Health news

Walk for Autism

BANGOR – The public is invited to join the Walk for Autism on Sunday, April 30. April is Autism Awareness month and many activities have been planned. The walk will be held at the University College of Bangor. T-shirts, snacks, face painting and local fire departments will be part of the event.

The puzzle pattern on the Autism Awareness ribbon reflects the mystery and complexity of autism. The different colors and shapes represent the diversity of the people and families living with the disorder. The brightness of the ribbons signals hope through research and in the increasing awareness of the public.

Those interested in learning more about autism may visit the Autism Society of Maine 1-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at 72B Main St., Winthrop, for its open house, or call at (800) 273-5200, Awareness packets will be available.

Sponsor sheets for the walk are available at www.asmonline.org, or call the office to have one mailed.

Acts of Kindness

BANGOR – Thanks to the generosity of the community, thousands of kids from low-income families received toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss this month to help fight dental decay. More than 85 percent of Maine’s children have some form of dental decay or disease.

Through United Way of Eastern Maine and Clear Channel of Maine’s Acts of Kindness program, community members, businesses and dentists donated toothbrushes last month. Northeast Delta Dental donated 864 toothbrushes to the effort.

Throughout March, Penquis CAP, Washington Hancock Community Agency and Waldo Community Action Program distributed the donated products to families in need across five counties of Eastern Maine and encouraged preventative dental care.

“Youth prevention efforts are the key to stopping this growing problem that can impact a child throughout life. Kids with dental decay can have impaired speech development, absence from school or inability to concentrate in school, and reduced self-esteem. These factors can prevent a child from reaching his full potential,” said Nancy Roberts, vice president of community impact for United Way of Eastern Maine.

Acts of Kindness is a yearlong effort with new initiatives each month to encourage volunteerism and collection of items to improve lives in eastern Maine. This month, the organization is seeking people who can provide literacy tutoring for the one in three people in Maine who have trouble reading or cannot read. In April, effort will be to collect children’s books.

For more information on Acts of Kindness, visit www.unitedwayem.org, or call Sara Yasner at 941-2800.

Grant for health center

BANGOR – USDA Rural Development State Director Michael W. Aube announced that Old Town is among six rural Maine communities that will benefit from Rural Development funds.

Penobscot Community Health Center of Bangor has received a Community Facilities Direct Loan of $3 million to renovate a former elementary school in Old Town for use as a healthcare facility, serving a population of 8,130, while saving 30 jobs and creating eight.

Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov.

Telecare Program

BANGOR – Rosscare’s free Telecare Program provides daily telephone contact to individuals living alone in the local Bangor calling area. Volunteers staff the phone lines Monday-Friday mornings.

They greet participants and chat a minute. They share joys on good days and try to cheer participants on gloomier days. Volunteers are trained to know what to do if a participant cannot be reached. To obtain more information about Telecare, or to register for the free service, call 973-7094.

Champions Across America

BANGOR – Fletcher Simpson, 8, of Bangor was selected as Maine’s representative in Champions Across America, a national Children’s Miracle Network program presented by CO-OP Network. As Maine’s ambassador, Fletcher visited Capitol Hill and the White House in Washington.

Fletcher, a cancer patient, is a second-grader at Fourteenth Street School. During radiation treatments, he was so fascinated with how the “magic milk” – anesthesia – made him drift off to sleep, he created a dance with his arms to entertain his doctors and nurses. He also helped his friends understand his illness by describing the surgical scars on his head as “war wounds.” When he had to wear a mask to school, he explained that the “army mans” in his blood were sleeping and could not fight infection. Throughout his illness, Fletcher’s spirit and sense of humor never wavered. His charm and endearing smile reached out and wrapped everyone in joy and warmth.

“The Children’s Miracle Network was there for us, providing the miracle of health care that my son needed when he faced his life-threatening battle with cancer. Without CMN’s supporting medical staff, we might have been forced far from home to receive care,” said Elena Burns, Fletcher’s mother.

Fletcher’s battle with a brain tumor is just one example of the miracles occurring at the pediatric oncology unit at Eastern Maine Medical Center, one of 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in North America.

Joining Fletcher and the other champions in Washington were the child entertainers, The Wiggles.

CO-OP Network sponsors Champions Across America and is a supporter of Children’s Miracle Network.