I was moved by this very interesting article ["Performance of a Lifetime," April Medicine at Michigan monthly e-newsletter] to reflect again on the lofty and serious substance of thought that intrigues and absorbs and distinguishes the University of Michigan.
Jonathan T. Hale B.A. 1967, M.A. 1971
I enjoyed reading the article in the recent edition of Medicine at Michigan, featuring experts from across the U-M Health System working together to take on multiple chronic conditions in an increasing number of patients ["Connecting the Dots," Spring 2016]. You might also be interested to know that two Medical School alumni, Richard Goodman (M.D. 1975, Residency 1978) and Anand Parekh (M.D. 2002, M.P.H. 2002), led the federal government's development of the Strategic Framework on Multiple Chronic Conditions, a national roadmap to improve the health status and quality of life of Americans with multiple chronic conditions. It's great to read about the University of Michigan playing a leadership role on these critical issues.
Anand Parekh, M.D.
Senior Advisor, Bipartisan Policy Center
Washington, D.C.
Thank you for selecting our brave little girl, Sophia, to be in your magazine ["Helping Kids Heal," Spring 2016]. Kelsie McStockard really did help to make Sophia comfortable. This is the second time in six years Sophia has gone through a voiding cystourethrogram test, and, let me tell you, as her dad, the first time was rough. She was about 2 years old then. But the second was just as rough. Trying to keep a good smiling face for her when she does not fully realize why she has to do this was hard, but I did what a dad has to do for his little girl. It brought tears to my eyes to see the pictures — good tears because this test confirmed that the reflux in her only kidney is gone and she does not have to do this test anymore. My wife and I are so pleased with the care that your facility has given to Sophia, and other children and their families. The compassion that you have to make each child be a part of an extended family makes everything so much easier when times are tough for our children. You all have great big hearts.
Ben and Gail Suthers
We wish to correct an inadvertent error in Medicine at Michigan, Volume 17, Issue 1, page 34 (and also on page 42 of our booklet, "A Storied History," chronicling the 160-year history of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology). One of our colleagues, Leopold F. Montes, M.D., a former trainee in the Department of Anatomy, now professor emeritus of dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has called to our attention the fact that Dr. Johannes Rhodin's electron microscope, installed in the anatomy department during his brief tenure as department chair, was not, as we mistakenly stated, our department's first transmission electron microscope. In 1957, prior to our department's move to the Medical Science II building, professor Maynard Dewey and associate professor Edith Maynard, as co-investigators on an NIH grant, procured an RCA electron microscope that was installed in the department's space in the East Medical Building. We thank Dr. Montes for pointing out that this instrument was actively used by his research advisor, professor Burton Baker, in developing Dr. Baker's lifelong research career at the University of Michigan.
Deborah L. Gumucio (Ph.D. 1986)
James Douglas Engel Collegiate Professor
Interim Chair, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Sarah Newman, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of Anatomy and Cell Biology