More than Medicine

Putting Patients First Every Day

2012-05-15T13:59:30Z

What would you do if you were diagnosed with an acute illness and needed immediate treatment, but you couldn't afford to fill your prescription? Or you developed a chronic condition for which effective treatment was available, but you couldn't afford to stay on it?

Today there are 44 million people in the US with incomes below the Federal Poverty Level and far more who have trouble paying for healthcare, even if they get help from a government program like Medicare.

Even though we know the importance of taking medicines as they are prescribed, financial hardships and lack of prescription coverage often cause patients to go without their medicines, or to stretch their treatment in ways that could jeopardize their health.

As a member of the GSK Patient Assistance Team, I am proud to help patients receive their medicines.

GSK has one of the largest patient assistance programs in the industry. Last year close to half a million patients accessed our medicines, and we fill the equivalent of about 2.7 million 30-day prescription fills provided every year. We offer programs that provide GSK medicines at little or no cost for eligible patients.

Beyond the facts and figures, we know our programs make a real difference by the many thank you cards, letters, and calls we receive on a daily basis. We hear regularly from patient assistance enrollees who submit comments like "Your caring and generosity make life more bearable for people like me with medical problems" and "[I] won't give up the fight [against cancer]. So glad you were there when I needed the help."

Recently my team received a thank you with a picture of newborn baby enclosed. It was from a grandmother who received help from our patient assistance program for cancer medicines, and she was thrilled to be alive to witness the birth of her granddaughter! I have the best job in the company managing our patient assistance programs and I am so proud to work for a company like GSK that truly puts the patient first and helps them do more, feel better and live longer!

A parade of causes. The drive to run.

2012-05-08T13:36:49Z

It all started with a little orange pedometer. After several months of taking at least 10,000 steps a day, I decided to "kick it up a notch" and attended a workshop at work that, as cliché as it sounds, changed my life.

The class was Energy for Performance, or 'E4P' as the cool kids call it. It focused on three key areas: nutrition, exercise, and mental approach. But at 54, I really didn't think significant change was in my immediate future.

Oh sure, I used to be in decent shape--I even ran the Philly Marathon in 1987. But that was a few lifetimes ago. A quarter century ago. And many, many cheesesteaks ago. During the E4P class, I got a serious wake-up call in the form of a small printout. Just a piece of paper, with several important numbers--my weight was 193 and my BMI (Body Mass Index) was 32. But it was the word in all caps that really jolted me: OBESE. That was it. Ring! Ring! I made the decision to lose weight, get back into shape, and get healthy.

I started running and joined the fitness center at work (thank you, GSK!). My first day, I laced up my new Asics, strapped on the heart monitor that I received in the E4P class and bolted out the door. It would be my longest run that week--a total of three minutes. That's three minutes straight, without stopping. I kid you not. The next week, I increased my time to four minutes, and each week I increased it by one minute. After five months, I was up to running 60 minutes. It was time. I needed a goal. I had to enter a race.

In my younger days, I loved the Broad Street Run. The 10-miler was a Philly tradition, and the course is flat, and almost downhill. The last time I did the run, the finish line was in JFK Stadium. History note--the stadium, famous for the Live Aid concert, was demolished in 1992. I told you it's been a while. But, in my new-found enthusiasm, I decided to do it again, this past Sunday.

The weather was perfect. The atmosphere was amazing, with strangers, children, Temple University cheerleaders, bands playing music, and hundreds of volunteers passing out Gatorade and water. I even got to high-five ex-Governor and Philly celebrity Ed Rendell. They lined the street with cheering, homemade signs, support, and words of encouragement.

It was that enthusiasm that allowed me to finish in a respectable 90 minutes, crossing the finish line not far from our new building at the Navy Yard that will be completed by the end of the year.

But I was only one of 38,000 stories among the 76,000 shoes beating the asphalt on Sunday morning. There was a much greater cause. Stop diseases. Many were running in memory of loved ones who had died from a multitude of diseases, including cancer, muscle diseases, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.

