🚺 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action 🚺

Sexual violence happens in every community and affects people of all genders and ages. Any unwanted sexual contact is sexual violence. It can include words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent. A person may use force, threats, manipulation, or coercion to commit sexual violence.

Forms of sexual violence include:

• Rape or sexual assault
• Child sexual assault and incest
• Sexual assault by a person’s spouse or partner
• Unwanted sexual contact/touching
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual exploitation and trafficking
• Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to other(s) without consent
• Masturbating in public
• Watching someone engage in private acts without their knowledge or permission
• Non-consensual image sharing

There is a social context that surrounds sexual violence. Social norms that condone violence, use power over others, traditional constructs of masculinity, the subjugation of women, and silence about violence and abuse contribute to the occurrence of sexual violence. Oppression in all of its forms is among the root causes of sexual violence. Sexual violence is preventable through collaborations of community members at multiple levels of society—in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, faith settings, workplaces, and other settings. We all play a role in preventing sexual violence and establishing norms of respect, safety, equality, and helping others.

What is consent?

Consent must be freely given and informed, and a person can change their mind at any time.

Consent is more than a yes or no. It is a dialogue about desires, needs, and level of comfort with different sexual interactions.

Who does sexual violence impact?

Victims of sexual violence include people of all ages, races, genders, and religions — with and without disabilities.

Nearly one in five women in the United States have experienced rape or attempted rape some time in their lives (Black et al., 2011).

In the United States, one in 71 men have experienced rape or attempted rape (Black et al., 2011).
An estimated 32.3% of multiracial women, 27.5% of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 21.2% of non-Hispanic black women, 20.5% of non-Hispanic white women, and 13.6% of Hispanic women were raped during their lifetimes (Black et al., 2011).

Victims often know the person who sexually assaulted them.

People who sexually abuse usually target someone they know. 

 
Nearly three out of four adolescents (74%) who have been sexually assaulted were victimized by someone they knew well (Kilpatrick, Saunders, & Smith, 2003).
One-fifth (21.1%) were committed by a family member (Kilpatrick, Saunders, & Smith, 2003).
Victims are never at fault.

Choosing to violate another person is not about “drinking too much,” “trying to have a good time,” or ”getting carried away,” nor is it about the clothes someone was wearing, how they were acting, or what type of relationship they have with the person who abused them. Violating another person is a choice.

Rape is often not reported or convicted.

A person may choose not to report to law enforcement or tell anyone about a victimization they experienced for many reasons. Some of the most common include:

• a fear of not being believed
• being afraid of retaliation
• shame or fear of being blamed
• pressure from others
• distrust towards law enforcement
• a desire to protect the attacker for other reasons

The Impact of Sexual Violence

The impact of sexual violence extends beyond the individual survivor and reaches all of society.
Impact on survivors

An assault may impact a survivor’s daily life no matter when it happened. Each survivor reacts to sexual violence in their own way. Common emotional reactions include guilt, shame, fear, numbness, shock, and feelings of isolation.

Physical impacts may include personal injuries, concerns about pregnancy, or risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. Economic impacts of sexual violence include medical and other expenses in addition to things like time off work. The long-term psychological effects survivors may face if their trauma is left untreated include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, isolation, and others.
Impact on loved ones

Sexual violence can affect parents, friends, partners, children, spouses, and/or coworkers of the survivor. As they try to make sense of what happened, loved ones may experience similar reactions and feelings to those of the survivor such as fear, guilt, self-blame, and anger.
Impact on communities

Schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, campuses, and cultural or religious communities may feel fear, anger, or disbelief when sexual assault happens in their community. Violence of all kinds destroys a sense of safety and trust. There are financial costs to communities including medical services, criminal justice expenses, crisis and mental health service fees, and the lost contributions of individuals affected by sexual violence.
Impact on society

The contributions and achievements that may never come as a result of sexual violence represent a cost to society that cannot be measured. Sexual violence weakens the basic pillars of safety and trust that people long to feel in their communities because it creates an environment of fear and oppression.

A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that individual victims of sexual violence incur $122,461 over a lifetime in costs associated with lost wages, health, criminal justice, and property damage (Peterson et al., 2017). Additional research shows that sexual violence can derail a person’s education and employment, resulting in a $241,600 income loss over a lifetime (MacMillan, 2000).

Sexual assault and the related trauma response can disrupt survivors’ employment in several ways, including time off, diminished performance, job loss, and inability to work (Loya, 2014).

