The Cardiac Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Recognizes Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Awareness Week
Philadelphia, Pa. (Vocus/PRWEB) February 08, 2011
More than one million children and adults in the U.S. are living today with congenital heart defects and are an incredible example of the power of the advances in surgical and medical care and research efforts. As a family member or friend of a child or adult with a congenital heart defect (CHD), you have an incredible story to share.
The Cardiac Center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia kicks off Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week and invites families and individuals whose lives have been touched by congenital heart disease to advocate, fundraise and share your personal story to raise awareness of congenital heart disease and support research efforts at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. A specialized toolkit has been developed to help families and individuals become CHD Champions.
This advocacy toolkit includes tips on how to raise awareness about CHD by sharing your story or fundraiser with the media, reaching out to legislators or writing an editorial for your local newspaper. The toolkit was developed to partner with our families and the larger community to make a difference in raising awareness about congenital heart disease.
“Awareness and funding of CHD is vital to the development of new and better treatments and to continue to search for the causes of congenital heart disease,” said Robert Shaddy, M.D., chief of the division of Cardiology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia “Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week brings pediatric issues to the forefront, and I invite everyone to partner with the Cardiac Center to raise awareness that children’s heart issues are extremely important.”
The Cardiac Center is one of the largest centers in the world dedicated to caring for patients of all ages with CHD with 24,000 outpatient visits, 1,500 inpatient admissions, more than 1,000 cardiac catheterizations and more than 900 surgical procedures annually. The Cardiac Center offers the most cutting-edge surgical and interventional treatments available for children with heart defects, many of which have been pioneered by CHOP physician-scientists.
Babies who are prenatally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect may be delivered in the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, the world’s first delivery unit exclusively for babies with congenital conditions.
The Cardiac Center staff is a team composed of pediatric and adult cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists, cardiac nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, respiratory therapists, child life specialists, operating room technicians and many others who are dedicated exclusively to providing a continuum of care for patients of all ages with CHD, fetus through adult.
Join Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in recognizing Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week, February 7-14, 2011.
Become a CHD Champion. Make a difference. Visit heart.chop.edu for the tool kit and more information.
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Stages of Care: Awareness is Key for an Industry Poised for Major Growth
Omaha, Nebraska (PRWEB) November 19, 2009
Adult children – usually the daughters – who are often responsible for the care of their elderly parents, are in the dark when it comes to senior care options. According to a new study of seniors and their adult children, nearly three-fourths of 35- to 64-year-olds could name no more than two of eight senior care options available, making awareness paramount for an industry poised for major growth.
To raise awareness of the senior care industry and to help family caregivers start the planning process, Paul and Lori Hogan, founders of Home Instead Care, the world’s largest provider of non-medical, in-home care for seniors, share their experiences as both family caregivers and senior care professionals in the book Stages of Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Decisions (November 2009/McGraw-Hill/$ 18.95).
Stages of Care serves as a comprehensive guide for the ever-expanding world of senior care, breaking down the process by addressing the shared concerns of seniors and their family members. Featuring more than 30 sources from universities, health care organizations and nonprofit associations, the Hogans thoroughly explain each and every aspect of senior care, including the array of available care choices, being a caregiver, planning for your own future, aging in place, family and professional care options, how to choose an option and what to look for, financing care, insurance, legal matters, dealing with stress, communication, and family relations. Specific chapters are dedicated to informing families about the many senior care options available.
“Seniors ages 65 to 75 may be on the verge of needing care, which makes this survey data particularly alarming,” said Paul Hogan. “What’s more, that generation of 78 million baby boomers will also require care sooner than they may think. That’s why Lori and I wrote Stages of Care. We want to inform consumers of the senior care choices available, help create a public awareness of the care and financing options, and educate potential franchise owners about the promise of the senior care industry.”
One of the most promising senior care options is the home health care industry, which was named one of Inc.com’s Best Industries for Starting a Business in 2009. Recognizing this trend, Home Instead Care – the world’s leading provider of in-home senior care – has even developed an evaluation survey to determine if opening a senior care business is right for you.
“Every day we encounter older adults who thought they had plenty of time to prepare for their senior care needs only to face a crisis when they became injured or ill,” Paul Hogan added. “And when a crisis occurs, it’s often left to the adult children, usually the daughter, to handle the emergency. So it’s particularly important that family caregivers have the information to make informed decisions.”
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(PRWEB) July 22, 2005
The Luke Neuhedel Foundation has created gold wristbands to increase awareness of children’s cancer. The wristbands are designed by LNF co-founder and President, Rebecca Tolson-Neuhedel. The wristbands are gold, the color adopted by children’s cancer awareness charities, and proclaim “…Because Pediatric Cancer Should Be an Oxymoron” the slogan for LNF, written by LNF co-founder and officer Paul Neuhedel. The wristbands also display LNF’s signature “smiley face” and website, www.lukefund.org. The gold wristband is available only from LNF at www.lukefund.org for $ 2.00 each. All funds raised from the Wristband Project are given to children fighting cancer in the form of grants.
The Luke Neuhedel Foundation was founded in 2002 in memory of Luke Neuhedel, son of Paul and Rebecca, who died at age 3 from hepatoblastoma. Hepatoblastoma ia a rare children’s liver cancer that affects less than one in a million children in the US every year, usually diagnosed before age 1 and most often found in boys. LNF was founded by Luke’s parents in response to their introduction into the world of pediatric cancer and their desire to help make the journey easier for other parents. LNF provides direct grants to families across the US whose child is diagnosed with cancer. Patients needing assistance may submit a brief application (available from LNF by contacting Rebecca at 516-882-9183) through their hospital social worker. LNF is pleased to have never turned down a child’s request for aid, and hopes that the Wristband Project and other LNF Programs will provide the funds to continue the support families desperately need.
LNF is unique among 501c3 charities in that all activities, fundraisers, and projects are completed by volunteers, most of whom knew Luke but by some who never met him. LNF does not spend any funds raised on salaries, benefits, oroffice space because the Neuhedels donate their home as the LNF headquarters and reach out to the community for volunteers. LNF has been able to help families struck by cancer by paying for medical treatment, food, phone and tv rental, rent and mortgage payments, and funeral expenses. Forty-six children a day in the US are diagnosed with cancer, and 15 children a day die from their cancer, so there is never an end to the children needing help.
LNF welcomes donations of any amount at any time. LNF also has many programs for all ages that can be accomplished from any location; LNF has worked with volunteers in the US and Europe on projects to raise funds for LNF. Rebecca Neuhedel, educated as an educator and librarian, has designed many programs for school-aged children to get involved in helping their peers in need. Please see what’s available at www.lukefund.org, or contact LNF directly at LNF, PO Box 137, Massapequa Park NY 11762/516-882-9183.
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National Alzheimer’s disease awareness month
November is national Alzheimer’s disease awareness month. It is also national family caregiver’s month, honoring those who take care of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Read more on KFVS 12 Cape Girardeau
Alzheimer’s disease vaccine is effective in mice
A vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease has been a long-held goal of researchers studying the devastating disease. Research presented Tuesday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting showed one potential vaccine under study appears both safe and effective in an animal model.
Read more on Los Angeles Times
Alzheimer’s disease: If you’re worried, consider a memory screen Tuesday
Alzheimer’s disease threatens more and more people in the United States as the population ages.
Read more on Los Angeles Times
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Drexel Hill Time
AES Seniors