Some were running in support of loved ones who are suffering now, and many others were running to keep themselves healthy in the hope they never have to suffer. At mile marker number eight, I passed Methodist Hospital, where I was born. I thought of my mom, who passed away six years ago from a truly devastating disease, tuberculosis. It made me proud to work for a company that is trying to eliminate diseases.

With the Navy Yard in sight, I saw a small boy hold up a sign that read, "Worst parade ever." Sorry, but I disagree.

World Immunization Week Spotlight: Polio

2012-04-26T14:52:37Z

There is no cure for polio--a disease whose symptoms and effects have been been known for thousands of years. In fact, this image shows what is believed to be a person suffering from polio in ancient Egypt. Polio is caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and can lead to total paralysis within hours; those who survive quite often suffer from other lifelong medical consequences. Prevention is therefore the only way to tackle this disease, and our company has consistently been at the forefront of efforts to eradicate the disease.

The polio vaccine was the very first vaccine that our company researched, developed and produced in the 1950s. Back then, a polio epidemic had hit the United States and heightened concerns about the disease around the world. Six decades later after intense worldwide vaccination programmes and campaigns, we are on the brink of eradicating polio.

A major boost came in 1998 with the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a public-private partnership whose goal is to eradicate polio worldwide. The figures speak for themselves: polio cases have decreased by over 99%, from an estimated 350,000 cases in 1988 to 1,352 reported cases in 2010. The latest success story has been India, which in early 2012 was removed from the World Health Organisation's list of polio-endemic countries after passing the one-year mark without any new cases. Only three countries - Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan - remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 nations in 1988.

GSK is a major contributor to the GPEI, delivering to date more than 15 billion doses of Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV) to UNICEF to support the initiative. Between 2000 and 2010 around 80% of our OPV capacity was dedicated to the initiative and supplied at a low price. We also produce and supply Inactivated (killed) Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV), either as a stand-alone vaccine or in combination with other childhood vaccines such as diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, at tiered prices to countries implementing IPV immunization programmes.

Before polio vaccines had been developed, virtually all children were infected with polio viruses, with annual epidemics leaving thousands of victims using crutches, braces, wheelchairs and iron lungs. Today, a series of polio vaccines can protect a child for life.

Tomorrow we'll highlight the seasonal flu vaccine.

Public domain image courtesy of Wikipedia.

World Malaria Day: Why It Matters in the US

2012-04-25T12:52:34Z

Over the last five years, we've seen that scaling up existing malaria control interventions--bed-nets and anti-malarial treatments--leads to dramatic reduction in the burden of the disease in some countries and eradicating it completely in others, and with our malaria vaccine candidate in late stage development there is much to be optimistic about. So it is timely that World Malaria Day happens smack in the middle of World Immunization Week!

For most of us who were born in the US, there is no first-hand knowledge of malaria, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't care about it. It used to be a problem, especially in warmer parts of the Lower 48. Thankfully, a well-coordinated effort eliminated it in the US in 1951.

Because despite recent successes, half the world's population remains at risk of malaria and it still kills almost 655,000 people every year--mostly young children in sub-Saharan Africa. One of our researchers recounted a trip where he saw "children's lives hanging by a thread, mothers waiting anxiously for news of their child's survival, communities suffering from the loss of another life, over-burdened hospitals and over-worked doctors making tough decisions, not about how to treat but who to save."

We won't tackle malaria by adopting a business-as-usual approach. This is why our program is not only about ensuring access to existing interventions, it's about continuing to invest in innovation and science to ensure we are playing our part in supporting the theme of this year's World Malaria Day: Sustain Gains, Save Lives, Invest in Malaria.

GSK and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), together with prominent African research centers, have partnered to develop a malaria vaccine candidate, known as RTS,S. RTS,S which is currently in a Phase III trial, is the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate. If licensed and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) it will be used exclusively for children in sub-Saharan Africa who suffer the greatest burden of disease. A vaccine, if approved, would be an important component of a comprehensive malaria control program which already includes bed nets and anti-malaria medicines.