In 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alone recovered $164.5 million for workers alleging harassment (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2016). Indirect costs for employers include decreased productivity, higher turnover, and reputation damage.

Signing Out

Dr. Destiny Santiago aka Big Sister On Point

References

Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., Chen, J., & Stevens, M. R. (2011). National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010-a.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2016). Final Report of the EEOC Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace. Washington. D. C. Retrieved from: https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/task_force/harassment/index.cfm

Kilpatrick, D. G., Saunders, B. E., & Smith, D. W. (2003). Youth victimization: Prevalence and implications (NIJ Research Brief NCJ 194972). Retrieved from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/194972.pdf

Loya, R. M. (2014) Rape as an economic crime: The impact of sexual violence on survivor’s employment and economic well-being. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30 (16), 2793-2813. doi:10.1177/0886260514554291

MacMillan, R. (2000). Adolescent victimization and income deficits in adulthood: Rethinking the costs of criminal violence from a life-course perspective. Criminology, 38(2), doi: 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2000.tb00899.x

Peterson, C., DeGue, S., Florence, C., & Lokey, C. N. (2017). Lifetime economic burden of rape among U.S. adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. doi:10.1016/j. amepre.2016.11.014

https://www.nsvrc.org/about-sexual-assault

👨‍👩‍👧 World Autism Day! 👨‍👩‍👧

World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) aims to put a spotlight on the hurdles that people with autism – and others living with autism – face every day. As a growing global health issue owing to its increasing exposure in the press and common knowledge, autism is an issue that is only gaining more understanding – and WAAD activities are planned every year to further increase and develop world knowledge of children and adults who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

What’s more, World Autism Awareness Day goes one step further to celebrate the unique talents of those with autism, while putting a huge focus on the warm embrace and welcome that these skills deserve through community events around the globe.

This month is special to a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. For me, it is special to me because I used to work with children with Autism and let me tell you, they are the most awesome people on this planet. The eager to learn and the sweetness. Not only that by my SL Sister Reececupz is a parent of a child with Autism and when she posts pictures of this lil guy it just melts my heart. As she stated last year in her blog it is challenging, but also rewarding at the same time. There are different levels of Autism on the spectrum. It can range from high functioning to severe. Some individuals may be extremely smart or gifted in areas, others may be need a lot of assistance with learning, communications etc.

What is Autism?

When people refer to “Autism” today, they are usually talking about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which is a brain-based disorder characterized by social-communication challenges and restricted repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. The Centers for Disease Control describes ASDs as: “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.

Possible signs of autism in babies and toddlers:

• By 6 months, no social smiles or other warm, joyful expressions directed at people
• By 6 months, limited or no eye contact
• By 9 months, no sharing of vocal sounds, smiles or other nonverbal communication
• By 12 months, no babbling
• By 12 months, no use of gestures to communicate (e.g. pointing, reaching, waving etc.)
• By 12 months, no response to name when called
• By 16 months, no words
• By 24 months, no meaningful, two-word phrases
• Any loss of any previously acquired speech, babbling or social skills

Possible signs of autism at any age:

• Avoids eye contact and prefers to be alone
• Struggles with understanding other people’s feelings
• Remains nonverbal or has delayed language development
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Gets upset by minor changes in routine or surroundings
• Has highly restricted interests
• Performs repetitive behaviors such as flapping, rocking or spinning
• Has unusual and often intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and/or colors
• The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.”Autism is about 4.5 times more likely to affect boys than girls, and is found in all racial, ethnic, and social groups. There is no known single cause for autism, although the best available science points to important genetic components. Through twin studies, scientists have determined that autism is a genetically based condition.

Talk with your healthcare provider

Depending on the screening results, your doctor may refer your child to a specialist for a full diagnostic evaluation for autism. However, you don’t need an autism diagnosis for your child to begin receiving services for related developmental delays or learning challenges. So keep in mind that you can begin accessing services to help your child while you wait on a full evaluation.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors. However, symptoms and their severity vary widely across these three core areas. Taken together, they may result in relatively mild challenges for someone on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. For others, symptoms may be more severe, as when repetitive behaviors and lack of spoken language interfere with everyday life.

Signing out

Dr. Destiny Santiago aka

Big Sister On Point

Documentations gathered from https://www.autismspeaks.org

👐 National Freedom Day 👐

Many people do not realize what today is or acknowledge it. If you do not know let Eta Sigma Delta enlighten you a little bit 😊

National Freedom Day is an observance in the United States that honors the signing of a resolution that proposed the 13th amendment of the nation's constitution on February 1, 1865. Abraham Lincoln, who was the president at the time, signed the resolution to outlaw slavery. This anniversary is annually observed on February 1.
National Freedom Day commemorates the date – February 1, 1865 – when Abraham Lincoln, who was the nation's president at the time, signed a joint resolution that proposed the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution. The amendment was made to outlaw slavery and was ratified on December 18, 1865.

