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The road through cancer treatment can test even the toughest of spirits. A local organization is handcrafting and donating beaded bracelets to the courageous women who have reached the finish line at Renown Infusion Services. After finishing her sixth and final cycle of chemotherapy at Renown Infusion Services, Joan Jackson told her nurse, Daun Russell, RN, she was tired. Russell returned with a box and opened it -- as she does for all cancer patients completing treatment -- and said, “pick one.” What Jackson was selecting was a beautiful, handmade bracelet crafted and donated by the local Soroptimist organization. Jackson picked a purple bracelet with a tag that read, "Congratulations on completing your treatment. Imagine what you can do now." “Picking the bracelet was such a special thing to mark my last day of chemo,” Jackson says. "Their gesture impacted me for the good after going through so much.”   The women behind the bracelets  Bev Perkins, a member of the Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows, says the bracelet project began in 2009 as a way of celebrating those who completed cancer treatment. She wanted the project to be hands-on, so she involved the club members by organizing a small budget and asking others to donate jewelry. The group comes together each year to make the bracelets. Perkins disassembles the donated jewelry, adding newly purchased beads to make kits for the bracelets. The volunteers also add a metal tag inscribed with an inspiring word, like “believe,” “hope” or “love.” “It’s a labor of love for us,” says Kay Dumhan, group treasurer. “It’s to show empowerment and to help these women know there are people who are encouraged by them.” “When bracelets are donated there is usually quite a bit of feedback on how much it’s appreciated,” Dumhan says. “We never want to run out so we make sure we have a supply there. We’ve had cancer survivors as members and that makes it all the more personal.”

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When you have an ill child in the hospital, it is a stressful event. And Panda Express is helping local families support children who need special care. Their generous donation provides much-needed equipment, programs, and resources via the new Panda Cares Center of Hope, Renown Children’s Specialty Center. Their partnership directly benefits patients and their families! The ‘Panda Cares Center of Hope, Renown’s Children’s Specialty Center’ In fact, this new center provides care to not only children, but also comprehensive support to the entire family. Similarly, it creates an environment that reduces stress, promotes healing, and provides a superior patient and family experience. This facility upholds Panda Express’ mission, vision, and values and its four pillars: to directly help fund the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs of children. This center, the first-ever in northern Nevada, will provide care for children who have chronic conditions. In particular, it offers ongoing treatment, health management, and specialty medical services, including: Nephrology Endocrinology Neurology Pulmonary Infectious Diseases Medical Genetics Adolescent Medicine How You Can Help! When you order from Panda Express, you can opt to round up your change, which will help support programs and services, such as the Center of Hope for Renown Children’s Hospital. Order Online A Partnership for Health & Education of Underserved Youth This partnership allows Renown Children’s Hospital to continue to strengthen regional services and increase Panda’s visibility within our growing community. Last year, 21,930 sick children received care from Renown Children’s Hospital. To date, Panda Express has raised $449,200 in financial support to assist us in providing health and education to every child, regardless of illness, injury, insurance, or ability to pay. Panda Express funds have already supported: Giraffe omni beds for the NICU Ultrasound machine for the Children’s ER Panda warmers and a hand held Accuvein machine Child Life Program to support sick patients and families Meeting room in the Children’s Specialty Center In kind donations, volunteer time and support of local events such as the University of Nevada Reno, Wolf Pack Dance Marathon

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Each month an average of 5,016 individuals are sold for sex in Nevada. Frequently the victims of human trafficking are women and children. That’s why Renown, along with other community groups, is leading efforts to help victims. Specifically identifying them and connecting them to the support services they need. The purpose is to restore their mental and physical health give them hope for a better life. Supporting Our Community Our goal is to identify victims, providing compassionate care for the complex needs of this vulnerable population. By building partnerships with key agencies and advocates in the community and creating policies around human trafficking, we also aim to transition victims safely to community-based services. Along with training, Renown healthcare workers are armed with pocket guides reminding them how to support human trafficking victims. To provide awareness about this crisis, Renown has implemented four key initiatives: Educate health care providers Execute policies and procedures to identify victims Build partnerships with local law enforcement, emergency services and local advocates Connect victims to crucial community resources Human Trafficking: How You Can Help Awaken acts to transform our community with the ultimate goal of ending commercial sexual exploitation. In 2020, Awaken worked with 173 women and children. Awaken’s programs include a drop-in center, an 18 to 24 month transitional housing program, an educational center for trafficked youth, rental assistance, recovery groups, therapy, tutoring, case management, mentorship, safety, and community. National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 Local Emergency: 911 Did You Know?

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Often, when we think of Italian dishes, we think of pasta. In fact, there are more than 600 different pasta shapes, each holding the task of delivering Italy’s flavors.  While we all crave pasta, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a cup of pasta shells contains about 166 calories, 6 grams of protein and 32 grams of carbohydrates. When you add all the other comforting ingredients that comes with cooking Italian, it’s nearly impossible to keep it healthy.  Caitlin Bus, Registered Dietitian with the Renown Healthy Heart Program shares a healthier version of an Italian favorite –deconstructed manicotti using zucchini as a substitute for noodles. If you’re looking for a healthier Italian dish and wondering how to use a spiralizer to turn vegetables into noodles, this recipe is for you.

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Renaissance Don   The Sterling Silver Club is honored to have thousands of members who’ve led and continue to lead incredibly vibrant and diverse lives. And we’re absolutely thrilled when those members volunteer to share their stories and experiences so we can all appreciate and learn from them.   This issue’s featured member is no exception. From his love of cooking, travel and music to his drive to learn new languages, take on new hobbies and keep himself active and fit, Don is an aspiring Renaissance man who may already be deserving of the title.    Revolutionary Family Roots   Don’s father, who was born in Beijing, China, earned a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and was working on his PhD there on a full scholarship from his home country when the Chinese Communist Revolution occurred. In order to stay in the United States and avoid potentially being thrown into prison by the new communist regime (a fate that befell some of his family members), his father married Don’s mother, who was a U.S. citizen and also a student at Berkeley. Together, they started a family.   “My father met my mother in a class and received his green card by marrying her,” says Don. “They proceeded to have six kids in nine years, I was number three. Dad never finished his PhD, but clearly earned what we like to call his “PSK” degree – Papa with Six Kids.”  Proud (of) Papa: Don’s father was a professor of metallurgy and a brilliant research scientist who was responsible for virtually every breakthrough in the development of titanium in the 1960s.

Read More About Meet Multifaceted Member Don Chang