6A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MAN'S BEST FRIEND
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,2006
Site features dogs with disabilities
BY BEN SMITH
Cassie the three-legged mutt exchanges courtesy sniffs with other dogs in the park while her owners, Cynthia and Kurt Davis, look on with smiling eyes.
Cassie, who is 14 years old, or 98 in dog years, lost her right front leg when she was less than a year old. She was chasing a Frisbee into the street when she was hit by a van. But that hasn't stopped her from having own her Web site.
During the last 10 years, www. cassiesclub.com has grown to include more than 250 dogs from around the nation and even the world, including Canada and Italy. These dogs suffer from some form of disability that deprives them of the use of one or more of their legs.
Cynthia and her husband, Kurt, adopted Cassie from the Lawrence Humane Society in 1996. Cassie, then four years old or, 28 in dog years, had been kept for about six months while waiting for a home.
"I'd never seen a three-legged dog before," said Cynthia, administrative associate senior with the KU Army ROTC. "So I started the Web site."
Cynthia developed Cassie's Club as a place where pet owners could share stories about their special friends.
The Davises love to tell stories about their beloved pet, whom they still occasionally take on excursions down Massachusetts Street and across the University of Kansas campus.
"She's been swimming in the Chi Omega fountain," Cynthia said. "We're going to have to let her christen the new Docking fountain."
The Davises have had a lot of fun with their dog, taking her out exploring the city, playing Frisbee and even dressing her up on Halloween.
"One year we took her out dressed as Captain Hook," Kurt said.
Though arthritis now affects Cassie's left front paw, she still manages to go out occasionally with her owners. The Davises have even converted a baby carriage to accommodate her.
Cynthia said that her experiences with Cassie have enlightened her.
The Lawrence Humane Society has taken in about 2,000 animals since January, about half their yearly average. They have an 85 percent adoption rate.
"I suppose if I were to sum up my role in a nutshell. I would say I'm mostly an interpreter," Cynthia said. "Dogs don't know English, so I'm the go-between."
Cynthia said she viewed it as her mission to tell the world that dogs with disabilities are every bit as capable as their four-legged counterparts.
Kansan staff writer Ben Smith can be contacted at bsmith@kansan. com.
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
Cynthia Davis, administrative associate senior with the KU Army ROTC, enjoys Lawrence's South Park with her dog, Cassie, who lost a leg when hit by a van in traffic. Davis started Cassie's Club, a Web site dedicated to dogs who have lost one or more of their legs.
Rvan McGeenev/KANSAN
Rvan McGeeney/KAKSAN
Seethal Madhavarapu, a specialist in sports medicine, enjoys applying his sports experiences to treating athletic injuries. He will work a lot with intramural athletes as well as general medical patients.
HEALTH
Doctor fills Watkins' sports medicine needs
BY ANNA FALTERMEIER
A new doctor at Watkins Memorial Health Center is barely removed from his college years.
Seethal Madhavarapu, a specialist in sports medicine, started working at Watkins in early August.
A self-proclaimed "sports junkie," the 31-year-old Madhavapu dreamed of being a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs as a child. He walked on to Baylor's baseball team, but he had to quit after a knee injury his freshman year.
"I enjoyed my time and I wish things maybe would have worked out a little better, but I guess becoming a doctor's not a bad second career choice" he said.
After his injury, Madhavarapu played intramural sports.
"I've had my fair share of injuries over the years, so that played a big factor in deciding what I wanted to do," Madhavarapu said.
He received his bachelor's degree from Baylor and then went to medical school at the University of Oklahoma, where he completed a sports medicine fellowship last year before coming to the University of Kansas.
Watkins staff physician Leah Luckeroth said Watkins had a huge need for a good sports medicine doctor.
"He has a good fund of knowledge and he's very well trained," Luckeroth said. "We're very happy to have him."
Madhavarapu will fill the shoes of Larry Magee, the former sports medicine specialist at Watkins, who took a full-time job with the KU
Athletics Department.
Madhavarapu said he spent equal time in both sports medicine and general medicine. He see mostly intramural sports injuries, but occasionally he works at the Athletics Department with KU athletes.
"I really wanted the experience of working with athletes," he said. He said the diversity of people and sports attracted him to a college job.
"I think a job like this is pretty much an ideal opportunity," Madhavarapu said. "This may be the place I stay for the rest of my life and the perfect opportunity for me. Only time will tell."
Kansan staff writer Anna Faltermeier can be contacted at afaltermeier@kansan.com.
SPEAKERS
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
9/11 memorial designer to visit KU
BY DANNY LUPPINO
The lead architect of what will become one of the most important memorials in the country is coming to the University of Kansas.
Daniel Libeskind, the designer
THIS WEEKEND ONLY AT THE HAWK
4-7 P.M. FRIDAYS: FREE HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 4-7 PM. FRIDAYS: FREE HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS
FRIDAY SPECIALS Coronas Domestic Bottles Double Bacardi Drinks
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$3.50
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 GO JAYHAWKS! BEAT NORTHWESTERN STATE! BAR OPENS AT NOON
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
The Pine Room, the Martini Room and the Patio will be open
$1.50 Domestic Bottles
$1.50 SoCo/Lime Shots
$1.50 Apple Jacks Shots
THE BOOM-BOOM ROOM.
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87 YEARS OF TRADITION ONLY AT THE HAWK.
of the Freedom Tower memorial for the World Trade Center site, will give a lecture entitled "Breaking Ground" at 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The lecture is free.
"He's a very well-known and highly regarded international architect," Gaunt said. "He's got a lot of recent work and a lot of very high profile work."
Gaunt said the Freedom Tower could be an interesting topic because it is such a daunting task.
John Gaunt, dean of architecture and urban design, said he expected Libeskind to focus mostly on his most recent work and his more famous international works, including the Jewish Museum in Berlin.
"It's interesting and controversial," Gaunt said. "How do you memorialize anything that big? It's a huge project of huge international interest."
Libeskind's concept for the memorial was chosen in an international contest. Since then, other
architects have been added to the planning, which Gaunt said has complicated the design process.
Susan Hoffman, assistant director of Union programs, said the timing of the lecture — nine days after the five-year anniversary of Sept. 11 — was no coincidence. Hoffman said SUA had tried to schedule the lecture for a date even closer to the anniversary, but Libeskind had been scheduled to be out of the country.
Gaunt said the arrangements to bring Libeskind to the University were made by Peter Pran, professor of architecture, who has known Libeskind for many years. The lecture is being presented by the School of Architecture and Urban Design in conjunction with Student Union Activities.
Kansan staff writer Danny Luppino can be contacted at dluppino@kansan.com.
Edited by Dianne Smith
MINK LAW DAY 2006
Missouri Iowa
Nebraska Kansas
Thursday, September 7th
3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Overland Park Convention Center
6000 College Boulevard Overland Park, Kansas
OPCC directions at http://www.opconventioncenter.com
MINK Law Day provides prospective law students with an opportunity to speak with OVER 60 law school
representatives from around the country. If you are interested in attending law school, come to learn what law schools are looking for in applicants. Attendance is free to the public. Informational break out sessions will be held at 4:00, 5:00; and 6:00 p.m. with topics on Admissions,
Career Opportunities and the Student Perspective.
Pre-Register at
http://law.missouri.edu/mink/
Or contact the MU School of Law
at 573-882-6042 or umclawmissions@missouri.edu
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