Free Medical Marijuana Documentary and Forum at Bettendorf Public Library this Saturday at 3 pm

The Marijuana Policy Project will be showing the award winning documentary, "Waiting to Inhale", this Saturday at the Bettendorf Public Library.  The film will be shown at 3:00 pm and will be followed by patient testimonies.  A legal expert and medical cannabis lobbyist will lead a forum where the general public can ask questions about the legislation, which will be debated by our state legislature next spring.

Bettendorf, Iowa, June 16
- On Saturday, June 20 at 3:00 p.m., a free screening of the award-winning medical marijuana documentary "Waiting to Inhale" will be held at the Bettendorf Public Library in the Quad Cities.  The screening will be followed by a discussion with patients and advocates involved in this year's efforts to make Iowa the 14th state to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest.

Ray Lakers, a Multiple Sclerosis patient, served time in jail for possession of less than one gram of marijuana.  Jeff Elton, a Diabetic Neuropathic Gastroparesis patient, claims marijuana to be the only medicine that stops his nausea.  Lisa Jackson will explain what it's like to live with Fibromyalgia and how medical marijuana saved her from overdosing on her old medications.  Also speaking will be Jacob Orr, a severe chronic pain patient who replaced highly addictive and dangerous opiates with medical marijuana.

The event is being led by Jimmy Morrison, a grassroots organizer for the largest medical marijuana lobbyist organization in the country.  Carl Olsen will explain the progress his lawsuit has made in finally addressing the medical marijuana legislation already passed in this state in 1979.  They hope to answer the many questions Iowans may have about the bill S.F. 293, which Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) introduced to be debated in the spring of 2010.  There are currently 13 states who have legalized medical marijuana, the most recent being Michigan where a ballot initiative was passed with 63% of the vote.  None of these states have found an increase in teen drug use since passing legislation.

The federal government started the Investigational New Drug Program decades ago, which grows and provides medical marijuana for free to fifteen patients.  Although the program has been shut down and only four patients are still alive, George McMahon and Barbara Douglass, both Iowa residents, continue to receive legal medical marijuana every month.  George McMahon suffers from Nail-Patella Syndrome and Barbara Douglass has Multiple Sclerosis.

In 1988, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis Young ruled marijuana to be "in its natural form, one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."  In 1999, the White House commissioned the Institute of Medicine to review all medical literature on marijuana.  This review found "Nausea, appetite loss, pain, and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and can be mitigated by marijuana.  Although some medications are more effective than marijuana for these problems, they are not equally effective in all patients."  Since February of 2007, three studies have shown marijuana relieves neuropathic pain, commonly associated with AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, and other illnesses.

Marijuana is Schedule I in Iowa, which means it has no accepted medical value.  This schedule includes such drugs as LSD and pure heroine; however, marijuana is also Schedule II in Iowa, which means it has accepted medical value.  Schedule II includes such drugs as cocaine, morpheine, oxycodone, other opiates, and methamphetamine.  In 1979, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners, a bureacracy, was supposed to study and decide if there is accepted medical value in the United States.  They recently disobeyed a court order to address the issue.

The documentary to be shown, "Waiting to Inhale", was produced and directed by Jed Riffe and was partially funded by the Marijuana Policy Project's grants program.  The film examines the medical marijuana debate up close by taking you inside the lives of patients, doctors, and activists, while seeking to understand why opponents support the continued criminalization of our sick and dying.  "Waiting to Inhale" has already played to critical acclaim, having won the 2005 CINE Golden Eagle Award, the Gold Special Jury Remi Award at the 38th Annual WorldFest-Houston, and the 2005 Best Documentary Film/Video at the New Jersey International Film Festival.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT will air WorldFocus: Outbreak - A Special Report, a timely special on the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Wednesday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m.   It has been the lead news story around the world for the past two weeks. Misinformation and rumors abound, Global experts will tell you what you need to know today to protect yourself from this virulent flu.  Panelists on the program include :

Dr. Stephen Morse, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health; Founding Director & Senior Res. Scientist, Center for Public Health Preparedness: Author Emerging Viruses.

Laurie Garret, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations

Simon Tay Fellow, Asia Society Chairman; Singapore Institute of International Relations

Christopher Sabatin, Senior Director of Policy, Council of the Americas

While the infection rate seems to be subsiding in Mexico for now, many other countries are preparing for potential outbreaks, either now or later in the year when the typical flu season begins again in the northern hemisphere.

The special will be hosted by Martin Savidge and Daljit Dhaliwal.

