A nod to prostate cancer, vegetarianism, rehab, recovery awareness

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Pity the awareness raiser who has little to use but a calendar date that rolls around once every year. But try they must. And so in the last five days alone, we’ve been told:

- ‘This week, the NFL and the American Urological Association Foundation (AUAF) launched on a campaign for men called “Know Your Stats” in honor of September’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.’ - ‘We hope to coordinate an interview for Suicide Prevention Month (September).’

- ‘Sept 20-26 is National Rehabilitation Week, and (Julia) Keller’s new young adult novel -- based on her personal and professional experiences, and written from the point of view of a young teenage girl -- tells the story of a family coping with the return of a severely injured soldier father.’

- ‘Following is some detailed information which you may find interesting for a story in support of World Vegetarian Day and Vegetarian Awareness Month throughout the month of October.’

- ‘With National Breast Cancer Month coming up in October, we thought information on a new breast cancer radiation technique with proven life-saving benefits would be of interest.’ (This was just one of the breast-cancer-awareness suggestions received this week.)

- ‘The celebration, Batter Up! A Home Run for Recovery Month was part of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebrated annually in September.’

- ‘The webinar, which comes on the final day of National ADHD Public Awareness Month, will report on published research on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique for improving academic achievement and executive brain function while reducing learning disorders, anxiety, depression, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease.’

We give in. Coming soon: A special Health section issue with no news or trends or context, just efforts to make you aware. (Kind of like this blog post.)

Until that carefully unspecific time, allow me to recommend the list of 2009 National Health Observances. It’s one-stop shopping for those who need to know which diseases, conditions and issues warrant awareness today, this week, this month.

After I make it through my inbox, I’ll really have to figure out whose idea that was.

-- Tami Dennis