The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 14

The Des Moines Register ST Page 2B Saturday. April 22. 2006 Iowa medical team helps children in Jamaica Rpfnrp a lot of the health care Thf doctors and nurses paid Looking for more triumphs Whose triumph should the Register feature in this space? Tell us about your friends, associates, relatives and heroes at annekaydmreg.com or (515) 284-8246. Menzies also used the Internet: She Googled the terms "neurosurgery" and "Jamaica" to find a doctor in Kingston to perform Sabrina's surgery on Jan. 26.

The cost of the operation totaled $60,000 Jamaican dollars, equivalent to 1,000 in U.S. currency an "insurmountable" obstacle to most Jamaicans, including Sabrina's mother. The Issa Trust paid for the surgery. "In Jamaica they have nothing, said Menzies. "Some people think that Jamaica is this island paradise.

But it's just resorts and a third world country." Several doctors and nurses gathered recently for a meeting about their next trip to Jamaica on Sept. 9. Stories about the group's past endeavor brought several nurses to tears. The patients at the clinics were "noticeably respectful," said Sarah Seehause, a registered nurse at Blank. "They have dreams.

It's not just treating the disease. It's treating the whole person and caring about who they are." forever," she said. The Iowa doctors and nurses who traveled to poverty-stricken Jamaica last October coupled medical technology with their altruistic drive to help to save lives and treat children like Sabrina in the Caribbean country. Sabrina's mother, Tanya, said she thought the girl suffered from a heart condition, and she didn't want the child to "wither like her brothers," who had both died of a similar condition. The girl actually had hydrocephalus, a brain condition requiring extensive surgery.

"The first day was really, really emotional because we thought there was nothing we could do for her," said Menzies, a pediatrician at Blank Children's Hospital who diagnosed the girl. "By a lucky happenstance, she managed to come back to another clinic, and by that time I was too stubborn to let it go." Menzies keeps the mother's cell phone number on her speed dial Jamaicans treasure their cell phones even as they live in poverty. By JEFFREY PATCH REUISTER STAFF WRITER Dr. Lisa Menzies knew something was terribly wrong as soon as she pulled up to a Jamaican medical clinic in a bus with other volunteers from Blank Children's Hospital. "From the bus, she looked like she was this malnourished, horrible-looking baby," Menzies' said about Sabrina, a child whose life was saved by a surgery paid for by the Issa Trust Foundation, a chari-tv with Des Moines Pollard connections that runs an annual medical clinic in Jamaica.

Diane Pollard, the vice president of the Issa Trust Foundation, created the organization after a family excursion in Jamaica seven years ago left her "forever changed" and determined to do something to help impoverished children in the country. "It was like a sign, a moment, I provided is just that they would see a nurse only for immunization," said Kathleen Gradoville, a pediatric nurse practitioner "What we did, a lot of it was just reassurance that their child is OK." Nurses and doctors were brought together by an e-mail sent on behalf of Pollard by Dr. Stephen Stephenson, the medical director at Blank, in June 2005 asking for volunteers for the October trip. "I got so much more from the trip than I gave," said Julie Dimmitt, a registered nurse at Blank. "We got so much back from the Jamaican community kindness, respect and a learning opportunity." The Issa Trust Foundation and Blank Children's Hospital will be hold a fundraiser in June, where they will auction a five-night, six-day vacation to Couples Resorts in Jamaica (including airfare).

For more information, contact Debbie Tell, Case Manager, Blank Children's Hospital at TELLDSihs.org or visit www.issatrustfoundation.com. MARY CHINDTHE REGISTER Nussle plans launch of first television ad -v Xr -r-v xn Veishea 2006 1 HIM 1 iff vV 1 WSS ijpfN to' The candidate for Iowa governor will touch on four issues that he calls campaign priorities. By THOMAS BEAUMONT REGISTER STAFF WRITER Republican candidate for governor Jim Nussle is expected to launch the election-year's first television advertisement today, more than six weeks before he knows who his Democratic opponent will be. The 30-second spot focuses on four issue areas the eight-term congressman from Manchester has identified as campaign priorities: Education and health care reform, renewable fuel expansion and economic development. In the spot, Nussle is described as "a leader in the fight to control spending," a claim the Democrats are likely to challenge in the fall.

