November 20, 2013 – “Carrots for Kids” Campaign Benefits Students and Local Farmers
Today 600 pounds of carrots were delivered to Food For Kids breakfast programs to mark the first anniversary of the “Carrots for Kids” campaign, which is part of an initiative geared toward increasing student access to local food in the school community.
“Food For Kids is pleased to have the opportunity to increase our capacity with local farmers so that we can offer locally grown and produced foods in our schools”, says Brenda Dales, chair of Food For Kids Peterborough and County. “We recognize the benefits of supporting our local economy while also providing our children and youth with the best quality food.”
All 600 pounds of carrots were locally grown by Kennedy Farms in Omemee, a regular contributor to the YWCA of Peterborough Victoria & Haliburton JustFood program. “Partnering with Food For Kids Peterborough and County is positive for students and our local agriculture,” says Jason Kennedy of Kennedy Farms. “Knowing that we’re supporting healthy eating in Peterborough schools is a great feeling and encourages us to keep farming.”
The YWCA JustFood Program will deliver the carrots directly to city schools. Schools will also receive classroom resources to promote local foods and allow students to make curriculum connections. This is the second year that participating schools received local carrots with a goal to providing nutritious snacks for kids while supporting the local farming community.
“Carrots for Kids received a lot of positive feedback from students, teachers, and coordinators last year and this year we’ve encouraged even more schools to participate,” stated Chris McCarthy, School Community Coordinator for Food For Kids Peterborough and County. “This means more students within our community can enjoy fresh, local produce while also getting the chance to learn about where their food comes from.”
Each school day, over 17 000 students, in 46 local city and county schools, have the opportunity to participate in a Food For Kids Breakfast program where vegetables and fruit are available daily. This ensures that students are able to start their day well-nourished and ready to learn.
Food For Kids continually strives to build partnerships with local farmers and looks forward to another carrot delivery in January of 2014.
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For further information, please contact:
Chris McCarthy, Student Nutrition Program Coordinator
Food For Kids Peterborough and County
(705) 742-2269
Elizabeth Finlan, Public Health Nutritionist
Peterborough Public Health
705-743-1000 ext. 233
www.pcchu-testing.ca/ffk
November 15, 2013 – Hundreds Take Part In the “Let’s Talk Information Series” about Challenging Stigma in our Community
Hundreds of residents and community service representatives took part in several events over the past two days to hear community health expert Dr. Heather Stuart from Queen’s University speak about mental health stigma and how to develop an anti-stigma strategy for Peterborough.
“We know that stigma affects many layers of health and well-being, including feelings of self-worth, making connections in the community and having equal access to basic human rights such as proper health care, housing, employment and education, which ultimately have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life,” said Deanna VandenBroek, Health Promoter in the Substance Misuse Prevention program at Peterborough Public Health who helped organize the events.
In 2012, Dr. Heather Stuart became the first professor to become the Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair in the world. She has been fighting to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness since the late 1990s. During her presentation she explained how stigma is experienced from the perspective of those with mental illness, and guided the participants in identifying, discussing and prioritizing ideas for a local anti-stigma strategy. “We need to change the way people think about mental illness, change the fears and prejudices so those affected will be treated fairly and without stigma,” she said.
The events this week were organized by community partners working toward the Prevention & Reduction Of Mental Illness & Substance Misuse Everywhere (the P.R.O.M.I.S.E group), with a goal to start a local conversation about stigma surrounding mental illness and addictions. It is known that about one in five people – over six and a half million Canadians – experience a mental disorder or substance use problem in their lifetime, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Many do not seek help because they feel ashamed or scared; most people living with a mental disorder say that stigma is worse than the symptoms they feel.
“Often the negative, preconceived attitudes about problematic substance use prevent individuals from seeking help or talking openly with friends and loved ones about how their drug and/or alcohol use is affecting their lives,” said Kerri Kightley, Manager of the Peterborough Drug Strategy. “There is a strong sense that drug or alcohol use should be kept secret for fear of judgment or legal implications. Opening the conversation about stigma related to substance use and mental health creates opportunities for our community to meet people where they are at, providing health care, treatment services and warmth regardless of circumstance.”
More information about stigma surrounding mental illness and addictions can be found at http://ontario.cmha.ca/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/stigma-and-discrimination/
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For further information, please contact:
Claire Hanlon, RN
Public Health Nurse
Peterborough Public Health
705-743-1000, ext. 387
November 15, 2013 – Today Public Health released its 2012 Annual Report showcasing its work advancing the public health of our community. Click here for the full report.
