Dear Savvy Senior,

A few months ago, I read a column you wrote on extremely cheap smartphone plans for budget-conscious seniors. Can you do a similar column for those of us who still use basic flip phones? My old 3G flip phone is about to become obsolete, so I’m looking for the cheapest possible replacement. I only need a simple cell phone (no data) for emergency calls when I’m away from home.
Penny Pincher

Dear Penny,
For many seniors, like yourself, who only want a simple basic cell phone for emergency purposes and occasional calls, there are a number of super cheap plans available from small wireless providers you may have never heard of. Here are some of the best deals available right now.
Cheapest Basic Plans
For extremely light cell phone users, the cheapest wireless plan available is through US Mobile (USMobile.com), which has a “build your own plan” that starts at only $2 per month for 75 minutes of talk time. If you want text messaging capabilities, an extra $1.50/month will buy you 50 texts per month.
US Mobile runs on Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s networks and gives you the option to bring your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or purchase a new device, while keeping your same phone number if you wish.
If your flip phone is becoming obsolete, as you mentioned in your question, you’ll need to buy a new device, which you can do through US Mobile if you choose their plan. They offer the “NUU F4L” flip phone for $39 for new customers. Or you can purchase an unlocked phone through retail stores like Walmart or Best Buy, or online. One of the best value flip phones right now is the (unlocked) “Alcatel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE,” available at Amazon.com for $80.
Some other super cheap wireless plans worth a look are Ultra Mobile’s “PayGo” plan (UltraMobile.com/PayGo), which provides 100 talk minutes, 100 texts for only $3 per month. And Tello’s (Tello.com) “build your own plan” that starts at $5 per month for 100 talk minutes and unlimited texting.
Both Ultra Mobile PayGo and Tello also run on T-Mobile’s network and will let you use your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or buy a new one.

Senior Targeted Providers
In addition to these super cheap plans, there are several other wireless companies that cater to older customers and offer low-cost basic plans and simple flip phones. One of the least expensive is through TracFone (Tracfone.com), which offers a 60-minute talk, text and web plan for $20 that lasts for 90 days. That averages out to $6.66 per month.
Three other providers that are popular among seniors are Snapfon (Snapfon.com), which offers a 100 minutes and unlimited texting plan for $10. Consumer Cellular (ConsumerCellular.com), which provides an unlimited talk plan or $15 per month. They also give 5 percent discounts to AARP members. And Lively (Lively.com), maker of the popular Jitterbug Flip2 senior-friendly flip phone. Their cheapest monthly plan is 300 minutes of talk and text for $15.

Subsidized Plans
You also need to know that if you’re on a government program such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income or food stamps/SNAP. Or, if your annual household income is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines – $18,347 for one person, or $24,719 for two – you might also qualify for free or subsidized wireless plans from various carriers via the federal Lifeline program. To find out if you’re eligibility or apply, visit LifelineSupport.org.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

OIGA Conference and Trade Show slated for Aug. 9-11 in Tulsa

The 2022 Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) Conference and Trade Show, otherwise known as ‘the biggest little show in Indian Gaming,’ will be held in Tulsa Aug. 9-11, in Tulsa’s Cox Business Convention Center. and will draw nearly 3,000 vendors, visitors and guest speakers to downtown Tulsa to celebrate and advance our industry.
The event begins bright and early on Tuesday with the annual John Marley Golf Tournament, an event which raises scholarship funds for folks who work in the gaming industry and their dependents. Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association established the John Marley Scholarship in 2008 to provide educational opportunities for OIGA member employees and their families. The John Marley Scholarships are dedicated to the search for knowledge and the provision of scholarships for eligible individuals in order to attend accredited colleges, universities and trade schools in Oklahoma or other states. Since 2014, OIGA has awarded 54 scholarships. Learn more about the history of the Tournament here.
In Oklahoma, Tribal Gaming has yielded countless contributions, large and small, to Oklahoma’s job market, economy, educational offerings and quality of life. OIGA Chairman Matthew L. Morgan, explains: “Tribes are wonderful community partners in Oklahoma. We create jobs, build roads and hospitals, invest in our public schools and universities, support nonprofits and create programs to serve citizens, Tribal and non-Tribal, who need assistance within our communities. Each year, when we gather at our Conference and Trade Show, we celebrate this industry which has allowed us to do so much. We are proud of our past, excited about things happening right now, and determined to leave the next generation an industry and an Oklahoma that they can take pride in.”
Conference sessions begin Wednesday at 9:30AM, and continue until noon, when attendees and vendors will celebrate the official opening of the Trade Show floor. From noon to 4PM, the floor will be open to attendees. New this year, the welcome party will transform into a Stay and Play reception on the Trade Show floor, from 4:00-6:30 PM. View the entire agenda here.
Conference session topics will include:

