Health Awareness Observances for the Month of September

What is your cholesterol level? Do you know how many men each year are diagnosed with prostate cancer? How often should you screen yourself for gynecologic cancer? You can learn these answers and more by celebrating the following health awareness observances in the month of September:

Baby Safety Month

Every September the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry, sponsors Baby Safety Month. The purpose of this month is to educate parents, caregivers and other consumers about the importance of using safe infant products such as carriers, car seats and slings.

This video covers the importance of safe car seats:

Cholesterol Education Month

Did you know that one in six adults in the U.S. has high cholesterol? This means that these people are twice as likely to get heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cholesterol Education Month aims to get adults to measure their cholesterol level and to take steps in their personal lives to lower their level. This greatly reduces their chance of heart disease and heart attack.

Watch this video to learn the importance of monitoring your cholesterol:

Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Awareness Month

Today more than 894,000 people in the U.S. live with some type of blood cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. An estimated 52,910 people will die from a blood cancer by the end of this year. Every September the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) hopes to educate the public about these different types of cancers and let them know that there are resources available to treat them.

This video explains what leukemia is and how it can be treated:

Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

According to the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, “Gynecologic cancers are the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells originating in the female reproductive organs, including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, and vulva.” Almost all of these cancers are caused by the virus HPV, also known as Human Papillomavirus. Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month stresses the importance of females undergoing regular screenings and self-examinations to detect the early stages of these cancers.

This video discusses the symptoms of gynecologic cancer:

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S. This year alone as much as 32,000 men will die from it. The purpose of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is to get men to screen themselves at an early age and to educate them about treatment options.

This video shows the importance of early detection of prostate cancer:

Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Month

Reye’s Syndrome is a disease that attacks all body organs, most specifically the liver and brain. It can cause fatty liver disease and lead to extreme swelling of the brain. Signs of the disease include confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness. Use of Aspirin has been associated with the disease. Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Month promotes public education and increased awareness of the disease and helps loved ones deal with the symptoms.

Watch this video to learn more about the disease:

Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Although it is most commonly found in people from West and Central Africa, sickle cell disease affects an estimated 100,000 people in the U.S. Sickle cell is a blood disorder that affects red blood cells and causes them to assume an abnormal sickle shape. These sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, which can prevent tissue from getting proper blood flow. Sickle Cell Awareness Month hopes to educate people about the disease and promotes finding a cure for it.

This video shows how you can stop the sickle cycle:

Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

Thyroid cancer is cancer that starts in the thyroid gland, a gland located in the front of your lower neck. It can occur in all age groups, but if detected early most treatments will work. Signs of thyroid cancer include coughing, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the neck and trouble breathing. Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month aims to educate people about early detection, treatment and monitoring of the cancer.

Learn what of it’s like to live with thyroid cancer: