One of my favorite weekends of the year is KU Medical Center Alumni Weekend. It is so wonderful to see all of the physicians, nurses and health care professionals who trained at KUMC gathering on our campus. It serves as a reminder about how many talented and dedicated people have passed though our schools and the exceptional service they have provided Kansans and others across the country over the years. It is amazing that we have so many alumni living in Kansas, the U.S., and around the world – nearly 16,000 from the School of Medicine, more than 7,500 from the School of Nursing, and more than 9,000 from the School of Allied Health.
The 2009 Alumni Weekend culminated at the annual KUMC Gala at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center this past Saturday. We recognized the classes of 1949 and 1959 from the Schools of Medicine and Nursing. We also honored nine outstanding KUMC Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health alumni, which you can read more about here. And the Distinguished Service Medallion was given to Robert Hemenway, PhD, former chancellor of the University of Kansas.
It was a special honor to present the 2009 Life Sciences Leadership Award to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. The award recognizes significant and sustained effort by a community leader to advance the cause of the life sciences in Kansas and the Kansas City region. No one exemplified that effort more in the past year than then-Governor Sebelius.
In accepting the award, Secretary Sebelius emphasized the importance of life sciences research at the University of Kansas and other universities in Kansas and across the country.
It was a very special evening. My thanks go out to Kim Huyett and our Alumni Relations staff and to Kelly Hutsell of our External Affairs Department for coordinating such a spectacular event.
United States Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was among the dignitaries attending the KU Medical Center Gala and Awards Celebration on Oct. 17. Sebelius was presented with the 2009 Life Sciences Leadership Award at the event.
In the News
Salina Regional Health Center last week joined the Midwest Cancer Alliance (MCA) Clinical Trials Network as its newest member. The MCA fosters collaboration and provides strong support to community oncologists. Patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials, innovative prevention, early detection and survivorship techniques, cancer screenings and the delivery of comprehensive care right in their own communities. Read more.
The University of Kansas Cancer Center has recruited two researchers who will bring with them a total of $3 million in NCI funding. Sharmila Shankar, PhD and Rakesh Srivastava, PhD will play an important role in the Cancer Center’s quest for NCI designation. Dr. Shankar will serve as associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and Dr. Srivastava will serve as professor of pharmacology, toxicology and therapeutics. Both come to KUMC from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Dr. Srivastava served as a professor and Dr. Shankar served as an assistant professor in the department of biochemistry and medicine. Their research focus is on the molecular mechanisms of cancer cell growth and death to develop novel drugs that treat and prevent cancers.
Kudos
Wanda Bonnel, PhD, RN, ARNP, associate professor, is the first University of Kansas School of Nursing faculty member to be inducted as a fellow to the Academy of Nursing Education with the National League for Nursing (NLN). Bonnel will add ANEF to her credentials, for Academy of Nursing Education Fellow. Details here.
Prateek Sharma, MD, professor of medicine and director of GI Fellowship Training, has received the Master's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic or Clinical Research in Digestive Sciences. The award was given by the American Gastroenterological Association.
Community
About 220 employees from KUMC and KU Hospital helped spruce up the area in and around the Rosedale neighborhood as part of this year's Christmas In October project. The volunteers scraped walls, painted, cleared brush and planted flowers at the homes of 12 low-income and elderly residents. It was the largest turnout ever for the community service project.
KUMC will kick off its annual United Way campaign on Monday. Look for a broadcast email next week with all the details on how you can give.