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Leaders of Tomorrow! APRIL/MAY 1998 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER 17
Health
Briefs
by George Kovacik
Surgery may be an option for
epilepsy patients
Many epileptics may not be aware
that surgery is an option when medi
cation is not successful in controlling
seizures.
A brain surgery, called temporal
lobectomy, offers relief for epilepsy
patients whose seizures begin in the
temporal lobe, an area located on
both sides of the brain near the
temples.
“Eighty percent of temporal lobec
tomy patients will be seizure free,”
said Dr. Robert Grossman, chairman
of neurosurgery at Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston. “Most can re
duce their medication, and in some
cases, stop their medication.”
A small piece of the temporal lobe
is removed during surgery. Patients
spend about six days in the hospital
and most experience an immediate
end to their seizures.
“With the seizures under control,
most patients are able to do things
they avoided in the past and have
no limitations,” Grossman said.
Sports and recreation are
still options for many people
with disabilities
A physical disability doesn’t have
to mean the end of an active life.
From mountain climbing to play
ing board games, sports and recrea
tional activities can help improve
self-esteem and provide a sense of
accomplishment.
“Most rehabilitation facilities and
programs incorporate recreational
therapists who are skilled at teach
ing people proper techniques and
approaches to recreation,” says Lex
Frieden of Baylor College of Medi
cine and the Institute for rehabilita
tion and Research in Houston.
Some patients might start by
pitching a ball to a therapist and
progress to shooting baskets. Others,
including those with spinal-cord and
traumatic head injuries, might begin
their rehabilitation with pool-based
activities. The water has a calming
effect, and the buoyancy can help
people with disabilities stand up
right and increase mobility.
“With proper guidance and modifi
cations, many people with disabili
ties can participate in virtually any
activity,” Frieden said.
Those at high risk of diabetes
should be tested
People over the age of 40 who
are at high risk of diabetes should
be tested yearly for the disease even
if they don’t have symptoms.
“By diagnosing diabetes before
symptoms develop, physicians can
intervene sooner with medication
and recommend lifestyle changes to
minimize the comphcations from this
potentially deadly disease,” said Dr.
Alan J. Garber, an endocrinologist
at Baylor College of Medicine and
the Methodist Hospital in Houston.
Risk factors for diabetes include a
family history of the disease, obesity,
age and ethnic background. Diabetes
is best treated through a combina
tion of diet, exercise and medication.
It is a manageable disease, and the
outlook is bright for potential dia
betics who seek early diagnosis.
Timing of sex education is
important
Parents shouldn’t wait until the
night of the prom to talk to their
children about sex.
“Kids are going to hear about sex
before they get to high school by
talking to friends, reading books and
watching movies and TV. The in
formation coming from these sources
won’t necessarily be accurate, and it
Afrika CONTINUED
African youth to our role in the proc
ess of change in Africa. We recog
nize that dialogue among the youth,
and between different generations of
African society is crucial to the
achievement of our goals.”
• Encourage the coordination of
activities and the ultimate goals
of such activities, amongst and
between African organizations
globally.
• Deal with issues of discrimina
tion and prejudice or any form of
attack upon African students.
• Provide a social and academic
support network for African stu
dents abroad and at theme, as a
means of enhancing educational
resources and research.
• Promote contact, offer assistance
and exchange information with
organizations that are genuinely
interested in projects which are
aimed at the development of Af
rica and the African people.
• Promote a way of working as an
organization that ensures the ef
fective participation of all mem
bers, including those who face
discrimination because of creed,
national origin, disability, age or
gender within the ranks of IASA.
Finally, IASA will be the cradle to
many leaders of the world. Its for
mer President, Ms. Hafsat Abiola, is
the daughter of the President of one
of the richest nations in Africa and is
a current Harvard graduate student.
Also in attendance at the conference
were several other relatives of influ
ential diplomats: the niece of the
Secretary General of the United na
tions and the nephew of the presi
dent of Angola.
Furthermore, some of Morris
Brown College’s won alumnae are
very active in IASA. Ms. Cleopatra
Warren, a 1996 Morris Brown Col
lege graduate, the Field Organizer
for Amnesty International’s South
ern Region in Atlanta, is responsible
for promoting human rights aware
ness through organizing students at
10 historically black college cam
puses. In addition, she was one of
the Keynote speakers at the confer
ence. Osahar Berry, former Morris
Brown College SGA President, was
instrumental in making the confer
ence a success. Osahar is currently
a graduate student at American
University.
Membership in the International
African Students Association is open
to all persons that share in their vi
sion. An annual fee of $10.00 is re
quired for membership. For more
information on IASA, write to: IASA
Executive Board, P.O. Box 1868, Ja
maica Plain, MA 02130, or contact
Nzogi Bruno Felipe at (404) 880-
3545.
To JVIake Amends
by Tiffini Barnes
Atlanta, GA.-The Empress Verdi-
acee Ghoston, an empress of her
own nation called, “The Washitaw
Nation” located in Louisiana, lec
tured in Fountain Hall’s Auditorium
at Morris Brown College. She was
invited by Mrs. Glenn, who teaches
U.S. History, to welcome students to
visit her nation and discuss her in
heritance from her ancestors the
Moors.
Empress Verdiacee Ghoston men
tioned her inheritance was proven
by documents that are located in the
Congress Library. The Moors owned
may not convey the appropriate
message,” said Dr. Peggy Smith, di
rector of Baylor College of Medicine’s
Teen Health Clinics in Houston.
Smith recommends that parents
discuss sexuality with their children
early and often. Any questions
about sexual development and gen
der differences should be answered
with age-appropriate information
when the questions are raised.
Telling the kids the “facts of life’
right before puberty (usually age 12)
can prepare them for what to expect
as their bodies change.
Parents shouldn’t worry that sex
education will encourage kids to en
gage in sexual behavior.
“Instead, they should take advan
tage of the opportunity to make their
teenagers aware of the risk of preg
nancy and sexually transmitted dis
eases. Parents also should help kids
develop personal values for making
appropriate decisions about sexual
behavior,” said Smith.
three million square acres of land in
America, but when she reclaimed
her inheritance, the United States
government gave her only 68,000
acres of land in Louisiana. It is the
first black nation in Louisiana where
the United States government has
no jurisdiction over the land.
Her nation is number 215, which
is a nation defined by the U.S. gov
ernment and she is waiting for her
reparation from the government
which is a quadruple amount of
three million dollars, since the gov
ernment would not give her the
three million square acres of land
that was documented.
She said, “The meaning of repara
tion is to make amends or something
done or paid to make amends. It is
almost like compensation.”
“My ancestors the Moors were here
in the Americas before the English
discovered the land,” Empress Ver
diacee Ghoston said.
She mentioned that the Moors
originated in West Africa in Mali
and sailed to America in 300 A.D.
During 1300-1400 A.D. Mali was
very powerful, so the Moors travelled
to the Iberian Pennisula and civi
lized the European society. During
the 711-1492 A.D. Moors ruled
Europe, Spain and Portugal, but
in 1200 A.D. the Moors lost power.
Empress Verdiacee Ghoston said,
“In 1492 A.D. the Moors lost com
plete power over Europe. Then the
West African Slave trade began”.
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