NATIONAL TEAL TALK DAY

Let’s talk. September 23rd is Teal Talk Day and each year, over 249,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer worldwide. So, gather your friends, wear teal for a day out together and talk.

Join a group of co-workers for lunch. Men are welcome, also. They have mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters at risk for ovarian cancer. They should have the Teal Talk, too! Since no standard screening exists for ovarian cancer, awareness gives us our best defense. The talk takes very little time. Have a Teal Talk over lunch. In that time, approximately 28 women will receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis.

Invite your closest friends, neighbors, and sisters for drinks in the back yard. Wear your favorite teal and give the Teal Talk. Let them know early detection improves survival rates by 90%. Make sure they know the symptoms.

  • Persistent bloating
  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling fuller sooner.

During your Teal Talk, find more signs at Ovarcome.org.

Go for a walk with your mom and her friends. Even a short walk will be long enough for a Teal Talk. Ask them about family history and encourage them to share it with their daughters and granddaughters. Urge them to see their gynecologist to review family history for inherited risk factors. Families with a strong history of ovarian or breast cancer have a 15-40% lifetime risk when compared to the general population, according to the National Cancer Institute.

TEAL TALK DAY HISTORY

Ovarcome founded Teal Talk Day to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and to encourage everyone to talk about it. With no screening currently available, Ovarcome wants you to be on top of symptoms – be empowered. You can help save a life!

Ovarcome was founded on February 23, 2012. In 2017, Ovarcome celebrated five years of service to the ovarian cancer community by starting this national and global movement. Ovarian cancer is a Silent Disease – but Ovarcome encourages you to be VOCAL about it! In the absence of a screening test, knowledge and awareness empower women and families to overcome the disease. Teal Talk Day brings that knowledge and awareness to you.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #TealTalkDay

Celebrate Teal Talk Day in honor of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, too. Ovarcome encourages you to talk about ovarian cancer, especially on September 23rd, but also every day. Every day is a good day to talk about ovarian cancer. Follow Ovarcome on FBTwitter, and Instagram for information, education, updates, and Teal celebrations! Together, we can Ovarcome!

  • Discuss the symptoms. Don’t hesitate to see a doctor if you have any of the symptoms.
  • Encourage the women in your life to maintain their routine exams.
  • Learn more about ovarian cancer.
  • Support organizations researching treatments, a cure, and advanced screening methods.
  • Support those who receive the diagnosis.
  • Share your story to help inform others.

Find out more information at Ovarcome.org and have the Teal Talk with the people in your lives. Use #TealTalkDay to share on social media.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

Annually, World Mental Health Day on October 10th raises awareness and mobilizes efforts to support mental health.

Mental health is a hot topic. This is good news. It means the stigma for mental health issues is slowly going away. Mental health issues are finally getting the attention they deserve. Healthcare workers and individuals feel they can discuss mental health more openly. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still work to do, however.

As a whole, we often misunderstand mental health because it is hard to define. Additionally, mental health includes several areas. These areas involve one’s social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Mental health affects thoughts, feelings, and actions. When we have positive mental health, we handle stress better, our productivity remains stable, and we realize our full potential.

When one has poor mental health, they are more likely to suffer from a mental health disorder. These disorders include the following diagnoses:

  • Depression
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Panic disorder
  • Phobias
  • Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
  • Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Of these mental health disorders, most people experience anxiety disorders. Statistics show that about 4% of the world’s population has a form of anxiety disorder. In the United States, the percentage increases to just over 18% of the population.

Some people are at a higher risk of getting a mental health disorder. These include those with high-stress levels, those who have experienced trauma, and those who have few healthy relationships. However, family history plays a role in higher risk factors, too.

Thanks to increased awareness and increased funding for research, there are effective treatment options for most mental health disorders. Conventional treatment methods include medication, psychotherapy, and hospital and residential programs.

HOW TO OBSERVE #MentalHealthDay

While not everyone faces a life with mental health issues, mental health impacts all of us. That’s why discussing mental health with your loved ones is a vital part of this observance.

The World Federation for Mental Health organizes World Mental Health Day. Each year, organizations host a variety of events all around the world to increase awareness about mental health issues. Events include educational seminars, free mental health screenings, walk-a-thons, marathons, conferences, mass media promotions, and public service announcements.

If you know someone who struggles with a mental health disorder, World Mental Health Day is a great way to reach out to them. While many people don’t feel comfortable talking to others about their diagnosis, knowing they have someone to reach out to makes a real difference. You can also donate to an organization that advocates for mental health. A few include the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. If you think you might have a mental health disorder or are at a high risk of getting one, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

You can also discover more about the advancement of mental healthcare.

Share this day on social media with #WorldMentalHealthDay.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY HISTORY

The World Federation for Mental Health first observed World Mental Health Day in 1992 with members and contacts in many countries.  While the federations first used a theme in 1994, previous years did not. The first theme was “Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.” Twenty-seven countries participated in that campaign.In 1995, the World Federation for Mental Health translated planning kits for World Mental Health Day into various languages. These languages included Spanish and French. Today, planning kits are translated into Hindi, Chinese, Arabic, and other languages, too.Recent themes for World Mental Health Day have included:

  • 2019: Working Together to Prevent Suicide
  • 2018: Young People and Mental Health
  • 2017: Mental Health in the Workplace
  • 2016: Psychological and Mental Health First Aid

NATIONAL CANCER PREVENTIONS MONTH

Nearly everyone who receives a life-changing diagnosis asks if there was anything they could have done to prevent it. National Cancer Prevention Month tackles that question during February.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1.9 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. Nearly half of those diagnoses are breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, or colon cancers. And yet, more than 40 percent of all cancer diagnoses can be linked to a preventable cause – nearly half.

National Cancer Prevention Month focuses on the things we can control to lessen our odds of developing cancer. Five of the top recommendations for lessening our risk include:

  • Regular exercise
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Eating healthy foods
  • Quitting or never starting smoking
  • Limiting alcohol use

Other actions that help to prevent cancer or catch it early include routine checkups, treating or preventing other health conditions, and knowing your risk factors. We can’t stop every form of cancer yet, but we do have the tools to decrease our risk factors.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #CancerPreventionMonth

Take prevention seriously in February and learn more about lessening your risk factors. We can’t do anything about hereditary risks, but there are many steps we can do to better our odds of avoiding a cancer diagnosis. Other ways to participate include:

  • Support research into preventative measures.
  • Encourage your loved ones to join you on a journey of prevention.
  • Speak to your doctor about your risk factors.

Use #CancerPreventionMonth to join the conversation.

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