hello

Greetings to each and everyone of you.


This section for English-speaking viewers –
and all those enjoying the culture –

has developed over the months and is now offering materials of all kinds:

texts, images, poems, videos, etc.

It will continue to provide you with rich contents week after week.

 

World Osteoporosis Day – 20 October

20 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: ageing, disability, falls, fractures, life-style, pain, prévention

World osteoporosis day is a global healthcare event observed every year on 20 October, followed by various awareness campaigns and activities to promote the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, its treatment and preventive tips for strong bones. The campaigns are mainly focused on encouraging people to take preventative measures for their bone health to avoid any risk of osteoporosis and associated complications in the future.

Importance of World Osteoporosis Day (WOD)

Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which bones become very weak and brittle. Usually, it doesn’t show any symptoms unless the fracture happens. In the case of osteoporosis, the bone becomes so fragile that a fracture can occur with a minor fall, bump or sudden movement. The chances of osteoporosis prevail more with ageing. It is one of the most common causes of fractures in the elderly. Because of the asymptomatic nature of this bone disorder, it is essential to look after bone health to prevent complications related to bone fractures.

It is estimated that globally, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men aged 50 years suffer from an osteoporotic fracture, making it one of the leading causes of deadly pain and long-term disability in ageing people. Also, because of the poor healthcare infrastructure, facility, accessibility and lack of awareness, only 20% of patients with osteoporosis are getting diagnosed or treated.

The prevalence of osteoporosis in elderly female has been noticed more, after 5-7 year of menopause they tend to lose their bone density by 20%. To avoid any future complications in bone health, world osteoporosis day (WOD), with the help of concerned organizations and people around the world, creates awareness and encourages people to get an early diagnosis and check for bone density and act accordingly. Implementing a particular lifestyle and adhering to healthy food habits can help ensure healthy bones and prevent prolonged osteoporosis.

 

Source: Text & Image: https://www.pacehospital.com/world-osteoporosis-day-20-octobe

World Breast Cancer Day – 19 October 2023

19 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: causes of cancer, diagnosis, hormone therapy, treatment

How common is breast cancer?

Breast cancer accounts for 12.5% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, making it the most common cancer in the world.  About 13% (about 1 in 8) of U.S. women are going to develop invasive breast cancer in the course of their life.

In 2023, an estimated 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in U.S. women, along with 55,720 new cases of DCIS.

In 2023, an estimated 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 833.

There are currently more than 4 million women with a history of breast cancer in the United States. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. About 30% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women each year are breast cancer.  

Did you know?

Breast cancer incidence rates in the United States began decreasing in 2000, after increasing for the previous two decades. They dropped by 7% from 2002 to 2003 alone.

One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk. In recent years, incidence rates have increased slightly by 0.5% per year.

Breast cancer is still one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in U.S. women, second only to lung cancer.  

 

Source: Text: https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics    Image: Canadian Cancer Society

World Menopause Day – 18 October 2023

18 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, health, pregnancy, stigma, symptoms, well-being

World Menopause Day is held each year on 18 October to raise awareness, break the stigma and highlight the support available for improving health and wellbeing for those experiencing menopause.

Menopause is not just a gender or age issue, it is an organisational issue which can impact colleagues both directly or indirectly. Awareness around this topic is key to reducing the stigma attached to menopause and encouraging people to talk more openly about it.

The Long Term Workforce Plan has emphasised the importance of retaining our valued NHS workforce. Employers should be looking at their wellbeing offer and critically evaluating the experience of staff through all stages of their careers. The NHS People Promise explores the seven elements of creating a positive staff experience. A positive staff experience and a rounded support offer are vital to encouraging staff to remain in the workplace.

Did you know?

Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that:

  • women aged 50 and over are the fastest growing group in the workforce; the average age for menopause transition is 51
  • three out of five working women aged between 45 and 55 who are experiencing menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work
  • more than half of this group said they experienced more stress
  • nearly a third of women have taken sick leave due to their symptoms, but only a quarter told managers the real reason why.

World Menopause Day 2023

The theme for World Menopause Day 2023 is cardiovascular disease. The link between reproductive factors and cardiovascular disease is another important aspect of menopause that women need to be aware of.

Researchers have recently discovered that a woman’s reproductive experiences (including menstruation, pregnancy, breast cancer treatments and menopause) can affect the chances of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. Awareness of this can help determine an individual’s risk. 

The International Menopause Society has a range of resources available to support this year’s theme, these resources are also available in different languages.

 

Source: Text & Image: https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/world-menopause-day-18-october-2023

World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day – 15 October

15 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, baby, guilt, health care, memory, remembrance, sudden infant death

World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a global healthcare event celebrated on the 15th of October every year to raise awareness regarding Pregnancy loss, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and infant death, which include miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn mortality.

