The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has awarded an Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist $5.9 million to study new ways to control bleeding like that which occurs in aneurysms.
OMRF researcher Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., received a seven-year grant to pursue novel research into blood vessel function and factors that lead to uncontrolled bleeding.
“Seven years is like paradise to a scientist. It allows us to address questions and take our research in new directions we couldn’t have before,” said Griffin, who joined OMRF from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008. “This will give us the opportunity to dig in on basic science questions that could lead to new drugs and therapies for devastating conditions.”
The grant was awarded under a new federal granting program known as the R35, which was established to promote scientific productivity and innovation by providing sustained support and increased flexibility in research. NHLBI program officer Yunling Gao, Ph.D., said the R35 award is designed to provide long-term support to outstanding investigators like Griffin who are conducting research that breaks new ground or extends ongoing studies that are making significant contributions to the field.
“Dr. Griffin has been supported by the NHLBI’s programs over the past decade, and she has emerged as an expert in the field on protease-mediated regulation of vascular stability,” said Gao. “We look forward to her new breakthroughs and achievements for years to come.”
Griffin’s work is focused on proteases—proteins that chew up other proteins. At OMRF, she studies the role proteases play in a healthy setting and also the damage they can cause in blood vessel development when they go awry. When blood vessel integrity is compromised, they become weaker and can rupture, which can be fatal.
By knowing what vessels are susceptible and under what conditions, they can identify disease links that may be predictable and lead to the development of therapeutic interventions.
“The competition for these grants is fierce, and you must have an incredible track record to be considered for one of them,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “The NHLBI is betting on Dr. Griffin, and she is an outstanding choice for this award. I have no doubt she will reward them with her incredible work.”
The grant, No. R35 HL144605, is from the NHLBI, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

South Oklahoma City Man Volunteers to Give Back for Blessings Received

National Volunteer Week was celebrated April 7-13

In his retirement, Fred Selensky enjoys his membership in the Oklahoma City Fiat Car Club and has built many friendships with other car enthusiasts over the years. But his weekly volunteer role has also brought new friendships into his life.
“When I retired, I was looking for a way to give back for the blessings I’ve received,” Selensky said.
So, he signed up to be a volunteer driver for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Central Oklahoma (RSVP) Provide-A-Ride program, which provides low-income seniors transportation to doctor’s appointments. Last year, 66 RSVP Provide-A-Ride volunteers drove more than 400 clients to 6,065 medical appointments.
“It’s fulfilling a need in the clients I take because they don’t drive and don’t have to pay for a taxi to medical appointments,” he said. “It’s really fulfilling for me, too, and I enjoy doing something people appreciate. It’s not a chore”
April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to honoring volunteers and encouraging volunteerism. Selensky is one of more than 900,000 Oklahomans who gave of their time last year, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Research shows that adults who volunteer are more likely to experience health benefits—longer life span and better mental health.
If you are interested in volunteering with RSVP as a Provide-A-Ride driver or with one of the many RSVP nonprofit partners, call 405.605-3110 or visit www.rsvpokc.org.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

If you find yourself looking for James Brigida, you will most likely have to look up in the sky. He will be one of the three crew members on the Medi Flight helicopter. James is a Flight Nurse and a National Registered Paramedic.
Born in Las Angeles, CA and raised in the bay area, James was in his early twenties when he decided to visit a cousin in Oklahoma. He liked Oklahoma so much, he decided to move here and go to nursing school. That was sixteen years ago and he has enjoyed his job ever since. Having a job as a paramedic in 1998, he soon had the opportunity to be a flight paramedic. From there, he became an RN, and then a Certified Flight Registered Nurse. “I was getting great critical care experience and good basic knowledge. Now, I work for Medi Flight based out of Chickasha, OK and the parent company, Air Methods is based out of Denver, CO,” he said.
James explained how the helicopter crew consisted of one pilot, one nurse and one paramedic. “We have to do some life-threatening actions. There are two different types of flight emergencies calls. 1. Scene flight; a call made by a firefighter or a policeman. 2. Transfer call; these are the phone calls usually coming from smaller towns where there is no hospital; needing to transfer the person by helicopter,” James said. “Either way, the flight nurse and paramedic have to know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. We have seconds to take care of that patient in a unique and isolated situation while we are 1,000 feet in the air. We have to have critical thinking skills, performing emergency procedures. Seconds count! The flight nurse and flight paramedic work as equals,” he added.
“Flight nurses have bits of the same schedule as a firefighter. We work 24 hours, twice a week. We have eight flight nurses and eight flight paramedics with four shifts, rotating the schedule. Medi Flight is at Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha, OK. Mr. Deacon Vice is the Medical Director of the ER there,” James commented.
Does the helicopter fly in any weather? “Actually, the pilot of the helicopter is like a weatherman. They have to know all of the weather conditions before taking off. There has to be 1,000 feet from the ground to the ceiling (clouds) and be able to see two miles ahead for visibility. In the winter, they have to watch for the helicopter freezing over,” James replied.
Asking James to describe himself, he said, “I’m an outgoing, passionate guy that has a true desire to help. I am a great team player and have a lot of empathy for others.”
What advice would you give to someone if they wanted to be a flight nurse? “I would encourage them to start out by getting experience in the critical care unit. The reason is the fact that all of this training and experience will get them closer to becoming a flight nurse. Also, get all of the certifications you can. It will be even better when you try to get a job as a flight nurse,” James answered.
James isn’t always up in the sky though. “I also have a second job,” James said. “I work at the OU Trauma Center in the ER. This is the one and only Trauma Center in Oklahoma. I am blessed to have a job that I love, doing what I love to do, helping others and fulfilling my passion for flying.”
Living in Edmond, OK, James is married to the love of his life, Patty. They have three children, Matthew, 18, Dante, 20 and Alejandra 22.
James’ hobbies include exercise; working out at a great place called True Grit in Edmond, OK. “It can be a great stress-reliever,” James said. “That’s pretty much my hobby. Working out and sleeping. I love to sleep,” he said with a laugh.
From the days of his childhood, dreaming of aviation and flying, James is blessed to have the title Flight Nurse. “I get to take care of patients and fly in a helicopter. I continue to learn and use my critical thinking skills in my everyday job. I have a wonderful family and I continue to help others in any way that I can, in the air and on the ground,” James said.
Asking James to sum up his life in one word, he answered, “passionate”.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

On Monday, April 29, Bill Burrows showed up for his regular 2:30-11 p.m. shift at the engineering plant at Norman Regional Health System just like has been doing for the previous five years.
A little stiff, a little sore, Burrows went on about his day like always.
Not bad for a 68-year-old who had just run a half marathon with half a lung.
“It was pretty good,” Burrows said. “Kind of the first time out so I didn’t know how I would do. I was kind of optimistic so I wouldn’t know until I did it.
“It went well. The temperature was good and I moved along pretty well considering my physical condition.”
Not bad at all considering just three years earlier he was staring a lung cancer diagnosis right in the face.
BUMP IN THE ROAD
The Norman resident and Norman Regional Health System employee, trained this past winter for the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon—his longest run since conquering lung cancer.
Burrows previously completed six full marathons and three half marathons before his lung cancer in 2016.
He has since ran one 5K this past fall but nothing like the distance he covered the final Sunday in April.
Burrows was diagnosed with lung cancer after seeing one of Norman Regional’s internal promotions for their $79 lung scan. The low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan is a noninvasive and painless way to screen for lung cancer.
Burrows said he decided to have the scan since it was a good price and would only take about 10 minutes.
Since he was a healthy runner he expected no problems to show on the scan, but his doctor called and said he wanted to have a specialist look it over just to make sure everything was fine.
Burrows had a stroke in 2010 and made it back from that so he figured this was nothing.
“I got it and they saw something,” he said. “I had a previous scan years before and this wasn’t there then.”
Burrows met with Norman Regional’s interventional pulmonary specialist Sergio Garcia, MD.
A biopsy was taken which revealed he had non-small cell carcinoma.
Soon after the news, Burrows was contacted by Norman Regional’s oncology nurse navigator Sherri Jo Johnson, R.N, who explained his diagnosis, the steps to deal with it and helped guide him throughout the treatment process.
Next Burrows had surgery to remove the top right lobe of his lung and became cancer free. Since the cancer was detected before it spread anywhere else in his body, Burrows did not need further treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy.
“Mr. Burrows is a prime example of why the lung screening program offered at Norman Regional Health System is very important,” Dr. Garcia said. “It provides early detection. This one simple scan saved his life.”
“I knew I would run again,” said Burrows, who helps maintain the system’s infrastructure. “I knew some day I was going to run from my house back to room 5207 at the Healthplex and back. That was a goal. The first year or so I was afraid to do too much because I didn’t want to blow anything up.”
When Burrows decided he wanted to run another half marathon, he knew it wouldn’t be easy.
Functionally, 50% of his total lung capacity remained.
Things would have to advance slowly.
He bought a $50 used treadmill and set it up at his house. He’d run for a few minutes, walk for a few more.
His main reasoning for wanting to push himself to run another half marathon and full marathons in the future is that he wants to do it for those who can’t—those who are going through chemotherapy, those who have a terminal diagnosis, and those who were unable to conquer their cancer.
After hearing about Burrows’ desire to run the half marathon, Dr. Garcia, Cardiothoracic Surgeon Kyle Toal, MD; Chief Nursing Officer Brittni McGill and Norman Regional’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation staff came together to provide Burrows an exercise plan and offer him the support he needed to ensure he was able to run safely.
Part of his exercise plan was monthly visits to Dr. Garcia’s office for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) – a non-invasive procedure where a patient uses a treadmill while monitored by their physician or a respiratory therapist.
“I’m addicted again,” said Burrows, who plans on running the full marathon next April.
Quitting was never an option for the the Navy vet and New Jersey-born Burrows.
“I didn’t have the breath but it seemed like my muscles and legs were working,” he said. “I wasn’t going to stop. I just went mile by mile.”
One by one the miles added up as Burrows was counting them down.
“I’ll keep going,” Burrows said. “I refuse to get old.”

