Monday, January 23, 2017

Smiles for Myles, LUCOM raises annual awareness of Cystic Fibrosis

Mon, 23 Jan 2017Asa Keimig | LUCOM Marketing and PR Coordinator

Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) welcomed Myles Gebhardt and his family to the Center for Medical and Health Sciences for the third year in a row this past Friday, Jan. 13. Their visit added to the annual discussion and presentation on Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that mainly affects an individual’s lungs, but can also affect several other of body’s organs including the pancreas, liver, and kidneys as well as the intestines.

Myles Gebhardt, accompanied by his father, Rob, and his mother, Stacy, and his brother, Brantley, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis right after he was born. While in the hospital, as part of newborn testing, he received a heel stick to test his blood. Less than three weeks later, his parents received notice in the mail from the hospital notifying them that Myles had tested positive for the cystic fibrosis mutation.

At the early age of three weeks old, Myles began eating a spoon full of applesauce with enzymes before every meal and snack. The enzymes helped and continue to help him break down food and nutrients. Without the help of the enzymes, Myles would sweat out all of the nutrients he received from his food. Because of this, Myles’ diet is significantly different than most children his age. His current diet involves him eating the same if not more calories than the average adult, consuming between 2,200 and 2,600 calories a day, based heavily around a lot of carbohydrates and sugar in an effort to keep up with his active lifestyle. He is a very active seven-year-old who loves basketball, smiling, and making people laugh.

For Myles, the rest of his life will require taking medications daily, visiting with doctors often, and other cystic fibrosis related issues that may occur, such as excessive amounts of mucus buildup in the lungs. Myles is aware of the obstacles and challenges that await him on a daily basis, but that doesn’t prevent him from smiling, enjoying life, and taking part in the same activities that other boys and girls his age engages in. Myles made a tremendous impact on student-doctors through his happiness and vibrant energy and as always, immediately captured the hearts of the student-doctors and motivated them to study harder and learn more in an effort to help future patients just like him. “Some of the most important lessons I've learned thus far at LUCOM have come from those people who've been here,” said Kaitlyn Kuntzman, OMS-II, LUCOM-American College of Osteopathic Physicians (ACOP) President. “Last year Myles helped me realize that I want to spend my life helping patients with Cystic Fibrosis and I hope to be part of the amazing group of people working toward curing Cystic Fibrosis by providing the very best care to Cystic Fibrosis patients.”

LUCOM-ACOP hosted the Gebhardt family in an effort to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis.

OMS-I student-doctors spent the morning learning about the mutation on a scientific level; then during lunch, they were able to see how the disease directly affects people that are living with it. Student-doctors saw the medicines, the routine, and the emotional impact that a disease can have on an individual and their family. “It increases our empathy,” said Kuntzman. “It gives us inspiration to learn about these things to the best of our ability and it also gives us a chance to meet some pretty amazing people.”

Anthony Bauer, Ph.D., LUCOM Associate Professor of Physiology, held a significant role in bringing the Gebhardt family back for the third year. “It’s really important for the student-doctors to appreciate what the Gebhardt family goes through,” said Dr. Bauer. “What they are going through is a family thing and as a physician, you are not just working with Myles, it is the whole family.”

LUCOM-ACOP witnessed a tremendous turnout of student-doctors at the presentation which encouraged their leadership. “A good turnout makes the people who are selflessly presenting to the students feel as if their time was well spent,” said Kuntzman. “Second and more importantly, we schedule speakers that we think our members can learn a lot from.” Kuntzman and other members of the leadership have scheduled speakers in an effort to help student-doctors learn more about a disease they will treat and the patients they will care for. Guest speakers encourage student-doctors to strive to be better physicians that are caring and empathetic physicians so that they can have the opportunity to impact families like the Gebhardts.