Women have varying levels of access to healthcare services; hospitals and clinics worldwide in many countries are frequently under-resourced and understaffed. As diverse as the experience of losing a baby may be, stigma and guilt emerge as similar themes worldwide. As these first-person tales demonstrate, mothers who lose their kids are made to remain silent about their loss, either because miscarriage and stillbirth are still so common or because they are thought to be unavoidable, so World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day is established to create public awareness of pregnancy loss, and the importance of acknowledging their lives and the impact it has on greater families.

On this day, in honour of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, around the world people light a candle at 7 p.m. in their own time zones to create a wave of light in memory of babies lost to pregnancy and infant loss.

History of World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day

In 2002, Robyn Bear, Lisa Brown, and Tammy Novak have started the movement by petitioning the federal government to recognize the World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day on October 15. In 2006, on September 28th, the House of Representatives finally approved National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

Source: Text & Image: https://www.pacehospital.com/world-pregnancy-infant-loss-remembrance-day

World Migratory Bird Day – 14 October 2023

14 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: bird species, conservation, ecosystems, habitat, life cycles, planet, water resources

Water is fundamental to sustaining life on our planet. Virtually all migratory birds rely on water and its associated habitats at some point during their life cycles. Lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, wetlands, and coastal waters are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and as places to rest and refuel during long seasonal migrations.

Unfortunately, these aquatic ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened around the world, and so are the migratory birds that depend on them. The increasing human demand for water, as well as pollution and climate change, is having a direct impact on the quantity and quality of water resources and on the conservation status of many migratory bird species.

In 2023, the importance of water is the focus of World Migratory Bird Day, an annual global campaign that celebrates the migration of birds across countries and continents. Throughout the year, we will spread the message that “water sustains bird life” and provide actions for managing water resources and protecting healthy aquatic ecosystems.

When is WMBD? Bird Day is Everyday! World Migratory Bird Day is not just a day. It’s a year-long celebration! Birds migrate at different times in different regions, and this campaign is designed to reflect that. Although the traditional dates are the second Saturdays of May and October (May 13 and October 14 in 2023).

 

Source: Text & Image: https://www.birdday.org/

28th Sunday of Year A – 2023

13 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: doubt, expérience, hope, Isaiah 25:6-10, optimism, pain, promises, skepticism, suffering, way to happiness

 

We sometimes hear people exclaim: “This is too good to be true!”
They may speak these words about some unexpected outcome, or some surprising opportunity.
They can hardly believe that such good fortune is offered to them.

The text of today’s 1st reading could perhaps provoke the same reaction from many people (Isaiah 25:6-10).
What the prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel is indeed quite astonishing.
Isaiah describes what God is preparing for them.
The words of the prophet depict the scene of a wonderful feast to be enjoyed:
delicious food and wine are available in plenty and suffering and death have disappeared for ever.

It is true that our daily life is not easy and often we meet with much that causes pain and suffering.
We are faced with problems and trials of all kinds.
So, when hearing of promises such as those in Isaiah’s text, people may wonder about the possibility of such an outcome.
To many, skepticism will come more easily than optimism!…
Doubt may prevail over hope…

But perhaps we need to realize that, with God, the saying mentioned above must be turned around.
It should be said: “It is too good NOT to be true!”

God is not only good, God is goodness itself.
He delights in showering on us his gifts and blessings.
He wants us to be happy and, in Jesus, he has shown us the way to happiness.

He has shown us the way, yes, but… it is up to us to follow this way…
Then… through all that happens, all that we experience…
then, we will come to see, and to REAL-IZE…

Realize and be able to make our own the words of Isaiah:
“Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.”

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/28e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: KALEIDOSCOPE

 

 

 

World Thrombosis Day – 13 October

13 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, embolism, global initiative, health threat, healthcare professionals, mortality, patients

Shining a spotlight on thrombosis

World Thrombosis Day, founded by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), is a global initiative held annually on October 13th. Our mission is to raise awareness about thrombosis, a condition often underestimated and misunderstood. Your participation can help inspire positive change and ensure that more individuals are informed, protected and empowered against this often silent threat.

Know Thrombosis

Healthcare professionals worldwide should be acutely aware of the risk of blood clots in clinical settings. Blood clots, particularly deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), together venous thromboembolism (VTE), pose a significant health threat to patients. These potentially life-threatening conditions can manifest silently and without warning, making vigilance and knowledge crucial. Healthcare providers should recognize the risk factors, which include prolonged immobility, surgery, trauma, cancer, and certain medications, among others.

