Online voting contest to help choose names of the male and female red panda cubs

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the arrival of two healthy red panda cubs, one male and one female. The cubs were born late in the evening on Sunday, June 2, at the Zoo’s red panda habitat in Sanctuary Asia to mom, Leela, 5, and father, Thomas, 6. Caretakers report that first-time mother Leela is demonstrating appropriate maternal behaviors such as a grooming and nursing her offspring and all are in good health. At birth, the male weighed 119 grams and the female 124 grams (less than a third of a pound). By June 18, both cubs had more than doubled their birth weights to 252 grams (male) and 257 grams (female).
“We are so excited to welcome these adorable red panda cubs to the Zoo’s animal family and are beyond thrilled that Leela is such a nurturing mother,” said Tyler Boyd, OKC Zoo Curator of Carnivores and Hoofstock. “While we don’t yet know when the cubs will be on public view, mom and her offspring are doing well and bonding behind-the-scenes at their habitat.”
Online Naming Contest
The carnivore caretaker team at the Zoo compiled name options for the cubs that are representative of their natural habitat in central Asia. For the male cub, the name options are: Ravi (Nepalese for sun), Tau (Nepalese for handsome) and Jetsun (Buddhist reverend from Tibet). For the female cub, the name options are: Nima (Nepalese for small), Mohu (Nepalese for cloudy) and Khyana (Nepalese for light). An online vote will determine the duo’s names. Voting is open until Friday, July 5 and the winning names will be revealed on the Zoo’s Facebook page Monday, July 8. Cast your vote at okczoo.org/redpandacubs.
About the OKC Zoo’s Red Pandas
Thomas, 6, came to the OKC Zoo from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk and Leela, 5, was born at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero, California, in 2014 and moved to the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium in 2015. Their relocation to the OKC Zoo in 2018 was a species survival plan (SSP) recommendation. SSP programs were developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help oversee the husbandry and breeding management and, as a result, the sustainability of select animal species within AZA-member institutions, including the OKC Zoo. Many of these programs help enhance conservation efforts of these species in the wild as well.
Red Pandas in the Wild
Red pandas are listed as an endangered species. Only an estimated 10,000 remain in the wild, and their habitats in remote areas of the Himalayan Mountains, from Nepal to central China, are being threatened by deforestation, agriculture, cattle grazing and competition for resources. In addition to a taste for bamboo, red pandas consume many other types of food including fruits, acorns, roots and eggs. Red pandas grow to be about the size of a typical house cat and have a life expectancy between 8 and 10 years. Their bushy, ringed tails add about 18 inches to their length and serve as a type of blanket, keeping them warm in cold mountain climates. Though previously classified as a relative of the giant panda, and also of the raccoon, with which it shares a ringed tail, red pandas are currently considered members of their own unique taxonomic family—the Ailuridae.
It’s (red) panda-monium at the OKC Zoo! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org or in-person at the Zoo! To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.s of the male and female red panda cubs

