March 2, 2022 People/Dining/Shopping/Events/Culture All defining Livonia
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Congratulations to
Jim and Katie Jolly
Introducing
Gabriel Joseph Jolly
born February 27, 2022,
St. Gabriel’s Feast day
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Q/A with
Dr. Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster, MD, is a board-certified cardiologist with subspecialty certification in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology. He attended the Wayne State University School of Medicine and completed training at the University of Michigan and William Beaumont Hospital.
Dr. Foster recently spoke with Friday Musings to answer questions about heart health and to highlight new technologies now available at St. Mary Mercy Livonia for the treatment of congestive heart failure
Q: What is heart failure and how many people are affected?
Dr. Foster: Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to keep up with the body’s needs. Heart failure affects roughly 6.5 million people in the United States alone and approximately 26 million people around the world. Unfortunately, in the United States, by the year 2030, heart failure is projected to affect 8 million people. We have made great progress and now most patients are treated with medications that are able to reduce symptoms and prolong life expectancy.
One new technology we are excited to offer patients at St. Mary Mercy Livonia is the Optimizer Smart. This device helps reduce heart failure symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue in some people with heart failure.
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Q: What is the Optimizer Smart and how exactly does it work?
Dr. Foster: The device is similar in size to a pacemaker and is surgically implanted in a similar way. Once in place, it begins delivering therapy called cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) to the heart. This therapy encourages changes on a cellular level that results in an improvement of strength and efficiency of the heart muscle. Over time, this allows the heart to better meet the body’s need for oxygen-rich blood. The device lasts up to 15 years before needing to be replaced, which is about 2-3 times as long as the average pacemaker.
Q: What is the difference between the Optimizer Smart and a pacemaker or defibrillator?
Dr. Foster: A pacemaker treats slow heartbeats. Defibrillators also can treat slow heartbeats but are also designed to stop life-threatening electrical disturbances called arrhythmias which can occur in patients with heart failure. The Optimizer Smart, however, delivers its therapy during the period right after the heartbeat and is perfectly timed to follow the patient’s heart rhythm.
Q: Is this device safe to use?
Dr. Foster: Yes, the Optimizer device was granted Breakthrough Device designation by the Food and Drug Administration in March of 2019, and it’s the first and only FDA-approved device of its kind. So far, it has helped more than 4,500 patients in more than 40 countries worldwide. This device is improving people’s lives.
Q: Why should Michigan residents pay attention to their heart health?
Dr. Foster: Heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause of death in the state of Michigan according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the year 2020, 27,127 Michiganders died due to heart disease. If you or someone you love has heart failure and medications have not worked to decrease symptoms, there may be options available to you, including this new device.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Foster or another experienced St. Mary Mercy Livonia cardiologist, call 734-655-2959.
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The Arts Commission is happy to announce a very exciting exhibition coming to the Gallery for March. A must-see! Dean Rogers is a colored pencil artist and is well-known in our area.
Dean Rogers
March artist at the Fine Arts Gallery
the second floor of the Bennett Civic Center Library,
March 3 – 30 with the public invited to a reception being held on March 10, from 5:00 to 7:00
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Dean Rogers is a fine artist from Commerce.
Drawing has been his passion since he was drawing mazes at the age of 6. Now working primarily as a colored pencil artist he has been accepted into the International Colored Pencil Exhibition 8 times and has won 5 Awards in those Shows alone. Dean’s work has appeared in numerous colored pencil magazines and books of collected art such as CP Treasures.
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His fantasy portraits often take over 150 hours to complete. Solo exhibitions have been held at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, City Gallery in Farmington, The Norma Gray Gallery in Brighton, and Studio West in Brighton. He has also displayed work in Regional Colored Pencil Society Exhibitions, the Livonia Fine Art Exhibition, the Michigan Fine Art Competition, the Ella Sharp State Fine Art Competition, and many others. Dean teaches Colored Pencil and Drawing classes at Schoolcraft College and conducts presentations about his work.
