Page 10 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_May-2016

MMAE ATTENTION
FAMILY PHYSICIANS
Dear Friends,
As we close the door on another year, I would like to thank 55th Annual
Becky Williford and Donna Mauerhan, co-vice-presidents of Post-Graduate Symposium
programs, for the fun and informative programs they planned
throughout the year. We started the year with an informative Hosted by the NC Academy of Family Physicians and the
presentation by author Tess Vigeland on starting over in life. We Mecklenburg County Chapter of Family Physicians
continued with presentations by physicians about the importance Program Chair: Jewell P. Carr, MD
of sleep, the dangers of UV radiation, patient-centered care and the 12+ AAFP Prescribed Credits
CMC-Mercy Healing Garden. There also were programs that were
purely fun: wine and beer tasting at Harris Teeter, holiday decorating Friday–Sunday, May 20-22
ideas presented by Tim Bagwell and a morning of learning about 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
food and sampling tasty delights with Chef Jim Noble. Our
Community Health Classroom, headed by Pam Bullard, vice- Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge (discounted room rate of $179 per
president of health promotions, featured a panel of four clinicians night). Register online at www.ncafp.com. Online registration for
from Southeast Psych, who gave a very informative presentation this event will close on Friday, May 13. Provided seating is still
about Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome. available, only on-site registrations will be accepted after May

The Planning and Development Committee, under the able 13. Seating is limited to 125 attendees.
leadership of Linda Kramer, is attempting to identify a health-
related need in the community that could lead to new project. Past NATIONAL HEALTH &
projects have included Hospitality House, Teen Health Connection WELLNESS OBSERVANCES
and MedAssist. Letters were sent out to MMAE members and the
community asking for assistance in identifying areas of need. Stay MAY 2016
tuned for more information as suggestions are considered.
Arthritis Month n Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Your Board works to spend MMAE money wisely. We work Better Sleep Month n Bike Month
from a budget that does not allow use of Endowment funds for
operating expenses; Alice Nichols, vice-president of financial Correct Posture Month n Employee Health & Fitness Month
development, has worked hard to try to find new sources of Healthy Vision Month n Hepatitis Awareness Month
revenue. Alice explored tapping into retailers that allow a portion High Blood Pressure Education Month
of their sales to go to charitable organizations. Through her efforts,
Whole Foods agreed to designate 5 percent of their profits on Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month n Lupus Awareness Month
April 5 from both their Lake Norman and SouthPark stores to Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Month
MMAE. Two ongoing opportunities to earn funds are through Mental Health Month n Osteoporosis Month
the Amazon Smiles program and Beauty Kind (brought to us by Physical Fitness and Sports Month
member Barbara Lucas). If you shop online, remember these two
retail sites. Stroke Awareness Month n Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

The year ends with installation of officers and presentation of May 1-7: Physical Education and Sports Week
grants at the Annual Meeting. This year, the meeting will be on May 4: Project Aces Day (All Children Exercise Simultaneously)
Tuesday, May 24, at Myers Park Country Club. Our speaker will
be Tracy Lee Curtis, a Charlotte Observer writer, humorist and May 6-12: Nurses Week
mother. We know laughter is good for our health, so expect a very May 8-14: Women’s Health Week
healthy day as we lunch and laugh together. I look forward to May 9-15: Hospital and Health Care Week
seeing you there!
May 11: School Nurse Day
Mimi Compton May 16-20: Bike to Work Week
May 20: World Autoimmune Arthritis Day
2015-2016 MMAE President May 25: Senior Health & Fitness Day

Trivia answer from page 7:
Louis Washkansky was a 55-year-old South African dying of heart disease,
when in December 1967, Christiaan Barnard, MD, performed the first heart
transplantation in him. He lived 18 days. Today, there are more than 5,000
heart transplantations performed annually, although it is estimated more than
50,000 patients are in need of a new heart.

10 | May 2016 • Mecklenburg Medicine