National dates draw public attention
The office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in Washington, DC, has created a list of nationally designated days, weeks, and months targeting specific diseases and health problems. The list is available on the organization’s Web site. Also, the Chicago-based American Hospital Association (AHA) publishes an annual calendar. (For the Web site address of the Disease Prevention and Health Promotion calendar and information on how to order the AHA calendar, see source box at the end of article.)
Organizations that sponsor the observances often have promotional and educational materials available that patient education managers can purchase for the event. To get you started, here is a partial list of annual observances:
• JANUARY
National Birth Defects Prevention Month, sponsored by March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605. Telephone: (914) 997-4600.
National Glaucoma Awareness Month, sponsored by Prevent Blindness America, 500 E. Remington Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173. Telephone: (800) 331-2020 or (847) 843-2020.
• FEBRUARY
American Heart Month, sponsored by the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231. Telephone: (800) 242-8721.
• MARCH
National Nutrition Month, sponsored by the American Dietetic Association, 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. Telephone: (312) 899-0040.
• APRIL
Cancer Control Month, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, National Headquarters, 1599 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329-4251. Telephone: (800) 227-2345 or (404) 320-3333.
• MAY
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, sponsored by Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 1125 15th St. NW, Suite 502, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: (800) 727-8462 or (202) 466-7643.
National Arthritis Month, sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, 1330 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30309. Telephone: (800) 283-7800 or (404) 872-7100.
• JUNE
June 8-14. National Men’s Health, sponsored by the National Men’s Health Week, 14 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098. Telephone: (610) 967-8621.
• JULY
July 12-18, National Therapeutic Recreation Week, sponsored by the National Therapeutic Recreation Society and the National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148. Telephone: (703) 858-0784.
• AUGUST
Aug. 1-7, World Breastfeeding Week, sponsored by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and Le Leche League International, 1400 N. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173. Telephone: (847) 519-7730.
• SEPTEMBER
National Cholesterol Education Month, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information Center, P.O. Box 30105, Bethesda, MD 20824-0105. Telephone: (301) 251-1222.
• OCTOBER
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by Cancer Information Service, NCI Office of Cancer Communications, Building 31, Room 10A16, 90000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892. Telephone: (800) 422-6237.
• NOVEMBER
National Diabetes Month, sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, 1660 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: (800) 232-3472 or (703) 549-1500.
19 Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. (See April contact information.)
• DECEMBER
1 World AIDS Day, sponsored by the American Association for World Health 1825 K St. NW, Suite 1208, Washington DC 20006. Telephone: (202) 466-5883.
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