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Registration for the 2023 Fall Safety and Wellness Conference is still open till September 13th!! We are excited for an amazing lineup of speakers.

Our keynote, Cara Filler, is DRIVEN to Inspire. She is a compelling author, entrepreneur, and traffic safety specialist who has shared her moving presentation with more than 2,000,000 people in 5 countries. Drawing from an immense personal tragedy in her own life, Cara’s inspiring presentation focuses on dealing with peer pressure, traffic safety, and making everyday choices count. Why? Because it could just save a life!

·    Date: September 21, 2023

·    Location: Gering Civic Center

·    Registration: 8:30 am

·    Conference: 9 am - 3:30 pm



Registration for the conference is here. 

Click here for the conference brochure.

If your organization is interested in exhibiting or having a booth at the conference, please review the PDF for additional details or email Nicole at nberosek@pphd.ne.gov. 

A HUGE thank you to our sponsors:

Gold Level Sponsorship:

·    Box Butte General Hospital

·    Platte Valley Companies

Silver Level Sponsorship:

·    Chadron Community Hospital

Bronze Level Sponsorship:

Rural Prosperity Nebraska

October 12th @ 2 pm @ Platte Valley Bank (141 W 3rd Street, Chadron, NE 69337) or virtually via ZOOM to learn more regarding financial wellness.

The ZOOM link is found here.

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Cancer is a broad term for a class of diseases characterized by abnormal cells that grow and invade healthy cells in the body. Breast cancer starts in the cells of the breast as a group of cancer cells that can then invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.

Breast cancer occurs when malignant tumors develop in the breast. These cells can spread by breaking away from the original tumor and entering blood vessels or lymph vessels, which branch into tissues throughout the body.

Few risk factors:

• Gender: Breast cancer occurs nearly 100 times more often in women than in men.
• Age: Two out of three women with invasive cancer are diagnosed after age 55.
• Race: Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in Caucasian women than women of other races.
• Obesity: Obesity is a risk factor for both men and women.
• Family History and Genetic Factors: If your mother, sister, father or child has been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, you have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in the future.
• Personal Health History: If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in the other breast in the future.
• Menstrual and Reproductive History: Early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after 55) increase your risk for breast cancer.
• Certain Genome Changes: Mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can increase your risk for breast cancer.
• Dense Breast Tissue:  Having dense breast tissue can increase your risk for breast cancer and make lumps harder to detect.

Statistics:

• In 2020, an estimated 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. as well as 48,530 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
• This year, an estimated 42,170 women will die from breast cancer in the U.S.
• Although rare, men get breast cancer too.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers.
• 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime
• On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States.

What can employers do to assist?

• Be understanding and supportive!
• Have policies and processes in place to assist those going through an event such as breast cancer.
• Ensure open lines of communication are in place to allow the employee to ask questions or express concerns!

Source: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts

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Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.

Flu Symptoms

Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes.

How many people get the flu each year? On average, about 8% of the U.S. population gets sick from flu each season, with a range of between 3% and 11%, depending on the season.

Who is most likely to be infected with influenza? Children are most likely to get sick from flu and that people 65 and older are least likely to get sick from influenza.

When is the onset of flu symptoms?

The time from when a person is exposed and infected with flu to when symptoms begin is about 2 days, but can range from about 1 to 4 days.

How do you prevent seasonal flu?

The first and most important step in preventing flu is to get a flu vaccine each year. CDC also recommends everyday preventive actions (like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent handwashing) to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory (nose, throat, and lungs) illnesses, like flu.

What can my employer do to keep employees safe and prevent the flu?

• Encourage and pay for flu shots
• Host an on-site flu shot clinic
• Pay employees while getting their flu shot on-site
• Encourage management or leadership support

To watch a video regarding flu prevention, please click here.

Please contact Nicole Berosek at nberosek@pphd.ne.gov if your organization or school is interested in an on-site flu shot clinic.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm and https://www.doh.wa.gov/

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Embrace Courage – Tell Me Your Story

Faces of courage: Survivors of domestic violence.

Women, men, trans, and non-binary adults, teens and children in our Panhandle have directly experienced or been affected by domestic violence. They exhibit tremendous courage every day as they navigate the trauma of intimidation, threats, emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse at the hands of a loved one. 

The DOVES Program is celebrating the courage of survivors this October. In partnership with the Carnegie Arts Center, we are honored to host “Tell Me Your Story” – an exhibit of artwork created by survivors served by the DOVES Program. The show is comprised of mixed media pieces that give voice to the artists’ feelings and experiences.

The exhibit will run at the Carnegie Arts Center from September 5^th until October 14^th and a reception is planned for Saturday, September 30^th from 5 to 7p at 204 West 4th St, Alliance.

Someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence if they are in a relationship with someone who:

• Calls them names, insults them or puts them down
• Tries to control how they spend money, where they go, who they talk to or what they wear
• Acts jealous or possessive or constantly accuses them of being unfaithful
• Hits, kicks, shoves, slaps, strangles or otherwise hurts them, their children or their pets
• Blames them for the abuser’s own violent behavior or tells them that they deserve it
• Threatens to tell friends, family, colleagues or community members their sexual orientation or gender identity

This October, the DOVES Program asks community members to stand with us to embrace the courage of all domestic violence survivors by:

• Believing survivors and listening without judgment
• Using social media to raise awareness about domestic violence
• Shutting down "jokes" that make light of abuse
• Sharing the DOVES Program number with your friends, family members and coworkers

If you or someone you know has experienced or been affected by domestic violence, the DOVES Program is here to help, no matter how long ago it happened. Give us a call at 866-95-DOVES or text us at 515-599-6620 to talk with an advocate. 

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Lead poisoning occurs when lead builds up in the body, often over months or years. Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems. Children younger than 6 years are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal.

Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are the most common sources of lead poisoning, other sources include contaminated air, water and soil. Adults who work with batteries, do home renovations or work in auto repair shops also might be exposed to lead.

Lead poisoning symptoms for adults:

• High blood pressure
• Joint and muscle pain
• Difficulties with memory or concentration
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Mood disorders
• Reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm
• Miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth in pregnant women

Risk Factors

• Age: infants and young children are more likely to be exposed to lead
• Living in an older home
• Certain hobbies: such as remodeling or refinishing old furniture

Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause damage over time, especially in children. The greatest risk is to brain development, where irreversible damage can occur. Higher levels can damage the kidneys and nervous system in both children and adults. Very high lead levels may cause seizures, unconsciousness and death.

Prevention:

Simple measures can help protect you and your family from lead poisoning:

• Wash hands and toys
• Clean dusty surfaces
• Remove shoes before entering the house
• Run cold water
• Prevent children from playing on soil 
• Eat a healthy diet
• Keep your home well-maintained 

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20354717

Basecamp

2023 Council Promotional Calendar is now on Basecamp! Click HERE to visit the Worksite Wellness Basecamp.

Interested in receiving additional Worksite Wellness information? You can find all the Panhandle Worksite Wellness Council (PWWC) documents and information on Basecamp. Check out our video to learn more about Basecamp: https://www.powtoon.com/c/b2ubYtnQ8bx/1/m. If you have questions or comments, please reach out by emailing nberosek@pphd.ne.gov.