BANGOR – Community Health and Counseling Services will hold a daylong workshop, “Filial Therapy,” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, at the Bangor Motor Inn and Conference Center, 713 Hogan Road.

This training program is designed to provide clinicians with previous experience in child-centered play therapy an introduction to the filial family therapy model.

The workshop will build participants’ therapeutic skills through the use of lecture and video examples.

After completing the program, participants will understand the rationale for the process of filial therapy; become aware of its history; learn how to train and supervise parents to conduct therapeutic play with their children, and learn how to evaluate therapeutic goals.

Dr. William Nordling, a psychologist and of the psychology department at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Crystal City, Va., will present the workshop.

Nordling also serves as the director of the supervision and certification programs in child-centered play therapy, filial therapy, relationship enhancement, couple-family therapy and couples relationship enhancement program leadership at the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement.

Registration for the workshop is $80. Space is limited so those interested are asked to register by June 6.

For a registration form or information, call 947-0366, Ext. 464.

BANGOR – Katie Leighton, 13, of Bar Harbor has battled cystic fibrosis all her life.

Despite daily respiratory therapy, 32 medications and many hospital stays, she maintains a positive outlook and a can-do attitude.

That is why she is the 2002 Maine Champion Child for the Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare.

Remarkably, Leighton participates in many activities. She’s a competitive gymnast, a cheerleader and a jazz band drummer. She faces her health challenges with grace and determination.

The Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare works to assure the availability of quality health care and wellness services close to home for the children of central, eastern and northern Maine.

Money raised through the children’s network helps support the needs of hospitals and health care providers like those who take care of Leighton.

The public is invited to join Katie Leighton and other Children’s Miracle Network children at the Bangor Mall or watch WABI-TV5 for the 14th annual CMN telethon 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, June 1.

BANGOR – John Quirk of Bangor, president of VIP Discount Auto Center, recently presented a check for $17,205 to Judy Saucier of the March of Dimes.

The money was raised by selling March of Dimes sneakers in all 48 VIP locations.

Also attending were Joan Pariseau of the March of Dimes; Bill Tanous, walk coordinator for VIP; and Emily and Silvia Schulze, child ambassadors for the March of Dimes.

BREWER – For the 3 million Americans who stutter, saying their own names is just one of the many challenges confronting them each day.

Several adults discuss how they have coped successfully with stuttering in a new videotape, “If You Stutter: Advice for Adults,” produced by the Stuttering Foundation of America.

It is available at the Brewer and Charleston libraries, Edythe Dyer Library in Hampden and Simpson Memorial Library in Carmel.

“It’s meant to give stutterers some insight into the tools they need to begin dealing with stuttering and offers good ideas for families, speech-language pathologists and health care professionals,” said Barry Guitar, a University of Vermont professor and one of the experts featured in the video.

In the 55-minute program, men and women discuss how stuttering has affected their everyday lives and how they’ve learned to deal with it.

They talk about using the telephone, interviewing for a job and shopping.

Between real-life examples, experts identify ways people who stutter can manage the problem and become more fluent speakers.

To obtain a copy of the videotape, send $5 to cover postage and handling to the Stuttering Foundation of America, P.O. Box 11749, Memphis, TN 38111-0749.

For information, call (800) 992-9392.

The Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1947, offers the video free of charge to all public libraries.

BANGOR – The Bone Health Support Group’s June meetings will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, and at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Isaac Farrar Mansion, YWCA, 17 Second St. The program for June will the latest research in osteoporosis with Barbara Hermon, clinical research coordinator, Maine Center for Osteoporosis Research & Education.

The Osteoporosis Support Group of Eastern Maine is sponsored by Caring Connections, a cooperative program of the YWCA Bangor-Brewer and Eastern Maine Medical Center.

BANGOR – “What is Palliative Care?,” a forum on end-of-life issues, will be held 2-4 p.m. Thursday, May 30, at the Center for Family Business at Husson College.

The session will focus on the similarities and differences between palliative care and hospice care, and what options are available to residents of nursing homes.

Presenters are Dr. Alan Garber, director of palliative care at Eastern Maine Medical Center; Leanne Sprague, R.N., of Hospice of Eastern Maine; and Trudy Stone, R.N., of Ross Manor.

OLD TOWN – The American Cancer Society raised more than $126,000 during the annual Relay For Life event held at Old Town High School.

“We applaud all the survivors who participated in the opening lap. We thank all the Relay For Life volunteers who worked so hard to make this event a success and we certainly appreciate the generosity of this year’s corporate sponsors, without whom Relay For Life would not be possible,” said event chair Carla Bommarito. “The outstanding support from all proves that the people of Penobscot County are truly committed to the fight against cancer.”

The American Cancer Society gratefully acknowledges each of the following Relay For Life sponsors and underwriters for their support: Adelphia, Dead River, Guilford of ME, Z.F. Lemforder, Shop ‘n Save, Georgia-Pacific, WVII-TV, and Z-107 radio.

Funds raised from this event will support the American Cancer Society’s programs of cancer research, education, advocacy and services and will benefit local cancer patients in Penobscot County.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.