Brian Aston

by Mark Neuman

We spoke recently with our friend Brian Aston. Readers may recall that Brian is the young man who quite suddenly lost almost all of his vision about eight years ago at the age of 20 (read our previous coverage here).

The reason: A genetic disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON).

The Highline High School graduate recalled the day his sight began to go away, eight years ago.

“I was at a memorial golf tournament in memory of my father who had passed three years earlier. I was on the 18th hole. I drove the ball down the fairway, got in the cart and drove to my ball,” Brian said.

“When I reached my ball I then looked for the pin or flag to take my next shot and I could not find the flag. I was with my Stepdad and we were basically arguing back and forth about where the flag was and we eventually walked to where he said the flag was and suddenly about fifteen feet away from the flag it appeared right in front of me.

“Just like that, in a matter of moments, my left eye was almost completely blacked out.”

Sight in his right eye deteriorated months later.

Brian is, however, experiencing recent improvement in his eyesight.

“I’ve been taking a vitamin called Idebenone, and in the last six months I have improved my vision tremendously. I’m sitting in the same spot at home I was sitting in when I did my KING-5 interview (last spring) and I can now see the blue lights on my cable box.

“I can’t read the numbers from this far back, but instead of just a big black blurry blob I see the cable box, I see our stereo system, I see the subwoofer behind it all.

“Six months ago I would not have been able to work with the ease and normalcy that I’m working (with) now.

“In the eight years since I’ve lost my vision I’ve only held a normal job for about six months” Brian said. “I now see way well enough to take the bus to work every day.

“I take the bus from where I live in the Kent Valley to the Southcenter area where I work at a call center. When I started just a little over a month ago, my nose was almost touching the (computer) monitor so that I could read people’s names when a call comes up.

“Now I’m over a foot away,” Brian told us. “My detailed reading sight has improved greatly.”

Brian started wearing glasses about three weeks ago. He’s been involved in a genetic therapy study for almost a year now.

He and many others with LHON could use our help.

“The National Eye Institute is where the funding for our study comes from. We need to raise about $60,000 as soon as possible. An outside consultant needs to be hired to finish the paperwork that will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”

Rules prevent anybody directly involved with the study from writing the paperwork, which could amount to a thousand pages in length.

“So we have to hire a writer at a cost of a hundred grand,” Brian said.

“We need about $60,000. We need that money as soon as possible, so that we can get this guy hired and get the paperwork written and submitted to the FDA.”

The goal is to have the FDA come back with approval to begin human trials in the beginning of 2013.

For more information, go to Brian’s website:

www.TheGeneticHouse.com

Click on “Fundraising” to learn how to donate (direct link here).

No, that's not drug paraphernalia – that's Janet Grella "exercising" her lungs by blowing in the Spirometer. Photo by Carolyn Rosenfield.

On Sept, 28th, The B-Town Blog’s ‘Sales Diva’ Janet Grella had a very serious open chest surgery repairing an aortic arch aneurism discovered earlier this summer. Dr. Joe Temply and his team successfully performed the surgery with some post-surgical complications to Janet, including post-surgical swelling delayed the closing of the chest cavity for five days.

Several BTB Readers have been asking how she was doing, so we asked Janet for an update:

“I have been home from Swedish Cardiac Hospital for five weeks. I spent two weeks in the hospital, one of them in a drug-induced coma due to complications. I know nothing about this! I celebrated my birthday in the hospital, but decided it didn’t count since I was in a coma.

My at-home recuperation started on October 9 with my husband and care-giver Michael lifting me out of the chair and walking me. He showered me daily. Our first walk we went about 20 feet. Now I’m walking perhaps up to 200 yards. Michael has been on call to make my breakfast smoothies and distribute the drugs twice daily. Over the weeks, drugs have been removed from the regimen and we’ve added muffins and rolls to the breakfast. One constant in my recovery has been the Spirometer…..that nasty little machine that you blow in 10 times a day to promote good lung health. It’s amazing how those little balls in the Spirometer seem to weigh as much as a bowling ball!

During my first few weeks at home, we had many wonderful friends visiting, watching out for me (giving Michael a break to shop or walk) and bringing comfort food. I’d like to thank them all!

