November
National Bladder Health Month The American Urological Association (AUA) Foundation supports National Bladder Health Week to increase public awareness of the importance of bladder health, educate the public about common bladder conditions and diseases, and advocate for further research on bladder diseases. For more information, contact:
AUA Foundation | phone: 800.828.7866 | auafoundation@auafoundation.org | www.urologyhealth.org
National COPD Awareness Month As the fourth leading cause of death in America, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis—affects more than 12 million Americans. Although there is no cure for COPD, there is much that can be done to treat and help manage the disease when detected and diagnosed early. The American Lung Association is working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. For more information, contact:
Mike Townsend, Manager, Public Relations | American Lung Association | phone: 202.715.3450 | www.lung.org
National Diabetes Month November is American Diabetes Month, a time to communicate the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of diabetes prevention and control. For years, the American Diabetes Association has used this month as an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease and its serious complications. For more information, contact:
American Diabetes Association | phone: 800.342.2383 | www.stopdiabetes.com
National Diabetic Eye Disease Month Can people with diabetes prevent the onset of diabetic eye disease? During this observance, Prevent Blindness America will offer information to help 4.5 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from diabetic eye disease. For more information, contact: Prevent Blindness America | phone: 800.331.2020 | info@preventblindness.org | www.preventblindness.org
National Epilepsy Awareness Month Epilepsy affects nearly three million Americans, and 200,000 are diagnosed with the condition each year. During November, the Epilepsy Foundation promotes epilepsy awareness to dispel common myths about seizure disorders. Epilepsy can be a debilitating condition not only from the seizures but too often because of the ignorance, fears, and prejudice of others. For more information, contact:
Epilepsy Foundation | phone: 800.332.1000 | www.epilepsyfoundation.org
National Family Caregivers Month National Family Caregivers (NFC) Month is organized each year by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and is designated as a time to thank, support, educate, and empower family caregivers. During NFC Month, everyone should speak up and support family caregivers to become effective advocates for themselves and their loved ones as one of the first steps to making their lives more manageable. Family caregivers need to become empowered, proactive, creative, and resourceful in acquiring the information and the help they need. For more information, contact:
NFC Month Coordinator | NFCA | phone: 800.896.3650 | info@thefamilycaregiver.org | www.thefamilycaregiver.org
National Healthy Skin Month National Healthy Skin Month was created to encourage people to protect and care for their skin, hair, and nails. For more information, contact:
American Academy of Dermatology | phone: 866.503.SKIN (866.503.7546) | www.aad.org
National Home Care and Hospice Month November is National Home Care and Hospice Month. It is the time of year that we honor the nurses, therapists, social workers, and administrators who make such a difference in their patients’ lives. For more information, contact:
Public Relations Department | National Association for Home Care & Hospice | phone: 202.547.7424 | PR@nahc.org | www.nahc.org
National Hospice / Palliative Care Month
November is National Hospice / Palliative Care Month, a time to raise awareness about care for people coping with life-limiting illness. Every year, more than 1.5 million patients receive care from hospices in the U.S. Hospice and palliative care programs that provide pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, and spiritual care to patients and their families who are facing a serious or life-limiting illness. For more information, contact: Communications Team | National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization | phone: 703.837.1500 | nhpco_info@nhpco.org | www.nhpco.org
National Lung Cancer Awareness Month Lung cancer takes a terrible toll on those with the disease as well as their loved ones. It is the leading cancer killer in both women and men in the US. The American Lung Association is working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. For more information, contact:
Mike Townsend, Manager, Public Relations | American Lung Association | phone: 202.715.3450 | www.lung.org
National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month This month-long observance encourages Americans to be heroes in the fight against pancreatic cancer and help increase visibility of the disease in their local communities and on Capitol Hill to ensure that our elected officials make funding pancreatic cancer research a national priority. For more information, contact:
Marketing Communications | Pancreatic Cancer Action Network | phone: 877.272.6226 | skirk@pancan.org | www.pancan.org
National Prematurity Awareness Month Prematurity Awareness Month is when the March of Dimes mobilizes volunteers and parents to draw attention to premature birth. The purpose of Prematurity Awareness Month is to raise public awareness of the seriousness of preterm birth; engage the public and build a constituency of people concerned about the issue; and provide opportunities for people who care about the issue to volunteer, raise awareness, advocate, and donate to support research and programs. For more information, contact:
Phyllis Williams-Thompson | March of Dimes | phone: 914.428.7100 | alliances@marchofdimes.com | www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_39weeks.html, www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity, or www.nacersano.org
National Sexual Health Month National Sexual Health Month is an awareness campaign that encompasses female and male sexual dysfunction and diseases. This national event aims to increase awareness of sexual dysfunction among both men and women, raise awareness of diseases that affect sexual health, and encourage those experiencing such problems to seek treatment. For more information, contact:
American Urological Association Foundation | phone: 800.828.7866 | auafoundation@auafoundation.org | www.urologyhealth.org
Jingle Bell Run / Walk for Arthritis Each holiday season (November through December), thousands of runners and walkers of all ages come together at hundreds of sites nationwide to share their support for the Arthritis Foundation mission in the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases. Participants wear holiday-themed costumes and tie jingle bells to their shoes to fight arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability. For more information, contact:
Public Relations | Arthritis Foundation | phone: 404.965.7595 | help@arthritis.org | www.arthritis.org
November 3 Lung Cancer Walk CancerCare provides free support services for anyone affected by cancer—people with cancer, their caregivers, friends, loved ones, and the bereaved. Our services, including counseling, support groups, financial help, education, and practical support, are provided by professional oncology social workers—completely free of charge. The annual Lung Cancer Walk, held the first Sunday in November, raises awareness and funds for CancerCare services. For more information, contact:
CancerCare | phone: 800.813.HOPE (800.813.4673) | info@cancercare.org | www.cancercare.org
November 3-9 National Diabetes Education Week National Diabetes Education Week was created to encourage people with diabetes to work with a diabetes educator to learn how to self-manage their diabetes using the self-care behavior framework: healthy eating, being active, monitoring, taking medication, problem solving, reducing risks, and healthy coping. For more information, contact:
Communications Team | American Association of Diabetes Educators | phone: 800.338.3633 | communications@aadenet.org | www.diabeteseducator.org
November 4-10 National Heimlich Maneuver Week Before the Heimlich Maneuver was introduced in 1974, choking was the sixth most common cause of accidental death in the US. Since its introduction, this simple procedure has saved the lives of more than 100,000 Americans and thousands more worldwide. For more information, contact:
Pat Ward | Deaconess Associations Foundation | phone: 513.559.2391 | www.heimlichinstitute.org
November 11-17 Mental Health Wellness Week Mental health is how people think, act, and cope with life and the stressors and challenges that are part of the human experience. The state of people’s mental health can influence the ways in which they look at themselves, their lives, and others around them, strongly influencing their potential for achieving goals and obtaining and maintaining a feeling of wellbeing. Mental Health Wellness Week brings awareness of and creates venues for public education about mental health wellness. For more information, contact:
Heather Lauria | Freedom From Fear | phone: 718.351.1717, ext. 19 | help@freedomfromfear.org | www.freedomfromfear.org
November 21 National Great American Smokeout The American Cancer Society created the trademarked concept for and held its first Great American Smokeout in 1976 as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for a day. One million people quit smoking for a day at the 1976 event in California. The Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to commit to making a long-term plan to quit smoking for good. For more information, contact:
Claire Greenwell | American Cancer Society | phone: 404.417.5883 | claire.greenwell@cancer.org | www.cancer.org/smokeout