Wednesday, September 28, 2016

National Women's Health and Fitness Day

What is National Women’s Health & Fitness Day? National Women’s Health & Fitness Day is the nation’s largest annual health promotion event for women of all ages, and is always held on the last Wednesday in September. The 2016 event is set for September 28. This unique national program—with participation by local organizations throughout the U.S.—focuses attention on the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women. The event is similar in concept to its “sister” event National Senior Health & Fitness Day—the nation’s largest older adult health promotion program held every May. Women’s Health & Fitness Day will also be a part of a new National Women’s Health & Fitness Week to be held annually the last week in September.

What Will Women Do On This Day? Hundreds of local organizations throughout the country will host women’s health and fitness events at hospitals, health clubs, park and recreation districts, local health organizations, schools, retirement communities, houses of worship, senior centers, and other community locations. Local health and fitness activities will vary widely based on the organizations hosting the events, and the interests of local women in these communities. Activities will be non-competitive and may include walking events, exercise demonstrations, health screenings and health information workshops. An estimated 50,000 women are expected to participate in local events at 500+ locations.

Who Organizes National Women’s Health & Fitness Day? National Women’s Health & Fitness Day is a public/private good health partnership organized by the Health Information Resource Center, a 24-year old national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health markets. The HIRC coordinates all Women’s Day host site registrations and national event promotion and publicity, along with the sale and distribution of official event incentive items—T-shirts, buttons, pens, bags, etc. In addition to National Women’s Health & Fitness Day, other well-known HIRC programs and activities include the 20-year old Family Health & Fitness Day USA, a national family health and wellness event held every September, the 23rd Annual National Health Information Awards, the nation’s largest awards program of its kind, and the 18-year old Digital Health Awards recognizing the nation’s best digital health information..

HOW TO OBSERVE

Get the girls together for a workout and use #WomensHealthFitnessDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

National Women’s Health & Fitness Day was started in 2002 by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC).

Get out there and get healthy!

September Is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

5 Facts Everyone Should Know About Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is diagnosed annually in nearly a quarter of a million women globally, and is responsible for 140,000 deaths each year. Unlike some other cancers, developing and developed nations are similarly affected by the disease. It is important to be aware of symptoms, risk factors and your family history on both your father’s and mother’s side of the family.

Fact 2: Awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer may enable women to receive an earlier diagnosis, when the disease is more easily treatable.

If a woman experiences one or more of the following symptoms frequently it is important that she discuss them with her doctor. Increased abdominal size / persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes)

• Increased abdominal size / persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes)
• Difficulty eating/feeling full quickly
• Abdominal or pelvic pain
• Needing to pass urine more urgently or more frequently

While these symptoms are often associated with more common and less serious conditions it is better to check them out.

Fact 3: Diagnosis at an early stage vastly improves a woman’s chance of survival

When ovarian cancer is detected at an early stage, when the cancer remains confined to the ovary, up to 90% of women are likely to survive for more than five years (the length of time over which survival is normally measured when assessing cancer treatment). A woman who has symptoms suggestive of ovarian cancer should be referred directly to a specialist to obtain an accurate diagnosis. If she is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a gynecologic oncologist, who is a specialist who treats women’s cancers, is the best person to manage her care.

Fact 4: Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage

Ovarian cancer is frequently diagnosed when the cancer is already at an advanced stage and women often delay seeking help. This may be because the woman thinks her symptoms are due to ‘the time of the month’, ‘menopause’, ‘something I ate’ or confused with other common stomach and digestive complaints. Doctors also often initially suspect less serious causes for the symptoms, but the frequency of symptoms should help them know when to consider ovarian cancer, that is why using a symptom diary might be helpful.

Fact 5: Many women mistakenly believe a cervical smear test (or Pap test) will detect ovarian cancer.

