March 2011
Dear Friends:
Most of you know that I am very concerned about health care issues in Charles County. Periodically different groups send me information that I would like to share with you as you may know someone who either has this health issue or is caring for someone who has this health problem.
Mobile Vet Center
This information came from the Charles county Commissioners.
Approximately 43 former military personnel and veterans in the Tri-County Area visited the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mobile Vet Center to connect with services for veterans during the Center’s most recent visit in February. Mobile Vet Centers help veterans make the difficult transition between military and civilian life. The Mobile Vet Center is available to Southern Maryland citizens who have served in our military and their families, and offers a wide variety of family and veteran services.
The Mobile Vet Center’s next scheduled visit is March 24 – 25, and it will be parked at the St. Mary’s County Welcome Center in Charlotte Hall, near the Charlotte Hall Veteran’s Home. The Vet Center is scheduled to be in the area on the last Thursday and Friday of each month throughout 2011 (except in November, the Center is scheduled for Nov. 17 – 18 due to the Thanksgiving holiday and in December, the scheduled days are Dec. 15 – 16 due to the Christmas holiday). Staff will be available on Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and on Fridays, 9 .m. – 3 p.m.
The Mobile Vet Center program is a gateway into the VA. Staff will provide a variety of services including: readjustment counseling services to combat veterans and their spouses; VA health care enrollment; linkage to job resources; housing; financial services; referrals to veterans’ service organizations for claims support; ordering documents/records; and referrals for discharge upgrades. For additional information on the VA, log on to www.va.gov.
Cancer Resource Guide
The Guide was created by Cancer Team which is a sub-committee of the Partnership for a Healthier Charles County. This Cancer Resouce Guide has been created to assist area residents with a list of free or low-cost cancer screening programs and also provide newly diagnosed cancer patients a list of local resources.
Cancer Team: meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday at 3:00 p.m. at the Charles County Dept. of Health in White Plains, MD. This group is comprised of professional and volunteer health advocates who focus on cancer awareness programs and services for our county. For info, call 301-609-6932.
Faith & Unity Health Expo: an annual health fair event which specifically strives to serve area church congregations in Charles County with over 40 health care and community agencies participating. Free screenings are available. For more info call 301-609-6932.
Paint-the-Park-Pink: a periodic breast cancer awareness day at Regency Stadium where our local Southern Maryland Blue Crabs play minor league baseball. Players wear pink hats, use pink bats and there is special recognition of survivors during the game. A post-game auction of pink memorabilia used in the game is done and all proceeds go to local breast cancer programs. For info, call 1-888-332-4847.
Partnership for a Healthier Charles County (PHCC): a collaborative community coalition comprised of local health agencies and concerned citizens which meets quarterly. Contact Bill Lee-Bel at 301-609-6759.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Free Screenings: an annual prostate screening for men is offered free-of-charge by medical physicians at Civista Hospital in La Plata, MD. Call for info 1-888-332-4847.
Relay for Life: a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money for research and community programs for your local American Cancer Society. For information on dates and times for Relay for Life of Charles County call 1-866-244-2343 or visit www.relayforlife.org/charlesco.
Survivor Reception for Charles County: an annual celebration of survivorship from cancer. Sponsored by Civista Hospital. Call for more info 1-888-332-4847.
American Cancer Society – Reach to Recovery®: provides information and support to anyone facing breast cancer through one-on-one contact with American Cancer Society volunteers. Each volunteer is a breast cancer survivor. To schedule a visit with a local volunteer, please call 1-800-227-2345.
Look Good…Feel Better®: a program that teaches female cancer patients beauty tips to look better and feel good about how they look during chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Volunteer beauty professionals help women learn about make-up, skin care, nail care and ways to deal with hair loss such as with wigs, turbans and scarves. Each woman gets a free make-up kit to use during and after the workshop. Workshops held at Civista Hospital Annex. Call 1-888-332-4847 to register for the next class.
Wig Bank: provides free wigs, accessories and styling services in La Plata, MD. New and refurbished wigs available free of charge for cancer survivors who request them. To schedule an appointment, call 301-870-3221.
Health Partners, Inc.: has funding to provide free cervical cancer screenings to women ages 18 – 40. In addition, through a grant from Susan G. Komen, we are able to provide women of all ages with free clinical breast exams, screening mammograms as ordered by provider, and diagnostic mammograms when indicated. Participants must be uninsured Charles County residents with family incomes less than 300% of the federal poverty level. For more information please call 301-645-3556.
Quit Smoking 10-Week Class: the Charles County Health Dept. offers the Freedom from Smoking® program. The class is free and can provide medication or nicotine replacement patches. Paricipants must pre-register by calling 301-609-6932. Also available, a free tobacco Quit-Line at 1-800-QUIT NOW.
American Cancer Society’s Cancer Screening Guidelines
Breast Cancer – Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.
Cervical Cancer – Women should begin cervical cancer screening about 3 years after they begin having vaginal intercourse, but no later than when they are 21 years old. Screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every 2 years using the newer liquid-based Pap test.
Colon & Rectal Cancer – Beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should use one of the following screening tests to find polyps and cancer: flexible sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years); colonoscopy (every 10 years); double contrast barium enema (every 5 years); or CT colonography, virtual colonoscopy, (every 5 years). Tests designed to find both early cancer and polyps are preferred. Tests that mainly find cancer: fecal occult blood test (every year); fecal immunochemical test (every year); or stool DNA test (intervals uncertain).
Prostate Cancer – The American Cancer Society (ACS) does not support routine testing for prostate cancer. ACS does believe that health care professionals should discuss the potential benefits and limitations of prostate cancer early detection with men, before any testing begins. The discussion should include an offer for testing with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE) yearly, beginning at age 50, to men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and have at least a 10-year life expectancy. Men should actively take part in this decision by learning about prostate cancer and the pros and cons of early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. Please visit www.cancer.org/prostatemd.
Lung Cancer – is one of the least detectable cancers in its early stages and there are no established screening programs. People are strongly encouraged to protect their lungs by not smoking tobacco products and to stay away from second-hand smoke from others.
I hope this information is helpful to you and would urge you to print this off for future reference or to share with a friend or family member. If you are unable to print it, please call my office and we will be happy to send you a copy.
If you are visiting Annapolis during the session, please stop by and see me. If you would like to send me a note please drop me an e-mail. As always I look forward to continuing to serve you and all the residents of Charles County.
Sincerely,
Peter F. Murphy
Charles County, District 28