– National Landscape on Sports Betting: Bills, Stakeholders and the
Outcome
– SCOTUS and District Court Decisions: Impact to Indian Country
– Oklahoma Tribal Economic Impact Report Review
– Diversity and Inclusion in STEAM Career Development
– Active Shooter: Preparations Saves Live
Oklahoma is home to one of the largest gaming markets in the United States with more than 80,000 electronic machines on the floors of our over 130 operations. The OIGA Conference and Trade Show has always been the largest regional show in the country and is looking forward to hitting that mark again.
To register or for more information visit oiga.org.

SSM Health at Home is proud to announce the health ministry now offers hospice service to people living in Oklahoma City and surrounding communities including Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie and Seminole Counties.
On May 26, 2022, SSM Health at Home achieved accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), demonstrating the organization’s commitment to delivering high quality care through compliance with ACHC Accreditation Standards, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Conditions of Participation and Oklahoma state regulations.
“We have been providing home health services to the greater Oklahoma City area for many years. Offering hospice care will allow us to be there for patients throughout their entire health care journey,” said Melody McCormick, Branch Manager for SSM Health at Home’s hospice services in Oklahoma. “Adding hospice services will allow us to focus on providing compassionate care and improve quality of life for our patients at a time when they need it the most.”
“We are honored to expand our services to patients and families who need us at one of the most difficult points in life and are blessed to have a tremendous team of staff ready to provide the best care possible,” said Denise (dg) Gloede, President of Post-Acute at SSM Health.
“Hospice is the ultimate form of comprehensive care at the end of life. It is the combination of exceptional medical service, compassion, dignity and faith. It is an essential part of SSM Health’s ministry and Mission,” said Dr. Waddah Nassar, SSM Health at Home Medical Director and SSM Health Medical Group family practice physician.
To learn more about how hospice care can provide support to you or your family, please call 405-231-3755 or visit ssmhealth.com/athome.

The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma has made a $1 million donation to Mercy Health Foundation in support of the new Love Family Women’s Center under construction on the campus of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City.
“We know the new Love Family Women’s Center will be a great asset to the state,” said Neil Stitt, board president of the Masonic Charity Foundation. “Many rural Oklahomans are without access to family planning and much-needed prenatal care. The new women’s center will be a great place for moms and families to come and receive the best care.”
When construction is complete in fall 2023, Mercy will have a total of 73 patient rooms to serve women in the new center, increasing the capacity for deliveries by 40%.
Mercy coworkers and donors recently celebrated a construction milestone on campus as crews installed the first horizontal steel beam at the site. That beam was the beginning of an elevator that will allow families of newborns needing a higher level of care direct access from the women’s center to the existing fifth-floor neonatal intensive care unit in the hospital.
“We are so grateful for the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma for their incredibly generous gift which will allow us to provide innovative new services and introduce a new gold standard of care for women and families across the state of Oklahoma,” said Lori Cummins, vice president of development at Mercy Health Foundation in Oklahoma.
The existing Mercy BirthPlace is original to the hospital, which was built in the 1970s and designed to handle around 3,000 births per year. More than 4,000 babies were delivered in the space last year.
The Love Family Women’s Center will be a 175,000-square-foot, four-story building featuring an obstetrics emergency department staffed by obstetricians, the state’s first hospital-based low intervention birthing unit staffed by certified midwives, C-section suites, birthing units, postpartum rooms, a dedicated area for women recovering from surgeries and outpatient therapy services.