Two weeks ago Michael was relieved from his lifting duties and I was allowed to use my hands when getting up (the use of hands could rip the breastbone and impede healing). I also “sprouted wheels,” or I have been allowed to start driving again. I’ve also done a little bit of cooking–no more than I used to do!

For the past three weeks, we’ve started going back to lunches and happy hours in Burien and to the movies. Life as we knew it is returning to us. It’s been a tough six months – from the shock of learning about the aneurism to the repair of it and the recovery of the surgery – and I’d like to thank all BTB readers for their thoughts and prayers, as well as thank my friends country-wide for their prayers and good wishes.”

The City of Burien will be sponsoring a Blood Drive from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the 1st Floor ?Multipurpose Room, of City Hall, located at 400 SW 152nd Street.

Please note that it will be closed for lunch between Noon – 1 p.m.

Donors are asked to reserve a time with Janet Stallman at (206) 248-5508 or email JanetS@burienwa.gov.

“Right now there are people in your community who need the help you can easily provide simply by donating blood,” reads an email. “Why Give Blood? Because your community needs you; trauma injury patients, cancer patients and transplant patients don’t take a day off. They rely on volunteer donors like you. You Can Make a Difference in Your Community!”

“Keep your family healthy this winter,” reads a press release. “Get your free flu vaccine! Flu vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu.”

Tukwila Community Center? is located at 12424 42nd Ave South? in Tukwila, WA 98168.

• Flu vaccine is for people 6 months and older — especially children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
• You will not be asked for proof of health insurance or citizenship.
• Interpreters available

For more information, or for registration forms, click here.

Numerous friends, family members and even total strangers have joined together to help Kiera Sutton, a Burien native, “kick cancer’s ass” at a fundraiser dinner/auction this coming Sunday, Sept. 25th (full event details here).

Kiera is fighting thyroid cancer, and friends and family are rallying to help pay her medical bills/living expenses while she works through this challenging time. The stated goal on a fundraiser website is $40,000, and as of Monday, Sept. 19th, $3,100 has been raised.

The fundraiser will take place from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 25th at ‘A Terrible Beauty’ Irish pub, located at 201 Williams Ave South in Renton. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20 per person, which includes a Spaghetti Dinner with salad, French bread, a non-alcoholic beverage, and a raffle ticket that will be put into a drawing for a prize. For an additional $5 guests will also receive a rubber cause bracelet designed by Kiera.

Organizers are also seeking donations for the event – click here to learn how you can help.

If you can’t make the event but still want to donate to Kiera’s cause online, click here.

Here’s more info on Kiera from her sister, Tristen Sutton, a hair stylist at BTB Advertiser Serenza Salon:

Kiera Sutton was born and raised right here in Burien, WA. She is a fourth generation Highline High School graduate (class of 2002!), got her Associates degree from Highline Community College, and even played for the Thunderbirds women’s soccer team. On any given day you can find her grazing the stalls at the Burien Farmer’s Market, hanging out with friends at The Tin Room, or enjoying the view along Seahurst Beach. Her sisters, Destinee and Tristen Sutton, also live and serve in the community. Destinee is a children’s librarian at the Burien Library and Tristen, a hair stylist at Burien’s own Serenza Salon.

Kiera was first diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 2009 and was thankful to hear she was in remission later that June. However, this summer she found out the cancer had not only returned but spread to her lymph nodes as well. In true Kiera fashion, she has faced this trial with strength, courage, and an optimism that continues to inspire those around her. She is overwhelmed by the support she’s received thus far from the Burien community and would like to send thanks to her family, friends and the Burien businesses who continue to amaze her with their generosity.

Here’s more from a Facebook Event Page:

You are invited to our first fundraiser to help Kiera Kick Cancer’s Ass!!! All proceeds of this dinner and auction are going to help pay her medical bills/living expenses while she works through this challenging time, please come and help support a wonderful person!

The Details:
Tickets will be sold at the door for $20.00 a person, that amount includes a Spaghetti Dinner with salad, French bread, and a non-alcoholic beverage, and a raffle ticket that will be put into a drawing for a prize. For an additional $5.00 you will also receive a rubber cause bracelet designed by Kiera!

