Health news

loading...

Blood drive

BANGOR – Gentiva Health Services will hold a blood drive 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 1 Cumberland Place, Suite 108. Donors may walk in or schedule an appointment at 990-9000.

Fuel the Care

BANGOR – Not long ago, Stephen Whitty, 17, received dialysis several times a week.

But when Whitty stood on the podium for the annual kickoff of Irving Oil’s Fuel the Care program on Nov. 7 at Eastern Maine Medical Center, the audience saw a healthy, thriving young man who recently received a kidney transplant. His weekly trips to his scheduled dialysis treatments, made possible in part by the Fuel the Care program, were integral to his healthy prognosis.

“This is the benchmark of what Irving is trying to accomplish with Fuel for Care,” said Nancy Dysart, director of the Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems.

Stephen Whitty attended the event with his mother, Lori, of Winterport. Also on hand were nurse Deborah Carey Johnson, CEO of Eastern Maine Medical Center; Dr. Ellen Gellerstedt, section head of developmental pediatrics, EMMC; physicians on staff at Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems hospitals; and representatives from Irving Oil and Dysart’s.

Irving Oil donated $50,000 to Fuel for Care in the form of gift certificates that may be used to purchase gasoline, calling cards or other sundries as families travel between home and hospital when a child receives medical care. Any family who has a child receiving treatment at one of the seven hospitals in the EMHS network may be eligible for Fuel for Care assistance.

Nearly 3,000 New England families have benefited from the program since it began in 2003.

Postponed flu clinics

BANGOR – Due to the high demand, Miller Drug has had to postpone its flu clinics until it can replenish its supply of flu vaccine.

Cardiac wellness

BANGOR – Cardiac Wellness of Maine offers the following programs at Eastern Maine Medical Center, second level of the parking garage:

. Unwinding the Spring, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14, $30. Learn how to manage stress.

. Parenting Parents, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. Free. The program addresses coping with the responsibilities of caring for aging parents.

. Holiday Cooking, two sessions, 9-10 a.m. and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. Free. Dietitian Eileen Smith-Porter will demonstrate how to prepare a healthy feast for the family.

Call 973-8476 to obtain more information and to register.

Great American Smokeout

Thursday, Nov. 17, marks the 29th annual Great American Smokeout, one of the American Cancer Society’s public health awareness activities. For nearly three decades, the society has designated the third Thursday of each November as a day for smokers nationwide to resolve to kick a deadly habit.

Smoking remains the most preventable cause of death in this society, according to Sue Clifford of the American Cancer Society. In the United States, smoking is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women, responsible for nearly one in five deaths. Approximately 990 Maine people will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, and an estimated 940 will die from the disease.

The American Cancer Society hopes to raise awareness in the community of this issue and inspire participation in the Great American Smokeout. For more information, call 373-3710 or (800) 464-3102, press 3.

Homeowners’ course on lead-based paint

Penquis Community Action Program is holding a free Lead-Based Paint Homeowners Awareness Course 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St., Bangor. Pizza will be served. There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. Call 973-3553.

Elevated lead levels can cause developmental delays, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, lowered intelligence and decreased growth. At toxic levels, they can cause stunted growth, mental retardation, severe brain damage, coma and even death. Poisoning occurs most often from renovations of older homes or from the deterioration of lead paint. Children under the age of 6 years are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.

The class will provide information for homeowners, tenants and landlords who intend to do painting, repairs or renovation themselves in their homes where lead paint could be present. The class also will be helpful to those who live in a home where lead-based paint is present, particularly if they have young children or a pregnant woman residing in the house.

Topics will include precautions to take before beginning renovations, sanding techniques and lead dust cleanup. Penquis CAP will have High Efficiency Particulate Air vacuums to lease to families living in homes with lead-paint hazards. The class is a prerequisite to borrowing the vacuums.

This is not a professional contractor class. Contractors seeking a certificate for Lead Smart Renovator or Lead Safe Contractor may call Rob Seavey, 973-3552, at Penquis CAP or Bill Jenkins, 624-5720, at Maine State Housing Authority for information about contractor classes.

The homeowners’ class is supported by a grant from the Penobscot Valley Health Association Fund of the Maine Community Foundation. For information or registration, call Penquis CAP at 973-3553.

Expanding Bone Builders

BANGOR – More than 100 people are being served by Bone Builders, the free osteoporosis exercise program in Penobscot and Hancock Counties. The University of Maine Center on Aging Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is conducting the classes at six locations.

Now the program is coming to Ellsworth. An informational meeting on Bone Builders will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center.

The meeting will feature: a demonstration of the exercises and equipment, a presentation outlining the details of the program and a question and answer session. The class will begin this fall at the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center.

By using volunteer trainers at donated sites, RSVP brings the program, free of charge, to anyone who wants to participate. Participants in the program can expect to increase their bone density, prevent the development of osteoporosis, and even reverse the effects of the disease.

The classes include balance exercises and relevant discussions of nutrition, medicine, and lifestyle, but the main focus is on weight training.

Articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association report that elderly participants in weight training programs increased their bone density by an average of 1 percent over one year as compared to a 2.5-percent decrease in the control group.

These results have motivated RSVP to develop and deliver this program. The exercises stress the bones, causing the body to grow new bone tissue. The exercises also are designed to improve balance and flexibility to prevent falls and fractures.

The new RSVP Bone Builders Program is supported by a grant from Healthy Acadia and is coordinated through the partnership of the YWCA Mount Desert Island and the UMaine Center on Aging Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington Counties.

For more information, call 581-4412.