Liam Sasser was no stranger to research when he arrived at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation last month for the John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program.
The West Point cadet studies Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases during the academic year. However, Sasser said he was humbled and a bit overwhelmed in the lab of OMRF scientist Sathish Srinivasan, Ph.D., who focuses on the lymphatic system.
Lymphatic vessels transport blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. When they stop functioning properly, fluid buildup results in a chronic and potentially life-threatening condition called lymphedema. Srinivasan’s lab is working to understand the mechanisms that promote the healthy growth of lymphatic vessels to combat lymphedema.
“The breadth of this field surprised me,” Sasser said. “I was surprised at how unexplored it is and how much this work this lab is producing to improve the understanding of lymphatics.”
OMRF’s Saxon program compresses an intensive summer internship into three to four weeks, culminating in a presentation of their research. John Saxon III, M.D., a Muskogee physician and OMRF board member since 2000, established the program to honor his father, a West Point graduate who was a career Air Force pilot and taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“Some people may not think of basic science and the military as linked,” said Saxon. “But I thought that I could use OMRF’s work as an opportunity to stimulate some basic bench science interest with cadets at service academies.”
Now in its 12th year, the program has hosted 37 cadets since its inception. In addition to Sasser, a life science major from Cape Carteret, North Carolina, this summer’s students include Naval Academy Midshipmen Alexandra Foreman of Denver and Zoe Scooter of Boulder, Colorado, and Air Force Academy Cadet Philip Golder of Greenwood, Indiana.
Srinivasan, Sasser’s mentor, welcomed the opportunity to host his second Saxon student. “They are so focused, disciplined, respectful and so motivated,” he said, “and they bring such a positive aura that it bleeds over into the rest of the lab.”
After leaving ORMF, Sasser returned to campus to serve as a basic training platoon leader for new cadets before starting his senior year. With medical school in his sights, Sasser also departed OMRF with some essential experimental techniques.
“They apply these techniques to so many problems, and once I’ve mastered them, I can apply them to a variety of problems in my own research,” Sasser said. “This experience has been amazing.”

Story and photo by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

On Memorial Day, when one of the highest-grossing patriotic films ever, “Top Gun: Maverick,” premiered on the most theater screens in history, an Oklahoman, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Charles B. “Chuck” DeBellevue, received a standing ovation at a local IMAX theater.
Variety Magazine says after only 31 days on the big screen, “Top Gun: Maverick” became Tom Cruise’s first movie to surpass $1 billion at the worldwide box office. It is the first 2022 movie and only the second in COVID 19 times to reach that benchmark.
The movie noted prominently that Tom Cruise’s U.S. Navy fighter pilot and instructor character Pete “Maverick” Mitchell made flying ace by shooting down an additional three enemy fighters.
In the audience that day, DeBellevue, now 76, was honored as America’s last American flying ace on active duty with six MiG kills to his credit in the skies over North Vietnam as a weapons systems officer. DeBellevue said he was touched by the standing ovation he received from fellow veterans who watched the movie with him.
The occasion for the Edmond resident accompanied the movie celebration of U.S. Navy aviation as the Regal Warren Moore IMAX Theater welcomed servicemen and women and their children to a premiere private screening.
The Gerrity Chapter of the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA), the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC), and the Oklahoma Defense Industry Association (ODIA) partnered to organize the premiere.
The sailors of the Navy’s TACAMO unit based at Tinker Air Force Base were the largest group of honored guests. TACAMO is the Navy E-6 Mercury aircraft which is an airborne command post and communications relay based on the Boeing 707 aircraft, similar to the Air Force’s E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). Additionally, all military veterans and their families were welcomed at this showing.
The event emcee, retired U.S. Navy Capt. John (Irish) Keilty, a former test pilot, was a previous Tinker TACAMO commander and now supervises the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at Del City High School. He welcomed everyone and introduced the honored guests. DeBellevue said the Navy JROTC midshipmen did an excellent job of presenting the colors at the theater.
In addition to DeBellevue, Keilty also recognized audience members retired Navy Rear Adm. Greg Slavonic, former Acting Under Secretary of the Navy and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeff King, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker. He also introduced retired Oklahoma Army National Guard Pilot Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chase Rutledge, now the KOCO-TV SKY 5 Chief Pilot.
The screening highlighted Memorial Day, when Americans hosted parades, visited cemeteries and memorials, and wore a red poppy to honor those fallen in war. DeBellevue said the movie screening helped all in attendance remember those who served and honored the fallen who came to America’s defense and never returned to their families.
“This was a great way to remember those who gave their all for our country,” DeBellevue said. “The movie “Top Gun: Maverick” displays the camaraderie, teamwork, and skill it takes to defend this country. The funds needed to stage the movie event were gathered in only two days, showing that the patriotic people of Oklahoma always come through.”
DeBellevue said Allyson Carson with the ODIA assisted Director Grayson Ardies and OAC staffers with the flight plan. Jeff James, president of the Gerrity Chapter of the AFA, and the spirited volunteerism of AFA members Michelle Bouziden, Sandra Shelton, Mark Tarpley, and Walter Kula ensured this was a quality event. Also helping out were Steve Duran and Kara Slavonic, and others.
The ODIA helps leaders in government, industry, and academia collaborate to offer solutions while advancing the national security and defense needs of the state and nation.
Gerrity Chapter volunteers also helped invite the hundreds of patriots, including recruiting identified guests to the free movie. The AFA is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association.
“The AFA’s mission is to promote a dominant U.S. Air and Space Force and a strong national defense through education, advocacy and support,” DeBellevue said. “It is an excellent way for community partners and interested individuals to become involved and learn about the Air Force and Tinker Air Force Base and have a say in patriotic issues.”
DeBellevue said the AFA central Oklahoma Gerrity Chapter supports Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in Oklahoma and the Rosie the Riveter project. The group, along with Oklahoma Career Tech, puts on the CyberPatriot, StellaXplorer and STARBASE OKLAHOMA programs. These are middle and high school level programs to advance experiential STEM education.
The movie attendees were treated to the latest Tom Cruise need for speed after speakers before the film emphasized the might and force of the U.S. Navy. They spoke of how the Aeronautics Commission proudly salutes the sailors of the TACAMO wing on their 30th year in Oklahoma at Tinker Air Force Base and their 60th year of operations. They proudly partner with the AFA Gerrity Chapter and ODIA for Oklahoma military service endeavors.
While TAFB employs nearly 30,000 Oklahomans, a contingent of air mission Navy sailors numbering 1,500 are proud to be known as “Red Dirt Sailors.” There has been a long-standing Navy presence in the area attached to Strategic Communications Wing One (SCW-1) at Tinker. Other active-duty members are attached to the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) in Oklahoma City, the local recruiting district and numerous reserve personnel who live and work in the community.
“The US Navy arrived on Tinker AFB in 1990 and has since operated in defense of the United States,” Keilty said. “Inviting the “Red Dirt Sailors” to this viewing was a great way to honor both their service and the service of those who gave their all for this country.”
Super Hornet presenting sponsor Tinker Federal Credit Union helped make the event possible. DeBellevue said the credit union always supports patriotic themes with style.
“The sailors and airmen who attended this film viewing will remember this Memorial Day for a long time,” DeBellevue said. “Thanks to the volunteers and sponsors for making this a great Memorial Day patriotic event.”
DeBellevue also outlined how much of a boost this movie will be in allowing the military to recruit much-needed pilots in the near future. “I have gone back and watched “Top Gun: Maverick” a second time to really soak in all the excitement it conveys about flying. It reminded me of my missions when I flew into North Vietnam,” DeBellevue said in a recent interview. “There is no doubt in my mind there will be a spike in pilot recruiting across all the services, not just the Navy.”

