Welcome! I am Michelle Smith your Health and Social Advocate, The Voice Of the community, I am here to change the face of knowledge by giving you an Urban Platform with a Urban twist. Thank you in advance for letting me be your voice! My goal is to increase the health and social literacy for all! Follow my journey as I share my stories of Nursing in Toronto. I will keep you informed with expert information. Lack of Knowledge is a disease, Stay Connected!
Let's welcome 2016 with growth as This Is Your World Too, Youth Leadership Career Symposium (TIYW), returns to the Gospel Café on Saturday February 27th, 2016 ! -Mentors, we welcome your expertise at the 6th Edition BHM, Youth Leadership Career Symposium
At the This Is Your World –Youth Leadership Career Symposium, youth and their parents are invited to a unique round table event where youth (ages 11+) of similar career interest will have the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions with African Canadian career professionals such as yourself. Our 2016 focus is a Pandora box of all the careers that are impacted by or through Arts & E.T. |Media & Technology.
The common denominator and benefits of connecting our youths with black professionals has proven to be a very engaging and empowering experience for our young people. Amongst several other benefits it gives them a sense of knowing that their dreams are possible.
Our Mission is to ensure & inspire Youths to identify who they are and build self confidence by connecting them with successful role models so that they too can be champions and make constructive contribution to society
Mentors, experience the power of Inter-generational Mentorship when you come out to inspire and mentor the youth on February 27th 2016. The Symposium starts from 10:30am-3:30pm ~a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for mentors that participate the entire day.
(The Parade of TIYW Mentors Ceremony @1240hrs)
Let's mention a few of the 38 professionals who have confirmed to mentor @ TIYW2 Youth Career Mentorship Symposium 6th Edition:
Elgon( Lon)Sealy Mechanical engineer 30+ years. Noel John, Veteran Industrial and maintenance Electrician. Michelle Smith ,RPN JA Nursing and Consulting. Andrew Hunter,Athlete,MBA, Youth Mentor. This unique Round-Table-Interaction between professionals and youth with similiar career interest in priceless!!
Last year I was involved in a Fundraiser for Gerdine Graham Foundation, a fundraiser for Leukemia And we will be doing it again on March 18, 2016. My original post was regarding letting individuals know about the importance of giving blood. Especially at a time when popular Reggae artist J Capri was in urgent need of blood. J Capri Lost her battle and passed away December 3, 2015, my prayers are with her Family AND friends.
Awareness regarding the importance of donating blood has not been covered well within the Caribbean, and other ethnically diverse Communities. As your advocate, I felt it necessary to bring you up to speed on the facts about donating blood. DID YOU KNOW that there are over 80 diseases that require Blood and stem cells? The goal is to reach out to our community and get you all involved in a vital process that is needed to help individuals who require Blood. I want you to spread the word about donating blood.What greater gift is there than the gift of life? That’s exactly what every blood donation delivers. Blood and blood products are a critical part of everyday medical care including major surgeries, medical procedures, cancer treatments and managing disease. You can go one step further along with donating blood. You can also get involved in a critical life-saving initiative called One match. One match helps individuals that require Stem cell transplants, A variety of diseases and disorders are treated with stem cell transplants, including blood-related diseases such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and inherited immune system and metabolic disorders
Leukemia is a cancer of the marrow and blood. There are four main subtypes of leukemia: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia.
Lymphoma is the name for a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. The two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). As cited by Leukemia and Lymphoma society. The causes of Leukemia are unknown to medical science at this time. Some people are at greater risk of developing Leukemia than others. For the most part, I suggest routine check ups with your Doctor and you should always take notice to abnormal symptoms in your body that you may feel. I encourage everyone at the very least to know what their blood type is.
Quick Fact Everyone has two genes that determine their blood type, it’s passed on from parents to children, just like eye colour.O Negative bloodis used in emergency situations, where there is no time to test the patient to determine blood type – that’s why “O Neg” is always in such great demand
People withAB Positive bloodare know as the “universal recipient”, as they can receive blood from anyone as cited by Canadian Blood Services.
