STRUGGLE: Regaining Control From An Often Misunderstood And Misdiagnosed Skin Condition

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DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS OF OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IN DOGS? OA IS A CHRONIC AND PAINFUL JOINT DISEASE THAT CAN SEVERELY AFFECT YOUR DOG’S HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

STUDIES SHOW 40% OF DOGS FEEL PAIN FROM OA, BUT ONLY ABOUT HALF GET DIAGNOSED.^[i],[ii]

FOR PAIN AWARENESS MONTH, VETERINARIAN DR. COURTNEY PIERCE, MEDICAL LEAD FOR CANINE PAIN AT ZOETIS (“ZOH-EHT-ISS”), IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW OA AFFECTS DOGS, INCLUDING INSIGHTS FROM HER DOG ERNIE’S EXPERIENCE WITH THE DISEASE, HOW TO LOOK OUT FOR SIGNS OF OA PAIN AND AVAILABLE TREATMENT OPTIONS TO HELP CONTROL THE PAIN CAUSED BY OA.

[i] IHS Markit. (2021) Canine and Feline Pain Market 2021: Animal Health Market Analysis.​

[ii] Wright A, Amodie DM, Cernicchiaro N, et al. Identification of Canine Osteoarthritis Using an Owner-Reported Questionnaire and Treatment Monitoring Using Functional Mobility Tests. J Small Anim Pract. 2022;63(8):609-618.

BIO  

Dr. Courtney Pierce received an undergraduate degree in animal science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from North Carolina State University. She earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from King University. She is a small animal general practitioner with special interests in surgery and pain management, feline medicine, and compassion fatigue prevention in veterinary health care workers. She is a certified as a “Cat Friendly Veterinarian” and Compassion Fatigue Profession (CCFP). Dr. Pierce lives on a small farm in Damascus, Virginia with her husband, two young boys, four rescue dogs, one orange cat, and several chickens.

Short:

Dr. Courtney Pierce is a small animal veterinarian with special interests in surgery and pain management and is the medical lead for canine pain at Zoetis. Dr. Pierce lives in Damascus, VA with her husband, two boys and a variety of companion and farm animals.

#dogs #drcourtneypearce #courtneypearce #veterinarian #medical

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Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can feel like a constant struggle – a life that may be disrupted by debilitating flare-ups and fear of hospitalization. 

Impacting more than 14 million adults, COPD is a progressive disease that damages the lungs and airways making it difficult to breathe. And sadly, it’s a leading cause of death in the U.S.

Here’s the frustrating truth: even with daily maintenance inhalers, nearly half of patients still have dangerous symptom flare-ups, also known as exacerbations. These flare-ups aren’t just inconvenient, they can lead to more frequent and severe flare-ups, and a high risk of hospital admission. Just one flare-up increases the likelihood of recurrent flare-ups and related hospital admissions. Why are these flare-ups so persistent?

Evolving science has shown a critical piece of the puzzle: eosinophilic inflammation. This type of inflammation (swelling) in the lungs can be a driver of COPD symptoms, especially for those who experience frequent flare-ups.

What to know: Including a blood eosinophil test in routine screenings, combined with a doctor’s evaluation and diagnostic tools, can help identify if eosinophilic inflammation is making COPD worse. By understanding an underlying cause of flare-ups, a doctor can develop a targeted treatment plan to manage COPD and potentially reduce the frequency of exacerbations.

Alexis Smith, DO, Pulmonary Disease will discuss the challenges facing those living with COPD to help manage COPD and try to break the cycle of flare-ups.

Interview courtesy: GSK

#COPD #chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease #AlexSmith #GSK

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June Is Dedicated to Myasthenia Gravis Awareness

www.myasthenia.org

Myasthenia gravis (MG) (Mai-uhs-thee-nee-uh   gra-vuhs) is a rare, chronic, heterogeneous, and unpredictable autoimmune disease.

MG results from a problem in signaling between nerves and muscles. This problem happens in the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the place where nerve cells and muscles communicate. Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is caused by antibodies in your immune system that get in the way of signals between nerves and muscles at the NMJ that can weaken muscles throughout the body.

Shanaz, a single mom and interior designer in Los Angeles, was living an active life in 2022 when she began experiencing trouble swallowing and was diagnosed with gastroesophageal disease. That diagnosis didn’t feel quite right to her. In 2023 her symptoms took a turn for the worse: She lost her vision and couldn’t talk or swallow. At that time, she was correctly diagnosed with gMG.

