Four-Fold Increase In Worldwide Cases of Diabetes Over Past 25 Years – WHO

Approximately 18.2 million Americans have diabetes and almost approximately 5.2 million people are unaware that they have it. Worldwide, a person is actually diagnosed with the disease every 23 seconds. As yet, there is no cure, so it is important that you visit your doctor regularly as people with diabetes need to manage their disease to stay healthy.

The disease consists of problems with the insulin hormone. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin to help your body store and use the sugar and fat from the food you eat. When this normal process does not function properly diabetes. More specifically, diabetes occurs:

  • When the pancreas does not produce any insulin
  • When the pancreas produces very little insulin
  • When the body does not respond appropriately to insulin

Over the period from 1980 to 2014, “diabetes rates nearly doubled.” Currently, “one in 12 people living in the world today have the disease.” The Washington Post has reported that diabetes, “once predominantly a rich-country problem, has become one that disproportionately affects poorer countries,” the findings of a World Health Organization’s “first global report” on diabetes suggest. USA Today points out that around the globe, “diabetes killed 1.5 million people in 2012, according to the WHO report.”

According to the AP, the WHO report attributed “excess weight, obesity, aging and population growth” to the “nearly four-fold increase in worldwide cases of diabetes over the last quarter-century.”.

It is interesting to note that People Who Consume Full-Fat Dairy May Weigh Less, May Be Less Likely To Develop Diabetes Than Those Who Eat Low-Fat Dairy Products. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “people who consume full-fat dairy weigh less and are less likely to develop diabetes than those who eat low-fat dairy products,” the findings of a 3,333-adult, 15-year study published in the journal Circulation suggest. The study revealed that “people with higher levels of three different byproducts of full-fat dairy had, on average, a 46 percent lower risk of getting diabetes than those with lower levels.”

There are many organizations working on a cure for diabetes and donations can be made to American Diabetes Association, as well as many others.

What is the Zika Virus?


Zika MosquitoThe Zika virus is a disease that spreads to people primarily through the sting of an infected
Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. However, many people might not even know if they have been infected, as most people who contract the Zika virus won’t know they have the disease because they won’t have symptoms, according to the CDC. In addition, most people who have the virus, don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika.

Zika Symptoms

Transferring the Disease

Zika is mainly spread by mosquitoes, but there have been reported cases of the virus being spread through sexual intercourse. In addition, the Zika virus may be spread through blood transfusions.

Active Locations of the Virus

Currently, there are 39 countries and territories with reported active local transmission of the virus, including Puerto Rico. While there has yet to be any local transmission of the virus in the continental United States, experts expect that to change as the weather warms up.

The virus has been around for many decades, but suddenly, it is now increasing in the human population at an alarming rate. In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil and on Feb 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

The following video illustrates the the sudden increase of the Zika virus

As Zika virus continues to spread worldwide, the urgent need for assistance in the countries affected grows. The International Atomic Energy Agency has recently announced a plan to help the 26 countries and territories reporting Zika virus infections.

Zike Virus World Map
The map above depicts the probability of occurrence (blue=none, red=highest occurrence).

Zika Risks to Humans

While the spread Zika virus is not on par with the deadly Ebola outbreak from 2014 that began in West Africa, the reason why Zika is causing such concern is because of the potential link to microcephaly. Women who are pregnant and develop a fever, rash, joint pain, or red eyes within 2 weeks of traveling to a country where Zika has been reported should see a doctor.

There has been a link between women infected with Zika and babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that affects brain development, resulting in babies being born with much smaller heads than expected. Typically, microcephaly is not a common condition, and normally affects between 2 and 12 babies per 10,000.

Additional information can be found in Five Facts About the Zika Virus.

Donate Now! Help the children of the Zika virus!

A “Moonshot,” Immunotherapy, and Progress on Cancer Treatment

On February 4, the world comes together in the fight against cancer with World Cancer Day, a global event aimed at savings millions by raising awareness and education of the disease, while pressing the government to take action.

