Annual Siruno Stroke Prevention Conference coming May 13

    CARIBOU — Internationally renowned cardiologist Michael Ozner, M.D. will highlight the second annual Siruno Stroke Prevention Conference on Friday, May 13 at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center. Ozner is the medical director of wellness and prevention at Baptist Health in South Florida and medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida. The May 13 conference is for health care professionals.
    Dr. Ozner will be joined by Jackie Mayer, Miss America in 1963 who suffered a major stroke in 1970. Also presenting at the day-long conference will be Yale University Scientist and physician Walter Newberry Kernan, M.D.
    The Siruno Stroke Prevention Conference was created in honor of Dr. Cesar Siruno a longtime general surgeon at Cary Medical Center who suffered a stroke and subsequently died in January of 2009. Dr. Siruno’s family generously donated more than $120,000 to establish a fund to provide professional and community education programs in Aroostook County with the goal of reducing the number of strokes experienced by area residents.
     Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center said that Aroostook County experiences one of the highest incidences of strokes, per-capita in the nation.
    “Northern Maine has a high incidence of stroke,” said Flagg, who is coordinating the conference. “The number of strokes here in the County every year outnumbers the rate in Maine and is higher than national averages on a per-capita basis. This conference will provide some excellent information to professionals. We are delighted with our lineup of speakers and we hope professionals from throughout the region will attend.”
    Dr. Ozner is the author of two recent books, the “Miami Mediterranean Diet” and the “Great American Heart Hoax.” His cardiology practice in Florida is dedicated exclusively to cardiovascular disease prevention and his solution for cardiac wellness and prevention is quite simple: “Eat a delicious meal of fish, whole grains and fresh vegetables. Drink a glass of red wine. Take a nice walk, and then take a nap. Relax with your family and friends.  Do it all again tomorrow, and the next day and the next for the rest of your life.”
    Mayer, former Miss America in 1963, was living a magic life until Thanksgiving Day in 1970 when she suffered a major stroke. She spent several years in recovery and rehabilitation and has become a national spokesperson on Stroke Prevention and Survival. She will address the stroke survivor patient doctor relationship.
    Dr. Kernan is a professor of medicine at Yale University. He was educated at Harvard College and Dartmouth Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. In addition to practicing internal medicine he conducts clinical research on topics at the interface between internal medicine and cerebrovascular disease. Dr. Kernan’s research has included clinical trials of new therapies for prevention of recurrent stroke.
    Daniel Louder, project manager for AMI and Stroke Systems of Care for the Maine CDC’s Cardiovascular Health Program, will discuss baseline data and stroke quality of care throughout Maine.
    The Siruno Stroke Prevention Conference is being held at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The program will conclude at 4 p.m. Registration is available online at carymedicalcenter.org. or by calling Kim Parent at 498-1112. A $90 registration fee is required and a $30 rate is charged for students. Application has been made for up to 7 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for physicians and Certificates of Completion will also be provided.