June 2023

Pediatrics - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Kimberley Zvara, MD, Medical Director Pediatrics Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

We are happy to announce that Children’s Wisconsin expanded care for patients with rehabilitation needs in 2023. A skilled interdisciplinary team began providing Acute Intensive Rehabilitation Services in the West 7 Neuroscience Inpatient Unit for patients with neurological diagnoses who require additional care after their immediate medical needs have been met.

“I am excited Children’s Wisconsin is now able to offer the full spectrum of rehabilitation care, from admission through intensive rehabilitation and onto continued outpatient needs,” said Stacy Stibb, DO, Medical Director of Acute Intensive Rehabilitation Services.

We acknowledge the huge lift this was for Dr. Stibb to make happen, considering Children’s Wisconsin has never had a dedicated inpatient rehabilitation unit in its 129 years of existence.

Mitchell O’Neill, MD will be joining the Pediatric PM&R team at Children’s Wisconsin starting in December of this year.  Dr. O’Neill is completing a Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia this August. He completed Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at Wayne State University and Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan in 2021. Dr. O'Neill is a native of the Chicago suburbs and has several outdoor passions including skiing and sailing.  He discovered a love for our field when he taught skiing to children with disabilities.  We will welcome Dr. O'Neill and his family this upcoming December.

We are also happy to announce our successful recruitment of Renee Barany, APP from Neenah, WI. Renee has 3 years of experience as a nurse practitioner, with the majority being spent in an inpatient adult PM&R setting. While she happened to land in the field of PM&R, she has always had a passion to treat children and the stars aligned when our position became available.  She will be mainly practicing at Children’s Wisconsin main campus but is happy to also spend some time closer to her hometown at our Appleton care closer to home site.

PM&R Faculty Featured in Milwaukee Magazine's 2023 list of Top Doctors

Dr. Del Toro Appointed to the MCW Faculty Council Nominating Committee

Congratulations to Dr. Del Toro for his appointment to the MCW Faculty Council Nominating Committee! His term will begin on July 1st! 

Congratulations to our 2023-2024 KinetiC3 Faculty Participants

Congratulations to our PM&R faculty members Dr. Lynn Vidakovic and Dr. Yacub-Martin for their new position in the The KinetiC ³ Steering Committee's Excellence in Teaching cohort. The 2023-2024 cohort is a diverse group who span the entire education continuum, representing many departments, specialties, and areas of expertise. There is tremendous synergy to foster a community of practice and promote strong character, deep caring, and of course, excellence as educators.  

PM&R Research Day 2023

Congratulations to all of our research day presenters, their mentors and our research team!

Job well done!

PM&R Research Day 2023 showcased the research projects of this year’s graduating PGY IVs and Fellows. Discussion was lively at this year’s event, and the residents and fellows did a great job with the many questions and comments. Well done and congratulations to all of the graduates! Pictured above from left to right are Drs. Akash Jindal, Sam Kortes, Tyson Sessions, Mateo Nicholson, Chris Ng, Lauren Shuda, Sarah Wineman, Karin Goodfriend and Matt Durand.

Research Kudos

Dr. Orr was selected to be PI of his first industry-sponsored trial by Mitsubishi Tanabe for the study “A Prospective, Multi-Center, Longitudinal, Cohort Study to Assess the Measurement Properties of Clinical Outcomes Assessments in Patients with Traumatic Low Cervical Spinal Cord Injury”. This is PM&R’s first SCI-focused industry trial. Congratulations Dr. Orr!

Dr. Ketchum was selected by AbbVie to be a sentinel site for their newest interventional industry trial “Study to Evaluate Safety, Efficacy and Tolerability of ABBV-950 for the Treatment of Upper Limb Spasticity in Adult Post-Stroke Patients”. Only sentinel sites will be allowed to enroll in the first cohort of this trial. Congratulations Dr. Ketchum!

Dr. Durand was invited to be an ad hoc member of the Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Sciences study section for the National Institutes of Health. In this role, Dr. Durand will review R01 and R21 grant applications submitted to the MRS study section. Study sections meet three times a year in Washington DC and give national visibility to the department. Congratulations on this recognition, Dr. Durand!

Daphne Blount, a medical student working with Dr. Durand and Dr. Colton Sauer, was awarded a 2023 Cardiovascular Center Research Fellowship to support her Medical Student Summer Research Program project entitled “Assessing Rehabilitation Practices and Early Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Pediatric Patients Post-Tibial Neurectomy”. Congratulations Daphne!

Dr. Durand was selected by his peers to receive an Outstanding Faculty Service Award from the Medical College of Wisconsin in recognition of his service to the Research Affairs Committee. Dr. Durand has served as a grant reviewer on this committee since 2019. This award is given to those who have gone above and beyond in their service to a Faculty Council committee. Thank you, Dr. Durand, for your service.

