News reports from Chico, California; Chicago, Illinois; Turkey; South Sudan and Loma Linda University:

According to the Sacramento Bee, UC Davis Health and Adventist Health are launching a joint cancer care center in Chico, California. The goal is to give a treatment location alternative to patients displaced by the Camp Fire that forced the closure of Adventist Health Feather River Cancer Center in Paradise, California.

“As cancer care physicians we know all about resilience, and we are excited to continue partnering with our patients on their cancer journey,” said Dr. Sam Mazj. “We also look forward to sharing the benefits of this affiliation with UC Davis Health. Patients can expect personalized care and multi-disciplinary treatment planning from their first diagnostic appointment through survivor milestones.”

Adventist publications won 15 of the 250 awards given by the Associated Church Press (ACP) in 2018 at the annual convention on April 11 in Chicago. The Adventist Review won nine of these; five for specific articles, two for photos, one for design and one for a podcast. The Canadian Adventist Messenger won three, including one for “Best Disapproving Letter to the Editor.” The Journal of Adventist Education won two awards and Adventist World won an award for design. Adventist Today did not enter any of the ACP awards contests in 2018, although it has won awards in the past.

The Taksim Adventist Church in Istanbul, Turkey, has recently reopened after 54 years. In a building with panoramic views of the Bosphorus about 300 people participated in the reopening Sabbath. Adventists first bought the four-story building in 1927, and in 1958 it was recognized by the city as a prayer house. Because of legal difficulties, Adventists lost ownership of the property and in the last year were able to purchase the property and renovate it. There are fewer than 300 Adventists in the entire country.

A team of Adventist health professionals helped the city of Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to prepare for the malaria season. In collaboration with the nation’s Ministry of Health they distributed 5,400 mosquito nets and offered free medical treatment in various institutions, reported the communication department of the denomination’s East-Central Africa Division. “We focused on pregnant and nursing mothers with children under five,” said Dr. Daniel Machuor, head of the medical relief team. “These are the most vulnerable.” Malaria is a leading cause of death in the country, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2017, out of a population of 12 million, 1.3 million were infected with malaria.

From a Loma Linda University Health Facebook post under the hashtag #MentalHealth: Laughing for 20 minutes boosts memory. Our research showed that cortisol levels in the laughing group were significantly lower, enhancing performance on tests. So queue up your favorite comedy or Youtube video before studying or tackling that big project at work.

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