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

For 48 years, Dr. Bailey McBride taught and lived at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond.
“I love the students. The students were just so good,” Dr. McBride said. “They have great hearts. They have great sense of purpose and destiny for their own lives. They’re fun to work with and get to know.”
So when the time came after nearly a half century to stop teaching, McBride couldn’t imagine leaving campus.
Turns out he didn’t have to.
Nestled right on the 200-acre college campus is Tealridge Retirement Community, a full-service community providing independent, assisted living and memory care services to the community of Edmond.
The all-inclusive retirement community located in Edmond is designed for maintenance-free comfort, which freed up McBride to retire on his terms.
Dr. McBride remembers his decades at Oklahoma Christian fondly.
“Over the years there was a lot of changes in the way students looked at life,” he said. “When I first came to OC they looked at life much more positively than students nowadays do but I’ve seen some cycling back. “The last year I taught I had some of the most positive and optimistic freshman I had ever had. I really enjoyed it.”
Tealridge Retirement Community was also where he met his wife, Linda.
The two went out for lunch and things were never the same.
Now the pair will celebrate their second wedding anniversary this June in London. Linda’s grandchildren will come along for a trip of a lifetime.
“I really like the people who are a part of this community,” Dr. McBride said. “There isn’t anybody here that I don’t really enjoy being around. They’ve got great stories to tell and they’ve had great life experiences.”
“Good people.”
One of those people Dr. McBride admires is Cheryl Parker.
At 92, Parker has called Tealridge home for the better part of 12 years.
Along the way she was able to help guide two sisters through health issues, all the while coming back to Tealridge to rest and recharge.
“When they were beginning to build this they sent people out to different congregations to let them know what was happening,” Parker said. “We weren’t ready then to think about it but we put it in the back of our mind.”
“When it became time to think about coming over here my husband really was ready.”
Even after the passing of her husband, Parker knew Tealridge would always be her home.
“I knew several people and that helps a lot,” she explained of the feeling of comfort she felt when she moved in.
Across the hall from Parker lives Sarah Fleming, a relatively new Tealridge resident.
Fleming found her way to Tealridge the hard way from Lake Tenkiller.
“I fell four times in January flat on my face out in public of course,” she laughed. “My daughter lives in Edmond and had heard about Tealridge.”
Keeping up with a large house on an acre of land had become too much for Fleming. Living at the lake was fun, but being close to family and services when she needed them the most was more important.
Fleming found her faith at 15 and she believes it led her to where she is today.
“I have no doubt that this is where God wants me. I love people. I love getting to know people,” she said.
It only took a week before Tealridge Executive Director Melissa Mahaffey, MHA, asked Fleming to come visit her in her office.
The offer was extended for Fleming to help welcome new residents.
“I know this is where I’m supposed to be,” she laughed.
After seven houses in 14 states, Fleming says this is the first time she’s ever lived in a city.
And she loves it.
Dr. McBride and wife, Linda, are a different story.
Linda has two daughters – one in Colorado Springs and one in Edmond.
“When they decided I needed to be close to one of them the one with the grandchildren won out,” she said. “I told them up front I wasn’t playing favorites but … that certainly entered into the decision.”
Todd Markum and his wife, Nancy, sold their home just a half mile away to move to Tealridge.
“We always wanted to be here,” he said.“ We got the chance to do it and came.”
Their third-floor residence has a view overlooking geese, ducks and people fishing in the nearby pond. Ask around and the stories are similar among residents.
Tealridge Retirement Community was a choice. And one that everyone is glad they made.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in adults in the U.S., affecting more than 54 million people with more than 100 distinct types of the disease.
To make matters worse, there are no approved treatments for the most common form of arthritis—osteoarthritis. It stems from the loss of cartilage between bones and joints and will affect more than half of all Americans over the age of 65.
Understandably, this has led to much concern about the future of arthritis treatment.
