SanTan Sun News; 3-7-15: Neighbors

Neighbors

Chandler doctor provides concussion support during Super Bowl XLIX

BY CURT BLAKENEY

Concussion injuries in the National Football League have been a hot-button issue in recent years. With multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuits being filed by former players and mounting research showing the negative health consequences of concussions on those former players, the NFL has ratcheted up efforts to not only adjust the rules on the field, but also change the way league doctors and coaches are dealing with players who have suffered a concussion during game play.

A Chandler doctor was recruited by the NFL to provide his concussion expertise on the sidelines during Super Bowl XLIX, which was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 1. The move was part of the NFL’s vigilance in diminishing the incidence of head injuries and addressing them more adequately during games.

Dr. Taro Kaibara, the director of Neurosurgery at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center and a neurosurgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute, was on the sidelines providing neurological specialty support to the medical staffs of the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

Kaibara was joined by his Barrow colleague, Dr. Javier Cardenas, the medical director of the Barrow Concussion & Brain Injury Center at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. Their appointments were part of new NFL guidelines that place independent medical specialists at all games to better handle concussions.

“Concussion awareness and detection is an important element in professional football,” Kaibara says via email. “It was an honor to have been selected to work on the sidelines of the Super Bowl to monitor for concussions and assist in maintaining the safety of the players.”

Kaibara and Cardenas were selected for the NFL’s Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant program based on Barrow’s renowned neurological treatment of brain and spinal cord injuries including concussions. The doctors also provide these services during Cardinals and Arizona State University home football games.

Kaibara and Cardenas were made available to examine players if they suffered a hard hit to the head (“got their bell rung” as it’s called among players and coaches).

“It’s important to quickly recognize and treat football players who have suffered a concussion so that they don’t immediately return to the game and put themselves at risk for a more serious brain injury,” Kaibara says. SEE CONCUSSION PAGE 41

Are allergies making me feel this way?

BY DR. STUART H. AGREN

About one in five people suffers from allergies. Allergies can manifest themselves in a host of ways. The most common are the hay fever-variety—a runny or stuffed-up nose, sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes, etc.—but there are plenty of other symptoms that have their root in allergy.

Asthma: Asthma is frequently allergy-related. Allergies cause the airways to swell, obstructing normal breathing. The majority of my asthmatic patients show marked symptom relief once they start allergy treatment. There’s a strong link!

Eczema/Hives: Most people think these skin problems are a dermatology issue, but they are often a byproduct of allergic inflammation. It is common for eczema sufferers to cycle in vain through multiple dermatologists and even more prescription creams. However, no amount of topical medication can fix the

Thrill seekers invited to ‘Be the Match’

BY MEGHAN MCCOY

For the first time, Valley residents will have the opportunity to stare fear in the face while participating in various obstacle courses—and it’s for a good cause.

The ThrillSeeker Stunt Run 5K will take place at 8 a.m. Sunday, March 28, at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Rd., Chandler. The Kids’ 1K event will begin at 3 p.m. for ages 6 to 12. Tickets range from $25 to $85.

The race is being presented by Guardian Angel Council to raise awareness and education about the national bone marrow donor program. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Be the Match, the

Murphy’s Law hosts St. Patrick’s Day celebration

Murphy’s Law and St. Patrick’s Day naturally go hand in hand. So it’s no surprise that the pub will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with its seventh annual party. But this year Murphy’s Law is scaling back its party to maintain a family feel. The owners of the popular downtown Chandler Irish pub still expect to attract hundreds of revelers.

Murphy’s Law is open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the 21-and-older party set for 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission to the party is $5, with no cover for those 55 and older. Revelers can enjoy performers from Bracken School of Irish Dance, bagpipers, and performances by the bands The Dickensons and Tick Tick Boom, both of which are regulars at Murphy’s Law.

The kitchen at Murphy’s Law will stick to Irish dishes throughout the day for a more traditional St. Patrick’s Day experience.