WQPT airs WorldFocus Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Concerned about Health Care Reform?

Let your voice be heard.

Trinity at Terrace Park
Conference Room A/B
Thursday, April 23
7:30 -9:00 am
$15 per person - includes breakfast

Join us at Trinity at Terrace Park for a discussion on Health Care Reform. Dr. Alta Price and Karen Metcalf will present findings from a Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform which was held on March 28 at Augustana College. The Town Hall Meeting was open to the public and allowed citizens to discuss community health care needs and share ideas about the meaningful and measurable changes needed in order to meet those needs.

Input from the Town Hall Meeting will be forwarded on to the local congressional delegation. Make sure the business community is heard! This breakfast will be informative and will allow you to express your views.

Call the Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce at 355-4753 for reservations.

Thank you to our sponsor: Trinity Regional Health System.

Davenport, April 2009 -  Randy & Amy Johnson of Orion, IL know the heartaches and challenges of being parents to a child with a fatal disease firsthand: their son, Dillon, 15 yrs old, suffers from the devastating disease cystic fibrosis.  "Although to look at Dillon, one would see a very normal, active 15 year old, but the reality is that combating the effects of cystic fibrosis and keeping him healthy involves daily medications and time consuming treatments to break up the mucus in his lungs and fight infections as well as enzyme pills to help him digest his food properly." said Johnson.

CF is a genetic disease that affects tens of thousands of children and adults in the United States.  More than ten million Americans are unknowing, symptomless carriers of one copy of the defective CF gene:  It takes two copies of the gene for a child to be born with CF. The defective gene causes the body to produce a faulty protein that leads to abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and results in life-threatening lung infections and respiratory problems. The mucus also obstructs the pancreas, causing inability in the body to absorb nutrients in food. The median life expectancy has improved from early childhood in the 1950s to the mid-30s today; however, most individuals with CF must battle lung disease for their entire lives.

"When Dillon was diagnosed with CF at 2 1/2 years, I started to campaign on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's GREAT STRIDES Walk in 1998.  I had set a goal of $1,500, but ended up raising over $3,000!  I was amazed at how our family and friends supported us then and continue to do so today.  Many people say that fundraising is hard," said Johnson, "but that's not how parents with a child who has a fatal illness see it.  While we're glad that CF research has increased the life expectancy of CF patients to the mid-thirties, that's not good enough for us!"

The GREAT STRIDES Walk raises millions of dollars nationally each year to fund vital cystic fibrosis (CF) research and care programs and is the CF Foundation's largest and fastest-growing event. The Quad Cities Walk will take place on April 25, 2009 at the Scott County Park - Whispering Pines Shelter.  Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the Walk starts at 10 a.m.  In addition to the walk, there will be food and music, kids activities, and a silent auction.

This year, GREAT STRIDES Quad Cities plans to raise over $40,000 at the Walk to fund the cutting-edge research that has the potential for making a profound impact on the lives of children and young adults with the disease.  More than 90 cents of every dollar raised is used to fund CF research and care programs.

"Although the CF Foundation is proud of its achievements in its 50-year history, lives continue to be lost every day to cystic fibrosis.  The need for financial support is more critical than ever, said Claire Scholl, Director of the Iowa Chapter.  "For the first time in the CF Foundation's history, scientific opportunities are coming at a pace that exceeds the ability to fund them. GREAT STRIDES is a community event, and the community is uniting now to keep the funds coming and the momentum of research advances going."

Call the Iowa Chapter at 515-252-1530 for more information, or visit our website at www.cff.org.

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A dvd video presentation from the makers of "What the Bleep do We Know?" will reveal water as you've never seen it.  Afterward, presenter Michael Grady, owner of Atlantispa, will demonstrate how to artificially make healthy spring quality water that you can make at home."

7.00 pm on Thursday April 9th. 2009 @ the Independent Scholars' Evenings, 513 16th St, Moline (2nd. Floor). Doors open at 6.30 pm.

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments are served.

Please look into our website: www.qcinstitute.org

Independent Scholars' Evenings are sponsored by The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd a 501(c) 3. The Institute began in 1996.

Colona, IL - A milestone event occurred for Hammond-Henry Hospital out of Geneseo, IL recently.  At 10:00 a.m. on March 17, 2009 a groundbreaking ceremony was held to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new Hammond-Henry Colona Clinic, located at 1604 Cleveland Road in Colona, IL.