“We all want to live long enough that we eventually have some wear-and-tear form of arthritis,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D. “But we don’t want any disability or limitations from it that tend to occur as we age. What we need is a disease-modifying drug.”
James, a rheumatologist and internationally recognized expert on arthritis, said that advancements in treating other forms of arthritis offer hope for similar developments in osteoarthritis.
“In the past decade, we have seen big changes in treatment for several types of arthritis, including the introduction of drugs and interventions for less-common forms like rheumatoid arthritis,” said James.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness mainly characterized by inflammation in the lining of the joints, and it affects more than 1.3 million adults in the U.S. James currently serves as principal investigator on a clinical trial called StopRA, a prevention study for the disease.
“We are testing people who are at high risk of developing RA. Our goal is to get them on treatments that may help prevent the disease from ever occurring,” she said. If you are interested in participating or finding out more about the study, please call 405-271-7745 or email [email protected].
The National Institutes of Health invests more than $500 million annually toward understanding and treating various forms of arthritis. Some of that work is happening at OMRF, including research by scientist Tim Griffin, Ph.D., who studies the effects of obesity on the development of osteoarthritis.
“Much of what we initially learned about osteoarthritis came from studying end-stage diseased tissues when people had their joints replaced,” said Griffin.
However, technological advances in imaging and biomarkers have allowed scientists to study earlier stages of disease. Griffin says that this has given new hope for a cure.
“We now think of early-stage OA as resulting from a family of different conditions, such as obesity, trauma, or aging,” he said. “Treatments that target the specific cause of osteoarthritis at the early stages may delay or even prevent disease.”
Multiple studies have shown that a diet avoiding inflammatory foods like saturated fats and refined carbohydrates can help protect you. Griffin’s lab recently found that diets high in saturated fats increased the risk of joint inflammation in mice—even before cartilage loss began.
“We are working on this disease in earnest and continue to understand more and more about it,” said James. “I am increasingly hopeful that we will see a treatment for osteoarthritis in our lifetime.”
But while we await the first osteoarthritis drug, what can we do in the meantime?
“‘Move as much as you can,” said James. “The more you sit, the stiffer and more painful your joints become. Other keys are to maintain a reasonable body weight and participate in joint-safe exercises like swimming or using an elliptical machine.”

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Today the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Oklahoma City announced ResearcHERS: Women Fighting Cancer, a new initiative engaging women of influence to raise funds directly supporting women-led cancer research. The program spotlights the life experiences and discoveries of women in research and aims to inspire the next generation of girls to pursue their dreams of a career in science.
“One in three Americans will battle cancer in their lifetime, and we need the best and brightest minds engaged in reduce the cancer burden in our communities,” said Jeff Fehlis, Executive Vice President of the American Cancer Society. “Recognizing the unique challenges we face, women have expressed a strong interest in supporting scientifically sound women-led cancer research.”
ResearcHERS of Oklahoma City is chaired by Cynthia Black of Oklahoma City. Black, along with her husband Chris, are the owners of RK Black, a printing business that has been in their family for six decades. She will be supported by an elite group of Ambassadors committed to raise funds, serve as role models, and build awareness of the contributions of women in the fight against cancer.
“One brilliant idea or concept can save countless lives,” said Black. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and the next big discovery may come from a scientist funded by the ResearcHERS initiative.”
ACS is the nation’s largest, non-governmental provider of cancer research funding, with more than $4.8 billion invested since 1946.
“Our goal is to raise $50,000 during May, and I am thrilled to be carrying the torch for this inaugural ResearcHERS campaign,” Black said.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

