or hear the test tornado message, you should practice moving to a safe location or take a minute to plan how you would shelter from a tornado. This minute of effort may save your life one day.

For further information, see the tornado fact sheet on www.virginia.edu/emergency and after the break. Should you have questions or comments regarding this drill, contact the Office of Emergency Preparedness at 434-982-0565 or uvaoep@virginia.edu. Health System questions should be directed to PIC 1655 or uvahcc@virginia.edu.

Continue reading…

Health and Safety, Health System, News, On Grounds, safety | Monday, March 19th | By: Dan @11:00 am | 0 Comments     

Most of our students are only here for four years before they strike out on their own. But so often, they leave behind a legacy that will have a lasting impact on the community — and they usually do so just because they can, and because it’s fun, and because it means something to them.

On Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., hundreds of students will flock to Memorial Gym and Boylan Heights (on the Corner) to take part in the annual Dance Marathon at the University of Virginia — which is actually the culmination of a year’s worth of fundraising efforts. The picture above shows how much they took in last year. The beneficiary? The U.Va. Children’s Hospital, which will never benefit the vast majority of them, but makes a whole lot of difference to those of us who live here more permanently.

Organizers are looking for dancers and donations. Wouldn’t it be cool to add another sign-holder to left side of the photo above?

(Incidentally, they’re calling this their 14th annual event. I know there were similar events in the early 1980s, having participated in a round-the-clock one myself, and I suspect there were even earlier marathons. Anyone have any stories to share? Comment below.)

Community, Health System, On Grounds, Student Life | Wednesday, February 8th | By: Dan @3:41 pm | 0 Comments     

Students met Jane Canning, a 101-year-old resident of St.Kitts-Nevis

Not all education happens in the classroom, especially compared to going abroad, second-year University of Virginia student Jeffrey Roberson said he learned when he took the international January-term course, “Disaster Preparedness in the West Indies” with 26 other students, led by Dr. Marcus Martin, vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity and former chair of the Health System’s Department of Emergency Medicine.

The group spent the first two weeks of January studying the fundamentals of emergency care and disaster preparedness in St. Kitts-Nevis. The small two-island nation is about one-and-a-half times the size of Washington, D.C.

From dancing in the streets during Carnival, celebrated for 10 days after Christmas, to learning about the small nation’s universal health care, Roberson said his experiences there showed him the importance of a strong community.

Continue reading…

Health System, International, Medical School, News, Student Life | Monday, January 23rd | By: Anne Bromley @4:22 pm | 3 Comments     

Kevin Camden, an IT support guy in the School of Medicine, has a fancy new piece of equipment to play with: a Fender Telecaster guitar, according to an Augusta Free Press report.

Camden won the legendary instrument by entering public television station WVPT’s “Talent War$” fundraiser, which invites viewers to submit videos of their talents and then to vote on their favorites by making donations. Camden entered two videos of his 2-year-old daughter signing and dancing, and one of himself covering Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Smple Man” on acoustic guitar. The guitar was a random prize for all entrants.

As for the contest itself, which ends Jan. 3, the Camden trio of entries appeared to be lagging a bit as of this afternoon. They could use a few donation/votes.

Health System, People, TV | Monday, December 12th | By: Dan @5:12 pm | 0 Comments     

You may see something unusual in the skies over Grounds on Monday, but there’s no reason for concern. The U.Va. Health System has contracted to employ a remote-controlled aircraft to shoot video of both the Health System and the Academical Village.

According to a memo, “A small, quiet, remote-controlled glider with an attached video camera will be used to capture unique aerial views of our buildings with no anticipated disruptions to our operations or traffic. The glider features a 54-inch wingspan, weighs less than 5 pounds and adheres to all aviation and security regulations.”

The plane apparently shoots high-def video, and can get pretty close to the buildings that it is shooting.

The footage “has to potential to be used on the website, in video news releases and other video projects as well as in future television spots,” according to an internal memo.

Community, Health System, News, On Grounds | Sunday, October 16th | By: Dan @9:19 pm | 0 Comments     

We finally got around to adding the U.Va. Health System blog to our University blog roll earlier today. (They’ve been around since May 20. Our fault.) It bills itself as “a place to share stories about our patients, our staff, our services and more.

“We’ll let you know about the lifesaving treatments we’re pioneering at U.Va. and the ways our employees share their time and their talents in the community. We’ll also share timely health tips for families and kids.”

