health


THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE


By Tom Watkins Welcome back to school


— words that might be dread- ed by some students, but cel- ebrated by many students, parents and teachers.


A quality education in


America today cannot be con- sidered a luxury, it is a ne- cessity. In today’s fast-paced, unpredictable,


disruptive,


technologically driven, global knowledge economy, a child without a decent education may become the adult without much of a future tomorrow.


When we think about our Dr. J. Victor and Catherine Eagan Eagan Orthodontics celebrates


its 55th year anniversary, keeps giving back to community


Eagan Orthodontics, Mich-


igan’s first African-American orthodontic business, cel- ebrated its 55th anniversary with Summerfest Patient and Community Appreciation Day on Aug. 28, at God’s Graceland Park.


At the event, Dr. J. Victor


and Catherine Eagan an- nounced plans to donate 55 sets of braces to children in low-income families, 55 $1000 scholarships, and $55,000 to local and national charities. The first ten local charities were announced at Summer- fest.


In 1955, Dr. John P. Eagan,


Michigan’s first African Ameri- can orthodontist and the third in the world, founded Eagan Orthodontics. Since then,


Eagan Orthodontics has fo- cused on creating beautiful smiles with braces as well as community philanthropy that addresses critical social needs. The practice will in- tensify and multiply its effort during its anniversary year.


Eagan, the son of Dr. John


P. Eagan, is the second gen- eration orthodontist continu- ing the legacy of providing the excellent orthodontic services that his father and mother, Louise Eagan, started.


Eagan Orthodontics is one


of the nation’s most success- ful orthodontic practices. In 2009 and 2010, Hour maga- zine gave Dr. Eagan its “Top Dentist” honor. Many patients with the “Eagan smile” are high-profile local and national


celebrities, others are second and third generation patients. For all this, Dr. Eagan wanted to find a way to say, “Thank you, Metro Detroit.”


“Our focus is set on how to


show we appreciate those who have supported our family’s business over the years,” he said. “We have always given back to the community and we want to continue that legacy, especially during these tough economic times.”


live music,


The celebration featured food, exciting


hourly prizes and giveaways, and family activities and games.


For more information, visit www.EaganOrthodontics.com.


Free health program to help residents manage disease


The National Kidney Foun-


dation of Michigan (NKFM) is hosting a free health workshop in Detroit from Sept. 15 to Oct. 20 to help individuals manage long term health conditions. The Personal Action Toward Health (PATH) class will meet on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8 pm at Detroit Receiving Hospi- tal on 4201 St. Antoine Street.


The PATH workshop pro-


vides information and skills to adults with chronic health conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, bronchitis, asthma and depression.


Workshops are run by


trained leaders who hold infor- mal, small group discussions and provide easy-to-under-


stand course materials. Reg- istration for the PATH work- shop is necessary and space is limited.


To register, or for more in-


formation, contact the Nation- al Kidney Foundation of Mich- igan at (734) 222-9800 or Pam Thomas at (313) 966-4365.


children and students, we need to create every opportu- nity and condition for them to be successful learners.


Preparation begins with the


parents, so here’s a message to Mom or Dad or the care- takers of kids: You are your children’s first and most im- portant and lifelong teacher. Please hug, love and read to them — even before they come into this world.


Don’t stop being engaged as


they leave elementary school to enter those challenging teen years. Stay involved!


Child development brain


researchers and Nobel Prize- winning economists have de- termined that up to 85 percent of the human brain is devel- oped in the first five years of life (See National Scientific Council on the Developing Child @ http://www.stpt.usf. edu/fsc/documents/Cradleof- Prosperity.pdf).


Investing in these early


years has the best economic impact for the child, commu-


Tom Watkins


nity, state and nation. Send your child to school ready to learn, whether it’s to kinder- garten or high school.


In today’s economic and


political rancor, teachers may find it hard to recall why they devote their lives to this vital profession. But teachers do make a difference and will be re-energized when they see students seated in a class- room ready and eager to learn. Teachers touch our collec- tive futures with every lesson taught.


When we stop to think for


a moment, public schools — whether traditional or char- ter — are the true Statues of Liberty in our great country. Can you name another Ameri- can institution that takes the tired, hungry, poor children, kids with disabilities, to give them the opportunity to learn? That is what our schools are all about.


September 8-14, 2010


Page A-7 Welcome back to school If you believe, as I do, that


our schools are symbolic Stat- ues of Liberty, then teachers are the torch bearers, lighting the way for us all.


Best Year Ever So as the new school year


begins, let’s remember these three basic ideals:


• In spite of the current eco- nomic challenges, great things are happening in our schools every day thanks to dedicated educators.


• The world is changing in dramatic ways as educators struggle to embrace and lead these changes.


• Our future is sitting in our classrooms today. The vital- ity of our state, the strength of our economy, the quality of our lives, the vibrancy of our democracy, and our place in the world depends on the quality of our schools.


All of us might reflect on


the value of a quality educa- tion, re-dedicating ourselves to do our part in assuring our children, all of our children, get the education they need and deserve.


Let the school year begin.


My hope is that this will be, as Bill Cecil, Michigan’s 2003- 04 Teacher of the Year (http:// www.bestyearever.net/) calls it in his book, “The Best Year Ever!”


Tom Watkins is an educa-


tion and business consultant in the U.S. and China. He was Michigan’s state superinten- dent of schools, 2001-2005. He can be reached at tdwat- kins@aol.com.


Can radiation be cut to five treatments? A Detroit-area radiation on-


cology specialist is recruiting men with early-stage prostate cancer for a research study on reducing radiation treat- ment time from nine weeks to one-and-a-half weeks using shaped-beam technology and real-time monitoring of the treatment with GPS markers implanted in the prostate.


Dr. Jeffrey Forman, a radia-


tion oncologist with 21st Cen- tury Oncology in Farmington Hills, is the area’s principal investigator for this research study.


He is hoping to enroll up to


30 men in the multi-institu- tion study.


Accelerating radiation treat-


ments for prostate cancer by giving fewer but bigger doses is a new concept that is sup- ported by preclinical and clini- cal data.


Forman and his colleagues


reported at an annual meet- ing of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology a study that reduced the number of treatments from 42 to 12 in more than 300 men with prostate cancer.


Medical professionals are


able to increase the radiation dose because of the exquisite precision of the new radiation oncology technology used to deliver the radiation, teamed with the guidance of GPS to pinpoint the prostate’s exact location.


Combined, they help to re-


strict the radiation to the pros- tate and minimize or eliminate the unwanted side effects ex- perienced with earlier technol- ogy for delivering radiation.


Men interested in partici-


pating may call 21st Century Oncology at (248) 338-0300 for more information.


There are 2,500 reasons to set your alarm a little earlier.


Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan thinks the best way to encourage healthy behavior is to reward people for it. That’s why Healthy Blue OutcomesSM


physicians, set health goals and achieve them. In return, we give them the opportunity to lower their deductibles by up to $2,500 annually. Along the way, we have an array of online resources to help members track their progress, get tips on healthier living and more. To learn more about Healthy Blue OutcomesSM


and how it can inspire wellness, visit bcbsm.com/outcomes. offers rewards to members who meet with their


Join the conversation about making Michigan healthier at aHealthierMichigan.org.


Leading Michigan to a healthier future.


SM


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