NYSAFC 9/11 memorial stair climb at Upstate Medical Arena
The event on June 6 will pay tribute to FDNY firefighters at the Upstate Medical Arena at the Oncenter War Memorial. Each participant will climb 2,200 steps to represent the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.
Registration for the climb opens at 7 a.m. at 800 South State Street, at the Upstate Medical Arena. There is a $35 fee to participate, and each person will receive an honorary badge of one of the fallen firefighters.
Opening ceremonies begin at 7:45 a.m., and the climb will start at 8 a.m.
Stair Climbs help fund the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's programs to support the families of fallen firefighters and the FDNY Counseling Services Unit.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
23-year-old who died of cancer after refusing chemo had ‘five coffee enemas a day'
A 23-year-old British woman who died after refusing conventional cancer treatment was allegedly undergoing 'five coffee enemas a day' under the care of her mother, a controversial health influencer. Paloma Shemirani's brother made the claim this week during an inquest into her death, which came seven months after doctors told the Cambridge graduate she had an 80% chance of surviving non-Hodgkin lymphoma with chemotherapy, according to the BBC. Instead, she pursued an unproven alternative cancer regimen promoted by her mother, Kate Shemirani, who claimed to have used it successfully in the past. 5 Paloma Shemirani was just 23 when she died of cancer from 2024. Kate Shemirani/Facebook Paloma died of a heart attack on July 24 last year, caused by an untreated tumor. In written statements before her death, she denied having cancer at all, calling the diagnosis an 'absurd fantasy, with no proof,' per the BBC. She also expressed fears that chemotherapy might leave her infertile. 'I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even kill me when there is a possibility this is not cancer,' she wrote. Her parents, Kate and Faramarz Shemirani, told the BBC they believe Paloma 'died as a result of medical interventions given without confirmed diagnosis or lawful consent.' The outlet has not been able to substantiate their claims. Paloma's brothers, Sebastian and Gabriel, have publicly blamed their mother for fostering her distrust in modern medicine. 5 She refused chemo and, led by her mother, reportedly followed an alternative approach that aims to 'detoxify' the body through a strict vegan diet, natural juices, supplements and frequent coffee enemas. 'My sister has passed away as a direct consequence of my mum's actions and beliefs and I don't want anyone else to go through the same pain or loss that I have,' Gabriel told the BBC. Growing up in the small Sussex town of Uckfield, Gabriel said the 'soundtrack' to their household included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones — with claims that the Sandy Hook school shooting was staged and that 9/11 'was an inside job.' Kate Shemirani's distrust of conventional medicine intensified after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, according to her sons. 5 In written statements before her death, Paloma described her mother as 'an extremely forceful advocate for natural health.' PA Images via Getty Images Though she underwent surgery to remove the tumor, she has publicly credited her recovery to Gerson therapy — an alternative approach that aims to 'detoxify' the body through a strict vegan diet, natural juices, supplements and frequent coffee enemas. The FDA has not approved Gerson therapy for treating cancer or any other condition. Major cancer organizations warn against its use, citing a lack of scientific evidence and the risk of serious side effects. Kate Shemirani, a prominent figure in alternative health circles, is a former nurse who lost her license after the UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council found she used her professional status to spread 'distorted propaganda' during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Mirror. 5 Gabriel Shemirani, Paloma's brother, has blamed his mother's belief in conspiracy theories for her death. AFP via Getty Images In a 2021 interview with Sky News, she claimed that 'no vaccine has ever been proven safe and no vaccine has ever been proven effective,' and said she had seen 'no evidence' to suggest 'a pandemic exists.' Later that year, during an anti-lockdown rally in London's Trafalgar Square, Kate compared healthcare workers administering COVID vaccines to Nazi war criminals and falsely claimed the virus was being spread by the 'downright deadly' shots. Following the rally, her son Sebastian called for her to be 'prosecuted under existing laws' for her comments. 5 Kate Shemirani had raised concerns to doctors about the cancer treatments they recommended her daughter undergo. Getty Images 'It's only a matter of time before … somebody acts on the bad advice that she's giving the country,' he told BBC Radio 4's 'Today,' adding that he is worried his mother is 'beyond help.' In written statements before her death, Paloma described her mother as 'an extremely forceful advocate for natural health' who was often 'misquoted,' according to the BBC. The ongoing inquest into Paloma's death is focused on whether the care she received was appropriate. Before she died, she expressed confidence in Gerson therapy, saying she was 'delighted' with the alternative treatment and 'sure' she would 'make a full recovery' if allowed to continue.