A new healthcare delivery concept partnering Integris and Emerus Holdings, Inc. is popping up all over the metro.
And the move is creating more options for local nurses.
As part of its expansion initiative, Integris, the state’s largest nonprofit health care system, entered into a joint venture partnership with Emerus, the nation’s first and largest operator of micro-hospitals, to build and manage four new community hospitals.
“Oklahomans have told us they want quicker, more convenient medical care without compromising quality or safety,” said Timothy Pehrson, president and chief executive officer at Integris. “These community hospitals allow us to do just that, bring high-quality care closer to home for many of the residents we serve.”
In February, Integris Community Hospital at Council Crossing, 9417 N. Council Road., opened followed by Integris Moore Community Hospital at 1401 SW 34th St. at the end of the month.
In March, Integris Del City Community Hospital, 4801 SE 15th St, began accepting patients.
Later in May, the Integris OKC West Community Hospital at 300 S. Rockwell Ave., will open.
Emerus Holdings Inc., is the nation’s first and largest operator of these small-format facilities and promises the new sites will bring a transformative concept of health care to Central Oklahoma.
Emerus Chief Executive Officer Craig Goguen said the company is honored to partner with INTEGRIS, an award-winning, highly respected health system brand, as it expands its footprint throughout central Oklahoma.
“Our transformative concept of health care allows great health systems like Integris to expand its reach into the community to provide a variety of patient services that are fast, convenient and economical,” Goguen said.
Christopher McAuliffe, BSN, MBA, RN, CAPA is the Emerus market chief nursing officer and says the new concept will bring options for both consumers and health care workers.
“In addition to serving areas considered underserved in their healthcare needs, the small-scale, fully licensed inpatient hospital is open 24 hours, seven days a week,” McAuliffe said. “It is conveniently located in communities where patients live, work and play, providing them with quick and easy access when they have emergency medical needs. If the patient requires additional specialty services, working with our partner, INTEGRIS Health, we can quickly access appropriate services and make transfers, as needed.”
McAuliffe said the concept is using the same electronic medical record system used by Integris.
The small-scale inpatient hospital provides many efficiencies resulting from its smaller footprint. Parking is ample and accessible, compared to the large hospital setting.
“There are several resources, from a clinical standpoint, that improve quality of care,” McAuliffe said. “We have a CT/X-ray room dedicated specifically to our patients. We do not do any outpatient diagnostics, leaving the RT to focus only on those patients who come through the ED or an ordered inpatient test.
“We also have staff cross-trained to do many different roles. All clinical staff, RT, ED Tech and Nursing staff are thoroughly trained in our lab. This allows us to quickly complete a lab order, from start to finish, without having to wait on the tube system or on another department in a remote location to complete.”
McAuliffe stressed that the hospitals will operate through a teamwork concept that has Emerus numerous awards including the Guardian of Excellence Award for Superior Patient Experience from 2013 to 2017.
These new community hospitals will serve a variety of patient needs including emergency medical care, inpatient care and other comprehensive health services. While the ancillary services vary, each community hospital has a set of core services including the emergency department, pharmacy, lab and imaging.
The rest of the services depend on the needs of the community, but common examples include primary care, dietary services, women’s services and low-acuity outpatient surgeries. The community hospitals offer:
* Health system integration — allowing for care coordination, consultation and seamless transition across the care continuum
* Fully licensed as a hospital and subject to all hospital conditions of participation and regulatory requirements
*Emergency-trained physicians and outpatient ambulatory clinical services on site — ensuring patients receive the highest quality care, when they need it
* Inpatient bed capacity — allowing patients to stay closer to home when lower level admissions/recoveries are needed
* All patients accepted without regard to insurance or ability to pay, including Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare
* Community-based hospitals open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – offering ease of access to our patients
“The joint venture with Integris greatly benefits patients,” McAuliffe said. “In the metro, several of the Integris facilities have been experiencing large volumes of patients, resulting in some challenges. Our 32 additional inpatient beds allow Integris the opportunity to have additional clinical resources.
“The 32 additional ED beds help reduce the strain on the often overcrowded Emergency Rooms Integris frequently experiences.”