One Match is an Initiative that is vital to helping save lives especially for those with Leukemia. You may be eligible to join if you are between 17 and 35 years old and meet certain health criteria. Because a person's best chance of finding a matching donor is within his or her own ethnic group, it is important that donors reflect Canada's ethnic diversity. It is also important for the future of OneMatch to attract young donors. However there are somehealth problems that could make you ineligible include some heart conditions, cancer, blood diseases, insulin-dependent diabetes, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis B and C. There are also height and weight restrictions in place to protect both donors and recipients. People who do not meet the program's height and weight criteria may be at a higher risk when undergoing surgery. One match is done very simply by swabbing the inside of your cheeks and if you are a match you will be registered to be a donor by the Canadian Blood Services.
I am updating this blog with news about Davey and the upcoming Gerdine Graham Leukemia fundraiser.
You can get involved as a BUSINESS by DONATING SERVICES OR ITEMS AS INCENTIVES TO GET THE YOUTHS OUT TO DO THE SWAB PLEASE CONTACT US.
OUR DEEPEST CONDOLESCENCE GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY OF DAVEY ROCHESTER HE LOST HIS BATTLE March 3 2016 Davey was diagnosed with a rare form of Cancer in October. Adult T-Cell Leukemia Lymphoma, stage 4. This cancer is generally not responsive to chemotherapy or radiation. It is also extremely aggressive. It is in all his lymphs, blood and his cerebral and spinal fluid. We are in a race against time to find Davey a match. Currently Davey is receiving weekly chemo treatments in order to keep this cancer at bay long enough so that we can find him a match and he can have the life saving transplant he needs!Unfortunately there are less than .02% Caribbean people on the registry globally.
What greater gift is there than the gift of life? That’s exactly what every blood donation delivers. Blood and blood products are a critical part of everyday medical care including major surgeries, medical procedures, cancer treatments and managing disease.
Take a look at how easy One Match can be.
Every Blood Component Has a Job To Do
Whole blood is made of several components that can be transfused separately or together to treat various conditions:
Red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues and remove carbon dioxide throughout the lungs.
White blood cells protect the body from infection. (They also, however, can carry viruses and bacteria—which is why they are removed from donated blood.)
Platelets provide the basis for clotting, which helps control bleeding.
Plasma is a liquid containing proteins that help fight infection and assist clotting. Plasma distributes nutrients to tissues and transports waste products to the lungs, liver and kidneys.
Regardless of type, blood is always in high demand for cancer patients, accident victims, Sickle Cell patients and transplant recipients
Hello all, I am pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Gerdine Graham Foundation Fundraiser
Delroy Graham & Marcia A.Tulloch from Delroy Graham RV presents The Gerdine Graham Foundation's 2nd Annual Fundraiser. Join us for a night of fun, food, music, raffles and much more as we raise funds towards an Intensive Pediatric /Oncology Unit at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon, Jamaica. $5 from the sale of each ticket benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. We will artist such as Errol Blackwood,Steele, Sample King,Jade Faith Douglas, Alicia Cinnamon, Michael Reid & Klyde Broox spoken word artist. We will have Dj & Jamming to High Energy Band.For more information call 647-971-6656.
When
Where
The Jamaican Canadian Association - 995 Arrow Rd Toronto, ON M9M 2Z5 CA -
Our condolences goes out to the Family of Davey Rochester his loss witll not go in vain. We will still continue with this swab event in efforts to help save another life. You can get involved as a BUSINESS by DONATING SERVICES OR ITEMS AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET THE YOUTHS OUT TO DO THE SWAB PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORAMTION
TAKE A LOOK AT LAST YEARS EVENT AND GET THE FACTS ABOUT LEUKEMIA
Check out last year event review Kudos to the host Marcia Brown who introduced me as a diva, she is just too funny and of course, I can't forget to big Up Jamaica House kitchen for the amazing food. The Curry goat to be exact was On point.
The night was well put together with performers, jokes and a real feeling of community love.
When asked to be the Guest Speaker at this event there was no question about it, of course, the Answer would be Yes. Several weeks ago I found out that a friends brother had Leukemia. I sighed....