A lot of the details are still coming together, so I will update as soon as we get them, also, RSVPs are going to be VERY important so we know how many people to accommodate so please, please, please let us know if you are coming and how many people you are bringing with you, I’m also going to do a poll to see how many vegetarians and gluten free people we need to accommodate for the dinner!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHVlTFg1eGZuN1pIOHA1VnFoN0xWSEE6MQ (you can click on the link to check which kind of sauce you would like for your spaghetti)

Side Note: If you cannot afford the admission fee please message one of us, from the Sutton family, and we will make accommodations for you, we really want everyone to be able to participate!

You can read Kiera’s first-hand journal of what it’s like to be ‘kicking cancer’s ass’ at her blog here; here are some excerpts:

So, anyway, here I am back in Cancer World, trying to figure all this crap out. I think I’ve lost the pep in my step, but I’m mad as hell, so I’m hoping that might work in my favor. I’m going to start interviewing local surgeons who specialize in the type of surgery I need.

This surgery will come with a lot of risks, especially since it’s my second time around, and if I don’t find a surgeon I have complete trust in, I don’t think I’ll do it. If anyone has any suggestions or just happens to know an awesome neck surgeon, let me know.

For now, I’m just hanging low. Sorry if I haven’t gotten back to everyone (or anyone for that matter), but I’m a bit emotionally exhausted and have been trying to talk about cancer as little as possible. I am thankful for each and everyone of you reading this blog right now though.

A special thanks to the best mom in the world. There are no words to express my gratitude for you and all that you have put up with from me and this diagnosis. You are the strongest person I know.

You have all been so amazing and have given me more than enough courage to take on round 2 of my battle with cancer. In a way, I feel lucky to have been given an opportunity to see my life as it truly is: full of love and possibilities. Cancer will come and go, but the lessons I’ve learned and will continue to learn throughout this experience, makes it worth every second. Love and thanks to each and every one of you.

Highline Medical Center announced Friday (Sept. 9) that it will be opening two new ‘urgent care’ facilities this fall, in West Seattle and Des Moines.

Both new facilities will be open seven days a week, with the West Seattle one scheduled to open Oct. 3rd and the Des Moines clinic Nov. 1st.

Highline Medical Center Urgent Care will open in West Seattle in the space adjacent to Highline’s West Seattle Family Medicine in the Alaska Junction. It will offer comprehensive urgent care services, including x-ray, and will be open on weeknights until 9 p.m. and weekends until 5 p.m.

The Des Moines clinic is set to open on Tuesday, November 1, adjacent to Des Moines Family Medicine on Marine View Drive. The urgent care center is open from 7 am to 9 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sundays.

Urgent care centers typically treat a variety of minor illnesses and injuries, from colds and flu to sprains and strains. Urgent care isn’t a replacement for your regular doctor. But if you don’t have a doctor, or yours isn’t available, and you want to be seen right away, it can be a great solution.

If it is a life-threatening emergency, remember to call 9-1-1 or get to the nearest ER. Highline’s state-of-the-art ER in Burien provides emergency services around the clock.

Highline Medical Center has posted a list of when to go to the emergency room and when to go to the urgent care on its website. To learn more, visit www.HighlineMedicalCenter.org.

“We are geographically separated from the rest of Seattle,” said West Seattle resident Aiko Stanley. “Being able to get care right here, without crossing the bridge, is huge – particularly on the weekends or during rush hour.”

The Onsite Swedish Mobile Mammogram Coach will be making a stop at the Burien Community Center on Wed., Aug. 10th, offering their mammography services to all variety of Burien breasts.

If you want this to be FREE breast exam, you are required to make an appointment first by calling Brittany at 206-727-6261, and they say you should call immediately.

“As a special incentive, all women who come into the center and get their annual mammogram performed on the coach will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card to Safeway grocery store,” reads a press release. “If you bring a friend to get a mammogram, your chances are doubled.”

