Everyone Loves Quitters

Most people I know tried smoking at least once. Some people got addicted right away and I know from experience it is not very easy to get over it. I fell off the wagon several times, but have been now smoke-free since 1998. Give it another try, today could be the first day of the rest of your smoke-free life!!

Today is the 37th annual Great American Smokeout – a day when the American Cancer Society and others encourage us, our friends, and our family members “to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By quitting — even for one day — smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life– one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.”

The American Cancer Society says: “Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet about 43.8 million Americans still smoke cigarettes — Nearly 1 in every 5 adults. As of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes — other dangerous and addictive forms of tobacco.”

We all know that it’s hard to quit smoking, but it gets easier with support from others.Call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 to learn more about how to quit smoking. Here are some of their helpful tips:

• Guide to Quitting Smoking
• What are the Benefits of Quitting?
• Desktop Helpers
• Resources and Tools
• Cigarette Cost Calculator
• QUIZ: Do You Need Help Quitting?
• JOIN: E-Quit Smoking Cessation Study
• Fight Back Against Tobacco

Also check out SmokeFree.gov to see their smokefree resources and daily challenges.

Every Month Should Be Breast Health Month

As you may know, last month was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But unfortunately, breast cancer can appear any time of year. That's why it's important to do a self breast exam every month, especially as an LBTQ woman. Here is a great cartoon about the importance of regular self-breast exams!

 

 

As Mo reminds Harriet, it's especially important for you as an LBTQ woman to be conscious of your breast health. Women who have not given birth before the age of 30 are at a higher risk for breast cancer, as are smokers, heavy drinkers, and women who are overweight. Having to come out to doctors and other health care providers can be a challenge, but it is important to find a doctor you feel comfortable with-- for women over the age of 40 it is recommended to have a mammogram every two years, while women who are 50 or older and/or have any risk factors for breast cancer should get a mammogram annually.

 

For more information on how to lower your risk of breast cancer, vist http://www.breastcancer.org/risk or The National LBGT Cancer Network.

 

If you would like to make an appointment for our upcoming mammogram screening on

Sat. December 8th at the Wildrose, contact Ingrid at iberkhou@ywcaworks.org.

 

 

 

Credit for the graphic in this blog post goes to Alison Bechdel and The Lesbian Cancer Project.

 

 

14th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair

The 14th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair on Saturday, June 23rd was a wild success! Thank you again to everyone who put their time, energy, services, and passion into this wonderful event!

Congratulations to our Raffle Winners!

This year, we had some wonderful raffle prizes to share! Many thanks to all who donated their products and services.

After health fair participants filled out health assessments, they were invited to enter our raffle drawing. Here are the prizes we awarded:

Four passes to SIFF Uptown Cinema, unlimited movies through the end of the year

Two tickets to a Seattle Storm game

Four tickets to a Rat City Roller Girls bout, plus merchandise vouchers

Two tickets to a Seattle Women's Chorus performance at St. Mark's Cathedral

Two tickets to a film at the 2012 Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

Two tickets to the Wildrose Tavern's Gay Pride Block Party

One gift bag from Babeland

Congratulations to everyone who won a prize! We hope you enjoy them!

Special blessed thanks to the First Baptist Church for providing a no-cost meeting space!

Thank you, Volunteers!

Many thanks to our lovely volunteers for putting together a fabulous 14th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair!

Without your support, we could not have pulled this together.

Terr got our Rainbow Health Fair Committee started this year, and created the Google Site we used to stay organized. Liz led the charge on developing our magnificent health fair poster. Mary and Sam spearheaded our fundraising efforts, raising a total of $1,900! Sara Jay provided critical feedback during planning sessions and did some wonderful outreach. Jen was the "Logisitics Wizard" - not an easy role to play! Sam also played an important administrative role in the committee.

We also had six volunteers who helped create a sign for the health fair, managed the music, worked the front desk, helped set up and break down, and more!

Many thanks to all who made a contribution!

Rainbow Health Fair Map

Message from the YWCA's CEO: Proud to highlight YWCA’s commitment to our diverse community

Gay Pride Month provides us with a timely opportunity to highlight the important commitment that the YWCA makes in providing services to a diverse community of women, men and children – regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.


We believe that every person has inherent dignity and worth. This belief guides everything we do at the YWCA: how we work with clients, our policies, our relationships with colleagues, partners and donors. It’s embedded in our mission/vision statement: “We believe that working together we can create a community where all people live in dignity, free from violence, racism and discrimination.”

The LGBTQ community has experienced a history of violence and discrimination, and we believe that standing with our LGBTQ clients, staff, volunteers, board members and supporters is one concrete way we express our belief in the dignity and worth of every human being.

In celebration of Gay Pride Month, YWCA staff and volunteers are looking forward to participating in the 38th annual Pride Parade: The Many Faces of Pride, in Seattle this Sunday (June 24). We hope to see you along the parade route – we’ll be the group dressed mostly in orange!

We also hope you will join us at the 14th annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair on June 23 from noon to 5 p.m. at Seattle Central Community College. This fun event features complimentary health resources–from Zumba to acupuncture, massage therapy and nutrition.


These are just two of the events that our YWCA will be participating in that celebrate our rich, diverse community. Please visit us here on ywcaworks.org or like us on Facebook to learn about the events that we are joining or hosting in the upcoming months.

This blog post was originally posted on YWCA Leadership Blog: Message from our CEO, Sue Sherbrooke.