The Inova health system and its cancer centers are offering the following programs and classes free of charge to those in the community. Call 703-698-2841 to register.
Life with Cancer Family Center, 2832 Juniper St., Merrifield:
* Thyroid Cancer Support Group, Saturday, March 2, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon.
Monthly group for thyroid cancer survivors, their friends and families, sponsored by the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association. Call 1-877-588-7904 for more information;
* On My Own. Monday, March 4, 7:15-8:30 p.m.
For singles aged 40-plus to discuss the challenges and coping strategies of having cancer and living alone;
* Moving On. Mondays and Wednesdays, March 4-April 24, 3:15-4:15 p.m. An 8-week exercise series class for cancer survivors in treatment or remission designed to increase muscle strength, endurance and flexibility; improve fatigue; and enhance overall well-being;
* Brain Tumor Group. Tuesday, March 5, noon-1:30 p.m.
An educational support group for adult patients and their families to share and learn ways to meet the challenge of living with a primary malignant or benign brain tumor;
* Relaxation and Imagery Techniques. Wednesdays, March 6, 13 and 20, 1:15-2:45 p.m. Learn techniques proved to be effective in enhancing quality of life, and symptom and stress management;
* Children’s Educational Support Program. Wednesdays, March 6-April 10, 5:15-6:15 p.m. Group discussion and activities for ages 5-12 to learn about cancer and find ways to manage the emotions and changes that come when someone in the family has cancer;
* Teen’s Educational Support Program. Wednesdays, March 6-April 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. This group helps teens 13-17 to express themselves and understand the changes that come when someone in the family has cancer;
* Healing Touch. Thursdays, March 7, 14 and 21, 10:30-noon.
Demonstration of basic healing-touch techniques useful in promoting healing and well-being;
* Advanced Relaxation and Imagery Techniques. Mondays, March 11 and 25, 1:15-2:45 p.m. Deepen your imagery experience;
* Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster. Monday, March 11, 7:15-8:30 p.m. An overview of Peggy Huddleston’s workshop for presurgical patients;
* Spirituality Quest. Tuesday, March 12, 10:30-noon. A monthly educational support group that explores spirituality throughout the cancer experience;
* Look Good, Feel Better. Tuesday, March 12, 7-9 p.m. A professional cosmetologist will share skin, hair and cosmetic tips to help you look your best during treatment;
* Improving the Cancer Experience. Wednesday, March 13, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. An overview of cancer, treatments, management of side effects, and how to communicate effectively with your health-care team. Lunch provided;
* Leukemia Group. Thursday, March 14, 7:15-9 p.m. For leukemia patients, family members and friends;
* Carcinoid Cancer Group. Saturday, March 16, 10 a.m.-12 noon. For carcinoid cancer patients and their adult family and friends;
* Writing to Wellness. Monday, March 18, 7:15-8:45 p.m.
A monthly facilitated session using writing and discussion to help manage and possibly grow through the challenges of living with cancer;
* Gyn Cancer Group. Wednesday, March 18, 5:30-7 p.m.
Monthly group for women diagnosed with ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers to share experiences, concerns and insights while learning coping skills;
* Multiple Myeloma. Tuesday, March 19, 12:30-2 p.m. Discussion: “Recent Developments and Future Directions in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma”;
* Young Adults with Cancer. Tuesday, March 19, 7:30-9 p.m.
Monthly group for “18 to 30-somethings”;
* Lung Cancer Group. Wednesday, March 20, 5:30-7 p.m.
Monthly group for lung cancer patients and families;
* Nutrition and Cancer. Wednesday, March 20, 1:30-3 p.m.
A certified nutrition specialist will provide guidance to those living with cancer;
* Seminar for Survivors: The Role of Spirituality in Health and Illness. Thursday, March 21, 7:15-9 p.m. Learn how spirituality can be beneficial to people dealing with chronic illness;
* Lymphedema Group. Wednesday, March 27, 7-8:30 p.m.
Educational support group for patients with hereditary or secondary lymphedema, resulting from surgery, radiation, or trauma to the lymphatic system;
* In Recognition of Colorectal Cancer Month. Thursday, March 28, 7:15-9 p.m. A panel of health-care professionals will give an update on the latest in treatment and diagnosis, management and support of colorectal cancer.
