East Texas mom of 8 pursues healthcare track at TJC after nurses help save her husband's life
According to TJC, Ronda Knight will graduate from TJC with an associate's degree in psychology and sociology and will begin TJC's 16-month associate degree nursing program the following week on April 12.
Longview High School honors seniors at first-ever Lobo decision day
The junior college said Knight works full time as a school bus driver at Lindale ISD, waking up at 3:30 a.m. each morning for 17 years, and is a mom of eight kids, ages 18 to 29, but still maintains a near-perfect GPA.
Knight's TJC story started in 2022 when she decided to go back to school at 46-years-old and hasn't slowed down since. 'One of my co-workers at Lindale High School was about to graduate from TJC, and she convinced me to just go for it,' Knight said. 'I said, 'Okay, walk me through the process and help me apply,' and she did. That was it.'
'I originally chose TJC because it was close to home and offered the courses I needed but I stayed because I found a place where I was accepted and feel at home,' Knight said.
College officials said that in addition to Knight's TJC degrees, she also has two credits from earning her Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from UT Tyler and is applying to their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Knight explained that she chose the healthcare track for personal reasons.
'In 2021, my husband was in an accident at work and had a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks, plus my daughter was in a high-risk pregnancy at the same time,' she said. 'It was a lot, and there was this group of nurses who helped my husband and also helped me walk that path. That was what made me decide to go back to school.'
Knight also credits a group of six TJC women who have been mentors and encouraged her through college:
Biology Lab Specialist, Kim Chastain
Professor and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Gigi Delk
Professor and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Nancy Carter
Processing Analyst, Kassie Garcia
Office Coordinator and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Marie Davis
Psychology and Sociology Professor, Dr. Deb Kelley
'This group of ladies keeps me going,' she said. 'If it had not been for them, I would not still be here and thriving in the way that I am.'
Tyler Junior College recognizes longtime supporters at board meeting
Knight is also an active member of TJC's Alpha Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), serving as chapter president and is the incoming district vice president for the Texas region. The junior college said she has also been involved with numerous community service events and volunteers at the student resource center on campus.
Knight explains that eventually she wants to earn a doctorate in psychology and nursing, maybe even become a professor at TJC.
'I've thought about coming back here to teach someday,' she said. 'To anyone thinking about going back to school, I would just say to do it. If you have questions, don't be afraid to reach out to your professors or advisors because they are here to help. Most of all, get involved on campus. This is a great place, and I've enjoyed every minute of it.'
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Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
Knight Therapeutics Announces Regulatory Supplemental Submission of MINJUVI® (tafasitamab) for Follicular Lymphoma in Brazil
MONTREAL, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knight Therapeutics Inc., (TSX: GUD) ("Knight") a pan-American (ex-USA) specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that its Brazilian affiliate, United Medical Ltda., has submitted a supplemental application to ANVISA, the Brazilian health regulatory agency, seeking approval for an additional indication for MINJUVI® (tafasitamab) in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with previously treated follicular lymphoma (FL). The supplemental application for the additional indication was selected for review under Project Orbis. In September 2021, Knight entered into an exclusive supply and distribution agreement with Incyte (NASDAQ:INCY), for the exclusive rights to distribute tafasitamab (sold as MONJUVI® in the United States and MINJUVI® outside of the U.S.), as well as PEMAZYRE® (pemigatinib), in Latin America. In February 2024, Knight announced the launch of MINJUVI® in Brazil in combination with lenalidomide followed by MINJUVI® monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). 'This regulatory submission for a new indication for tafasitamab in relapsed or refractory FL highlights our steadfast commitment to bringing innovation and enhancing quality of life and care,' said Samira Sakhia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Knight Therapeutics. 'If approved, the combination of tafasitamab, rituximab and lenalidomide will be an important new therapeutic option for eligible adult patients with previously treated FL in Brazil. We look forward to continuing to work towards regulatory submissions in additional countries in Latin America over the next months.' About Follicular Lymphoma (FL) and inMIND Study FL is the most common indolent, or slow growing, form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).1 In Brazil, according to the 2023 data from the National Cancer Institute (INCA) Registries, the expected incidence/year of NHL (inclusive of all subtypes) was 5.57 per 100, 000 in the general population, 6.42 per 100,000 in the male population, and 5.62 per 100,000 in the female population. It is expected that follicular lymphoma constitutes 20% to 25% of adult NHL cases.2,3,4 There are limited treatment