Dec. 22, 2011 – Whether helping cancer patients find accurate information or caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients overcome a sense of isolation, Ann Duesing has spent 16 years connecting Southwest Virginia residents with information to help them live healthier lives.

Her dedication and her ability to build partnerships with community groups helped Duesing, outreach librarian for Southwest Virginia with the University of Virginia Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, win the National Library of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey Library Services Outreach Award. The award is given annually to honor a health sciences librarian assisting an underserved community.

Making healthcare information easier to access
Based at UVA’s College at Wise, Duesing sees her role as helping residents overcome barriers – whether geographic, financial or informational – to get the knowledge and care they need. “There’s such a need for access to healthcare and information about healthcare,” she says.

Duesing has helped expand access by combining her deep commitment to the region with an ability to foster collaboration. “She has the ability to develop positive, long-lasting relationships in the community and with community leaders,” says Gretchen Arnold, associate dean and director of the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library.

The leader of one community group that frequently partners with Duesing says her tireless work ethic and inclusiveness make it easy to team with her.

“Other people enjoy working with Ann because she includes everyone, treats everyone with equal respect, never takes herself too seriously and is lots of fun,” says Marilyn Pace Maxwell, executive director of Mountain Empire Older Citizens (MEOC). “She is generous with her time and generous in her relationships with others. People respond positively to her generosity of spirit.”

Efforts have benefited Alzheimer’s, cancer patients
She has played a key role in several major health initiatives, including:
• TechWorld: A partnership that includes MEOC and local public schools, the program uses student volunteers from area high schools to teach computer skills to caregivers for patients with Alzheimer’s and other conditions. The program helps caregivers, many of whom provide around-the-clock care, to access health information and other resources, such as support groups.
• Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center: Through a partnership with MEOC, the center helps residents access online information about cancer and cancer treatments and also provides gas cards and food to patients who travel to receive cancer treatment. Duesing helped secure a grant for a touch screen computer and printer to provide cancer information updated monthly.
• Healthy Appalachia Institute: Duesing is a faculty member at the institute, charged with helping leaders of health projects access information to help them in their work.

“She has touched an endless number of people and her influence continues to be far-reaching and substantial,” Maxwell wrote in her letter nominating Duesing for the award.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2011

ASHTABULA--Inspired by the year of protest that began in North Africa and reached the US as the Occupy movement, the Air Staff of Erie Looking Productions purchased a block of shortwave airtime to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act which could radically break the Internet as it is currently understood.

"This past year has shown how a media strategy encompassing the use of multiple platforms is the best way to survive. As evidenced by the Internet blackouts seen in North Africa at the start of this year, the network of networks known as the Information Superhighway seems to be riddled with potholes. With the Stop Online Piracy Act potentially having a chilling effect on the part of our planet's knowledge ecology known as the Internet, it is prudent to look at alternatives. WBCQ is rather firmly committed to the freedom of speech and is an excellent platform for our New Year's Eve Special." Head Writer Stephen Michael Kellat said.

A special release of the podcast LISTen: An LISNews.org Program as well as our debut on this alternative media platform will take place on New Year's Eve 2011.

The broadcast will last one hour and will air on WBCQ, a shortwave radio station based in the Maine community of Monticello. Shortwave listeners can tune to the station at 5,110 kHz on December 31st at 6 PM Eastern Standard Time (11 PM Coordinated Universal Time) to hear the program. The broadcast will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License to encourage recording off the air and mirroring. A podcast release will be made via LISNews.org only after the transmission concludes via WBCQ. Primary station coverage includes the eastern seaboard of North America, North Africa, and Western Europe.

Shortwave radios are available from a variety of consumer electronics retailers to allow one to hear the special over-the-air. Receptions reports via e-mail will be sought and should be sent to erielookingproductions@gmail.com.

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For more information please contact the Air Staff of Erie Looking Productions via e-mail at erielookingproductions@gmail.com.