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Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

As we continue to battle against the coronavirus and approach flu season, it’s imperative that we know the facts about the vax. This Tuesday, August 17, join experts from Stony Brook Medicine as they discuss the importance of and science behind vaccines during a LIVE virtual event. Our experts will dispel misconceptions and address concerns surrounding key vaccinations, including those for COVID-19, the flu, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

The ongoing pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for healthcare providers and patients. A recent study showed a 71% drop in healthcare visits for 7 to 17-year-olds, when critical vaccines like Tdap, HPV, and meningitis are given. The HPV vaccine is recommended for boys and girls at age 11 or 12 because it works best when given before exposure to HPV. It can be given as early as age nine, and through age 26 for both men and women, if they did not get vaccinated when they were younger. The vaccine is safe with more than 270 million doses having been given worldwide since 2006. Even though the HPV vaccine can prevent many cancers caused by HPV infection, nearly half of adolescents in New York State are not getting the vaccine as recommended.

Every year in New York, nearly 2,600 people are diagnosed with cancer caused by HPV. To help educate those across Long Island about the importance of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention in adolescents, the Stony Brook University Cancer Center received a grant funded by the New York State Department of Health and Health Research Inc. This allows Stony Brook, the first and only institution on Long Island to be part of the Cancer Prevention in Action (CPIA) program, an opportunity to further promote the importance of the HPV vaccine as cancer prevention.

WHEN:

Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at Noon EST

The livestream event can be seen on:

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stonybrookmedicine/posts/4181276798594857

Or

Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlmY5d_QUTE

Moderator Sharon Nachman

MODERATOR:

  • Sharon Nachman, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Research at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University & Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital

PANELISTS:

  • Jill Cioffi, MD, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University and Medical Director of Ambulatory Primary Care Pediatrics, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital

  • Lauren Ng, DO, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University and Primary Care Pediatrics, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital

For more information on Stony Brook Medicine’s vaccine program visit, https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/vaccine

This program is supported with funding from the State of New York. The views expressed in this educational event and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the State.

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METRO photo

The Port Jefferson Village Center hosts a Meditation for a Healthy Lifestyle program at Harborfront Park, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sunday, Aug. 15 at 1:30 p.m. Join long-time meditator John Bednarik for an engaging workshop that will teach you practical strategies to reduce stress and create a more healthy and positive lifestyles. Please bring a chair, blanket or mat for seating. Class will be held indoors in case of inclement weather. Free but registration is required by visiting www.portjeff.com. For more information, call 631-802-2160.

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Eating a high-fiber breakfast cereal is a great way to start. METRO photo
Increasing fiber intake may help modulate the immune system

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

When the immune system attacks the body’s own organs, cells and tissues and causes chronic inflammation, we classify it as an autoimmune disease. However, this umbrella term refers to more than 80 different diseases (1). Some are familiar names, like type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Others, like Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and Cogan syndrome, are less well-known.

Chronic inflammation is the main consequence of immune system dysfunction, and it is the underlying theme tying these diseases together. Unfortunately, autoimmune diseases tend to cluster (2). Once you have one, you are at high risk for acquiring others. Autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women, although men do also get them.

Drug treatments

The mainstay treatment is immunosuppressives. In RA, for example, where there is swelling of joints bilaterally, a typical drug regimen includes methotrexate and TNF (tumor necrosis factor) alpha inhibitors, like Remicade (infliximab). These therapies seem to reduce underlying inflammation by suppressing the immune system and interfering with inflammatory factors, such as TNF-alpha. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), a class that also includes Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), may slow or stop the progression of joint destruction and increase physical functioning.

However, there are several concerning factors with these drugs. First, the side-effect profile is substantial. It includes the risk of cancers, opportunistic infections and even death, according to black box warnings (the strongest warning required by the FDA) (3). Opportunistic infections include diseases like tuberculosis and invasive fungal infections.

