VGCC registers potentially life-saving bone marrow donors

/by

— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College, in partnership with the Project Life Movement, held a three-day, three-campus bone marrow registration drive in October. The service project was led by students and faculty in the VGCC Radiography program. The result was that 40 people joined the national registry of potential bone marrow donors.

Students, faculty and staff signed up and swabbed their cheeks to provide DNA samples at the events, held on Oct. 3 at the college’s South Campus, Oct. 4 at the Main Campus and Oct. 5 at the Franklin County Campus. The painless registration process took only a few minutes, but could save a life if a participant turns out to be a match for someone in need of a bone marrow transplant. Such treatments are the only hope for many people diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and other blood cancers and diseases.

Second-year VGCC Radiography students, joined by Clinical Coordinator/instructor Stacey Soles (at far left) and Dorian Edwards, campus coordinator for Project Life (in back, at far right), welcomed fellow students, faculty and staff to join the bone marrow donor registry in the student lounge on VGCC’s Main Campus. (VGCC photo)

Project Life is a national movement that started with students at Davidson College and has spread to more than 25 other schools and has registered more than 13,000 donors. This was VGCC’s second college-wide bone marrow registration event held in conjunction with Project Life. The first was in the fall of 2015.

This year, VGCC students were joined at their events by Dorian Edwards, campus coordinator for Project Life. He helped train the student volunteers and process registrations. Edwards, who is also an assistant football coach at Kinston High School, likened being on the registry to “being a member of a football or basketball team, sitting on the bench, but being ready to be called into the game at any time.” Once a person registers, he or she is listed on the registry until they reach the age of 61, so many students may remain a potential lifesaver for 40 years. Project Life works with “Be The Match,” operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Be The Match has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world for more than 25 years.

From left, first-year VGCC Radiography students Caitlin West, Megan Whitman and Michael Leslie were joined by Project Life Campus Coordinator Dorian Edwards at the college’s South Campus as they welcomed students, faculty to staff to register on the first day of the drive. (VGCC photo)

For more information, contact Radiography Clinical Coordinator/instructor Stacey Soles at (252) 738-3515 or soless@vgcc.edu, or Ann Henegar at Project Life at (704) 299-6310 or www.projectlifemovement.org.

DEA establishes six new heroin enforcement teams

/by

— Courtesy DEA

RALEIGH, NC – The Drug Enforcement Administration today announced the establishment of six new enforcement teams focused on combatting the flow of heroin and illicit fentanyl.

“At a time when overdose deaths are at catastrophic levels, the DEA’s top priority is addressing the opioid epidemic and pursuing the criminal organizations that distribute their poison to our neighborhoods,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “These teams will enhance DEA’s ability to combat trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues and the violence associated with drug trafficking.”

The enforcement teams will be based in communities facing significant challenges with heroin and fentanyl, including New Bedford, Mass.; Charleston, W.Va.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Raleigh, N.C.; and Long Island, N.Y.

In determining the locations for these teams, DEA considered multiple factors, including rates of opioid mortality, level of heroin and fentanyl seizures, and where additional resources would make the greatest impact in addressing the ongoing threat. While the teams are based in specific cities, their investigations will not be geographically limited. DEA will continue to pursue investigations wherever the evidence leads.

DEA received funding in its FY 2017 enacted appropriations to establish these teams, which will be comprised of DEA special agents and state and local task force officers.

The abuse of controlled prescription drugs is inextricably linked with the threat the United States faces from the trafficking of heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.

Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes or firearms. According to initial estimates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, or approximately 175 per day. More than 34,500, or 54 percent, of these deaths were caused by opioids.

The DEA continues to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against international and domestic drug trafficking organizations manufacturing and distributing heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. Just last week, the Department of Justice announced indictments against two Chinese nationals and their North America-based traffickers and distributors for separate conspiracies to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues and other opiate substances in the United States.

DEA also encourages parents & their children to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting www.justhinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov. Follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv

######

News 10/30/17

/by

News 10/27/17

/by

VGCC invites community to Fall Festival

/by

— courtesy VGCC

Vance Granville Community College will hold a “Community Fall Festival” on Monday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Admission is free to the event, which promises fun for the whole family.

Among the scheduled activities are a costume contest for kids, face painting, a bounce house and other games.

Tickets for games and concessions will be on sale. Proceeds will benefit the VGCC Vanguards Athletics department.

For more information, contact Coordinator of Student Activities & Athletics Jermiel Hargrove at (252) 738-3246 or hargrovej@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(Vance Granville CC is a paying advertising client of WIZS.)

Shop With A Cop Reverse Raffle

/by
Read more

News 10/26/17

/by

Maria Parham Cancer Center

/by

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Early detection helps save lives.

The Cancer Center at Maria Parham Health is having a free lung cancer prevention and screening event.  It will take place November 2, 2017 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Road.

Call 800.424.DOCS (3627) for details and to register.

A flyer sent to WIZS News about the event says, “Join us for a free event to learn about the latest advancements in lung cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. Take this opportunity to meet members of the cancer care team at Maria Parham Health and have an opportunity to ask questions regarding lung health.”

There will be refreshments, door prizes, information and resources.

(Maria Parham Health is a paying advertising client of WIZS Radio and wizs.com.)

2nd Annual Military History Show

/by

The 2nd Annual Military History Show is October 28th in Oxford.  It will be a day of full of various military displays from the Revolutionary War, World War II, Vietnam and more.  The displays will include uniforms, equipment, weapons, vehicles, and other military historical articles.  This event has is free to the public and vendors are welcome.  For more information, contact Harry Coombs at 919-691-7697 or email: Harry4th@centurylink.net. Proceeds will benefit Veterans Affairs Committee of Granville County.

A P51 Mustang will be at the show as well.

See more on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1285300684888946/

There is also a photo album from the first show last year: click here.  About 400 people attended last year’s display.

News 10/25/17

/by