“Military Moms Get The Baby Shower They Missed - Extra Bilingual Community Newspaper” plus 4 more |
- Military Moms Get The Baby Shower They Missed - Extra Bilingual Community Newspaper
- Illegal Immigrants embroiled in health care debate - News-Press
- Infant girl dies, a week after pregnant mom's killing - WCNC
- Vexing long-term care absent from U.S. health debate - Houma Courier
- RC2's Learning Curve(R) Brand Unveils New Line Up of Innovative ... - MSN Money
| Military Moms Get The Baby Shower They Missed - Extra Bilingual Community Newspaper Posted: 20 Sep 2009 01:14 PM PDT PORTSMOUTH, Va., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Military moms whose babies were born too soon or too sick were treated to a very special baby shower today at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) courtesy of the March of Dimes and Operation Shower. Moms and dads -- who never had their own baby shower -- received gift boxes filled with baby supplies, clothing, toys, books and much, much more courtesy of March of Dimes top corporate supporter Kmart, and many other generous donors to the March of Dimes and Operation Shower. During the baby shower, the March of Dimes announced the re-launch of Mission: Healthy Baby(R), a program designed specifically for military families to provide free pregnancy and newborn health information and support services. The program was developed with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Ladies Auxiliary VFW. "Having a baby is a joyful experience, but it's also one that comes with anxiety and concerns. Being in the military -- whether as a serviceperson or as the partner of a serviceperson -- can cause extra stress," said Liza Gene Cooper, LMSW, director, March of Dimes NICU Family Support(R). "Our Mission: Healthy Baby and NICU Family Support programs are designed to give families the information they need to cope with the stress of having a sick baby." Very high levels of stress, such as the stress caused by a deployment, may contribute to premature birth or low birthweight in full-term babies. Military moms and dads can request Mission: Healthy Baby materials by sending their name and address to missionhealthybaby@marchofdimes.com. Special brochures are also available by calling 914-997-4257. The Portsmouth baby shower was hosted by actress Wendy Davis, who plays the role of Lt. Colonel Joan Burton on the Lifetime Television show Army Wives. Davis' character on Army Wives is a new mom and female lieutenant colonel. "Portraying Joan Burton on Army Wives has been such a fulfilling experience because my character was blessed to become a new military mom. I am also a mother in real life. I'm excited to participate in this special occasion because these families and their babies in the NICU have inspired me," said Ms. Davis. "I am thrilled to partner with the March of Dimes and Operation Shower to show my appreciation as we honor these parents who put their lives on the line for our country." "Operation Shower is thrilled to work with the March of Dimes, Kmart and the other donors of Operation Shower to help bring these showers to the military moms. We felt this fit very well with our mission to support military families who may not otherwise have a baby shower. We are grateful for the opportunity to support these families," said Chief Shower Officer, Lena Morrissey. "Operation Shower is a special thing to do for military families in circumstances where the spouse is either deployed or they are far away from immediate families," said Cmdr. (Dr.) Robert Englert, a neonatologist and medical director of PNMC's neonatal intensive care unit. "The fact that the Operation Shower concept was developed by mothers for military mothers in need is inspiring." The Portsmouth Naval Medical Center serves all branches of the military and delivers more babies and has the most NICU admissions than any other hospital in the Department of Defense. Many infants in the NICU are born prematurely. Preterm birth is a serious and costly health problem and is the leading cause of death in the first month of life in this country. More than 540,000 babies -- one out of every eight -- are born too soon each year in the United States. Babies who survive an early birth face serious risks of lifelong health problems, including learning disabilities, cerebral palsy (www.marchofdimes.com blindness, hearing loss (www.marchofdimes.com and other chronic conditions including asthma. There are 75 March of Dimes NICU Family Support sites nationwide. The program at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center is the first military facility to partner with the March of Dimes to support families of babies in NICUs. The program offers education materials, empowering support programs, group education, opportunities for parent-to-parent support and staff education -- all to help families navigate the NICU experience. "Kmart is thrilled to support the March of Dimes and Operation Shower," says Mark Snyder, vice president and chief marketing officer for Kmart. "In addition to our donation, we want to thank all of the new military moms for the sacrifices and contributions they and their families make to better our country each and every day. This donation is part of the Kmart for Kids(SM) program, which is our commitment to make it easy for all moms to take care of what they care about most." Operation Shower is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that recognizes and honors the sacrifices military families make by producing and coordinating baby showers for expecting military personnel and their families. For more information, please visit www.operationshower.org. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit www.marchofdimes.com or www.nacersano.org. SOURCE March of Dimes  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Illegal Immigrants embroiled in health care debate - News-Press Posted: 20 Sep 2009 11:41 AM PDT (2 of 4) Almost half of its more than 200,000 patients served last year were uninsured. The organization, like the health department, doesnt ask about immigration status and provides affordable services. Those people are here and someone is going to have to take care of them, Quinonez said. Its hard to say no to someone whos in need. 46 million strongLegal and undocumented noncitizens represent 22 percent of the nonelderly uninsured, says a report from The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, part of a nonpartisan foundation. Almost 7 million illegal immigrants are uninsured, experts say. The latest figure pegged the uninsured population at 46.3 million. Almost half of unauthorized immigrant children of undocumented parents are uninsured, the Pew Hispanic Center reports. While immigrants are more likely to be uninsured, they are less likely to visit doctors or an emergency room, the Kaiser Commission reported. About 14 percent of immigrants, legal or illegal, visited an emergency department in a year compared with up to 22 percent of U.S.