Previously employed as the clinical assistant professor of radiology and special fellow at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Sammie I. Long is board-certified in radiology, and has a career that has spanned over 40 years. In her leisure time, Dr. Sammie I. Long is deeply invested in charity work, supporting the Christian Appalachian Project, which helps families in need in 13 states.The Christian Appalachian Project seeks to inspire hope and improve lives for families living in the Appalachian region, one of the poorest regions in America. Over 41 percent of households in this area live in poverty, and the rates of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are higher in this area than anywhere else in the nation. Currently, many of the project’s main resource centers are located in Kentucky, though the organization continues to expand its reach. Among its programs are the Grateful Bread food pantry, which offers free, healthy food to families in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. The Operation Sharing Program provides necessities to those who may otherwise not be able to afford them by collecting donated goods from volunteers and corporate sponsors. These goods include not only food, but household supplies and furniture as well.Each spring, many college and high school student volunteers come to Eastern Kentucky for WorkFest, which asks charitably-minded young people to repair homes and construct sustainable housing for those in need.
An experienced radiologist and professor, Dr. Sammie I. Long previously taught at the University of South Alabama Medical Center both as an assistant professor of radiology and as a director of angiography and interventional radiology. Dr. Sammie I. Long is also a member and supporter of the American Heart Association.According to recent data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is still the most common cause of death in the country, and strokes are the fifth most common. It is worth noting that the heart disease mortality rate in Americans did fall over the prior year, from 168.5 to 165.5 out of every 100,000 people; however, the small decrease isn’t in line with previous years, in which the death rate from heart disease and stroke fell more sharply. According to the CDC, younger people are now being diagnosed with heart disease. This is most likely associated with the increased diagnosis of high blood pressure at earlier ages, as well as climbing obesity rates. American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown commented that the organization sees that it still has a lot of ground to cover in order to help raise awareness of heart disease, and support measures to help Americans become healthier.
An experienced radiologist and clinical educator, Dr. Sammie I. Long has spent more than 30 years helping prepare young radiological professionals for their careers. Alongside her academic career, Dr. Sammie I. Long is a longtime member of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).According to a recent study highlighted by the RSNA, radiological technicians who administer nuclear medicine scans and tests are more likely to develop cataracts than those who have never given that type of procedure. With nuclear medicine procedures becoming increasingly common in the United States over the past 30 years, researchers have begun looking at the association between the ionizing radiation of these tests and any long-term effects that may befall those who administer them.The lead study author, Marie-Odile Bernier, MD, PhD, said that according to the research, this exposure led to more cataract diagnoses. She also urged that further research be done regarding the different lens doses in nuclear radiation and their relation to cataract diagnoses, to see if some doses are more likely to lead to cataracts than others.