It is no surprise that suppressing the immune system would result in increased infection rates. Nor is it surprising that cancer rates would increase, since the immune system helps to fend off malignancies. In fact, a study showed that after 10 years of therapy, the risk of cancer increased by approximately fourfold with the use of immunosuppressives (4).

Second, these drugs were tested and approved using short-term clinical trials; however, many patients are prescribed these therapies for 20 or more years.

So, what other methods are available to treat autoimmune diseases? Medical nutrition therapy using bioactive compounds, which have immunomodulatory (immune system regulation) effects on inflammatory factors and on gene expression, and supplementation are being studied.

Nutrition and inflammation

Raising the level of beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid bioactive food component, by a modest amount has a substantial impact in preventing RA. Several studies have also tested dietary interventions in RA treatment (5). Included were fasting followed by a vegetarian diet; a vegan diet; and a Mediterranean diet, among others. All mentioned here showed decreases in inflammatory markers, including CRP, and improvements in joint pain and other quality of life concerns.

Fish oil supplementation

Fish oil helps your immune system by reducing inflammation and improving your blood chemistry, affecting as many as 1,040 genes (6). In a randomized clinical study, 1.8 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation had anti-inflammatory effects, suppressing cell signals and transcription factors (proteins involved with gene expression) that are pro-inflammatory, such as NFkB.

In RA patients, fish oil helps suppress cartilage degradative enzymes, while also having an anti-inflammatory effect (7). When treating patients with autoimmune disease, I typically suggest about 2 grams of EPA plus DHA to help regulate their immune systems. Don’t take these high doses of fish oil without consulting your doctor, since fish oil may have blood-thinning effects.

Probiotic supplements

The gut contains approximately 70 percent of your immune system. Probiotics, by populating the gut with live beneficial microorganisms, have immune-modulating effects that decrease inflammation and thus are appropriate for autoimmune diseases. Lactobacillus salvirus and Bifidobacterium longum infantis are two strains that were shown to have positive effects (8, 9).

In a study with Crohn’s disease patients, L. casei and L. bulgaricus reduced the inflammatory factor TNF-alpha (10). To provide balance, I recommend probiotics with Lactobacillus to my patients, especially with autoimmune diseases that affect the intestines, like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

Fiber intake

Fiber has been shown to modulate inflammation by reducing biomarkers, such as CRP. In two separate clinical trials, fiber either reduced or prevented high CRP in patients. In one, a randomized clinical trial, 30 grams, or about 1 ounce, of fiber daily from either dietary sources or supplements reduced CRP significantly compared to placebo (11). In the second trial, which was observational, participants who consumed the highest amount of dietary fiber (greater than 19.5 grams) had reductions in a vast number of inflammatory factors, including CRP, interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF-alpha (12).

Immune system regulation is complex and involves over 1,000 genes, as well as many biomarkers. Dysfunction results in inflammation and, potentially, autoimmune disease. We know the immune system is highly influenced by bioactive compounds found in high nutrient foods and supplements. Therefore, bioactive compounds may work in tandem with medications and/or may provide the ability to reset the immune system through immunomodulatory effects and thus treat and prevent autoimmune diseases.

References:

(1) niaid.nih.gov. (2) J Autoimmun. 2007;29(1):1. (3) epocrates.com. (4) J Rheumatol 1999;26(8):1705-1714. (5) Front Nutr. 2017; 4: 52. (6) Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Aug;90(2):415-424. (7) Drugs. 2003;63(9):845-853. (8) Gut. 2003 Jul;52(7):975-980. (9) Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 1999 Jul-Nov;76(1-4):279-292. (10) Gut. 2002;51(5):659. (11) Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(5):502-506. (12) Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 May 13;7:42.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com. 

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Photo from Pixabay

Looking out the window on a sunny day, one might notice a not-so-subtle haziness in the sky. However, that haze isn’t harmless clouds or fog, it’s smoke that’s traveled a far distance across the nation from raging wildfires in California and Canada.

As concerns grow over the impact of these wildfires stretching their way over to the East Coast, Long Islanders are beginning to become uneasy about the repercussions the hazy smoke might have among residents. 