Medscape
2 days ago
- Medscape
PHQ-3: A Quick, Yet Still Effective Depression Screen
A shortened version of the commonly used nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) may offer clinicians a quicker yet still effective way to screen for depressive symptoms, new research suggested. The PHQ-3 only includes items 1 (about interest), 2 (about depressed mood), and 6 (about self-esteem or failure) from the PHQ-9. In a survey study of more than 96,000 US adult participants, the PHQ-3 had 98% sensitivity and 76% specificity for predicting at least moderate or greater depressive symptoms. Additionally, it was 'highly correlated' with the full PHQ-9 and noninferior to a recently validated four-item version for effectiveness — and it yielded a sensitivity of more than 90% across all ages, races, and ethnicities. Lead study author Roy H. Perlis, MD, vice chair of research in the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, Boston, said the investigators wanted to determine the shortest version of the PHQ-9 that could still be effective — and found that the PHQ-3 hit the 'sweet spot' they were looking for. 'We let the data tell us what the constellation of symptoms are that best predict overall severity and how well they do at identifying depression. It's a way we might be able to get the maximum amount of information in the shortest amount of time,' Perlis told Medscape Medical News. However, he noted that he's not yet ready to recommend the PHQ-3 for widespread use in clinical practice. 'I want to see further studies in clinical settings. But I think we made a good start towards showing it did well in a big, general sample of US adults,' Perlis said. The findings were published online on July 21 in JAMA Network Open . Shorter Attention Spans 'The PHQ-9 was not intended as a tool to diagnose depression. It's just a way to start the conversation; and although it's not perfect, it is useful,' Perlis noted. The original patient-reported PHQ was a screen for depression as well as for anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol misuse, and somatization. The version with a nine-item depression scale (PHQ-9) became widely used to screen for depression plus related symptoms, such as fatigue and troubled sleep. However, the length has become burdensome to some patients, especially those who prefer to use phone apps rather than printed out forms. 'Faced with a long list of survey questions, some individuals may be tempted to speed through or to not respond at all,' the investigators wrote. At the recent American Psychiatric Association annual meeting, clinicians in the audience at several sessions mentioned their patients have been complaining that the PHQ-9 is too long and that they prefer data to be delivered in smaller 'chunks.' Perlis said that attitude was a big motivator for their study. 'We're in an era where we have shorter attention spans and people want things very quickly,' he said. 'Personally, I would always rather have the PHQ-9. The question we were trying to answer was: Can we ask fewer questions if we don't have the time or the space to ask about nine [items] and do almost as well?' Perlis reported. The research assessed data from four waves of an online survey conducted from November 2023 to July 2024. In the first wave, they identified the optimal questionnaire items to be included. The four waves had a total of 96,234 participants (57% women; mean age, 47.3 years). Of these, 68% were White individuals, 13% were Black individuals, 10% were Hispanic or Latino individuals, 5% were Asian, and 4% were classified as 'other.' In the full patient population, 26% had moderate or greater depressive symptoms, as measured by a PHQ-9 score ≥ 10. Follow-Up Is Key After examining shortened versions of the PHQ-9 that ranged from including just one item up to eight items, the PHQ-3 with items 1 (interest), 2 (depressed mood), and 6 (self-esteem or failure) was deemed to be the 'optimal' version. It had a sensitivity of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97-0.98) and a specificity of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.75-0.76) for moderate or greater depressive symptoms. Across all subgroups except participants aged 65 or older, the sensitivity for the PHQ-3 was > 0.94. For that subgroup, it was 0.93. The PHQ-3 was also noninferior to previously reported sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-Depression-4 in the whole study group and in all subgroups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for predicting moderate or greater depressive symptoms was 0.83 for the PHQ-3. The AUROC for the PHQ-9 was 0.84. 