Inova Alexandria Hospital, 4320 Seminary Road:
* Pastoral Care Support Group. Wednesdays, March 6-27, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nondenominational group facilitated by the hospital chaplain for individuals with a cancer diagnosis. Call 703-504-3852 for more information;
* Breast Cancer and Nutrition. Thursday, March 14, 1-2 p.m.
Nutritional issues for women dealing with breast cancer, its treatments, or aftereffects;
* Prostate Cancer Support Group. Tuesday, March 19, 6-8 p.m. Monthly meeting for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their partners. Call 703-768-6001.
Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church:
* United Ostomy Association: Long-Term Care. Sunday, March 3, 1:30-4 p.m. Conference Rooms D, E, F. A discussion of long-term health-care insurance, its importance, and who may need it. Call 703-802-3457;
* Breast Cancer Group. Wednesdays, March 6 and 20, 5:30-7 p.m. Women’s Center Radiation Oncology Conference Room, Blue parking garage. Support group for women living with early-stage breast cancer;
* Lymphedema Awareness. Wednesday, March 6, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Atrium. To raise public awareness, educational and resource material will be displayed, and therapists and those with lymphedema will be available to answer questions;
* Caregivers Meeting. Wednesdays, March 6-27, 7-8:30 p.m. Women’s Center Radiation Oncology Conference Room, Blue parking garage. Meetings for family members to discuss coping strategies, support, and information related to cancer, its treatment, and more;
* Prostate Cancer Support Group. Tuesday, March 12, 7:30-9 p.m. Physician’s Conference Center. An update on surgical techniques;
* Heads Up! Wednesday, March 13, 5:30-7 p.m. Women’s Center Radiation Oncology Conference Room, Blue parking garage. Educational support group for current and former head and neck cancer patients and their significant others;
* Sibling Support Day. Friday, March 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Ronald McDonald House. A fun-filled day for 5- to 12-year-old siblings of pediatric cancer patients with education, art and games. Call 703-208-5623.
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, 3700 Joseph Siewick Drive, Fairfax:
* Cancer Support Group. Tuesdays, March 12 and 26, 7-8:30 p.m. Medical Office Building, Conference Room A. General support group for patients and family members. Topic on March 12: Taking Charge of Money Matters.
Haven of Northern Virginia, 4606 Ravensworth Road, Annandale, offers several free, ongoing support groups. Call 703-941-7000 or visit www.havenofnova.org for more information.
* General Bereavement Group, for anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Meets the first and third Wednesday of each month. Upcoming meetings: March 6 and 20, 7:30-9 p.m.;
* Spousal Bereavement Group, for anyone grieving the death of a spouse. Two groups, first and third Thursday of each month, upcoming meetings, March 7 and 21, 2-3:30 p.m.; and second and fourth Tuesday of each month, upcoming meetings, March 12 and 26, 7:30-9 p.m.;
* Suicide Survivors Bereavement Group, for anyone grieving the lost of a loved one to suicide. Meets the first Tuesday of each month. Upcoming meetings: March 5 and April 2, 7:30-9 p.m.
Beginning Monday, April 1, Haven of Northern Virginia will offer a free, six-week support group for adults who have experienced the death of their mother before reaching adulthood. The group will meet from 7:30-9 p.m. at 4606 Ravensworth Road, Annandale. Reservations are required. Call 703-941-7000.
Hospice of Northern Virginia is offering a drop-in Grief Support Group at Westwood Baptist Church, 8200 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield. The group will begin on April 18 and meet on an ongoing basis on Thursdays, noon-1 p.m. Call 703-538-2064.
To help Virginians make better-informed health-care purchasing decisions, Virginia Health Information (VHI), a nonprofit independent organization, has published information on its Web site, www.vhi.org, that reports on the inpatient cardiac care provided at all licensed hospitals in Virginia. The information compares their performance and mortality outcomes. VHI’s study is based on over 100,000 cardiac patient discharges submitted by Virginia hospitals for the year 2000.
<lst>The Mind & Body Workshop, a therapeutic program aimed at helping people improve and maintain memory and cognitive function, is beginning its spring session on March 6. The session runs every first and third Wednesday through May 15, 10 a.m.-noon at the Alzheimer’s Family Day Center, 2036 Westmoreland St., Falls Church. Call Lin Noyes, clinical director, at 703-532-8899, for fees, information and registration.
The Virginia Department of Health recommends three different types of safety seats before safety belts:
(1) Rear-facing infant seat for infants through at least 1 year and at least 20 pounds. Not to be used in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag.