With multiple reports of poor air quality in the past few weeks, people who have vulnerable conditions such as asthma, emphysema, or heart disease need to be wary and avoid going outside or doing strenuous activity. 

“There is something called fine particulate matter, which is very small ash,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “The cause of concern is that this is the type of material that causes respiratory ailments. It irritates the throat and respiratory system, but most importantly fine particulate matter can lodge in your lungs and make microscopic perforations, much like asbestos.”

According to Esposito, It is highly likely the ash will also be deposited into Long Island’s estuary and could affect the marine environment. However, it is uncertain exactly how much will accumulate due to the variables of wind speed and the amount of ash that will be pushed toward the Island. 

“The East Coast should absolutely have an increased concern of weather events associated with climate change,” she added. “What we are having right now is an increase of torrential rain, and an increase in intensification of storms which means that hurricanes that might normally be a Category 1 [the lowest] now have the ability to reach 2, 3, or 4.” Esposito said. 

Kevin Reed. Photo from Stony Brook University

Although air pollution issues are nothing new to New York, there are always certain times of the year, particularly in the summertime, that fine particulate matter can get trapped. The question of the future frequency of surrounding wildfires still stands.

While Long Island is experiencing a rainy season, California is currently facing one of the worst droughts in history. Within a two-year period, rain and snow totals in parts of the West have been 50 percent less than average.  

“Just because Long Island is having a really wet season right now doesn’t mean it couldn’t shift later this year,” said Kevin Reed, a Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences researcher. 

According to Reed, the winds that blow from out West don’t always streamline toward the East Coast. Direction in wind patterns could cause the air flow to “wobble,” so it is uncertain whether or not Long Island may face more smoke pollution in the future. 

“Drought is certainly becoming more severe, potentially longer lasting, and at a larger extent, which means larger parts of land will be susceptible to wildfire,” Reed said.

Adding that wildfires are typically a natural occurrence and benefits land by replenishing it, Reed said the extent of the current wildfires is most likely a result of climate change and has potential to harm people and the environment.

“Air pollution could really affect our human health, especially to certain groups that are more susceptible to issues with air quality,” he said. “Even if it’s here for one day it could have an impact and of course the impact is going to be multiplied if it’s a longer-term event.” 

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Stony Brook Cancer Center

The Stony Brook University Cancer Center has been awarded a Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) grant to help promote sun-safety measures in an effort to prevent skin cancer on Long Island. Stony Brook is the first and only institution on Long Island to receive this competitive award. Cancer Prevention in Action is a New York State Department of Health and Health Research Inc. program supporting local cancer prevention and risk reduction interventions using a policy, systems and environmental (PSE) change approach. 

This grant will allow the Stony Brook University Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement staff to partner with community organizations and businesses in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to implement sun-safety measures, which is in line with the Cancer Center’s mission. By adopting sun-safety policies, these community groups will be instrumental in reducing skin cancer risk for their employees and visitors. There will also be opportunities for education about the dangers of UV tanning and the importance of HPV vaccinations for community partners and leaders to mobilize change that will prevent cancer.

“We are excited to share our expertise with the community and help community partners adopt policies that promote sun safety on Long Island and that can help prevent skin and HPV-related cancers,” states Linda Mermelstein, MD, MPH, the Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at Stony Brook Cancer Center.

To learn more about the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, visit https://cancer.stonybrookmedicine.edu/.

This project is supported with funds from Health Research, Inc. and New York State.  

About Stony Brook University Cancer Center:

Stony Brook University Cancer Center is Suffolk County’s cancer care leader and a leader in education and research. With more than 20,000 inpatient and 70,000 outpatient visits annually, the Cancer Center includes 12 multidisciplinary teams: Breast Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Gastrointestinal Cancer; Genitourinary Cancer; Gynecologic Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer, and Thyroid Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant; Lung Cancer; Melanoma and Soft Tissue Sarcomas; Neurologic Oncology; Orthopedic Oncology; and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. The cancer program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. To learn more, visit www.cancer.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

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Stock photo

By Jeffrey L. Reynolds

Jeffrey L. Reynolds

New York recently joined 20 other states and territories and legalized the adult use of recreational marijuana — a move that could have significant public health consequences for families and communities. With the stroke of the Governor’s pen, cannabis went from being widely prohibited for the last 80 years to widely available and with retail pot stores opening in our community next year, parents should be gearing up for questions from curious teens.