Those living with gMG may experience a variety of symptoms that can make activities of daily living very challenging – activities like talking, chewing, swallowing, breathing, brushing teeth or hair, or even getting up from a chair. Those living with gMG may appear healthy on the outside, but what is happening on the inside can seriously impact every part of life.

Shanaz’s story highlights the challenges of misdiagnoses and delayed diagnosis, and underscores the critical role of self-advocacy in navigating complex medical conditions. Shanaz will tell her story. She’ll be joined by Dr. Said Beydoun (Suh-eed Bay-doon) who will discuss the symptoms and triggers of gMG and a treatment option that addresses the underlying causes of the condition.

Interview courtesy: UCB, Inc. (References available on request)

#gMG

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LEUKEMIA IS A TYPE OF CANCER THAT AFFECTS THE BLOOD OR BONE MARROW. 1 ONE TYPE IS PHILADELPHIA CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE CHRONIC MYELOID (MY’-uh-loyd) LEUKEMIA.

SOME PATIENTS WITH C-M-L MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY FINDING A TREATMENT THAT’S RIGHT FOR THEM.

ALMOST 15% OF C-M-L PATIENTS DISCONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT IN THE FIRST YEAR DUE TO SIDE EFFECTS, SO HAVING DIFFERENT OPTIONS IS CRITICAL.3-7

HERE TO SHARE HER OWN EXPERIENCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH PHILADELPHIA CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE C-M-L IN CHRONIC PHASE AND HOW SHE FOUND A TREATMENT THAT WORKED FOR HER, IS TEACHER AND C-M-L PATIENT, JEN. AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT TREATING ADULTS WITH C-M-L, IS DR. JAMES DUGAN (DOO’-guhn.)

HCP Bio: Dr. James Dugan

Dr. James Dugan is a hematology/oncology specialist, and the physician lead for the transplant and cellular therapy department for Novant Health Cancer Institute in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Dr. Dugan was drawn to the field of oncology by the opportunity to improve a person’s life during a difficult time. He believes that to properly treat the whole person and not just the disease, physicians need to engage in active conversations with the patient throughout the treatment process. Dr. Dugan approaches medicine and oncology as a partnership between the physician and the patient.

Dr. Dugan is a member of the American Society of Hematology, as well as the American Society for Transplant and Cellular therapy. His membership in these organizations keeps him up-to-date on the latest research and treatment options in the field.

When he is not seeing patients, Dr. Dugan enjoys time with his wife and three daughters. He is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys skiing, scuba diving, kite surfing, and long-distance running. He is passionate about the shared human experience and loves meeting new people and exploring new ideas and places.

Patient Bio: Jen

In 2014, Jen was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase (CP).
Prior to her diagnosis, Jen devoted her career to serving others. After dedicating 20 years to running inner-city youth programs, Jen became a social worker, supporting women as they rebuilt their lives after incarceration or experiencing domestic violence.
Jen was actively working as a social worker when she was diagnosed with CML. Unfortunately, her diagnosis required her to step away from her career for a period of time. Working closely with her doctor, she navigated the treatment landscape to find a treatment option that worked for her.
Today, she is a teacher in her rural community, educating K-8 students in a one-room schoolhouse. She is also passionate about sharing her journey and advocating for other adults with CML, helping them access the information and support they need to have meaningful conversations with their doctors and navigate their own patient journeys.

LearnCML.com

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A diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic (LIM-foh-SIH-tik) leukemia (C-L-L) can be overwhelming, but advances in cancer research, including targeted therapies, have paved the way for more precise treatments. C-L-L is one of the most common blood cancers in adults, and because its progression varies from person to person, choosing a tailored treatment plan is crucial.

brukinsa.com

Today, we’re joined by Lynne who will share her personal journey with C-L-L, and Dr. Nakhle Saba [Knack-Leigh Sah-bah], director of lymphoid malignancy and CAR T-cell (Car-tee cell )therapy at Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, who will provide insight into the latest treatment approaches and why informed decision-making is so essential for those facing this disease.

BIO’s

Dr. Saba

Dr. Saba earned his medical degree from the Lebanese University in Beirut 2005. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN and Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, and his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Tulane University. After fellowship completion in 2011, Dr. Saba joined the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for an additional fellowship in lymphoid malignancies. His research at the NIH was focused on tumor biology and developing new therapeutic approaches for leukemia and lymphoma. He returned to Tulane in 2014 as Assistant Professor of Medicine, promoted to Associate Professor in 2018, then to Professor in 2024 following a successful career in research, teaching, and treating blood cancers. Dr. Saba’s research focuses on lymphoid malignancies and cell therapy, to identify therapeutic targets and novel drugs for these diseases.

