As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council announced today their first national public service campaign designed to prevent underage drinking and driving. Following the success of iconic campaigns including “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” and “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” the new public service ads (PSAs) were unveiled this morning by Mark Rosekind, Administrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) Teen Safe Driving Summit in Washington, DC.
“One teenage death from drinking and driving is too many,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. “Our goal with this campaign is to raise awareness among teenagers that drinking and driving is one of the worst mistakes they can ever make, with deadly consequences that can’t be undone.”
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in America, and almost half of teens killed in crashes are the drivers themselves. Despite a minimum legal drinking age of 21 in all 50 states, almost one-quarter of young drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes had alcohol in their systems according to data from NHTSA.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7662551-ad-council-ultimate-party-foul/
A global plan to save coral reefs from complete eradication caused by climate change, pollution and poor fishing practices launched today at The Economist World Ocean Summit in Bali. The initiative, called 50 Reefs, brings together leading ocean, climate and marine scientists as well as conservation practitioners from around the world to develop a list of the 50 most critical coral reefs to protect.
50 Reefs will be the first global plan to save the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. The final list and corresponding initiatives, to be announced later this year, will raise awareness of the increasing severity of climate change impacts on the ocean and catalyze the global action and investment required to protect these important reef systems for the future.
The launch comes at a perilous moment for coral reefs, as current estimates indicate that 90 percent will disappear by 2050. A unique philanthropic coalition of innovators in business, technology and government are supporting 50 Reefs, led by Bloomberg Philanthropies with The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, with the aim of preventing the worst economic, social, and environmental impacts of this enormous crisis.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8043751-the-ocean-agency-50-reefs-initiative-coral-conservation/
Losing weight and being healthier are at the top of everyone’s New Year’s resolutions. But, despite the best intentions, work, kids, and social events often push lifestyle changes to the bottom of the list. While many are familiar with type 2 diabetes, fewer are aware of prediabetes, a serious health condition that affects 86 million Americans (more than 1 in 3) and often leads to type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes have higher than normal blood glucose (sugar) levels, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
To raise awareness and help people with prediabetes know where they stand and how to prevent type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have partnered with the Ad Council to launch the first national public service advertising (PSA) campaign about prediabetes. The PSA campaign, featuring first-of-its-kind communications techniques, was developed pro bono by Ogilvy & Mather New York for the Ad Council.
Nearly 90 percent of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it and aren’t aware of the long-term risks to their health, including type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. Current trends suggest that, if not treated, 15 to 30 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years. The good news is that prediabetes often can be reversed through weight loss, diet changes and increased physical activity. Diagnosis is key: research shows that once people are aware of their condition, they are much more likely to make the necessary lifestyle changes.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7731551-ad-council-prediabetes-psa/
Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, has partnered with the Ad Council and McCann New York to launch new public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness about child hunger in the United States. Featuring the voice of celebrity activist Julianne Moore, who volunteered her time and talent, the PSAs call upon Americans to help children facing hunger in America by supporting the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7909951-feeding-america-ad-council-julianne-moore/
In the U.S., approximately 159,000 women are living with metastatic breast cancer. To raise awareness of Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 13, MedImmune Specialty Care Division of AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) is launching the My+Story online resource center, which highlights the needs of women living with metastatic breast cancer and calls attention to metastatic disease as a key component of October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day was officially recognized by the U.S. Congress in 2009, following a grassroots awareness effort led by members of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN).
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63080-astrazeneca-metastatic-breast-cancer-awareness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Nine out of ten times when someone dies by suicide, they have a diagnosable mental health condition at the time of their death. However, mental health conditions are treatable, and most people who attempt suicide go on to live healthy productive lives.
Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the largest suicide prevention organization in the United States, in celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month. By drawing attention to the importance of mental health we hope to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. Taking care of your mental health is the smart thing to do.
“Mental health is as important as physical health. It impacts the way we perceive, think, feel and behave in our daily lives,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “To help us prevent suicide, there is a role for everyone, in every community. Don’t be afraid to have a caring conversation with someone if you notice troubling changes in their behavior. This conversation just might save their life.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7824851-afsp-suicide-mental-health-awareness-month/
The Light of Life Foundation, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., and Eisai Inc. today announced the launch of Myths and Truths About Thyroid Cancer, an interactive, educational campaign designed to help dispel the myth that thyroid cancer is a “good cancer.” Because most thyroid cancers can be successfully treated, many are told if you are going to get cancer, thyroid cancer is the one to have, which has led to this misperception. However, whether successfully treated or not, the truth is all cancers can have a significant impact on a person’s life, beginning with the shock and distress of hearing the word “cancer” at diagnosis. In honor of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month and the tens of thousands who receive a thyroid cancer diagnosis each year, Myths and Truths About Thyroid Cancer illustrates the life-changing realities of this disease.
