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Although this winter in the Northeast has not been that traumatic, and with little snow fall, it has been long, brown and dreary. Folks around the United States have not been that lucky. There have been unusual temperature fluctuations, floods, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, severe snow storms, and ice storms all blamed on El Nino. It seems that our snowbirds are not that lucky this year. Trying to escape our cold, long, snowy winter has not been the trick! Southern states are not that warm. They have experienced usual weather patterns, cold, snow, ice, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. If you listen constantly to the weather report, you would get very discouraged. Look at out west. Storms have caused severe damage to towns, cities and villages, causing flooding, landslides. Other areas are experiencing drought. The mid-west has been ravaged by tornadoes, and flooding.
What about the rest of the world? It seems like we are hearing about unusual droughts in eastern Africa, with hungry and starving citizens. We are hearing about super-storms all over, causing severe weather disturbances. This affects the crops, food sources, housing, disease, and the like. Then, factor in all the refugees from war torn areas, including the Middle East and Africa, trying to relocate. What are ravages of war doing to our planet? All the bombing and destruction must make an impact on our environment.
What will our spring look like? I am wondering myself, as I leaf through seed catalogs,
dream, plan and plot out my container garden. What does God have in store for us?
Humans do forget that God is in command! We just have to trust in him! The land does heal itself. Humans have to adjust to change. Learning to respect the earth and all it’s resources is a good start for all of us. Yes, respect for the earth and it’s people and resources is all of our responsibilities. We need to continue teaching our young people about conservation, gardening, food production, cultivating the earth, mission experiences domestically or world-wide, and respecting our land. Even with all our resources, we still experience poverty,
hunger, homelessness, joblessness, human trafficking, crime, violence, drugs, loneliness, and poor health. It is our continuous responsibility to reach the population of poor and underserved. We have lots to do yet; our work is not finished...continue health advocacy….in Body, Mind
and Spirit….. Peace & Health to All, Kathy Medovich
The Mustard Seed
March/April 2016 Lourdes Publication for Parish Nurses & Health Ministers
Coordinator’s Corner ~ I am Dreaming of Spring!
A Time for Everything For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven...Ecclesiastes 3:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...Genesis 1:1
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Lourdes Parish Nursing & Health Ministry
2016 Monthly Meetings & Events
Memorial Park Baptist Church, Vestal, NY
*Note: Change of location for monthly meetings: Memorial Park Baptist Church,
1030 Front Street, Vestal, NY. Location is handicap accessible. Great Parking!
http://www.memorialparkbaptist.com/
Monthly Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Meetings
6-7:30 PM
No March Meeting
April 5, 2016
May 3, 2016
June 7, 2016
Lourdes Advisory Board Meetings
@ St. Vincent DePaul Church, Vestal ~ 4-5:30 PM
March 16, 2016
June 15, 2016
He who takes medicine and neglects
to diet wastes the skill
of his doctors...Chinese Proverb
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2016 National Health
Observances at a Glance
March National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Kidney Month
National Nutrition Month
National Problem Gambling Awareness Month
2 - 8 National Sleep Awareness Week ®
2 - 6 National School Breakfast Week
8 - 14 Patient Safety Awareness Week
15 - 21 National Poison Prevention Week
April Alcohol Awareness Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
National Donate Life Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
4 - 10 National Public Health Week
7 National Alcohol Screening Day ®
7 World Health Day
25 - 29 Every Kid Healthy™ Week
May Arthritis Awareness Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Food Allergy Action Month
Global Youth Traffic Safety Month
Healthy Vision Month
Mental Health Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
4 National Bike to School Day
5 Hand Hygiene Day
23 - 29 Healthy and Safe Swimming Week
25 National Senior Health & Fitness Day ®
31 World No Tobacco Day
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The coat lady spreads warmth for others Excerpts from article in Press Connects dated December 24, 2015
Helga Kunow (Christ the King Lutheran Church, Vestal, NY) calls herself “ the coat lady.” Helga is a retired nurse, active in her church, was a parish nurse for many years, but continues her passion for the Floating Hospital project. When January arrives, it’s time for Helga to start making visits to local stores to look for bargains on winter coats. She stores them in her Chenango Bridge home until November, when they will be loaded into a van and taken to New York City
for distribution to homeless children during the Christmas season. The garments go to The Floating Hospital, a private, nonprofit organization that serves homeless families in New York City. The organization, which is the oldest pediatric charity hospital in the city, has a rich history. It was founded in 1866 by the New York Times to give cruises to newsboys toiling in the dirty, sweltering city. For more than a century, its boat plied the harbor, bringing health care and entertainment to needy residents. Then, in 2003, the organization retired its last boat and became a land-based organization that operates a main clinic in Long Island City, a federally designated, medically under-served area. It also runs six clinics in homeless family and domestic violence shelters, and one clinic in a public housing project. In 2013, it provided 61,550 patient visits to families in need, officials said.