For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence, Communications Supervisor
705-743-1000, ext. 391
November 12, 2013 – Local Students to be Offered FluMist Vaccine as part of Provincial Study
Students from ten local elementary schools are taking part in a provincial study to determine if offering FluMist® (a nasal spray influenza vaccine) in schools will result in more children getting immunized against influenza in comparison to schools offering the vaccine as an injection.
“This important study is only being carried out in Peterborough and could have a significant impact on the province’s annual Universal Influenza Immunization Program,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health with Peterborough Public Health, a lead partner in the study. “Other public health agencies have seen substantially greater influenza immunization rates when they offered the nasal spray version of the vaccine because it is less invasive and even more effective in children. This study will give the province the evidence it needs to decide if it should include offer FluMist as part of its annual publicly-funded influenza campaign.”
The following ten schools in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board have chosen to participate in the study which is being led by Public Health Ontario:
- Apsley Central Public School
- Chemong Public School
- Edmison Heights Public School
- Highland Heights Public School
- Lakefield Intermediate Public School
- North Shore Public School
- Otonabee Valley Public School
- R.F. Downey Public School
- Roger Neilson Public School
- Westmount Public School
Five of the schools have been randomly selected to receive the FluMist vaccine, and the other five schools will receive the injectable version. Public Health nurses will hold clinics in all ten schools on set dates in November.
Parents have already received information packages and consent forms and are encouraged to return them as quickly as possible to ensure as many students as possible participate in the study and get vaccinated. Parents who sign and return this form with contact information will receive invitations to participate in different parts of this study, including a web-based survey with questions to find out about their child’s vaccination experience.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
(705) 743-1000, ext. 391
November 8, 2013 – Location: Peterborough City Hall, General Committee Room
The community is advised that the next meeting of the Board of Health will take place on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at 4:45 p.m. in the General Committee Room at Peterborough City Hall, 500 George St. North.
To download the agenda and the online board package, please visit:
http://www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/about-us/about-us-2/board-of-health/meeting-agendas
The meeting is open to the community and members of the media.
For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
Peterborough Public Health
705-743-1000, ext. 391
November 7, 2013 – There will be a community car seat clinic on Monday, November 25, 2013, 5 pm to 7:30 pm
PETERBOROUGH FIRE SERVICES CENTRAL HALL,
210 Sherbrooke Street
Peterborough, ON
Service being provided by:
THE PETERBOROUGH & AREA
CAR SEAT COMMITTEE PARTNERS
Thank-You!
November 6, 2013 – Public Health Offers Videos and Fact Sheets to Protect Your Health From the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer
With long term exposure to radon known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada, Peterborough Public Health is recommending radon testing for all homes to determine if you or your family is at risk of radon exposure.
“Radon is a known public health concern for Canadians. The Environmental and Occupational Health team at Public Health Ontario estimates that 13.6% or almost 850 lung cancer deaths each year in Ontario are attributable to radon but few homeowners understand the risk or how to protect themselves against it,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “The PCCHU is joining other public health units to help people understand this issue better, especially as we head into the seasons when we spend more time indoors.”
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium that is found in rocks and soil. Radon gas is invisible: you can’t see, smell or taste it. In fact, the only way to know the radon level in your home is to test for it.
Radon gas is able to enter buildings through cracks in foundation floors and walls, gaps in service pipes, open floor drains or any other area of exposed soil. The highest concentrations of radon are generally found in basements and lower levels of homes.
A national study completed by Health Canada found higher than recommended radon levels in homes tested throughout the country, which means your location or the age of your home cannot be used to evaluate your risk of exposure to indoor radon. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon increases your risk of developing lung cancer. This risk from radon exposure is long term and depends on the level of radon, the length of exposure and a person’s smoking habits. Smoking combined with radon exposure greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
“The good news is that testing for radon is inexpensive and easy,” said Dr. Salvaterra. Test kits are available for purchase at local retailers and online. Health Canada recommends testing occur during the winter months in the lowest lived-in area of your home as well as testing for a minimum of three months in order to obtain accurate results.
If your home tests above Health Canada’s guideline of 200 Bq/M3 it will need to be fixed. The higher the level, the sooner it needs to be fixed.
To help residents understand how to place testing devices in their homes and learn more about radon, the PCCHU has posted several Health Canada videos and fact sheets on this website in the “Air Quality” section.
For more information, contact PCCHU at 705-743-1000 or visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
Information from the Government of Canada is available at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/radon-eng.php.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
(705) 743-1000, ext. 391