It’s important to remember that marijuana possession, sale or use by people under the age of 21 remains illegal in every state. That’s because several studies have found that underage cannabis use — and more specifically, exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive component in marijuana that produces a high — alters brain development in unhealthy ways. THC levels can vary widely, but potency has increased dramatically in recent years as growers and retailers battle to claim market share. High potency weed was recently linked to psychotic episodes and violent vomiting episodes among young people in Colorado, the first U.S. state to legalize adult-use and one of the nation’s biggest marijuana markets.

Researchers have found that short term marijuana use by teens can impair attention span, memory, learning and decision-making and those effects can last for days after the high wears off. Chronic or heavy marijuana use during adolescence or early adulthood has been associated with significant structural changes in the brain and its neural pathways, which in turn have been connected with mood and personality disorders, future addiction, a loss of IQ points and a host of negative outcomes related to school/work performance, family functioning and interpersonal relationships. 

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Parents can generally begin talking with kids about marijuana and other drugs between the ages of eight and 10, depending on the child’s maturity level, although it’s fine to start sooner if they ask. Discussions with tweens, teens and young adults should be age appropriate and continually build on previous conversations.

Some tips for having productive and supportive conversations with your kids:

• Listen as much as you talk. Find out how much your kids know about marijuana, how they feel about their friends who might be experimenting and pose open ended queries like, “What would you like to know about marijuana?”

• Use their questions as a springboard for discussion. A series of short, spontaneous casual conversations in the car will be more effective than an hour-long formal family meeting that puts everyone on edge.

• Help them understand that making marijuana legal doesn’t make it safe, especially for young people and those driving a car. Alcohol and cigarettes, for example, remain legal yet carry significant health consequences. Still, avoid exaggerating the potential dangers associated with cannabis (comparing it to heroin) and try not to demonize those who use it.

• It’s fine to acknowledge that medical marijuana can help with certain health conditions and that people generally turn to their doctors for guidance about whether it’s right for them.

• Teens often repeat social media messages proclaiming that, “it’s just a plant.” Right, but so is hemlock and poison ivy.

• Clarify your values and convey your expectations. As a parent, you have more influence over your kids than anyone else, including the rappers in smoke-filled TikTok videos or the neighborhood kid who vapes weed on the bus. Use that influence and challenge the notion “everyone is doing it.”

• Experimentation is normal. If your child is caught or admits to smoking marijuana, you have an excellent opportunity to better understand why they decided to try it. Ask probing questions like, “What happened?” and “What are some of the reasons you used marijuana?” Ask them how they feel about it after the fact and let them know you are concerned about the habit progressing.

• If your child is using marijuana regularly, try to understand why. Is it social pressure? Curiosity or boredom? Or is it a way to cope with stress, anxiety or depression? Their answers can help you address the underlying motivations and manage them in a safer and healthier way.

Above all, ensure that each conversation — regardless of how challenging it gets —conveys your unconditional love, support and concern for your child’s healthy development and well-being. That’s the very best antidote to marijuana and everything else that puts our kids at risk.   

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds is President/CEO of Family and Children’s Association, one of Long Island’s largest nonprofits offering addiction prevention, treatment and recovery programs and a wide range of children’s mental health services.  

*This article first appeared in Parent Connection, a special feature for TBR News Media, on Aug. 5, 2021.

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Stress management and diet can have positive effects

By David Dunaief, MD

Dr. David Dunaief

According to estimates, 10 to 15 percent of the population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, although only five to seven percent have been diagnosed (1).