Dr. Saba’s leadership skills are evident by the roles he played at Tulane as chair of the “immune effector cell therapy – IECT”, co-chair of Sarah-Cannon Lymphoma Committee, and President of Louisiana Oncology Society (LOS). Under his direction as president, the LOS passed four bills that were signed into law in Louisiana and are expected to positively impact cancer care in our state. Those bills include the Bone Marrow Donation, Fertility Preservation For Cancer Patients, Right To Prompt Coverage, and Expansion Of Biomarker Testing.

Dr. Saba authored and/or co-authored more than 120 published manuscripts and research abstracts, he presented at regional, national, and international meetings as a researcher and invited speaker. His articles appear in journals like Blood, Leukemia, Cancer Research, The Lancet Haematology, Haematologica, Science Advances, Bone Marrow Transplant and others. Click to access  Dr. Saba’s Bibliography on PubMed  or Dr. Saba’s Articles, Abstracts, and Citations

Dr. Saba was recruited at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute as Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center, and Director of Lymphoma, CLL, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T. He will be diligently working to expand the lymphoma and CLL research portfolio and bring cutting edge therapies to the region such as CAR-T, the next generation CARs, and be the first to bring the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for solid tumors to Louisiana.

About Lynne

I am a very active, “young” senior citizen whose priorities are my grown children and their partners, my 3-year-old grandson, 20-month-old granddaughter, and my longtime partner. I have a huge passion for all animals, and love doing Pilates, aerobics, Zumba Gold, and weight training. I became a pescetarian about 10 years ago. I was diagnosed with a very specific high-risk subtype of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in April 2019, three weeks after the tragic passing of my third child, my 26-year-old daughter. I was so devastated by her death, and now facing an unknown diagnosis, I turned to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for support. Fast-forwarding to now, I have been on the “Light The Night” Executive Leadership Committee for the Westchester/Fairfield LLS for four years, and my team “Lynne’s Hope” has raised almost $200,000 for the cause, for which I am extremely proud. I am blessed to be under the care of a world-renowned CLL specialist. I want cancer survivors to know there is hope for us to live a long life because of all the constant new medical treatments that are being discovered every day. I have been in treatment for two years for CLL and am doing great! My mantra is, “I will not let Leukemia define me; I will define it!”

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Saccharin, the artificial sweetener used in diet foods like yogurts and sugar-free drinks, can kill multidrug-resistant bacteria—including one of the world’s most dangerous pathogens.

In 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) killed 1.27 million people globally, with resistant infections contributing to nearly 5 million deaths.

Drug-resistant bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, which causes life-threatening infections in people with a weakened immune system, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, linked to chronic lung infections and sepsis, are on the World Health Organization’s list of top-priority pathogens.

“In exciting work led by our team, we’ve identified a novel antimicrobial—saccharin,” Prof McCarthy said. “Saccharin breaks the walls of bacterial pathogens, causing them to distort and eventually burst, killing the bacteria. Crucially, this damage lets antibiotics slip inside, overwhelming their resistance systems.”

Saccharin has been part of the human diet for longer than 100 years. While it has been extensively tested for safety in people, little was known about its effect on bacteria—until now with a study appearing in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

The international team found that saccharin both stops bacterial growth and disrupts DNA replication and stops the bacteria from forming biofilms—sticky, protective layers that help them survive antibiotics.

They also created a saccharin-loaded hydrogel wound dressing that, in tests, outperformed market-leading silver-based antimicrobial dressings currently used in hospitals.

“This is very exciting,” Prof McCarthy added. “Normally it takes billions of dollars and decades to develop a new antibiotic. But here we have a compound that’s already widely used, and it not only kills drug-resistant bacteria but also makes existing antibiotics more effective.

“Artificial sweeteners are found in many diet and sugar-free foods. We discovered that the same sweeteners you have with your coffee or in a ‘sugar-free’ drink could make some of the world’s most dangerous bacteria easier to treat.”

The World Health Organization has warned that the world is heading toward a “post-antibiotic era,” where common everyday infections could once again become deadly. Overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture has accelerated resistance, and new antibiotics have been slow to arrive.

“This has created a dangerous situation,” said Prof McCarthy. “We urgently need new drugs to treat resistant infections—and saccharin could represent a new therapeutic approach with exciting promise.”

More information: Rubén de Dios et al, Saccharin disrupts bacterial cell envelope stability and interferes with DNA replication dynamics, EMBO Molecular Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44321-025-00219-1

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Listen to “Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th) THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTING EARLY WHEN LIVING WITH LUPUS” on Spreaker.

