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/
In honor of World Pancreatic Cancer Day on Nov. 16, people around the world will come together to Demand Better in the fight against the world’s toughest cancer, starting with earlier diagnosis. The annual one-day campaign is an initiative of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, which is comprised of more than 60 organizations from 27 countries on six continents.
Every day, more than 1,000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Of that, an estimated 985 will die from the disease. Additionally, pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all major cancers, and in nearly every country, it is the only major cancer with a single-digit five-year survival rate (2-9 percent). These stunning figures are not merely statistics, they represent family members, friends and colleagues on every corner of the globe.
“This year, we are turning World Pancreatic Cancer Day from a day of awareness to a day of action,” said Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition chair. “As we expand our global movement to end pancreatic cancer, we are demanding better for pancreatic cancer patients now and in the future.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8201651-world-pancreatic-cancer-day-demand-better/
Four-time PGA TOUR winner Tim Herron is teaming up with Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Endo International plc (NASDAQ: ENDP), Damon Adamany, MD, of The CORE Institute and the Facts on Hand campaign to educate adults about one of the more common hand conditions. The campaign is raising awareness of Dupuytren’s Contracture, a progressive, potentially disfiguring hand condition affecting a layer of tissue underneath the palms that can cause one or more fingers to move into a bent position so they cannot be straightened.
Dupuytren’s Contracture, sometimes referred to as “Viking Disease,” can make everyday tasks difficult, such as grabbing an object at home, or in Tim Herron’s case, a nine iron from his golf bag. Many people live with the disease without being diagnosed because they mistakenly assume they have arthritis or another hand condition. And because Dupuytren’s Contracture may progress slowly, people may not pay attention to it until they can no longer straighten their fingers, complicating everyday activities.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8153851-endo-facts-on-hand-dupuytrens-contracture/
Federally funded research that provides a deep understanding of cancer is spurring advances against many types of the disease. With a strong bipartisan commitment from Congress to keep investment in biomedical research a national priority, we can accelerate our pace of progress and save more lives from cancer, according to the seventh annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Cancer Progress Report, released today.
Basic research in the fields of immunology and cancer genetics has recently been harnessed to develop two new forms of cancer treatment: immunotherapy and precision medicine. As detailed in the report, the utility of these treatments is expanding rapidly. In May 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) heralded a new dawn for precision medicine when it approved the immunotherapeutic pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for treating patients with any solid tumor harboring specific genetic characteristics. This is the first anticancer therapeutic approved based on cancer biomarkers rather than the location in the body where the cancer originated.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8155051-aacr-cancer-progress-report-2017/
Cancer takes more children’s lives than any other disease in the U.S., and nearly 25,000 kids will be diagnosed during the month of September alone. As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is on a mission to take childhood back from cancer by raising critical dollars for lifesaving research and spreading awareness about the harsh realities of childhood cancer.
This September, in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, St. Baldrick’s will show how the research it funds is accelerating the development of new therapies and cures for kids with cancer everywhere. The Foundation will also share stories of kids affected by cancer – kids like David and Hazel who were both diagnosed with neuroblastoma, but faced two different outcomes.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7916553-st-baldricks-childhood-cancer-awareness-month/
Today, WebMD released Advanced Breast Cancer: Courage, Comfort and Care with Robin Roberts, a five-part video series developed in partnership with Roberts and her independent production company, Rock’n Robin Productions. The series dives into the daily coping strategies of women living with advanced breast cancer, plus the families and friends who provide encouragement and support, and includes insights from medical experts leading the charge to combat the disease.
Over 255,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year, and over 41,000 will die, with metastatic breast cancer being the leading cause of those fatalities. Despite these staggering statistics, there are signs of hope. Treatments for metastatic breast cancer are improving, and they continue to help people with the disease live longer and healthier lives.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8154851-webmd-advanced-breast-cancer-robin-roberts/
TruGreen, the nation’s leading professional lawn care company helping people live life outside, is expanding its expert service offerings with the launch of TruGreen Mosquito Defense to help homeowners combat mosquitoes and help protect their families.