Leukemia is one of those cancers that is truly poorly understood especially since the symptoms can be so vague at first,
Tonight As I finish this blog I found out the sad news that Clinton" Ice Pick" has passed away March 25 2015. Another lost to this mean disease
This post will be dedicated to his family as well. My goal with my blogs is to continue to bring awareness and understanding to various health issues.
DID YOU KNOW ?
The four common types of Leukemia include: ORANGE IS THE COLOR RIBBON FOR LEUKEMIA
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 'CLL'): There are approximately seven-thousand new cases of CLL each year, often in persons over the age of fifty-five. CLL very rarely affects children.
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, 'CML'): There are approximately four-thousand four hundred new cases of CML every year, affecting largely adults.
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 'ALL'): There are approximately three-thousand eight hundred new cases of ALL each year. ALL affects adults but is also the most common form of Leukemia found in children.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, 'AML'): There are approximately ten-thousand six hundred new cases of AML every year involving both children and adults.
Risks for Leukemia
The causes of Leukemia are unknown to medical science at this time. Some people are at greater risk of developing Leukemia than others. But for the most part take notice to abnormal symptoms and all make routine visits to the Doctor.
Let's get the picture straight
The types of leukemia can be grouped based on how quickly the disease develops and gets worse. Leukemia is either chronic (which usually gets worse slowly) or acute (which usually gets worse quickly):
Symptoms of Acute leukemia (ALL) The symptoms of acute leukemiausually appear quite suddenly, as this type of leukemia develops quickly.
Symptoms include:
weakness, tiredness and looking ‘washed out', which may be due to reduced numbers of red blood cells.
bleeding that takes a long time to stop, for example, heavy nosebleeds or bruising easily, which may be due to a decrease in platelets.
regular infections and high temperatures, which may be due to your white blood cells not working properly.
pain in the bones and joints.
Symptoms of chronic leukemia (CLL)
The symptoms of chronic leukemia develop over months or years. Chronic means lasting over a long time. The symptoms are like those of acute leukemia but the lymph nodes, spleen and liver also become larger. Anemia may be a symptom of chronic leukemia. However, most people with chronic lymphocyte leukemia don't know that they have the disease. They may only find out while having a check for another medical problem.
Chronic myeloid leukemia usually progresses slowly at first. However, it may become more active and more like an acute leukemic after several years.
The symptoms of leukemia are similar to symptoms of some other common conditions. For this reason, you need to be concerned with all symptoms and listen to your body DO NOT SEEK ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION
ASK YOUR HEALTHCARE ADVOCATE I WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES AND GET THE RIGHT ACTIONS FROM YOUR DR.
If you're concerned about your symptoms you should see your doctor
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. It is the most common type of blood cancer and affects 10 times as many adults as children. Most people diagnosed with leukemia are over 50 years old. TRUE OR FALSE ? you know the answer to that one. More and more young adults are being diagnosed with cancer.
Another pressing issue why I wanted to get involved with this initiative is because my community also includes my home town Jamaica. Proceeds from this fundraiser will be donated to a local hospital in Jamaica to help build the oncology unit. I believe that every human deserves to be cared for in proper facilities.
WHAT Can you Do? If you know anyone or organization that can donate medical supplies please let Us know.
and If you would still like to make a contribution to this cause you still can, please spread the word we need our young adults to donate blood #allLivesmatter
Hello, all it's your Your Health and Social Advocate here, I would like to have a candid discussion about fitness vs Health. I appreciate all of my readers and I wanted to say thank you for reading my blog.
Health literacy has been defined as:
“The ability to access, understand, evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote, maintain and improve health in a variety of settings across the life-course” (Rootman & Gordon-El-Bihbety, 2008, p. 11). Lower health literacy leads to the ineffective use of services, poorer health due to lack of understanding of health problems and treatment, and increased frequency of hospitalization As your health care advocate, it is important for me to take the lead in providing health information, Family Health and Literacy is emerging as a growing concern throughout the world, but of course with my 15 years of Nursing experience, this is becoming more evident than ever.
