Oh boy! May is chock full of awareness issues we can explore! Due to the vast amount of days, this post will cover only a few, with a brief description and where you can find further information. These are the links culled from around the web.
- May Is Better Hearing & Speech Month a time to raise awareness about communication disorders and available treatment options that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems speaking, understanding, or hearing.
- It’s American Stroke Awareness Month. This one is close to my heart. My dad and other relatives have had strokes before they passed. Not so pretty. A stroke happens when a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Some people may have only a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain, known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), that doesn’t cause lasting symptoms.
Arthritis Awareness Month was highlighted in a former post. You can read about it here. Also, check out my resources and learning area to see how you can volunteer or donate.
- Food Allergy Month.
Food Allergy Awareness Week provides a unique opportunity to help raise awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis. Each of us works in our own way to raise awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis. When we all work together and focus our efforts over the course of one week, it amplifies our message and reaches many more people than anyone of us could do alone.
- Global Employee Health and Fitness Month. May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month (GEHFM), an international initiative that prioritizes health and fitness in the workplace. It’s the time of the year when organizations should reflect on what they are doing (or not doing) to help their employees live healthy lifestyles.
- Hepatitis Awareness Month Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. The type of hepatitis is named for the virus that causes it; for example, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. Drug or alcohol use can also cause hepatitis.
- Lupus Awareness Month. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that causes inflammation anywhere in your body and can affect any of organ, the skin, and joints. There are an estimated 1.5 million Americans living with this awful disease. Share this post to help us and the @LupusFoundationofAmerica raise awareness of lupus this month during Lupus Awareness Month. Visit lupus.org/lupusawarenessmonth
- Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. With over 5 million cases diagnosed in the United States each year, skin cancer is America’s most common cancer. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer. About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 85 percent of melanoma cases are associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. By sharing facts about the dangers of unprotected exposure and encouraging people to check their skin for warning signs, we can and will save lives.
- Mental Health Month was covered here.
- National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Since 1984, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.” It’s a peak season for people with asthma and allergies, and a perfect time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers, and others about these diseases. More than 60 million Americans overall have asthma and allergies.
- About 25 million Americans have asthma (19 million adults and 6.2 million children)
- About 32 million Americans have food allergies (26 million adults and 6 million children)
- About 21 million Americans have hay fever, rhinitis or nasal allergies (20 million adults and 5.6 million children)
These numbers paint a picture of how many people in the U.S. are managing asthma and allergies. But they don’t paint a picture of the overall impact these diseases have on people and communities.
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the protein interferes with the absorption of nutrients from the food by damaging a part of the small intestine called villi. Damaged villi make it nearly impossible for the body to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, leading to malnourishment and a host of other problems including some cancers, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, infertility, and the onset of other autoimmune diseases.
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month. In the United States, nearly 68 million people have high blood pressure, which is also called hypertension. Hypertension increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States.
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Every year, more Americans are diagnosed with osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to weaken and become more likely to break. You may not know that you have this “silent” disease until your bones are so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes your wrist to break or your hip to fracture. Learn the facts so you can protect your bones!
- While 1 in 2 women over 50 will develop osteoporosis, 1 in 4 men will, too.
- It’s possible to make bones stronger.
- Around 25 % of people die within the first 6 to 12 months after a hip fracture.
Oh, and there are more, we’ll explore them in a later post. What else can I tell you about these? Let me know in the comments.
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