Global Health Conference in New York City - October 2nd
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Dear all,
This conference will likely be of interest to many people on
this list.
UNITE FOR SIGHT SYMPOSIUM
GLOBAL PARTNERS: YOUTH, CORPORATIONS, AND ACADEMIA
BRIDGING HEALTH DIVIDES
Saturday, October 2, 2004
Symposium 12-4:30 PM ET at NYU School of Medicine
Followed by Jazz For Peace Festival at 5:30 PM
New York City
Register by September 20th - Reduced Rate
All of the funds raised from the US$ 8 registration fees will go
toward Unite For Sight's sight-restoring cataract surgery pro-
grams in Humjibre, Ghana and Nyamuswa, Tanzania this Fall.
Register at http://www.uniteforsight.org/2004_symposium.shtml
mailto:Jennifer.Staple@aya.yale.edu with any questions.
Unite For Sight is pleased to invite you to attend an exciting
international conference for students, volunteers, physicians,
professors, nurses, public health and corporate professionals,
and leaders in ophthalmology, pubic health, academia, corpora-
tions, and policy.
Confirmed Plenary Speakers:
* "Stem Cells to the Retinal Rescue," Dr. Michael J. Young, PhD,
Director, Minda de Gunzburg Research Center for Retinal Trans-
plantation, Schepens Eye Research Institute and Assistant Pro-
fessor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School
* "Bridging Health Divides: A Federal Perspective," Ms. Rosemary
Janiszewski, Deputy Director, Office of Communication, Health
Education and Public Liaison; Director, National Eye Institute
Health Education Program, NIH.
* Dr. Allan Rosenfield, MD, Dean and Director of the Center for
Global Health and Economic Development, Mailman School of Public
Health, Columbia University
* "Entrepreneurship in Medical Technology and the Role of Ven-
ture Capital," Mr. Mart Bailey, President, Callaway Private Eq-
uity Partners
* Dr. Muhsin Sheriff, Medical Director, Medewell Charitable Dis-
pensary, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; MPH Candidate at Harvard
School of Public Health
* Unite For Sight Summer 2004 Interns in Tanzania and Ghana:
* "Better Vision, A Better Life: Ghana Health and Education Ini-
tiative and Unite For Sight Restoring Eyesight in Rural Ghana,"
Alison Polk-Williams
* "Unite For Sight Improving Eye Health in Rural Tanzania", Sa-
chin Jain
* "Unite For Sight's Eye Health Programs in Dar es Salaam, Tan-
zania," Sally Ong
Biographies of Speakers
Dr. Michael J. Young, PhD Director, Minda de Gunzburg Research
Center for Retinal Transplantation, Schepens Eye Research Insti-
tute and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical
School
Dr. Young is one of the worlds leading researchers in stem
cells in the eye and the use of stem cells for the reversal of
blindness. His lab focuses on the use of neural stem cells for
retinal transplantation. His research projects include integra-
tion of transplanted neural progenitor cells into the retina of
immature and mature dystrophic rats, bioengineering and stem
cells to treat optic neuropathy, and differentiation of reti-
nal progenitor cells into specific cell types.
Dr. Allan Rosenfield, MD, Dean and Director of the Center for
Global Health and Economic Development, Mailman School of Public
Health, Columbia University
Dr. Rosenfield is a renowned expert in the field of reproductive
health and a recent recipient of a $50 million grant from the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his work on international
family planning and maternal and child health. He is co-chair
for the UN task force on Child and Maternal Health, which fo-
cuses on infant mortality, contraceptives, and HIV/AIDS. He has
written on domestic and international issues, including popula-
tion, womens reproductive health, obstetrics and gynecology,
human rights and health policy.
Dr. Rosenfield is a member of many scientific and professional
organizations and serves on the Boards and/or Committees of a
broad array of population, health and science organizations, in-
cluding the International Bank for Reconstruction and Develop-
ment (The World Bank), the United States Agency for Interna-
tional Development, several United Nations organizations, the
World Health organization, the National Academy of Sci-
ences/Institute of Medicine, the National Council on Interna-
tional Health, the New York State and City Departments of
Health, and several local New York City and State non-profit or-
ganizations. He has served as Chair of the Board of the Planned
Parenthood Federation of America, is a past president of the New
York Obstetrical Society and is currently Chair of the Alan
Guttmacher Institute and Chair of the Executive Board of the
American Public Health Association. He is the chairman of the NY
State Department of Health AIDS Advisory Council, chair of Am-
fARs Public Policy Committee and on the boards of the Kaiser
Family Foundation and the Packard Foundation. He also leads the
Mailman Schools MTCT-Plus Initiative to treat HIV-infected
women and children in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Ms. Rosemary Janiszewski Deputy Director, Office of Communica-
tion, Health Education and Public Liason; Director, National Eye
Institute Health Education Program, NIH.
Ms. Janiszewski has worked in the health education field for
more than 20 years at both the state and federal level. Since
1989, she has directed NEI health education activities, includ-
ing the National Eye Health Education Program, a program to pre-
vent vision loss through public and professional education pro-
grams. She implemented the Healthy Vision 2010 program, a vi-
sion-related component of Healthy People 2010Before joining the
NEI, Ms. Janiszewski was the coordinator for the Cancer Informa-
tion Service in Illinois. She also served as a program coordina-
tor at the American Heart Association of Wisconsin. She received
her MS in community health education at the University of Wis-
consin-La Crosse. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist
(CHES).
