Keeping the Women we Love Healthy

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of a remarkable woman who inspired us all.  She truly believed that the way to fight bias against female in research was through education.  In doing so, she touched the life of many.    Devoted to improving the lives of others, her pervasive humanitarian outreach to those in need and to education is legendary.   Known as the "Mother of Hospice" in our community, Doris A. Howell, M.D. was a graduate of McGill University.  A Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, and an internationally renowned leader in pediatrics and hospice care, she was a faculty member at Harvard and Duke Schools of Medicine, Chair of the Dept. of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and on the faculty of UCSD Medical School where she chaired the Dept. of Community and Family Medicine. Serving on the San Diego Hospice Board of Directors since its inception, she was a driving force for San Diego Hospice, now ...

Pictured above: 2018 Howell Scholars with Howell Co-Chair Kathleen Franklin & CSUPERB Executive Director, Susan Baxter Every year, during our first luncheon for the year, we ratify a partnership that advances women’s health at its basic level –research; two great organizations aligned to provide opportunities for students to have access to careers in the biomedical research field. “CSUPERB believes that the best way to engage, recruit and retain students in life science careers is to provide access to and opportunities in real-world biotechnology research settings. We know that these experiences are particularly effective at engaging and retaining students who are the first in their families to attend college or are from communities underrepresented in the life sciences. By working with CSU faculty in the classroom and on research problems, students build a solid foundation for successful life science careers”, comments Susan Baxter, Executive Director, CSUPERB, and liaison...

                                                    ### About the Doris A. Howell Foundation: The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research is committed to keeping the women we love healthy, advancing women’s health through research and educating women to be catalysts for improving family health in the community. The organization does so by funding scholarships to students researching issues affecting women’s health; providing a forum for medical experts, scientists, doctors, and researchers to convey timely information on topics relevant to women’s health and the health of their families through its Lecture and Evening Series, and by funding research initiatives that improve the health of under-served women and increase awareness and advocacy in the community.                      ...

National Nurse's week is celebrated May 6th to May 12th.  This incredibly noble profession isn't always recognized as it should.  Aside from treating patients that can be very sick or injured, nurses provide advice and sometimes much needed emotional support to patients and their families as well.  Being a nurse goes beyond helping doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. In recognition to the amazing work nurses do to help our health in the research field, and to honor the help of one of our own, the Howell Foundation established the Cheryl A. Wilson Nursing Scholarship 6 years ago. Current CEO of St. Senior Homes & Services in San Diego, Ms. Wilson holds a Master’s degree from the University of Redlands, MA and an RN from Prince Henry's Nursing School.  Ms. Wilson has earlier experience as a Critical Care/Operating nurse and consultant to long-term care programs/new programs & facilities development. Prior to her current position, she als...

Women’s health is not a feminist issue… it’s a gender one. We ARE different.  Could it be that feminist phenomena and the breaking of several glass ceilings have led to the perception that men and women are equal?  We ARE, but we are also different; which is NOT the same.  We are not just small men. Women’s health is not a perception.  We live under a hormonal dictatorship.  We go through hell and back EVERY MONTH, except of course when we are pregnant, which is a whole new topic of conversation.  And then there is menopause…   as if having our periods wasn’t enough, at the end of our menstrual cycle’s life, we sweat like there is no tomorrow.   It’s like the devil saying “this one got away… let us remind her of what the underworld is all about.” Now on the subject of pregnancy – yet another hormonal nightmare:  we see our figures transform from somewhat decent to bumps and dents all over our bodies!  Yet after our ‘joys’ are b...

About the Doris A. Howell Foundation:  The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research is committed to keeping the women we love healthy, advancing women’s health through research and educating women to be catalysts for improving family health in the community. The organization does so by funding scholarships to students researching issues affecting women’s health; providing a forum for medical experts, scientists, doctors, and researchers to convey timely information on topics relevant to women’s health and the health of their families through its Lecture and Evening Series, and by funding research initiatives that improve the health of under-served women and increase awareness and advocacy in the community.                                                                  ### Summary ...