Symptoms can directly affect quality of life. They include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.

Diagnosing IBS is challenging. While the general perception is that IBS symptoms are somewhat vague, there are discrete criteria physicians use to provide a diagnosis it and eliminate more serious possibilities.

The Rome IV criteria comprise an international effort to help diagnose and treat functional gastrointestinal disorders. Using these criteria in combination with a careful history and physical exam helps provide a diagnosis.

So, what can be done to improve IBS? There are a number of possibilities.

Mental state

The “brain-gut” connection is real. It refers to the direct connection between mental state, such as nervousness or anxiety, to gastrointestinal issues, and vice versa.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction was used in a small, but randomized, eight-week clinical trial with IBS (2). Those in the mindfulness group (treatment group) showed statistically significant results in decreased severity of symptoms compared to the control group, both immediately after training and three months post-therapy.

Those in the treatment group were instructed to do meditation, gentle yoga and “body scanning” — focusing on one area of the body for muscle tension detection. The control group attended an IBS support group once a week.

A preliminary study has suggested there may be a link between IBS and migraine and tension-type headaches. The study of 320 participants, 107 with migraine, 107 with IBS, 53 with episodic tension-type headaches (ETTH), and 53 healthy individuals, identified significant occurrence crossover among those with migraine, IBS and ETTH. Researchers also found that these three groups had at least one gene that was different from that of healthy participants. Their hope is that this information will lead to more robust studies that could result in new treatment options (3).

Gluten

In a small randomized clinical trial, patients who were given gluten were more likely to complain of uncontrolled symptoms than those who were given a placebo, 68 percent vs. 40 percent, respectively.

These results were highly statistically significant (4). The authors concluded that nonceliac gluten intolerance may exist. Gluten sensitivity may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of some IBS patients (5).

I suggest to my patients that they might want to start avoiding gluten and then add it back into their diets slowly to see the results.

Fructose

Some IBS patients may suffer from fructose intolerance. In a prospective (forward-looking) study, IBS researchers used a breath test to examine this possibility. The results were dose dependent. When patients were given a 10 percent fructose solution, only 39 percent tested positive for fructose intolerance, but when they were given a 33 percent solution, 88 percent of patients tested positive.

The symptoms of fructose intolerance included flatus, abdominal pain, bloating, belching and alternating bowel habits. The authors concluded that avoidance of fructose may reduce symptoms in IBS patients (6).

According to another study, about one-third of IBS patients are fructose intolerant. When on a fructose-restricted diet, symptoms appeared to improve (7). Foods with high levels of fructose include certain fruits, like apples and pears, but not bananas.

Lactose

Another small study found that about one-quarter of patients with IBS also have lactose intolerance. Two things are at play here. One, it is very difficult to differentiate the symptoms of lactose intolerance from IBS. The other is that most IBS trials are small and there is a need for larger trials.

Of the IBS patients who were also lactose intolerant, there was a marked improvement in symptomatology at both six weeks and five years when placed on a lactose-restrictive diet (8).

Though small, the trial results were statistical significant, which is impressive. Both the durability and the compliance were excellent, and visits to outpatient clinics were reduced by 75 percent. This demonstrates that it is most probably worthwhile to test patients for lactose intolerance who have IBS.

Probiotics

Treatment with probiotics from a study that reviewed 42 trials shows that there may be a benefit to probiotics, although the endpoints were different in each trial. The good news is that most of the trials reached one of their endpoints (9).

Probiotics do show promise, including the two most common strains, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteri, which were covered in the review.

All of the above gives IBS patients a sense of hope that there are options for treatments that involve modest lifestyle changes. I believe there needs to be a strong patient-doctor connection in order to choose the appropriate options that result in the greatest symptom reduction.

References:

(1) American College of Gastroenterology [GI.org]. (2) Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Sep;106(9):1678-1688. (3) American Academy of Neurology 2016, Abstract 3367. (4) Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Mar;106(3):508-514. (5) Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Mar;106(3):516-518. (6) Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 June;98(6):1348-1353. (7) J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Mar;42(3):233-238. (8) Eur J Gastroen-terol Hepatol. 2001 Aug;13(8):941-944. (9) Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2012 Feb;35(4):403-413.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com. 

