The Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, Around the Town column

Mar 3, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun

Abbie Gripman

Mar. 2, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Health professionals, artists, students and community members will gather together for "Healing and the Humanities Symposium: Exploring the Role of Humanities in Health Care" Friday at 8:30 a.m. in Ashurst Hall/Old Main on the NAU campus.

The free, half-day symposium will focus on three thematic strands: science and ethics, humanities in the training of health professionals and humanistic approaches to health policy. Participants will attend a keynote lecture, "The 'R' word: The ethics of rationing health care," which will be presented by Joan McGregor, professor of philosophy at Arizona State University. The lecture will be followed by breakout sessions facilitated by humanities scholars and health care professionals from around the state, including members of the NAU faculty, NAU Disability Services, University of New York at Buffalo and the Arizona Division of Public Health.

"While many people understand that the sciences have much to offer health care, too few members of the public, too few health care providers and too few scholars realize that the humanities are crucial to understanding the issues surrounding wellness, contemporary medicine and preparing for a career in medicine," said Jean Boreen, professor of English and associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

McGregor holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Arizona. She is a faculty member in Arizona State University's School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. Her current research interests are focused on the moral and legal questions of informed consent in the clinical and research setting. McGregor also has an ongoing research program with Mayo faculty on the moral issues of organ donation.

The symposium will conclude with a luncheon and an informal discussion.

Registration is free, but limited. For more information or to register, contact Jean Boreen at 523-6765 or Jean.Boreen@nau.edu.

PROJECT CONNECT SATURDAY: Flagstaff Project Connect will offer help to those in need at a daylong event Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Mount Elden Middle School, 3223 N. Fourth St.

Anyone needing a hand during these difficult financial times is welcome to attend. Types of organizations with representatives at Project Connect include social services, health care, legal help, identification assistance, tax help, shelter information, job services and utility assistance. Free services will be offered on site including snacks and lunch, clothing, hair cuts and more. Mountain Line bus service is offering free bus rides (bus routes 2 and 7) for anyone attending the event.

Some services require personal documents. Call 679-7425 for more information.

Send Around the Town news to Abbie Gripman at agripman@azdailysun.com, or call her at 556-2241.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0065-42524907