PULSE HOW TO CURE A 'WORRY WART'.

What happens when a physician assistant in obstetrics and gynecology gets the itch to write books? In the case of Tolya Thompson, the result is a health-themed children's story with a contemporary hip-hop feel.

``Worry Wart Wes'' is the second children's book Thompson has published, and it features bold, vibrant illustrations by Juan Perez. Like Thompson, Perez also has a demanding day job - as a New York Police Department sketch artist. So far, the partnership between P.A. and P.D. has resulted in reading pleasure.

``Worry Wart Wes,'' tells the story of a boy who worries about everything and turns into a worry wart. He's afraid that he'll drown in the toilet and that eating vegetables will make him turn green. To get rid of the worry warts, Wes has to learn to overcome his anxieties.

``My goal is to write books that educate children and adults in medicine and at the same time be fun, contemporary and multicultural,'' said Thompson, who works at New York Hospital Queens.

The story line in ``Worry Wart Wes'' resonates in the post-Sept. 11 landscape. Thompson wrote the story before the attacks. It was an earlier terrorist act, the Oklahoma City bombing, that made Thompson aware of increasing reports of post-traumatic stress disorder in children. Signs of kids under stress include stomach aches, chest pain, insomnia and depression, she said.

To overcome his anxieties, Wes turns to relaxation techniques. Thompson ends each of her books - ``Loud Lips Lucy'' was her first - with a ``Smartie,'' an educational piece on the featured health topic.

``We want to get the message to adults that kids are worrying, to make them aware of the signs and symptoms,'' she said.

``Worry Wart Wes'' (Savor Publishing; $16) is aimed at children ages 6 to 9. For more information, visit www.savorpublishing.com.

- Mariko Thompson

TAKE HEART: More than 20,000 Angelenos will take to the streets this month to raise money for heart disease and stroke research. The American Heart Walk, L.A., an American Heart Association event, has raised more than $286 million over the past 10 years. The walks will take place at five locations: Arco Plaza in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday; Griffith Park and Mattel headquarters in El Segundo on Saturday; West Los Angeles V.A. Hospital in Westwood on Sept. 22; and Magic Mountain in Valencia on Sept. 28. In Los Angeles County alone, more than 20,000 residents died of heart disease and more than 4,400 died of stroke in 1999. For more information, call [phone] or visit www.heartsource.org.

- M.T.

REEL HEALTH ISSUES: Living with a chronic illness takes patience, acceptance and courage, and former Tarzana resident Marcia Urbin Raymond focuses on all three in her new documentary, ``For Life,'' which premieres at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. It's the story of five people - men, women and teens - who are struggling with lupus, but its universal issues of relationships, monetary burdens, public misconceptions, medical care and personal coping skills make it good medicine for any of the nation's 125 million people who suffer from chronic illnesses - and their families. ``For Life'' is booked Sept. 20-27 at the Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles, with a special screening at 11 a.m. Sept. 28 that includes a Q&A session with Raymond, who has battled lupus since 1996. For more information on Lupus, contact the Lupus Foundation of America or Lupus L.A. at [phone].

- Barbara De Witt

SHOPPING FOR A CURE: Cancer research relies on money - and awareness. To get the word out about colorectal cancer, the No. 2 cause of cancer death in the nation, Bloomingdale's has designed the Caring Star pin available now through Sept. 22. It's priced at $12, and proceeds will benefit the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, co-founded by Katie Couric, Lilly Tartikoff and the entertainment industry.

Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills is doing its part to support breast cancer research with a special shopping event at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The event is co-sponsored by Mercedes Benz to benefit Cedars-Sinai Research for Women's Cancers. For more information, call [phone].

Ever wonder why pink ribbons are for breast cancer and red for AIDS? Color plays an important part in health, and you can learn all about it at the free ColorSoul seminar by Kathleen Dayvolt at 7:30 p.m. at the Bodhi Tree Annex, 8585 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. To register, call [phone]. For more information on color therapy, check out the new book ``Tony&Tina Color Energy: How Color Can Transform Your Life,'' (Simon & Schuster; $25), written by Cristina Bornstein and Anthony Gill, creators of the Tony&Tina cosmetic company.

- B.D.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) no caption (Book: ``Worry Wart Wes'')

(2) PEREZ and THOMPSON

(3) ``For Life'' director Marcia Urbin Raymond looks at a segment of her film with director of photography Michael Anderson.

(4) no caption (Caring Star pin)