-born citizens. Many questionsA trio of men waiting for work in a Southwest Florida parking lot this week said they had never visited the emergency room since they emigrated illegally from Mexico and Guatemala. Two, here more than seven years, had never seen a doctor. They ask too many questions, said Miguel Jose, 47. The best thing to do is try to stay healthy. They lean on home remedies and over-the-counter medicines. Family members send drugs, cheaper in their native countries, by mail. For undocumented people and their advocates, immigration reform would resolve health care concerns because theyd be incorporated into the system and gain better access. The health system is very important, but the first thing that needs to be fixed is immigration, said Javier Cantor, 41, a patient Thursday at the Bonita clinic. We need to be in good health, too. Right thing to doThe federal government agrees to the extent it funnels dollars to agencies that serve people regardless of status.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Infant girl dies, a week after pregnant mom's killing - WCNC Posted: 20 Sep 2009 11:20 AM PDT
 Charlotte Observer CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- Tiffany Wright's infant girl – delivered by doctors as her mother died Monday from a gunshot wound – has also died, according to a spokesperson for Carolinas Heath Care System. Tiffany was eight-months pregnant when she was shot in the head Monday waiting for her school bus. But the baby died early this morning, after nearly a week in critical condition. No other details were available. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating Tiffany's death, and call her adoptive brother Royce Mitchell "a person of interest" in the homicide. Police charged Mitchell, 36, with statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child, and have said that Tiffany was the victim of those crimes. Mitchell is in jail and has a bond hearing set for Sept. 25. Tiffany was adopted into Mitchell's family by his mother, Alma Wright. Tiffany went to live with Mitchell in January after Alma Wright died of natural causes at age 77. But Mitchell failed to become her permanent guardian, and Tiffany this summer began a new life with a foster mother in northeast Charlotte. Tiffany attended Hawthorne High School and was in the TAPS program for pregnant students. She told family and friends she was excited about becoming a mother and planned to name her baby, Aaliyah. Mitchell worked on a street maintenance crew for the city of Charlotte, and had served prison time on a federal drug conviction. He's under post-release supervision by federal authorities. Despite his criminal record, Mitchell was given temporary legal guardianship over Tiffany on Feb. 5 by a Mecklenburg court. But he later failed a DSS home study and Tiffany was moved into foster care.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Vexing long-term care absent from U.S. health debate - Houma Courier Posted: 20 Sep 2009 03:56 AM PDT "It's an absolute quagmire," said Lloyd, a 53-year-old school administrator who is managing her parents' care and fearful there isn't enough money to pay for it. "I feel like I'm in an untenable situation." Even as the health care debate rages in Washington, scant attention has been given to providing long-term care for the elderly and disabled. While lawmakers struggle to come up with a plan, millions of stressed families are being driven into poverty, and state and federal budgets are being stretched to their limits. Lloyd's parents have burned through nearly all the half-million dollars they have in savings paying aides $24 an hour, 19 hours a day. When the money is gone, she doesn't know what to do with her 84-year-old mother, who is mentally acute but physically plagued by Parkinson's disease, and her 85-year-old father, who is physically well but suffering from dementia. "I was surprised at how financially strapped you had to be in order to get help," Lloyd said. For all the warm words President Barack Obama has said about Ted Kennedy, he has remained largely silent on a long-term care plan one of the pieces the late senator saw as key to an overhaul bill. Such a plan is included in the bill Kennedy's health committee wrote but is not regarded as a must-have component. However, the provision could make the bill more palatable to seniors who have reservations about the overhaul. "The other Democrats in the Senate don't seem very enthusiastic about it. The Obama administration doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it," said Howard Gleckman, a researcher at the Urban Institute who is author of "Caring for Our Parents." "And it just seems to be one of those issues where everybody says, 'Yeah, we've got to deal with it, but we're not going to deal with it now.'" Kennedy's bill included the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, known as the CLASS Act, which would allow Americans to buy long-term care insurance from the government for around $65 a month. Students and younger workers would pay far less, around $5 monthly. In return, they'd qualify for a cash benefit when such care is needed. Nobody sees CLASS Act as solving the entire long-term care crisis. But it would address an issue that has vexed policymakers and caregivers for decades and mark the first time the government provided nursing homes, in-home aides and other care for the masses. Many wrongly believe Medicare covers long-term stays in nursing homes and other such services, but only the country's poorest qualify under Medicaid. Diabetics who endure amputations and can't live alone, Alzheimer's patients who need round-the-clock care, and those who suffer strokes and can no longer navigate their home alone are among those faced with tough