In the United States, 2016 kicked off with President Obama announcing that during his last year in office, Vice President Joe Biden would be heading up the cancer “moonshot” initiative. The cause is personal for the vice president, who lost his son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer in May 2015.

In a memorandum, the president pointed out that while cancer is already a leading cause of death, cancer incidence is only expected to increase in the coming decades. The moonshot initiative aims to accelerate progress toward prevention, treatment, and, eventually, a cure for cancer.

Part of the initiative is that the FDA would speed approvals of promising drug combinations. Other ideas for the moonshot: immunotherapy and increased access to clinical trials.

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s natural defenses to fight the disease by targeting the immune system. Immuno-oncology drugs are promising and have generated impressive outcomes. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently announced immunotherapy as the clinical cancer advance of the year.

Research in 2015 found that immunotherapies improve outcomes with reduced adverse effects for a number of cancers, including difficult-to-treat cancers and glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer.

This is not the first time the Obama administration has put the spotlight on cancer. Last year, during his State of the Union speech, the president announced his precision medicine initiative. Precision medicine is a type of customized healthcare that takes into account genes, environment and lifestyle.

Precision medicine has become important in treating cancer. Now when doctors attack the disease, they are often armed with knowledge about molecular and genetic makeup. The foundation of precision medicine is targeted therapy, which took off in the 1990s and is currently the focus of much cancer development.

Although there is still a long way to go before we find a cure for cancer, it is clear that the pace of cancer innovation has picked up speed and much progress has been made in the last decade.

Port Washington News Helps Raise Awareness of Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation

It is not too late in 2015 to make a
tax-deductible donation to ICCF

Howard Fensterman and Israel Children's Cancer Foundation

The Port Washington News presented an article on the recent charitable event at the Port Washington Chabad for the Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation.

ICCF assists all of the children in Israel who are suffering from the distressing mental and physical consequences of cancer. It has been reported that one in 300 children living in Israel will be diagnosed in 2016 with the disease.

The mission of the ICCF is to enhance the level of care for cancer-stricken children. Eighty-seven cents of every dollar raised goes toward the funding of treatment in six major pediatric centers in Israel.

The Port Washington Chabad Sisterhood coordinated the event. The Sisterhood invites all Jewish women, whether members or not, to participate in events and learning. Together, it is their mission to introduce Jewish values into the homes of those in the community.

GIFT of HOPE and LIFE

“GIFT of HOPE and LIFE”
Benefiting the Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation
Sponsored by Howard Fensterman, Esq.,
of the Abrams Fensterman Law Firm

The disease of cancer remains the leading cause of death in Israeli Children. 1 out of 300 children will be diagnosed each year. The Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation offers assistance to every child suffering from cancer in the State of Israel. Since its founding, in 1988, the Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation has worked tirelessly to cure as many children as possible.

With the love of the land of Israel and a love for the people of Israel, the Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation is committed to helping every child see their future. We can only do this with your help. Please help us make a difference in children’s lives.

It is my desire to support charitable endeavors geared towards treatment and finding cures for life threatening and debilitating diseases, especially those afflicting children. The ICCF’S substantial funding of research searching out treatments and cures for pediatric cancer makes the organization a very worthy one to support.

  • Howard Fensterman

Invitation

“GIFT of HOPE and LIFE”

Featuring
NESHAMA CARLEBACH

Monday evening, December 7, 2015

Chabad of Port Washington
80 Shore Road, Port Washington, NY 11050

7:30 pm – 10:00 pm

$54 per person (women only)

Sponsorships available at: Gold/$1800 Silver/$360 Bronze/$180

For tickets, please call 516-791-1180 or Purchase on line www.israelcancer.org

Elyse Bell, Chair

Wine and Cheese reception

Sisterhood of Chabad of Port Washington, Sponsors
Seth and Andrea Bell and Family, Sponsors