“As a thyroid cancer survivor, I urge people to stop referring to thyroid cancer as the ‘good cancer,’ as I believe it downplays patients’ experiences,” said Joan Shey, founder of the Light of Life Foundation. “I hear time and time again from patients how difficult their diagnosis and treatment were and that their scars are more than skin deep. My hope is that this campaign can educate about the many types of thyroid cancer and change the thyroid cancer conversation.”
“Being part of a community of survivors is very important for people coping with thyroid cancer,” said Gary Bloom, thyroid cancer survivor and co-founder and executive director of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association. “ThyCa takes this to heart, which is why we are proud to provide support and resources to the thyroid cancer community. We also know more needs to be done to elevate awareness of thyroid cancer and what patients need in terms of support for the rest of our lives.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7595951-eisai-thyroid-cancer-myths/
Playing the harmonica, dancing, bowling: For Brookdale Senior Living resident Dorothy Plummer, these longtime passions bring purpose as well as pleasure to daily life. What may be surprising is that Plummer is not only 103 – she is living with dementia. Plummer embodies Brookdale’s mission of person-centered care, which focuses on sustaining individual interests and daily routines to give meaning to each person’s life. As part of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, Brookdale is offering a free downloadable journal to help others with dementia look for ways to live life to the fullest.
“When people hear someone has Alzheimer’s, the label of the disease can unfortunately replace who the person is,” said Juliet Holt Klinger, senior director of dementia care for Brookdale. “Their life becomes shaped by the diagnosis. The things they love to do may be taken away when they don’t need to be. This can cause disengagement, potentially leading to depression, isolation, loss of appetite, weight loss, and even falls.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7722151-brookdale-senior-living-alzheimers-awareness/
Each day in the U.S. 91 people die from an opioid-related overdose, and the numbers are increasing. In observance of International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, American Addiction Centers (AAC) and Recovery Brands are launching a nationwide awareness campaign on how to prevent deaths from opioid overdoses. The campaign features shareable online resources, including an animation video about how an overdose impacts a body, an infographic about how to administer overdose medication, and powerful videos of survivors sharing the life-saving lessons they learned during their darkest hours.
“This is a meaningful endeavor as we partner with our parent company, AAC, in order to present several life-saving resources for people impacted by addiction,” said Ruchi Dhami, director of market insights and development at Recovery Brands, a provider of digital addiction treatment resources. “Since such a large amount of individuals look for information online about addiction and treatment, we wanted to ensure comprehensive education surrounding opioid overdoses existed and is easily accessible for individuals and families impacted by addiction.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8130951-american-addiction-centers-opioid-overdose/
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS), the nation’s largest pharmacy innovation company, today announced Be The First, a five-year $50 million initiative to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation. Through this initiative, which is funded through CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation, the company is extending its commitment to help people lead tobacco-free lives. Recognizing that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States and that youth use of some tobacco products is on the rise, Be The First comprises comprehensive education, advocacy, tobacco control and healthy behavior programming in partnership with organizations uniquely positioned to tackle this public health challenge.
“We are at a critical moment in our nation’s efforts to end the epidemic of tobacco use that continues to kill more people than any other preventable cause of death, and threatens the health and well-being of our next generation,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., and Chief Medical Officer for CVS Health. “Ensuring our youth stay tobacco-free requires increased education and awareness of healthy behaviors. We’re partnering with experts across the public health community who have established best practices to help prevent tobacco use. And, by establishing more public-private partnerships to implement these strategies more aggressively, we can help increase the number of people leading tobacco-free lives and move us one step closer to delivering the first tobacco-free generation.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7775151-cvs-health-be-the-first/
Today, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BIPI) announced the launch of ‘Cuida tu Don,’ a national public awareness initiative featuring legendary entertainer Mario Kreutzberger, better known as ‘Don Francisco.’ Kreutzberger, who has type 2 diabetes, will serve as an ambassador for the initiative and encourage Hispanics with type 2 diabetes to live a lifestyle conducive to staying healthy. ‘Cuida tu Don,’ translated as ‘Take Care of Your Gift,’ is designed to engage, educate and inspire Hispanics with type 2 diabetes and their families. The initiative provides resources and information in three key aspects of diabetes – nutrition, fitness and treatment options – to the estimated 3.2 million Hispanics in the United States with the disease.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7401451-boehringer-ingelheim-diabetes/