The originator of National Freedom Day was Major Richard R. Wright, the first president of Savannah State University. Major Richard Robert Wright Senior, a former slave who founded the National Freedom Day Association, played a crucial role in creating the observance. Major Wright was deemed as a community leader in Philadelphia and was active in education, the media, business and politics. He hoped to see a day that would be dedicated to celebrating freedom for all Americans.

The first commemoration of such a day took place on February 1, 1942, although it was not made into law yet. A tradition of laying a wreath at Liberty Bell also began. On June 30, 1948, President Harry Truman signed a bill to proclaim February 1 as the first official National Freedom Day in the United States.

National Freedom Day’s theme is about freedom for all Americans. Wreath-laying at Liberty Bell, which symbolizes freedom or liberty, has also occurred on this day over the years.

On this day how do people celebrate?

Majority of people reflect and remember the importance of this day. Some educational institutions may add themes that has to do with National Freedom Day as part of their class discussions, readings or other learning activities that explains how important this day is.

For some people, it is a time to promote good will, equality, and to appreciate freedom. Wreath-laying at the Liberty Bell has also been a tradition to mark National Freedom Day for many years. Other events include annual breakfasts, luncheons, musical entertainment, film screenings, and literature meetings that explore the theme about freedom.

Signing out 

Dr. Destiny Santiago aka Big Sister On Point

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/national-freedom-day

💓( ¨*•.¸(¨*•.¸´•. American Heart Month 💓( ¨*•.¸(¨*•.¸´•.

💓( ¨*•.¸(¨*•.¸´•.  February is American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. This month, we are highlighting Million Hearts, an initiative dedicated to preventing the nation's leading killers and empowering everyone to make heart-healthy choices.
We can fight back against heart disease and stroke.

 February, 2018 is American Heart Month. You be the judge. Here are the symptoms from the American Heart Association. All I will add is that they can go on for weeks / months ( if you live long enough) untreated causing more damage to your heart: Heart Attack Warning Signs.

               ☀ HOW TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE?

• Know your blood pressure and keep it under control.
• Exercise regularly.
• Don't smoke.
• Get tested for diabetes and if you have it, keep it under control.
• Know your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and keep them under control.
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
•       ☀ Take action to promote heart health. Celebrate National Wear Red Day to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Encourage everyone in your community to wear red on February 3, 2017. Host an American Heart Month event at a local school, health center, or library.
•      ☀ During the month of February, Americans see the human heart as the symbol of love. February is American Heart Month, a time to show yourself the love.
• 
  

                                                      ☀ Heart Attack Warning Signs

☀ Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

☀ As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out. Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.
Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. The staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too.
If you can't access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you're the one having symptoms, don't drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other

☀ During American Heart Month in February and throughout the year, hospitals, schools, and corporations can offer educational and inspirational products to employees and community members, encouraging heart health awareness and heart attack prevention tactics for women and men. Food diaries, fitness journals, health handbooks, and healthy cookbooks are just some of the motivational and instructional products doctors, nurses, counselors, and other health specialists can provide to the community. And our lapel pins, stress balls, pedometers, and water bottles are fun giveaways to offer at corporate wellness events, employee health fairs, university gatherings, and other events.

                                💓Take the Million Hearts Challenge Today💓

☀ Prevention starts with everyone. Protect yourself and your loved ones from heart disease and stroke by understanding the risks and taking these steps

• Drive the initiative by challenging your family and friends to take the Million Hearts pledge at http://millionhearts.hhs.gov.
• Get up and get active by being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• Know your ABCS:
  • Ask your doctor if you should take an Aspirin every day.
  • Find out if you have high Blood pressure or Cholesterol, and if you do, get effective treatment.
  • If you Smoke, get help to quit.
• Make your calories count by eating a heart-healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and trans fat.
• Take control of your heart health by following your doctor’s prescription instructions.

Together, we can all be one in a million this Heart Month and every month. To learn more, visit http://millionhearts.hhs.gov.

 WE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEART....  HOPE YOU DO TOO!    

Blogger: Egypt Assanti

ESD SL Sorority Baroness

🍎 National Diabetes Month 🍎

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled.