Timely risk assessment, prophylaxis, and early detection are essential components of preventing thrombotic events. Moreover, understanding regional and patient-specific factors that may influence clotting risk is paramount, as individual susceptibility can vary. By staying informed about the latest research, guidelines, and preventive strategies, healthcare professionals can play a pivotal role in reducing the global burden of thrombosis-related morbidity and mortality.

Source: Text: https://www.worldthrombosisday.org/    Image: www.NationalDayCalendar.com

World Sight Day – 12 October 2023

12 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blindness, eyes, preventable, treatable, vision, visual impairment

World Sight day is an annual awareness day that falls on the second Thursday of October. Its objective is to bring attention to blindness and vision impairment. WSD is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative. 

World Vision Facts from IAPB:

  • Approximately 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness
  • Of these, 39 million people are blind and 246 million have moderate or severe visual impairment
  • 90% of blind people live in low-income countries
  • Yet 80% of visual impairment is avoidable – i.e. readily treatable and/or preventable
  • Restorations of sight, and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care
  • The number of people blind from infectious causes has greatly reduced in the past 20 years
  • An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired
  • About 65% of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises only 20% of the world’s population
  • Increasing elderly populations in many countries mean that more people will be at risk of age-related visual impairment.

CAO encourages all Canadians to think about their eyes on World Sight Day and every day. 

 

Source: Text: https://opto.ca/world-sight-day    Image: Operation Eyesight Universal, Calgary AB

World Day Against the Death Penalty – October 10

10 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: abilitionists, crimes, death row, exécution, lawyers, political leaders, public opinion, retentionists, torture

21st World Day Against the Death Penalty – The death penalty: An irreversible torture         

Observed every 10 October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty unifies the global abolitionist movement and mobilizes civil society, political leaders, lawyers, public opinion and more to support the call for the universal abolition of capital punishment. The day encourages and consolidates the political and general awareness of the worldwide movement against the death penalty.

On 10 October 2023, World Day will continue to reflect on the relationship between the use of the death penalty and torture or other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment and build on the momentum started in 2022!

As encountered last year, the types of torture and other ill-treatment experienced when sentenced to death are numerous: physical or psychological torture has been applied to force confessions to capital crimes; the death row phenomenon contributes to the long-term psychological decline of a person’s health; harsh death row living conditions contribute to physical deterioration; and methods of execution that cause exceptional pain. Further discriminations based on sex, gender, poverty, age, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic minority status and others can compound cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of individuals sentenced to death.

While the death penalty is currently tolerated by strict international law standards, and torture is entirely forbidden, it is more and more evident that the death penalty is inherently incompatible with the prohibition of torture.

Scroll down and find more information about torture and the death penalty in our leaflet, detailed factsheet, facts & figures sheet, and more!

THE DEATH PENALTY IN PRACTICE

(Statistics from Amnesty International)

  • 112 States have abolished the death penalty for all crimes
  • 9 States have abolished the death penalty for common law crimes
  • 23 States are abolitionists in practice
  • 55 States are retentionists
  • The 5 States that executed the most in the world in 2022 are, in order: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and USA.
  • 28,282 individuals are known to be under a sentence of death around the world at the end of 2022, of which less than 5% are women (statistic on women sentenced to death by Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide).
Source: Text & Image : https://worldcoalition.org/campagne/21st-world-day-against-the-death-penalty/

27th Sunday of Year A – 2023

6 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: bear fruit, become aware, disappointment of God, grapes, Isaiah 5:1-7, sour grapes, vineyard

The authors of the books of the Bible sometimes use a writing technique to help us understand something about God.
They ascribe to God some human attributes, or ways of being.
We have an example of this in today’s 1st reading with the text of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1-7).

In this text, we meet someone who has taken great care of his vineyard.
He was full of hope to get from it rich and juicy fruits but… this did not happen.
All he got were sour grapes.
The man is so disappointed… he asks himself:

“What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?”

The prophet then leads us to understand… the disappointment of God himself!
Strange to say but… yes, God can be disappointed…
Disappointed with the lack of response from those to whom he has given countless blessings.

Could it be that… we are among those?…
Those blessed by God in all kinds of ways and not recognizing his gifts.

Not recognizing especially his desire that we welcome him into our lives…
His desire that, as his children, we become more and more like him…
His desire that we treat all people as he does with understanding and compassion…
His desire that we be happy ourselves by making happier people around us…

This present time may be a moment to become aware… a time of recognition…
A time when, at long last, we SEE all that God has done for us…
And bear the fruit he is hoping to get from us…
 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/27e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church