'While a shortened scale cannot capture the full range of the PHQ-9, it may facilitate more widespread and efficient investigation of psychiatric symptoms in general population samples when participant burden and/or data collection expense must be minimized,' the investigators wrote. Overall, Perlis said the PHQ-3 could be a possible first-step screening tool, with more questions added as needed. 'What's most important is that people are screening for depression and, if someone screens positive, that they're following up with a more comprehensive evaluation and offering treatment if it's indicated,' he said. 'It's really about figuring out who needs follow-up.' Menu of Options? In an accompanying editorial, Kurt Kroenke, MD, Regenstrief Institute Indianapolis, noted that the study had 'numerous strengths,' including its large and diverse study population but also several limitations. First, criteria for calculating sensitivity and specificity was not a structured psychiatric interview, which is what was used in the past to evaluate two- and nine-item PHQs. Also, because the researchers pulled from a general population sample, future studies should focus on actual patients from both primary care and psychiatric settings, Kroenke suggested. He noted that in addition to the various shortened PHQs, the two-item and four-item versions of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System have shown benefit. 'Clinicians and researchers looking for ultrashort depression measures now have a menu from which to choose, which is good since one size may not fit all purposes,' Kroenke wrote. 'Expanded use of brief screeners to increase detection of depression has the potential to decrease the burden of the most prevalent mental disorder worldwide,' he added.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Unexpected Passenger Boards Subway 'Like She Was Headed To Work'—Goes Viral
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A surprise commuter on a New York City subway has captured the internet's heart after hopping aboard like she had somewhere to be. New Yorker @pocahontae8 shared a now-viral TikTok video showing a tiny gray tabby kitten casually jumping onto the train. The video has since garnered 1.2 million likes and 8 million views. "Y'all a kitten just hopped on the train like she was headed to work. Only in NYC," reads the text overlay on the clip. The footage shows the kitten joining morning commuters, clearly unfazed by the hustle of the city. One passenger scoops up the confused feline, seemingly unsure what to do next. Another eventually takes her off the train, likely to help find her a home or reunite her with an owner. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, it's important to approach carefully. You should check if the cat is truly stray or simply lost, according to PetMD. Look for signs of ownership like a collar or friendliness. Bringing the cat to a vet to scan for a microchip is the best next step. If there's no ID, consider contacting a local shelter or rescue group—or, if you're able, providing temporary foster care. TikTok users were quick to share their reactions to the unexpected moment. "You don't understand how bad I just panicked cuz I thought the kitten will fall through the crack," said Moneka. "Great they kidnapped the kitten while it was on its way to a job interview," joked Mahir. A stock image showing a subway train. A stock image showing a subway train. tifonimages/iStock / Getty Images Plus "Kitten was like 'excuse me I'm part of the distribution system and I was told my person would be here,'" another user commented. "I'm so glad that woman took her!!" said Amber. "THANK YOU TO THE GIRL WHO TOOK THE KITTEN! May she bring you joy for the rest of her life! I hope you keep her!" wrote Lula. "I'd of taken that baby immediately no hesitation," said Abigail. "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE put this to the song 9-5," added Mia, referencing the classic Dolly Parton hit. "I have never seen the cat distribution system deliver on the train," another user added. A stock image showing a kitten walking. A stock image showing a kitten walking. Valentin Zlydennyy/iStock / Getty Images Plus "Kitten is just trying to apply for bodega jobs," quipped another user. "God bless that girl who took that precious kitten," added Anne. Newsweek reached out to @pocahontae8 for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