The walls of the restaurant/pub are lined with dollar bills, while its management has a heart of gold when it comes to supporting the community.

Murphy’s Law officials support the Bracken School of Irish Dance by purchasing costumes and paying for travel expenses. Murphy’s Law also assists the bagpipers from the Arizona Fire Service Pipe Band, which represents fire departments from across the state.

Murphy’s Law owner Roger Baldwin has become a pillar of the community. A former police officer in Colorado and

Washington,Baldwin sought to enhance the culinary and cultural scene in downtown Chandler, so he opened Murphy’s Law.

Soon after the pubs opening, he became active with area charities. He started a $1 program, and began aiding The Willow Tree Foundation, an organization that provides “moments of calm in the storm of caring for a medically fragile child.”

Murphy’s Law is located at 58 S. San Marcos Pl., in downtown Chandler. Tickets are (480) 812-1588 or visit www.murphyslawaz.com.

largest and most diverse bone marrow registry. Be the Match officials will test participants and audience members to see if they are a match.

Guardian Angel Council Executive Director Levi Leyba says his organization wanted to do something beyond a typical bone marrow drive.

“We were able to bring this extreme stunt that is very safe for the whole family that has been popularized by the Internet and TV,” he says.

The need for bone marrow donors is increasing, as the number of familial matches decrease.

“We pay special attention to the outside people,” Leyba says. “We have the possibility of saving a life one day.”

Jared Willardsen, the course designer and a 20-year stunt director, jumped on board when the Guardian Angel Council approached him about the event.

“They had come to me to discuss their concept of wanting to put together a run for a charity,” Willardsen says. “With my background in stunts, it was something I always wanted to do.”

Willardsen says there are many mud runs, television game show obstacle runs and torture runs, but nothing that addressed adrenaline or butterfly-inyour-stomach type of sensations.

“I’m passionate about adrenaline rush,” he says. “That is where the ball started rolling to create some obstacles that were designed to be more of face your fears and give everyone an adrenaline rush.”

The great part of the ThrillSeeker Stunt Run, Willardsen says, is the general public can experience some of the same things he has done on TV shows like

“Nitro Circus” and “Thrillbillies.”

“It’s different than any other obstacle runs,” he says. “It’s about getting butterflies. I really like the approach that it is a lot like a rollercoaster...the feeling of weightlessness and screaming because you are scared in a good way. We were able to put that into a 5k run. ”

One of the obstacles, the Jumbo Flyer, will have participants drop down the world’s largest 30-foot slide before landing softly onto a stunt airbag. From there the participant has the option of jumping 5 to 20 feet onto another bag.

The Zip ‘N Slide obstacle allows participants to zipline until they are hit with a stopper that flings them onto another airbag. They are then tossed onto a slide, Willardsen says.

“The fun part was to take stuff that we had done, world record-type of stunts, death-defying stunts, and formulate those stunts into something the general public can do,” Willardsen says. “The technology was there and no one had done it yet.”

Leyba says he expects 5,000 participants and more than 10,000 spectators.

“It’s a great way to get out and have some fun,” he says. “They can create a whole bonding experience for everybody involved.”

For more information, or to see some of the obstacles, visit www.stuntrun.com.

Visit www.gacouncil.org for more information about Guardian Angel Council.

Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors, Spirituality and Business section editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at meghan@santansun.com.

As it turned out, their expertise was needed after Seattle’s defensive end Cliff Avril suffered a head injury with about eight minutes left in the third quarter. Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner intercepted a Tom Brady pass and Avril was injured during the return. He lay on the grass field for a few moments, before walking off on his own power. He was sent to the locker room shortly thereafter for evaluation, and was eventually ruled out for a return to the game.

Kaibara and Cardenas were not allowed to comment on that particular injury, because of doctor-patient confidentiality rules, but they were involved in the evaluation and ultimately the decision to not allow Avril to return.

