Opening November 1st 2010

FREE Blood Pressure Clinic Wednesdays from 9:00 am - 11:00 am FREE Blood Pressure Clinic, open to the public, every Wednesday from 9:00 am - 11:00 am at Graham Medical Group, Canton. If you have questions, please call: 309-647-0201. Project Linus Opens chapter in Fulton County Project Linus, a volunteer organization that provides comfort and security to seriously ill and traumatized children through handmade blankets, has created a new chapter in Fulton County. Sherry Alton, Director of Emergency Department at Graham Hospital, will serve as the Chapter Coordinator for the area. Her volunteer duties will include recruiting “blanketeers” to make new, handmade, washable blankets and afghans, as well as arranging with organizations such as hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, etc. for distribution of blankets to children. Since its inception in 1995, Project Linus has grown tremendously and to date has delivered more than 3 million blankets. There are many opportunities to participate in the success of this project in Fulton County. In addition to individuals, churches, social groups and senior cents, clubs such as 4-H, Boys and Girl scouts, and school can coordinate projects to make blankets. Our organization takes its name from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts character, Linus, who carried his blue blanket with him everywhere for comfort and security. Since our chapter receives no outside funding, donations of fabric, batting, yarn, fleece, postage stamps, gift certificates and cards, and monetary donations are most appreciated. For more information please contact: Sherry Alton, Project Linus Chapter Coordinator @ 649-6844 or visit our website @ www.projectlinus.org Thanks for your help! Dr. Gowda Honored for Outstanding Teaching Service by U of I The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) honored eight faculty members during its annual All Faculty Meeting on Monday, May 11. One of those faculty members honored is a Canton physician. Dr. Ramayya U. Gowda of Canton received the UICOMP Outstanding Teaching and Service Award for Community-Based Faculty. "Congratulations! This is a very prestigious award, and you should feel very proud to have earned it," said Thomas R. Rossi, M.D,. chairman on Faculty Fellowships and Award, in a memo to Dr. Gowda informing him of the award. A press release from Dr. Gowda's colleagues in Canton said he is not only an outstanding teacher, he is also known by his peers to be an excellent surgeon who has been innovative and at the cutting edge of surgery. He constantly strives to keep up with the changes in the field of medicine and surgery by keeping up with new training opportunities. Dr. Gowda was the first to establish thoracoscopic surgery at Graham Hospital and in central Illinois and has been doing this procedure since 1976. This is a procedure that is minimally invasive to remove part of the cancerous lung or to inspect the chest cavity and other pathologies in the chest. The first pacemaker inserted at Graham Hospital was done by Dr. Gowda, and he continues to perform this procedure at Graham Hospital. Dr. Jack Gibbs and Dr. Gowda started the minimally invasive laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) in 1990. This was among the first gallbladders laparoscopically removed in central Illinois. Currently, Dr. Gowda performs other minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries including removal of cancerous colon, infected appendix and other minimally invasive surgeries of the abdomen. He also performs endoscopies, which means looking inside the colon, stomach and lungs, using fiberoptic scopes. Vascular surgery was pioneered by Dr. Gibbs at Graham Hospital starting in 1965 and included carotid and blood vessel bypass surgery for blocked arteries. Dr. Gowda continues in the field of vascular surgery in the community and has kept pace with the developments in this field. Open surgery to bypass blocked arteries has been largely replaced with angioplasty and stenting. This is a minimally invasive approach known as endovascular surgery. Dr. Gowda has pursued training in the field in such venues as the Arizona Heart and Vascular Institute. He established endovascular surgery at Graham Hospital in 1998 when the endovascular surgery was becoming a new technology. He did the first endovascular procedure at Graham Hospital and continues to provide these state-of-the-art services in the community. He also continues to do those open vascular procedures not amenable to the endovascular approach such as carotid surgery for the prevention of stroke. Dr. Gowda is certified by the National Board of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery and also the General Surgery Board and has been re-board certified several times by the National Board of Examiners. UICOMP's Faculty Fellowships and Awards Committee selected the winners of this year's faculty awards. Currently, more than 1,100 full-time, part-time, and volunteer faculty members contribute to UICOMP's medical education programs. The other honorees for 2008-2009 are: Dr. James R. DeBord, UICOMP Faculty of the Year; Dr. Sanjeeva Mohanam, UICOMP Outstanding Research; Dr. Timothy J.Bruce, Dr. J. Stephen Marshall and Dr. L. William Scheibe, UICOMP Outstanding Service; and Dr. Stephen M. Lasley and Dr. Amy B. Stanfill, UICOMP Outstanding Teaching. Canton Daily Ledger, May 2009