Month Of November

When we think about November a few different things can come to mind. Some may think of the sight of orange, yellow, and red leaves scattered on the ground waiting to be raked into neat piles only to be ruined by the family dog or a rambunctious child. Others may think of the aroma of Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider filling their nostrils as they enter a store to begin early Christmas shopping. Or some may most likely think of the fourth Thursday of November; a day where family, rather close or distant, come together to give thanks for their blessings. Turkey, dressing, cranberries, and desserts of all kind line our tables as an extra motive to fellowship between our friends and family. While these may only be a few things that come to mind around November; some are unaware that November is a month to help raise awareness for a multitude of Medical Issues that millions around the world face each day. Here are a few to educate you!

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning-thinking, remembering, and reasoning-and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. An estimated 5.7 Million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's. This staggering statistic makes Alzheimer's the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. To learn more or help find a cure visit https://alz.org/get_involved.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a number of diseases that involve problems with the hormone insulin. Normally, the pancreas (an organ behind the stomach) releases insulin to help your body store and use the sugar and fat from the food you eat. Diabetes can occur when the pancreas produces very little or no insulin, or when the body does not respond appropriately to insulin. Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes. Diabetes kills more Americans every year than AIDS and breast cancer combined. To learn more or help find a cure visit http://www.diabetes.org/

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures. The seizures happen when clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain send out the wrong signals. People may have strange sensations and emotions or behave strangely. They may have violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness. About 3.4 Million people in the U.S. suffer from Epilepsy. To learn more or help find a cure visit https://www.epilepsy.com/.

Lung Cancer

There are three main types of lung cancer. Lung cancer symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and bloody mucus. Treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both men and women in America. Smoking is responsible for roughly 90% of all cases of lung cancer. To learn more or help find a cure visit https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer.html.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas - an organ in your abdomen that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly to nearby organs. It is seldom detected in its early stages. But for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of pancreatic cancer, some screening steps might help detect a problem early. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers - just 3-6% of those diagnosed survive for five years. To learn more or help find a cure visit https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer.html.