It is NFL protocol to have a doctor immediately examine a player after they return to the sidelines if they show any concussion symptoms and take appropriate treatment steps, including removing them from the game. They treated players during the Super Bowl using the same protocols as those used during the season...or in any brain injury situation for that matter.

“When evaluating a player, it is no different than evaluating a patient in the emergency room,” Kaibara says. “Our attention was strictly focused on the athlete’s health.”

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, but it can also be caused by a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back

and forth—literally causing the brain to bounce around inside the skull. A concussion damages brain cells and creates chemical changes in the brain. Once these changes occur, the brain is more vulnerable to further injury and sensitive to any increased stress until it fully recovers.

“Concussion needs to be taken seriously and we’re happy the NFL has initiated these guidelines to help protect their athletes against brain injury,” Kaibara says.

He also believes the NFL’s in-game evaluation program has helped raise awareness of concussions in sports.

“Hopefully this will spill over into many other sports at all levels of play, from kids to professionals,” Kaibara says.

Cardenas agrees and hopes that young athletes pay attention and don’t feel pressure to return to a game if they suffered a head injury.

“An important message to our youth is that a professional football player had to leave the most important game in the world because of a concussion,” Cardenas says. “The message that we try to convey to student athletes is that no game is worth playing with a concussion.”

Curt Blakeney is the associate editor of the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at curt@santansun.com.

Adopt-A-Park volunteers honored

Groups participating in Chandler’s Adopt-A-Park program were honored for helping keep city parks clean at a Monday, Feb. 23, City Council meeting.

Chandler has more than 60 parks and 1,200 acres of developed park land and receives help from 18 Adopt-A-Park groups or individuals. Seventeen parks, or portions of parks, have been “adopted” by local organizations or families who agree to visit their adopted park at least once a month to help keep it clean

and report any condition that requires attention by city maintenance personnel.

The Desert Rivers Audubon Society spent 180 hours helping maintain the Hummingbird Habitat at Desert Breeze Park in 2014 and was recognized as the Adopt-A-Park Large Group of the Year.

The Small Group of the Year award went to Natasha Thompson and Beth Werner who together spent 64.5 hours helping maintain Sunset Park in west Chandler. Each group received award certificates

and will have their names engraved on a plaque displayed in the lobby of the Chandler Community Center. Certificates of Merit were provided to all Adopt-APark volunteers.

The adopted parks include Maggio Ranch, Cub Scouts Pack 984; A.J. Chandler Park, Chandler Rotary; Quail Haven Park, Girl Scout Troup 2576; Arrowhead Meadows Park, Chandler Gilbert ARC; Apache Park, Quetzalli and Knox Place HOA; Pecos Ranch Park, Cholla Neighborhood Girl Scouts; Ryan Park, Chandler Kiwanis Club; Desert Breeze

Verizon Wireless; Navarrete Park, Knights of Columbus; Pequeno Park, Bank of America; Desert Breeze Hummingbird Habitat, Desert Rivers Audubon Society; Arbuckle Park, Pilot Mortgage, LLC; Desert Oasis Park, LCL - Smith; East Mini Park, Drez Family and friends; Blue Heron Park, Ellen and Carl D’Amato; Price Park, Carter and Sherill Frey and Sunset Park, Natasha Thompson and Beth Werner. For more information about Adopt-APark program, call (480) 782-2667, or visit www.chandleraz.gov/parks.

Stay active this winter with ongoing aquatics programs

The City of Chandler Parks and Recreation Department’s aquatics programs continue. Visit www.chandleraz.gov/registration or call (480) 782-3463 for more information.

Season opens at Hamilton and Mesquite centers March 7

While all six Chandler Aquatics facilities are closed for public swim hours, deck improvements and general facility maintenance at each location is being completed. Swimmers will return to safe and accessible facilities once the improvements are completed.

Hamilton and Mesquite Groves Centers will reopen for the season on Saturday, March 7.