www.legalaidok.org/employment

Story and photo by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Community Relations Director Denise Diaz welcomed 51 Senior Business Solution colleagues to their networking luncheon on June 16 at their Edmond Iris Memory Care community. She explained their two-stage memory care philosophy of caring for residents at each stage of their disease in a safe environment at the monthly gathering of senior healthcare marketers and senior-focused company workers.
Sponsor Diaz outlined the importance of meeting a person living with dementia at the level and stage of their disease. “Not everyone has the same type of dementia, so providing quality, compassion-filled care with dignity is our focus,” Diaz said. “By meeting residents’ needs and providing emotional support and education to their families with monthly support groups and family-centered events, our Iris family becomes an extension of our resident’s family.”
She turned the meeting over to Bill Muir, CSA and owner of Compass Senior Living Solutions. He explained how important it is for executives addressing area aging agendas to network. Networking is essential to his company, as it provides a free placement service giving personalized tours to some 55 senior communities in the area at every level of need.
Many attendees were learning about their community peers for the first time. For others, it was apparent they had been attending the networking luncheons for many of the six years the group has been getting together.
Muir, another sponsor and the original organizer of the luncheons, also emphasized the services available from the Oklahoma Assisted Living Association. He said OKALA is a non-profit statewide trade organization dedicated to preserving dignity and choice for older Oklahomans and the quality of their care in the senior living setting.
Sponsor Joe Forrest with Re/Max First has been helping seniors in Oklahoma for 25 years via ownership, operations and management of senior healthcare organizations. He has worked in-home healthcare services, independent and assisted living, and rehabilitation. He has been a realtor for the past 20 years.
He expressed how important it is to have a robust group of experts to support the agenda. “Serving the senior population and their families is permanently embedded in my DNA,” Forrest said in an interview. “This SBS group is committed to quality care and smooth transitions when different levels of care are necessary.”
He applauded the gathering of dedicated caregivers on the many needs addressed to create a healthy way to address seniors’ needs in Oklahoma.
The luncheon continued with each invitee giving a few minutes of background on their employer and how they saw their role in helping seniors with their needs in the community. A few people outlined special events their venues were planning in the near future, inviting others to attend. Proveer at Quail Creek invited everyone to participate in a block party they were preparing for the following Thursday.
Lisa James represented the third sponsor of the event, CompleteOK, expressing the importance of attending to the needs of military veterans. As a community liaison based at their SW 89th Street facility, she said company facilities around the state were busy doing that. These Veterans Homemaker Program services can help veterans living in their homes and serve veterans of any age, paid for by the Veterans Administration.

