Public Health Conference in NYC - October 2nd
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Dear all,
Saturday's Global Health Conference and Jazz for Peace Festival
in New York City 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 28th - Reduced Rate
All of the funds raised from the $10 registration fees will go
toward Unite For Sight's sight-restoring cataract surgery pro-
grams in Humjibre, Ghana and Nyamuswa, Tanzania this Fall.
Group Rates Available
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, corporate professionals, nurses, public health pro-
fessionals, and leaders in ophthalmology, pubic health, acade-
mia, corporations, and policy.
Speakers:
* "Stem Cells to the Retinal Rescue," Dr. Michael J.
Young, PhD, Director, Minda de Gunzburg Research Center for
Retinal Transplantation, Schepens Eye Research Institute and As-
sistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School
* "International Political Crises: The Emergency Rooms of Public
Health," Dr. Ronald Waldman, MD, MPH Professor of Clinical Popu-
lation & Family Health and Deputy Director of the Center for
Global Health and Economic Development at Columbia University
Mailman School of Public Health
* "Eye Diseases and Community Experiences in Tanzania," Dr.
Muhsin Sheriff, MD, MPH, MUCHS - Harvard Research Collaboration,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; MPH in Quantitative Methods Candidate
at Harvard School of Public Health
* "Bridging Health Divides: A Federal Perspective," Ms. Rosemary
Janiszewski, MS, CHES, Deputy Director, Office of Communication,
Health Education and Public Liaison; Director, National Eye In-
stitute Health Education Program, NIH.
* "Entrepreneurship in Medical Technology and the Role of Ven-
ture Capital," Mr. Mart Bailey, President, Callaway Private Eq-
uity Partners
* 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. Ronald Waldman, MD, MPH Professor of Clinical Population &
Family Health and Deputy Director of the Center for Global
Health and Economic Development at Columbia University Mailman
School of Public Health
Ronald J. Waldman, MD, MPH, is Deputy Director of the Center for
Global Health and Economic Development at the Mailman School of
Public Health of Columbia University, and former Director of its
Program on Forced Migration and Health. He is a physician spe-
cializing in child health in developing countries. Dr. Waldman
began his career with the World Health Organizations Global
Smallpox Eradication Program in Bangladesh. He subsequently
worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for
more than twenty years where, among other assignments, he di-
rected technical support activities for the Combating Childhood
Communicable Diseases Project. In the 1980s and 1990s he and his
colleagues at the CDC published a series of studies on the epi-
demiology of refugee health and provided public health assis-
tance in many international humanitarian crises.
Dr. Waldman was the coordinator of the Task Force on Cholera
Control at WHO from 1992-1994 and the Technical Director of the
USAID-funded child survival BASICS Project from 1995-1999. He is
the immediate past Chairman of the International Health Section
of the American Public Health Association and serves in an advi-
sory capacity to a number of international non-governmental or-
ganizations. He has worked in complex emergencies in Somalia,
Rwanda, Bosnia, Albania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghani-
stan and, most recently, Iraq.
Dr. Muhsin Sheriff, MD, MPH MUCHS - Harvard Research Collabora-
tion, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; MPH in Quantitative Methods Can-
didate 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.
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 Infor-
mation Service in Illinois. She also served as a program coordi-
nator at the American Heart Association of Wisconsin. She re-
ceived her MS in community health education at the University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse. She is a Certified Health Education Spe-
cialist (CHES).
Mr. Mart Bailey Founder and President, Callaway Private Equities
Partners
Mr. Bailey founded Callaway Private Equity Partners to serve the
private financing needs of emerging growth health care compa-
nies. Working with creative and experienced entrepreneurs, Mr.
Bailey cultivates the most compelling opportunities in the medi-
cal technology and life sciences industries and brings together
for them ideal strategic and investment partners.
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.
Jazz For Peace Festival Concert Benefiting Unite For Sight at
5:30 PM
On Saturday, October 2nd, a Jazz For Peace Concert featuring
Rick DellaRatta will benefit Unite For Sight, a 501(c)3 non-
profit global humanitarian organization that works globally to
develop sustainable solutions to improve eye health outcomes.
The proceeds of the concert will fund sight-restoring cataract
surgeries coordinated by Unite For Sight in African countries.
The benefit will be held at Penang - 24 Columbus Avenue, New
York, NY - at 5:30 pm. Tickets are $25 plus a one drink minimum.
For details, please go to http://www.jazzforpeace.org
Unite For Sight has been recognized by USA Today, Glamour Maga-
zine, Nokia and International Youth Foundations YouthActionNet,
and WK Kellogg Foundation. With seventy-five chapters estab-
lished at universities and medical schools, Unite For Sight has
an international network of 2,000 students and volunteers who
build healthier communities through disease prevention, eye
health promotion, and health education. Each chapter works with
local community infrastructures to improve access to health pro-
grams, and the primary objective is to prevent blindness.
Jazz For Peace and Rick DellaRatta has been featured on the
cover of UPWARD, the feature article insert of BIG NEWS, which
is distributed widely in the streets and subways of New York
City as well as Albany, NY. Rick DellaRatta was invited to lead
a band for an international audience that consisted of Israeli,
Middle Eastern, European, Asian & American' Jazz musicians. Rick
named this band "Jazz For Peace?"
Jazz for Peace's mission is to help advance people to their
highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as
spreading peace through our "Jazz For Peace Concerts" worldwide
- joining forces (or performing) with multi-cultural musicians
to spread peace through the art form of Jazz and entering re-
gions that are politically controversial. By the means of live
concerts, video taping, on hands/on-line teaching as well as
supplying musical instruments to underprivileged children in un-
der developed areas worldwide, Jazz for Peace will re-enforce
what past history has proven - that the art form of Jazz has the
ability to create a positive effect that unites people and may
eventually start to transform the barriers and issues of differ-
ent cultures and beliefs. For more information please visit
http://www.jazzforpeace.org/
Recent Quotes: "Rick DellaRatta is one of the finest Jazz pian-
ists alive." --Savannah Times "It is actually the quality of
DellaRatta's voice that grows on me more & more with repeated
listenings. At first I felt that Rick's strengths as a pianist
were foremost, but with time I have come to understand that Del-
laratta's skill as a vocalist is not to be underestimated. "His
voice has quite a haunting quality to it, being slightly andro-
genous in tone, sometimes ghostly.... sometimes sexy. " -- Jen
Karpin, Green Mtn Jazz Messenger
".....sure it will be a good show." -- New York Times Jazz Forum
Register at http://www.uniteforsight.org/2004_symposium.shtml
mailto:Jennifer.Staple@aya.yale.edu with any questions.