(2) Forward-facing child safety seat for children from 1 to approximately 4 who weigh 20-40 pounds.
(3) Booster seat: for children who have outgrown forward-facing safety seats (approximately 4 through at least 8, or over 4 feet 9 inches tall).
(4. Seat belts: for children at least 8 or over 4 feet 9 inches tall. Children under 12 should ride in the vehicle’s rear seat, which test studies have found is safer.
The state health department’s Center for Injury and Violence Prevention offers the following tips for choosing safety seats:
* Fit the child. Buy a seat appropriate for weight, height and age of the child. Each make and model has minimum and maximum limits.
* Fit the vehicle. Vehicle and safety seat incompatibility is a major factor in childhood injury. Try several models to determine the best fit for the vehicle. The seat should fit snugly with no more than an inch of movement from left to right.
* Fit the lifestyle. Choose a seat that fits your lifestyle and physical ability so you can use it properly every time. Read the instructions carefully and take the time to install and use the seat correctly every time your child goes for a ride.
Call 1-800-732-8333 or visit www.vahealth.org/civp for more information on child passenger safety.
Beginning Thursday, Feb. 28, Haven of Northern Virginia will offer a free, six-week support group for suicide survivors. The group is open to anyone who has had a loved one die by suicide and will meet from 7:30-9 p.m. at 4606 Ravensworth Road in Annandale. Call 703-941-7000.
Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Centreville United Methodist Church, 6400 Centreville Road. Facilitated by trained group leaders, ongoing, free and open to the community. Groups allow families to meet other caregivers, to share experiences and caregiving tips while developing coping skills. Caregivers and family members are invited to visit. Call the Alzheimer's Association, National Capital Area, before attending for verification of times and locations. Call toll free: 866-259-0042.
An Eating Disorders Support Group for family and friends will be held at Centreville High School's faculty dining room on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Free. The group will deal with coping with stress, sharing experiences and focus topics. Call Beryl Dandridge at 703-904-1876 or Maggie Cissel at 703-335-6324 for directions.
The Naomi Project, a program providing high-risk pregnant women with help in becoming good mothers, needs volunteer mentors. One hour a week, fit to the volunteer’s schedule and the client’s availability, is required. Spring training begins March 14. For information call program coordinator Peggy Ferguson at 703-860-2633. Spanish-speaking volunteers are especially needed.
The American Cancer Society’s Mid-Atlantic Division hosts its 24th annual “Daffodil Days.” Money raised by sales of daffodils (known as the flower of hope) will go to aid the Cancer Society’s programs of research, public education and patient services. Fresh-cut daffodils will be $6 a bunch.
Shoplifter’s Anonymous offers a new 12-step meeting program for those who wish to stop compulsive shoplifting. The group meets every Thursday, 7-8 p.m., at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 7426 Idylwood Road. Call Sue at 703-759-0396 or Carol at 703-764-0347 to confirm the meeting date.
The Northern Virginia Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome/Dysautonomia (MVPS/D) and Delayed Orthostatic Intolerance Support Group has moved its meeting site to Centreville. It meets the second Tuesday of every month from noon-2 p.m. at a residence at 14404 Brookmere Drive, Centreville (Sully Station). The group, which formerly met at the Reston Hospital Medical Plaza, is facilitated by Eleanor Brosius. Call 703-968-9818 or e-mail EleanorBB@aol.com.
Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome does not deal with the heart-valve condition known as mitral valve prolapse but with an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system that can cause a myriad of symptoms, from very mild to severely disabling. Some common symptoms are feeling too hot or too cold or both, phantom chest pain, rapid heart beat or pounding heart beats, lightheadedness, heat intolerance, alcohol intolerance, anxiety or depression or both, and difficulty standing in lines.
Currently the local group has more than 200 members, but meeting size is usually fewer than 10 unless a speaker is invited. The group is predominantly women, but MVPS/D occurs in men and children as well. Treatments include medications, diet changes, lifestyle adjustments, nutritional supplements and fluid management. For more information:
*ww.ndrf.org (National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, 1-651-267-0525);
* www.mitralvalveprolapse.com (The Society for MVP Syndrome, 1-630-250-9327);
* www.mitral.com (Florida Institute for Cardiovascular Care, 1-877-964-3278).
Children’s Services of Virginia Inc. is seeking foster parents in the area. Call 703-331-0075 or visit www.childrensservicesofva.com for more information.
