Health news

Diabetes support group

BANGOR – A free diabetes support group sponsored by St. Joseph Healthcare will feature guest speaker Dr. Alan Jansujwicz of Northeast Cardiology Associates at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2. His topic will be “Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes.”

The diabetes support group meets at 1 p.m. the first Thursday of each month for one hour in the Diabetes and Nutrition Center, Building 1, St. Joseph Healthcare Park, 900 Broadway. Support group members share personal experiences relating to diabetes management, stress reduction techniques and daily coping skills.

Diabetes educators are available to facilitate the meetings and provide updates on nutrition, exercise, medications and supplies, and to answer questions. The support group is open to individuals with diabetes and their family members. For more information, call 262-1836.

National Alzheimer’s Month

BANGOR – National Alzheimer’s Month will be observed 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at Westgate Manor’s residential care unit.

Family caregivers are invited to attend, and the event is open to the public.

Janet Lewis, Best Friends trainer and Alzheimer’s and family caregiver, will talk on the topic “Making Memories with Life Stories.”

Dr. Toby Atkins will discuss “Is it Really Alzheimer’s? A Discussion of Other Forms of Dementia.”

For more information, call Kristie Miner at 942-7336.

Miles for Smiles

BANGOR – At its annual meeting, the Maine Children’s Alliance presented a Giraffe Award to the Miles for Smiles Oral Health Program, a cooperative partnership of the Penobscot Community Health Center and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine.

The Miles for Smiles mobile clinic provides dental care to low-income children and teens from underserved portions of northern and western Maine, and makes regular visits to Dover-Foxcroft, Pittsfield, Skowhegan and the Presque Isle-Houlton area. A dentist, dental assistant and hygienist work in the 42-foot-long, brightly colored van.

The staff provide dental screening, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride treatments, sealants, fillings, root canals, extractions and case management for specialized care.

Miles for Smiles is responding to a critical health need in Maine and achieving solid results. In establishing this program, Penobscot Community Health Center and funding partner Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have demonstrated the spirit of the Giraffe Awards as organizations who “stick their necks out for kids.”

Over the past three years, the Miles for Smiles program has accomplished 8,678 patient visits and nearly 30,000 individual procedures performed. For one-quarter of children enrolled in the program, it was their first visit to a dentist.

“The Miles for Smiles clinic is making a huge difference in the health, well-being and self-esteem of thousands of Maine children and teens,” said Dr. Curt Dailey, dental director of Penobscot Community Health Care. “The mobile clinic serves a critical need in areas of Maine that need more dentists.”

The Maine Children’s Alliance advocates sound public policies to improve the lives of all Maine’s children, youth and families. For information, call 623-1868, or visit www.mekids.org.