As the weather gets warmer, these backyard invaders can prevent homeowners from reaping the benefits of living life outside. According to a recent online survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of TruGreen, among over 2,000 U.S. adults, 85 percent of Americans say that mosquitoes limit their or their family’s outdoor activities during the months they’re most active. The same survey also found that nearly two thirds of Americans (64 percent) are concerned about protecting themselves and their family from Zika or other mosquito-borne illnesses. Furthermore, 65 percent of Americans use bug spray on themselves/their family to combat mosquitoes outdoors at home and though it’s the top response for preventative measures, still only half (51 percent) say it is most effective at preventing mosquitoes from biting outdoors at home.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8090051-trugreen-mosquito-defense-lawn-yard-care/
Today, the newly-developed Body Volume Indicator (BVI)™ was revealed as a modern day measure of body composition and weight distribution following a 10-year collaboration with Mayo Clinic experts who led extensive research on fat distribution, the importance of fat assessment and the limitations of the current standard of Body Mass Index (BMI). In conjunction with the development of BVI, BVI America LLC, a subsidiary of 3D measurement pioneer Select Research, announced the launch of the revolutionary BVI Pro tablet application, which will provide an easily accessible and affordable means for the professional community to use the new BVI measurement in everyday clinical use to assess health risks.
The potential benefits of using Body Volume as a new indicator of risks were presented on April 27 by Mayo Clinic researchers, BVI America and the University of Westminster. It draws on 10 years of rigorous research, testing and validation using several potential Body Volume indices. Now BVI, calculated as a ratio between total volume and abdominal volume, can be used as a supplement to the current measurement standard of BMI, which is based solely on height and weight. BVI is considered to be a more precise means of estimating weight distribution and the fat around the organs, which is not visible to the human eye and can lead to serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The medical and professional community at large is invited to contribute to the continued development of BVI by downloading and using the BVI Pro tablet application with their patients and clients; anonymous data collected will be analyzed by Mayo Clinic, whose research and validation of BVI will continue.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8093051-bvi-america-body-volume-app-health-fitness/
Today, Johnson & Johnson, the world’s largest healthcare company, launches Johnson & Johnson Our Story at the Powerhouse and Johnson & Johnson Our Story to take visitors on a journey through time and around the world as they explore the stories behind more than 130 years of innovations that have changed the course of human health.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8077331-jnj-our-story/
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and the American Diabetes Association today revealed common challenges affecting the millions of Americans living with type 2 diabetes as part of the program America’s Diabetes Challenge: Get to Your Goals. Last year, award-winning artist Tim McGraw, renowned actress S. Epatha Merkerson and Chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz called on patients and their loved ones to share their stories – from inspirational successes to daily struggles. Thousands of people from across the country responded, and revealed common challenges like eating healthy, exercising, sticking to a treatment plan and coping with the disease.
“Type 2 diabetes has affected my family, friends and fans, so I’ve learned it can be challenging to manage. It was great to hear from so many people, and I’m impressed by everyone’s dedication to their health,” said McGraw. “The stories we received shed an important light on the similar hardships people in the community face as they work toward achieving their blood sugar goals.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7988751-merck-americas-diabetes-challenge-tim-mcgraw-s-epatha-merkerson-chef-leticia-moreinos-schwartz/
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting pregnant women about the risks of listeriosis, a foodborne disease that can severely affect a pregnant women and her unborn child.
Listeria can affect all races and ethnic groups, but pregnant women are 10 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis due to hormonal changes that affect the immune system during pregnancy. Pregnant Hispanic women are about 24 times more likely than the general population to get listeriosis. A pregnant mother may pass Listeria onto her unborn baby without even knowing it because she doesn’t feel sick at all, yet the disease can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, the delivery of a low birthweight infant, a wide range of health problems for a newborn, or even infant death.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7953451-fda-listeriosis-prevention-pregnant-women/
New York Yankees all-time great Bernie Williams is teaming up with Boehringer Ingelheim to raise awareness of a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) that his father suffered from for years before he passed away in 2001. His father, Bernabé, inspired Williams to play baseball and make it to the Major Leagues, and taught him to play guitar which has become William’s second career since retiring from baseball.
In honor of his father’s battle with IPF, Williams has joined the Breathless™ campaign to turn his family’s devastating experience with this rare lung disease into a chance to help other families. Williams hopes to educate and empower others who think they may have IPF to seek early diagnosis and treatment and is encouraging people to visit the campaign website – www.BreathlessIPF.com – and share the videos and educational content through social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8058551-bernie-williams-ipf-breathless-campaign/