The Fairfax County Department of Family Services is currently recruiting volunteers for its BeFriend-a-Parent Program. Volunteers build a trusting mentor relationship with a Family Service client through listening, learning and working together on parenting and personal needs and skills. A one-year commitment is required, and eight to 10 hours a month are spent with the client. Males and Hispanics are especially needed. The next training is being held Wednesday and Thursday, March 13 and 14, 6-9 p.m., at the Pennino Building in Fairfax across from the Fairfax County Government Center. Call Laurie Eytel at 703-324-7871 or visit www.co.fairfax.va.us/service/dfs for more information.
The department is also seeking volunteers for their BeFriend-a-Child program. Mentors serve child clients of the department who have been neglected or abused, are at risk for neglect or abuse, or have other significant needs. Mentors and children enjoy one-on-one outings and educational and recreational group activities, such as parties and picnics, parks, and museums. Men, African-American, Latino and volunteers from southern Fairfax County are especially needed. Volunteers must be 21 or older and able to make a one-year commitment. Volunteers are screened, interviewed and trained, and then matched with a child. For more information and to register, call Chuck Berlin at 703-324-7874.
The Alzheimer’s Family Day Center has a support group for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their spouses. The couples participate in a potluck dinner along with discussion/support group. The dinner has educational as well as social benefits through speaking to and learning from others who are “going through the same thing.” The dinners are held at the Family Day Center, 2036 Westmoreland St., Falls Church, 6-8 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Call Joan at 703-532-8899 to register or for information.
The Alzheimer’s Family Day Center, 2036 Westmoreland St., Falls Church, will offer its Mind and Body Workshop on first and third Wednesdays, March 6-May 15, 10 a.m.-noon.
The workshop’s goals are to enhance memory and stretch the mind in a fun atmosphere. Activities include “brain games,” memory exercises, discussion/support groups, physical exercises, and practicing techniques to remember. Call Joan Dutchess at 703-532-8899 for fee and registration information.
Mothers & More is a support group for mothers who have altered their career paths to care for their children at home. General meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. Admission is free, and visitors are welcome. Call 703-234-3417.
Life with Cancer is sponsoring a Bowling Social for teens with cancer. Join other teens in treatment or in recovery for an afternoon of fun. Call Jenny Eckert at 703-208-5623 for more information.
The AARP Widowed Persons Service sponsors free weekly support groups to anyone widowed less than two years. Monthly educational meetings, travel and other activities are also offered. Call 301-949-7398 for more information.
A Smoke-Free Dining Guide for Fairfax, Oakton and Vienna is available from the Northern Virginia Alliance on Smoking or Health. The guide, which lists restaurants that are 100-percent smoke-free, is available free of charge by calling or visiting the American Cancer Society, 124 Park St. S.E., Vienna, 703-938-5550.
The American Heart Association offers many tools to improve nutrition and fitness. At the grocery store, shoppers can look for the heart-check mark on products, signifying foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Quick and tasty heart-healthy recipes as well as tips for grocery shopping and ingredient substitutions can be found at www.deliciousdecisions.org. Many cookbooks, such as the “American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook,” can be found in area bookstores.
Online information and support can be found at www.MyHeartWatch.org, with such features as Ask an Expert, Personal Stories, and Health Planners, which include weight and nutrition calculators, exercise diaries and more.
Two lifestyle brochures, “Managing Your Weight” and “An Eating Plan for Healthy Americans,” are available free by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
A free, 12-week physical-activity program, sponsored by Bayer, “Choose to Move,” helps women make simple changes that result in increasing their activity level. Call 1-888-MY-HEART to receive a registration packet.
The Lifestyle Medical Program provides oxygen, medications and nebulizers at no cost to patients with severe breathing problems, such as asthma, emphysema and COPD. Patients must meet additional guidelines to qualify for the program. Call 800-519-4480 for more information.
The Cost Containment Research Institute in Washington, D.C., has published a 32-page booklet, “Free and Low Cost Prescription Drugs,” which contains a listing of all drugs available through patient-assistance programs free or at very low cost directly from the manufacturer. To receive the booklet, send $5 to cover printing, postage and handling, to Institute Fulfillment Center, Booklet #PD-55, PO Box 210, Dallas, PA 18612-0210. For more information, visit www.institutedc.org.
