Medical briefs
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Gateway Chapter is recruiting teams and sponsors for the nationwide Light the Night Walk on Sept. 12 at City Centre Park, adjacent to the St. Peters Rec-Plex, and Forest Park in St. Louis.
Last year, the Gateway chapter raised more than $600,000 through the walk.The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society hosts the walks each fall in approximately 240 communities in the U.S. and Canada. Participants carry softly lit balloons representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans battling leukemia, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma. The night's festivities include live entertainment, refreshments and family activities.
All walkers who raise $25 or more will receive an illuminated balloon to carry during the walk. White balloons are for survivors, red balloons are for supporters and gold balloons signify those that have lost their battle with the disease. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and the walk begins at 7:30 p.m.
Walkers who raise $100 or more will receive rewards such as T-shirts and prizes.
"Anyone can walk - children, adults, seniors, families, corporate teams," said Steve Biederman, president of Walton Construction St. Louis and 2008 corporate walk chairman for the Gateway Chapter Light the Night Walk. "Funds raised support the work of hundreds of the world's best and brightest researchers in their search for better therapies and cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma."
To participate or become a sponsor, call Cheryl Reale at 800-264-CURE or visit www.lightthenight.org.
Trinity Hospice seeks volunteers
Trinity Hospice, 10805 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 400, in Sunset Hills, is looking for volunteers. Trinity Hospice provides the necessary training and materials at no cost.
The organization's mission is to make every life as meaningful as possible, from the first days of a life-limiting illness to the last.
Patient and family care volunteers are sought. To help, call Director of Volunteer Services Karen Riley at 314-821-8826. Go to www.trinityhospice.com for more information.
Walgreens clinics offer shingles vaccine
Take Care Health Systems, which manages health care clinics located inside Walgreens, now offers the shingles vaccine.
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. Once a person has had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in certain nerves of their system. If the virus becomes active again, usually later in life, it causes a painful rash. The first signs of shingles are itching, tingling and burning of the skin.
Shingles is far more common in adults over 50 than in younger people, and age, stress and problems with the immune system may increase the chance of developing shingles.
"Roughly 43 million adults are at risk for the disease. For adults over 60 years old, the vaccine can reduce their chance of getting shingles by half," said Sandra Ryan, chief nurse practitioner officer for Take Care Health Systems. "By expanding access to the vaccine, we hope to give more patients the opportunity to get important preventive care."
Take Care Health Clinics will administer the shingles vaccine to adults 60 or older. It is given as a single dose by injection under the skin. If a patient gets the virus despite being vaccinated, it may help reduce pain and lower the risk of chronic pain that can follow. The vaccine cannot be used to treat shingles once a person has it, though it may help to prevent further outbreaks. The vaccine may not protect everyone who receives it.
The clinics inside Walgreens stores at 2310 S. Old Highway 94 in St. Charles, at 2920 Highway K in O'Fallon and at 1993 Wentzville Parkway in Wentzville offer the vaccine.
The shingles vaccine may be covered by a patient's pharmacy benefit. For more information, patients should contact their pharmacy benefit plan administrator. The cost of the vaccination is $219.99 for uninsured patients or cash payers.
Free chiropractic care for military personnel
Eric Glass, the chiropractor at Wentzville-based Above & Beyond Chiropractic, announced that his office will join a national movement within the industry that calls for chiropractors to provide free care to all U.S. military personnel for one year upon the completion of their tour of duty.
"We are proud to support the men and women serving our country worldwide in the war against terror. We must not forget that these brave soldiers protect the freedoms to which we have become accustomed - freedoms that were threatened nearly seven years ago on 9/11," Glass said. "As a show of gratitude, we'd like to extend an offer of free chiropractic care for one year to our military personnel once they have completed their tour of duty."
Above & Beyond Chiropractic is located at 213 Creekside Office Drive. The phone number is 636-332-9100.
Health foundation seeks applications for board
The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) is accepting applications from individuals wanting to be considered for nomination to the Board of Directors.
Five board positions are available each year. Directors govern MFH's efforts to provide funding to nonprofit organizations that help improve the health of the state's uninsured, underinsured and underserved residents.
MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in the state, and is the second largest health care conversion foundation in the United States. Its 15-member board manages $1.3 billion in assets and distributes $60 million in grants annually. MFH's service region covers 84 Missouri counties, plus the city of St. Louis.
Board members serve without pay for three-year terms, and must live within the MFH service region. MFH is committed to a board that represents Missouri's gender, racial, cultural, geographic and ethnic diversity.
Applications are reviewed by MFH's Community Advisory Committee, which then presents 15-25 candidates, from which the board will select five to fill available positions.
All applications must be postmarked by Aug. 22. To receive an application packet or to review eligibility guidelines: visit www.mffh.org; call 314-345-5500 or toll-free 800-655-5560; or send a letter requesting information to Community Advisory Committee, Missouri Foundation for Health, 1000 St. Louis Union Station, Suite 400, St. Louis, MO 63103.
