PHWEEK 10-21-2013: Genetic Testing Helps Family Fight Cancer Follow Us! Genetic Testing Helps Family Fight Cancer When Mirrin Reagan was 30 years old, a possible breast Submit your story suggestions, ideas, comments or a story of your own! cancer diagnosis was the last thing on her mind. Mammograms were recommended for most women 10 years older than In This Issue Reagan. But that year, her Genetic Testing Helps Family Fight Cancer life changed when she discovered a Tricks and Treats lump in her breast Mirrin Reagan (third from right) with her sister, mother, father, daughter and husband at her cancer victory party three months after her last chemotherapy treatment in Nov. 2009. Lead Poisoning Still a Public through a breast self- Health Threat exam. Her doctor confirmed that she had breast cancer. Her The Key for Better Health? A Good diagnosis was the latest in a long family history of cancer. Book PHBRIEFS "First, my paternal grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32 and again at 52," said Reagan. "Then, my Aunt Ellen was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42, followed by my father's diagnosis for prostate cancer at age 52, which returned with a Emory Panel to Discuss vengeance." Partner Violence Relationship, dating or domestic Reagan's father also had been confirmed as a carrier of a mutation to violence is a pervasive problem a gene, BRCA2, which increased his risk of cancer. affecting one in four women and about one in 33 men directly in their lifetimes. Join the Emory Center for Injury Control for a panel discussion on how a coordinated community Tricks and Treats for a Happy, Healthy response to violence can make a Halloween difference in the lives of Georgians. The presentation will be Oct. 24, from 12-1 p.m. at Emory University's School of Nursing, 1520 Clifton Rd Halloween is almost here, and NE, room 101. Community resources kids all over Georgia can't wait to from the Women's Resource Center Against Domestic Violence and Partnership Against Domestic Violence will be available. put on their costumes and go trick-or-treating. But collecting a bucket full of candy can lead children to some unhealthy Give Blood at DPH's Blood Drive Visit 2 Peachtree's second floor fitness center to give the life-saving gift of blood on Oct. 22. DPH and choices and leave parents wondering how to fit a fun Halloween into a healthy lifestyle. the American Red Cross will host the blood drive from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To schedule an appointment for donation, please visit http://www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code: 2peachtree, DPH's partner, Strong4Life, part of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, has some tips for keeping the holiday healthy. or e-mail Sherry Coleman at sdmarbury@dhr.state.ga.us Hand Out Healthy Treats Extra Meds? Dispose of Them Safely Turn in unused or expired medications safely on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Before you know it, little ghosts and goblins will be at your door yelling "trick or treat!" What will you be handing out? Rather than running out the night before to grab whatever's left over, plan ahead and consider how you can provide healthier options. Oct. 26 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the event aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of Lead Poisoning Still a Public Health Threat disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Locate a drop-off site near you. It's easy to think that lead poisoning is a problem that disappeared decades ago, PHEVENTS along with leaded gasoline or lead-based paints. But the Looking for DPH events? problem plagues more than Visit the Events Schedule on our half a million U.S. children, website. more than 5,000 of whom live in Georgia. PHTRAINING Two for Tuesdays Join the Office of Learning and Development the second Tuesday of each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. for the learning series Two for Tuesdays. This series provides an opportunity for programs to explore new ideas, share knowledge and highlight teams and their work. On Nov. 12, staff from the Office of Maternal and Child Health will present. To learn more and to register, click here. Introduction to Public Health Test your public health knowledge in this newly designed course. New and seasoned employees are invited to learn about all areas of public health and how individual roles support DPH's goals. Course dates are Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. To learn more and to register, visit SABA or email Donna Dunn at dgdunn@dhr.state.ga.us. PowerPoint Basics Thurs., Oct. 24 1:00-4:00 p.m. Word Tables and Forms Tues., Oct. 29 1:30-4:00 p.m. PowerPoint Clip Art and Graphics Thurs., Oct. 31 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PowerPoint Intermediate Thurs., Oct. 31 1:30-4:00 p.m Look for Access classes in November. Christy Kuriatnyk, director of the Lead and Healthy Homes program at the Georgia Department of Public Health Lead-based paints and dust in older homes can put children at risk for lead poisoning. (DPH), said national public health measures, such as removing lead from paint in 1978 and gasoline in 1986, dramatically reduced the number of lead poisoning cases from previous decades, perhaps leading many to think that the problem had been solved forever. "Lead poisoning has essentially been squeezed out by other public health priorities," she said. "Even so, childhood lead poisoning remains a dangerous threat to those who are most vulnerable and subject to residing in older housing, where lead paint hazards still exist." The Key for Better Health? A Good Book Reading is good for your mind, of course, but Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., wants you to know that it's also good for your health. On Oct. 4, Fitzgerald shared her love of reading with 3- and 4-year-old students at the Bridge Learning Center in DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., celebrated reading with a pre-school class in Carrollton, Ga., Carrollton, Ga., for during Pre-K Week. Pre-K Week, a celebration of early child learning. Why is the state health officer so passionate about books? Reading, and its vital role in education, has a strong connection to better health. For employees not at 2 Peachtree, classes can be attended remotely -however, remote attendees must be registered 48 hours prior to class. Register for all classes through SABA (2 Peachtree attendees register for "Instructor-Led" and remote attendees register for "Virtual" classes). Contact Lisa Miller if you have questions. "Of all the things we look at that affect health besides genetics, education is probably one of the most important -- the education that allows our children to graduate from high school," Fitzgerald said. Free Online Courses Available from Lynda.com DPH has purchased a limited number of licenses for Lynda.com, an online library of high-quality, easy-to-use instructional videos on the latest software, creative and business skills. Licenses are available for check out on a first come, first served basis. To check out a license, simply email Lisa Miller from your public health email account. Submit Calendar Entries to communications@dhr.state.ga.us PHNEWS Crisis: Patients not taking their medications Children Benefit from Early Dose of Measles Vaccine, Study Finds Obesity conference hits Atlanta PHRECIPE Brown Rice with Sizzling Chicken and Vegetables Serves 4 Prep and Cook Time: 30 min. Click Here for Full Recipe PHWEEK Director of Communications Ryan Deal Editor Carrie Gann Content Coordinator Connie F. Smith Sr. Graphic Designer Ginny Jacobs Interim Web Developer Jimmy Clanton, Jr. Editorial & Design Team Tammy Beasley Eric Jens Nancy Nydam Sandra Roberts Georgia Public Health Observances | October 2013 Eye Injury Prevention Month Forward email National Bullying Prevention Month This email was sent to gadocs@uga.edu by communications@dhr.state.ga.us | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribeTM | Privacy Policy. Georgia Department of Public Health | 2 Peachtree Street, NW | Atlanta | GA | 30303