Archive - October 2017

ATLANTA – HME provider Barbara Smith says she’s usually the one giving out awards, not receiving them, so when she was named the 2017 HME Woman of the Year at Medtrade last week, she was, needless to say, surprised. “I had no expectation of winning,” said Smith, the CEO of Healthline Medical Equipment in Wichita Falls, Texas, where, over the past 25 years, she has worked her way up from sales rep to partner. “Being among the four finalists was incredible

Obesity is a known risk factor for breast cancer, but precisely how does excess weight drive the disease? A new study has shed some light, revealing the process by which obesity increases the aggression of breast cancer cells. By studying mouse and human breast cancer tissue, researchers discovered an increase in blood levels of specific cytokines — which are proteins secreted by immune cells — that reduce the activity of an enzyme called acetyl-CoA-carboxylase 1 (ACC1).  This

ATLANTA – The winner of this year’s Innovative HME Retail Product Awards at Medtrade is the Owlet Smart Sock 2, a device to track a baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels. Taking second and third places, respectively, were the Strongback 24 Wheelchair and the Strongback Excursion Wheelchair by Strongback Mobility; and the Stability Gliders, a walker accessory, from Stabilized Steps. “The awards are all about promoting and recognizing products that contribute to providers’

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have found a dietary combination that transforms the most lethal of all breast cancers into a highly treatable breast cancer. Specifically, scientists involved in the Scientific Reports study say a particular plant-based diet may be the key. Trygve Tollefsbol, Ph.D., D.O., professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and senior scientist with the Comprehensive Cancer Center as well as Yuanyuan Li, M.D., Ph.D., a research assistant

  Let’s help the American Red Cross! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Everything is turning pink. We’re here to tell you that #MenHaveBreastsToo. All you guys out there be sure to check yourselves and know that men can get breast cancer as well. That’s why MBCC and #SleevesUpForBreastCancer from the American Red Cross have teamed together to raise awareness on how important platelets are for cancer patients. Please watch this informative video to learn

The finalists for the HME Woman of the Year award have been selected. Out of 38 nominees, four women will travel to Medtrade in Atlanta for a chance at becoming the 2017 winner. The HME Woman of the Year finalists are Lelia Wilkerson, director, Heritage Medical Equipment & Supplies; Rita Stanley, vice president of Government Relations, Sunrise Medical; Barbara Smith, chief executive officer, Healthline Medical Equipment, Inc.; and Maxine Paul, director of sales and operations, NuMotion, formerly

There's been plenty of debate about whether developing cancer is simply a matter of genetic bad luck and how much, if anything, changing your habits can affect risk. The latest entry: Researchers at Johns Hopkins published a paper this spring in the journal Science suggesting that roughly two-thirds of cancers are due to DNA typos – essentially, random errors. That's a far cry from what a 2015 study found: that as many as 9 out of 10 cancers may be a result of environmental

The following article appears here in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in honor of the community of women’s health providers who bring life-changing products and compassionate service to the courageous women who find themselves navigating the breast cancer journey. Diane owns a women’s boutique on Long Island, New York. She shares what she identifies as her most frustrating challenge. “Women come to us after their surgery and what we hear from them is, ‘Oh,

When it comes to buying compression products, the vast majority of sales are from women. Here’s what you need to know to target this important demographic. In business, you prioritize the portion of your customers that generate the lion’s share of your revenue. Often it’s referred to as the 80/20 rule, meaning the 20 percent of your market that generates 80 percent of your business. While that’s a rule of thumb, it’s almost exact when it comes to compression, as one

Knowledge of the procedures and products, employing a certified mastectomy fitter, and having the compassion to help patients negotiate a traumatic life change are keys to business success. In a brief published last year, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality says, while breast cancer rates have remained constant, the rate of women undergoing mastectomies increased 36 percent between 2005 to 2013, including over a tripling of double mastectomies. “This brief highlights changing