We're committed to making this vaccine candidate available to those who need it most. The eventual price of RTS,S will cover the cost of manufacturing the vaccine together with a small return of around 5% that will be reinvested in R&D for second-generation malaria vaccines or vaccines against other neglected tropical diseases.

We're also working in partnership with other organizations to increase the availability and uptake of preventative measures and improve management of malaria, particularly for young children and pregnant women. This includes providing our anti-malarial medicines at deeply discounted prices in LDCs and sub-Saharan Africa to ensure access for as many people as possible.

In communities in Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya, we're working with partners and with national malaria control programs to help build capacity of community health workers and mobilize families to become the frontline in the fight against malaria.

Up next...polio, a great example of a successful combination of public health policy and sound science.

World Immunization Week Spotlight: Rotavirus

2012-04-24T13:19:37Z

Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea and vomiting (gastroenteritis) in infants and young children worldwide. Every year approximately half a million children under five die from rotavirus infections, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, with most of these children living in low-income countries, but it still appears here in the US.

Rotavirus is a highly contagious infection that commonly begins with fever and vomiting followed by diarrhea and rapid dehydration. It is found in all countries, with 95% of children worldwide infected with the rotavirus virus by three to five years of age. However, mortality is considerably higher in developing countries as access to medical care is more limited.

Vaccination is recognised as a highly effective way to protect young children against this disease. Given that prevention is difficult even in a sanitary environment, the WHO recommends the inclusion of rotavirus vaccines for infants in all national immunization programs in all regions including both developing and developed countries.

"Rotavirus vaccines have enormous potential to save lives...we urgently need to get these life-saving vaccines to children in developing countries," the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) Alliance declared last year.

Tomorrow, we'll talk about malaria--since it is World Malaria Day--and why we should care about it in the US.

Image courtesy of the World Health Organization.

World Immunization Week

2012-04-23T13:14:36Z

Today marks the start of World Immunization Week 2012--an initiative coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that aims to unite countries across the globe for a week of vaccination campaigns, public education, and information sharing.

This week, WHO is working with countries across the globe to raise awareness of the real value of vaccination, as well as helping to ensure that governments obtain the necessary guidance and technical support to implement high-quality immunization programs. Vaccines play a major role in preventing diseases and it's because of vaccinations that at least 3 million deaths are prevented and 750,000 children are saved from disability every single year.

World Immunization Week is important, as it helps:

Raise awareness of how immunization saves lives
Increase vaccination coverage to prevent disease outbreaks
Reach underserved and marginalised communities―particularly those living in remote areas, deprived urban settings, fragile states and strife-torn regions―with existing and newly available vaccines
Reinforce the medium and long-term benefits of immunization, giving children a chance to grow up healthily, go to school and improve their life prospects

These objectives tie in well with our mission to help people do more, feel better, and live longer. In fact, here in the US, we even have a Vaccines Access Program that provides GSK vaccines to adult applicants who meet eligibility requirements

To mark the occasion of World Immunization Week, over the next few days we'll shine the spotlight on a few vaccine preventable diseases.

Image courtesy of WHO.

Four Generations and One Workplace

2012-04-03T19:38:23Z

Last week, I had the honor of speaking to a group of undergraduate women studying the sciences (Generation Y), their GSK mentors (Gen X & Boomers), as well as faculty members from the students' schools (Gen X & Boomers). The event was called the North Carolina GSK Foundation Women in Science Scholars Spring Conference.

I was so impressed by the level of education that was represented by these young women! I spoke with one student at lunch who was working on a degree in bioscience engineering, and I marveled at the educational opportunities for women today. As a member of the Mature/Silent Generation (born prior to 1945), I spoke about how women in my era were relegated to three basic career choices: teacher, nurse, or secretary. The same student talked about how she had spent the last semester in Madrid, Spain, and traveled all over Europe while she was there. The younger generation is not only well traveled but thinks more globally than ever before, something both mentors and advisors can use as a way to better understand one another.