Helga learned about The Floating Hospital when a fellow member at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Vestal, gave a talk on the organization one Sunday. The message hit home emotionally for her, who is a New York City native. She thought of the poverty she saw in NYC. The first time was seven years ago and Helga raised $50 from members of her Bible study class. The number grew to 22 used and new coats in 2011; 94 new coats in 2012; and 157 new coats this 2015. She begins her coat shopping in January, scouting stores for the best buys while looking for coats in a wide range of styles and sizes, from infant to size 18. Helga pays for the coats out of her own pocket and then solicits reimbursement from Christ the King’s congregation, friends and family members. For the past two years, she’s also been helped by $250 donations from Thrivent, a Lutheran financial institution. The coats go to The Floating Hospital, along with hats, gloves and scarfs knitted by women from the Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Montrose, Pennsylvania, as noted from Sean Granahan, president of The Floating Hospital. They become part of Candy Cane Lane, a specially decorated area of the clinic where homeless families can select toys, clothing and educational supplies.
Helga Kunow’s hometown is Flushing, New York. She is a widow, mother of five children, has nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Helga retired after working for over 23 years as a registered nurse at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center, New York. The donations come from companies, businesses, churches and organizations. Donations to Helga Kunow’s coat effort can be made to: Christ The King Lutheran Church, 499 Plaza Drive, Vestal, NY 13850. Mark “for the coats” on the donation.
Way to Go, Helga! Keep up the Great Work of the Lord!
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Tobacco Kills: Key facts
Tobacco kills up to half of its users.
Tobacco kills around 6 million people each year. More than 5 million of those
deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600,000 are the
result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
Nearly 80% of the world's 1 billion smokers live in low-and middle-income
countries.
Leading cause of death, illness and impoverishment
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing around 6
million people a year. More than 5 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more
than 600,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
Nearly 80% of the more than 1 billion smokers worldwide live in low-and middle-income countries, where the
burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.
Tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of income, raise the cost of
health care and hinder economic development.
In some countries, children from poor households are frequently employed in tobacco
farming to provide family income. These children are especially vulnerable to "green
tobacco sickness", which is caused by the nicotine that is absorbed through the skin from the handling of
wet tobacco leaves.
Second-hand smoke kills
Second-hand smoke is the smoke that fills restaurants, offices or other enclosed spaces when people burn
tobacco products such as cigarettes, bidis and water-pipes. There are more than 4000 chemicals in tobacco
smoke, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.
There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary
heart disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes sudden death. In pregnant women, it causes low birth
weight.
Almost half of children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places.
Second-hand smoke causes more than 600 000 premature deaths per year.
In 2004, children accounted for 28% of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke. Every person
should be able to breathe tobacco-smoke-free air. Smoke-free laws protect the health of non-smokers,
are popular, do not harm business and encourage smokers to quit.
Over 1.3 billion people, or 18% of the world's population, are protected by comprehensive national
smoke-free laws.
In support of World No Tobacco Day, talk to your doctor, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit
www.smokefree.gov for more information and support. http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en/
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To one who has faith, no
explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no
explanation is possible.
...Thomas Aquinas
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A New Hope Center El Salvador Medical Mission Birthright BCCC FIA Volunteers Lourdes Occupational Health - Flu Clinics Health Fairs/ Health Seminars Danielle House Office for Aging Mustard Seed Newsletter Rural Health Network – Food and Health Network ACT Meal Health Ministry Visitations Bereavement Prayer Chains Prayer Shawl Ministries Soup Kitchens & Food Pantries Rescue Mission SOS Shelter YWCA/YMCA BCCC Jail Ministry Catholic Charities National Health Conventions Haiti Missions Neighbors Helping Neighbors Tioga County Rural Ministry MHAST Sky Lake Camp Nursing Pilot Home Discharge Follow-Up: 4 churches Family Anonymous
Family & Children’s Home Options Donate Life-Organ Donation
Caregiver Support Groups CPR/AED/First Aid
Blood Pressure Screenings Hand Hygiene & Flu Season
Legion of Mary Altar Guild
Angel Trees First Aid Kits
Craft Fair Plant Sale
Operation Christmas Child-Shoe Boxes Stephen’s Ministry
Back Door Reading from your Parish Nurse Hospice & Palliative Care
Blood Drives Support Groups
Altar Rosary Society Health Surveys
Bed Roll Ministries/Crazy Quilts Brochure racks/bulletin boards
Cooperative Extension - Volunteers Mother Teresa’s Food Pantry
Youth Services Volunteers of America
Mom’s House Samaritan House
Brochure racks, lending libraries Healthy kitchens
Mental Health First Aid Pastoral Care
Eucharistic ministry
Community Outreach Samplings
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184 Court Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
www.lourdes.com
607-621-6735
Monthly Meetings @ Memorial Park Baptist Church
1030 Front Street, Vestal, NY 13850
Continue to Pray for those who are ill, homebound, or have passed away. Pray for families and friends, and may they feel Peace in the Lord…..AMEN
