WELCOME, UIC19! FIGHTS CANCER (And Everyone Else, Too) with CARTOONS
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August 26 2015 VOLUME 35 / NUMBER 1 uicnews.uic.edu 2 ANDREW HOWARD WELCOME, UIC19! FIGHTS CANCER (And everyone else, too) WITH CARTOONS 5 MAYOR VISITS UIC TO ANNOUNCE NEW STARS SCHOLARSHIP 7 GUIDE TO UIC: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 14 COME ON IN, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME UIC RESOURCE GUIDE INSIDE! INSIDE: CAMPUS NEWS 4 STUDENT VOICE 11 POLICE 13 CALENDAR 15 SPORTS 16 Facebook / uicnews Twitter / uicnews YouTube / uicmedia Flickr / uicnews For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago Instagram / thisisuic — Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin Instagram / uicamiridis 2 uicnews.uic.edu I UIC NEWS I AUGUST 26, 2015 send profile ideas to Gary Wisby, [email protected] PROFILE ANDREW HOWARD Fighting cancer, with help from cartoons By Gary Wisby — [email protected] Andrew Howard, a radiation oncolo- gist at UI Hospital, was frustrated by how little his patients knew about their cancer. “They didn’t know the difference be- tween chemotherapy and radiology, or why we made the treatment recommen- dations we did,” he said. “One patient was convinced that hot sauce caused cancer, and was really upset that she had gotten cancer because she had gone out of her way to avoid hot sauce all of her life.” His solution: “Cancer Ninja!,” a blog he started in May and updates each Tues- day. Illustrated with his cartoons, the blog is subtitled “A doctor fighting cancer, one drawing at a time.” Originally he planned to write a book, but that project fell by the wayside after UI Hospital radiation oncologist Andrew Howard writes a patient education blog called “Cancer Ninja!” to help his patients three or four chapters. and others understand their diagnosis and treatment options. — Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin His wife noticed him drawing dino- saurs with their two little girls — “I really enjoyed that, although I’ve never taken art He’s studying books about cartooning their lives,” Howard said. “They’re good After medical school he spent a year as classes,” Howard said — “and she sug- in hopes of improving his technique. A people to talk to, and as a rule they are very an intern in general internal medicine at gested combining my interest in drawing look at “Cancer Ninja!” (cancer.ninja) will nice people.” the University of Washington hospitals in with helping my patients understand.” show that he’s already pretty good. He contrasts them with heart patients, Seattle, then did a four-year residency in He created a breast cancer patient Howard’s patients “really like” the blog, who often are “all stressed out,” he said. radiation oncology at the University of named Jane Doe. The blog posts start he said. “With cancer patients you usually don’t Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madi- with her diagnosis, proceed through her “I have family and friends who are can- have that.” son. He joined UIC in 2010. treatment and show what it’s like to be a cer survivors,” he said. “My aunt says, Howard comes from Madison, Wiscon- Howard lives in Hyde Park with his cancer survivor. ‘Make it more snarky.’” sin. At the University of Wisconsin, he wife, a physician in family medicine at “I also want to follow a patient who Explaining his job, Howard said, “There majored in economics. But a career in University of Chicago Hospital, and their doesn’t survive and show what happens in are three ways to treat cancer. Surgeons cut medicine beckoned. two daughters. hospice,” he said. it out, there are chemotherapy and drugs, “My dad always urged me to take the He feels fortunate to have his job. Breast cancer is a good model because and radiation oncologists zap cancer with biological requirements so I could be a When he started his second year of it’s so common and physicians know X-rays. doctor,” he said. medical school, a buddy who’d spent the more about treating it than prostate, lung, “So I’m a zapper.” His first attempt to get into medical summer working in radiation oncology colorectal or other cancers, he said. He likes the technology and “nerdy school was unsuccessful. He spent the next told their friends, “We’re all going into Howard works cartoons into his blog work” involved in his job. And he likes his year taking classes to improve his GPA, radiation oncology. It’s a great field.” posts as often as he can. “My wife says patients. reapplied and was accepted to the Medical “I was the only one who did,” Howard there are too many words.” “They are people at a pivotal point in College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. said. “That’s going eyes wide open toward the fu- “The ability to sustain an argument, to think “We aren’t offering a prescription, just asking people ture. It is saying, ‘Look, the competition for through