I spoke to the audience from a practical point of view based upon my life experiences. The topic for my presentation was "Capitalizing on the Multi-Generational Workplace," a subject I have become familiar with in the past six years due to my involvement with an employee networking group that I initiated known as Prime Time Partners (PTP).

One of the remits of PTP is to promote cross-generational understanding. For the first time in history, there are four generations working together in the US, and I've had the opportunity to research and share information about this phenomena at both internal and external business meetings, including the National Council on Aging Annual Meeting, the Atlanta Regional Commission Summit on Aging Workforce Dynamics, and the NC Association of School Nurses.

I talk about the unique set of workplace traits each generation brings to the workplace, how outside influences shape each generation, and the impact that each has upon the workplace. Having been raised with technology, today's Generation Y workers are "Digital Natives" and can provide "reverse mentoring" opportunities for the older generations in learning about the new digital tools that they all use with ease. The older generations can provide a solid foundation to the younger ones by mentoring and providing insight into work ethics, knowledge of the business world, and connections to company leaders.

Last week, I urged the participants to take time to talk with one another to help promote understanding and to strengthen teams by capitalizing on the skills of each generation. All generations have similar values; they just express them differently. They want the same things at different times and for different reasons. If you understand these issues, you can make the most of your experiences and skills, and leverage generational differences.

Electronic Health Records and the Shifting Healthcare Landscape

2012-03-26T14:33:32Z

Last week, I gave a speech at the PharmEHR Summit in Philadelphia about how GSK sees healthcare evolving and how we see electronic health records fitting into that shifting landscape. I also touched on how we are adapting our business to take advantage of the opportunities we see in this ever-changing marketplace.

The bottom line is that we see great potential for EHRs to complement and strengthen the work we do every day to improve patient health. And that goal--improving patient health--is the foundation of our work at GSK.

We think the continued development and adoption of electronic health records will be essential if we are to be successful in improving how care is delivered and paid for in the United States. We see EHRs as critical to improving the use of evidence-based medicine and treatment guidelines, to coordinating care, to measuring quality and in shifting to a healthcare system based on value, not volume.

Just improving adherence to clinical guidelines could drive real improvements in care. Today, a typical patient in the US receives evidence-based medical treatment only 50% of the time. If we could increase that by half, just think about the benefit to patients.

We all know that the healthcare environment is evolving rapidly. Providers, patients and payers all want more affordable, accessible and higher quality care.

Those are GSK's goals, as well. In fact, for some time now, we have advocated for healthcare based on prevention, appropriate intervention, and continued innovation, particularly with a focus on chronic diseases, to improve health and rein in costs.

I believe further progress against chronic disease can be made if we apply EHRs to appropriately capture, share, and use health information. Not only will electronic health records help improve prevention and treatment of disease, but they will be helpful in supporting innovation by providing data about the delivery and payment for care in diverse settings and among different patient populations.

EHRs' promise is a more informed, connected and effective healthcare system, all of us will need to work together to make changes in what we do and how we do it.

Philly Science Fest: STEM Education on the Parkway!

2012-03-20T14:35:55Z

Water, liquids (such as oil, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, milk, ammonia, lemon juice, orange juice and seltzer water), liquid soap, honey, syrup, mustard, diluted red cabbage, baking soda, cream of tartar, and Alka-Seltzer.

No it's not a shopping list. This is the list of "waste products" that will result from the experiments GSK scientists will perform on April 21 at the Philadelphia Science Fest "Carnival" on the Ben Franklin Parkway. Who says STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) education only takes place in a classroom?

Ever wondered about the science behind making new medicines? Want to find out what happens in a chemistry or biology lab? Join us in the interactive GlaxoSmithKline booth and learn how the science of everyday materials relates to pharmaceutical research! Visitors can talk to GSK research scientists, watch exciting and colorful chemistry demonstrations, and perform fun experiments... including solid-liquid separations, density analysis, pH testing, and chemical reactions!

I attended the preview of the Science Fest last night at the Franklin Institute. I saw a woman (pictured above) make a really cool Brady Bunchish table volcano, guy with a robotic-looking arm thing, a woman holding an owl on her shoulder (presumably talking about interesting things owls do--I couldn't hear her), learned about Mayan culture, and participated in an olive-oil tasting (and learned about why good olive oil burns your throat).

