Health Briefs: Escondido family chosen as March of Dimes ambassadors

North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
The Hospice Re-Sale Shop is looking for volunteers to sort, display and
cashier at their Encinitas store. Opportunities are available for
patient care …

ESCONDIDO —- Donna Schweitzer and her son, Ryley, have new jobs: ambassadors for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica. Both are active in raising funds and awareness for the organization that fights premature birth.

Born at 26 weeks with respiratory distress syndrome, Ryley is now 6 1/2 years old. Donna has been a Walk Family team captain for three years, and this year, she is the lead on the San Diego area family team leadership council for March of Dimes.

There will be two local WalkAmerica events this year —- Saturday in Carlsbad and April 28 in Balboa Park, San Diego.

Information: http://www.marchofdimes.com.

Golf tourney to benefit SD Brain Injury Foundation

POWAY —- The 22nd annual Charity Golf Classic benefiting the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation will be held April 30 at StoneRidge Country Club. A $275 registration fee will include golf, lunch, dinner, prizes, contests, raffles, live and silent auctions and a chance to win $100,000 and a car.

To register, for sponsorship opportunities and information, call (619) 543-0433 or (619) 294-6541. Or e-mail sdbif@aol.com with your name and address to request a registration form.

Restless leg syndrome support group forms

SAN MARCOS —- A new group for those with restless leg syndrome is scheduled for its first meeting at 2:30 p.m. April 22 in San Marcos. The group will meet at the East Clubhouse in Palomar Estates, 650 S Rancho Santa Fe Road, San Marcos. Call Randi Scheeren, (760) 598-7331.

Those with restless leg syndrome feel cramping or crawling sensations in their legs at night, and may have to get out of bed and walk to relieve the discomfort.

Church sponsors workout group

VISTA —- Stonebrooke Church of Vista is sponsoring a Spirit Stretch, a women’s workout group. The next group will start April 22. Call (760) 518-6177.

Legoland site for MS walk

CARLSBAD —- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Pacific South Coast chapter will hold its 2007 San Diego County Credit Union MS Walk at 8 a.m. April 29 at Legoland. Walkers are encouraged to solicit sponsors and raise at least $25. Visit the Web site at http://www.mswalk.com to register. A second walk will be held at 8:30 a.m. April 29 at Embarcadero Marina Park South, behind the San Diego Convention Center, in downtown San Diego.

Hospice seeks volunteers

CARLSBAD —– Hospice of the North Coast, 5441 Avenida Encinas, Suite A, is seeking volunteers. Each one helps this nonprofit organization to provide medical, emotional, physical and spiritual support to patients and families who are going through the most difficult of times. The Hospice Re-Sale Shop is looking for volunteers to sort, display and cashier at their Encinitas store. Opportunities are available for patient care volunteers, Hospice Auxiliary members who work on special events to raise funds for hospice, people to help with the October Golf Tournament, and office assistance.

Call Judith Miller at (760) 431-4100 or visit the Web site at http://hnc@hospicenorthcoast.org.

MDA needs volunteers for summer camps

The Muscular Dystrophy Association needs summer camp volunteers to help young people with neuromuscular diseases enjoy fun-filled, weeklong MDA summer camps across the country. Volunteer counselors must be at least 16 years old and able to lift and care for a young person between the ages of 6 and 21. Each counselor becomes a companion to a camper with a neuromuscular disease. Counselors help their campers with daily activities such as eating, bathing and dressing, and in recreational activities such as arts and crafts, swimming and horseback riding. At no charge to families, MDA’s summer camp program serves more than 4,000 campers nationwide in some 90 weeklong sessions. Call (800) 572-1717 or the Web site at http://www.mda.org/clinics/camp.

Vista Community Clinic tests and immunizations available

The Vista Community Clinic Immunization Clinic/Nurses Clinic at 1000 Vale Terrace is open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Low-cost or free immunizations are available for children, and low-cost immunizations for adults such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria are available. Tests for diseases such as hepatitis B and tuberculosis are available daily at the clinic on a walk-in basis. Call (760) 631-5000, Ext. 1114.