Story by owner Dennis Helm, a True & Proven Senior Advocate

A lot of companies say they specialize in working with seniors. (Hundreds of verifiable References from 35 Years)

But as owner of Smooth Finish Roofing & Construction we’ve proven it since 1987!
I have been a Senior Advocate for as long as I’ve been in the business. I learned this from caring for those who were and are vulnerable to scammers.
My heart was developed to protect the vulnerable and was cultivated as a child of a single mother who faced many challenges and difficulties raising three boys alone.
Free Inspections: Most Oklahoma homes have hail damage not visible from the ground, unseen until Inspection.
How Smooth Finish has helped Seniors: (free consultations, decisions for scope, priority lists, free inspections and estimates)
For seniors who are staying in their home, Smooth Finish can upgrade most all desired home improvements starting with “A good roof over their head” with a GAF Lifetime warranty and we have worked successfully with all insurance companies.
In homes of seniors who want or need to age in place, Smooth Finish can also help with other repairs, restorations and aging in place modifications. Besides roofing, Smooth Finish Roofing & Construction provides:
* Exterior: roofing, siding, carpentry, windows/doors, guttering, Garage Doors, Fence, Painting and more.
* Interior: Ceiling repairs, (Leak Repairs) mitigation, texturing, painting, flooring, carpentry and more.
As a Licensed* General Contractor…we manage the process of bringing in Licensed Trades for Plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.
If a senior is moving into a senior living center and needing to sell their home, they may likely need a new roof and/or other repairs. This is where our free advisory scope consultation, inspections and estimate(s) help create priority list(s).
Smooth Finish does excellent work at a fair price, so your home can pass all the inspections required for a sale.
Smooth Finish is not only certified & licensed* for roofing of residential homes, but also senior living facilities.
As a true and proven Senior Advocate, I have a sincere desire to help seniors and I always work to encourage people to use only local, licensed, and insured roofing contractors with hundreds of verifiable references. There are just too many terrible stories of things going wrong when people don’t.
Warning: Roofers may not be who they seem!
I’ve heard many, many times, “most people don’t trust roofers”. That’s understandable.…In our industry there are a lot of… fly-by-night roofers. They come in town, start a ‘company,’ get magnets on their car, (405) phone numbers and in 24-hours they look like a legitimate business. But they’re not.
Undesirable scammers always rush into town after a storm has hit to solicit people who need roofing services.
These unscrupulous “companies” will claim to be local, even though they’re not. They may go to great lengths to look like hometown guys. We have had to replace many roofs installed incorrectly over 35 Years.
I want people with roofing needs in OKC to rest at ease. I want them to know that when they use Smooth Finish Roofing & Construction, they’re getting an honest, proven and reputable company. I’m a lifelong resident and have over 35 years expertise in this business.
License Numbers:
Ask for license numbers and references. Then check them out! reputable roofers live and work in the same city where their business is located.
We don’t go out of town, except for previous and existing customers. There is always more than enough work for us here in the 620 square miles of Oklahoma City and the metro area.
Your family, friends or clients will thank you for a Smooth Finish recommendation.
You can feel confident in recommending Smooth Finish Roofing & Construction to Family Friends or clients you’re helping. For the homeowner, we can work on the rooftop, the floor and everything in between. I’m a licensed General Contractor through-out Oklahoma City and the metro area and, again, I’ve been in business for 35 years.
Since 1987, we have been helping customers with decisions concerning their homes. Many times, we’ve found simple solutions for complex problems. We work to keep costs fair and reasonable and we live by the Smooth Finish motto: “Where quality craftsmanship meets fair pricing.”
Give me a call on my personal cell phone at (405-923-5127)
We are proud of, and enjoy our solid reputation. We enjoy serving Seniors, Military, first responders and single mothers and we only move forward with a job… when you’re comfortable.
*State of Oklahoma Construction Industries Board # CIB 80000242
*City of Oklahoma City General Contractor license # OKC 13705
For 35 years Smooth Finish has helped customers determine priority list(s) for what needs to be done to sell/improve their home. What do homebuyers see? “Curb appeal”. What do they see when they first open the front door?