This is going to be very cool. If you're in Philadelphia on April 21, stop by the Parkway (hopefully the weather will cooperate).

A Sea of Orange Under Studio Lights

2012-03-14T20:28:21Z

This week, I had the opportunity to volunteer with more than 50 of my GSK colleagues at the public television station (UNC-TV) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. UNC-TV is statewide in NC and has the responsibility to change lives for the better. Their programming has inspired me and connected me to literature, art, entertainment and the world around me. Our team was proud to raise more than $43,000 dollars in just one evening.

I have been volunteering since college. While working at GlaxoWellcome in the mid-1990's, I saw a posting from our Community Partnership team seeking volunteers for the UNC-TV FESTIVAL event. It was an easy way for me to be involved and give back to the "new" community I lived and worked in.

I enjoyed the UNC TV FESTIVAL so much that I expanded my volunteerism to other events sponsored by UNC-TV. I've volunteered at the NC State Fair, NC Mountain State Fair in Western NC (where I enjoyed being in a character costume), at the station as a floor manager, Kids Club events, and PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest), and other events.

The definition of volunteer is a person who performs a service or undertaking willingly and without pay. But there are so many personal rewards. My volunteering provides a break in the regular routine and encourages me to look at what I do with a new perspective. I have learned a lot, expanded my world, and made many new friends.

I'm proud to be part of a company that supports both its local and global community.

PULSE: Learning and Commitment

2012-03-09T14:40:39Z

I recently returned to GSK after spending six months on a PULSE assignment working with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), one of the larger childhood cancer philanthropies in the US. Although my PULSE assignment has officially ended, by no means is my PULSE experience over. Which is such a good thing, because the experience exceeded my expectations on many levels.

Liz and Jay Scott established ALSF eight years ago to carry out the vision of their only daughter, Alexandra, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her first birthday. When she was four, Alex told her parents she wanted to set up a lemonade stand in order to donate money to doctors to help them find a cure for cancer. She raised $2,000 in one day. While bravely fighting her cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year--and the nation took notice, with thousands of children, teenagers, and adults following suit. In 2004, Alex died at the age of eight, but her inspiration to help fight cancer "one cup at a time" have resulted in over $50 million to fund more than 200 cutting-edge research projects, create a travel program to support families of children receiving treatment, and develop resources to help people everywhere affected by childhood cancer.

A couple of years ago, ALSF brought together many childhood cancer charities to determine how they could better work together, perhaps share/leverage resources in certain areas, and form an umbrella organization that could help achieve specific common objectives. People across the organizations started talking, summits were held, committees were formed, and work was started. However, the effort was never officially chartered; its leadership was unclear; participants began to realize just how difficult and resource-intensive collaboration can be; and by the second year, the effort had stalled.

My assignment involved assessing the collaboration's work to date, diagnosing barriers to coordinated action and collaboration across the community; analyzing industry collaboration models; and designing a sustainable collaboration solution and developing the associated business plan for the community to implement.*

Going into my PULSE assignment, I knew I'd learn a lot about pediatric cancer and figured I would learn a couple of things about myself and GSK. But would it be enough? I believe this is a common source of mild angst among PULSE volunteers; i.e., to be expected to drive up to GSK on your first day back with a car full of lessons, all packaged and ready to be unloaded in order to begin making an immediate impact on the company and its culture. The fact is, most of the knowledge you gain through an experience like PULSE are deeply personal, and they are realized gradually. Some of these lessons are new; some are validations of existing notions. There definitely are things we can understand better about GSK--and see more clearly--once we are put in a different setting.

My commitments as I integrate back into GSK are to:

· Communicate more personally and efficiently--don't "feed the beast"

· Speak up more to clarify accountability and responsibility

· Work more, meet better and less

· Appreciate more, help out more

Our organization is composed of exceptionally motivated and talented individuals, and our leadership by and large does a terrific job in celebrating team successes, recognizing individual accomplishments, and rewarding strong performance. This is something that may have been more in the back of mind than what it should have been prior to PULSE. But now, I want to ensure that I inquire more and judge less, collaborate more and compete less internally, and take time to give feedback when someone does something really well, not just when someone can do something better.