The N. Muni Reddy, MD Endowed Student Award in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recipient is Sophia Kiernan

The N. Muni Reddy, MD Endowed Student Award is given every year to a student that demonstrates the characteristics and virtues essential to the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, including intense dedication, academic prowess, and a passion for helping patients see only potential and not obstacles. Student Doctor Kiernan was an easy selection for the recipient of the award as she has already demonstrated those characteristics early on in her career. She has a clear direction toward PM&R, seeking out elective rotations and learning opportunities, earning high honors in all of them. Her fellow colleagues and attending staff have been impressed with her maturity and focus. One such review stated, “She is a strongly motivated, intelligent, self-aware person who demonstrates a unique ability to gain immediate rapport with patients.” Similarly, all of her rotation reviews describe a high-quality provider with ambitious goals that will only be asset to the field in the future. We are excited to award Student Doctor Kiernan the N. Muni Reddy, MD Endowed Student Award and look forward to her contributions to PM&R in the future.

Dr. Heather Curtiss

PM&R Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner 

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is holding its 2023 Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner Thursday, June 15, 2023. Congratulations to all the graduates! 

PM&R Philanthropy Case 

Please contact Meg Bilicki, Senior Director of Development  mbilicki@mcw.edu or Dr. Braza dbraza@mcw.edu for more information

To support Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation click on this link!

Supporting Ukraine 

Dear Colleagues,

Milwaukee Rotary Club and Ukrainian Medical Association of North America are hosting the next packing event at Germantown warehouse.

You might think that the war slowed down since it is not on the news as often as it was a year ago. This is not true. Ukrainians continue to suffer from this ongoing brutal war and the need in medical supplies is as high as it was in the recent past. People get wounded every day.

Hope you can find a few hours on Saturday June 10^th to help packing supplies for people in need. For those who never had a chance to participate, it is a very fulfilling activity and a great opportunity to help and socialize with others.

Thank you for considering,

Oksana Sayko, MD

Below are screenshots from the news: work at the frontline stabilizing centers and view of city of Bachmut at the front line now, after brutal Russian invasion (population 70,000 before the war).

How you can Volunteer

Since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rotary Clubs have partnered with the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) and Friends of Be an Angel in the effort to deliver urgently needed medical supplies to Ukraine.  In December, the attention turned to delivering generators to provide power and warmth to Ukrainian humanitarian facilities this winter.  In an effort by led by Rotary, $130,000 was raised to purchase 210 generators that were delivered this winter to facilities in Ukraine.  Read more about the project and distribution of the generators in this Impact Report and this press release about the effort.  Thank you to all who contributed.

The Next Sort and Pack Event

Join the effort to support Ukraine with your assistance at an upcoming medical supply sort and pack event in the Germantown warehouse. The focus now turns back to getting donated medical supplies sorted, packed and to Ukraine.  The UMANA and Rotary Club of Milwaukee will host the next event on Saturday, June 10th. There will be three shifts.  While all volunteers 16 years of age and older are welcome and appreciated throughout the day, the first shift will require a lot of volunteers who are medical professionals to identify and sort the supplies.  The last shift will be devoted to wrap up and clean up in the warehouse.

• 8 am – 12 pm
• 11 am – 3 pm
• 2 – 5 pm (Clean Up Crew)

You are welcome to recruit additional medical volunteers — all volunteers must sign up.

Sign Up Here to Volunteer on June 10th

PPE Supplies for Donation

The Germantown warehouse is currently holding a surplus of PPE that cannot be sent for use in Ukraine because of expiration dates.  If you know of an organization that could use supplies such as masks, gloves, drapes and sanitizing supplies, please contact Doug Davis at douglas.davis@aya.yale.edu.

Department Mascot's Outfit for the Month of June

In honor of our recent graduates Randy the Rhino is rocking his MCW graduation attire while holding his diploma for a photo opportunity in front of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

The answer to the riddle below will be provided in next month's newsletter. This riddle is courtesy of Alan Young, Clinical Research Coordinator:

"What room do ghosts avoid?"

Answer to last month's riddle:  "Mount Everest"

Monthly Wellness Feature: Lifestyle Tips to Get Your Blood Moving

Why You Need Good Blood Flow

It’s hard to believe, but your body holds about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Along with your heart and other muscles, they make up your circulatory system. This network of roadways carries blood to every corner of your body. But when your circulation is poor, it slows or blocks the blood flow. That means the cells in your body can’t get all the oxygen and nutrients they need.