Smooth Finish Roofing purchases from a LOCAL roofing supplier to ensure profit proceeds “Stay in Oklahoma”  CALL (405-923-5127) OR visit: https://smoothfinishroofing.com/

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center has announced a historic first for the campus and the state: A new cancer drug, called OK-1, which was conceived and created by an OU College of Medicine researcher and developed entirely in Oklahoma, without the support of a pharmaceutical company, is being tested in humans for the first time in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
The drug was created by researcher Doris Benbrook, Ph.D., whose work on the compound began more than 25 years ago. New drugs developed within an academic institution, without the aid of a pharmaceutical company, are exceedingly rare. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug to be given to humans in the clinical trial, which is underway at Stephenson Cancer Center. The drug is initially being given to women with advanced-stage ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer.
“It is very exciting to reach the point where we can test OK-1 in a clinical trial,” said Benbrook, who is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the OU College of Medicine. “This drug is not available anywhere else in the world right now. We believe it has tremendous potential for treating cancer without causing toxic side effects.”
OK-1 is derived from the natural compound vitamin A. The human body uses vitamin A to make retinoic acid, a nutrient that supports healthy functioning. Some forms of retinoic acid, as well as synthetic versions called retinoids, have been used to treat cancers such as leukemia. However, both are highly toxic, Benbrook said, and patients often become resistant to their effectiveness. Her aim was to create a better version of the drug that is able to kill cancer cells but is less toxic to normal cells.
That effort has taken over two decades of experimentation. Benbrook worked with a collaborator to modify the drug’s chemical structure and test the biological activity of new versions. The new drug they ultimately developed has been modified to such an extent that it works in a completely different way than vitamin A. Collaborators in the OU College of Pharmacy performed research that was necessary to test OK-1 in clinical trials. The work has been supported by millions of dollars in grants from the National Cancer Institute.
OK-1 works by taking away one of the “tricks” that cancer cells use to survive. When cancer cells develop, the body naturally tries to stop their invasion and growth. In response, cancer cells increase their production of “chaperone proteins,” which act like “bodyguards” to keep the cancer cells from dying. The drug OK-1 is able to attach to the chaperone proteins, disabling them in the process. The body’s immune system, or another drug like chemotherapy, is then better able to kill cancer cells because they are no longer protected by “bodyguards.” The drug does not harm healthy cells because they do not need the chaperone protection.
Phase 1 clinical trials are conducted to determine the highest dose of a new drug that can be given safely without causing severe side effects. While OK-1 has been tested extensively in the laboratory and in animal research models, the true effect can’t be known until it is given to humans. However, preclinical studies of the drug have proved that it is effective without causing severe side effects or birth defects, Benbrook said. The drug is being given to humans in capsule form. Kathleen Moore, M.D., Associate Director of Clinical Research and Director of the Oklahoma TSET Phase 1 Program at Stephenson Cancer Center, is leading the clinical trial. “The Phase 1 investigators are so excited to finally have this novel drug available to our patients,” Moore said. “It is a completely new class of drug, which, in addition to having efficacy in and of itself, may help other current cancer therapies work better without adding toxicity. This is kind of the holy grail. We have many combinations that work better than the single drug, but the combinations are far too toxic for general population use. OK-1 gives us the opportunity to bring combinations into trials that may work better without compromising safety. The potential is so exciting.”
At the conclusion of the Phase 1 trial, Moore and her team will have learned the optimal dose of OK-1. In subsequent trials, they plan to test the drug in combination with other cancer drugs already on the market. Benbrook has made patent applications on several drug combinations; OK-1 appears to be most effective when given with other existing drugs.
“We found in our experimental models that when we add OK-1 to other cancer therapies like paclitaxel, which is the standard chemotherapy for endometrial cancer, we get a synergistic effect that is much better than either drug alone,” Benbrook said.
Benbrook’s preclinical research also has shown that OK-1 may be effective for preventing cancer. She plans to test OK-1 in an ovarian cancer prevention trial in the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network, a program of the National Cancer Institute. The drug will be given to women who are going to have their fallopian tubes surgically removed. Because most ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes, researchers will examine the effect of the drug on fallopian tube tissues. Ultimately, the drug could be given to women who are genetically predisposed to cancer, such as those with a BRCA gene mutation.
The Oklahoma TSET Phase 1 Program at Stephenson Cancer Center is the only such program in the state and is considered among the top 10 programs in the nation. As a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, Stephenson can offer patients first access to early-stage drugs like Benbrook’s OK-1.
“This is a very exciting time to be conducting the first Phase 1 trial for a drug developed on our campus,” said Robert Mannel, M.D., director of Stephenson Cancer Center. “It is only possible because of Dr. Benbrook’s passion and determination and the ability of Stephenson Cancer Center to offer Phase 1 clinical trials. We have a very special team of doctors, nurses, researchers and staff who work together to safely give these new drugs to humans.”
In addition to funding from the National Cancer Institute, Benbrook’s research has been supported by grants from Oklahoma City-based Presbyterian Health Foundation, as well as the OU College of Medicine Alumni Association.