A question I'm frequently asked about PULSE is whether the experience helped me "put things in perspective" and if I now have a renewed appreciation for things I may have been taking for granted. Certainly--I realized this about halfway through the assignment, when I was invited to speak about PULSE at a GSK-sponsored charity golf outing and silent auction to benefit ALSF. After the event, Liz Scott spoke about Alex's legacy, how we can all make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer, and how much she (and the Foundation) appreciate the efforts, time, and, of course, money that everyone in attendance was contributing that day. Then a family who had received assistance from the Foundation spoke. I'll never forget their son Danny, a cancer survivor who is now legally blind due to the side effects of his chemotherapy regimen. As I listened to Danny and watched him read from his paper with oversized script, I was struck by how big his smile was as he read...how happy he is.

He and his family have experienced a frightening type of adversity that I can only hope my family and I never have to experience. But you would never know it by looking at him, listening to him, talking to him. That's in the past. It's done. Look forward. There's much to get done and experience.

That evening, I experienced what it truly means to "be here now"--thanks to the pure gratefulness and happiness that Danny personified and beamed out to us. That evening, I made a commitment to myself always to carry forward with an active (not latent) sense of gratitude--for all the wonderful people in my life, all the things I've been given, all the things I've earned--and a strong conviction for all the good we can do by making the most of every moment.

*It also included running my first half-marathon as part of Team Lemon, a group that raises money for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. That's me, after the race.

Art Integration: A New Way to Look at Science

2012-02-21T20:39:04Z

Before I had the opportunity to work with the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA), I thought that integrating art into my classroom meant drawing pictures and coloring diagrams. After spending time with educators from the NCMA, I learned that art integration includes observing, interpreting, critiquing, and using pieces of art to relate to the science curriculum. It also includes having students create their own paintings, drawings, and sculptures. After using art in my classroom in these new ways, I realized that art and science have many connections. Bringing art into a science classroom, which is being supported by a $2 million grant from the GSK NC Foundation, is easy way to engage, empower, and excite students about learning.

As an example, I use art in my Geology class to discuss texture. After learning about types of rocks, students are introduced to the painting Orange Outline (pictured above) by Franz Kline. I facilitate a guided discussion about the painting, then introduce the students to texture and scale, words that relate to both science and art. The class is asked to compare and contrast how texture is used in art and how it is described in terms of rocks and geology. As a final product, the students create a painting of a rock.

The students are asked to choose a rock and make careful observations of a small portion of the rock. They use that small part of the rock to create a larger scale painting, referring to the rock as often as needed to help complete the painting. The students are encouraged to use layers of paint, brushes, sponges, and other materials (sand, glitter, etc) to add texture to the painting, similar to Orange Outline. As an assessment tool, the students complete an assignment that assesses their knowledge of geology, as well as their understanding of the art techniques used in this activity. You can see a few examples of the students' work below.

Using art in a science classroom is a way for me to connect with my students and helps students at all levels have success through art. By observing different works of art, students are able to make personal connections, use higher-level thinking skills to analyze the work of art, and learn to value the thoughts and opinions of their peers. Art gives the students a different way to look at the science concepts, which ultimately gives the students a better understanding of what is being studied.

Art inspires us all!

Bringing Smiles: Looking Back

2012-02-16T15:57:32Z

GSK PULSE Volunteer, Len is back working with a non-profit organization, Rotaplast, to provide pre-operative and post-operative pediatric care for cleft palate surgeries in Bangladesh.

On the last day, we held our end of mission clinic. It was wonderful seeing so many of the children we operated on the past 10 days return with their families to the Nurture Hospital for a wound check.