Nussle has tried to curb spending on entitlement programs in his five years as chairman of the House Budget Committee but has simultaneously passed budgets that have produced record deficits, Concord Coalition Executive Director Bob Bixby said. "My impression is he would do more in controlling spending than his party leaders are willing to let him get away with," said Bixby, whose group is nonpartisan and advocates balanced budgets. "It's left him in the uncomfortable position of presiding over burgeoning spending without necessarily being a big spender himself." Spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, relief for last fall's Gulf Coast hurricanes and tax cuts their own airfare and used their vacation time at work for the weeklong trip. The medical team keeps in regular contact with a physician in Jamaica to keep up with the changing circumstances of the health care situation. "We dont believe that we just go down once a year," said Debbie Tell, a pediatric case manager at Blank.

"We continue to talk to the physicians to else do you need? What else can we do for Last year, the group brought $30,000 in medical supplies and equipment. This year, it plans to take $40,000 along with an X-ray machine donated by Blank worth $56,000. The medical group's goal is to serve 700 to 1,000 children at six clinics. Doctors treat kids for a variety of ailments, but the most common conditions are asthma, skin disease, parasitic infections and iron deficiency or anemia. gets under way RULLESTADASSOCIATED PRESS Lied Recreation Center, Iowa State, Wednesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 11 am.

to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.; Friday from 7 to 9 am. and 11 am to 1 p.m. North Grand Mall, Ames, in front of Younkers Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m.; Thursday, from 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday, from 10 am to 1 p.m.

Story County Medical Center, 630 Sixth Nevada, Wednesday from 11 am to 2 p.m. DAVENPORT Iowa farmer named to position at USDA An eastern Iowa farmer has been appointed by President Bush as assistant administrator for the Farm Service Agency at the VS. Department of Agriculture Glen Keppy of Davenport has operated crop and livestock operations in eastern Iowa for more than 30 years. He is a former chairman of the National Pork Board's Foreign Trade Committee, president of the i Six-Player 5 p.m., Canoe 5 p.m., Lied Taste of Drive. Stars Over p.m., Stephens Live Forker Hall Fireworks central Indoor Hoover Hall.

SUNDAY Veishea Memorial Closing Room, i 17 'ij Festival begins: Kyle Rickert, SSJSS uiu on Cy Island, Ugh the torch Friday during and a turning point in my life. I was forever changed," said Pollard, a staffing specialist for Principal Financial Group. "I just knew I needed and wanted to do something for the underprivileged children of Jamaica even though I realized I did not have a lot of monies to contribute myself." Pollard, who has worked for more than 20 years to raise money for child abuse and who served as Principal Financial's Group loan executive for United Way, partnered with representatives from a resort in Jamaica to create the foundation. "When you see the impact you can make on a child's life and a family's life, it touches you have more than offset spending restraint Nussle has pushed, Bixby said. "My problem with the fiscal agenda is not so much the spending, but the tax side.

Nussle has gone along with the tax Nussle cut agenda, and the spending cuts have not matched the tax cuts," he said. Nussle's ad is his second of the campaign, having run an introductory spot in November. Nussle's new ad will run statewide for several weeks at an initial cost of more than $500,000, aides said. "Since we don't have a primary, and we have a great team with Bob Vander Plaats, we've actually been able to turn our attention and sole focus toward November's general election," Nussle campaign manager Nick Ryan told reporters Friday. Vander Plaats, a Sioux City business consultant, abandoned his own bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination and agreed to become Nussle's running mate.

The release of the ad follows recent high-profile Nussle fundraisers, including one in Des Moines that was headlined by President Bush and brought in more than $1 million. Nussle raised a record $2.5 million in 2005, more than the combined fundraising totals of all the Democrats. Former state economic development director Mike Blouin, Secretary of State Chet Culver and state Rep. Ed Fallon are competing for the June 6 Democratic primary election. Officials found Vaquera-Acosta in the Wichita, area.

He was working at a spice and coffee business. Ramirez was known as Manuel Aguilar in the Des Moines area in 1995. The stabbing occurred about 2:30 am at a house at 422 S.E. Ninth where Vaquera-Acosta had been staying, police said. A dance was held at the United Mexican-American Community Center at 828 Scott just south of the house.

After the dance, several people walked to the house and were drinking alcohol. Police said an argument broke out, and Vaquera-Acosta ran inside the house and got a knife. The investigation indicated Ramirez, then 22, was not the intended victim and was trying to mediate when he was stabbed in the heart. Others who said they saw the incident said Vaquera-Acosta went crazy and came out of the house looking for someone to attack. O'Peachie Contreras wife of Javier Contreras, who reportedly was involved in an earlier altercation with Vaquera Acosta said at the time that she attended the dance and then went to the house across the street.

