Monday, March 31, 2008

The Healing Project is please to Annouce the Release of Voices of Alcoholism



New Anthology “Voices of Alcoholism” Gives Voice to Silent Disease
-- Alcoholism Knows No Boundaries… Impacting All Races, Sexes and Ages--


Approximately 14 million Americans meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism and more than half of American adults have a close family member who has or has had alcoholism, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Twenty-five percent of children (under the age of 18) are exposed to alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence in the family. However, the social stigma associated with this nation-wide epidemic often prevents victims and their families from seeking help or speaking out. Voices of Alcoholism: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength is an opportunity to bring recognition to this disease and honoring all of those who have survived it.

Author Donna Veneto, a college senior and author of “Daddy Hyde” in Voices of Alcoholism captures this sentiment, “The Secret was ours to keep and hide from the world. I was terrified that my friends would learn that my father had a drinking problem. (Little did I know that they, and the entire neighborhood, knew as much).”

Alcoholism Knows No Boundaries
· Children who parents abuse alcohol or drugs are three times more likely to be verbally, physically or sexually abused.
- I Really Am Special is a woman’s childhood account of life with her alcoholic father and the physical, mental and sexual abuse she suffered at his hands.

· The highest growing number of alcoholics is among 75 year old widowers, according to the American Medical Association.
- Two Mothers demonstrates how retirement ended the line for one woman’s mother; who only drank at night.
--more--Although drinking by persons under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12-20 years drink almost 20 percent of all alcohol consumed in the U.S.
- A Mother’s Journal chronicles one woman’s vigilance and helplessness as she watches her son’s downward spiral from innocent experimentation, to arrest and rehab.

The publication of this anthology includes more than 40 stories of parents, spouses, children and loved ones impacted by alcoholism. These tales of courage, strength and compassion offer insight into the challenges of facing addiction, as well as the shame and isolation experienced by victims of alcoholism.

LaChance Publishing is donating 100% of profits to LaChance’s other entrepreneurial venture The Healing Project (http://www.thehealingproject.org/), a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and support of those living with life-threatening and chronic illnesses. LaChance is also a Senior Vice-President at The Corcoran Group, a major real estate company in New York City.

Voices of Alcoholism and all of the "Voices Of" books are available at bookstores everywhere and online at The Healing Project website http://www.thehealingproject.org/.


Sunday, March 30, 2008

April 2nd is World Autism Day

Three documentaries have been produced that offer insight into Autism - "Autism Every Day," "Autism: The Musical" and "Her Name Is Sabine." Each attempts to broaden the public's understanding of the condition.

HBO Premiered Autism: The Musical on Tuesday March 25th at 8PM and runs throughout the month of April.

A Clip from The Film:


About the Documentary

AUTISM: THE MUSICAL
follows the extraordinary acting coach Elaine Hall, five children with autism, and their parents as they heroically mount a full-length original stage production. Through trial and error, tears and laughter, these incredible families learn to communicate their feelings in song and performance, finding solace and joy in the act of creating.

A veritable feast of astounding breakthroughs, this spellbinding film offers a full-throated celebration of kids living with an increasingly prevalent disorder. Director Tricia Regan vividly captures the individual personalities and problems of each child, from precocious Henry who talks a mile-a-minute about dinosaurs, to Neal, a sensitive and articulate boy who nonetheless struggles to speak at all. The parents, too, are fascinating studies in unconditional love, especially Elaine, the mastermind behind the musical and mother of Neal.

A consciousness-raising and empathetic portrait of children and their families living with autism, AUTISM: THE MUSICAL celebrates the spark of humanity in each of us. "Moving, dramatic, therapeutic and unburdened by reliance on talking heads" (Variety), this film will change the way you look at autism.

If you don't have HBO or would prefer to watch AUTISM: The Musical online in its entirety, please visit HBO Documentaries. HBO offers it online free of charge.

About Autism Everyday

The 44 minute documentary premieres on the Sundance Channel on April 2nd.

Autism Everyday

A raw, sometimes harrowing look at 24 hours in the lives of eight families with autistic children, "Autism Every Day" was initially produced to be shown at a benefit for Autism Speaks, the charity founded by Wright and his wife, Suzanne, after their grandson was diagnosed. But after the film "went viral" on YouTube, Thierry expanded it from seven minutes to 44 and submitted it to the Sundance Film Festival, where it was shown last year. It will air on Sundance Channel on April 2, which the United Nations has designated World Autism Awareness Day.

Crosscutting among its unnamed subjects (including the Wrights' daughter Katie), "Autism Every Day" creates a composite picture of the pressures of raising an autistic child. Parents describe children for whom the most basic of bodily functions are arduous tasks, who lash out violently and bite their own limbs. Alison Singer, Autism Speaks' vice president of communications, describes being so distraught at the prospect of placing her daughter in an overcrowded special-needs school that she contemplated driving them both off a bridge.

