The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

University of South Florida

Small Business Week comes to area

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The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is spotlighting small business, small business ownership and entrepreneurship during National Small Business Week, which begins Monday.

The chamber encourages everyone during that week to shop or purchase services from a local business.

“It is small businesses that are the biggest job creators locally, that contribute to local causes, and that have a vested interest in seeing our community prosper,” chamber executive director Vonnie Mikkelsen said in a release. “So the question becomes, why would we not support them by giving them our business?”

Since 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration has taken the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from across the nation through its National Small Business Week. This year, events will take place across the country to engage the small business community, and highlight their importance as innovators and job creators who strengthen the nation’s economy.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the week like it celebrates so many others, and that’s by introducing new businesses to the community. It will do just that on May 15 with a ribbon-cutting at Pure Health & Fitness Studios, 2206 Knight Road in Land O’ Lakes.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce has its own ribbon-cutting planned on May 12 at Continucare, 21507 Village Lakes Shopping Center in Land O’ Lakes. It will finish the week with its 28th annual golf tournament May 16 at Heritage Harbor Golf & Country Club, 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway in Lutz.

Back in Zephyrhills, new mayor Gene Whitfield will present a proclamation at Monday’s city council meeting recognizing the contributions of small businesses in the community. The Zephyrhills chamber has then partnered up with the University of South Florida’s Small Business Development Center to offer free consultations by appointment in the chamber’s office, 38550 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

For information the Zephyrhills chamber, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org. For the Wesley Chapel chamber, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com. For the Central Pasco chamber, visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Wanted: Florida’s greatest inventors, living or dead

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The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is now accepting applications for its inaugural class of inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for Floridians.

The deadline for nominations is June 2.

Nominations are open to all Florida inventors living and dead who have been residents of the state and completed a substantial amount of their inventive work while living or employed in the state. The nominee must be a named inventor of a U.S. patent issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The impact of the inventor and his or her invention should be significant to society as a whole, and the invention should have been commercialized, utilized or led to important innovations.

To nominate, visit FloridaInvents.org, and complete the online nomination form.

Nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of experts in the relevant fields of innovation. Those elected through the committee will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony Sept. 10 at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The Hall of Fame advisory board is comprised of leaders and inventors representing public corporations, private businesses, research universities, nonprofit institutions, and governmental agencies on a regional, state and national level.

The Hall of Fame is located in the USF Research Park.

Florida Hospital hosts cancer symposium

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Florida Hospital Tampa will host a cancer symposium focusing on breast, gastrointestinal and lung cancer March 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Speakers for the event include Drs. Charles Cox, Alexander Rosemurgy, Dragos Zanchi, Harvey Greenberg and Ron Schiff. They will be available for roundtables and breakout sessions highlighting information about physical therapy for cancer patients, palliative care and advice for caregivers.

The American Cancer Society said 1.66 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2014, and more than 585,000 will die this year — practically 1,600 people per day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease.

The cancer society also said that cancers associated with lifestyles and behaviors related to economic development — including lung, breast and colorectal cancers — will continue to rise in developing countries if preventive measures are not widely applied, according to a release.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, beaten only by lung cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, but survival rates are continuing to rise.

Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract include esophageal, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, biliary and colorectal cancers. Pancreatic cancer affects approximately 45,000 people each year in the United States, with an almost equal number of deaths. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.

Lung cancer is the most common of all the cancers, accounting for more deaths annually than the next three forms of cancer combined — colon, breast and prostate. While the cancer traditionally has afflicted men more than women, the rates of lung cancer has risen in the past 25 years.

The symposium will be held at the USF Embassy Suites Hotel near the University of South Florida, 3705 Spectrum Blvd.

To register, visit FHTampa.org/CancerSymposium, or call (813) 615-7300.

Lutz physician offers seniors quality healthcare and genuine compassion

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Dr. K. Venkataram, known by his patients simply as Dr. Ram, is accepting new patients at his downtown Lutz location in Sunset Point off US 41 and Crystal Grove Boulevard. New patients are seen within two weeks and same-day urgent care appointments are available.

Board certified in internal medicine with prestigious residencies at Georgetown and John Hopkins affiliated hospitals, Dr. Ram offers 30 years of medical experience and perhaps more importantly, a genuine compassion and commitment to helping patients live life to the fullest by treating the whole person, not just their medical conditions.

“There are usually other issues that need to be taken care of besides whatever is ailing a patient physically that particular day,” said Dr. Ram. “We take the time to look at all of a patient’s needs because they are usually inter-related.”

Most of Dr. Ram’s patients are over 65 and many live a long way from their immediate family. Because family members are often unable to accompany patients to their doctor appointments, or to provide help at home, patients turn to Dr. Ram and his staff to find social services and other assistance they need.

“This really is a relationship,” said Dr. Ram. “Patients won’t tell you what’s wrong, not just medically but also in other areas of their lives, unless you spend time with them. We go a little bit deeper and take the time to do a thorough job.”

Dr. Ram typically sees just 12 to 15 patients a day, while many physicians see over 30. By spending more time with his patients, Dr. Ram says he gets to know his patients personally as well as medically.

“I am able to give every patient a thorough examination and then spend time talking and listening to them,” said Dr. Ram.

Patients rave about Dr. Ram’s thoroughness and bedside manner:

“Dr. Ram is a modern doctor with old-time ethics. You never wait long in the waiting room and he listens with undivided attention.” Al Walker

“It’s wonderful to actually be treated with compassion and respect. You never feel like just another number.” Randy Baldwin

“Dr. Ram is very knowledgeable and always thorough. You never feel that he is rushing to finish his consultation. He is a very com- passionate man who truly cares about his patients. Plus his staff is friendly, efficient and helpful.” Kenneth and Doris Cook

Working alongside Dr. Ram is nurse practitioner Kristine Bamford, who joined the practice a year ago after graduating from USF.

“Dr. Ram is very personable and knowledgeable and has the uncanny ability to remember everything about every patient,” said Kristine.

Also working with Dr. Ram is LPN Shirley Berry, a Land O’ Lakes resident. “This is a very family-oriented practice with entire families coming here,” said Shirley. “Our staff is very personable and warm and we treat patients like family.”

Dr. Ram has been affiliated with JSA Medical Group since 1998 and has managed the company’s Lutz office since 2004. JSA accepts most insurance, including Humana, Blue Cross and Medicare.

Dr. Ram lives in Odessa with his wife, Jaya, a Montessori teacher and his office manager, and their 12 year-old daughter, Saritha, a seventh grader at Berkeley Prep. Their son, Sunil, earned a MBA and works for Deloitte & Touche. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Ram enjoys amateur photography and traveling with his family.

JSA Medical Group is located at 208 Crystal Grove Blvd., Lutz. They can be reached at (813) 949-4991, or at www.SunsetPointMedicalCenter.com.

This story is a feature of the advertising department.