Looks pretty useful to us.

If you’ve got a University-affiliated blog that you would like to share with our readers, you can drop us a line or simply comment on this post and we’ll take a look.

Health System | Tuesday, October 11th | By: Dan @3:19 pm | 2 Comments     

In case you missed it, the U.Va. Health System has entered the social media world, with its own Facebook page (www.facebook.com/uvahealth), Twitter account and blog. Lots of good information for health care consumers (which I suppose means all of us, at some time or another). Check them out.

Community, Health System, technology | Monday, July 18th | By: Dan @2:12 pm | 0 Comments     

The Charlottesville Men’s Four-Miler has long been a sort of tag-along little brother of the hugely successful Women’s Four-Miler. The women’s race draws thousands of entrants to run (or walk) the Garth Road course every Labor Day weekend, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the U.Va. Breast Care Program.

By contrast, the men’s race used to be held on an often bitterly cold morning in December, drawing a few hundred men out to Free Union.

In an effort to raise the profile of the men’s race, organizers have shifted the date and site. Beginning this year, the race will be held on the morning of Father’s Day, June 19, and will finish at the 50-yard line at Scott Stadium.

Founded in 2004, by U.Va.’s Department of Urology, the race’s primary purpose is to encourage men in the community to become more physically active and to take a proactive role in managing their health. Funds raised by the race will go toward the development of the Virginia Men’s Health Improvement and Performance Initiative at U.Va.

As with the women’s race, Mark Lorenzoni of Ragged Mountain Running Shop has organized a training program designed to take men “from zero to hero” in 11 weeks. A few dozen aspiring racers, including your humble blogger, as well as some more established runners seeking to improve their times have been gathering for Saturday morning training runs at Charlottesville High School.

To learn more or to register for the race, visit the website.

Community, Health and Safety, Health System, On Grounds, Sports | Thursday, June 9th | By: Dan @11:20 am | 1 Comment     

U.Va.’s School of Medicine is hosting its 17th annual “Mini-Med School” this fall, and is now taking applications.

You probably will not receive a major boost in pay for graduating, but then again, there is no tuition, so there won’t be any of those pesky loans to repay.

The course “brings an abridged version of medical school to participating community members,” according to an announcement. It’s open to just about anyone high school-aged or older.

Here’s a more thorough description:

Continue reading…

Community, Health and Safety, Health System, Medical School, News, On Grounds | Tuesday, June 7th | By: Dan @3:45 pm | 0 Comments     

I don’t know where and when you are reading this, but as I am writing it, temperatures are in the 50s and it’s raining — a nice day for a warm sweater, even if the calendar does claim it is springtime.

I bring up sweaters because five unique U.Va. sweaters are on auction online through April 24, with the proceeds going toward Camp Kesem at the University of Virginia, a weeklong camp for the children of cancer patients, to be held in August this year at Camp Holiday Trails. Because of the financial stress that cancer can have on families, attendance at the camp is free. Thus, funds must be raised all year long.

Each of the sweaters was handmade by Allan Manning of Virginia Beach, who is the father of Camp Kesem counselor and U.Va. student Mark Manning. As of this writing, bids ranged from $40 to $66, so they’re still in the bargain range.

Community, Health System | Friday, April 8th | By: Dan @12:06 pm | 3 Comments     

The winter edition of Hospital Drive, a U.Va.-based online journal of creative work exploring themes of health, illness and healing, is out.

The journal is one of only a handful of literary journals nationwide published by a medical school, according to a press release announcing the latest issue. According to the release:

In this issue there are over 30 poems, ranging from the matter-of-fact accounting of “Waiting Room Mathematics” to the revelations in “A Drunk in the ER.” And, there are eight pieces of prose, from the rueful memories of “Stat Her!” to the whimsical hope in “A Love Story,” to the satire of “What’s In a Name?”

There’s also photography. In this issue is the online exhibit “Patients’ Voices in Early 19th-Century Virginia,” an exploration of doctor-patient relationships as shown through the correspondence of father-son physicians James and Edward Carmichael of Fredericksburg, Virginia. All future issues will carry a link to an online exhibit and a short introduction. This is a collaboration with the Historical Collections and Services of the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library at the UVA School of Medicine.

Arts, Health System, Medical School, On Grounds, Student Life | Monday, February 21st | By: Dan @5:37 pm | 0 Comments