Brad Solberg, Hammond-Henry Hospital's CEO, kicked off the event by welcoming all attendees. Other speakers included: Judith Gilbert, City of Colona Economic Development Coordinator; Sue Gray, Hammond-Henry Hospital's Board Chair and Thomas Fennelly, Russell Construction Senior Vice President in charge of construction on the new facility. Other company representatives in attendance for the ceremony included Blackhawk Bank & Trust and the Geneseo School District.

As a 3,500 s.f. medical office building, the new Hammond-Henry Colona Clinic will house several physicians and other building amenities, such as: a vestibule, waiting area, exam rooms, laboratory space, storage rooms and offices.  Construction is set to be fully underway by Monday, March 23, 2009 and will be completed by October 2009.

Hammond-Henry Hospital was established in 1901, utilizing approximately 82 beds and serves nearly 20,000 residents in the Geneseo, IL area.  The new Colona Clinic will allow them to more effectively reach out and serve residents within the hospital district and county by providing quality care and exceptional service.

Russell Construction, located in Davenport, IA, is serving as the Design/Builder and General Contractor on this new Hammond-Henry Hospital project.  Shive-Hattery, located in Moline, IL will serve as the Architect.  The Colona Clinic is the second project that Russell Construction has completed for Hammond-Henry Hospital. In 2004, Russell Construction served as Design/Builder on a 34,000 s.f. addition and renovation to their hospital in Geneseo, IL.  Now, five years later, Russell has once again been selected by Hammond-Henry Hospital because of their focus on building positive long-lasting relationships while delivering a successful and efficient project.

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DAVENPORT, Iowa - March 13, 2009 -- The Bend of the River Quad Cities Pilot Club will host its annual Brunch and Style Show on Saturday, March 28, at the Radisson Hotel, Davenport to benefit the Genesis Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department.

Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $25 per person. Rehabilitation staff will be among the models, and there will be door prizes.

Proceeds will go toward the purchase of the Invacare Top End Excelerator Handcycle for inpatients who have sustained a brain injury, multiple trauma, stroke, spinal cord injury or who have a neuro-degenerative disorder.

Funds raised also will help purchase Wii Fit, Wii Carnival Games, Interactive Mouse Switches, and Capability Switches to be used by patients served by the Genesis Outpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation Program and the Outpatient Brain Injury Day Treatment Program.

The handcycle and Wii games will help patients improve endurance, strength, balance, range of motion, and psychological well-being. The computer switches also will allow children with disabilities to operate computer games during therapy sessions.

For tickets, call (563) 445-5554, (563) 332-1760 or Jan King at (563) 421-1425.

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Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield offers Cost Savings for Members  Who Try Generic Statins. 

 

Alzheimer's is the 7th leading cause of death for people of all ages and 5th leading cause of death for people age 65 and older. One of the most important ways of dealing with the disease is early detection and treatment.  Starting in January, the Alzheimer's Association Greater Iowa Chapter will be hosting Beginning the Conversation programs in Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Counties in Iowa and Henry, Rock Island and Mercer Counties in Illinois.

The Beginning the Conversation program is designed to address the challenges confronting families of those newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Crucial information is presented, from disease progression to programs and services that can support caregiving and maintain quality of life. (Please note, this is for caregivers only; respite funds may be available for those suffering from the disease).

Programs for Scott and Rock Island County will be held the 4th Tuesday of the month from 3-4:30 pm at the Alzheimer's Association office, 736 Federal Street, Ste. 2318, Davenport, IA.

Programs for Clinton County will be held 1st Tuesday of the month in April, July and October from 3-4:30 pm at the Mercy Medical Center, South Campus Boardroom, 638 S. Bluff, Clinton, IA.

Programs for Muscatine County will be held the 2nd Tuesday of the month in March, June, September and December from 3-4:30 pm at Senior Resources, 3rd Floor Meeting Room, 1808 Mulberry Avenue, Muscatine, IA.

Programs for Henry County will be held the 3rd Thursday of the month in February, May, August and November from 3-4:30 pm at Henry Seniors Upstairs Meeting Room, 219 W. 2nd Street, Kewanee, IL

Programs for Mercer County will be held the 4th Thursday of the month in January, April, July and October from 3-4:30 pm at the Mercer County Hospital, Conference Room A, 409 NW 9th Avenue, Aledo, IL.

Persons interested in signing up for the class may call 563-324-1022 or 800-272-3900 or email Jerry Schroeder at Jerry.Schroeder@alz.org.

The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer research and support, is the first and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for Alzheimer's. For 25 years, the donor-supported, not-for-profit Alzheimer's Association has provided reliable information and care consultation; created supportive services for families; increased funding for dementia research; and influenced public policy changes.

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