The color blue marks cells that will develop into the pancreas. The left panel shows a developing mouse embryo with two blue spots—the ventral (v) and dorsal (d) pancreatic buds. The middle and right panels show a section through one of the pancreatic buds. Blue cells are present only in cells that will go on to form the pancreas. Brown color marks cells that express a different gene called pdx1, which include cells that will form the future pancreas, but also the stomach (s) and gut (g). (Image courtesy of Wright & colleagues and Nature Genetics.)
The events of Sept. 11 brought home an awareness that our nation’s fire and police departments are staffed with real heroes that are here to help us every day.
As a way to say thank you to Nashville’s emergency workers, Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s nurses and other volunteers will be providing Thanksgiving dinner to all Nashville police officers, firefighters, and EMT personnel on duty that day.
“After the tragedy on Sept. 11 we all realized how precious lives can be, and that every day police officers, fire fighters and EMT’s put their lives on the line for us,” said Marlee Crankshaw, case manager in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the event’s organizer. “We have met with the Metro Nashville Police and Fire departments and they are excited we have made this commitment.”
Vanderbilt’s nurses and other volunteers will also be serving Thanksgiving dinner to Vanderbilt Security and Emergency Department workers on duty that day.
Crankshaw is seeking approximately 100 nurses or other staff to volunteer to help prepare and serve food. Volunteers will be offered the chance to serve at the fire station, or area of the city, of their choosing on a first-come, first-choice basis.
If you would like to volunteer for the Vanderbilt Nurses for Heroes Dinner contact Crankshaw at 343-1582 or Crankshaw@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu.