HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2013-11-27, Page 13Wednesday, November 27, 2013 • Huron Expositor 13
Giving blood can help save a life
Blood donor clinic
taking place in Seaforth,
in honour of
Mackenzie Fisher
Whitney South
Huron Expositor
Mackenzie Fisher was just 17 -years -
old when he was diagnosed with
acute lymphoblastic leukemia at
Seaforth Community Hospital in 2004.
During his 20 -month battle with the
disease, he received many platelet
transfusions due to generous donors
who took the time to give blood.
A blood donor clinic will be held in
remembrance of Mackenzie on
Monday, Dec. 2 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
at the Seaforth Community Centre
dance hall, located at 122 Duke St.
New donors and walk-ins are welcome
to help the drive reach their 96 -unit
goal.
Angela Smith, communications
specialist with Canadian Blood
Services, said there is always a
constant need for donations, as blood
is needed for more than people think.
"One of the things we don't realize is
that people with cancer undergoing
treatment may need the equivalent of
five donations of blood every week,"
she explained, adding patients battling
leukemia require even more. "When
it's donated, it's used within a week,
we always have a need to ensure we
have a constant supply."
According to the Canadian Blood
Services website, approximately every
minute of every day, someone in
Canada needs blood. In fact, according
to a recent poll, 52 per cent of
Canadians say they, or a family
member, have needed blood or blood
products for surgery or for medical
treatment.
Smith explained that contrary to
popular belief, it isn't necessary for
someone to know his or her blood type
in order to donate.
"We look for all types. They try and
match blood if they can, but there's
also 0 -negative, which is universal,"
she said.
Anyone wishing to donate
must be at least 17 years of age,
with valid ID. If you have never
donated before and have had
your 61st birthday, or if you are
between the ages of 67 and 71,
and have not donated within
the last two years, you must be
assessed by a physician.
For Smith, the fact people
give blood without even know-
ing someone in need is what
makes donors so special.
"In that one hour, you may
have saved a life," she said. "One
day the life that's saved could
be yours or someone you love."
For more information on
standard requirements for
donation or to book an
appointment, call 1-888-236-
6283 or visit www.blood.ca.
96 units of blood needed
Huron's obesity rate sitting at 16.4 per cent
Gerard Creces
Clinton News -Record
The Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD)
recently released their 2013 statistics on
the state of health care in its 27 member
countries, showing some significant
gains and challenges to Canadian's
health care.
One in four Canadian adults were
defined as obese in Canada in 2010,
while the United States has an obesity
rate of more than 36 per cent and Aus-
tralia at 28 per cent. By comparison, the
two Asian countries involved in the sur-
vey - Japan and Korea - both registered
just over four per cent of the population
as obese.
In Huron County, the combined rate
for overweight and obesity is 48.8 per
cent. It's a harrowing figure, and higher
than the Ontario average of 42 per cent.
Broken down, however, Huron
County is faring slightly better than the
numbers say. Using numbers from a
2009-2010 study conducted by the
Huron County Health Unit, the rate of
obesity is 16.4 per cent, while 32.3 per
cent of the population is overweight.
The measuring tool is Body Mass
Index, or BMI. Individuals with a BMI of
18.5-24.9 are in the normal range, while
25-29.9 is considered overweight and 30
and over is considered obese. While
BMI is not the only indicator of obesity,
it does provide a fairly accurate tool.
Public Health Nurse at the health
unit, Amy MacDonald, said the HCHU
is middle of the road compared to other
health units in the area.
"We are not too far to either end of
being higher or lower than the rest of
the province," she said. "As a health unit,
we have a staff that work on strategies,
really making Huron County a healthier
place to live
Some of the key strategies are active
transportation planning - getting
people out on trails and walkable
communities; community food
advisers; healthy babies programming
and in -school work to help staff, parents
and students take advantage of healthy
opportunities.
Demand for community food advisers
has risen 200 per cent over the past five
years. The volunteer advisers train
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people on preparing nutritious
meals.
"If you can't prepare food you
are more likely eating out and
those are not always healthier
options." she said. However,
those on the low end of the
income scale may not have the
same ability to purchase
healthier food. The health unit
conducts a food costing survey
every year, finding the price of
eating healthy for families and
individuals. As prices rise,
healthy choices are dropped.
Poverty is one of the key factors
in a person's ability to eat well.
The health unit has no set
number for weight reduction in
Huron County. Rather, they are
looking to increase healthy
eating, fruit and vegetable
consumption, and reduce or
delay the onset of chronic
diseases.
The food costing survey is
available at huronhealthunit.
com, and was presented to the
Board of Health earlier this
month.
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