Learn-to-swim classes offered

Winter Session 2 will continue through Saturday, March 14, at Hamilton and Mesquite Groves aquatic centers.

Visit www.chandleraz.gov/registration to register for learn-to-swim classes, adult group practice and stroke development classes.

The water is heated during the classes.

30-hour American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course offered

The American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course will teach participants knowledge and skills needed to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies. Students will be prepared to recognize and respond quickly and effectively to emergencies and prevent drowning and injuries.

Participants will receive a certificate

for Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED, which is valid for two years upon successful completion. Early registration is important for the 30-hour class due to limited class sizes. It is $120 for residents; $150 for nonresidents.

Students are asked to come prepared to swim during each class session.

The prerequisites for the course include: swimming 300-yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing, treading water for two minutes using legs only and completing a timed event within one minute and 40 seconds starting in the water, which involves swimming 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface diving 7 feet to 10 feet, retrieving a 10-pound object and returning to the surface, swimming 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exiting the water without using a ladder or steps. Participants must be 15 years old by the last day of class.

43-hour Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course offered

A 43-hour American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course will train instructor candidates to teach water safety, including the Basic Water Rescue Course, six levels of the Progressive Learn to Swim Program and Parent and Child Aquatics.

Eight hours of instructor candidate practical teaching time and five hours of the Fundamentals Instructor Training course are included in the course.

The fee is $103 for residents; $127 for nonresidents.

The prerequisites include: demonstrated proficiency in the following strokes (25 yards) front crawl (freestyle), back crawl (backstroke), breaststroke, elementary backstroke, sidestroke and butterfly (15 yards). Participants must also be able to maintain a position on their backs for one minute in deep water either floating or sculling and tread water for one minute. Participants must be 16 years old by the last day of class.

SRP and City of Chandler offer free swim lessons

Free swimming lessons for children and adults in March are being offered due to a partnership between the City of Chandler Aquatics and SRP Safety Connection.

The swim lessons will be hosted by Arrowhead Pool, 1475 W. Erie St., for children and adults weekday evenings Monday, March 23, through Wednesday, April 1. Participants will work with instructors on such skills as floating and flutter kicks and progress to diving in deep water to help participants gain confidence in the water.

Registration is available for residents and nonresidents at www.chandleraz.gov/ registration. The water is heated during the lessons.

Instructor candidates who are gaining teaching experience to prepare for their American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor certifications are teaching the class. Instructor candidates will introduce skills taught in the American Red Cross learn-to-swim program, and water safety topics from SRP.

In addition, SRP provides funds to enable the city to distribute educational material on water and electric safety to its residents. SRP has been supplying water to the valley for more than a century and is the largest provider of water and power to the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

Chandler Aquatics offering 15 percent discount on Family Season Pass

Chandler residents can receive a 15 percent discount on a Family Season Pass to the city’s six aquatic centers if they purchase a pass between Saturday, March 7 and Saturday, March 21.

A Family Season Pass holder may swim at any of the city’s aquatic centers between March and November during published or posted public swim hours with the purchase of a $95 family pass. Up to four family members can use the pass. Additional family members can be added for $13 each.

The discounted passes can be purchased at the Hamilton Aquatic Center, 3838 S. Arizona Ave. and at the Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center, 5901 S. Hillcrest Dr.

A new online registration system implemented last fall included technology that replaced paper passes with plastic key fobs that can be scanned at city pools for quick entry. The new fobs will be issued to each family member with the purchase of a family pass. A driver’s license photo ID must be presented showing a verifiable Chandler address and all family members listed on the pass should be present, so photos can be taken when the key fob is issued. For more information, call Chandler Aquatics at (480) 782-2749.

Chompie’s offers burger discounts for Spring Training

People from all over the country will flock to Arizona to watch their favorite baseball team train during the Cactus League Spring Training season this March. Chompie’s New York Deli is welcoming fans to Arizona to celebrate Spring Training by offering a “buy one, get one free, premium Angus beef burger” deal.

