It goes without saying that one of the most effective methods for staying healthy and stopping the spread of germs is washing your hands with soap and warm water.  Each year, we highlight the importance of handwashing on October 15th, designated as Global Handwashing Day in 2008.  The purpose of this day is to remind everyone that this is one of the best methods for avoiding illness and spreading germs.  Furthermore, handwashing is also important at other times such as: After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing After going to the restroom When preparing food Before a meal It’s important...

Traumatic brain injury awareness is recognized during the month of March and provides an opportunity to promote strategies for preventing these catastrophic injuries and help improve the quality of life for TBI victims and their families.  These injuries result from a force or impact to the body or head, or a skull penetrating injury and affect roughly 2.5 million Americans every year.  In most cases, the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries are falls, especially in seniors age 75 or older. Types of TBI’s and their Consequences According to the medical and scientific communities, there are 4 types of traumatic...

National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is also known as National Prostate Health Month or NPHM and is observed every September by health advocates, health experts, and men who are concerned about the health of their prostate and prostate cancer.  This year, it is estimated that 175,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 32,000 will die from the disease.  Most prostate cancers are diagnosed in men 65 years of age and older. Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer Fortunately, most prostate cancer cases are diagnosed early on through screening.  While no symptoms are evident in early-stage prostate cancer, the more...

September 13th has been designated as “National Celiac Disease Awareness Day” in honor of Dr. Samuel Gee, the man who identified a link between diet and the disease.  It was commemorated on August 3rd, 2010 by a resolution in the U.S. Senate in the hopes that more people would become aware of and informed about the disease.  While it may not be a holiday that is widely celebrated, it is important to an estimated 3 million people who suffer with it. What is Celiac Disease? While it is sometimes called gluten-sensitive enteropathy or celiac sprue, celiac disease is an immune...

In its early stages, the symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague and aren’t that intense.  Furthermore, most screening tests aren’t that dependable.  Unfortunately, by the time diagnosis confirms the presence of the disease, it’s already in the latter stages and has a poor prognosis.  According to the American Cancer Society, this is the deadliest of all reproductive system cancers and the 5th leading cause of cancer deaths in females. As a result, September has been designated as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to rally for more research, support, and treatment of this very difficult to detect form of cancer.  Consequently,...

While many individuals have little if any idea what a Health Unit Coordinator is, August 23rd is known as Health Unit Coordinators Day on the National Observances calendar.  A health coordinator is a person who is responsible for performing the following tasks and duties in a healthcare or medical environment: communicating with fellow staff members communicating with patients and guests maintaining electronic health records other duties of a clerical nature patient admission, transfer, and discharge Health Unit Coordinators Day originated as a reminder of the important teamwork that takes place in healthcare and medical facilities and why health unit coordinators...

Most people do not realize that August is Gastroparesis Month.  What is Gastroparesis, you ask? The movement of food into the small intestine from the stomach is triggered by the Vagus nerve which causes the stomach muscles to contract and push the food on its way.  When the Vagus nerve is damaged, Gastroparesis or a partial paralysis occurs and the movement of food is slowed down considerably.  In the more severe cases, food movement stops altogether. How Does the Disease Develop? A healthy person’s stomach muscles can use strong contractions to pass food through the intestines.  However, when someone suffers...

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...