Monday, October 31, 2011

Member's New Shops

Check out CindyLou's new shop opening Nov 2. Congratulations!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CindyLouDoesStats

Beth also has a new shop,Bethiefliestoo
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/bethiefliestoo

Anyone else?

Living Healthy with Diabetes Guide

http://www.diabetes.org/assets/pdfs/living-healthy-with-diabetes-guide.pdf

NOVEMBER AWARENESS TOPICS


November
1 - 30
American Diabetes Month

American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
(800) DIABETES (342-2383)
(703) 549-1500
(703) 549-6995 Fax
askada@diabetes.org
www.diabetes.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Local Chapters
1 - 30
COPD Awareness Month

American Lung Association
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004
(800) 548-8252
(202) 452-1805 Fax
info@lungusa.org
www.lungusa.org/about-us/our-impact/top-
stories/november-is-copd-awareness_1.htm
l
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
1 - 30
Diabetic Eye Disease Month

Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 331-2020
(312) 363-6001
(312) 363-6052 Fax
info@preventblindness.org
www.preventblindness.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: PBA Consumer and Patient Hotline
1 - 30
Foot Health Issues Related to Diabetes Awareness Month

American Podiatric Medical Association
9312 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 581-9200
(301) 530-2752 Fax
www.apma.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
1 - 30
Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Lung Cancer Alliance
888 16th Street NW, Suite 150
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 463-2080
(202) 463-7497 Fax
info@lungcanceralliance.org
www.lungcanceralliance.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Kay Cofrancesco
1 - 30
National Family Caregivers Month

National Family Caregivers Association
10400 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500
Kensington, MD 20895-3944
(800) 896-3650
(301) 942-2302 Fax
info@thefamilycaregiver.org
www.thefamilycaregiver.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
1 - 30
National Healthy Skin Month

American Academy of Dermatology
930 East Woodfield Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
(888) 462-DERM (462-3376)
(847) 330-0230
(847) 330-8907 Fax
mediarelations@aad.org
www.aad.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Allison Sit
1 - 30
National Hospice Palliative Care Month

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
1731 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(800) 646-6460
(703) 837-1500
(703) 837-1233 Fax
jradulovic@nhpco.org
www.nhpco.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Jon Radulovic
1 - 30
National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month

No Stomach For Cancer, Inc.
9202 Waterside Drive, #203
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 335-0241 
info@nostomachforcancer.org
www.nostomachforcancer.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Karen Chelcun-Schreiber
1 - 30
Prematurity Awareness Month

March of Dimes Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
(914) 997-4488
(914) 997-4763 Fax
askus@marchofdimes.com
www.marchofdimes.com  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center
6 - 12
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

National Sleep Foundation
1522 K Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 347-3471
(202) 347-3472 Fax
nsf@sleepfoundation.org
drowsydriving.org/resources/drowsy-drivi
ng-prevention-week-toolkit/
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Jennifer Cowher Williams
14 - 20
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week

Division of Bacterial Diseases
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-C23
Atlanta, GA 30333
(800) CDC-INFO (232-4636)
(404) 639-3636
(404) 639-3970 Fax
djohnson13@cdc.gov
www.cdc.gov/getsmart
Materials available
Contact: Darcia Johnson
17
Great American Smokeout

American Cancer Society
250 Williams Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(800) ACS-2345 (227-2345)
acsf2f.com/gaso/  External Link
Materials available
Contact: National Office
17
Prematurity Awareness Day

March of Dimes Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
(914) 997-4488
(914) 997-4763 Fax
askus@marchofdimes.com
www.marchofdimes.com  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center
19
National Survivors of Suicide Day

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
120 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 363-3500 x33
(212) 363-6237 
survivingsuicideloss@afsp.org
www.afsp.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Rebecca Thorp
20 - 26
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
P.O. Box 170864
Milwaukee, WI 53217-8076
(888) 964-2001
(414) 964-1799
(414) 964-7176 Fax
iffgd@iffgd.org
www.aboutgerd.org/site/about-gerd/gerd-a
wareness-week
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Nancy Norton

Self Care Articles and Booklets - FREE

Thanks to new member Pauline Salvucci for sharing this link to her website. You can find free articles and booklets on health issues. http://www.self-care-online.com

Friday, October 7, 2011

In memory of our dear friend Amberlin Wu

Amberlin Wu, aka muddipuppy lived her motto of "Be a Light". Here is more about her in her own words found in her Etsy shop and her blogs -
muddipuppy's Shop Announcement
Hello Wonderful You!

Welcome to muddipuppy! No need to wipe your feet. Poke around and see what you like. Hope you have a lovely visit!
 

All images can be made into cards and prints of different sizes. Feel free to convo me if you want a special piece that you don't see listed.

All proceeds go to raising awareness about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For more information on CFS, please see my profile.