Every day after 3 p.m. from Tuesday, March 3, through Tuesday, March 31, diners can buy one, and get one free charbroiled half pound premium angus beef burger of equal or lesser value, with the purchase of two beverages. The thick burgers are served on a fresh-baked sesame brioche bun and are accompanied by Chompie’s famous homemade coleslaw and home-style fries. Gluten-free friendly buns are available.

green chilies, jalapeno jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, chipotle ranch dressing and crispy onion strings; Texas Longhorn Burger, topped with smoky barbecue brisket, sliced cheddar cheese and creamy coleslaw, served with side of onion strings; Sourdough Patty Melt, served on grilled sourdough with American cheese, mustard, pickles and grilled red onions and the Baja Burger, topped with bacon, avocado, jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion.

This offer is not valid on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17.

Serves two guests. Dine-in only. No substitutions. Not valid with promotional gift cards or any other coupons, offers or discounts. Subject to change.

Agave Quilt Guild hosts show

The sixth annual Quilt Show, which is hosted by the Agave Quilt Guild, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 28, for the first time in the Oakwood Ballroom of the Oakwood Country Club, 24218 S. Oakwood Blvd., Sun Lakes.

The free, one-day, quilt show will feature quilts of all styles. Each one of the quilts is stitched by one of the more than 250 guild members. Large traditionally pieced bed quilts, will be among some of the pieces attendees will see, as well as beautiful forms of appliqué, machine and needle-turn, and many superb artistic wall quilts. Examples of crazy quilting, miniatures, and yoyos, as well as quilted totes, bags and purses will also be a part of the quilt show.

or six for $5.

While many of the quilts are machine sewn and quilted, others are exceptional examples of hand-piecing and hand-quilting.

The premium half-pound Angus beef burgers can be customized with a variety of toppings including cheese, bacon, fried egg and pastrami at an additional cost.

Burger choices include Classic Borenstein Burger, lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion; The “Original” Grilled Patty Melt, served on grilled rye with sautéed red onion and Swiss cheese; Chipotle Ranch Burger, topped with

Chompie’s was made famous by Adam Richman of the Travel Channel’s “Man. v. Food.”

For more information, visit www. chompies.com.

Chompie’s is located at the Chandler Village Center, 3481 W. Frye Rd., just south of Chandler Fashion Center.

The President’s Challenge, a special fundraising raffle, is designed by President Faith Bragg. “Holidays and Celebrations” is the theme of the 2015 challenge. More than 20 challenge wall quilts and one large art quilt will be on display for the silent auction or the raffle. The three awardwinning challenge quilts that were voted on by the membership will be included.

The show will also have several themed raffle baskets, such as golfing, wine and cheese and quilting. Tickets are $1 for one

The Agave Guild, founded 20 years ago has a boutique full of handmade items like aprons, small wall hangings, luggage tags, quilted purses, bags, totes, potholders and casserole carriers. There are handmade greeting cards, quilted placemats, Easter and Mother’s Day gifts, all reasonably priced. All boutique receipts will fund continuing member education and Agave’s community service projects. For 2015, Agave’s service project is making shoulder totes for women and children staying at various shelters and filling them with much needed personal care items, since the women often arrive at the shelters with nothing. To donate any unused personal care items, such as hotel sized soap and shampoo, bring them to the show for drop off.

Border security to be discussed at Republican Club meeting

The Sun Lakes Republican Club will feature “U.S. Border Security” with Ronald Colburn, former national deputy chief of the U.S. Border Patrol within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the Arizona Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 N. Sun Lakes Blvd., Sun Lakes. The public is invited. Colburn has an extensive background in border security, having served in critical operational positions in the field and at the headquarters of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency for more than 30 years. In his role as national deputy chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, he helped to lead a workforce of more than 20,000 individuals charged with the mission of protecting, defending, and enforcing America’s borders between lawful ports of entry and helped to lead the Border Patrol during a time of unprecedented scrutiny

of America’s border security operations.