The American Institute for Cancer Research is offering a free brochure, “Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer,” which provides guidelines and tips on how to control dietary and other lifestyle factors that affect a woman’s risk for breast cancer. Also available is “Questions and Answers about Breast Health and Breast Cancer,” which provides detailed information on breast cancer risk, treatment and early detection, including how to do a self-examination. Call 800-843-8114, Ext. 25.
A growing number of senior citizens are using e-mail to import their prescription drugs by mail order. FDA statistics confirm that more than two million packages of prescription drugs were imported last year.
www.Medicines.MD is a consumer-focused Web site with updated price listings for more than 2,000 prescription drugs. Seniors can use the free price-quote feature on www.Medicines.MD to compare costs when their prescription medicine is imported by mail-order.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recently launched a major new heart-attack education campaign called “Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs.” The campaign is an effort to raise awareness among both the general public and physicians about the need for a fast response. Key messages encourage recognition of heart-attack symptoms, working with a physician to create a heart-attack survival plan, and calling 911 as soon as symptoms begin. Campaign partners, the American Red Cross and the National Council on Aging, will be offering “Act in Time” classes. Various educational materials, including a booklet and video, are available for health-care workers, heart-attack patients and the public through the NHLBI Web site at www.nhlbi.nih.gov. For more information, also visit www.americanheart.org, wwwnena.org, www.redcross.org, and www.ncoa.org.
Foster parents are desperately needed in our area. Call Children’s Services of Virginia at 703-331-0075 or visit www.childrensservicesofva.com for more information.
The Reach to Recovery Program of the American Cancer Society offers free services to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have undergone recent surgery. A trained volunteer who has survived breast cancer is available to talk with patients confidentially, provide helpful information and offer emotional support. A Reach “kit” is given to each patient, which includes a leisure bra, a soft prosthesis for mastectomy patients, exercise items and literature. Call 703-938-5550.
If you or someone you love has a diagnosis of lymphoma, you can receive information, help and hope from a support group led by a social worker. Sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the group meets the fourth Wednesday of each month from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Cancer Center at Arlington Hospital, 1701 N. George Mason Drive. There is no charge, and reimbursement toward transportation expenses is available. Contact Kathy Dorner, L.C.S.W., at 703-558-5555 for more information.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society created its “First Connection” program to help those facing a diagnosis of cancer know that they’re not alone. The program matches patients newly diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease or myeloma — and their families — with cancer survivors who have lived through a similar illness. Call 703-960-1100, Ext. 231, or 888-576-6878 for more information about the First Connection program.
The American Lung Association of Virginia is offering an e-mail service to residents in areas affected by smog-unhealthy levels of ozone pollution, which includes the Northern Virginia-Metropolitan D.C. area. Subscribers will receive smog alerts the day before ozone pollution levels are predicted to be unhealthy. Individuals with chronic lung or heart disease and sensitive populations, such as children and the elderly, can then take action to protect themselves by reducing or limiting outdoor activities. High concentrations of ozone can cause symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation and difficulty breathing, and also may increase susceptibility of the lungs to infections, allergens and other air pollutants. The daily forecast is provided to the American Lung Association from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. For more information on ozone pollution and to sign up for the Smog Alert, visit www.lungusa.org/virginia.
The Health Sciences Institute, an organization of doctors and researchers dedicated to exploring cutting-edge medical therapies, has just published a booklet, "Stronger than Steroids: New Solutions for Beating Arthritis." The booklet contains information on several causes of arthritis that the medical community is just discovering and outlines the effectiveness of several new medical solutions and treatments. To receive a copy, send $3 to cover the cost of printing, postage and handling, to Health Sciences Institute, Arthritis Booklet, 819 N. Charles St., Department 0601F, Baltimore, MD 21201.
The 2001 Rx Program provides medications and nebulizers at no cost to patients with severe breathing problems such as asthma, emphysema and COPD. Patients must meet additional guidelines. Call 800-344-5764 for more information.
A new package of publications on taking medications correctly and ordering them safely online is available from The Federal Consumer Information Center and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The package contains "FDA’s Tips for Taking Medicines," "Drug Interactions: What You Should Know" and "Buying Prescription Medicines Online: A Consumer Safety Guide." The materials are free. Call 888-878-3256 and request the "Your Medications" package, or send your name and address to Your Medications, Pueblo, CO 81009.
Fairfax County Juvenile Court is seeking volunteers to serve as court companions to help victims of domestic violence navigate the court system. Primary duties include contacting victims before the hearing date and accompanying these clients on their hearing day. A commitment to a weekly four-hour shift during business hours for at least six months is needed. Initial interviews must be held before training. For more information, contact Gwen Robinson at 703-246-2697.
