Childhood Cancer Awareness               

Every day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.  This number is comparable to the average classroom size.  This number motivated the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer and Research and Jay's HOPE to do something for children affected by this disease in Georgia.

Cancer is a battle too many young children and teenagers must face. Cancer is the leading cause of death, by disease, among U.S. children from birth to age 14. Annually, more than 10,000 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed-approximately 46 children and adolescents every day.


 

Let's Move! Georgia Schools Challenge

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.  President Barack Obama marked the start of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month with a proclamation calling on all Americans to "take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all our Nation's children."

With obesity affecting more than 23 million children and teenagers in the U.S., it is important to encourage children to be active and eat healthy.  Georgia's Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative has several school-based events planned for September in observance of Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.


 

CDC: Adults Largely Unvaccinated              

Vaccines aren't just for kids, adults need protection too!  September 18th kick starts National Adult Immunization Awareness Week and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is reminding Georgians that you never outgrow the need for vaccines.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show adults remain largely unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses.  In fact, survey results from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases suggest that doctor/patient communication challenges may part of the problem.  The survey reported one in five adults believe vaccines are optional for healthy adults and 19 percent of those surveyed believe vaccination is generally not recommended for adults except for influenza or travel-related vaccines.


 

Public Information as a First Response
PH & Law Enforcement PIOs Meet in Arizona
 

left to right: Jake Smith, Gwinnett County Sheriff Department; Suleima Salagdo, DPH; Gena Moore, Savannah Police; Mike Fronimos,  NIOA Vice President; Chris Taylor, LaGrange Fire Department; Edwin Ritter, Gwinnett County Sheriff Department; and  David Ehsanipoor, Effingham County Sheriff Department   ( Not pictured is Sandra Roberts, DPH).

On August 28th, approximately 160 public information officers (PIOs) from across the nation convened in Phoenix, Arizona to discuss the latest in media, technology, crisis communications and disaster response at the Annual National Information Officers Association (NIOA) Conference.  Among the crowd were two of our very own Georgia Department of Public Health communicators.  

"Many don't realize that Public Health is a first responder," said Suleima Salgado, Public Information Officer and Marketing Communications Program Manager for the Georgia Department of Public Health.  "Whether it is bioterrorism, a mass casualty, a natural disaster, or a recent outbreak or pandemic, public health is at the forefront working alongside community partners to prepare Georgians for any possible threat to our state and nation."