February 2, 2023
Next Week's Calendar |
February 7
Breastfeeding Class6 - 8 p.m.
FHN Memorial Hospital Globe Room (lower level), 1045 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport
Instructor is Annette Gielenfeldt. For more information or to register, visit fhn.org/ob or call 815-599-6221.
February 8
Blood Pressure Screening12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 625 Country Lane, Lena
Open to the public;
no cost or registration required.
Prenatal Class
5 - 8:30 p.m.
FHN Memorial Hospital, 1045 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport - Conference Dining Room
This class provides information about pregnancy, labor, delivery, cesarean sections and postpartum recovery. Register at fhn.org/ob, or for more information, call
815-599-6221.
February 9
Blood Pressure Screening10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Salvation Army, 106 W. Exchange Street, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.
View all events
View past issues of the Focus
Welcome |
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Coming up in this week's issue of The Focus you'll find:
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Youth Alcohol Use, Vaping Trend Down; Marijuana Use Up |
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The results of the 2022 Illinois Youth Survey (IYS) have been reported, with a mixed picture of youth drug and alcohol use in Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties.
The confidential, self-reported survey has been offered to area students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades by the University of Illinois every two years since the late 1990s.
The IYS provides schools and local health agencies current data from students to understand youth attitudes and behaviors that can impact social problems and academic success. The survey covers a variety of topics including bullying, physical activity, nutrition, substance use/misuse, perceptions of school climate, and mental health.
The IYS data is used by schools and health agencies to help plan prevention programming to help reduce youth alcohol and drug misuse and also for grant funding opportunities. The schools can share the IYS data with local coalitions and other stakeholders to encourage and support collaborative efforts.
Although past-year alcohol use is between 24 – 31 percent in the 10th grade, it increases to 44 – 52 percent in the 12th grade, with more than 50 percent of the students who drank reporting that they received the alcohol from their parents.
The percentage of alcohol use has been declining over the past four years, but the past-year use of marijuana is now between 23 – 25 percent of 12th grade students.
Research over the years has identified the following risk factors for underage alcohol and other substance misuse: Antisocial behaviors, perceptions of peer substance use, low perceived risk of harm, poor family-youth relationships, and parental acceptance of substance use, school absenteeism, and availability and marketing of substances to youth. FHN has been the recipient of the Illinois Department of Human Services Substance Use Prevention Services (SUPS) grant. The grant provides funding for community and school-based programs to help decrease youth alcohol and other substances misuse. Some of the services include comprehensive communication campaigns and multi-session youth prevention education programs in the middle and high schools.
For additional information, please visit the FHN/SUPS website at fhn.org/SUP to view and download the 2022 Jo Daviess County and the 2022 Stephenson County State of our Youth booklets. For additional information about the Illinois Youth Survey visit hiys.cprd.illinois.edu. |
IMAGINE-a-bowl to Benefit Pediatric Therapy at FHN |
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The FHN Foundation is pleased to present an evening of bowling in support of improvements to FHN Memorial Hospital’s pediatric therapy department.
IMAGINE-a-bowl will be held Thursday, April 27 at 4 Seasons Bowling Center, 1100 W. Galena Avenue in Freeport. Check-in begins at 5 p.m. with the first ball thrown at 6 p.m.
Teams of up to 6 bowlers are encouraged to bring out their inner child and dress up for the evening. Individuals may raise or donate the $50 entry fee; pledge forms are available on the registration page. Those who raise at least $100 will receive a Striking Success for Children t-shirt, and individuals who raise $250 or more will receive a Striking Success for Children
All proceeds raised will go toward room renovations, a new storage area, and equipment for the pediatric therapy area at FHN Memorial Hospital.