It does not. It detects pre-cancerous changes to cells of the cervix, which is treated much more successfully than ovarian cancer.

symptoms of ovarian cancer:
What makes ovarian cancer so unspeakably dangerous is that it is hardest to detect in its early stages. Sadly, only about 19% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed before the cancer has spread outside of the ovaries when the disease is most responsive to treatment.

To complicate matters, the ovaries are tiny organs buried deep within the abdomen, making the symptoms originating from them all the more difficult to detect and all the more likely to be confused for something far less serious. The more progressed the disease, the more pronounced the symptoms are likely to be.

The most common symptoms include:

Bloating

Pelvic or abdominal pain

Trouble eating or feeling full quickly

Urinary urgency or frequency

Although these symptoms can also be indicative of benign conditions, they can suggest the presence of cancers in other organs. Symptoms that are out of the ordinary for you and that persist almost daily for 2 weeks or more should be brought to the immediate attention of your gynecologist.

Additional symptoms of ovarian cancer, which can also be symptoms of other conditions, include:

Upset stomach

Back pain

Pain during sex

Constipation

Menstrual changes

Unexplained changes in bowel habits

Unexplained weight gain or weight loss

Ongoing unusual fatigue

prevention

Can ovarian cancer be prevented?
Science is still far from knowing how to prevent ovarian cancer, but there is mounting evidence suggesting ways of reducing one's risk of developing the disease.

Oral contraception. Women who have used birth control pills for 5 or more consecutive years reduce their risk of developing ovarian cancer; their risk continues to drop the longer birth control pills are used. However, the use of birth control pills may elevate some risk of developing breast cancer in some women.

Breast feeding and pregnancy. Having one or more children, particularly before age 25, and breast feeding may decrease one's risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Surgical prevention. For women who are at particularly high risk for ovarian cancer and who are outside of their reproductive years, certain surgical procedures such as tubal ligation (tying the fallopian tubes), hysterectomy (removing the uterus) and oophorectomy (removing the ovaries) can greatly reduce the relative risk of developing ovarian cancer. However, all surgical procedures carry risks and should be discussed in full with one's physician.

diagnosis

How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?
Unfortunately, 77% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in an advanced stage, primarily because symptoms that present in the early stages of the disease are often subtle, misinterpreted, inconsistent or ignored. Even routine pelvic exams are unlikely to detect ovarian cancer when it is most treatable before it has spread beyond the ovaries.

The sooner ovarian cancer can be correctly diagnosed, the greater a woman's chances are of surviving it. Ovarian cancer may be uncommon, but it is especially deadly. That's why it is so important for women to be aware of the symptoms and keen to their possible presence at all times.

stages of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is classified in chronological stages I through IV. Each stage can then be further classified into sub-categories. Should you be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, your doctor will be your best resource when it comes to understanding the full categorization and classification of your cancer.

The following chart provides an overview of the four basic stages of ovarian cancer:

Stage I. Ovarian cancer is confined to one or both ovaries.

Stage II. Ovarian cancer has spread to other locations in the pelvis, such as the uterus or fallopian tubes.

Stage III. Ovarian cancer has spread to the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum) or to the lymph nodes within the abdomen. This is the most common stage of disease identified at the time of diagnosis.

Stage IV. Ovarian cancer has spread to organs beyond the abdomen.

If preliminary screening methods suggest the presence of ovarian cancer, your healthcare provider may recommend conducting a CT scan, X-ray or biopsy to confirm results. For more information on ovarian Cancer https://www.ovationsforthecure.org/aware/aware_facts.php

Monday, September 19, 2016

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH:

Every year, thousands of children across America are diagnosed with cancer an often life threatening illness that remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 15. The causes of pediatric cancer are still largely unknown, and though new discoveries are resulting in new treatments, this heartbreaking disease continues to scar families and communities in ways that may never fully heal. This month, we remember the young lives taken too soon, stand with the families facing childhood cancer today, and rededicate ourselves to combating this terrible illness.