Q&A with Dr. Highlander A revolution in medicine has occurred over the past seven years involving the bacteria in and on your body, your “microbiome.” Someday soon you will be having fecal bacteria tests in the same way that you now have blood tests!  At the Howell Foundation luncheon on August 5th, Dr. Sarah Highlander from the J. Craig Venter Institute, shared the latest research regarding bacteria and health. Before birth a baby has no bacteria but acquires them at the moment of birth from the mother’s vagina or, in the case of a Caesarian birth, from the mother’s skin. In fact, babies born by Caesarian are deficient in many species of bacteria. Babies also acquire more bacteria from breast feeding. The end result is 100 times more bacterial cells than human cells in an individual. Different bacteria reside in different areas of the body and each individual has a signature profile of bacteria. These bacteria perform specific and important functions in each area of t...

"How many of you have wives; how many of you  have daughters; how many of you have sisters?  And I know you all have mothers...  What do you do to help them stay healthy?"  ~Dr. Doris A. Howell Imagine the difference you can make when you give emerging researchers the financial support they need to begin discovering how to improve women's health.  Imagine how research can positively impact women in under-served communities through research programs specifically designed to address their health concerns; women who otherwise might not have access to the latest information on women's health. Imagine the difference the right information at the right time can make on your own health related decisions. Women's health should not be left to imagination.  Women's health starts with research and ends with education. Thanks to the Friends of Howell and all our generous supporters, the Foundation has provided over 200 research scholarships and contributed ov...

As National Heart Health Month is here, it only seemed appropriate to sit and chat with Dr. Carole Banka, recently elected Chair of the Board of Directors for the Doris A. Howell Foundation.   Dr. Banka is known in the research community for being a champion of gender differences in research, which should lead to diagnosing and treating illness accordingly.   If you ever hear the words “were both genders included in the research/studies?” or “how did gender differences impact the outcome?” then you know it HAS to be her!    Carole L. Banka, Ph.D is currently Associate Project Scientist in the Department of Medicine at the UCSD School of Medicine.  She received her Ph.D. from UCSF School of Medicine and did postdoctoral training at UCSD School of Medicine and The Scripps Research Institute. She has held faculty positions at The Scripps Research Institute and the La Jolla Institute for Molecular Medicine where she was Director of Women’s Health Resea...

New Executive Officers of the Board to Lead Foundation’s Efforts to Grow Women’s Health and Research Awareness in the San Diego Community.   Scholarship and Research Grant Funding are Priorities to Further Women’s Health Research.  New and Exciting Topics for the Foundation’s Trademarked Educational Series San Diego, CA.- January, 2015.  The Doris A. Howell Foundation – a non-profit organization focused on promoting women’s health and research through scholarships, grant awards and community-oriented events– announced the election of its new officers.  The new Executive Board Members were installed as of January 19 th , 2015 and their terms will last through December, 2017.   Looking to bring the legacy of their knowledge to the fore front of the organization, board members voted for former co-chair, Carole Banka, Ph.D., as Chair,  Kathleen Franklin and Cheryl Wilson as Co-Vice Chairs, Kay Pierce as Treasurer and Brad Benter as Secre...

The Doris A. Howell Foundation  for Women’s Health Research is committed  to keeping the women we love healthy,  advancing women’s health through  research and educating women to be catalysts  for improving family  health in the community. The organization does so by  funding scholarships to scientists  researching issues  affecting women’s   health; providing a forum for medical  experts, scientists,  doctors, researchers,  and authors to convey the timely information  on topics relevant to women’s health and  the health. of their families through its  Lecture and Evening Series,  and by funding research initiatives that  will create women’s  health awareness  and advocacy in the community.  Read the yearly review by clicking on the image.  

Personal health begins with being our own health advocates.  When dealing with a health crisis, time and time again we are told to be proactive:  research the best doctors, write down our questions, get informed, keep a journal, seek peer groups that are dealing with the same issues…  the conclusion is always: our health stars with us. The Howell Health and Happiness Series presentation “ Depression vs. Sadness:  Learning to Know the Differences” offered by Dr. Christina Zampitella provided an overview of pragmatic and realistic approaches to achieving wellness when dealing with sadness, and provided guidance on when to seek help if suspecting depression. There is more to depression than sadness, and sadness can lead to depression if left untreated.  Although the road seems difficult, there is hope.  A wellness approach will depend on how we balance our health-body-spirit components effectively, and what steps to take to achieve such balance. ...