May 21, 2015

Lithuanian delegation visits to learn about whole person care

The Lithuanian delegation visiting Loma Linda University Health stands next to a sculpture of Jesus welcoming children -- titled "Come Unto Me" -- located at the entrance to LLU Medical Center. From left to right are Petras Vainius; Ramune Kalediene, MD, PhD, dean, School of Public Health, Kaunas University Medical School in Lithuania; Aurelius Veryga, MD, PhD; and Darius Kubilus, MD, PhD. Hans Diehl, DrHSc, standing at rear, represented Loma Linda University Health. He is a volunteer clinical professor for preventive medicine, LLU School of Medicine, as well as an LLU School of Public Health alumnus.

Three physicians from the Baltic nation of Lithuania and their Lithuanian-American colleague visited Loma Linda University Health on May 20 - 21. The group included the dean of Lithuania’s School of Public Health at Kaunas University Medical School, Ramune Kalediene, MD, PhD.

The trio of health care educators was on a fact-finding and discovery mission. They hoped to understand Loma Linda University Health’s motto "to make man whole" in order to integrate wholeness into health care and health education in their native land. 

In addition to Kalediene, the group included Darius Kubilus, MD, PhD, and Aurelius Veryga, MD, PhD. They traveled to Loma Linda with their tour coordinator, Petras Vainius, a Lithuanian-American based in Philadelphia.

The group met with Sally Dyer, coordinator for cardiac lifestyle management; Rob Webb, supervisor of the Radiation Medicine Proton Rx Center, and Hans Diehl, DrHSc, volunteer clinical professor for preventive medicine, LLU School of Medicine, as well as School of Public Health alumnus. During their first day, they also toured oncology, medical and surgical clinics in the Schuman Pavilion.

Kalediene said they hope to bring the principles of how “to make man whole” to their fellow citizens.

“We hope to initiate faculty exchanges and bring both master’s and eventually doctoral degree programs in lifestyle medicine to Lithuania,” she said. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our people to gain from the lessons we can learn from Loma Linda University Health. 

“We hope to secure funding to develop this program over the next three years,” Kalediene said. “We very much need to address the epidemic of chronic diseases suffered by Lithuanians.”

She added that issues many Lithuanians face include smoking, unhealthy diet, insufficient exercise, sleep problems and poor handling of stress. They want to focus on public policy changes and on education, motivation and inspiration. The project is firmly supported by Vytenis Andriukaitis, commissioner of health for the European Union. He hopes Lithuania’s Loma Linda-inspired model will spread to other nations in the continent.

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