HJBR Sep/Oct 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  SEP / OCT 2020 27 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com Otolaryngology, American Broncho-Esophago- logical Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic is located at 8200 Constan- tin Boulevard, Suite 300, in Baton Rouge. Nearly 2K Families Affected by COVID-19 Receive Financial Support Louisiana Healthcare Connections has part- nered with 20 community-based organizations to distribute 1,900 pre-paid gift cards to families and individuals who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. The gift cards enable these fami- lies to purchase food and cleaning and personal hygiene items at Walmart and Amazon. “During this epidemic, through our community partners, we have learned that these items are a critical need for families across the state,” said Chelsea Graves, community relations principal for Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “Our state has been extremely responsive by streamlining and increasing access to healthcare, unemployment, and SNAP benefits, but these programs do not cover personal items or cleaning supplies. This gift card program addresses that gap for the fam- ilies who need it most.” In East Baton Rouge Parish, the program has provided relief for 350 households, and the response has been one of overwhelming grati- tude, according to Baton Rouge Councilwoman Donna Collins Lewis (District 6). “Needless to say, during this difficult time, fam- ilies are having to make many adjustments, and the needs are greater than ever before,” said Collins Lewis, on behalf of YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge. “Many families are receiving SNAP benefits, but as we know, that program does not allow for the purchase of toiletry and other per- sonal items that are so greatly needed right now, especially with families having to be at home all day. We are so grateful to Louisiana Healthcare Connections for recognizing this need and for their continued commitment to our community. Our families are deeply appreciative of the work they do in our city.” Those sentiments were echoed by New Orleans Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen (District E). Five hundred of the gift cards were provided to New Orleans residents who demonstrated need. Speaking on behalf of Vietnamese Initiatives in Economic Training (VIET), one of the non- profit organizations working to distribute the gift cards, Nguyen said, “While families are strug- gling with the unknown healthcare issues related to the coronavirus, these gift cards have provided a sense of comfort and relief that they can take care of their basic needs.” The crisis has also been particularly difficult for residents of North Louisiana, making the gift cards a welcome offering to 500 families in par- ishes along the I-20 corridor. From its offices in Shreveport, Monroe, and Alexandria, New Hori- zons Independent Living is one of the organiza- tions that has been distributing the cards to client families in need, according to Gale Dean, LCSW, executive director. “This unprecedented epidemic truly requires all of us working together to address the challenges faced by local families,” noted Dean. “We are fortunate to have partners like Louisiana Health- care Connections that share our commitment to helping families affected by COVID-19 to get the resources and services they need, when they need it most.” Other organizations currently distributing the gift cards on behalf of Louisiana Healthcare Con- nections include: • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority – GNO/ABO Charitable & Educational Foundation of New Orleans • Children’s Coalition of Monroe • Acadia Council on Aging in Crowley • Families Helping Families of Shreveport • Family Promise of St. Tammany in Slidell • Family Strong Foundation of Lafayette • Greater St. Luke Church in Baton Rouge • HOPE Ministries of Baton Rouge • Livingston Parish Council on Aging in Den- ham Springs • L.O.V.E. Community of DeQuincy • Novare Foundation in Monroe • Ouachita Parish Council on Aging in Monroe • YMCA in Bogalusa • YWCA of Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport • The Extra Mile in Alexandria • Total Community Action in New Orleans “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to our state, and as part of our mission to transform health in Louisiana, we are commit- ted to partnering with community organizations and healthcare providers to address those chal- lenges,” said Jamie Schlottman, CEO and plan president of Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “We are very appreciative of all our community partners for helping us to get this support to the families and individuals who need it most.” Study Discovers BAM15 as a Potential Treatment for Obesity A new study offers the first evidence that a pro- tein named BAM15 acts as an energy uncoupler and could be an effective drug for treating obe- sity and related diseases. Obesity affects more than 650 million peo- ple worldwide and drives a number of danger- ous health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and more than a dozen deadly can- cers. Global spending to treat obesity and obe- sity-related illnesses amounts to well above $150 billion a year. “Despite this, only a handful of medications are currently FDA-approved for obesity treatment, and the people who take these drugs rarely achieve long term weight loss,” said John Kir- wan, PhD, executive director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. “Halting the obesity epidemic requires new, more effective medications. This research represents a very promising step in the discovery process. We hope that in the not-too-distant future, BAM15 or related compounds will advance to clinical drug development and become a viable treatment option for patients with obesity.” Michael Dunham, MD