Seems nobody told Jack Andraka that he was too young to invent a revolutionary fast, cheap and accurate early-detection test for pancreatic cancer. Oh that’s right. A whole bunch of scientists did. But that didn’t stop him from pursuing his invention, which uses a special kind of test strip paper, sort of like the kind diabetic use, to show the presence of a protein linked to cancer. He walked away with $75,000 for winning the grand prize at the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and a really fun appearance on the Colbert Report. So no excuses. If you’ve got a great idea, don’t give up until the world sees it.
Tag: Diseases & Disorders
Hope for Vets with Hearing Loss
When most people think about the health challenges facing post-9-11 veterans, PTSD or missing limbs are usually some of the first problems that spring to mind. But actually the most common problems for recent veterans are tinnitus and hearing loss, which rank as the top two disabilities reported to the Veterans Benefit Administration. These ailments result from sudden loud noises like roadside bombs as well as exposure to sustained noise generated by aircraft and engines. In 2012 the Department of Defense established the Hearing Center of Excellence, which is lobbying congress to approve funds for more research on preventing and healing hearing loss, including medicine that could help prevent hair-cell damage in soldiers’ ears, and various treatments for tinnitus. With this renewed effort, everyone involved hopes to make similar strides with healing hearing loss as those that have been made with advances in prosthetic limbs.
Kentucky’s Says It’s Time to Fill the State With Quitters
With the Great American Smokeout on the way, and recognizing that 22% of its state population still smokes, Kentucky has started state-wide community challenge to get people to stop smoking. American Lung Association in Kentucky and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have partnered to bring the “Quitter in You” program to the state. Since about 60% of quitters aren’t successful in their first try, this community effort doesn’t just provide support for people who are quitting. It adds a clever second layer, a robust toolkit for people who want to help a family member, friend, or co-worker quit. It even has specific resources for helping kids. Louisville, hub for the Kentucky program, has seen a slight decrease in its local smoking rates, but the city and still wants to curb tobacco use, which is tied to four leading causes of death: cancer, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke.