Richmond Roundup

Star of Sea gets OK for preschool
Members of the SF Planning Commission voted unanimously July 13 to allow the Star of the Sea to create a preschool. Currently, the Star of the Sea has an elementary and a high school at its Ninth Avenue and Geary Boulevard site. The new preschool would be converted from one of the school's kindergarten classrooms. The 1,100-square-food room would serve up to 24 children. According to city planner Mary Woods, the commissioners granted the school's request for a Conditional Use Permit without making any conditions on the permit. The Star of the Sea site is located in a Residential, Mixed, Low Density (RM-1) zone.

Volunteers to Seek Out Homeless
A grass-roots group of Outer Sunset residents is meeting at Ocean Beach, across from the Safeway near Fulton Street, on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m. According to Ron Dudum, a volunteer with the project, volunteers will fan out to make personal contact with homeless people living in the Sunset and Richmond districts in an effort to ascertain their needs. A physical location where the homeless could go for services is being considered.

Diabetes Number 1 Killer of Chinese
Chinese Americans suffer from a disproportionately high rate of diabetes, compared to Chinese citizens and European Americans.

Very little is known about the factors that cause the disease in this population, such as family, cultural beliefs and practices, and how they affect the progression of diabetes in the Chinese American population. However, preliminary findings from research and studies conducted by Dr. Catherine Chesla and Dr. Kevin Chun helped them secure a four-year grant from the National Institute of Health to examine the roles of culture and family in diabetes management among Chinese Americans.

In the comparative study, experiences from foreign-born and U.S.-born Chinese Americans are examined and contrasted; in the hopes that the project will illuminate the particular needs for diabetes management and enable the development of appropriate diabetes-care programs.

The UCSF School of Nursing is currently recruiting participants for a research study. Needed for the study are people who have Type 2 diabetes, are of Chinese or Chinese-American descent, live with a partner, and are aged 35 to 75. Both Cantonese- and English-speaking individuals are welcome. Cash payments will be provided.

For more information, call (415) 476-3889.