Drug Topics - November 5, 2007 - (Page 16)

16 DRUG TOPICS NOVEMBER 5, 2007 www.drugtopics.com Hospital Practice Three pharmacists nab award for their strong Alzheimer’s care Three pharmacists are the proud recipients of Eisai’s hhc (human health care) Pharmacist Recognition Award for the contributions they have made to improving the care of Alzheimer’s disease patients. This is the sixth year that Eisai, maker of Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), has offered this program and the first year it has worked jointly with Drug Topics on it. Out of the more than 300 entries received this year, three pharmacists were selected, representing the hospital, long-term care, and community pharmacy settings, respectively. The winners are: Iowa hospital pharmacist Anne Salamon, R.Ph.; Connecticut consultant pharmacist Peggy Memoli, Pharm.D.; and Cincinnati educator Robert Cluxton, Pharm.D., MBA. Each won a crystal award and a check for $3,000. The awards were presented at a dinner coinciding with the National Community Pharmacists Association’s annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., last month. What follows is a close-up look at Salamon and her efforts to fight this disease, a fatal condition that afflicts 5.1 million people, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Memoli and Cluxton will be featured in upcoming issues. Proud to be the winners of the Eisai hhc award in Alzheimer’s care are (l. to r.) Robert Cluxton, Anne Salamon, and Peggy Memoli. Congratulating them is Sean Spears, senior director of pharmacy and trade relations at Eisai Inc. Father’s death inspires pharmacist to educate others about Alzheimer’s Michael Barbella ach year, before Anne K. Salamon knocks on a single door in her neighborhood to ask for donations to an Alzheimer’s Association autumn benefit, she sets a goal for herself. “I don’t have a monetary goal,” she explained, “but a number-of-people goal. I don’t measure [the fundraising] in terms of how much money I raise. I look at it in terms of how many houses I reach.” This year, Salamon reached 50 houses, a personal record. She also ventured about a mile from her Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home—the farthest she has ever gone to raise funds for the association’s annual Memory Walk. “Once I’ve informed a group, I want to get to the next group,” Salamon said. “I go out every chance I get and knock on doors. If I knock on a door and get no answer, I go back until someone is home and answers. I keep track of the houses I hit because I want to get everyone. I want to let them know.” It was Salamon’s passionate drive to educate people about Alzheimer’s disease and her desire to become an advocate to both patients and caregivers that earned her E Eisai’s award. Salamon is donating the $3,000 she won to the Alzheimer’s Association. “Anne is just so passionate about the disease and about educating others,” said Tracey Robertson, a program director with the East Central Iowa chapter of the national Alzheimer’s Association. Robertson nominated Salamon for the award. “Her passion is just unbelievable.” Robertson works closely with Salamon on the association’s Program Affairs subcommittee, which plans programs and events to educate patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and members of the general public about Alzheimer’s. The illness costs businesses and government more than $148 billion annually. It destroys brain cells, and leads to memory loss, changes in behavior, and concentration problems. It is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. National figures also show that deaths from Alzheimer’s disease jumped 32.8% between 2000 and 2004. Authorities expect the number of deaths to climb by 50% over current levels during the next 20 Photo: Reid Paul http://www.drugtopics.com

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Drug Topics - November 5, 2007 Contents Latebreakers Latebreakers in Depth Letters Rx Care Community Practice 150 Years of American Pharmacy Hospital Practice Pharmacists at Risk Government and Law High-Density Lipoprotein New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - November 5, 2007

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