an idea extensively, is something our to consider the state gun laws where they live.” underwriting, the competition for funding, book culture has given us and that we can’t frankly the ability to sell these things on afford to lose. Even our most dedicated techies David Swedler, research assistant professor of envi- DVD fixed form is changing, so either we sit agree with that.” ronmental and occupational health sciences, on his there and fret or let’s change with it.’” findings that police officers are three times more Timothy Shanahan, professor emeritus of likely to be killed on duty in states with the highest Walter Podrazik, adjunct lecturer in commu- curriculum and instruction, on reasons to levels of gun ownership, Aug. 14 Chicago Tribune nication, on HBO’s deal to broadcast “Sesa- encourage reading despite the prevalence of me Street,” but preserve the program’s digital gadgets, Aug. 15 Chicago Tribune presence on PBS, Aug. 13 New Jersey Record AUGUST 26, 2015 I UIC NEWS I uicnews.uic.edu 3 4 uicnews.uic.edu I UIC NEWS I AUGUST 26, 2015 send information about campus news to Sonya Booth, [email protected] CAMPUS NEWS Keep eye on construction BOOSTING ADVOCACY EFFORTS near campus with webcam The Campus Advo- cacy Network was se- Watch the construction of the new hauling of the Morgan, Peoria and Halsted lected by the U.S. flyover structure on the Jane Byrne Inter- Street bridges spanning the Eisenhower Department of Jus- change, from northbound I-90/94 (Dan Expressway (Interstate 290), new highway tice’s Office on Vio- Ryan Express- THE WEBCAM IS ONLINE AT ramps, new lence Against Women way) to west- sound-abatement to participate in the bound I-290 GO.UIC.EDU/BYRNECAM walls and new national Advocacy (Eisenhower landscaping. Learning Center. Expressway) via the Urban Transportation The center, in the College of Urban For the 18-month Center’s webcam atop University Hall. Planning and Public Affairs, installed the course, Andie Celerio, Scheduled to be completed in 2017 at camera last spring in cooperation with the assistant director, and a cost of $475 million, the Byrne Inter- Illinois Department of Transportation, Athanasia Papaioan- change reconstruction includes the over- which is managing the reconstruction. nou, assistant director of the Women’s Lead- ership and Resource Center, will participate in three events, plus distance learning ac- tivities. The course, offered in partnership by Praxis International The Campus Advocacy Network and Manavi, is designed to strengthen provides comprehensive, confidential how advocacy programs engage with services to survivors of sexual assault, survivors, address institutional re- domestic/dating violence, stalking sponses to violence against women, and hate crimes. and involve the community in ending For more information, call violence. 413-8206 or visit can.uic.edu JOIN ELVIS AT THE CELL column for Ha’aretz that includes the Join Elvis, men’s basketball coach Steve widely read “Why I Have to Leave Israel.” McClain and the White Sox Friday at Hasak-Lowy is a scholar and translator UIC Appreciation Night at U.S. Cellular of Israeli literature, and the author of two Field. novels, Captives and 33 Minutes. Added benefits include discount tickets, The talk is sponsored by the Jewish a free cap and fireworks. Studies Program, Institute for the Human- McClain will throw out the first pitch ities and the International Studies Program. before the Sox face the Seattle Mariners at Register at [email protected] or 7:10 p.m. 312-996-6352. Ticket prices range from $25 to $40, SCHOLARSHIPS ON AGING available at whitesox.com/UIC. The first 700 purchasers receive a free Sox-UIC cap. University of Illinois graduate students in their second year of study or beyond in Above: Construction on the Jane Byrne Interchange.— Photo: Megan Strand VOLUNTEER, INTERN OR the field of aging are eligible for the $3,500 Below: View from the Urban Transportation Center webcam. OTHERWISE SERVE Paul D. Doolen Graduate Scholarship for About 50 nonprofits will be on campus, the Study of Aging. looking for volunteers and interns at the Two scholarships will be awarded for Leadership and Service Expo Sept. 9, 11 this academic year, to a student in the bio- a.m. to 2 p.m., in the quad. logical-medical sciences and a student in Students, faculty and staff can connect the behavioral-social sciences. Priority is with agencies involved with youth, the en- given to candidates who already hold an vironment, the arts, animals, human rights, assistantship or fellowship. community development, health and more. The scholarship is sponsored by the Re- For more information, visit sldvs.uic.edu tirement Research Foundation. Apply by Sept. 15 at uaps.uillinois.edu/doolen ISRAEL FROM THE OUTSIDE MEET THE HUMANITIES FELLOWS Authors Sayed Kashua and Todd Ha- sak-Lowy will discuss “Israel: A View from The Institute for the Humanities will the Outside” Sept.