by Bobby Anderson,
Staff Writer

Most at Norman Regional Health System know Eugene Brown. The Engineering Services employee usually shows up shortly after getting a call that a piece of equipment isn’t working quite right.
But few at NRH know his mother, 91-year-old Felicidad S. Jones. That didn’t stop them from coming to her aid during the family’s time of need.
Twenty-two people gave blood in honor of Jones during the hospital’s most recent blood drive.
At the blood drive, donors had the choice to dedicate their donation to Jose, who was in need of platelets.
On May 14, Jose wasn’t feeling well and had some chest pain so she was taken to Norman Regional HealthPlex’s Emergency Department. They found her platelets to be dangerously low, somewhere near the 5,000s when normal range starts at 150,000.
She was transferred to Norman Regional Hospital to be admitted and begin receiving platelets.
Brown, who is also a member of the health system’s Blood Drive Committee, contacted Trish Crow, co-chair of the committee, before the blood drive on May 22 to ask if they could tell donors of his mom’s story and ask if they’d like to give in her honor. Crow was happy to oblige.
“Norman Regional Blood Drive Committee is always happy to help our healers. The May blood drive was no exception,” Crow said. “Norman Regional healers know the significance of their donations; however, it was even more heartfelt to have a family member as a designee. Supporting each other and saving lives one donation at a time.”
Brown said his mother is completing follow up blood tests, but she’s home now and is doing well.
“She’s a very sweet lady and she has so much love to give. We’re trying to just enjoy our time with her,” he said. “I’m really thankful for Trish Crow and the Oklahoma Blood Institute. My family is blessed to have Norman Regional and all the people who work here. They are all truly caring and professional.”
Brown not only volunteers his time to the Blood Drive Committee, but gives blood as often as he can. He has been donating since February 1996 and has given 65 times. Through his donations, he has donated 23 gallons and saved 186 lives. He often gives double, which means he donates double the red cells than a regular whole blood donation. While giving the red blood cells, he receives back his plasma, white blood cells and platelets. Double donations take longer than regular donations, and someone who donates double is not eligible to donate for 112 days rather than 56 days. There are height and weight requirements to donate double.
“I know people need blood and I always try to give because I think, ‘you never know, one day you or your family may need it.’ Sure enough, my mom needs it now. I want to help people, and I know by donating at Norman Regional the blood will go directly to those in our health system who need it,” Brown said. “Giving blood and giving back to the health system and this community is my obligation. I love Norman Regional, I love this community, and I know they are always there for my family and me.” “I’m blessed to be here and my family is grateful for Norman Regional helping my mom.”
According to the Oklahoma Blood Institute, every two seconds, someone needs blood, yet less than 10 percent of those eligible donate.
Blood donors with Oklahoma Blood Institute know they are, literally, saving the lives of their friends, family and co-workers, some who may have no idea they will need blood in an urgent situation. One blood donation can save up to three peoples’ lives.
“Summer is a particularly challenging time for the blood supply,” said John Armitage, M.D., Oklahoma Blood Institute president and CEO. “People go out of town, and are busy with activities, and get out of their normal routine of giving blood. We encourage healthy adults to spare just an hour of their time to save the lives of their neighbors.”
Only ten percent of people in the United States who are eligible to give blood actually do. Blood donation takes just about an hour, and each donation can save the lives of up to three patients. Whole blood can be donated every 56 days. Platelet donations can be made as often as every 7 days, up to 24 times a year.

Over the last 25 years, we’ve witnessed amazing advances in science and medicine. What was once thought impossible is now being accomplished. Genetic testing is one example. With a small sample of saliva, your risk for certain diseases can be predicted. Unfortunately, just as technology has evolved with these tests, so have the opportunities for scammers.
This month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General sent out an alert about fraud schemes involving genetic or DNA testing. These scams have been targeting Medicare beneficiaries through phone calls, booths at public events, health fairs and door-to-door visits.
A typical scheme might go something like this: A scammer offers free ice cream or gift cards at a retirement community, senior nutrition center or Medicare expo for anyone who listens to a pitch about free DNA testing. It’s important to know: Medicare will pay for genetic testing for patients with advanced cancer or a family history of certain types of cancer if the test is medically necessary and is ordered by a treating physician. The fraudster will usually downplay or even ignore the medical necessity criteria and the need for a doctor’s order.
The scammer may swab a person’s cheek right there to collect saliva and gather identifying information, such as a person’s name, date of birth and Medicare number. Medicare beneficiaries have also been sent genetic testing kits and asked to return the completed kit with their insurance information. This is so the scammer can bill Medicare thousands of dollars of expensive and medically unnecessary genetic testing.
How do you tell the difference between a genuine, medically-necessary genetic test and these fraud schemes? Talk to YOUR doctor about it. This is the person with whom you’ve placed your trust regarding your healthcare.
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from this scheme:
*If a genetic testing kit is mailed to you, don’t accept it unless it was ordered by your doctor. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender. Keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the items.
*Be suspicious of anyone who offers free genetic testing and requests your Medicare number. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other fraud schemes.
*Look for charges on your Medicare Summary Notice statements for unnecessary tests or screenings that you did not want or were not ordered by your doctor.
If you suspect that you’ve been a victim of this scam or any Medicare fraud, report it. Call the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Medicare Assistance Program at 800-763-2828.

