Board member named
Dr. Christopher Bucciarelli, chief medical officer at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, was named to the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA Governance Board, whose members provide fiduciary oversight, set strategic direction and ensure the Y is executing its cause-driven purpose to strengthen the community. The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA has 15 locations in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, including Carrollwood, Dade City, New Tampa and Zephyrhills.
Cyberbullying & social media
Congressman Gus Bilirakis met with several local teens who serve as leaders of the organization STAND in Pasco County, according to a news release.
The lawmaker reached out for input about the teens’ experiences with cyberbullying, social media, and the impact that use has had on their mental health and the mental health of their peers.
Cybercrime against children is a substancial and growing concern.
“These students are remarkable. They’re committed to making a positive impact on the lives of others through advocacy and engagement,” said Bilirakis in the release.
“Unfortunately, many of them report having experienced negative impacts to their mental health as a result of their online activities and cyberbullying. ..They reported incidence of bullying, harassment, and even blackmail via social media platforms, with no remedy or recourse available to them,” said Bilirakis.
The feedback that was given aligns with reports recently heard from Pasco County law enforcement leaders.
Bilirakis has filed the Cooperating Among Police, Tech, and Users to Resist Exploitation (or CAPTURE), which already has received a legislative hearing in the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcomittee, the release said.
“Too often we’ve seen bad actors utilize social media platforms to facilitate crime by luring and exploiting children and other vulnerable populations,” said Bilirakis. “We must hold them accountable for doing better.”
Grant applications sought
The American Lung Association has announced the start of its 2023-2024 research awards and grants cycle, according to a news release.
The organization is accepting research grant applications from researchers in Florida and across the nation with the potential to improve prevention, detection and treatment options for all lung diseases, including lung cancer.
Research projects funded by the Lung Association are carefully selected through rigorous scientific review, and awardees represent the investigation of a wide range of complex issues to reduce the suffering and burden of lung disease.
“Here in Tampa and across the state, we have wonderful search institutions and leading-edge researchers,” said Steven Riddle, executive director for the American Lung Association in Tampa, in the release.
“The Lung Association is committed to supporting the best scientific minds to help develop solutions to alleviate the burden of lung disease. We encourage innovative researchers in Tampa to apply for these grants,” said Riddle.
Current available research funding opportunities, according to the release, are:
- COVID-19 & Respiratory Virus Research Award: $100,000 per year for up to two years
- Lung Cancer Discovery Award: $100,000 per year for up to two years
- Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award: $75,000 per year for up to two years
- Innovation Award: $75,000 per year for up to two years
- Catalyst Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years
- Public Policy Research Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years
- Dalsemer Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years.
For detailed information about the active research funding opportunities, visit Lung.org/awards.