Proud member of:
SF Etsy Bay Area Street Team
Invisible Diseases Team
Createability Team

muddipuppy work can be seen at:
the delightful Rose and Thorn, outside of Sebastapol, California.
the whimsical Azuca in downtown Los Gatos, California.
the fanciful Kingston Ellis on Napa Street in Sonoma, California.

For more muddistuff: www.muddipuppy.blogspot.com

From her Etsy Profile:

I grew up with paint, yarn, sidewalk chalk, and basically every craft item you could ever imagine all around me. My mom is an artist as well as the most creative person on earth, so whenever there wasn’t something to do, that’s what we did – made stuff. I have continued to make stuff for all of my life. Jack of many media, master of none, I simply make art because it’s good for me. 

I came out of college with the big bright world ahead of me and unexpectedly fell ill with chronic fatigue syndrome. 14 years later I continue to work at having that big life in the tiny box that this illness has built around me. Art has been a reliable and inspiring companion.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
- Viktor E. Frankl

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), is a serious chronic illness that results in profound fatigue and a number of other painful and debilitating symptoms.

My CFS blog: http://bealightcfsawareness.blogspot.com/

The CDC estimates that approximately 4 million Americans suffer from CFS and has compared the experience to the last four months of having AIDS.

About a quarter of the people with CFS are unemployed or receiving disability.

CFS costs the U.S. economy about $9 billion annually.

-from the US Department of Health (2008)

From her Blogger Profile:

Just a Puppy in the Mud

·         Location: Mountain View : California : United States

About Me

Hello there, lovely person! I am a silly and serious person, dancer, writer, therapist, activist, and friend. I'm particularly good at listening when you are talking about serious things and laughing when you are talking about funny things, mixing colors and convincing carrots to grow. I'm particularly challenged by stopping when I'm supposed to, sleeping through the night and putting things away. I have chronic fatigue syndrome, the Bad kind, and it has changed and made its best attempts to ruin my life. But one must keep soldiering on. So I do, paint brush in hand. Thanks for stopping by.
A fellow friend and teammate shared the news with us last night,

Hi team peeps. I have some very sad news. I recently learned that one of our team members, www.etsy.com/shop/muddipuppy , passed away on Tuesday. She struggled with cfs for nearly 20 years and had gotten worse during the past year or two (including a few hospitalizations). I don’t know the immediate cause of death, but there can be no doubt that the illness itself took an immense, irrevocable toll on her.

She had so many hopes and dreams, and not just for a cure or even a viable treatment for cfs, but dreams of creating safe group housing for cfs patients so we wouldn’t all have to be isolated and alone with this nightmarish disease. she had dedicated herself to raising awareness about the illness and participated in fundraising for research and advocacy as well.

even though we lived in the same town, I only met Amberlin twice; we were both too ill to attend our local support group on any regular basis. I loved the art in her shop and regret I hadn't bought any originals when they were available. 

her favorite phrase was "be a light," to help bring awareness of cfs to others using our own unique talents and abilities (hers being her art). we can all help to honor her memory by doing our best to be a light in any way we can to make the world better for people with any kind of disability, not just cfs.

I’m too distraught right now to write any more, my apologies.

Teams that Amberlin Wu participated in:
Heartsy Help!
Createability Team Etsy
Invisible Diseases
SF Etsy
are the other teams she was on. My heart goes out to them and her family, friends and customers who were lucky enough to have something to remember her by.

I know Createability Team is doing a treasury tribute to her. I don't know what if anything her other teams have planned or what their needs are.
__________________________________________________________
 News of memorial plans for amberlin, a.k.a. muddipuppy. I learned today that there will be a local memorial service here in mountain view on Sunday Nov, 6 at 2:30 p.m. at the community center. the local support group is planning on creating a memory book of people's stories and reflections to share with her family.


Sunday, October 2, 2011

Breast Cancer Information


Warning signs of breast cancer

If you notice any of the warning signs of breast cancer listed below, see your health care provider.
  • Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
  • Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
  • Change in the size or shape of the breast
  • Dimpling or puckering of the skin
  • Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
  • Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
  • Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
  • New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away
Adapted from National Cancer Institute [47-48], American Cancer Society [49] and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [50].

Link for LARGE PRINT Breast Self-Exam Brochure:
http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/LRGPrintBSA-Eng.pdf


Susan G. Komen for the Cure® recommends that you : 
1. Know your risk
  • Talk to your family to learn about your family health history
  • Talk to your health care provider about your personal risk of breast cancer
2. Get screened
  • Ask your health care provider which screening tests are right for you if you are at higher risk
  • Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
  • Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 20, and every year starting at age 40
3. Know what is normal for you and see your health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes:
  • Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
  • Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
  • Change in the size or shape of the breast
  • Dimpling or puckering of the skin
  • Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
  • Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
  • Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
  • New pain in one spot that doesn't go away
4. Make healthy lifestyle choices
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Add exercise into your routine
  • Limit alcohol intake
  • Limit postmenopausal hormone use
  • Breastfeed, if you can

October is Awareness Month for Breast Cancer and These Other Health-Related Issues