One in 10 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 30 million people. And another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The good news? People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes. These changes include: eating healthy, getting more physical activity, and losing weight.

How can American Diabetes Month make a difference?

We can use this month to raise awareness about diabetes risk factors and encourage people to make healthy changes.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Encourage people to make small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Talk to people in your community about getting regular checkups. They can get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and ask the doctor about their diabetes risk.
• Ask doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities by speaking about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

How can I help spread the word?

We’ve made it easier for you to make a difference. This toolkit is full of ideas to help you take action today. For example:

• Add information about preventing type 2 diabetes to your newsletter.
• Tweet about American Diabetes Month.
• Host a community event where families can be active while learning about local health resources.
• Add this Web badge to your website.

Get Involved

Take action to increase awareness about diabetes and healthy lifestyles.

1. Partner with your local gym or YMCA to host a Diabetes Prevention Party focused on healthy eating and physical activity. Give away gym passes, fitness class certificates, or workout gear. Ask gym staff to do demonstrations or teach a free class.
2. Find out which local churches have a health ministry. Offer to give a presentation on how to prevent type 2 diabetes at their next event.
3. Host a cooking demonstration featuring diabetes-friendly recipes. Get local nutritionists involved.
4. Include healthy Thanksgiving recipes in your next newsletter or company email along with quick tips on how to prevent type 2 diabetes.
5. Post tips on type 2 diabetes prevention on your employee bulletin board.
6. Encourage your members or employees to get active. Organize lunchtime walks or invite local gyms to showcase their fitness classes and programs.

Take care of your type 2 diabetes every day to help keep your blood glucose (sugar) levels within your target range. Even small changes—whicheventually become part of your normal day—may help you control your blood sugar levels.

Top Foods to Treat Diabetes. If you want to reverse type II diabetes or prevent diabetes, I suggest you add the following foods into your diet. High fiber foods help slow down glucose absorption. Aim for at least 30g of fiber per day from vegetables, avocados, berries, nuts, and seeds.

Be smart about sweets

• Reduce your cravings for sweets by slowly reduce the sugar in your diet a little at a time to give your taste buds time to adjust.
• Hold the bread (or rice or pasta) if you want dessert. ...
• Add some healthy fat to your dessert. ...
• Eat sweets with a meal, rather than as a stand-alone snack.

 

 

 

Hold the bread (or rice or pasta) if you want dessert. Eating sweets at a meal adds extra carbohydrates so cut back on the other carb-heavy foods at the same meal. Add some healthy fat to your dessert. Fat slows down the digestive process, meaning blood sugar levels don't spike as quickly.

In the long run, not controlling diabetes can also damage the vessels that supply blood to important organs, like the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. This means that heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems can happen to people with diabetes.

According to the 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report, over 30 million people living in the United States have diabetes. That’s almost 10 percent of the U.S. population. And diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, causing, at least in part, over 250,000 deaths in 2015. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to reverse diabetes and the diabetes epidemic in America.

Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous disease that can lead to many other health conditions when it’s not managed properly, including kidney disease, blindness, leg and food amputations, nerve damage, and even death. (1)

Type 2 diabetes is a completely preventable and reversible condition, and with diet and lifestyle changes, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting the disease or reverse the condition if you’ve already been diagnosed. If you are one of the millions of Americans struggling with diabetes symptoms, begin the steps to reverse diabetes naturally today. With my diabetic diet plan, suggested supplements and increased physical activity, you can quickly regain your health and reverse diabetes the natural way.

The Cause of Diabetes

Diabetes is an illness related to elevated blood sugar levels. When you stop releasing and responding to normal amounts of insulin after eating foods with carbohydrates, sugar and fats, you have diabetes. Insulin, a hormone that’s broken down and transported to cells to be used as energy, is released by the pancreas to help with the storage of sugar and fats. But people with diabetes don’t respond to insulin properly, which causes high blood sugar levels and diabetes symptoms.

It’s important to note that there’s a difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Here’s an explanation of the two types of diabetes and what causes these conditions:

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is commonly called “juvenile diabetes” because it tends to develop at a younger age, typically before a person turns 20 years old. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The damage to the pancreatic cells leads to a reduced ability or complete inability to create insulin. Some of the common causes that trigger this autoimmune response may include a virus, genetically modified organisms, heavy metals, vaccines, or foods like wheat, cow’s milk and soy. (4)

The reason foods like wheat and cow’s milk have been linked to diabetes is because they contain the proteins gluten and A1 casein. These proteins can cause leaky gut, which in turn causes systemic inflammation throughout the body and over time can lead to autoimmune disease.