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Pet Therapy Dog Molly
There’s a new top dog of Stony Brook University Hospital’s volunteer program. Stony Brook Medicine has awarded Pet Therapy Team Doreen Monteleone and her seven-year-old Labrador partner Molly the 2020 Volunteers of the Year. Doreen and Molly, from West Sayville, joined the hospital volunteer program in March of 2019 and together have donated nearly 200 hours of service since.
Doreen Monteleone and Pet Therapy Dog Molly

Molly came to Stony Brook with an already impressive resume. She is certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI) and is recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as a Therapy Dog (THD) for her work over the past several years. Besides her visits at Stony Brook University Hospital, Molly is a reading companion for children at a library. Molly is also highly skilled in scent detection. She competes in events that showcase skills similar to bomb or narcotics detection and is currently trialing at the elite level with the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW). Through AKC, Molly earned obedience titles Beginner Novice (BN) and Companion Dog (CD); and has one leg on her Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title. AKC has also awarded her the Trick Dog Advanced (TDA), Canine Good Citizen (CGC), AKC Temperament Test (ATT) and Farm Dog Certified (FDC) titles.

Before the pandemic, Doreen and Molly engaged in hospital visits primarily involving Stony Brook’s geriatric patients. Regular visits were arranged by Carolyn O’Neill, NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders), Elder Life Coordinator and Geriatric Educator at Stony Brook Medicine.

“I have heard countless stories on how visits from Molly and Doreen have greatly benefited our patients,” says O’Neill. “Molly has brought so much cheer to those who need it and she has touched the hearts of many at Stony Brook.” Doreen recalls one patient who had a profound reaction to one of Molly’s visits. After having a stroke, a woman would not talk to anyone. That was until Molly came to see her. After the four-legged volunteer left, the patient’s nurse asked, “What did you think of Molly?” The patient responded, “I love that dog!”

Pet Therapy Dog Molly

When COVID-19 suspended Volunteer services and in-person visits, Pia York, Therapeutic Intervention Coordinator at Stony Brook Medicine, took the lead to bring virtual Pet Therapy visits to staff. Rounding with an iPad, Pia with help from recreation therapists Chris Brigante, Diane Dignon and Casey Carrick, visited various units bringing tale wags, virtual kisses and tricks to help relieve the stress. They virtually visited every area of the hospital from the pharmacy on the first floor to the 19th floor.

During these visits, Molly became a celebrity. Her name was mentioned hospital-wide and requests for visits increased ten-fold. In addition to visits, Doreen and Molly creatively used photos to help emphasize the importance of social distancing, proper mask wearing, and hand washing to name a few. Some were even written in Spanish. The photos also contained various inspirational messages for Stony Brook staff as they worked tirelessly to care for patients during the height of the pandemic.

Doreen says she simply wants to share the special joy Molly brings. “She always puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh. Patients and staff would often say that Molly made their day,” says Doreen. “When the COVID crisis hit, I thought about the enormous stress and uncertainty at the hospital. Continuing our visits remotely to raise spirits was the least I could do.”

Molly is also a bit of a celebrity outside of Stony Brook. She can be seen running with a little girl at the end of the current Primatene Mist commercial.

To learn more about Pet Therapy at Stony Brook Medicine, visit https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/patientcare/hospital-volunteers/pet-therapy

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Photo from Your CBD Store

The Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting celebration for Your CBD Store® in Port Jefferson Station on July 23.  

In less than two years, Your CBD Stores® have grown to become the world’s largest brick and mortar CBD retailer with locations in over 600 locations and 40 states. Founded with an emphasis on education and community, Your CBD Store® has helped dismiss misconceptions about its hemp derived products.