A Peoria resident, Colburn is a national security consultant with Command Consulting Group and has appeared on national news programs in that capacity.

Also at the meeting, Arizona State Rep. J.D. Mesnard will offer a brief update on the Arizona Legislative Session during the meeting.

For more information, visit www. slgop.org or contact Mike Tennant at (480) 802-0178.

Author offers writing workshop

Carol Farabee, best-selling author and publisher, will conduct a series of writing workshops, which will teach people the process of writing a book that simplifies the creative process.

Farabee’s bestselling book “Marketing Through Authorship,” hit No. 6 in Business and Marketing and No. 7 in Education and Reference in December 2014 on Amazon. This book is the focus of one of the workshops and will help business owners establish their credibility, improve their business and increase their profitability by being a published author.

From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, March 14, Farabee will start off the series with two informational, fourhour workshops.

The first four-hours of the day will be for those interested in writing a children’s book. It will cover choosing your target audience; the dos and don’ts in what to write; selecting different types of illustrations and the truth about marketing a book. A one-day workshop Saturday, April 11 will also be provided to provide the next steps in children’s authorship and begin the writing process.

The second half of Saturday, March 14, will focus on “Marketing Through

Authorship” and how it can increase credibility; add value; separate an individual’s business from other competitors; open doors; boost revenue and enhance an individual’s advertising campaign. This workshop will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

This four-hour workshop will cover the importance of being published and the steps to developing a book.

The March 14 workshop will be held at the Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler. It is $300 for each workshop or $500 for both workshops.

This will be followed by a three-day workshop, Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29, where the participants will write their book and get it ready for editing.

Writing has always been a large part of Farabee’s life. She is very passionate about helping people deliver their message, whether it be through a children’s book, a business book, or fiction.

For more information, call (602) 5709614, email projectprosinfo@gmail.com or visit www.projectprosaz.com.

Monthly POWWOW market scheduled for March 14

Produce on Wheels With Out Waste (POWWOW) distributes fresh produce in a farmers market atmosphere for the public to enjoy on the second Saturday of the month from November through May. The next scheduled event will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in the parking lot of Desert Palms Church, 4265 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler.

The purpose of the market is to reach out to the community by providing good quality produce at an extremely affordable price. A $10 donation is good for up to 60 pounds of produce for six to eight different varieties that are normally available. The food goes quickly, so get there early.

For more information, visit www. facebook.com/POWWOWatDPC.

Heart health at the Tao Healing Center

Experience how to have a healthy heart through breathing, stretching and meditation from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21. The free know-how workshop will be held at the Tao Healing Center, 1840 W. Chandler Blvd, Suite D-7. Reduce or eliminate the need for medications. If exercise is difficult, Tao Healing Center’s postures are safe and gentle for all ages and body conditions. Wear comfortable exercise clothes to the workshop. Call (480) 786-6000 to reserve a spot for the workshop. For more information, email taohealingcenter@gmail.com or visit www.taohealingcenters.org.

Get organized at Downtown Chandler library

Professional organizer Carolyn Woods, of Totally Tidy Household Organizing, will host a workshop to help attendees get organized from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Downtown Chandler Public Library, 22 S. Delaware St. Woods will help attendees reframe their attitude about their stuff and teach them the basic process of how to

organize things. She will demonstrate the techniques through real-life photos of spaces she has organized for clients. After the workshop, attendees can use their new skills to organize their own living space or to help someone else.

For more information, call (480) 7822800, email infodesk@chandlerlibrary.org or visit www.chandlerlibrary.org.

Dr. Seuss birthday event

Dr. Seuss’ characters were on the loose at the Hamilton Branch Library during a celebration of the author’s birthday. Children enjoyed stories, a stilt walker and juggler, and a visit by The Cat in the Hat. STSN photos by Kimberly Carrillo