options for relapsed or refractory FL.5 The submission is based on the results from the pivotal Phase 3 inMIND trial, a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial randomizing 548 patients with relapsed or refractory FL to receive tafasitamab or placebo with lenalidomide and rituximab. Key results from the trial demonstrated that tafasitamab plus lenalidomide and rituximab significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with relapsed or refractory FL compared to a placebo. The median PFS was 22.4 months in the treatment arm versus 13.9 months in the placebo arm, representing a 57% reduction in the risk of disease progression, relapse, or death. Secondary endpoints also showed improvements, with higher response rates and longer durations of response observed in the treatment arm.6 About MINJUVI® (tafasitamab)MINJUVI® (tafasitamab) is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19-targeting monoclonal antibody. Tafasitamab incorporates an XmAb® engineered Fc domain, which mediates B-cell lysis through apoptosis and immune effector mechanism including Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP). Incyte licenses exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab from Xencor, Inc. In the U.S., MONJUVI® (tafasitamab-cxix) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). MONJUVI® is not indicated and is not recommended for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma outside of controlled clinical trials. Additionally, MONJUVI® received accelerated approval in the United States in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). In Europe, MINJUVI® (tafasitamab) received conditional Marketing Authorization from the European Medicines Agency in combination with lenalidomide, followed by MINJUVI® monotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who are not eligible for ASCT. XmAb® is a registered trademark of Xencor, Inc. MONJUVI, MINJUVI, the MINJUVI and MONJUVI logos and the 'triangle' design are registered trademarks of Incyte. About Knight Therapeutics Inc. Knight Therapeutics Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring or in-licensing and commercializing pharmaceutical products for Canada and Latin America. Knight's Latin American subsidiaries operate under United Medical, Biotoscana Farma and Laboratorio LKM. Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s shares trade on TSX under the symbol GUD. For more information about Knight Therapeutics Inc., please visit the company's web site at or Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements for Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Knight Therapeutics Inc. considers the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time they were prepared but cautions the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations are discussed in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Report and in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed on Knight Therapeutics Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events, except as required by law. References: Kaseb H, et al. Follicular Lymphoma. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan. Kanters S, et al. BMC Cancer. 2023;23:74. Smith SM, Salles G. Haematologica. 2022;107:4-6. Swerdlow SH, Campo E, Pileri SA, et al. Blood. 2016;127:2375-2390. Decision Resources Group. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Landscape & Forecast. 2020. Sehn L H., et al. ASH Annual Meeting 2024; Late Breaking Abstract Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide and Rituximab for Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma: Results from a Phase 3 Study (inMIND). Investor Contact: Knight Therapeutics Inc. Samira Sakhia Arvind Utchanah President & Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer T: 514.484.4483 T. +598.2626.2344 F: 514.481.4116 Email: IR@ Email: IR@ Website: Website: in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Politico
24-07-2025
- Politico
How Trump's AI orders could throw states for a loop
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Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Silverboard isn't the only one raising concerns about the AI Action Plan. Brenda Leong, director of the AI division at legal firm ZwillGen, says the call to remove references to 'misinformation' from NIST's risk frameworks is misguided. 'AI systems' tendency to generate factually inaccurate, misleading, or confidently wrong outputs — hallucinations — is a well-documented challenge,' she said. 'The plan shifts away from acknowledging this fundamental technical and safety hazard.' Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Want to share a tip securely? Message us on Signal: CarmenP.82, RuthReader.02 or ErinSchumaker.01. WORLD VIEW Hackers love Europe's hospitals, our colleague in Europe, Giedrė Peseckytė, reports. The European Union's health care sector was targeted in 309 cybersecurity incidents in 2023 — more than in any other critical sector. The cost of a major incident typically reached €300,000 or approximately $350,000. For cybercriminals, targeting health data 'is a perfect business plan,' according to Christos Xenakis, professor at the department of digital systems at the University of Piraeus, Greece. 'It's easy to steal data, and what you steal, you can sell it at a high price.' Ransomware attacks — where hackers lock data and demand a ransom — dominate the sector, an EU Agency for Cybersecurity report showed. 'They achieve two targets: One is to get the data and sell [it], and the other is to encrypt the whole system, disrupt the whole system and ask for money,' Xenakis said. 