While much remains to be done, our Nation has come far in the fight to understand, treat, and control childhood cancer. Thanks to ongoing advances in research and treatment, the 5 year survival rate for all childhood cancers has climbed from less than 50 percent to 80 percent over the past several decades. Researchers around the world continue to pioneer new therapies and explore the root causes of the disease, driving progress that could reveal cures or improved outcomes for patients. But despite the gains we have made, help still does not come soon enough for many of our sons and daughters, and too many families suffer pain and devastating loss. Continue

to support families battling pediatric cancer and work to ease the burdens they face. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer deny health coverage to children because of pre existing conditions, including cancer, nor can they drop coverage because a child is diagnosed with cancer. The law also bans insurers from placing a lifetime dollar limit on the amount of coverage they provide, giving families peace of mind that their coverage will be there when they need it most. And as we work to ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care, my Administration will continue to invest in the cutting edge cancer research that paves the way for tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

This month, we pay tribute to the families, friends, professionals, and communities who lend their strength to children fighting pediatric cancer. May their courage and commitment continue to move us toward new cures, healthier outcomes, and a brighter future for America’s youth.

Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer and the second overall leading cause of death of children in the United States. More than 10,000 children under the age of 15 in the United States are diagnosed with cancer annually.

Thanks to the dramatic progress that has been made in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease, young cancer victims and their families no longer need to relinquish their dreams for the future. In many cases, advances in science and technology are bringing hope and healing where once there was only fear and loss.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the number of child deaths from cancer in the United States declined by 36 percent between 1973 and 1987 – a significant change in a relatively short period of time. Today, three out of every four children diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease are being cured. Since 1960, our ability to treat other serious forms of cancer such as Wilm’s tumor and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has improved markedly—nearly 50 percent more children are living for at least five years after diagnosis. The Department also reports that the number of children surviving acute lymphocytic leukemia has risen by 25 percent since 1974.

Nevertheless, despite such encouraging progress, cancer continues to be the leading cause of death by disease among children between the ages of 3 and 14. Families facing the specter of childhood cancer need the best possible medical care and emotional support we can provide. Many need financial help as well. Every family touched by childhood cancer needs the support of its relatives, neighbors, teachers, and clergy. Parents need the understanding and compassions of their employers, and brothers and sisters of young cancer victims need special consideration, both at home and in school. Young cancer patients themselves need every opportunity to express and pursue the fresh, unjaded dreams that are the hallmark of childhood.

Hundreds of private voluntary organizations at both the national and local levels—including the American Cancer Society, the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, the Leukemia Society of America, and the Ronald McDonald Foundation are helping parents and children to cope with the emotional and financial stresses created by cancer treatment and rehabilitation. Through the generosity of these and other groups, young cancer patients and their parents may obtain free air travel to treatment centers; parents may benefit from low-cost lodging while their little one is receiving treatment far from home; and youngsters themselves may have the opportunity to spend time at a special summer camp or to see an earnest wish fulfilled.

This month we recognize the dedication and hard work of all those scientists, health care professionals, and volunteers who are working to overcome childhood cancer and to assist its victims. We also reaffirm our admiration and support for the courageous youngsters and parents who struggle with this disease.

For more information: http://www.acco.org/childhood-cancer awareness month/
BRAIN TEASER~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Eta Sigma Delta Greek Homecoming 2k16 Sponsorship!

Hello and welcome to Eta Sigma Delta's 3rd Annual Homecoming month!!!!!! September is not only a awesome month because of homecoming but, it is also Sickle Cell Awareness Month! Homecoming is not just special to ESD because of the fun we have with homecoming but, because it serves a very special and dear purpose.... Raising money and awareness for Sickle Cell Anemia Disease.

Every year ESD offer sponsorship to all businesses and Greeks that would love to be apart of the fun and apart of the cause. This year is no different. The Deadline is the 14th which has been extended to the 17th of September.

The homecoming also serves as unity among Greeks, to have fun, and party for a cause. This year we will be having fun in New York City!

If you would like to know what is involved in the sponsorship, please do take a look at our sponsorship levels.