She talked to Ramirez and then left. She was not present when the stabbing occurred but returned later to act as an interpreter. Report Tom Alti cm bt reicntf it (S1S) 2M-S0M or talidmrt.com above, of Theta Chi fraternity works on a rope ladder for a Veishea float Friday afternoon The is a collaborative effort of five fraternity and sorority groups. Mow, guest speaks Quj Stahl opening ceremonies of Veishea 2006 on the Iowa State Umversity central campus in Ames. Sand Volleyball Tournament: 2 to intramural volleyball courts.

races: 2 to 4 p.m., Lake LaVerne. Three-on-three Basketball Tournament: 2 to Recreation Center. Veishea: 5 p.m. to 3 am, Union Veishea, "My Fair 7:30 Auditorium. Veishea: 6 p.m.

to 3 a.m., Friley Hall, and central campus. and Campaniling: Midnight, campus. movie: Midnight to 2 a.m., 2055 THE DES MOINES REGISTER Iowa State University's annual celebration began Friday and continues today. Here are the weekend's scheduled activities: TODAY Pancake breakfast and silent auction: 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., central campus.

Parade: 10:40 am to 12:30 p.m., ISU campus. Veishea Village open houses: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., ISU campus. Cy's Big Top: 9 am. to 5 p.m., west of Curtiss Hall.

Cultural festival: 9 am. to 5 p.m., west of ANDREW to 4:30 D.m.. rontral ramnus. Curtiss Hall. International Food Fair: 1 1 a.m.

Man wanted in 1995 slaying in D.M. arrested in Kansas Open: 9 am. to 5 p.m., Veenker Golf Course. ceremonies: 2 to 3:30 p.m., Sun Memorial Union. Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Veishea History Expo: Noon to 3 p.m., Village Square Stage: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Beardshear Hall, ground floor. north of Campanile. Veishea World Series Softball Tournament: Twister Tournament: Noon to 1:30 p.m., 2 to 6 p.m., southeast intramural fields. DATELINE IOWA FROM REGISTER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES CEDAR FALLS Ismael Vaquera-Acosta allegedly stabbed a man who was trying to calm him during a party. By TOM ALEX REGISTER STAFF WRITER A man who left Des Moines 11 years ago as detectives were obtaining an arrest warrant was taken into custody Thursday in Kansas.

Ismael Vaquera-Acosta will stand trial for the October 1995 slaying of Alfredo Contreras Ramirez. Detective Sgt. David Ness said investigators will begin looking for witnesses. Vaquera-Acosta was 26 when he allegedly stabbed Ramirez to death during a backyard party. Ramirez was trying to calm the reportedly enraged Vaquera-Acosta, officials reported at the time.

Witnesses said Ramirez walked into his path as Vaquera-Acosta emerged from a house with a knife in his hand. Vaquera-Acosta's brother told police that he was sleeping in the house minutes before the stabbing. He said Ismael Vaquera-Acosta walked into his room and told him that a group of people planned to beat him up. The pair went into the yard and a moment later a knife came out and Ramirez was stabbed John Folkins, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Benjamin Allen, vice president of academic affairs and provost at Iowa State University.

AMES Mumps vaccinations offered in Story County Local health organizations will offer free mumps vaccinations at three locations in Story County for people ages 18 to 22 who have not completed the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination series. Story County will receive 1,300 doses out of the 25,000 doses of mumps vaccines provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health to 35 Iowa counties. Students may receive medical or religious exemptions. There have been three confirmed cases of the mumps at Iowa State University as of April 21. Mumps vaccine clinic locations include: National Pork Producers' Association, vice chairman of the Iowa Ag Value Committee and a member of the Cenex Harvest States corporate board of directors, and has served on the board of directors of the U.S.

Meat Export Federatioa CEDAR RAPIDS Woman accused of shooting therapist A woman was arrested after police say she chased down her former therapist and shot her in the back with a BB gun. Pamela Hartke, 49, of rural Cedar Rapids was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and stalking. Hartke went to the private office of Pamela Thursday morning and threatened her with the BB gun, police said. They said that Hartke chased Nelson-OTMefl from the office and shot her in the back. If convicted, Hartke could face up to 30 years in prison.

New UNI president to be named soon The University of Northern Iowa's next president is expected to be announced late next week. The Iowa Board of Regents will meet in executive session late Monday afternoon to discuss the qualifications of the three finalists for the job. "No decision will be reached Monday night," Gary Steinke, the regents' executive director, said. President Robert Koob, who has led UNI for more than 10 years, is retiring in June. His replacement will be one of the three finalists, who visited the UNI campus for interviews and public forums with students, faculty and staff.

The finalists, selected from five candidates interviewed by a 13-member search committee, are Stephen Lehmkuhle, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Missouri system..