care choices. The numbers on the issue are telling: Nearly 70 percent of all 65-year-olds will need some long-term care before they die. An estimated $160 billion is spent on such services each year, not counting all the unpaid hours family members care for a loved one. Most paid long-term care comes through Medicaid, and with costs ballooning, officials say it's unsustainable. Bobbie Winter, a 66-year-old social worker from Illinois, learned the hard truth of long-term care when she assumed care of her aunt, Helen Newman. Newman had spent around $100,000 in assets paying for her care over the past several years. Medicare covered the first 90 days of a stay in a nursing home after she broke her hip earlier this year, but on the final day, the nursing home told Winter she needed to pay $8,700 to cover the next month. Nobody had the money but Newman still needed nursing home care. She died the next day, practically penniless. "The few assets she had left went toward the funeral and her gravestone and a few outstanding bills," said Winter. "She didn't even have jewelry to leave." Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote a letter to Kennedy in July saying the administration supports the inclusion of the CLASS Act in the health overhaul bill, and Obama endorsed the legislation as a senator. But Kennedy's death has many believing there is no champion to ensure its ultimate inclusion. Dr. Robert Butler, the head of the International Longevity Center who is considered the country's foremost geriatrician, is unconvinced long-term care will ultimately improve in any new plan. "Maybe something will happen," said Butler, a Pulitzer Prize winner for his book "Why Survive? Being Old In America," and the first director of the National Institute on Aging. "But whether it will include long-term care is much more dubious." The aging of baby boomers has heightened awareness of the long-term care issue. People who support government-sponsored long-term care, which an estimated 10 million Americans currently need, say a health overhaul bill would be incomplete without it. "We cannot fix part of the health care system," said Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate aging committee. "We must fix the entire system."  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| RC2's Learning Curve(R) Brand Unveils New Line Up of Innovative ... - MSN Money Posted: 14 Sep 2009 04:17 AM PDT OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RC2 Corporation RCRC introduces several new lines designed to provide innovative solutions for today's families at the 2009 ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas (Booth #5040). RC2's Learning Curve(R) brand debuts a host of new items from The First Years(R), leading the industry in offering parents and babies a wide range of award-winning infant and toddler feeding, care, play and gear solutions. In addition a host of new Lamaze(R) Infant Development System toys and Lamaze Body Care expand the Company's offerings, along with new items in the luxurious, all-natural Bella B(R) line for expectant and new mothers and their babies. RC2 continues to demonstrate its unyielding commitment to delivering the quality, convenience and value today's parents are seeking. "The introductions we are unveiling at ABC Kids Expo reflect solutions based on real consumer insights," states Peter Henseler, President of RC2 Corporation. "We listen to what our current and potential customers need and want most to help them during the crucial newborn, infant and toddler years. This results in our being able to provide valued, sought-after solutions as opposed to developing products in a silo." RC2 highlights the following introductions for ABC Kids Expo: The First Years (www.learningcurve.com/thefirstyears) Building on the brand's extensive line of infant and toddler products, The First Years introduces solutions across key categories, including:
Lamaze (www.learningcurve.com/lamaze) Learning Curve's Lamaze(R) brand is dedicated to creating products that help baby grow, discover and learn. Parents have known and trusted the Lamaze brand for more than 50 years. Learning Curve's Lamaze line remains dedicated to offering parents products that focus on infant development, while at the same time providing great opportunities for them to bond and interact with baby. To support this vital bonding and infant development, the Lamaze Infant Development System introduces new products specifically designed to grow with baby as their skill levels expand, including two innovative gyms with extended play value and new products in the Lamaze Play and Grow product line,. Continuing the Lamaze brand's focus on parents and their infants, new items in the Lamaze Body Care line, include soothing and hydrating products, provide all-natural, nurturing solutions that are safe for both mom and baby. Bella B (www.learningcurve.com/bellab) Best known for its natural line of body care for expectant and new mothers, Learning Curve's popular, luxurious, all-natural line of Bella B body care debuts a new line of baby products and expands its current, sought-after line of items for expectant and new mothers. Known as a premium brand with exceptional all-natural qualities and organic ingredients, Bella B is proud to be at the forefront of pampering expectant and new moms - and now babies - from head to tummy to toes. About Learning Curve(R) Brands, Inc. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. (www.learningcurve.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (NASDAQ: RCRC, www.rc2.com) and is a leading designer, producer and marketer of innovative, high-quality toys, collectibles and infant and toddler products. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. markets its infant, toddler and preschool products under its Learning Curve(R) family of brands which includes The First Years(R) and Lamaze brands as well as popular and classic licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Winnie the Pooh, John Deere and Sesame Street. The Company's youth and adult products are marketed under the Johnny Lightning(R) (www.johnnylightning.com) and Ertl(R) (www.ertl.com) brands. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific. SOURCE RC2 Corporation Copyright 2009 PR Newswire  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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