Do you have cramping in your legs while walking or at rest? Is it difficult for you to walk long distances? Do you have restless, cold or pale legs or feet? Do you have hair loss in the lower legs, infections or wounds that take a long time to heal or fungal infections of the toenails? You may have peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Peripheral artery disease is the narrowing or hardening of the arteries that carry blood to your limbs. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen rich blood to all the tissues in the body. Arteries can develop plaque buildup on their walls as we all get older. The plaques are generally a combination of cholesterol, fat, scar tissue and blood clots. Calcium deposits may also develop. This plaque progressively blocks blood flow to the limbs. In the legs, this reduced blood flow can cause cramping and pain.
Men and women over the age of 50 are most prone to peripheral arterial disease. Incidence becomes increasingly common with each year of life – men are affected earlier, but women catch up quickly. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, smokers, people with high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and genetic predisposition are at increased risk for developing this disease.
Diagnosis is determined with careful history and physical exam of an individual. Simple screening methods can include blood pressure measurement of the wrist and ankle or an ultrasound exam. In some instances a CT, MRI or arteriogram exam may be required.
Symptoms or consequences of the disease include pain, cramping in the legs with exercise or movement. Burning pain, numbness, tingling in the feet, and wounds or infections that are slow to heal or do not heal may also be present. Pale, blue, or cold feet may also be a sign of PAD.. If peripheral artery disease is left untreated or treated too late, it can lead to amputation of the toes, feet or legs.
PAD is preventable!
* Smoking – never start, or if you still smoke – QUIT!
* Diabetes – it’s very important to work with your primary healthcare professional to control your diabetes with a combination of medication, healthy diet, lifestyle modification and weight loss.
* Cholesterol – manage with medication, healthy diet, and exercise
* Overweight – manage with diet modification, weight loss, regular exercise
This disease can be treated surgically or with a minimally invasive procedure through an IV placed into the artery of the wrist, arm, foot, or groin. Treatment can include angioplasty or atherectomy. Angioplasty is the use of special balloons of various sizes that are used to expand an artery to its normal size. The balloon is removed after treatment is complete. Atherectomy removes plaque from the artery wall similar to a “roto-rooter” removing buildup from pipes. This can be achieved with different devices which incorporate cutting blades or lasers. Another method of treatment includes placement of stents which are used in select situations to expand an artery to its normal size and hold it open with a “scaffold”. Stents are permanent implants.
This can be treated by select cardiologists, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists. If you feel that you may be at risk for PAD, or have some of the symptoms, you should consult your primary healthcare professional to screen for it, and to discuss treatment options.
You are also welcome to call our Vascular Center to schedule a prompt and free consultation. You can contact us at 405-608-8884. We are a specialized center staffed with highly experienced professionals, including a Vascular/Interventional physician, dedicated to treating PAD on an outpatient basis using the latest proven technology to combat this epidemic.
Dr. C.V Ramana is a vascular and interventional radiologist with more than 20 years of practice experience. He has expertise in all areas of vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Ramana has a Ph.D from Yale University and MD from CWRU in Cleveland, Ohio where he subsequently completed his fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Cleveland Clinic.

Kenneth Wyatt just celebrated his 80th birthday on June 4. What makes this milestone even more special is knowing he underwent a lung transplant on
Jan. 10, 2019, at the age of 79.
The staff at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center held a surprise party for Wyatt and hope to have more of these celebrations in the future.
“People should not see age as a deterrent to seeking an organ transplant,” says Mark Rolfe, M.D., co-medical director of lung transplantation and advanced pulmonary disease management at the INTEGRIS Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute in Oklahoma City. “We look at physiologic age, not chronologic age. The old way of thinking was you can only transplant people 65 and younger, but there’s a lot of 75-year-olds who are otherwise healthy and still young at heart.”
About a year and a half ago, Wyatt suddenly started to experience shortness of breath. “It came on really quickly,” remembers Wyatt. “I just couldn’t get enough air. I felt claustrophobic, like I constantly needed more oxygen.”
He was diagnosed at another facility with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and was told his condition was terminal and he was simply too old for a transplant. Thankfully, Wyatt persisted and found another physician who immediately referred him to the INTEGRIS Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute.
“I was anxious to meet Mr. Wyatt,” says Alan Betensley, M.D., co-medical director of lung transplantation and advanced pulmonary disease management at INTEGRIS Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute. “We ran some tests and concluded he was healthy despite his pulmonary fibrosis, so we felt he would be an ideal candidate for transplant, regardless of his age.”
Wyatt was placed on the lung transplant list Nov. 15, 2018. “I hear some people wait years for a transplant, so I was surprised to get ‘the call’ less than two months later,” admits Wyatt. “I woke up in the Intensive Care Unit and everyone told me I did great. I was out of the hospital within a week.”
“Kenneth did remarkably well through the entire process. His oxygen level is back up to 98 percent and he is currently undergoing rehabilitation to regain his strength and endurance,” Betensley says. “I have no doubt he will make a full recovery. He is proof positive that age is relative.”
Wyatt says the experience has given him a new outlook on life and a brand-new purpose for living. “The way I figure it, is God gave me this condition for a reason. And maybe that reason is to help raise the age limit for transplant consideration. INTEGRIS took a chance on me when most other institutions wouldn’t, and I will be forever grateful for that.”
“I could still have 20 years ahead of me,” Wyatt predicts. “My mom is still living at 104 and my grand-dad lived to be 101 … so there’s a lot of life left in me.”

