Perspectives Spring 2015

PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2015 37 The PT class of 2017 completed an undefeated season in coed intramural softball, beating the PT class of 2016 in the championship game by a score of 11-7. With a final record of 6 wins and no losses, the team finished with the most runs scored overall in the league (83) while giving up the fewest (24). Individual highlights include Tom Gormely hitting at least one home run per game, Audrey Wernecke’s game-saving diving catches in left field, Kim Wolf’s acrobatic display of catching foul balls and dropping into the splits at the same time, and Joe Daniels’ jaw-dropping, barehanded catch on a line drive hit. Coed softball has been a great activity for developing class ca- maraderie because it included both team players and fans (class members) coming out to support and cheer on the team. The coed softball team consisted of Austin Bruhl, Ashley Gniewek, Tom Gormely, Audrey Wernecke, Jeff Haffeman, Kim Wolf, Valeria Bruno, Jeff Haffeman, Theresa Harvey, Matt Mallory, Andrea Irlinger, Jake Ober, and Natalia Martz. PT CLASS OF 2017 Goes Undefeated in Coed Intramural Softball By Austin Bruhl, SPT, Class of 2017 Student Sweet success: The undefeated class of 2017 coed intramural softball team. Pictured (top row from left) are Austin Bruhl, Ashley Gniewek, Tom Gormely, Kim Wolf, Jeff Haffemann, Matt Mallory, and Jake Ober. Pictured (bottom row from left) are Natalia Martz, Valeria Bruno, Audrey Werneke, Andrea Irlinger, Theresa Harvey, and Joe Daniels. Now in its 11 th year, the annual Miami Lakes Education Center (MLEC) Diabetes Health Fair is a College of Health Care Sci- ences and College of Nursing screening ini- tiative to combat diabetes in the adolescent population. Conceptualized by teachers Neil Eichelbaum, now retired, and Glenda Algaze, R.N., in the Health Academy at MLEC public high school, a formalized Partners in Educa- tion relationship between NSU, the CHCS fac- ulty members and students, and MLEC faculty members and students focuses on multisys- tem screening in Miami-Dade County. Unhealthy habits formed in younger years usually follow a child into adolescence and adulthood. Adolescents are a particu- larly challenging population to access and facilitate behavioral changes as they strug- gle with self-image, peer pressure, and the transition to adulthood. According to the CDC Foundation, obesity tripled in adolescents between 1980 and 2000. An increasingly sedentary lifestyle coupled with high caloric non-nutritious and ethnic diets have contributed to this new epi- demic. These behaviors, especially obesity, have resulted in the increase of type 2 dia- betes among adolescents in the United States, especially in “vulnerable, high-risk populations—African Americans, Hispanics, and economically disadvantaged persons.” This includes disadvantaged and minority teens, considered underserved, who are dif- ficult to access for health care intervention and are at the highest risk demographically for obesity and comorbidities. The MLEC student body is primarily His- panic, and by virtue of genetics, has a higher chance of developing diabetes. With limited access to health care and no health-related requirements in high schools, many minority youth never seek medical attention or screen- ing for health status, including obesity and its risks. The challenge of parental permission for screening participation in those under age 18 has been overcome by providing permis- sion forms in advance and requiring them for participation as well as accessing the adoles- cents during school hours. Specific screenings involve anthropomet- rics, blood pressure, capillary glucose, lifestyle, education about risk factors, and exit consultation to summarize the screen- ing results with each student. Last fall, 643 students were screened in a morning. By bringing the training needs of physical therapy, physician assistant, occupational therapy, and nursing students to this com- munity population, several thousand screen- ings have been conducted to date. Five lives have been saved, and 20 percent of all ado- lescents—down from 25 percent in recent years—demonstrated elevated glucose, raised blood pressure, high levels of stress, obesity, or a combination of risk factors. Ed- ucational programs at the high school in which the screenings were conducted are fa- cilitating necessary lifestyle changes. This screening program demonstrates an effective alliance between higher education and community partners in impacting the so- cial welfare and health of minority adoles- cents. The program is easily duplicable at minimal cost in any community. We are grateful for a financial gift from the Life Extension group in 2014 that as- sisted us with the purchase of glucose-test- ing supplies. PHYSICAL THERAPY AND INTERPROFESSIONALISM The Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents By Debra F. Stern, D.P.T., D.B.A., M.S., PT Clinical Director PT STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE to the Miami-Marquette Challenge By Eric Otero and Noelle Michels, Class of 2016 D.P.T. Students The NSU Physical Therapy Program has been making moves in its philanthropy efforts and recently participated in the Miami-Marquette Challenge, which is a fund- raising effort carried out by physical therapists across the country to raise money for the Foundation for Physical Therapy’s mission to contribute to physical therapy research. For the first time ever, the PT Program participated by setting up a virtual 5K to help raise funds. Participants signed up online and ran/walked the 3.1 miles at a location of their choice (gym, trails, beach, etc.). After their run/walk, they uploaded documentation of their distance to the Face- book event page or via email and received their medal. The virtual 5K was a suc- cess as faculty members, students, and their family members helped raise over $700. In addition to the virtual 5K, the physical therapy students held a Halloween- themed bake sale that raised over $125. The PT Program’s goal was to participate in raising money for physical therapy research, which is why new fund-raising events are in the works for the 2015 Miami-Marquette Challenge. News Briefs