As they walked into the exam room, their new smiles were gleaming. Our last day was also spent doing dressing changes on the 23 children operated on for burn scar contracture releases or congenital and functional finger or toe anomalies. Their skin grafts and wounds were healing well. All told, we operated on 92 patients and changed 92 lives for the better.

Volunteering my skills and knowledge to transform the lives of these children and families in need around the world is an honor. This medical mission was my third and I look forward to volunteering for many years to come. My camera was at my side at all times. Attached are pictures which capture the beauty and the experience.

Teach Your Children Well

2012-02-15T13:51:16Z

As the director of the NC GSK Foundation, I've had the good fortune to work with many organizations on a variety of issues in education, science, and health. One of those organizations is the Hill Center in NC--who has received grants from us to train K-5 teachers on methodology for students with learning disabilities.

Independent analysis has shown that the Hill methods are successful. But what makes my job so rewarding is hearing directly from those students--and knowing that young lives are being transformed. Take a look at what they've said:

· If you put kids in this class they will understand what the teacher is saying and then they will have A's and B'...You never know what they will be when they grow up. They might be a CEO. So put them in this class.

· I just can't tell you how much I want to thank you...At my school, when my Hill Write teacher came, I was the first one to be in her class. Ms. W has improved my writing 100%. Before she came, my writing stunk. So, thanks for bringing her here.

· Thank you for donating money for HillRAP. HillRAP taught me new words so that I can go to the next level. I didn't have to guess the big words. I knew how to read them. I am a better reader. Thank you.

Now, I am thrilled that the foundation is extending those learning services to college students. The NC GSK Foundation has approved a $1,000,000 grant over three years to support the College STAR (Supporting Transition, Access and Retention) program. The College STAR program is designed to provide access to higher education for students who struggle to learn because they learn differently. The funds will support students as they apply to one of six UNC campuses, and to welcome and help transition the students through graduation. Initially, the project will be piloted at East Carolina University, Appalachian State University, and UNC Greensboro and then transitioned to three additional campuses.

Though our work with the Hill Center we know that interventions unlock new worlds for students with learning differences. It boosts their confidence and enables them to reach their real potential.

On the evening of January 25, I had a special spring in my step as I joined UNC President Tom Ross at the President's residence to announce the new venture--because one of our students just might just be a CEO one day!

Photo courtesy of NCNSP

Bringing Smiles: Ayesha

2012-02-13T14:34:44Z

GSK PULSE Volunteer, Len is back working with a non-profit organization, Rotaplast, to provide pre-operative and post-operative pediatric care for cleft palate surgeries in Bangladesh.

The entire team was waiting for Ayesha to get her new smile. We met this beautiful seven-year old on February 1, the day of our screening clinic. She captured the Rotaplast team's attention with her sweet disposition and her stunning black and gold dress. Ayesha was brought to our hospital by her father.

Dad has six children, all girls. Among the indigent, rural Bangladeshi society, sons continue to live with their parents when they marry, while females move to the home of their in-laws. Parents look to provide for their sons as the sons will provide for them when they age. When it comes to their daughters, some poor and uneducated parents consider their daughters a liability since they will be moving out of the home once they marry and providing for their in-laws. The result is that daughters are sometimes not well-educated or properly nourished.

Ayesha's parents are very poor and live in a village of 250 people a four-hour bus ride from Chittagong. Ayesha's dad was gentle and his behavior showed he loved his daughter. I felt comfortable asking him to describe how he felt about having six girls and no boys. He is very proud of having a family of daughters. He and Ayesha's mother are illiterate and he wants all of his girls to be educated. Ayesha's mom is a potter and he was a rickshaw driver who saved enough money to purchase a small car which he uses as a taxi. Dad works long hours, earning around $2 a day after gasoline expenses, and the family is doing everything they can to provide and educate all of their girls.

Ayesha had her cleft lip repaired today by one of our surgeons, Fred, who is 78 years old and still donating his skills and talents on three or four medical missions each year. The photo shows the beautiful new smile Fred created for Ayesha. While Ayesha and her family no doubt have economic struggles ahead, she has the support of her wonderful parents and she goes into the future with a transformed, normal appearance.