Latest news with #Cronkhite
CBC
01-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Family's experience with genetic testing inspires winning project in medical innovation challenge
Alyson Cronkhite knew soon after giving birth that something was wrong with her son. Though he was born at a healthy weight, seven pounds 13 ounces, his weight soon dropped drastically. He also did not sit up, walk, or talk at expected times. As medical staff tested the little boy for a possible genetic disease, results ultimately had to be sent to Finland for diagnosis, because her home province of New Brunswick does not have the ability to do it. Now Cronkhite, a medical technologist, is part of a team that is working on possible solutions — and her experience helped inform a project that recently received some important funding support through a local innovation challenge. Her story helped inspire Dr. Doha Itani of Saint John to create a project called Establishing Genetic Service in N.B., which won the $500,000 David Elias CHS Health Care Innovation Award on April 24. Cronkhite said that the family was worried about her son immediately after he was born. Her son underwent extensive medical tests "right from the start" — such as MRIs, ECGs and EEGs — but these all came back normal. Nobody in New Brunswick could tell them what was causing the issues. After sending test results to Finland, Cronkhite learned that her son is one of just four people in the world with a disease that is so rare, it does not have a name and is referred to only as a "global developmental delay." Right now, the family has to travel out of province several times a year to meet a health-care provider. Itani said the focus is developing the ability to do tests for serious genetic or hereditary diseases at home. Doing this "will dramatically cut current wait times, leading to greater access to diagnostic testing and screening for preventative, life-saving care right here in New Brunswick," the leaders said in a statement. Itani said that all of the functional genes in someone's DNA are referred to as "whole exome." In a statement, she likened the project to "copying the entire book… but looking for misprints in only the chapter that is relevant." The overall goal of the project is to improve access to care in New Brunswick so that patients do not need to leave the province to receive it, Itani said. She also said that New Brunswick's population is now large enough to add the testing that people need. The Medical Innovators' Challenge was a Dragon's Den -style event organized by the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation. Another project, titled Meet the Kids Where They Are, was awarded the $100,000 Community Impact Award. Meet the Kids Where They Are will "expand to add a school and health liaison role in three Saint John schools," Alex Davis, a consultant working with the hospital foundation, said. "This will help support children facing social and health challenges by providing timely health care, early interventions and community resources." According to the foundation's news release, the award "was created to celebrate solutions that extend health care access beyond hospital walls." Meet the Kids Where They Are is led by Dr. Sarah Gander, a social pediatrician.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio firm approved for new Turtle Creek Road Bridge
LEWISBURG — The township supervisors in East Buffalo Township awarded a contract to a firm from Ohio to provide a new bridge over Turtle Creek. At Monday night's public meeting, supervisors unanimously approved a bid from U.S. Bridge, of Cambridge, Ohio, for $163,985 for the bridge steel superstructure. The damaged bridge on Turtle Creek Road shifted off its foundation during a severe storm in August 2023. 'This is to get the 'Lego set' to build the bridge, the decking of the bridge and all the steel,' township Manager Jo Helwig said. Bid notices were advertised on March 4 and March 11, and then received online via PennBID for the fabrication and delivery of a prefabricated steel superstructure. Bids were publicly opened on Monday afternoon prior to the meeting, Helwig said. U.S. Bridge was the only vendor that answered and submitted all documentation for the bid. The bid was reviewed by Jason Snyder, maintenance engineer for PennDOT's Local Assistance Program, Helwig said. The goal is to remove the damaged bridge near the end of May and install the new one in July, officials said. The supervisors voted last year to apply for a Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank (PIB) loan worth $765,000 toward the replacement of the bridge. On Monday night, they approved the conditions of that loan: a five-year loan with a 4.25 percent annual interest rate and quarterly repayments of $42,138.90. PIB is a PennDOT program that provides low-interest loans to help fund transportation projects within the commonwealth. The goal of the PIB is to leverage state and federal funds, accelerate priority transportation projects, spur economic development and assist local governments with their transportation needs, according to PennDOT. Engineer Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., of Lewisburg, provided an original estimate of $775,000. The associated costs are $610,000 for construction, $50,000 for preliminary engineering, $99,000 for final engineering, $10,000 for utilities and $6,000 for right-of-ways. The bridge is closed to traffic. Additionally, the supervisors discussed the deteriorating chain link fence at the Smith Baseball Field, 705 Fairground Road, Lewisburg. The estimated replacement cost is nearly $70,000, so supervisors said they will seek additional quotes and would consider replacing it in 2026. In other business, the township approved: * The purchase of a Diamond C 22-inch hydraulically damped tilt trailer from Fayette Trailers LLC for $18,539. The township will sell a 2000 Cronkhite trailer once the replacement is received. * A maintenance agreement with Lewisburg Area School District that designates the school district being responsible for the maintenance of signs and flashing lights installed at Route 45 and 20th Street near two district school buildings. * A proposal from Herbert, Rowland and Grubic Inc. (HRG) to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) application, not to exceed $20,000.