Free program offers help for those recovering from loss of loved ones

If you have experienced the death of a loved one, grief is the normal and natural response to loss. INTEGRIS Hospice provides on-going grief support.
Conducted by certified grief specialist, Marla Mercer Cole, MS, LPC, the six-week free evening program provides a step-by-step approach for those who wish to resolve their loss issues and move beyond their grief toward a richer quality of life.
Program Dates: June 17 – July 22 (Monday evenings) from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, 5911 W. Memorial Road in Oklahoma City in Conference rooms D and E, southwest entrance.
To enroll for the session: Call 405-603-1708. Programs are free of charge; space is limited.
Marla Cole is a licensed professional counselor specializing in the field of grief and loss. As current vice president of Mercer Adams Funeral Service in Bethany, she also directs the aftercare program for families they serve and oversees community relations.
Normal grief responses include appetite loss, difficulty sleeping, feelings of guilt or regret, lack of concentration, mood changes, numbness or crying.

Presti family Gift Helps transform The Children’s HosSam Presti, executive vice president and general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his wife, Shannon, have announced their gift of $600,000 to The Children’s Hospital at OU Medicine.
The Presti’s gift will have a major impact on The Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the family’s gift, two procedure rooms will receive renovations and technology upgrades in the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at The Children’s Hospital. The Presti’s generosity will also create a nurturing and interactive space in the east lobby of The Children’s Hospital, transforming both indoor and outdoor areas for patients and families that will foster creativity and healing for patients during their stay.
“Sam has been an engaged supporter of our mission and efforts and approached us last fall to determine how he and Shannon could most effectively make a positive difference for our patients and their families,” said Jon Hayes, president of The Children’s Hospital. “It became clear that Sam had a resolute sense of gratitude to the community and wanted to reciprocate in a way that would benefit all Oklahomans irrespective of location, socioeconomic status or any other barrier. The Prestis see a strong children’s hospital that endures well into the future as an essential aspect for all citizens of the state. We are so grateful for their generosity. At The Children’s Hospital, our highest priority is to provide quality patient and family-centered care and to improve the lives of children throughout the region. The Presti family’s gift helps us make every patient and family’s hospital stay as comfortable as possible, thereby improving their recovery and healing process.”
The Children’s Hospital is part of OU Medicine, a 501(c)(3) providing state of the art medical services to the children of Oklahoma and the region. OU Children’s Physicians representing nearly every pediatric specialty, see patients at the hospital, as well as in clinics in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and throughout the state.pital at OU Medicine