"Autism Every Day" has drawn criticism for presenting an overly negative view. But Thierry says that diluting the financial and emotional strain that raising a child with autism can place on a family would have contradicted her own experience. "I had a mandate," she says. "Tell it like it is."

A clip of Autism Every Day can be found on Youtube.

For more information about Autism Every Day and
AutismSpeaks Channel on Youtube.

About: Her name is Sabine

Synopsis:

An intelligent, moving and beautiful portrait of Sabine, a 38-year-old autistic woman, filmed by her sister, the famous French actress Sandrine Bonnaire. Through personal footage filmed over a period of 25 years, it is revealed that Sabine's growth and many talents were crushed by improper diagnosis and an inadequate care structure. After a tragic five-year stay in a psychiatric hospital, Sabine finally finds a new lease on life in a home together with other young people living with similar mental and emotional illnesses. This very intimate film also sends an urgent message to a society that still does not know how to properly take care of its citizens with physical and psychological disabilities.

Her name is Sabine is available at Amazon.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

April is National Autism Awareness Month


National Autism Awareness Month
Autism Society of America

7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814-3067
(800) 3–AUTISM (328-8476)
(301) 657-0881
(301) 657-0869 Fax
mcolston@autism-society.org
http://www.autism-society.org/

Also, in June, The Healing Project will be releasing "Voices of Autism" a collection of stories written by those touched by Alzheimer's.





Voices of Autism may be reserved for purchase at Amazon, now.

Friday, March 28, 2008

April is Alcoholism Awareness Month

Alcoholism directly afflicts more than 20MM people in the United States. It is the most common type of substance abuse and almost certainly touches someone in your life.

Alcoholism Awareness Month

SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20015
(800) 729-6686
(877) 787-8432 Spanish (240) 221-4017
(240) 221-4292 (Fax)
NCADI-info@samhsa.hhs.gov
ncadi.samhsa.gov

The Healing Project is releasing Voices of Alcoholism on April 1st. It is an anthology of stories of people touched by Alcoholism.








Voices of Alcoholism can be purchased at Amazon, now.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

April is National Donate a Life Month


The Healing Project strongly encourages fully participating in organ, tissue and cellular donation. The shortage of organs is pronounced particularly in minority communities.

While public policy has been sorely lacking in this area for decades, it takes little time to check a box on your driver’s license to donate. Remember this is the gift of life and you can’t take it with you.


National Donate Life MonthDivision of Transplantation, Healthcare Systems Bureau
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Parklawn Building, Room 12C-05
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-7577
(301) 594-6095 Fax
ask@hrsa.gov
http://www.organdonor.gov/

Saturday, March 22, 2008

The Healing Projects Invites Caregivers, Patients, Professionals and Family Members to Join Its Social Network


New Social Networking Website Connects Patients and Caregivers


The Healing Project is launching today Voices Who Care, an innovative social networking website for individuals dealing with life-threatening or chronic illnesses. This website is designed to connect the patient and caregiver communities by providing individuals with a forum where they can meet online.

Key features of the website include:
* Person-to-person search by disease category
* Individual pages including bios, blogs, photo galleries
* Email capabilities
* Community bulletin boards

As the site grows, additional functionality will be added to expand the utility of the site.

Please join its free. Sections and resources have been developed for ALCOHOLISM, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AUTISM, BREAST CANCER, CANCER, CEREBRAL PALSY, DIABETES, DOWN SYNDROME, EPILEPSY, FRAGILEX, LEUKEMIA, LUNG CANCER, LYMPHOMA, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, SENIOR SERVICES AND AGING ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, VETERANS SERVICES

It is Free and tailored to your needs.

Monday, March 17, 2008

The Healing Project is Pleased to Announce the Offering of Two New Free Publications


The Healing Project is pleased to release two new free publications available for downloading. The first publication, Breast Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know, is authored by Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS, and the second, A Look to the Future of Alcoholism Treatment, is authored by Ron L. Alterman, MD. These publications join our initial free offering, Lung Cancer: What the Patient and Family Need to Know, written by Reed Phillips, M.D.

These free guides and publications represent an ongoing effort to better educate our community about treatment options, working with the medical system and the latest advances in medicine. We look forward to making available additional publications throughout the year.

About the Authors:

Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS


Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS, is Chief of Breast Surgery for the comprehensive breast program at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. A board certified surgeon specializing in breast diseases, Dr. Bernik has developed a specialty in treating women under 40 diagnosed with the disease.

A 1993 graduate of Yale University School of Medicine, she completed her internship and residency at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City. She was awarded fellowships at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in breast surgery and St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in surgical oncology. Dr. Bernik also received two research fellowships from Yale University School of Medicine in 1990 and 1992. She received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Columbia University in 1989.

