The month of August is National Immunization Awareness Month or NIAM and was established as such in 2013 by the National Public Health Information Coalition.  Later on, it would be coordinated with the CDC to promote the importance of vaccinating people in all age groups, especially the elderly and infants.  The goal of Immunization Awareness Month is to increase awareness of the importance of vaccines and the role they play in preventing serious and deadly diseases. The Importance of Vaccines So, who needs vaccines? Some would say the answer to that is everyone!  As was mentioned above, the key to...

When it comes to observing national days of awareness, you may or may not be familiar with National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month which takes place every July.  However, understanding the importance of NCCAPM is something that many parents can relate to.  After all, 1 out of every 600 babies (roughly 7,000 total) is born with cleft lips or cleft palates.  These are two of the more common birth defects that occur in the U.S. every year. What is a Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate? When the lip doesn’t form completely and remains open, this is referred to...

Eye Injury Prevention Month is a time dedicated to raising awareness of better eye health.  During this time, ophthalmologists, opticians, and optometrists will be encouraging you to protect your eyes from accidental injuries.  Over a million individuals are impacted by eye injuries every year, 90% of which could have been avoided by wearing protective eyewear or safety goggles. Pertinent Facts and Statistics One of the primary causes of visual impairment among Americans is an accidental eye injury.  However, eye injuries aren’t always caused by chemical burns, cuts, dust, or foreign bodies lodged in the eye.  They can also be damaged...

The month of July typically means barbeques, beaches, and fun in the sun.  However, it also means more exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays which can potentially   turn skin cells into skin cancer.  It’s important to take extra precautions when enjoying the outdoors, especially since skin cancer rates have dramatically increased over the past decade.  According to the American Cancer Society, the most common form of cancer in the US is skin cancer.  Furthermore, there are more diagnoses of skin cancer than all the other types of cancer combined. What is UV (Ultraviolet) Radiation? UV radiation is composed...

World Sickle Cell Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2008 for the purpose of increasing public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the disease.  It’s celebrated every year on June 19th to make others aware of the challenges that sickle cell patients, their families, and caregivers experience. What is Sickle Cell Disease? As an inherited blood disorder, sickle cell disease affects the red blood cells and is characterized by a high content of hemoglobin S, an abnormal hemoglobin type.  The red blood cells become crescent or sickle-shaped and often have difficulties passing through the smaller blood vessels of the body.  Sickle...

The week of June 14th through the 20th is designated as National Men’s Health Week.  It was chaired in Congress by Senator Bob Dole and established in 1994 by a Senate Joint Resolution and is celebrated annually during the week preceding Father’s Day.  After all, what better way is there to celebrate your father than by encouraging him to take better care of himself? National Men’s Health Week is all about exercise, good diet habits, healthy bodies, and regular doctor check-ups. The Goal The primary purpose of National Men’s Health Week is to encourage the early detection and treatment of diseases common to men and boys...

For over 20 years, the chapters of the Scleroderma Foundation and its many support groups have recognized the month of June as National Scleroderma Awareness Month.  Scleroderma refers to a group of rare medical conditions that are characterized by the tightening and hardening of your skin and its connective tissues. The disease affects women more than men.  Although it’s incurable, there are treatments available that can ease the patient’s symptoms and improve their quality of life. Are there different Types of Scleroderma? Yes.  There are a number of different types that affect different areas of the body.  In some individuals,...

The month of June was designated as National Safety Month by the National Safety Council in 1996.  The goal was to increase public awareness of the leading health and safety risks in our communities, on roadways, and in the workplace to eventually decrease the number of injuries and fatalities here in the U.S.  At Vital Imaging, we are doing our part to ensure safety in our facilities. 4 Topics for 2021 With this being the 25th anniversary of National Safety Month, this year’s 4 topics are as follows: Topic 1:  Prevent incidents before they start – in order to create...

Every year, the month of May is recognized as National Arthritis Awareness Month.  The disease impacts 1 in every 5 American adults (more than 50 million), making it the nation’s top cause of disability.  In addition to this, 300,000 children and their families are affected by the disease.  Unfortunately, those numbers continue to grow.  Due to the widespread nature of Arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation, the CDC, and other partners observe this month in honor of Arthritis Awareness Month. Arthritis Statistics to be Aware of One of the first steps towards conquering this disease is educating oneself, learning the facts, and...

May 5th, 2021 is World Hand Hygiene Day, sponsored by the WHO, and is part of the CDC’s “Clean Your Hands Campaign.” Every year on this date, people mobilize to promote the adherence to proper hand hygiene in healthcare facilities worldwide, by protecting healthcare workers as well as their patients from serious infections. Furthermore, this year’s “Save Lives: Clean your hands” campaign has been aligned with the “Year of the Nurse and the Midwife” which promotes the recognition of nurses and midwives as heroes deserving of acknowledgement and appreciation. Clean Your Hands The primary goal of this campaign is recognizing...

May, 1989 marked the beginning of National Stroke Awareness Month.  At that time, President George H.W. Bush signed Proclamation 5975 to create public awareness of strokes and hopefully reduce the incidence of them.  The U.S. Government along with the American Heart Association, the National Stroke Association, and a number of other non-profit organizations work in conjunction with one another to educate Americans about preventing strokes and to provide important resources to stroke victims. Knowing the F.A.S.T. Warning Signs  The American Heart Association created the acronym “F.A.S.T.” to explain the warning signs of a stroke and enhance the responsiveness to an...

Having a chronic disease is not something easy at all, but having the support and advice you may need can help you cope with the everyday challenges. Talking about Parkinson’s, people suffering from this disease have the opportunity to get the help and guidance they need from reliable sources. This neurodegenerative disorder is the cause for many people around the world to suffer from lack of coordination, balance, shakiness, stiffness and other problems related. Just like any other chronic disease, it can be hard for people to get adapted to their new situation. That’s why every April is being held...

Living with a constant disease can be hard, but if you know how to treat it correctly, it will be way easier to deal with it in the long run. If you suspect you’re suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or by its acronym IBS, there are some things you can do to treat it properly. First of all, you need to recognize the symptoms, that way, you’ll know how much this disease has been affecting you. Since this disease affects the digestive system some of the main ones are diarrhea, stomach cramps, stomachache, bloating, and constipation.  Although it may seem...

Every year, on March 24th, we take a day to commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. The purpose of World TB Day is to, step by step, raise more public awareness about the many consequences of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis not only affects the health of an individual but also damages its social relations and severely affects its financial position. One of the purposes of World TB Day is to end the tuberculosis epidemic around the world. Facts About World TB Day The date that was chosen for this commemoration marks that day in which Dr. Robert Koch, in 1882, made a crucial...