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th)

THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTING EARLY WHEN LIVING WITH LUPUS
Recognizing the Disproportionate Impacts of Lupus on Hispanic and Latinx Communities

Women of color are disproportionately affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus. SLE is a chronic, inflammatory disease that can result in permanent damage to major organs.[1] Notably, it is estimated that 21 percent of those living with lupus in the U.S. are Hispanic.[2] Patients of color, including Hispanic people living with SLE, also have significantly higher rates of lupus nephritis (LN), a potentially life-threatening complication of lupus, compared to White patients.2

Hispanic and Latinx individuals may also face distinct challenges that can impact access to healthcare that may make managing the disease even more difficult, such as language barriers.[3],[4]

Fortunately, early intervention with the use of FDA-approved medications can help reduce the risk of organ damage progression.[5]

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, on Tuesday, September 24, Guillermo Valenzuela, M.D. is available to discuss the effect of lupus on the Hispanic and Latinx communities. Dr. Valenzuela, who is the Medical Director of the Internal Rheumatology and Immunology Specialists medical center, can also discuss the unique challenges these communities face and the importance of early disease intervention.

Interview is courtesy: GSK

#hispanicheritagemonth #actingearly #livingwithlupus #lupus

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• WHAT: Imagine living with chronic pain that feels like hot coals burning in your skin and experiencing boils in some of your most intimate areas? For the estimated 1 in 100 people living with the debilitating skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)*, it’s everyday life. “The Beacons: Illuminating HS Stories” will feature the stories of six people living with the condition, and how it impacts everything from their day to day life to relationships and beyond (you can watch the trailer here.) It is co-produced by advocate, journalist, and filmmaker Jasmine IVANNA Espy. The event will include a screening of the 30-minute film, followed by a panel discussion.
o About Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS): Hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS, is a condition that causes small, painful lumps to form under the skin, often where skin rubs together, such as the armpits, groin, buttocks, and breasts. The lumps heal slowly, recur, and can lead to tunnels under the skin and scarring. Once considered a rare condition, it is now thought that as many as 1 in 100 people are affected by HS.
o Those living with the condition struggle with more than their ability to feel confident, and it affects things like the ability to put clothes on, sit down, participate in their favorite hobbies, and pursue partnership and intimacy.

#jasmineivanna #producer #beacons #hidradenitissuppurativa #hs #filmmaker #illuminatinghsstories #skindisease #disfigure #painful #chronicpain

some more info, go to http://pausetheworldforpeace.org/2023/06/26/anthony-tony-yadao-vp-of-medical-affairs-for-immunology-novartis/

The post Documentary premiere at Tribeca Film Festival about 29-year old influencer, filmmaker and advocate Jasmine IVANNA Espy. She’s also the producer of “The Beacons: Illuminating HS Stories,” a new docuseries from Novartis that highlights her story and the stories of five other people living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) appeared first on Good News!.

http://gvhdalliance.org/

Living with GVHD can be overwhelming for patients, as well as their caregivers and family. The disease creates many daily life challenges which can adversely affect physical functioning, bodily pain, chronic fatigue, general health, vitality, and social functioning, among other things.2 People living with GVHD can also face physical, functional, and psychosocial deficits that result in the inability to return to work or school.2

Since people living with GVHD may lack access to valuable resources that can help them live their best lives, leading transplant groups (with support from Sanofi) have formed the GVHD Alliance to bridge the gaps that exist in the unmet needs of the patient community. The first GVHD Day on February 17, 2023, will elevate voices in support of people impacted by the condition.

Dr. Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Medical Director, Stem Cell Transplant Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Vice President, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and GVHD patient Meredith A. Cowden, MA, AT, LPCC-S, Patient Advocacy Director of the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation, will be available on Thursday, February 2nd to discuss the inaugural GVHD Day, the importance of bringing attention to this rare disease, and a new website for the GVHD community to access a variety of educational resources and support tools.

When you book a window, we’ll provide you with guest bio & suggested questions. Interview is courtesy: Sanofi

References
1.    Justiz Vaillant AA, Modi P, Mohammadi O. Graft versus host disease. In:
StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538235. Accessed November 10, 2022.
2.    Lee SJ. Classification systems for chronic graft-versus-host disease. Blood. 2017;129(1):30-37.

#gvhdalliance #gvhd #graftversushostdisease #bringingawareness #february17 #drcoreycutler #meredithacowden #stemcell #physicalfunctioning #bodilypain #chronicfatigue #generalhealth #vitality #socialfunctioning

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