The Asthma Auto program of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Maryland-Greater Washington, D.C., Chapter, is accepting donations of unwanted vehicles to raise money to fund educational programs, asthma care training, scholarships, research, and patient assistance for area residents. Call 800-727-9333.
Visit www.Pollen.com to subscribe to Allergy Alert, a free e-mail notification service, to be notified automatically when conditions in the area are expected to be near uncomfortable levels. The Allergy Alert forecast considers more than 1,470 biological and meteorological factors and is based on 20 years of historical pollen data gathered by a national network of professionally trained pollen counters.
CrisisLink is seeking new volunteers to train as telephone hot-line workers to respond immediately to people in crisis. Help is especially needed for daytime, late-night and weekend shifts. Call 703-527-6016 for more information.
The Lupus Foundation of Greater Washington Area sponsors several support groups designed to provide a safe setting where people with lupus and their families and friends can share their feelings, hopes and concerns. Call 703-684-2925 to confirm meeting dates and locations.
* Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Educational Conference Center, Room 4. Second Saturdays at 10 a.m.
* Reston Hospital Medical Plaza, 1830 Town Center Parkway, Reston. Second and fourth Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.
The Birth Mothers Support Group is open to women who have ever placed a child for adoption and who would like to meet with others who have done the same. The group meets weekly and is led by a licensed clinical social worker. There is a modest fee based on income. For more information, call Pat Cunningham at Catholic Charities at 703-425-0100.
The National Institute on Aging has designed an at-home exercise program for older people. The program is based on medical research and emphasizes exercises for endurance, strength, flexibility and balance. To order the exercise book and 48-minute video, send a check or money order for $7 payable to the National Institute on Aging to NIAIC, Dept. BR, PO Box 8057, Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057. Call 1-800-222-2225 or visit www.maillist.org/exercise for more information.
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, formerly the Food Allergy Network, has launched an electronic newsletter for teens with food allergy. “Food Allergy News for Teens” is a bimonthly newsletter distributed free to teen-agers by e-mail. The newsletter covers topics such as dating, dining out, managing food allergy on the job, and tips on carrying medications. To sign up to receive the newsletter, log on to www.fanteen.org.
OAR of Fairfax County, a nonprofit agency that serves families of people in jail or prison, offers three support groups. The Family Support Group is an adult group that meets twice a month in Fairfax. A Family Support Group for Spanish-speaking families meets twice a month in Falls Church. The Saturdays Friends group is for children of offenders and their caregivers and meets on Saturdays in Alexandria. For further information or to participate in a group, call Jill Clark at 703-246-3033.
Vienna Serenity Group of Emotions Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. every Monday at Emmanuel United Lutheran Church, 2589 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna. Call 703-920-1371.
The Family Respite Center’s Mind and Body Spa Day Program will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Tuesday at The Washington House, 5100 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria. The program is aimed at helping people in the early stages of an Alzheimer’s-type illness with memory, problem solving and communication, through mental and physical exercises, a support group, and coping and humor therapy. Call Joni Oppasser at 703-532-8899 for more information or to register.
Bimonthly Workshop for grieving widows will be offered every second and fourth Monday of the month, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Washington Regional Transplant Consortium in Falls Church. The workshop is designed to help widows deal with the grief of the death of a spouse and with raising children alone. Admission is free. R.S.V.P. to Maxine Composto at 703-641-0100.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) announces the launch of its improved Web site, www.cancer.gov. Billed as “a one-stop resource for cancer information” the site reorganizes NCI’s acclaimed information sites cancer.net and cancer.trials within cancer.gov. Information in the site is arranged by topic. Where its logical design leaves off, an improved search engine aids site navigation.
Haven of Northern Virginia offers ongoing and free bereavement support groups. The general bereavement support group for those mourning a death meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Two support groups for widow/widower bereavement exist. One group meets the first and third Thursday of each month. The other group meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. A support group for those mourning a loved one’s loss by suicide meets on the first Tuesday of the month. For information, call 703-941-7000 or go to www.havenofnova.org.
In Virginia 84 community-based groups received contracts totaling $6.8 million from the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Board of Trustees (VTSF) to be used for youth tobacco-use-prevention programs. Created by the General Assembly in 1999 as part of the Master Settlement Agreement, the VTSF reviewed over 100 proposals before adopting its plan.