Here are more details:

• All women 40+ can use the service.
• Swedish accepts most forms of insurance including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. The only insurance they cannot accept is GAU.
• If you feel you are in need of mammography services and are not yet 40 years old, please call for further consultation or check with your doctor.
• If you are not a senior and don’t have insurance you can still get a mammogram. The BCCHP (Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program) program will provide a free annual mammogram for women age 40-64.

For more information on this service or to sign up for an appointment, please call Brittany at 206-727-6261 right away.

BTB Advertiser Burien Digestive Health Center wants our Readers to know about colon cancer screening, so as we do with all our Advertisers, we’re allowing them a forum to share their information:

It is time for The B-Town Blog to talk about colon cancer screening, an important part of health screening. Many people out of concern over the process avoid this necessary and important test. This article should allay most of those concerns.

Generally a colonoscopy done by a gastroenterologist is recommended as the best approach to colorectal cancer screening. A colonoscopy is a test where a slender plastic tube with a camera on the end is inserted through the anus and advanced throughout the entire colon. This is done under sedation so it is almost always painless. Many people feel the preparation before hand is the worst part, but over the years these preparations have become quite a bit easier and well tolerated. While the process is not fun it has become relatively easy for the patient.

People tend to snicker at the whole idea of a colonoscopy. While a colonoscopy and the important information this simple test provides are critical to health maintenance, there is room for some humor. I want to share with you what some pretty clever patients have been known to say about this procedure.  One man asked at the time of his colonoscopy for a note to give to his wife stating that, in fact, his head was not up there.  Another patient once asked if his dignity could be found during the procedure. And a third commented, after having had a colonoscopy, that he now knew how a Muppet felt.  All joking aside, the most important thing to remember is that colon cancer screening easily, painlessly, and effectively saves countless lives every year.

Colorectal cancer is a cancer that develops in the large intestine [colon] or rectum. The primary goal of colon cancer screening is to help identify colon polyps and cancers at an early and very treatable stage thereby preventing deaths from colon cancer.

All adults should undergo colon cancer screening beginning at age 50 or earlier.  Someone’s individual risk factors for developing colorectal cancer, such as family history or life style, will help the physician determine at what age a patient should begin to have the procedure performed.

When the gastroenterologist performs the colon cancer screening tests he/she is looking for any abnormalities such as polyps or early stage cancers. Regular screening for and removal of polyps reduces your risk of developing colorectal cancer – by more than 90 percent. Nearly half of colon cancers are fatal if not detected early. During a colonoscopy a gastroenterologist may detect an early stage cancer already present in the colon and by doing so increase the chances of successful treatment and in turn decrease the chance of dying as a result of the cancer.

There are several factors that increase an individual’s risk of developing colorectal cancer and mandate earlier and more frequent screening.

Dr. C. Michael Kramer Jr. of Burien Digestive Health Center.

A positive family history of colorectal cancer is a common risk factor. If a close family member, a first or second-degree relative, has had colorectal cancer colorectal cancer this could increase your risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 30%.

Another very important and common risk factor is a personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps. People who have previously had colorectal cancer have a significantly increased risk of developing a new colorectal cancer or polyp.

Several lifestyle factors increase the risk of colorectal cancer, including:

• A diet low in fiber and high in fat and meat.
• A sedentary lifestyle.
• Cigarette smoking.

There are several tests available for colorectal cancer screening.  These include tests that can detect cancers at an early treatable stage and tests that can also detect pre-cancerous polyps (also called adenomas), which can lead to cancer prevention. Simply removing the polyp at the time of colonoscopy eliminates that polyp from ever becoming cancer.

Guidelines from expert groups recommend that the best options to consider for colorectal cancer screening are colonoscopy every 10 years or a flexible sigmoidoscopy with barium enema every 5 years.  People with an average risk of colorectal cancer should begin screening at age 50.

People with a higher risk of colorectal cancer should begin screening at an earlier age. One of the following screening strategies is recommended:

• People who have one first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps at a young age (before the age of 60 years), or two first-degree relatives diagnosed at any age, should begin screening for colon cancer earlier, typically at age 40, or 10 years younger than the earliest diagnosis in their family, whichever comes first).
• People who have one first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) who has experienced colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps at age 60 or later should begin screening by colonoscopy at age 50, and screening should be repeated as for average risk people.
• People who have known ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or a genetically-based colon cancer syndromes in their family; such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC); require aggressive screening and preventive treatments that should be discussed with their gastroenterologist.

