Calendar: May 2009

What's on where? Health & Wellbeing's event guide ticking off everything from health and fitness events, pampering and beauty launches, family fun days, blissful healing spa tips and much much more... Keeping you in the know so you never miss a thing.

This month's highlight

Australian Dance Week

Australian Dance Week, 4-10 May, raises the profile, and focuses on the values, importance, and the many cultural contributions of dance to the Australian community. Dance Week celebrations, co-ordinated by Ausdance, are held annually across Australia in May.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Osteopathy Awareness Week

The Australian Osteopathic Association (AOA) will hold its annual Osteopathy Awareness Week during 3-9 May, 2009. This year's theme focuses on raising awareness of osteopathy (one of the fastest growing health professions in Australia) and the services osteopaths offer.

Osteopaths can help to identify the cause of the pain or injury and develop a safe and effective course of action to manage pain — so if your suffering from back or neck pain, headaches, sport injuries or stiffness, why not try osteopathy. 3

Heart Week 2009

This year's Heart week, 3-9 May 2009, focuses on uniting women to fight against heart disease. Heart disease is Australia's number one killer of women.

The Heart Foundation will be launching their Go Red for Women campaign, uniting women to understand their risk of heart disease and how they can make healthier choices. 4

National Mothering Week, 4-10 May 2009

This year's theme mum2mum - across the generations celebrates mothers supporting each other across the generations — from mothers to daughters and granddaughters. It is also a timely reminder of the importance of Australian Breastfeeding Association's (ABA ) unique peer-support breastfeeding counsellors. To find out what is happening in your area, contact your local group.

International Day of the Midwife

The aim of the day is to celebrate midwifery and to bring awareness of the importance of midwives' work to as many people as possible.

The 2009 International Day of the Midwife theme is "The World Needs Midwives Now More Than Ever!". Midwife numbers must be expanded to achieve Millennium Development Goals aimed at improving maternal health, reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDs, Malaria and other diseases. 350,000 more midwives are needed to help achieve these goals! 6

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Week

During the week, 3-9 May, MND Associations work together to raise awareness of MND to realise their vision of a world free from the impact of MND. The Living Better for Longer campaign continues this year to highlight to governments and the community that they need to care about MND to ensure that all people living with MND and their families receive the CARE they need at, during and following a diagnosis of MND.

Australian Dance Week

Australian Dance Week, 4-10 May, raises the profile, and focuses on the values, importance, and the many cultural contributions of dance to the Australian community.

Dance Week celebrations, co-ordinated by Ausdance, are held annually across Australia in May. All States and Territories present an array of dance performances, provide workshops and forums and encourage community participation in a host of free activities. 8

International Thalassaemia Day

This year's slogan, "Reach Every Patient", recognises the contribution of national thalassaemia associations. The meaning of the 2009 slogan becomes clear when we consider that in many countries and regions the exact number and location of patients is still not known. National thalassaemia associations are a precious resource in identifying all existing patients and providing information on who they are, what kind of treatment they receive, if any, and what their most important needs are. More information on thalassaemia.

National Mothering Week, 4-10 May 2009

World Lupus Day

Lupus organizations around the globe call for increases in public and private sector funding for medical research on lupus, targeted education programs for health professionals, patients and the public, and worldwide recognition of lupus as a significant public health issue.

Test yourself against the recognised symptoms and see if you need to seek further medical advice. 11

Allergy and Chemical Sensitivity Week

Allergy and Chemical Sensitivity Week aims to increase awareness of allergies and sensitivities, including those to fragrances, smoke, foods and chemical sensitivities.

The Allergy and Environmental Sensitivity Support and Research Association Inc. have information booklets containing sufferer's experiences, ways of avoiding chemicals and other useful resources. 12

National Volunteer Week

The 2009 theme for National Volunteer Week is "Everyday people, extraordinary contribution". This theme carries the message that everyone has something of value to offer and that every volunteer's contribution, no matter how big or small, is extraordinary because that person cares enough to be a volunteer.

Check out the Volunteering Australia website for all the information you need to celebrate NVW whether you are a volunteer, volunteer organisation, or a corporate organisation seeking ways to help recognise and thank employees who are also volunteers. 13 14 15

Walk safely to school day

Walk Safely to School Day (WSTSD) is an annual, national event when all Primary School children will be encouraged to walk and commute safely to school. It is a Community Event seeking to promote Road Safety, Health, Public Transport and the Environment.

WSTSD is an opportunity for parents and carers of Primary School aged children to promote safe pedestrian behaviour, promote the health benefits of walking and help create regular walking habits at an early age. 16 17

World Hypertension Day

High blood pressure is the biggest single risk factor for death worldwide, causing strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. The theme for this year's World Hypertension Day (WHD) is "Salt and High Blood Pressure: Two Silent Killers". If salt intake was reduced by half it would save approximately 2.5 million people a year dying unnecessarily of strokes, heart attacks and chronic kidney diseases worldwide.

For more information go to The World Hypertension League. 18

Food Allergy Awareness Week

Anaphylaxis Australia aims to develop anaphylaxis awareness through education, research & support. Allergies are on the increase worldwide, 1 - 2%of adults and 6% of children in Australia suffer with severe food allergies. Food Allergy Awareness Week, 17-23 May 2009, aims to highlight the 9 foods that cause 90% of food induce allergic reactions. Show your Support and help raise funds.

World Hepatitis Day

Shockingly one in 12 people worldwide are living with either chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. While this is far higher than the prevalence of HIV or any cancer, awareness is inexplicably low and the majority of those infected are unaware.

"Am I Number 12?" is the theme of World Hepatitis Day, which takes place annually on 19th May. The World Hepatitis Alliance hopes that "Am I Number 12?" will prompt people to think about the huge scale of hepatitis infection globally, about whether they may be at risk (and if so, to get tested) and also about how to avoid becoming infected . 20

National Chiropractic Care Week (NCCW), 18-24 May, 2009

NCCW's 2009 slogan is "It's not just back pain, it's the BIG picture". Research has indicated that the general public still holds many misconceptions about back pain, including how it is caused, guidelines for best treatment and the scope of the problem.

As part of National Chiropractic Care Week 2009 (18-24 May), the Chiropractor's Association of Australia (CAA) has developed a free "Big Picture" booklet on spinal health, to provide great information to Australians and help them lead healthy lives. 21 22 23 24

Kidney Health Week, 24 - 30 May 2009

How do you measure up? One in three Australians is at increased risk of kidney disease! High blood pressure is a major risk factor for kidney disease. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and kidney function today. 25 26 27

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is one of Cancer Council's leading fundraising events and the largest, most successful event of its kind in Australia. Over $60 million has been raised since it first began in 1994.

The official date is Thursday 28 May, but you can host an event any time during the month of May or June. Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is easy to organise, fun and completely flexible to suit your environment — at your school or club, at work or even in the comfort of your own home. Simply arrange a time and place and invite your guests to make a donation.

Funds raised during Australia's Biggest Morning Tea go towards Cancer Council research, prevention, education and support. 29 30 31

World No Tobacco Day

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death. More than five million people die from the effects of tobacco every year — more than from HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. This year's World No Tobacco Day slogan is "Show the truth. Picture warnings save lives".

Effective health warnings, especially those that include pictures, have been proven to motivate users to quit and to reduce the appeal of tobacco for those who are not yet addicted. Despite this fact, 9 out of 10 people live in countries that do not require warnings with pictures on tobacco packages.

More and more countries are fighting back by requiring that tobacco packages graphically show the dangers of tobacco. It is a simple, cheap and effective strategy that can vastly reduce tobacco use and save lives.

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