H1N1-Swine Flu and Faith Communities

H1N1, or the Swine Flu, is already making its presence known weeks before the vaccine is available. While it has not proven to be a more dangerous strain of flu, it is affecting persons not normally considered at primary risk for the flu. There is much fear surrounding this outbreak, and the best way to combat fear is with reliable information.

My friends at HopeandHealing.org have compiled articles related to swine flu and what the faith community can do. There is also a link to the Centers for Disease Control H1N1 site that keeps up-to-date information readily available. Be sure to bookmark Churches Respond to Swine Flu.

Did You Know? Table – June

June is another busy month full of material for your Did You Know? table. Be sure to check out my category on Did You Know? tables to see the previous months I have prepared.

National Men’s Health Week is June 15 through 21, the week leading up to Father’s Day in the United States. This one-page poster provides an intersting snapshot of the disparities between men’s health and women’s health. What surprised me is that men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women!

Saturday, June 21 is the first day of summer, and it is National ASK Day. According to PAXUSA, 40% of the homes children play in have guns, and the purpose of ASK Day is to get parents to ask their children the simple question, “Are there guns in the homes in which you are playing?”

Fireworks Safety Month is observed June 1 through July 4. One of my high school teachers was blinded in one eye by fireworks, so I have been keenly aware of the dangers of fireworks for much of my life. This site has some video resources available, and this home page offers sound safety advice which you might add to your table.

Does someone in your church have trouble speaking, communicating or understanding due to a stroke or some other injury to their brain? This is a condition known as aphasia, and June is National Aphasia Awareness Month. The National Aphasia Association offers several pages you can print out including one on tips for communicating with someone who has aphasia.

Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month – Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a chronic neuromuscular autoimmune disease affecting the voluntary muscles in the body. The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America offers a two-page brochure explaining the MGFA and this disease that affects 20 out every 100,000 people. If someone in your congregation has been diagnosed with this disease, the information in this brochure could be helpful to the members of your congregation.

Finally, June is also National Scleroderma Awareness Month and National Scoliosis Awareness Month. Scleroderma means “hard skin” is another autimmune disease that can affect the skin as well as a host of internal organs. Scoliosis is a form of curvature of the spine.

Have fun with your Did You Know? table for June.

Swine Flu and Faith Communities

My friends at HopeandHealing.org have compiled articles related to swine flu and what the faith community can do. Be sure to take a look at Churches Respond to Swine Flu.

You can also find a good link the CDC’s swine flu site from an earlier post on this blog.

Did You Know? Table – May

This is the second month of providing you with ideas for your own congregation’s Did You Know? table. This is a simple and effective way any congregation can get out needed health information to the members of its faith community. You can check out my introductory post as well as the post for April. Simply check out the Did You Know? Tables category.

May is:

Mental Health Month: The site Mental Health Ministries offers a wide range of fact and information sheets and bulletin inserts that you may print out and share with your faith community. The National Alliance on Mental Illness supports FaithNet, which includes an explanation of eight steps a congregation should follow when establishing a ministry to those with mental illness.

American Stroke Month: While stroke can affect any of us, it is a health disparity in the African American community. This link to the National Stroke Association offers good information for your table including a High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet and brochure on reducing stroke in African Americans. You can also find NSA’s home page from this link. You can also find good information from the American Heart Association.

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month: I wrote a reflection for HopeandHealing.org last month on asthma as a part of that sites Earth Day observance. If you haven’t already, I hope you will read, “Think Earth Day, Act Locally.” Asthma Answers Online offers a helpful fact sheet, and based in Atlanta, Not One More Life partners with communities of faith to bring asthma education and awareness to people where they worship.

Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month: With the arrival of summer, it is time for all of us to be reminded about skin cancer. Fact sheets are available from both the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Melanoma Foundation.

There are many other obervances in May which may affect members of your faith community including National Arthritis Awareness Month, National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, and Lupus Awareness Month.

Good luck with your Did You Know? table in May.

Swine Flu

With the nation being brought to alert about Swine Flu, I wanted to share with my readers the website from the Centers for Disease Control which gives numerous links to additional information and prevention tips. Congregations are wonderful places to disseminate reliable health information. As public spaces, congregations must also be mindful of ways to minimize the potential spread of diseases such as Swine Flu.

You should also check out my more recent post on churches responding to swine flu.

Did You Know? Table – April

Earlier this month, I introduced the idea of Did You Know? tables as a simple health ministry in which all congregations can engage.

There are a number of observances in the month of April.  You might consider utilizing some of the information available below for your Did You Know? table in April.

April is:

National Minority Health Awareness Month: The Office of Minority Health is focusing on preconception health this year.  Look for the posters and other information on this important issue.  You can also find resources on other issues that disproportionately affect minorities on their site.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month: To raise awareness of child abuse and its prevention, you can review a resource guide for 2009 from the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

National Autism Awareness Month: In January and February, I highlighted Autism Sunday and some prayers for use on Autism Sunday.  In the United States, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day.  You can also find helpful information on the site of the Autism Society of America.

Alcohol Awareness Month: The month of April is used to draw awareness to problem drinking.  The SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information has a number of resources available for free. For quick information on Alcoholics Anonymous, you can print out their fact sheet.  The National Institute on Aging also provides helpful information for older individuals.  My friends at www.HopeandHealing.org have some articles which may be of interest on recovery.  

There are other observances during April including Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month and Foot Health Awareness Month (of particular interest to diabetics).

Good luck with your Did You Know? table in April.

“Did You Know?” Tables – A Simple Health Ministry

An easy health ministry idea is creating a “Did You Know?” table. On this table you can provide health and resource information to the members and guests of your congregation. Your table could have standard information that is maintained all the time, but you could then change the table each month focusing on one or more health or wellness issues. You can use the national monthly observances as a guide on which health and wellness issues to focus each month.

Beginning this month, I will post information and links on this blog that can help you develop a “Did You Know?” table for your congregation. I will include links to information that is available for monthly observances so that you can change parts of your table each month. I hope you find this helpful, and I hope you will share your experiences and table designs here so that others can learn.

These tables can be simple but powerful ministries. For example, someone in your congregation may have a spouse or child struggling with alcoholism, and they may be too ashamed of the problem to bring it to the attention of someone in the congregation. Your “Did You Know?” table could have brochures on area support groups so that this member could quietly and privately begin to explore avenues for seeking help.

Good luck with your “Did You Know?” table!