In 2005 she was honored with the 2005 Top Doctor Award by the research firm Castle Connelly. In 2004, she received Columbia University's John Jay Award for Professional Achievement and in 2001, Columbia University's Alumna Achievement Award. Dr. Bernik is the author of numerous medical journal articles published in, among others, The Breast Journal, Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Annals of Surgical Oncology and The American Surgeon. She is a principal investigator for breast disease research at St. Vincent's Hospital and has presented her research at symposia across the country, most recently at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2006 annual meeting and the American Society of Breast Disease 2006 annual symposium.

Dr. Ron L. Alterman


Dr. Ron L. Alterman is the Director of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He has held academic positions at New York University School of Medicine (1995-1997), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (1997-1998), and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1998-2004) where he was Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and a director of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery at Beth Israel Medical Center. Board certified in neurological surgery, Dr. Alterman is well known for his work on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, torsion dystonia, and tremor. His clinical interests include image-guided surgery for brain tumors and benign spine disease.



Dr. Reed Phillips

Dr. Reed Phillips is board certified in internal medicine, oncology and hospice and palliative care medicine. He is affiliated with the North Shore University Hospital in New York and he is an instructor in pain management and hospice and palliative care at Winthrop University Hospital and the State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook, New York.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Gulf War Syndrome is Real and in Many Cases Explained by Chemical Exposure


The ArmyTimes reported in a story entitled, Review says chemicals caused Gulf War illness, today that a scientist’s review of the symptoms presented by many returning veterans can be explained by chemical families related to those found in pesticides, nerve agents and anti-nerve agents. Tens of thousands of troops were denied treatment, denied disabilities and identified as slackers after suffering a chemical insult.

The travesty is that as early as 1992 scientists and medical officers from within and without the US military strongly suspected that chemical insult was the cause of these reported maladies. The DoD and the VA should be held accountable for the mistreatment of our service members following the first Gulf War. There is no register of those who suffered chemical insult from that war and many more veterans will suffer unexplained debilitating neurological illnesses or explicable neurological illness early in life. It is unlikely that they will either find care or compensation if they were not identified in the early 90’s.

This issue is relevant because the DoD and VA are at it again. During OIF and OEF, tens of thousands troops were and are being exposed to blastwave concussion resulting from IED’s (roadside bombs) used to attack our troops. These injuries were dismissed for years as nothing more than concussion resulting from playing contact sports. The DoD elected to ignore its own experts who identified these wounds as serious in nature and as the signature injury of these conflicts. To great fanfare, $600MM was set aside to research and treat these injuries six years after the problem was identified. Regrettably the DoD and VA have used these funds for ill-considered research, outmoded instruments and pet projects of senior officials of Medcom. The result is that rather than using systems and technologies that were requested by field medical officers as early as December 2002 to screen and track neurological traumas in real-time, the nation lacks even a basic system to validity screen and analyze these injuries. While the DoD and VA deserve the bulk of the blame, Congress, the Senate, and Veterans Organizations all deserve a share of the blame because their lack of action has led to gross mistreatment of those that have served us.

Fifteen years from now we will suddenly awake to thousands of veterans suffering from debilitating neurological illness that could have been avoided or compensated for if someone had bothered to consult and support efforts by experts in the military and not the people who brought us the mistreatment of troops at Walter Reed.

Friday, March 7, 2008

March 10th through the 16th is Brain Awareness Week


Brain Awareness Week is an international effort organized by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives to advance public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. The Dana Alliance is joined in the campaign by partners in the United States and around the world, including medical and research organizations; patient advocacy groups; the National Institutes of Health, and other government agencies; service groups; hospitals and universities; K-12 schools; and professional organizations.

For More Information:
Brain Awareness Week
Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives
745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900
New York, NY 10151
(212) 223-4040
(212) 593-7623 Fax
bawinfo@dana.org
www.dana.org/brainweek
Materials available
Contact: Kathleen Roina

Thursday, March 6, 2008

March 9th through 16th is National Problem Gambling Awareness Week


Gambling is an addiction.

The goal of this campaign is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness about the help that is available both locally and nationally.

The NCPG is the national advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families.

Our research finds that 2%-3% of the US population will have a gambling problem in any given year. That’s 6 million to 9 million Americans yet only a small fraction seek out services, such as treatment and self-help recovery programs.

We hope that you will use these free materials to promote awareness of problem gambling, and more importantly, that there is hope and help for those who suffer from gambling problems.



For More Information:
National Problem Gambling Awareness Week
National Council on Problem Gambling
216 G Street NE, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 547-9204
(202) 547-9206 Fax
ncpg@ncpgambling.org
http://www.npgaw.org/
Materials available
Contact: Keith Whyte

Monday, March 3, 2008

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month

Multiple Sclerosis is a condition that affects approximately 400,000 Americans is the second most frequent cause of neurological disability afflicting non-aged adults.

MS presents two to three times more frequently in females as in males. Onset is ordinarily in adulthood with the incidence declining after age 50.

For more Information
National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
6350 North Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(800) 225-6495 Ext. 121
(954) 938-8708 Fax
annette@msfocus.org
www.msfocus.org
Materials available
Contact: Annette Woods