Type 1 diabetes is rarely reversed, but with the right dietary changes major improvements in blood sugar levels can be seen and a person can often reduce his or her dependence on insulin and medications.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and unlike type 1 diabetes, it usually occurs in people over the age of 40, especially those who are overweight. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which means that the hormone insulin is being released, but a person doesn’t respond to it appropriately. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that’s caused by high blood sugar. The body can keep up for a period of time by producing more insulin, but over time the insulin receptor sites burn out. Eventually, diabetes can affect nearly every system in the body, impacting your energy, digestion, weight, sleep, vision and more. (5)

There are many underlying causes of type 2 diabetes, and the disease usually develops because of a combination of factors, including: (6)

• having a poor diet
• being overweight
• having high levels of inflammation
• living a sedentary lifestyle
• experiencing high amounts of stress
• having a family history of diabetes (especially a parent or sibling)
• having high blood pressure or a history of heart disease
• having a hormonal condition (like hyperthyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome or Cushing’s syndrome)
• being exposed to toxins, viruses or harmful chemicals
• taking certain medications (like those that disrupt insulin production)

Thankfully, there are ways to reverse diabetes naturally.

 

Blogger: Egypt A. Assanti {aka} Big Sister Southern Heat- ESD Baroness

~November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month~

As with other Cancers, lung cancer is heartbreaking, deadly and attacks like a army. Before telling useful information and facts about lung cancer, I would like to share my story...

My mother smoked cigarettes for many, many years and all attempts to stop smoking just wasn't successful. In 1997 I remember it so very clearly, I was at work and my mother was at the doctor getting results from test that I had no idea she had taken. While it wasn't the best idea for my middle sister to contact me at work, she did and the words that escaped her mouth I would never forget the feeling I got in the pit of my stomach.... Through tears she said... "Mommy has cancer." The phone dropped without me even realizing it and my heart sank and all I heard her said wasn't those words but to me it conveyed into, "Mommy is dying." I started crying so hard that my supervisor had to take me to her office and let me get it out there. That day began the journey of my mother's cancer fight and has scared as I was, I was determined to help her get through this fight.

We watched as she endured lung surgery to removed half of her lung, chemotherapy that made her extremely sick and took all of her hair, radiation which made it hard for her to breathe and made her chest area hard and discolored. This was not easy to watch but my mother.... My mother is my hero because through it all, she prayed, she smiled she kept a constant smiled and glow to her. You would never believe this woman was enduring so much.

4 years later, they said the cancer had gone however, due to all of this trauma, she had heart trouble, diabetes, thyroid surgery, asthma but the cancer itself had become what I say dormant but what the doctors said... gone....

A year later I would never forget, two days after our birthday (we share the same birthday), in November it was 70 degrees out, we had celebrated our birthday by going to times square and having a ball. Two days later she ended up in the hospital, blood sugar spiked, the admitted her and two days later she was in ICU with the doctors telling us she would not make it, her lungs had filled with blood and the cancer they said was gone had woken up with a vengeance! But my mother wasn't done. God knew the family wasn't ready to lose her. After two days of not waking up, she awaken, bright eyed, smiles and said it was time to come back.

We had my mother for two months and as I write this it's ironic everything was happening in twos. On January 31, 2002, my mother lost that fight to Lung Cancer, and while God gained a angel the world lost a amazing soul....

I told my story to wake people up especially smokers.

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer.

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the leading cause in people who have never smoked. For more information about radon and testing your home, please visit EPA.gov/radon.

Other risk factors include:
  - lung scarring from tuberculosis
  - occupational or environmental exposure to:
     • secondhand smoke
     • radiation
     • asbestos
     • air pollution
     • arsenic
     • some organic chemicals

Genetic predisposition may also play a role in lung cancer development.

People who have never smoked account for between 20,000 and 30,000 lung cancer diagnoses every year.

As more people quit smoking, the percentage of cancers diagnosed in people who used to smoke will continue to increase.

For certain people at high risk, screening for lung cancer using low-dose CT scans is proven to save lives. New guidelines will help you understand if CT screening is appropriate for you.

Get screened if you are 55 to 80, you are currently smoking or quit within the past 15 years, you have a smoking history of at least 30 packs. 

1 pack/day X 30 years = 30 pack years

1.5 packs a day X 20 years = 30 pack years

Get screened, get tested, STOP SMOKING!

Signing off

Destiny Santiago

Big Sister On Point