Call Autumn House at 405-732-1644 Today!

The Koontz family never takes a Father’s Day for granted after nearly losing their patriarch last year. Keith Koontz of Wichita, Kansas was having urination issues and just wasn’t feeling well when he finally went to the doctor. Come to find out, his kidneys were failing – and he was put on dialysis. “Dialysis is no joke,” he admits. “I would go in three times a week for four hours each. It was time consuming and could be painful. Things got a little better when they put me on home dialysis, but it was hard to lug around heavy boxes of fluid anytime we tried to go camping.”
An avid camper for many years, Koontz had no idea his hobby would play a role in saving his life. “When it became clear that I needed a transplant, my physicians said I was lucky that I was in such good shape. I attribute that to camping.”
But at the age of 81, he wondered if transplantation was even an option for him. “Some transplant centers will not transplant someone over the age of 80,” Koontz states. “That was one of the deciding factors for why we chose INTEGRIS Health.
I wasn’t done living yet, and they were willing to give me a second chance.”
E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., is the surgical director of the Nazih Zuhdi Kidney Transplant program at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. “It’s our transplant center’s philosophy to not look a patient’s chronologic age, age in years, but to look at how the patient looks physically and mentally. Mr. Koontz is an active, vibrant man with an overall good health status and we felt he was well deserving of transplant for continued quality of life.”
The Koontz clan is a tight knit group. Keith’s sister and all five of his children offered to give him one of their kidneys. They all went through the application process, but it was Kenny Koontz of Norman, Okla., the baby of the family, who was a perfect match. “Any one of us would have done it for him,” says Kenny. “I just happened to be the best candidate.”
The transplant took place on Jan. 11, 2021. It was a complete success – but the story doesn’t end there.
As fate would have it, the surgeons who performed the transplant on Keith and Kenny Koontz – were a father and son duo as well. E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., is the senior and Shea Samara, M.D., is the son. Both are transplant surgeons at the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute. “What are the odds?” asks Keith Koontz. “When we tell our story to people, they don’t believe us at first. But then they think it’s amazing when they realize we’re being serious.”
Kenny Koontz gets choked up when he thinks about it. “The son took my kidney and handed it to his father, who in turn put it into my father. It’s more than a coincidence to me, it’s a connection. One we won’t forget for the rest of our lives.”
“As transplant surgeons, we always feel blessed to be able to help people. One father and son pair helping another father and son pair was truly special,” admits Shea Samara. “My dad and I have been blessed to have been able to work together for the past 15 years and we truly cherish every moment together.”
The Koontz family hopes to help others by sharing their story. They say life is too precious to be taken for granted. “Never take a Father’s Day for granted,” advises Kenny. “You never know when or if it will be the last one you get to spend together.”
Keith Koontz agrees. He is camping again and just celebrated his 64th wedding anniversary with his wife, Beverly. He says they have lived a blessed life thanks to the Man Upstairs. He calls these next years his ‘bonus’ years – and says he will live each of them to the fullest.

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