For many, accessing and understanding health information and services can be difficult. It can be especially difficult for someone feeling ill, anxious or in pain. Being able to access and understand information can make a difference to your health and well-being.
Health is relevant to everyone, but even more so for families with young children, and aging parents, because they are constantly faced with scheduling doctor’s visits, managing illness and trying to keep their family healthy.
Fitness is always a great wellness initiative, but how can that help your sick family members or even a sick child? Ask yourself that question. Navigating this maze is what I am here to teach you.
Many people keep interchanging the notion that fitness, wellness, and health mean the same thing.Contrary to popular belief, fitness does not imply health. We often consider the two to be synonymous; if we become fit, we become healthier. Actually, while fitness certainly contributes to a person’s overall health, it does not guarantee that that person will be healthy. In a perfect world, if fitness and wellness enthusiasts decided to give their clients the opportunity to be more knowledgeable about their real healthcare, my life would be a lot easier. In a perfect world everyone, I came across would eventually learn how to navigate this health care system, giving individuals the opportunity to the richness of knowledge. Until then I will continue to my mission for a community that receives the right information needed to be in total control of their health.
Fitness refers to a person’s ability to perform physical activity. This can be any physical activity from walking, running, lifting weights or simply playing a game of basketball. The common question patients ask me is WHY AM I IN THE HOSPITAL when all I do is go to the GYM? One can exercise regularly and be incredibly fit, yet he can still have problems with his heart, lungs, or other parts of his or her body that can keep them from being healthy. As your health care advocate my goal is to make sure that you are health literate. Sounds fancy! but it is the one thing that causes our healthcare system to fail. The literacy of the individuals that use it. When using a healthcare advocate, it increases your ability to understand your care; become just a knowledgeable as your health care provider. Somehow we have concluded that activity equaled being healthy, and inactivity equaled not being healthy. Unfortunately, this concept is not only false, it is dangerously misleading. Let me give you a scenario: If you hurt your back at work and needed to be inactive due to injury, but was health literate and understood that your overall health would include regular visits to the right doctors, eating the right intake comparable to your inactivity would you say this person is healthy?
I have often stated that health involves a way of life which also could include the barriers to knowledgeHealth, on the other hand, involves EVERY system of your body, along with a lifestyle that supports your health.
For instance, if a patient of mine tells me that they have neglected to eat properly, ignoring the fat and sugar content of food and hasn't made many efforts to be seen by a Doctor, all the exercise in the world couldn't possibly correct the damage done from such a lifestyle. Exercise can't replace the RIGHT medical information. Only sound knowledge can support good health. Our health is mainly the result of knowledge towards what it means as individuals to be healthy.
We make our future with what we do every day of our lives with the right knowledge, and the desire to see it through, you can certainly accomplish a great deal.
Health and fitness research is growing by day. For those who have access to the Internet, you can find loads of information in the area of health. If you have a web browser, you can use one of the search engines to isolate specific topics you are interested in. While on the net go to www.janursingservices.com learn more about fitness vs healthcare vs wellness We are living in the best era for achieving health and fitness literacy. By simply educating yourself, you provide yourself with the POWER to make significant changes in your health and life. Great news, I can help you because I believe that knowledge is the best medicine.
Health literacy is not just about individuals and communities. Health professionals who provide clear, reliable information are essential to helping people manage their health and play an essential role in improving health literacy skills. The next time you are curious about your health take a moment to visit my Ask The Expert page. Lack of knowledge is a disease that I am here to help cure.
Where do you fit in ?
How health literate are you?
This has been watching out for your health with Michelle Smith your Health and Social advocate Remember it's time to let your friends know about what you're reading. Thanks for sharing Please feel free to leave a comment
The common denominator and benefits of connecting our youths with black professionals has proven to be a very engaging and empowering experience for our young people. Amongst several other benefits it gives them a sense of knowing that their dreams are possible.
Your child deserves to be there !!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQVE2G813kw With great anticipation we hope you are able to give your time on Saturday February 27th, 2016 