Mr. Mart Bailey President, Callaway Private Equities Partners
Mr. Bailey's company is a placement agent for venture capital
and private equity financing in the medical device industry.
Dr. Muhsin Sheriff, MD MUCHS - Harvard Research Collaboration,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; MPH in Quantitative Methods Candidate
at Harvard School of Public Health
Dr. Sheriff is Internal Medical Monitor at the MUCHS (Muhumbili
University College of Health Sciences) - Harvard Research Col-
laboration in Tanzania. He is a medical doctor with an MPH in
Management and Policy who is studying for a 1-year MPH degree in
Quantitative Methods at Harvard School of Public Health. He will
share inspiring stories about his work to improve community
health in rural areas of Tanzania. 'In addition to his full time
job, he volunteers with a group of medical and non-medical per-
sonnel in conducting 'eye camps' in rural villages where they
provide vision screenings and refractions, distribute eye-
glasses, give health checkups and advice, and organize eye sur-
geries. Dr. Sheriff received a Volunteer Service Award in 2001
from the International Medical Relief of Western New York, Inc
for coordinating eye surgical camps in Tanzania.
Unite For Sight Student International Intern Speakers
Alison Polk-Williams, Unite For Sight's Cataract Surgery Program
in Humjibre, Ghana Alison Polk-Williams lived and worked in
Ghana between August 2003 and August 2004, where she was the
Ghana Health and Education Initiatives co-Project Coordinator
and Financial Officer in Ghana. She developed GHEI's English en-
richment program for middle school students, supervised con-
struction of GHEI's Community Center, and volunteered in a
nearby private hospital. She also coordinated the first Unite
For Sight cataract surgery program during June 2004 in conjunc-
tion with the Ghana Health and Education Initiative (GHEI).
Prior to her year in Ghana, Alison graduated from University of
Pennsylvania with a degree in Health and Societies with a con-
centration in Health in Africa. She has done development work in
the Dominican Republic and Tanzania doing construction and work-
ing in a secondary school. She also studied at the University of
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during Summer 2002.
Since her return to the United States in August, Alison has as-
sumed the position as Vice President for External Affairs with
the Ghana Health and Education Initiative. She will continue to
develop and coordinate future GHEI/Unite for Sight Volunteer
Programs in Humjibre, an important effort aimed at preventing
eye disease and restoring eyesight. She plans to attend medical
school in the future.
Sachin Jain, Unite For Sight's Program in Nyamuswa and Mwanza,
Tanzania Sachin Jain is a second-year medical student at Rush
Medical College in Chicago, IL. Some of his interests include
advocacy for underserved populations, universal health coverage,
and international public health. He traveled to rural Tanzania
as a Unite For Sight intern in the summer of 2004 to implement
several eye care initiatives, such as establishing a cataract
surgery program, an eye clinic, and eye health education in lo-
cal schools. He has also been honored with an Albert Schweitzer
Fellowship for the 2004-05 academic year. His fellowship focuses
on delivering eye care services, and diabetes and asthma educa-
tion to a homeless community in Chicago. Sachin is also the
Unite For Sight Regional Director for the Midwest and national
co-coordinator for the American Medical Student Association's
Direct Action Interest Group.
"My experience in Tanzania this summer was life-changing. By
screening people for cataracts, distributing eyeglasses, reliev-
ing the cost of medications, and teaching eye health in schools,
I gave hope to the village of Nyamuswa. Where advanced, high-
tech care was but a dream, I showed that ophthalmic care, and
health care in general, can be a reality for them, despite the
poverty and lack of access to services. I can't imagine doing
anything more worthwhile with my summer."
Sally Ong, Unite For Sight's Program in Tanzania Sally is a
sophomore undergraduate student at Duke University. She is from
Johor, Malaysia and is considering a double major in Biology and
Political Science. Sally is involved with service-learning ini-
tiatives, including participating in a course entitled "Humani-
tarian Challenges at Home and Abroad FOCUS program" and teaching
a course entitled "Service Learning: Expanding Your Duke Educa-
tion beyond the Classroom."
Sally is the co-Vice President of Duke's chapter of Unite For
Sight. As a Unite For Sight Student Intern in Tanzania during
Summer 2004, she prescribed eyeglasses, participated in cataract
eye surgery camps, and implemented eye health education programs
in schools throughout the country.
"It was a wonderful experience working in Tanzania. The need for
eyeglasses and other eye services is real and urgent. You sense
it from the questions people ask, the requests they make and the
stories they tell. Average wage is Tsh 48,000 (USD 43) while a
pair of eyeglasses costs Tsh 30,000 (USD 27). People cannot af-
ford eyeglasses. Every Tanzanian I met has been very receptive
to our programs. From the policy makers to the villagers, every-
one supports our work, appreciates our efforts and invites us
back to Tanzania. Sensing a need in the community is one thing,
being supported and respected by the people made the internship
very much more fulfilling."
Register at http://www.uniteforsight.org/2004_symposium.shtml
Mailto:Jennifer.Staple@aya.yale.edu with any questions.