Premature Babies

I know many of you are reasing this and saying, why is she posting this? It is a very different topic then the ones I have posted, but I want you to be aware of premature babies. You may not know this, classmates of yours were born premature, in fact I was born at only 2 pounds 3 ounces. There are a few others that were, but I probably shouldn't mention names. Without the Children's Miracle Network (CMN), I would not be here today, as would many others who are born preamture.

Many of you have probably heard of CMN, and seen the incubators in Walmart raising money for children. Some of you may have even bought a blizzard at Dairy Queen on Miracle Treat Day. All that money goes to children with serious conditions and needed equipment to save babies who need intensive care. Without the money given for equipment, many babies would die. Many babies are born premature, did you know 13 million babies are born premature a year. 1 in 8 babies are born with this disorder. I hope that the next time you see a incubator in Walmart or there is a Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen, you will think about donating. It is for a good cause and is the only thing has saved some of your classmates.

BFHS Blood Drive

The Belle Fourche High School Student Council puts on a blood drive every year, for students and community members to donate blood to those in need of blood transfusions. It is a very successful program, there are many people who donate blood.

The blood drive is Wednesday, the 26th, at the Belle Fourche Rec Center. The Student Council members will be  putting it on. We need many people to donate, it is for a good cause. You can go over to the Rec Center over a free period or lunch to donate, you just have to sign up and get a parent consent, if you are under 18, you need a parent to sign for you. For more information or to sign up,see a student council member or Mr. McNally.

Flu Shots

Within the Black Hills there are many opportunities to have children get free shots for different diseases. There have been many cases of whopping cough throughout the states. Many parents are unaware of the Tdap booster in adolescent children. The S.D. Department of Health is currently making Tdap vaccine available, FREE to all children ages 10 through 14.

Dates available for Tdap shots are: September 6, 2012 from 3:15 to 5:15 pm and on September 7, 2012 from 3:15 to 5:15 pm at the S.D. Department of Health located by Big D gas station. Get your immunizations today and stay healthy! Also at Spearfish Walmart they are offering flu shots throughout the day. Make your family and community aware of the opportunities to keep everyone healthy and stop the spread of disease.

Depression

Depression is a big issue in America. Whether it is hereditary or not, it is an issue. Depression is a disorder in which one feels sad or unhappy. Did you know that depression affects over 19 million people a year?  Depression is caused by many different things. Here are a few of them: alcohol or drug abuse, certain medical conditions, certain medications: such as steroids, sleeping problems, stressful life events, such as: breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, death or illness of someone close to you, divorce, childhood abuse or neglect, job loss, and social isolation.

There are many ways to fix depression. Most commonly people are put on medications to help them. Some people will grow out of it, adolescence is a hard age and it is very common for teenagers to experience depression. Also, some people may just have to talk to a counselor. Depression is most common in girls. Depression is a big issue, many people suffer from it. Are you bullying someone? Bullying can cause depression. Hereditary depression can be a problem, you may be a happy person naturally and suddenly you are not the same person anymore. It can change a person into someone you do not know anymore.

Obesity

Obesity has become a huge problem in America and even in our area here in the Black Hills. Obesity just means that you have too much body fat. Taking in more calories than you burn leads to obesity. Did you know that in the last year the adult obesity rates went up in 16 states and none of the rates of obesity went down. Twenty years ago, no state had an obesity rate over fifteen percent.

There are many ways to stop the obesity from progressing upward, such as making people aware of it and what is happening around them. Also, people could take part in exercise programs at the Belle Fourche Recreation Center and Curves or other programs in the community that help you maintain a constant body weight and stay fit. I think that obesity has become a big problem and it needs to be known in the USA and acted upon. I hope you take caution when going out to eat and stay healthy and fit.

Health

Hello :) all of my blogs are going to be about concerns and make aware of health issues and what is going on in our community right now.