Press Releases
Year
December 1st is World AIDS Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2010
Contact
Candi Crause, Director
(217) 531-5372 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
December 1st is World AIDS Day
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Everyone to Get Tested.
Champaign, IL – Annually, December 1st is observed as World AIDS Day in an effort to raise awareness of the global impact of HIV/AIDS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States and 33.4 million worldwide. More than 18,000 people with AIDS die each year in the U.S.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages people to get tested and know their status. The CDC estimates that of the one million people living in the United States with HIV, one in five is unaware of their infection. According to Candi Crause, Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management, “HIV is 100% preventable. The key to overcoming this epidemic is to not only educate people on the facts of HIV/AIDS but to open the lines of communication. HIV spreads through silence and lack of knowledge.”
CUPHD provides case management services for nearly 300 HIV-positive clients in 11 counties in Illinois. Services include medical and dental assistance, nutritional assistance, utility and housing assistance, legal assistance, mental health assistance, and support group assistance.
CUPHD’s Infectious Disease division offers HIV education, prevention, testing, and treatment at the 201 West Kenyon Road facility in Champaign. Testing is available Monday thru Friday by appointment, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and during clinic hours on Mondays from 4:00 – 5:30 PM (men only), Tuesdays from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, and Thursdays from 9:00 – 11:00 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM.
For more information on HIV/AIDS or to schedule a test, call (217) 239-7827 or visit www.c-uphd.org.
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Download 2010-11-30-World-AIDS-Day
Governor Quinn Proclaims Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Illinois
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2010
Contact
Melaney Arnold, Communications Manager
(217) 558-0500
Governor Quinn Proclaims Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Illinois
An estimated 9,320 women in Illinois will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Governor Pat Quinn today declared October 2010 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Illinois to educate women about breast cancer and the importance of early detection through mammography. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women. The Illinois State Cancer Registry projects 9,320 women in Illinois will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, and an estimated 1,880 women in Illinois will lose their life to breast cancer this year.
“We are bringing a focus to breast cancer this month because awareness, prevention and early detection gives us the best chance to fight this disease that has devastated too many women and their families,” said Governor Quinn. “There’s no better time than during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to go get screened for breast cancer and eliminate risks for getting the disease.”
“Early detection of breast cancer is the key to beating the disease, and mammograms remain the best test to detect breast cancer early,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Damon T. Arnold. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a great reminder every year for women to get screened for breast cancer and take steps to lower their risk of the disease.”
When breast cancer starts out, it is too small to feel and does not cause signs and symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As it grows, however, breast cancer can cause changes in how the breast looks or feels.
Symptoms may include:
- New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
- Pain in any area of the breast.
Ways to lower the risk of breast cancer include:
- Exercise regularly and control your weight.
- Know your family history of breast cancer.
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) provides free breast exams, mammograms, pelvic exams, and Pap tests to uninsured women. IBCCP has provided 29,155 women with free breast screenings in the past fiscal year alone.
For more information on breast cancer, log onto the Illinois Department of Public Health Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/cancer/types/publications_breast.htm. For more information on the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, log onto www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/ibccp/index.htm.
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Adult Flu Clinics for Medicaid and Medicare Recipients
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2010
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Adult Flu Clinics for Medicaid and Medicare Recipients
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is holding Adult Seasonal Flu Clinics October 6th and 7th
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is holding adult (18 years-of-age and older) seasonal flu vaccination clinics next week on Wednesday, October 6th and Thursday, October 7th. CUPHD will accept Medicaid, Medicare, Visa, Master Card, check, or cash. Private health insurance is not accepted and those individuals are encouraged to check with their healthcare provider for scheduled clinics. Anyone wishing to pay for the vaccination during a CUPHD clinic, the cost will be $35.00 for influenza and $55.00 for pneumonia. Clinics for children who qualify for the Vaccine for Children Program (VCP) will be held later in the month once vaccine arrives.
Each year, CUPHD utilizes flu vaccination clinics as emergency mass vaccination preparedness. This year, flu vaccine will be distributed from multiple sites as a component of the drill; Champaign, Urbana, Rantoul, and Tolono. Tolono will be a drive-thru clinic; all other clinics will be walk-in. Flu clinics will be held at the following times and locations:
Wednesday, October 6th
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Tolono West Fire Department (Drive-thru)
102 West Linden
Tolono
Rantoul Recreation Department
100 East Flessner
Rantoul
Hayes Center
1311 West Church Street
Champaign
Phillips Recreation Center
505 West Stoughton Street
Urbana
Thursday, October 7th
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
CUPHD
201 West Kenyon Road
Champaign
“The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get a flu vaccination each year and this year’s vaccination includes H1N1 in addition to influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B,” said Julie A. Pryde, CUPHD Administrator. “It takes about two weeks for your body to develop antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus. The flu season can begin as early as October and can last as late as May.”
The flu vaccine contains “killed virus” so people cannot get sick with the flu from taking a flu shot; however, different side effects can be associated with the flu shot. Some minor side effects could include soreness, redness, or swelling at the inoculation site, low-grade fever, or body aches. If these problems occur, they will begin soon after the shot, and usually last 1 to 2 days. On rare occasions, flu vaccine can cause severe allergic reactions, and is not recommended for people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, or who have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination in the past. People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should not be vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.
Additional influenza planning resources and information are available at www.stock2forflu.com and www.c-uphd.org.
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