If you are of the right age or have risk factors please take the time to have colorectal screening done in a timely fashion.

Your healthcare provider or gastroenterologist is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your gastrointestinal health.

Burien Digestive Health Center is located at Three Tree Medical Arts Building on the campus of Highline Medical Center in Burien, and can be reached by phone at (206) 242-1300, or at their website here.

Although he's legally blind, Brian Aston still plays pool. Here he is at the April 29th fundraiser at Goodtime Ernie's in Burien. Photo courtesy D. Banks Photography: http://dbanksphotography.smugmug.com

Brian Aston, the young man who went blind at age 20 (read our previous coverage here), will be leaving June 12th for a gene therapy study in Miami using money raised at an April 29th benefit at Burien’s Goodtime Ernie’s.

Aston, a graduate of Highline High School, was diagnosed with a disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, which left him with no central vision, as well as limited peripheral vision with color abnormalities. In the past seven years there has been no hope of a cure or even research on this rare disease.

He’s using part of the over $4,000 raised at the April 29th fundraiser to participate in this cutting-edge gene therapy study at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

“This study shows great progress towards the treatment and cure for not only LHON by also other mitochondrial disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s,” said Brian.

Aston will return June 17th, and here’s an update from his Facebook Page:

“Miami ill c u on my birthday baby!! i leave june 12th and come back on the 17th! Gene therapy study here I come!! i cant beliece only 3 months ago I basically knew jack about my disease now im starting a path of vitamin therapy and Idebenone treatment and on my way to Miami to join a study that may end up simply being a damn CurE! unbelieveible! DTC!”

We’d like to send our best wishes and most positive, healing and helpful thoughts to this young man, and we hope he finds much success in this cutting edge new treatment!

Here are some relevant links:

• Brian’s online fundraising page is here, and donations are still being accepted through Paypal.
• LHON Website Brian created is here.
• Brian’s 4/29 Fundraiser Event Page is here.
• KING-5′s news coverage of Brian’s story is here.
• Christy Aston-Rose, Brian’s mom’s Facebook page is here.
• Brian Aston Facebook page is here.
• Good Time Ernies Facebook page is here.

REMINDER: Burien’s annual free Community Wellness Fair will be taking place this Saturday, May 14th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Burien Town Square.

“Learn how to tune up your health from the experienced health-care professionals of Burien’s medical community” reads a press release, which continues:

The third annual event provides an opportunity to learn about the newest and best in health care. You can also improve your general well-being with free health screenings, free food samples, demonstrations, presentations on wellness topics, fire safety, physical fitness information, and more. Kids are sure to have some fun with face-painting, clowning and balloon art. Information on local education programs in the health-care field will also be available.

New this year are free wellness seminars taking place in the adjacent City Council chambers in Burien City Hall.

Seminars include:

• Noon: “Eat Well” including food samples
• 12:30 p.m. – “Sitting Fit” demonstration
• 1 p.m. – “Move Well”
• 1:30 p.m. – Zumba demonstration
• 2 p.m. – “Think Well”
• 2:30 p.m. – “3Rs of Exercise – Retain, Restore, Renew”

Burien’s Community Wellness Fair is sponsored by the Burien Wellness Cluster, a partnership between local health and wellness providers, educators and city government. The overall goal of the group is to boost Burien’s economy by building on Burien’s existing wealth of high-quality health-care providers. To accomplish that goal, partnerships are created among providers, educators and local government to both retain the city’s existing skilled medical professionals and attract and develop new talent, especially local young people who wish to remain in the Highline community.

Major sponsors of the Wellness Fair are the City of Burien, Burien Group Health, Highline Medical Center, Navos Mental Health Solutions and Schick Shadel Hospital. Robert K.P. Chow, MD, is sponsoring a reusable grocery-bag giveaway this year for the first 300 attendees.
For more information, call Janet Stallman 206-248-5508 or go online at www.burienwa.gov/wellnessfair.