The news today !!

In today’s news from the Bloomberg School of Public Health in celebration of Global Health Day and Women’s History Month

In observance of Women's History Month, there is much progress to mark for women and HIV/AIDS in America since the emergence of the epidemic three decades ago. Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that HIV diagnoses among females in the United States declined by 49 percent from 2002 to 2011. Additionally, as a result of effective treatment of HIV-positive pregnant women, mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been virtually eliminated in the U.S.
This progress is no small accomplishment, considering the fact that in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, the scientific and medical community failed to recognize women as a target population for research, and they were excluded from clinical trials of HIV/AIDS medications and preventive interventions. This omission proved to be a major public health oversight, and led to a rapid rise in the number of HIV cases among women, who contracted the disease primarily through heterosexual sex. Today, women account for one in four of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in America.
In the U.S., there are striking racial and geographic disparities in new HIV infections and outcomes. While African American women represent just 13 percent of the female population, they constitute 64 percent of new HIV infections and are 14 times more likely to die from AIDS-related causes than white women.
HIV infections are also concentrated in urban areas, such as Washington, D.C., where 1.6 percent of women are HIV positive, a prevalence that is higher than for females living in Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Liberia.
In addition to being more biologically susceptible to HIV infection than heterosexual men, women's vulnerability to HIV is also driven by social and economic factors. Poverty, sexism, stigma, discrimination, and violence increase risk for infection and are among the many structural barriers that prevent women from getting the information and services they need to prevent HIV or to seek proper care if they are HIV positive.

By Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., and Jennifer A. Sherwood, M.S.P.H     

GLOBAL HEALTH March 20th

Still in the news and needing us to pay attention and offer our help.

"The World Health Organization warned on Friday of a risk of outbreaks of measles, whooping cough and other diseases in West African countries hit by Ebola and urged a rapid intensification of routine immunisations.

The Ebola epidemic has killed more than 10,200 people, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and has reduced vaccination coverage as health clinics and healthcare workers focused on fighting the unprecedented outbreak.

In recent months, Ebola has started to wane with the number of cases falling significantly, though a spike in Guinea this week has also highlighted the risk of complacency.

The epidemic has disrupted delivery of routine childhood vaccines against measles, polio and tuberculosis, and of a combined shot against meningitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B and diphtheria."

Boost your Spring Season with an act of kindness

Every man is a hero if he strives more for others than for himself alone.”
This might seem hard to perceive , but it is actually very simple to do if you put your mind to it, even just casually as you go about your everyday life. Think of somebody other than yourself and you will the need to do a good deed for another.

Make that an item on your Spring list and you will feel as fresh as Spring !!!

This quote reminds me of my most recent activity ...

Two weeks ago , I met a young mother at the train station who needed help. In-front of me , I could see that it was going to take a lot to help her. I had a hundred questions as to why she was in this predicament, but something inside of me said "you can do it " So I helped the young lady who had a 4 weeks old baby , a barely one year boy and a 3 year old girl . 

The temperature outside was past freezing so it was not easy for her to handle all three kids.

During the ride , I found out she was homeless and needed a shelter for the night. Long story short , I found a homeless shelter for her that will take women and children and the rest is history - they are now my new found family.  

Which brings me to this quote:

“Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone that light is going to keep shining on, pushing the shadows back.” 
― Charles de Lint

“If you do good, your good deeds will multiple. If you do bad, you will face the consequences.

 Always choose the former; it is more blessed to live a good life.” 

To my FOADAC friends and family,

Please pray for me and my new family that they can find long term housing and settle down a bit for the sake of the kids. 

Blessings to you and yours

Reminders we need along the way !

“...we should be remembered for the things we do. The things we do are the most important things of all. They are more important than what we say or what we look like. The things we do outlast our mortality. The things we do are like monuments that people build to honor heroes after they've died. They're like the pyramids that the Egyptians built to honor the Pharaohs. Only instead of being made out of stone, they're made out of the memories people have of you. That's why your deeds are like your monuments, built with memories instead of with stone.” 
― R.J. Palacio

Making a difference

"Women are Different: Our wold view is different. It's broader , more compassionate and more communal. We see that we're all in this together. When women choose to get involved and make a difference , we want to understand the issues first. What's happening in our community? what can we do to make a better life for all of us? How can we change the odds for families and or children who are struggling ? we want to be educated around these issues, and engage in a healthy dialogue. We want to connect with other women who also believe this is a priority" So ladies help me and encourage the men to make a difference , for it matters !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Yes we are one month into the new year and I am happy to greet you all and wish you and yours a great year. Hopefully you have had one whole month of bliss and looking forward to many more.
 This year why not be more kind , more giving and more helpful in any small way that you can.
Continue making a difference , shine your light so others can see through their darkness,

This year FOADAC remains in the business of doing just that. We encourage you to join us, by vising our website www.foadac.org
Follow us on Twitter@foadac
Like us on Facebook @ foadac outreach.

Wishing you only the best for the rest of the year and beyond !