Dr. Sharon Ostwald
A Word
from
Dr. Sharon...

Dr. Sharon says

We are very pleased to have completed our 3rd successful conference for stroke survivors and their family caregivers. We met many old friends and welcomed some new faces, as well. You can see lots of pictures from the conference by going to our website (http://son.uth.tmc.edu/coa
cares_stroke-conf.htm). We were told by many that the speakers brought inspiration and hope to continue the long recovery process. Speaking of HOPE, we are very pleased that Houston has been selected as the site for a regional Hope Conference, sponsored by the National Stroke Association for stroke survivors and their caregivers. They do four conferences each year in different regions of the country, and this year, it will be here. The exact date and place have not been determined yet, but it is expected to happen the first week in November. Watch for all of the details in our FALL, 2008 Recovery Journal. We continue to analyze data from the CAReS project and have several papers that will be coming out this summer. You can always read abstracts from our papers and presentation on the CAReS website (http://son.uth.tmc.edu/coa/
cares.htm). The staff and I wish you all a very wonderful summer with family and friends. I’ve just learned that our 2nd DVD, “Stroke: Early Recognition and Treatment” received a GOLD Remi Award at the 41st Worldfest International Film Festival (2008) in the category of Medical and Health Films. With more than 4,500 category entries (from feature films to Public Service Announcements) from 37 nations, less than 20% of the entries were recipients of any Remi Award! This DVD was a follow-up of our entry last year, “Living After Stroke: Conversations with Couples” that won a PLATINUM Award at the 40th Worldfest Festival in 2007. The development of both videos was supported by the Isla Carroll Turner Friendship Trust. Stay well!

Stroke Survivor Conference

The 3rd Annual Stroke Survivor Conference was held on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at the Memorial Hermann/HBU Wellness Center. The conference was well received with the attendance reaching nearly 200 persons. The sessions began with the keynote speaker, Dr. Stanley Fisher, a neurologist at The Methodist Hospital Institute of Neuroscience, discussing advances in stroke recovery, including the latest technological developments for improving motor recovery in stroke survivors. After went visiting with vendors, participants went to small group sessions of their choosing, and these sessions included Floor Exercise, Tai Chi, Mindfulness (a stress reduction strategy) and Strategies for Dealing with Low Vision.


- Dr.Sharon Ostwald and Dr. Stanley Fisher -

The luncheon speakers were Jamie and Kathleen Garza. In 1995, Jamie Garza suffered a massive left-sided stroke resulting from complications of heart valve replacement surgery. The Garzas spoke eloquently of Jamie’s recovery and how both their lives have been impacted. With his positive outlook, courage and determination and Kathleen’s unwavering support, Jamie continues to make steady progress in his recovery. After 6 months of paralysis, Jamie has regained normal movement except in his right shoulder, hip and ankle. The Brain Association of Texas named Jamie Garza its Brain Injury Survivor of 2007. In honor of Jamie, the city of Houston named July 31, 2007 as “Jamie and Kathleen Garza Day.”



- Jamie and Kathleen Garza -

Afternoon small group sessions included Aquatic Exercise, Tai Chi, Eat to Wellness: Prevention & Survival and Spirituality-Finding Meaning in Tragedy. The final session of the day was the remarkable and inspirational presentation by Dr. Lynda Cleveland, who presented “Can You Send a Duck to Eagle School? During her presentation, Dr. Cleveland transformed herself into Clebo the clown, and focused on the importance of remaining positive, keeping faith and hope and advocating for your rights. She also addressed the family caregivers, recognizing the important role that they have in the stroke survivor’s recovery and encouraged them to find time to take care of themselves in the midst of their busy lives.


- Dr. Lynda Cleveland -


- Dr. Cleveland as Clebo the Clown with the Garzas -

We received a lot of positive feedback from those in attendance as well as many helpful suggestions for future conferences. We plan to continue to hold conferences for stroke survivors and their family caregivers. If you have any ideas for future conference themes or would like to volunteer on future conference planning please contact Joyce Randolf at 713-500-9121 or email Joyce at coa@uth.tmc.edu

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CAReS Spotlight
Spotlight
Dr. Wasserman is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas-Houston School of Nursing, and she has been involved with the CAReS project since 2002. She first joined our team as a recruiter for the CAReS project and eventually started working
with Dr. Ostwald on project management and data analysis. Using data captured during the CAReS study and funded by the American Nurses Foundation, she has conducted several studies which are outgrowths of the CAReS project, including a cost analysis evaluating costs and services associated with post-stroke rehabilitation. Dr. Wasserman was recently named a Research Fellow of the Rehabilitation Nurses Foundation. As a result of this award, she is conducting a health-related quality of life study in long-term stroke survivors and spousal caregivers who were a part of the original CAReS cohort. She is a tremendous asset to the CAReS staff and will continue to lead research related to quality of life. Joan says, “I continue to be inspired by this population and hope to move forward with meaningful research that will make a difference in the lives of stroke survivors and their family caregivers.”