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Madonna President Retires Acting President Named
Michael A. Grandillo, Ph.D., Madonna University’s seventh and first lay president, announced that he is retiring effective February 21, 2022, in order to address some recent health issues—fortunately relatively minor.
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In accordance with the University’s Presidential Succession Plan, the Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of Ian Day as acting president of the University, in addition to his role as chief operating officer.
“I am honored to have been chosen to lead Madonna, a truly remarkable university, whose Felician mission, and Franciscan values have earned it a reputation of distinction for a quality education and a commitment to serving others,” said Day about the appointment. “As higher education institutions everywhere face enormous challenges, my leadership approach remains one of inclusivity and transparency with our exceptional students, faculty, and staff.”
As acting president, Day will perform the day-to-day duties of the president, as set forth in the University bylaws. He also will continue to embrace and advance the Mission and Franciscan Felician values of the University, and work with the Board, Felician Services Inc., and the Felician Sisters of North America in the operation of the University, among other duties.
“The Board of Trustees looks forward to continuing its relationship with Ian Day in his new role as acting president,” said Board Chair David J. Boyd. “We are confident that he and his executive team will build on the University’s nearly 85 years of success.”
When Day joined the Madonna family in mid-2020, he brought with him some 30 years of experience in higher education. In the past two years, he has helped guide the University through the pandemic, overseen the completion of the Welcome Center and other facility improvements, and provided support and leadership to the enrollment management team to aid in recruiting and retaining students, among other achievements.
Prior to Madonna University, Day led the enrollment division at Canisius College, a Catholic Jesuit institution in Buffalo, NY, where he and his team matriculated the most diverse class in school history and increased the total headcount 14 percent in 2019.
During his 10 years at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD), he served as chief enrollment officer and as director of athletics.
He also spent some time at Tiffin University, in Ohio, in a variety of roles including, vice president for campus services, director of athletics, and director of admissions.
Day holds a bachelor's degree in education from Alderson Broaddus University and a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University.
A lifelong Roman Catholic, Day grew up in Aldridge, England. He and his wife Sarah, reside in Grosse Pointe Farms and have three children, Justin, Haley, and Evan.
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As Grandillo retires, the University community expressed its gratitude for his seven years of service to Madonna University, and acknowledged the many milestones and accomplishments that were achieved under his leadership, including the following highlights from his recently published Report of the President:
- Launched 11 new athletic teams, including football.
- Bolstered our commitment to performing arts with the addition of dance, pep band, jazz ensemble, repertory theatre, and string ensemble.
- Raised funds for the construction of a 28,000-square-foot Welcome Center.
- Acquired and renovated the Performing Arts, Athletic, and Academic Center.
- Enhanced Residence Life with the construction of new residence halls.
- Established 23 new academic programs including the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Innovation and the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Grandillo expressed his gratitude to the Madonna University community.
“Nancy and I are thankful to the Felician Sisters and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to serve such a great University, with outstanding faculty and staff members,” Grandillo said. “We are in the high calling to change people’s lives through the power of education. I think we did that. I am particularly grateful that my life partner, Nancy, joined me on this journey. Her devotion to Madonna students was evident and appreciated.”
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Mail Address
19514 Livonia 48152
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E-mail address
rwilliamjoyner@gmail.com
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Cell address
734-674-5871
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Greenmead Historical Park is celebrating Women’s History Month with three power lectures focused on women who never gave up nor accepted excuses for the important work they accomplished to make America great.
The first free lecture is 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Greenmead’s Alexander Blue House. Rochelle Danquah will discuss Ann Shaw Briggs, a Livonia pioneer who migrated to Livonia Township with her family in the 19th century. This lecture will focus on her diary and letters from Greenmead’s archive, giving us a glimpse into her personal and family life in the community. No registration required.
Make sure to return March 16 to hear about Sojourner Truth and March 30 to discuss Eleanor Roosevelt. Same times and location.
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Register for LCT Summer Camps |
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