In July, we celebrate the independence of two great nations—the United States, on the 4th; and France, on July 14th, the day the French people stormed the Bastille prison and sparked the French revolution. What better time to consider all the reason I love all things French? In July, we celebrate the independence of two great nations—the United States, on the 4th; and France, on July 14th, the day the French people stormed the Bastille prison and sparked the French revolution. What better time to consider all the reason I love all things French? Perhaps it started during the two years I lived on Lafayette Street in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. The Marquis de Lafayette served in the colonial army with distinction, even though he was still a teenager in 1776. In high school, I was surrounded by French Canadian culture. Later, my son camped out at Shakespeare and Company, across from Notre Dame, for the short time he lived in Paris. Here are a few reasons why I love France. If I fail to mention your favorite memory of France (the wine, perhaps?), take no offense. This is a personal list that I hope will trigger happy memories for you. Fictional HeroesAlthough these characters are fictional, they taught me a lot about French history.Charles Dicken’s Paris (A Tale of Two Cities) provided one of my favorite quotes. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I’ll never forget Madame Defarge’s knitting needles and Sidney Carlton’s self-sacrifice in this tale of the French revolution. LeClerc, the spunky Frenchman on Hogan’s Heroes, introduced me to the lure of the French accent. Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, from France, once compared our countries’ flags: “America’s flag is red, white, and blue. The French flag is, more properly, blue, white, and red.I first encountered Versailles in the pages of The Three Musketeers and swooned to Richard Chamberlain as The Count of Monte Cristo. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, movie and film, brought that magnificent cathedral—and the concept of sanctuary—to poignant life. Paris, home in exileLet’s not forget the American novelists who lived France in the 1920s—Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, Edith Wharton, Kathryn Mansfield, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and John dos Passos, among others. Interesting how many of America’s best-known writers did their best writing away from home.Consider the books written during their exile: A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway), Ethan Frome (Wharton), The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)—my literary world would be a lot poorer without the Americans living in ParisImpressionismThe impressionist movement in art and music began in France. I’ve spent time enjoying the works of Debussy, Ravel, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, and Degas. Even Vincent Van Gogh might be considered French, since he moved there from his native Holland. It’s hard to imagine a museum without one of Degas’ ballerinas or Monet’s water lilies. I personally engage with impressionist music by performing it. My senior piano recital included two compositions from Debussy’s “Estampes”: Gardens in the Rain and Evenings in Granada. The music paints a picture without words or color. And I’m always spellbound by Ravel’s Bolero.Scientists and ThinkersA children’s book introduced me to Louis Pasteur and Madame Curie were among the celebrated scientists. Pasteur not only developed the process whereby we “pasteurize” milk but also developed the first treatment for anthrax. The Curies discovered the wonders of radium and opened the field of radiology.More recently, how about oceanographer Jacques Cousteau? He made the ocean accessible to the world. I can’t leave this section without mentioned Rene Descartes, who told us, “It is not enough to have a good mind; the main t hing is to use it well,” and “I think; therefore I am.”Food and LanguageNo homage to France would be complete without mentioning food and language. I’m not talking about fancy French cuisine. Beef “au jus” makes my mouth water. Omelet, quiche, souffle, and crepes are all improvements over scrambled eggs. What salad is complete without croutons? Acroissant is so much tastier than a slice of white bread. Sweets are my special downfall: eclairs, sorbets, petit fours, bon bons, crème brulee, macarons. Is everyone else hungry by now?The language I love would be incomplete without the French. They ruled England for several hundred years, so it’s no surprise we share a lot of words, even if we pronounce t hem differently. French continues to enrich the English language: chic, mystique, a la carte, cliché, carte blanche, bon voyage, R.S.V.P. (respondez-vous sil vou plais) Of all the reasons I love France, one stands above them all: the Statue of Liberty, their gift to America. Vive la France!Darlene Franklin continues to write from her home in a nursing home. You can find her online at www.facebook.com/Poet.Darlene.Franklin/.

It is the distinct pleasure of the Troy and Dollie Smith Wellness Center at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute to invite you to our 25th annual art exhibit dedicated to the curative powers of creativity and to all whose lives have been affected by cancer.
The exhibit showcases all forms of art including fiber, graphics, oil, watercolor, mixed media, photography, pottery, sculpture, writing and poetry. Register art by Monday, July 8, 2019. Deliver art by Friday, July 19. Pieces will be displayed from July 25 through Sept. 6, 2019.
Artists of all ages wishing to express how their lives have been affected by cancer will have their work on display. The pieces may be by individuals or collaborative, done by professionals as well as first-time artists.
In lieu of a 10 percent sales commission, there will be a nominal $10 registration fee for each piece submitted (limited to two entries only) per artist. Registration proceeds will benefit the INTEGRIS Foundation’s Art Therapy fund to help continue the exhibit dedicated to all affected by cancer.
The registration fee will be due from the artist on the art drop-off day, Friday, July 19, 2019 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Registration fees will be accepted in cash or a check made payable to INTEGRIS. Registration of art is available at integrisok.com/celebration-of-life or by calling 405-773-6600.
OPENING RECEPTION
Artists, cancer survivors, families and friends will be recognized at the 25th annual Celebration of Life Art Show and Opening Reception on Thursday, July 25, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, 5911 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73142. To RSVP for the event, please call 405-951-2277.