May News from AccessHealth Spartanburg

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Dear Spartanburg Community,

April rain showers have brought May flowers to AccessHealth Spartanburg!

Beautiful blooms are springing up around our building and our garden is thriving. Read on for a garden update! In addition to the garden update, this newsletter contains information on focus groups, health facts, and events occurring around the Spartanburg area. Also, please note the donation section where we have updated our list for summer needs.

If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, please send them to [email protected].

Client Feedback

"This program helped me with all my medical bills, physicians, and my medicines. I was previously active with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Once my job ended, your program was a blessing to me and other family members." - Anonymous Client

Client Focus Group

Last month we held a client focus group. Although the rainy weather resulted in low attendance, the clients who were able to make it provided invaluable feedback on our program and their medical homes. According to our clients, it was a "good talk" and "[the staff] listen to you talk to them, like family." All of the clients felt that their comments would have an impact on AccessHealth Spartanburg. We are planning on holding another focus group in May or June depending on the number of participants recruited.

Garden Update

Our garden is growing and thriving! Check out these images to see how much our seeds and plants have grown in the past month. In addition to our garden, beautiful yellow and red roses have recently bloomed beside our office. Needless to say, we have been enjoying our wonderful outdoor space as much as possible!

May Health Facts

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

With the weather warming up, it is the perfect time to try a new sport or physical activity. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the recommendations for American adult physical activity guidelines are as follows:

Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, swimming, dancing, and raking leaves.
Do muscle strengthening activities- like lifting weights or using exercise bands- at least 2 days a week.

Try to make exercise something you enjoy- join a group fitness class with a friend, go hiking somewhere you have never been before, or try a new yoga video on YouTube. Also, be on the lookout for different sports activity groups, such as a running club or a local tennis league. For more information on physical fitness, visit Healthfinder.gov.

May is also Skin Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, and colon. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. The following are tips for lowering your risk of skin cancer:

Seek the shade- especially between 10am and 4pm.
Do not burn.
Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
Cover up with clothing including a UV blocking hat and sunglasses.
Wear sunscreen- a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) 15 SPF+ for everyday use and a waterproof, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) 30 SPF+ for extended outdoor activity.
Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

For more information about skin cancer prevention, visit: The Skin Cancer Foundation. If you are interested in having a free skin cancer screening, check out the following events:

Tuesday, May 10th

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Spartanburg Regional, Gibbs Cancer Center

Saturday, May 7th

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Greer Family Festival

No registration required!

Donations

Summer is right around the corner! Please consider an in-kind donation of summer items. Our clients are in need of the following warm weather items:

Sunscreen

Bug Spray

Reusable Water Bottles

Deodorant (Men's and Women's)

Soap

Shampoo

Please note that all toiletry items must be unopened and unused in order to be accepted as donations. If you have any questions regarding donations, please contact [email protected].

Community Shout Outs

May 6th-8th is the City of Spartanburg's Spring Fling in downtown Spartanburg. This year marks the 38th Spring Fling Festival held by the city. There are four stages for performances and entertainment options for the whole family including a Family Fun Zone for kids and a teen oriented Underground area. A wide variety of food and retail vendors will also be present. Entrance into the event is free! For more in formation, visit: Spring Fling.

May 6th is the 12th Annual Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium in accordance with the City of Spartanburg Spring Fling in downtown Spartanburg. A citerium is a bike race that occurs on an outdoor stretch of road and consists of a high number of laps similar to NASCAR. This year's race will draw top national racing teams and international riders, because it is a part of the USA CRITS Speed Week Series. For more information about the race and viewing, visit: SRHS Criterium.

May 7th is Color Out Cancer 5k Walk/Run in Gaffney, SC. Everyone begins the race in a white shirt and gets doused in colored powder along the route. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. For more information on the event and registration, visit: Color Out Cancer Gaffney.

Throughout May, the Chapman Cultural Center will be hosting the musical Memphis. Set in the 1950s underground dance clubs of Tennessee, Memphis is a new Broadway musical and the winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. Show dates are as follows: 5/6 at 8 pm, 5/7 at 8 pm, 5/8 at 3 pm, 5/13 at 8 pm, 5/14 at 3 pm and 8 pm, and 5/15 at 3 pm. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: Memphis.

If you have any community shout outs that you would like us to share in our June newsletter, please email [email protected].

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In Good Health,

AccessHealth Spartanburg

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