A 13 year old Croatian girl who was in a coma for 24 hours awoke and was able to communicate in fluent German, but  not in Croatian . Her parents said she has been studying German but cannot understand how she can speak it as fluently as she does. Doctors are baffled.

Source: boingboing -NYDaily News

The post Waking from a 24 Hour Coma has Croatian Girl Speaking Fluent German Not Croatian first appeared on River View Observer.

 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – New Jersey has the distinction of having the highest autism rate in the country, and while awareness of autism spectrum disorders is growing, it is happening very slowly.

To provide area residents with more information on autism spectrum disorders, and to raise funds for New Jersey’s largest non-profit autism network, Hudson County Community College’s Beta Alpha Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society will hold a luncheon, “Raise Your Fork Against Autism,” on Saturday, April 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held in the College’s Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street – just two blocks from the Journal Square PATH Station in Jersey City. Tickets for the event are available at $45 each – $23 of which is tax deductible. (Checks should be made payable to the Hudson County Community College Foundation.)

The keynote speaker at the event will be Salim Bendaoud, a professor of Life Sciences at HCCC who  holds a master’s degree in neurosciences – with an emphasis on mental disabilities such as autism – from the State University of New York. Professor Bendaoud is personally acquainted with Autism Spectrum Disorders as he is the father of an autistic child.

Beta Alpha Phi Advisor and HCCC Professor Dr. Lloyd Kahn said that autism, Asperger’s Disorder and PDDNOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) are commonly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). According to a 2007 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while the average prevalence rate for ASD in the U.S. was one in every 152 children, the prevalence rate in New Jersey was one in every 94 children. ASD generally manifests itself in children and adults in atypical, repetitive behaviors and in problems with social and communications skills. ASD is usually diagnosed between the ages of one and three years, and is four to five times more prevalent in boys than girls. ASD does not discriminate – it crosses all racial, ethnic and social boundaries.

Beta Alpha Phi chose Autism New Jersey, Inc. as the luncheon’s beneficiary as it is the largest statewide network of professionals and parents devoted to improving the lives of people with autism and providing assistance to their families. The organization, which was founded in 1965 and officially incorporated in 1967, provides several services, including a toll-free information and referral line, educational workshops and support groups, professional resources for teachers and other educators, assistance with advocacy and legal rights, and awareness building and community outreach partnerships.

“While much has been done to promote awareness and understanding of ASD, there is still much more that needs to be done. We applaud Professor Kahn and the members of Beta Alpha Phi for undertaking this initiative, and we hope the community will join us at the luncheon on April 24,” said HCCC President Dr. Glen Gabert.

For more information on Beta Alpha Phi’s “Raise Your Fork Against Autism Luncheon” and to secure tickets, please contact the Hudson County Community College Foundation office at (201) 360-4006 or email Dr. Lloyd Kahn at lkahn@hccc.edu.

The post Hudson County Community College Beta Alpha Phi Honor Society Holding Autism Awareness Fundraiser first appeared on River View Observer.

At a recent Bayonne City Council meeting Gail Godesky Publicity Chairwoman & Sponsorship Chair for the American Cancer Society’s -Relay for Life addressed the Bayonne City Council in asking for the fee to be waived for the use of Ahern’s Veteran Stadium in Bayonne for the 201o Bayonne Relay For Life -which is tentatively scheduled for June 11- 12th, 2010

In her address to the Bayonne City Council, Ms. Godesky had this to say after addressing each of the council-members in attendance…

 “My name is Gail Godesky; I am born and raised in a great city-Bayonne. As some of you know my sister Lori Starke passed away at 49 years old on February 22nd, 2008 and my mom Lorraine Godesky at the age of  77 passed away February 17th, 2009 from the terrible disease we call cancer for lack of a better word and from a disease that kills and not quietly but rather angrily.

Cancer shows no preference-it has struck old, young, mothers, father’s, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives and dear friends.

Since the passing of my family members I have been very involved in the American Cancer Society and the Relay for Life. Our team is called the EVERYDAY ANGELS.

Ms. Godesky then asked the American Cancer Society members to stand who were in attendance of the meeting and then stated that she was there to ask for special consideration of the Bayonne City Council by saying…

 

“Now in 2010 we are asking for the fee to again be waived. $6800 could be what we pay to use Ahern’s Veteran Stadium…or it could be used to pay for expenses for 2 patients to stay at Hope Lodge for a day, and for 1 patients to participate in and American Cancer Society funded clinical trial, and reach to recovery visits for 5 women, and 8 round trips for 1 patient via the road to rec0very program. It could help fund the DNA research in the cancer prevention study, better determining the different causes of cancer. The money we raise at the Relay for Life of Bayonne is used to fund research, programs and services, advocacy and education. Imagine what the $100,000 we want to raise can do to help.

By waiving our fee, you are bringing us $6800 closer to that goal.  And more importantly, you are helping us create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”

As of this post Ms. Godesky and the American Cancer Society -Bayonne’s Relay for Life is awaiting word on the Bayonne City Council’s decision to waive the fee for the use of Ahern Stadium for the 2010 Bayonne Relay for Life.

The post American Cancer Society -Relay for Life – Makes Plea At Recent Bayonne City Council Meeting first appeared on River View Observer.