Signs of Poor Circulation

When your limbs can’t get enough blood, your hands or feet may feel cold or numb. If you’re light-skinned, your legs might get a blue tinge. Poor circulation also can dry your skin, turn your nails brittle, and make your hair fall out, especially on your feet and legs. And if you have diabetes, your scrapes, sores, or wounds tend to heal slower.

Snuff Out Tobacco

Nicotine is the active ingredient in cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco. It harms the walls of your arteries and thickens your blood so much, it can’t get through. If you smoke, quit. It can be hard to stick with it, but your pharmacy or doctor’s office can help.

Control Your Blood Pressure

If it’s too high, it can cause arteriosclerosis, a condition that hardens your arteries and can help choke off blood flow. Aim for 120 mmHg over 80 mmHg or less, but ask your doctor about the best numbers for your age and health. Check your reading at least once a month. You can buy a home blood pressure monitor or use a kiosk at your pharmacy.

Gulp It Down

Blood is about half water, so you need to stay hydrated to keep it moving. Aim for 8 glasses of water a day. You’ll need to drink more if you exercise or if it’s hot outside.

Stand Up at Your Desk

Sitting for hours at a time isn’t great for your circulation or your back. It weakens leg muscles and slows the blood flow in your legs, which could cause a clot. If you’re a desk jockey at work, consider a standing desk instead. It may take a little while to get used to but getting on your feet works the valves in your leg veins, sending blood up to your heart.

Relax and Twist

Yoga is a low-impact exercise that can jump-start your blood flow. When you move, it brings oxygen to your cells. When you twist, it sends blood to your organs. And upside-down positions shift blood from the bottom half of your body up to your heart and brain.

Pump It Up

Aerobic means “with oxygen.” So, when you run, bike, walk, swim, and do similar exercises, you take in more oxygen and move it to your muscles. This gets your blood pumping, makes your heart stronger, and lowers your blood pressure. Set a goal to exercise for 30 minutes, 5 to 7 days a week. Break it up into small chunks if needed. If you walk, know that moderate to intense speeds − at least 3 miles an hour − offer the best health benefits.

Cop A Squat

This form of strength training not only gets your blood pumping, but it also helps lower your blood sugar and helps with back pain. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Now slowly bend at your hips and knees, but keep your back straight, like you’re sitting in a chair. As you return to the starting position, bend your arms for balance.

Compress Your Socks

Put your wardrobe to work. Compression socks put a bit of a squeeze on your legs so your blood doesn’t hang around too long. Instead, it’ll move back up to your heart. Ask your doctor which length and amount of pressure are best for you.

Eat More Plants and Less Meat

Let’s face it: There’s no downside to a balanced diet. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from saturated fats that can be found in red meat, chicken, cheese, and other animal sources. Steer clear of too much salt. That will help keep your weight in a healthy range, your cholesterol and blood pressure in check, and your arteries clear.

Brush Your Body, Not Just Your Hair

Sweep your blood in the right direction. Take a body brush with stiff, flat bristles and stroke on your dry skin. Start with your feet and work your way up, using long motions on your legs and arms. Make circles on your belly and lower back. Dry brushing also gets rid of dry skin. Do it every day, right before your shower.

Sip or Soak

It’s a temporary fix, but a bath is a great way to kick-start your circulation. Warm water makes your arteries and veins open a bit wider, letting more blood through. Hot water or tea does the trick as well.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month!

This month-long celebration honors the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, a tipping point in the Gay Liberation Movement in the US. It is also a time to commemorate those members of the LGBTQ+ community that lost their lives to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS. 

The first march took place in New York a year after the uprising with approximately 3 to 5 thousand marchers. Now, over 50 years later, parades around the world draw millions in celebration of LGBTQ+ rights. Milwaukee's Pride Fest will take place June 1-3th. 

Other June Celebrations:

• National Caribbean - American Heritage Month
• June 11 - Race Unity Day
• June 19 - Juneteenth
• June 28 - Eid al - Adha 

Finally, mark your calendars for special DEI series from our own Sharif Mansur on June 2nd, 9th, and 30^th at noon! Last year our department was fortunate enough to host him for a grand rounds on microaggressions, and we are excited to welcome him back! 

COVID-19 Updates

Both Froedtert and MCW employees with an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption are no longer required to wear masks at Froedtert & MCW facilities except when and where masks are required for all, effective immediately. To remain consistent in with all adult clinical spaces, MCW clinics will follow this same guidance. Masks have not been required for unvaccinated individuals in MCW non-clinical spaces since October 2022.

Vaccination against COVID-19 continues to be required for all physicians, APPs, staff, clinicians, students, temporary workers, vendors, volunteers and others employed by or for Froedtert Health, and is required for all faculty, staff and students at MCW.

For additional information visit the COVID-19 page on infoscope. 

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