Page A 7
May 14, 2008
H ealth MATTERS
H ealth W atch
Kidney Classes Tackle Disease
Multicultural
approach earns
high honors
Ready or N o t? -T h u rsd a y , May 28, from 6:30to8:30p.m ., learn how
to prepare your fam ily for a m ajor disaster. T he class is free. T o
register, call 503-335-3500.
C hildbirth Preparation - Fridays, beginning May 30, from 7 to 9
p.m., the four-week series to help first-time parents prepare fo ra more
com fortable labor and delivery with lectures, practice and discus­
sions; $85 per couple. T o register, call 503-574-6595.
Infant M assage - W ednesdays, beginning June 4, from 6:45 to 8 p.m.,
this four-w eek class teaches the rhythm ic m assage strokes designed
to relax your baby (up to 6 m onths) and you; $45 per couple and b aby.
To register, call 503-574-6595.
by R aymond R endleman
T he P ortland O bserver
A dedicated group o f volunteer
educators has focused on the kid­
ney to battle its connection with an
epidemic o f heart disease, obesity,
diabetes and drug use.
Often forcing painful, tim e-con­
suming treatm ents and early death,
kidney disease alters the lives o f 26
million Am ericans this year, up 30
percent from the year before. The
M ulticultural Integrated Kidney
Education (MIKE) Program aims to
reverse those outcom es for future
generations.
Recently honored with a Public
H ea lth H ero aw a rd fro m the
M ultnomah County Health D epart­
ment, the M IKE program is geared
to inner-city high-school teachers
and students.
“In contrast to a kiss-and-tell ap­
proach, where you kiss a subject, tel I
about it and leave, the MIKE pro­
gram really changes the context of
people’s lives,” says Dr. Cheryl Neal,
the program president who founded
it as tribute to the work o f her hus-
Big Brother & Big Sisters - Saturday. May 17 from 10 to 11 a.m .,
this special sibling class is for ages 3-6, to help prepare them for their
new role as a big brother or sister. Parents m ust be present. T o
register, call 503-574-6595.
Breaking the C ycle M en ’s C onference - Saturday, June 7, from 8
a.m. to4p.m .,C alvary Christian Center, 126N.E. Alberta St., will host
the w orkshop for men o f all ages to discuss health, nutrition,
addiction, com m unication and other issues facing men today. To
register, cal1503-422-8573.
Venasha Williams (from left), Pablo Juan, Dr. Cheryl Neal and Antonio Askew celebrate the suc­
cess o f a multicultural approach to learning about keeping your kidney healthy and preventing
heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
band. Dr. Michael Hartnett, after he
diedof lymphoma in 2000.
O ne o f the first things that stu­
dents recognize is the im portance
o f giving up soft drinks in favor of
water. They construct m odels o f a
kidney’s filtration system using
household objects like rags, colan­
ders, bowls, sponges and baskets.
Later on in the program, groups
visit a d ialy sis cen ter and the
anatom y lab at Oregon Health Sci­
ences University. Although one of
the program 's goals involves en ­
co uraging m inority students to
enter health professions, it begins
with challenging the assumptions
that com e with various econom ic
backgrounds.
W rapping up sem esters at three
schools this year, the program aims
to expand to five by next year.
The public is invited to learn
more at M IK Eprogram .org or at a
MIKE open house on W ednesday,
May 2 1 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at 9340
S.W . Barnes Road, Suite I00B.
Streaks fo r Stroke Supports
Salon assists health
campaign awareness
In a month-long event called Streaks for
Stroke, R obert’s o f Portland salon. Provi­
dence Stroke C enter and the A m erican Heart
A ssociation have team ed up to educate the
public about stroke risk and recognizing the
signs o f stroke.
T he event kicked o ff M ay 3, at Lloyd
C en ter M all w hen R o b e rt’s stylists offered
free red h air ex ten sio n s to anyone w anting
to show th eir su p p o rt for stroke aw are­
ness. D ozens o f p eo p le left the m all w ear­
ing a b rig h t red streak in th eir hair. At a
table nearby, P ro v id en ce nu rses offered
b lo o d p re ssu re s c re e n in g s an d h elp ed
people assess th eir risk o f h aving a stroke.
Salons around the country have taken part
in a sim ilar program , which has proven to be
an effective way to increase stroke aw are­
Free red hair extensions are given to custom­
ness.
.
ers
o f Roberts o f Portland Salon in a promo­
Stroke is the third leading cause o f death
tion
to educate the public about stroke risk
in A m erica. On average, every 43 seconds
and
recognizing
the signs o f stroke.
som eone suffers a stroke.
M anaging C hronic Hepatitis C — Third W ednesday o f each m onth
at 5 p.m., the inform ative session led by a registered nurse to help
m anage side effects o f m edications and dosage preparations and
adm inistration; d octor’s referral required. To register, call 503-251-
6313.
•
Maternity W ater W orkout - Helping new moms regain muscle tone,
strength and flexibility, all in the support and freedom o f the water.
Call 503-256-4000form ore information.
Peer-to- Peer Recovery - Peer-to-peer education recovery is a free
nine-w eek course for mental health patients. M entors w ho are
recovering from mental illness are trained to teach coping strategies
toothers. For more inform ation, call 503-228-5692.
Bereavem ent Support G roups -Free, safe confidential groupm eet-
ings for those who have experienced the death o f a loved one offered
on various nights and locations. For inform ation and registration,
call 503-215-4622.
Leg Alert Screening - Check for peripheral arterial disease with this
safe, sim ple screening using ankle and arm blood pressure. T he fee
is $40. To schedule an appointm ent, call 503-251-6137.
Stroke Alert Screening -C heck yourcarotid arteries with apainless
ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40. To schedule a screening, call
503-251-6137.
Parenting C lasses — N ew borns d o n ’t com e with instruction m anu­
als, but parents and parents-to-be can learn about a variety o f topics
from pain and childbirth to breastfeeding to infant CPR and much
m ore. For a schedule o f events, call 503-574-6595 or visit:
provid en ce.o rg /classes.
C ancer R esource C enter - Providence St. V incent M edical C enter
and the A m erican Red Cross have jo in ed forces to create the first in-
hospital resource center providing books, printed material, com puter
access and more for individuals and fam ilies dealing with cancer. The
center is open M onday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PIL All star Banquet
Thursday May 29th, 2008
Time 7pm - 9pm
Salvation Army
5335 North Williams Ave
Portland OR 97217
Proceeds Go To
The Joyce Washington Scholarship Fund
Purchase your Tickets today at
The Portland Observer
4747 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Portland OR 97211
503-288-0033
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- —