UW News

April 13, 2004

Kayla Burt to speak at UW Open House

Kayla Burt, former UW women’s Husky basketball player, will speak at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 24, at the University of Washington Health Sciences Open House. Burt will talk about her sudden cardiac arrest on New Year’s Eve 2002, when her friends and Medic One saved her life. Dr. Peter Kudenchuk, UW professor of medicine, will also speak about Burt’s diagnosis and the defibrillator he implanted in her chest to prevent another cardiac episode. These presentations will be held in Hogness Auditorium on the fourth floor of the UW Health Sciences Center at 1959 N.E. Pacific Street, Seattle.

More than 75 exhibitors will demonstrate the latest in research and technology in health sciences and medicine at the Open House from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 23, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 24. The event is free.

The theme for the event is “Mapping a Healthy Future.” You can:

– Spark your interest in a future in the health professions by visiting the UW Tooth Fairy & Wizard Academy, a non-traditional, highly effective oral health education and outreach team that comes armed with books, puppets, pictures and wings!

– Explore the many ways that maps are used in environmental health sciences, from mapping DNA to charting pollution plumes. Plus, the Hazard Web will outline your potential exposures to environmental hazards and what you can do to reduce your risk.

– Discover bioengineering, from computer modeling and simulation to “materials that heal.”

– Take a closer look at the germs hiding in each and every crevice of your hand. The UW School of Nursing will show you how to combat viruses and bacteria so you won’t get caught “dirty handed!”

Many of these hands-on, interactive exhibits feature virtual reality medical presentations, high-tech patient simulators and computerized models of recent research. Information will be available on educational and career opportunities in health sciences.

The Health Sciences Open House is generally held every two years.

About 1,200 students are expected Friday, with many other children and adults visiting Saturday. The Health Sciences Open House is appropriate for people of all ages.

For more information, call the 24-hour recorded Open House Hotline at (206) 685-9419; or see the Open House Web site at http://www.washington.edu/hsoh/.