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Xenakis believes the health care sector sees cybersecurity as a 'luxury,' not an essential. Health care staff are unaware of the risks, he believes, resulting in poor 'cyber hygiene.' Findings from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, an independent public foundation supervised by the Finnish Parliament, back this up. While many health care organizations have cybersecurity policies in place, they're often not 'clearly communicated or consistently understood by their staff.' High personnel turnover — not just among medics but also among cybersecurity officers — further 'exacerbates training gaps and the ability to enforce cybersecurity policies.' Europe mounts a response: In response to increasing cyberattacks on health care systems, the European Commission unveiled an 'action plan' for cybersecurity in hospitals and the health care sector in January. The plan proposes establishing a European Cybersecurity Support Center for the health care sector within the EU cybersecurity agency and a specific rapid-response service. The plan also introduces 'cybersecurity vouchers,' which will enable EU countries to provide financial support to smaller health care providers for enhancing their cyber resilience. 'It's good,' said Markus Kalliola, Sitra's program director. But it 'could be stronger.' Kalliola is one of the authors of the Commission's evaluation report by Sitra, which points to murky EU governance, a lack of clear targets or budgets and a missed opportunity to establish a single functioning market for cybersecurity solutions. What's next: Whether Europe's security will feature in the commission's final hospital cybersecurity plan remains to be seen; the EU executive has just concluded a consultation and promised to put forward a refined plan by the end of the year. SMALL BYTES The Food and Drug Administration is adding more AI talent to its roster. The agency has brought on radiologist Rick Abramson to help support the agency's AI efforts, according to two current FDA staffers granted anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters. Abramson previously served as Vanderbilt University's first vice chair for innovation in its Department of Radiology. He also briefly served as an adviser to the Office of Management and Budget under former President Bill Clinton. The Department of Health and Human Services did not return a request for comment as of press time.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Tara Knight, DNP, FNP-C, Honored With the 2025 Robert F. Gagel, M.D. Community Leadership Award
ARLINGTON, Va., June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) is pleased to announce Tara Knight, DNP, FNP-C, as the recipient of the 2025 Robert F. Gagel, M.D. Community Leadership Award. This award recognizes healthcare professionals who are instrumental in raising awareness about bone health and providing exceptional care to people living with osteoporosis in their communities. Dr. Knight has shown a remarkable commitment to improving osteoporosis care, particularly among postmenopausal women in underserved areas. She demonstrated her leadership by establishing a dedicated bone health clinic within her women's health practice in Jasper, Indiana, to better serve this population and address the urgent need for osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Her efforts reflect the core values this award was created to honor. Since completing BHOF's Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) training in both 2022 and 2024, Dr. Knight has become a champion for FLS implementation, integrating both primary prevention and post-fracture care strategies. Her initiatives have led to measurable improvements in bone density screening standards in her local community and expanded access to quality osteoporosis care. Dr. Knight has also contributed to professional education on a national level. She co-authored the Medscape™ publication Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: Closing the Care Gap and has presented at the Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership Fall Conference, the FLS Bone Health TeleECHO program, and the 2025 Interdisciplinary Symposium on Osteoporosis. As a BHOF Ambassador and member of the Ambassadors Leadership Council, she has shown an enduring commitment to BHOF's mission. "We are thrilled to present Dr. Knight with the Robert F. Gagel, M.D. Community Leadership Award," said Claire Gill, BHOF CEO. "Her commitment to equitable, evidence-based osteoporosis care and her impact on both local and national levels make her an outstanding leader in the field." The Robert F. Gagel, M.D. Community Leadership Award was established in 2024 in honor of Dr. Gagel's distinguished medical career and longstanding service to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation. His dedication to patient care and his leadership as a BHOF board member and officer for more than 15 years embody the spirit of this award, which celebrates healthcare professionals who make a lasting impact on osteoporosis care and community awareness. For more information about the award and the nomination process, visit About the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF), formerly the National Osteoporosis Foundation, is the leading health organization dedicated to preventing osteoporosis and broken bones, promoting strong bones for life and reducing human suffering through programs of public and clinician awareness, education, advocacy and research. Established in 1984, BHOF is the nation's largest health organization dedicated to osteoporosis and bone health. For more information, visit Media Contact Carina Maycmay@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation Sign in to access your portfolio
