Anna Marie D’Angele News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com THREE board mem- bers of the North Shore Health Region, including the chair- man’s position, are up for grabs at the end of the year. The North Shore Health Region currently has a 12- member appointed board. The process of replacing the three board members will begin in September, according to Clay Adams, North Shore Health Region spokesman. Current board chairman Len Kelsey may seek to be re- appointed during the process, said Adams. The provincial Health Minister makes the appoint- ments. tin ie 5 pM TTT rx CLAY Adams, North Shore Health Region spokesman. The board member appointments will be dis- cussed at a public information session of the health region to be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the International Plaza, #104, neath notes Research funding The Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon recently awarded $5.1 million for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research projects in B.C. The money is $800,000 more than was awarded last year. The money will pay for 49 research projects. The research includes a study on the female hormone estrogen and its role in pre- venting heart attacks before and after menopause. Volunteers helped The provincial - Human Resources Ministry has given $27,000 to a group of volun- teers who help create special devices to help people with disabilities. ard to h north shore news HEALTH LEN Kelsey, North Shore Health Region board chairman. 1999 Marine Dr. The public is welcome to attend and ask questions. The meeting will include an overview of the health region's recent “significant events” as outlined by Kelsey. Tetra Society volunteers match engineers and techni- cians with people‘ who need special devices to help with mobility and dexterity. About 30% of people helped are children. The devices include a spe- cial seat that moves on raiis to help a disabled person have a shower. Another device is a beeping hockey puck for visually impaired players. Tetra voluntcers reccived ‘4 M4 7 "t MON TO FRI SAM TO OPM SAT & SUN SAM TO 7PM ZL si public The — significant events include an update about neu- rosurgery funding, the surgi- cal waitlist, the opening of community health centres and dealing with Y2K, said Adams. He said that the region’s executive restructuring, cur- rently under way, will also be discussed. “The session will provide people with an idea about the progress we are making in improving access to health ser- vices across the region: the successes and what the hin- drances are,” said Adams. He said staff shortages are making it difficult to reduce the waiting list for surgeries. Meanwhile health’ region CEO Bruce Harber will speak about how the region will spend its money in the future for health care. The pubic meeting will include information from Dr. Brian O*Connor, the regional a $26,632 grant from a com- munity projects fund last yer. Survey results Family members caring for their loved ones at home are themselves experiencing emotional and physical iil- ness on an aiarming scale, according to a survey con- ducted by the private home care provider, We Care Health Services. We Care Health Services, medical health officer, about MRSA at the hospital. Last month, Lions Gate Hospital closed off a medical ward on the fourth floor when staff discovered an outbreak of an antibiotic resistant “super bug.” The bacteria is called Methicillin resistant Staphylo- coccus aureus (MRSA). It is resistant to all but two antibi- otics. MRSA has been linked to deaths in unhealthy people in European and North Amenican hospitals for years. Two MRSA cases were identified on the hospital’s fourth floor at the beginning of June. By June 18, 21 cases of patients carrying MRSA had been identified. Meanwhile anyone wishing more information about Wednesday’s public meeting may call 984-38:"6. which has a North Vancouver office, conducted the survey across Canada thar indicated family care- givers commonly suffer from stress, burnout and isolation. The majority of family caregivers surveyed said they experienced fatigue, anxiety, and depression. They stated that their responsibilities have had an adverse cffect on other fami- ly relationships and. their social lives. In the field of organ donation. the demand always exceeds the supply. Kidneys ate in most demand but other organs are urgently needed for heart. liver, lung and pancreas transplants which are all life-saving procedures, As well. issues such as cornea, skia and bone are are needed co improve the quality of life for many people. Make atrangements to be an organ doner in the future. The giant pharmaceutical manufacturer, Merck, is using robots to produce its chicken-pox vaccine. 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