“Everything we do is focused on improving the lives of our customers. We are a high-quality learning environment where customers can try products and leave knowing what is in their CBD product,” said Dee Earle Browning, store owner of Your CBD Store Port Jeff Station. 

“We are not just another retail chain. We are a community of store owners who truly care and are educating CBD consumers around the nation,” she said.  

Your CBD Store® offers a variety of CBD infused products that don’t require a prescription or medical card to buy. All stores only sell products manufactured by SunMed, which uses a special CO2 extraction process to eliminate the need for chemical solvents to produce a high-quality, full-spectrum CBD. The CBD is then processed again to remove all traces of THC for the company’s zero-THC products. 

Located at 590 Patchogue Road in Port Jefferson Station, Your CBD Store® is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sundays. For more information, call 631-828-3877.

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Stony Brook University: Entrance sign
Matthew Lerner, PhD, LEND Center Co-Director. Photo courtesy of SBU

Stony Brook University is the first institution on Long Island to receive a federal grant designed specifically to train students, professionals, families and self-advocates for the purpose of improving the lives of children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurodevelopmental disabilities (ND). Called Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other related Disabilities (LEND), the program at Stony Brook will involve graduate level training through the School of Social Welfare, Department of Psychology, and other Health Sciences programs.

The LEND grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and provided to the SUNY Research Foundation, is a five-year $2.2 million grant that is effective through June 2026. It is designed to provide training and resources to individuals with ASD and NDs, their families and clinicians, as well as researchers and policymakers through the establishment of a regional Center.

The leading goals of Stony Brook LEND are: to increase the number and expertise of clinicians and leaders who are well-prepared to deliver high-quality, interdisciplinary, family-centered and culturally responsive care to those with ASD/ND and their families; through Stony Brook Medicine clinics affiliated with Stony Brook’s Autism Initiative, provide additional services to benefit children in the region; through outreach initiatives and regional collaborations, establish a base of better-informed and trained professionals for the ASD/ND community; and advance research and scientific knowledge about the challenges, needs, strengths, and opportunities of children and adults with ASD/ND and their families.

“LEND will target interdisciplinary, evidence-based clinical training for healthcare professionals and students, alongside the experts themselves, people with disabilities and their families,” explains Michelle Ballan, PhD, Stony Brook’s LEND Program and Center Director, Professor, and Associate Dean for Research in the School of Social Welfare and Professor of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine. “Cultivating a cohort of trained leaders will ultimately advance systems of care across the lifespan, and thereby help to reduce numerous health inequalities children and adults with ASD/ND face.”

Stony Brook LEND will involve faculty representation from 11 disciplines, with more than 65 additional supporting faculty representing several medical sub-specialties and arts and science disciplines. The program will also collaborate with 55 affiliated programs across the region and multiple states, including community agencies, academic medical and research programs, and school districts. There will also be participation by cultural consultants from traditionally underserved communities throughout Long Island.

Michelle Ballan, PhD, LEND Program and Center Director. Photo courtesy of SBU

“LEND is a game-changer whose impact for individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families will ripple across Long Island and beyond,” says Matthew Lerner, PhD, LEND Center Co-Director, Research Director of the Autism Initiative, and Associate Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry & Pediatrics. “With the LEND Center, whole generations of families, self-advocates, clinicians, and academics will develop a deeper understanding of the complex network of services and supports available to those with autism and other developmental disabilities, and will learn how best to work together to navigate this network to produce the best quality of life and care.”

Training will begin at the start of the 2021-22 academic year. Each year approximately 300 trainees will take part in the Stony Brook LEND program. Some will be long-term trainees gaining education and clinical training (300 or more hours), medium-term (40-299 hours) and short-term trainees (39 hours or less). All trainees will have access to didactic coursework, clinical workshops, and community-based training. The LEND Center will also work with community partners to provide consultation and continuing education.

The first round of LEND long-term trainee applications are due August 13th, with rolling deadlines throughout the year for medium- and short-term trainees.

For more information, and to apply, please see this School of Social Welfare webpage.

 

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