For more information or to register, visit fhn.org/strikingsuccess or contact the FHN Foundation at 815-599-6900 or [email protected]. Those who cannot attend may donate to the pediatric therapy department renovations at the link above. |
Share Your FHN Pride! Shop Online for Gear and Gifts |
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Working at FHN means you help people for a living! Show your pride by wearing a logoed shirt, carrying an FHN water bottle, or using logoed golf balls, and share your pride by gifting a special FHN coffee mug, shirt and more. Log in to the FHN Online Store to find a variety of clothing for men and women, ranging from business attire to workout gear to scrubs, all bearing the FHN logo. You’ll also find sports goods like workout towels and golf balls, fun drinkware and lots of other options for gifts – or for yourself! “Hard goods” like drinkware and gift items will be delivered FREE via interoffice mail within 3 business days. Apparel and headwear items will be delivered within 10 – 15 business days and shipping charges do apply. All of the FHN Online Store items are exclusive to our store – we’ve coordinated with Lori’s Gifts at FHN Memorial Hospital to make sure there’s no selection overlap. If we don’t have the item you’re looking for, let us know and we may be able to add it to our selection! Bookmark the FHN Online Store and keep checking back – we add new items often! |
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Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health |
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February is …
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) / Low Vision Awareness
Month
International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
National Cancer Prevention Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Teen Dating
Violence Awareness Month Weeks to note:
Congenital Heart
Defect Awareness Week February 7 – 14 Days to note:
National Wear Red Day February 3
Give Kids A Smile ® Day February 3 World
Cancer Day February 4 National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day February 7 The United States celebrates Black History Month in February. Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of Black history, is greatly owed to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who first launched “Negro History Week” in 1926. Woodson chose February because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly impacted the American Black population, Abraham Lincoln (president of the United States who freed slaves during the Civil War) and Frederick Douglass (who worked to end slavery) both have birthdays in February. The purpose of this month is to recognize the contributions of Black Americans and develop a better understanding of the Black experience. February also is Black History Month in Canada. In December, 1995, the Parliament of Canada recognized February as Black History Month following a motion introduced by the first African Canadian woman elected to Parliament, Jean Augustine. The presence of peoples of African descent in Canada dates back further than Samuel de Champlain’s first voyage down the St. Lawrence River. Buffalo dances are performed in Hopi reserves during the January – February Hopi Holy Cycle. Days vary according to each community. Mauritius celebrates the country’s Abolition of Slavery on February 1. The struggle for freedom of the slaves in Mauritius during the Dutch period between 1638 and 1710 is remembered and honored. February 2 is Imbolg for people of the Wiccan faith. Imbolg comes from an archaic Gaelic expression “in the belly,” which signaled the first stirrings of life within the womb of mother Earth. Corn dolls are burned as offerings to the sun to hasten his return. The people of Japan celebrate Setsubun-Sai on February 3. It is known as “Bean Throwing Night.” Beans are thrown to protect against demons with shouts of “devil out, good fortune in!” Thaipoosam Cavadee is celebrated February 5 by the people of India and Mauritius. Hindus of Tamil origin celebrate in honor of Kartikeya, Granter of Wishes, and the second son of Shiva. Devotees with their tongues, cheeks, and body pierced with needles, hooks, and skewers dance their way trance-like to the temple carrying the Cavadee – a wooden arch covered with flowers with a pot of milk at each end of its base. New Zealand celebrates Waitangi Day on February 6. The day commemorates the signing of a treaty at Waitangi on February 6, 1840 by a group of Maori chiefs and the British government. It honors the rights of the British Crown and also the rights of the Maori people, which are now in the process of being reclaimed. For people of the Jewish faith, February 6 is Tu B’Shevat (Arbor Day). The day celebrates Judaism’s roots in the natural world. It is a holiday and known as the New Year for Trees. Special meals include eating the seven fruits of the land – wheat, barley, figs, grapes, pomegranates, olives, and dates. |
Our Sympathy |
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We extend our sympathy to ... Mykia Bruce (BH Rehab) on the death of her grandmother. Lisa Koser (HVD) on the death of her stepfather. |
Classified Ads |
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Do you have something to sell? The Focus accepts classified ads. The cost of each ad is a $2 donation to Partners in Giving. The fee needs to be sent directly to the Foundation. The deadline to submit ads for each Focus is 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication. Please submit your classified ad information to Tammy Edler, and send your donation to the Foundation. |
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The Focus is composed of submitted content. |