October

1 - 31
Eye Injury Prevention Month

American Academy of Ophthalmology
P.O. Box 7424
San Francisco, CA 94120-7424
(415) 447-0213
(415) 561-8533 Fax
eyemd@aao.org
www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/injuries/in
dex.cfm
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Georgia Alward
1 - 31
Home Eye Safety Month

Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 331-2020
(312) 363-6001
(312) 363-6052 Fax
info@preventblindness.org
www.preventblindness.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: PBA Consumer and Patient Hotline
1 - 31
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Board of Sponsors
C1C-315
1800 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19850-5437
nbcamquestions@yahoo.com
www.nbcam.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
1 - 31
National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Office of Disability Employment Policy
U.S. Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building, Room S-1303
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
(866) 633-7365
(202) 693-7880
(202) 693-7888 Fax
(202) 693-7881 TTY
www.dol.gov/odep
Materials available
Contact: Carol Dunlap
1 - 31
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month

National Down Syndrome Society
666 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
(800) 221-4602
(212) 979-2873 Fax
info@ndss.org
www.ndss.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Educational Services
1 - 31
National Medical Librarians Month

Medical Library Association
65 East Wacker Place, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 419-9094 x11
(312) 419-8950 Fax
mlams@mlahq.org
www.mlanet.org/resources/nml-month/index
.html
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Tomi Gunn
1 - 31
National Physical Therapy Month

American Physical Therapy Association
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-1488
(800) 999-2782
(703) 684-2782 x3248
(703) 706-8578 Fax
public-relations@apta.org
www.moveforwardpt.com  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Public Relations Department
1 - 31
Stop America's Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Today

American Medical Association Alliance
515 North State Street, 9th Floor
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 464-4470 
amaa@ama-assn.org
www.amaalliance.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
1 - 31
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month

First Candle/SIDS Alliance
1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 210
Baltimore, MD 21208
(800) 221-7437
(410) 653-8226
(410) 653-8709 Fax
info@firstcandle.org
www.firstcandle.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
2 - 8
Mental Illness Awareness Week

National Alliance on Mental Illness
3803 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22203
(800) 950-6264 Helpline
(703) 524-7600
(703) 524-9094 Fax
info@nami.org
www.nami.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
3 - 7
Drive Safely Work Week

Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
344 Maple Avenue West, #357
Vienna, VA 22180
(888) 221-0045
(703) 273-6005
(703) 273-7122 Fax
nets@trafficsafety.org
www.trafficsafety.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Liz Stevens
3
Child Health Day

Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Parklawn Building, Room 1805
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-2170
(301) 443-1797 Fax
www.mchb.hrsa.gov
Contact: Cynthia Tibbs
5
Walk to School Day

National Center for Safe Routes to School
730 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Suite 300 / Campus Box 3430
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3430
866-610-SRTS (610-7787)
walk@walktoschool.org 
www.walktoschool-usa.org/index.cfm  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Susan Byszeski
6
National Depression Screening Day ®

Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
One Washington Street, Suite 304
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
(781) 239-0071
(781) 431-7447 Fax
smhinfo@mentalhealthscreening.org 
www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/nat
ional-depression-screening-day.aspx
  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
10
World Mental Health Day

World Federation for Mental Health
12940 Harbor Drive, Suite 101
Woodbridge, VA 22192-2930
(703) 494-6515
(703) 494-6518 Fax
wmhday@wfmh.com
www.wfmh.org/00worldmentalhealthday.htm  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Deborah Maguire
12 - 20
Bone and Joint Decade National Action Week

U.S. Bone and Joint Decade
6300 North River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
(847) 384-4010
(847) 384-4009
(847) 823-1822 Fax
usbjd@usbjd.org
www.usbjd.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Toby King
15
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

Latino Commission on AIDS
24 W 25th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 584-9315
(212) 202-3620 Fax
mramirez@latinoaids.org
www.nlaad.org/  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Melissa Faith Ramirez
16
World Food Day

U.S. National Committee for World Food Day
2175 K Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20437
(202) 653-2404
(202) 653-5760 Fax
www.worldfooddayusa.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: None designated
22
International Stuttering Awareness Day

Stuttering Foundation of America
1805 Moriah Woods Boulevard, #3
P.O. Box 11749
Memphis, TN 38111-0749
(800) 992-9392
(800) 967-7700
(901) 761-0484 Fax
info@stutteringhelp.org
www.stutteringhelp.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Jane Fraser
23 - 31
Red Ribbon Week

National Family Partnership
at Informed Families Education Center
2409 Coral Way, Suite 501
Miami, FL 33145
(800) 705-8997
(305) 856-4886
(305) 856-4815 Fax
ireyes@informedfamilies.org
www.nfp.org  External Link
Materials available
Contact: Ileana Reyes
31 - November 6
National Drug Facts Week

National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5213
Bethesda, MD 20892-9561
(301) 443-1124 
drugfacts@nida.nih.gov
www.drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov/
Materials available
Contact: None designated