In this issue, we feature several new NCHPAD publications, including adaptive gardening for the spring planting season, and a series of aquatic video clips. More suggestions on the new My Pyramid Plan are provided in the nutrition section. We thank all who participated in identifying the accessibility problems in last month's photo. Answers to the quiz are provided below, as well as this month's accessibility photo.
1) Terry Fox's legacy of hope:
June 28, 2001 was the 20th anniversary of the death of Terry Fox. Fox died nine months after his cancer forced him to abandon his cross-country run, "The Marathon of Hope." In 10 years, the annual Terry Fox Run raised more than $250 million for cancer research worldwide. By 2004, according to the Terry Fox run website, it had surpassed $360 million.
Read more at http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#1.
2) Summer camp can have a life-changing positive impact for kids with disabilities. See a useful document, "Mom, I Want to Go to Camp," at http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#2. Also, be sure to use NCPAD's "Summer Camp Resources" document at http://www.ncpad.org/78/597/Camp~Resources. NCHPAD has recently updated our camp listings, and we encourage you to search for camps using our program database search option, as well as our Discover Camp booklet at http://www.ncpad.org/discover/index.html.
3) The National Council on Disability (NCD) is collecting written testimony from people with disabilities, their families, and their advocates on the impact the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 has had on their lives. The information received will be added to a body of data currently being assembled from a variety of sources to be analyzed and transmitted to the President and Congress in a report to be published in fall 2005.
Please send written comments on or before May 15, 2005, to Julie Carroll, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004 or jcarroll@ncd.gov. For more information, contact Mark Quigley or Julie Carroll at 202-272-2004.
4) During May, we celebrate many health observance days:
- ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Awareness Month: http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#3. Also see the NCHPAD ALS factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/118/920/Amyotrophic~Lateral~Sclerosis~and~Exercise.
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month: http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#4. Visit the NCHPAD osteoporosis factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/34/264/Osteoporosis.
- National Arthritis Month and the Annual Arthritis Walk: Go to http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#5 to locate a walk in your area. See the NCHPAD arthritis factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/3/3/Arthritis, and the osteoarthritis factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/107/818/Osteoarthritis~and~Exercise.
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month. For more information, such as health assessment tools and recipes, go to http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#6. View the NCHPAD hypertension factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/77/575/Hypertension.
- Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, May 12: To purchase a commemorative NFA wristband and request the 2005 Awareness Day poster, call 714-921-0150 or visit http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#7. See the NCHPAD fibromyalgia factsheet at http://www.ncpad.org/160/1201/Fibromyalgia~and~Exercise.
- Older Americans Month, with the theme of "Celebrate Long Term Living." Go to http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#8 for free materials. Also, May 25 is National Senior Health and Fitness Day. Obtain information and sign up at http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#9 or 800-828-8225.
- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. All age groups, including persons with and without disabilities, can get involved at http://www.ncpad.org/690/3159/2005-05-01#10.