aLPHA zETA oMEGA
Epsilon chapter- New Jersey
Patient Outreach
Patient Outreach chairs are looking forward to having community outreach programs to involve those of all ages. For children, we are planning on continuing past events such as Candy vs. Medication in which students have an interactive method and learning technique of distinguishing between candy and medication as a way to bring awareness regarding the adverse effects of taking medication that is not required. Additionally, a new event planned for this semester is a health fair that will involve pharmacy students and AZO alumni to promote blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar screenings for those in a Senior Center. This will allow patients to ask questions and be counseled by pharmacists regarding any problems they may have. Lastly, AZO is collaborating with Bell Pharmacy to set up a medication disposal system known as MedReturn, to dispose of unwanted medication. It is a secure and safe way to allow law enforcement agencies and and the community to eliminate household medication including prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs that are unused or even expired.
Expired Prescription Collection
TBA
Patient Awareness Series
Tourette's Syndrome
"You are not your illness. People are made of the talents and other qualities that define them more than their conditions. Some days are harder, and the symptoms vary throughout the day, especially under stress and when people try to tell you to control it. Over the years, I've learn to accept that Tourette's syndrome is a part of me, and have people see me for my own talents." - Soorim Yoo
Thank you Soorim for being AZO/CPNP's guest speaker for our Patient Awareness Series event last year. Hearing you open up and talk about your condition not only educated us on the illness, but you definitely inspired us and many of your peers in EMSOP.
Soorim is a P1 student in the Class of 2020 at EMSOP. She was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome at the age of 8 and has gone through both acupuncture and medical therapy. But the most effective therapy that still has a big influence on her today has been music therapy. Soorim is both talented in singing and in playing the flute. Soorim says that when she sings or when she is playing the flute she is free from all her symptoms. She wants to specialize in neurology and learn about music therapy to understand how music can help others as much as it has helped her.
Transplant Heroes
Last year, AZO learned about the heroic act of organ donation and how pharmacists/ other heathcare professionals can play a role in the transplant process. Guest speakers included an organ donor and a recipient and several members of the RWJ transplant team: pharmacists, a transplant nurse coordinator, clinical nurse manager, and a nephrologist. Members had the the opportunity to ask questions to our panel and even register to become someone's transplant hero. Members also dressed in superhero themed outfits or the color green for National Donate Life month of April for free entry into our raffle for some awesome prizes! Prizes included gift cards to Hansel n' Griddle, Brother Jimmy’s, and more!
Be the match
This year, AZO, SNPhA, and APhA collaborated on hosting a Be the March Bone Marrow Donor Donation Drive to encourage pharmacy students to register as bone marrow donors and to promote awareness of importance of registering for the bone marrow registry and donating blood/platelets. Members got to hear the stories of families in the New Jersey community speak about how their children's illness affects their families and how they spend each day waiting to hear that a match has been found. One of the speakers spoke about how his beloved wife has passed away while waiting for a donor and about how rather than let her passing away without finidng a donor turn him away from the Be the Match organization, he became more energized to help other patients find a match. It was a truly profound and inspirational night. Many pharmacy students joined the registry that night through performing cheek swabs on the spot.