Morgan's Fund Launches Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Podcast Series: Premiere Features Dr. Gail Besner

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Newswise The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund (Morgans Fund) has announced the launch of its free, audio podcast series about Necrotizing Enterocolitis called Speaking of NEC: Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

Produced by The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund, and funded by The Petit Family Foundation, Speaking of NEC is a series of one-on-one conversations with relevant NEC expertsneonatologists, clinicians and researchersthat highlights current prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for NEC, and the search for a cure.

Episode 1 The premiere episode features Dr. Gail Besner, chief of Pediatric Surgery at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. During the episode, Dr. Besner discusses:

- The mortality and morbidity (complications associated with the disease) associated with NEC from a historical perspective - Surgical outcomes of NEC and the role length of intestine plays in those outcomes - Her serendipitous discovery, and continuous research, of a growth factor (HB-EGF) that can play a role in protecting babies from NEC - Her current research of stem cells and tissue engineered intestine in prevention and treatment of NEC - The importance, and inherent challenges, of funding research in NEC.

Episode 1 will be available to listen to, or download, on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at noon EDT at: http://www.morgansfund.org/speaking-of-nec-episode-1

This episode was produced in part by the TeacherCast Educational Broadcasting Network. For more information about Speaking of NEC or The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund, visit our website at http://www.morgansfund.org.

About The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund, Inc. The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund (Morgans Fund) is an all-volunteer, public charity dedicated to Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). Its mission is to promote public awareness about NEC and the potentially devastating effects it can have on preemies and their families, and to advance research to prevent, diagnose, treat, and ultimately, cure NEC. Named after Morgan, it celebrates his survival, courage and strength.

Morgan and his twin brother were born at 28 weeks, one day gestation -- nearly three months early -- each weighing less than 2.5 pounds. At four days old, Morgan developed NEC and lost approximately 20% of his small intestine. Morgan not only survived but has also thrived since his bout with NEC. This is his familys way of paying it forward.

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Morgan's Fund Launches Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Podcast Series: Premiere Features Dr. Gail Besner