Vista Community Clinic’s Tri-City Community Health Center, 161 Thunder, Suite 212, Vista, also offers walk-in immunization services from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday and from 8 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays.

Immunizations are also available by appointment for children and adults at these Oceanside locations: 818 Pier View Way, 517 N. Horne St., and 4700 N. River Road. Call (760) 631-5220 for office hours and appointments.

Free Alzheimer’s educational seminar

ENCINITAS —- Learn about treatments for Alzheimer’s disease at “Medications & Alzheimer’s Disease,” an educational event from noon to 2 p.m. April 24 at Somerford Place Alzheimer’s Assisted Living, 1350 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas 92024.

Two hours of continuing education credit are available. The cost for health care professionals is $20. Reserve to (760) 479-1818. Lunch and refreshments provided.

Developmental disabilities meeting

POWAY —- Parent Advocates Seeking Solutions, a support group for parents of children ages 15 and older who have developmental disabilities, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway. “Administering a Special Needs Trust” will be the topic. Call (858) 748-2594.

Event to benefit Rady Children’s Hospital

ESCONDIDO —- The Poway Unit of Children’s Hospital Auxiliary will present “Tabletops and Tea,” a fund-raiser for Rady Children’s Hospital, Child Life Services, from 1 to 5 p.m. April 29 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. The event will feature themed tables decorated by members and others from the community with items that will be up for bid, a boutique, a traditional tea service, speakers, a video presentation, opportunity drawings and a silent auction. Contact (858) 451-8797 or phering1@san.rr.com.

Seniors get balanced

A series of free classes on preventing falls is offered by the San Diego County’s Health and Human Service Agency.

“A Matter of Balance” consists of two-hour classes that will be held each week at four county senior centers. In North County, locations are the Poway Weingart Neighborhood House and the Florence Riford Senior Center in La Jolla. The federally funded classes will be offered for at least three years. More locations may be added, the county said.

An average of 19 San Diego County seniors aged 65 years and older have a fall each day so severe that it requires help from paramedics, according to county Emergency Medical Service records. For people 75 and older, falls are the leading cause of deaths by injury. Most of these falls are preventable.

Those interested in taking these classes should leave a message at (858) 495-5500.

Weight loss study opens at UCSD Moores Cancer Center

LA JOLLA —- A national weight-loss study using drugs and a behavior modification program has started at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. Up to 840 men or women nationally are being sought who have “uncomplicated obesity” —- that is, obesity without other medical conditions like cancer, heart disease or diabetes.

The study’s main goal is to find out how much more effective the treatment is when combined with the lifestyle modification program. There is no cost to participants.

Contact the clinical project coordinator at (858) 822-2779.

Blood drives

The San Diego Blood Bank sponsors numerous blood drives in San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties. Unless otherwise noted, the drives listed below take place at the bloodmobile in the parking lot.

Participants in these drives can join the San Diego Blood Bank’s Donor Difference Program, which includes access to an online store for donors and the ability to track cholesterol, pulse and blood pressure after each donation.

Anyone who is at least 17, in good health, and weighs at least 110 pounds may be eligible to give blood. A good meal before donating is recommended.

For donor requirements or to make an appointment, call the San Diego Blood Bank at (800) 4MY-SDBB or visit www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

Sunday

8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Murrieta, St. Martha Catholic Church Old Worship Center, 37200 White Wood Road.

Monday

8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. San Marcos, San Marcos High School Middle Room (in gym), 1615 San Marcos Blvd.

Tuesday

10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Carlsbad, Pat & Oscar’s, 965 Palomar Airport Road.

Wednesday

8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Carlsbad, Carlsbad High School Gym, 3557 Monroe St.

8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Carlsbad, 24 Hour Fitness, 5964 La Place Court.

Friday

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Temecula, Tower Office Plaza, 27555 Ynez Road.

2 to 7:30 p.m., Carlsbad, Carrillo Elementary School Cafeteria, 2875 Poinsettia Lane.