November 2024
Our health theme for November was Lung Cancer Awareness and American Diabetes Month.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month serves as an opportunity to raise awareness, education and challenges that come from lung cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths and is the third most common diagnosed cancer in the United States. In 2024 it is estimated that there will be 234,580 new case and 125,070 people will die from lung and bronchus cancer.
According to the 2024 American Lung Association: State of Lung Cancer report, Massachusetts ranked best in the country for survival rate for individuals 5-years after diagnosis at 37.9%, 1st among 47 states with data on diagnosis at an early stage, and 2nd for screening high risk individuals at 24.2%.
American Diabetes Month is a time to bring attention to diabetes, raise awareness about disease prevention and the continued fight to end diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2021, 38.4 million people had diabetes and 97.6 million age 18 and older had prediabetes in America.
There are 3 main types of diabetes:
Type 1: Occurs when your pancreas does not make insulin or makes very little insulin. About 5-10% of people with diabetes have type 1.
Type 2: Occurs when the cells in your body do not respond to insulin normally. This type of diabetes is preventable and accounts for 90-95% of diabetes diagnoses in adults.
Gestational diabetes: Occurs during pregnancy and happens when your body can’t make enough insulin. It is recommended to test for it between 24 – 28 weeks of pregnancy as it usually starts to develop at 24 weeks.
November 13, 2024 -World COPD Day
Shines a spotlight on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a serious lung condition affecting millions globally. Since 2002, the day has promoted early diagnosis and lung health awareness, urging individuals to "Know Your Lung Function." The goal is to reduce the burden of COPD through education and better access to testing, ultimately improving the lives of those affected by the disease.
November 14, 2024 -World Diabetes Day
Raises awareness about the global impact of diabetes, a disease affecting over 537 million adults worldwide. Established by the International Diabetes Federation in 1991, it encourages better management, education, and access to care, while highlighting the importance of holistic health in diabetes care. With an estimated 783 million people projected to have diabetes by 2045, the day advocates for improved prevention and well-being worldwide.
Resources
- https://goldcopd.org/world-copd-day-2024/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34612086/
- https://worlddiabetesday.org/resource-hub/ https://idf.org/what-we-do/diabetes-awareness-activities/
- https://worlddiabetesday.org/about-wdd/