Health

Fourth annual national drug take-back event sets local record

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012, 11:30am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- The Clark County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with Clark County Environmental Services, and the PREVENT! Coalition, participated in DEA's 4th National Prescription Drug Take Back Event on April 28.

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America's oldest walking event hits Vancouver streets April 28

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Monday, April 2nd, 2012, 8:00am

America's oldest walking event hits Vancouver streets April 28

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Hundreds of families and business leaders will join together April 28 at Vancouver Landing in Vancouver in the March of Dimes' annual March for Babies -- the nation's oldest walk fund-raiser and the only one honoring all babies -- those born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.

James and Holly Hanset are walking in SW Washington for their son, Holdyn, who was born at 24 weeks gestation -- about four months too soon. He weighed only 1 pound, 8 ounces. James and Holly were told by multiple neonatologists they should consider not resuscitating as Holdyn was at such a high risk of defects and lifelong complications.

"We decided that Holdyn should at least be given a chance," James said. "We spent the next five months living in the NICU."

Though they still have struggles, James says they now have one of the sweetest toddlers anyone could ask for.

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Clark County Sheriff's Office hopes community will get involved in Moustache March

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Monday, March 5th, 2012, 9:00am

March is the time of year everyone puts their egos aside and either shave what is normally sported, or grow what is normally keep short -- Moustache March.

This year, the Clark County Sheriff's Office is offering bragging rights to the winners of several categories including: Clean Starters, Early Growers, The Ladies, The Fakers, Year-Rounders, and The Lil Ones. As it has been for the last two years, all donations raised will go directly to the American Cancer Society.

Last year, Deputy Jim Orr grew and attended the Office's Shave-off on April 1. On Aug. 2, just four months later, Orr died from melanoma cancer. He is one of the many reasons Sheriff's Office officials are trying to make a difference.

Cancer touches us all in some way or another. This is their way of fighting it; raising money for research to find a cure.

This year the American Cancer Society has created a website just for the department's fund-raiser like they have for "Race for a Cure" access it below.

http://community.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=41637&pg=entry

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Firefighters climb Stairmaster in full gear for fund-raiser

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Thursday, March 1st, 2012, 9:00am

Firefighters climb Stairmaster in full gear for fund-raiser

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- On March 3, Clark County District 6 firefighters will dress in full gear and climb a Stairmaster outside the Hazel Dell Fred Meyer as part of the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb fund-raiser to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

On March 11, the firefighters will travel to Seattle to run up 69 flights of stairs in full gear all for the pursuit of raising awareness and money to fight blood cancers. For District 6 firefighter Scott Squires, the fight is personal because he was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2004. After extensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments, he is cancer-free. Squires had participated in the Stairclimb fund-raiser before being diagnosed with cancer, but he says it’s different now.

"It’s a little bit more personal for me," he said. "I want other cancer patients to have access to the same or better treatments as I had so they too can beat cancer."

The firefighters will be at the Hazel Dell Fred Meyer, 7700 NE Hwy. 99 , from 8am to noon on March 3rd. Donations can also be made through the website www.firefighterstairclimb.org/ ; click on the donate link and type in team Clark County Fire District 6.

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National trial launched in Vancouver to evaluate CPR, drug effectiveness after heart attacks

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012, 3:41pm

National trial launched in Vancouver to evaluate CPR, drug effectiveness after heart attacks

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Officials from the Vancouver Fire Department are participating in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical trials to evaluate treatment for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest under the direction of Dr. Lynn Wittwer, Medical Program Director for Clark County.

The trial will compare two drug treatments and a salt-water placebo in participants with shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation, a condition in which the heart beats chaotically instead of pumping blood.

The majority of the approximately 350,000 people who have cardiac arrest in the United States each year are assessed by emergency medical service (EMS) providers. During a cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating, and unless it is restarted within minutes, the person usually dies. Although immediate CPR can be lifesaving, more than 90 percent of people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die before reaching a hospital or soon thereafter.

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AMR Clark County celebrates 50th anniversary of CPR, offers free CPR classes

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012, 9:00am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Last year marked the 50th anniversary of modern CPR. This year, American Medical Response Clark County is celebrating the 50th anniversary of CPR by focusing on the importance of bystander CPR and by providing free hands-only CPR classes to the public.

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A Walk to Stop set for Feb. 4 in Battle Ground

Submitted by Evelyn Laurence on Thursday, February 2nd, 9:00 am

A WALK TO STOP

Help the prevention of youth suicide in our community.

WHO: All are welcome to this free event

(No Pets)

WHAT: A walk to stop and recognize the growing tragedy of suicide

WHEN: February 4th, 2012, 10am-12pm

WHERE: Battle Ground High School's Track (District Stadium)

*T-shirts with the event's logo will be available for purchase for $10. Sales begin at 8:30am.

*Donations are throughout the event. Cash or checks, made out to Youth Suicide Prevention Program, are acceptable.

*A parent or guardian signature is needed for those under the age of 18.

ALL proceeds go to the Youth Suicide Prevention Program.

Tell a friend, pass it on...we WILL make a difference.

Starting TODAY.

EVERYONE must have a safety waiver signed before the event. They are available to print at “A Walk To Stop” Facebook page as well as at local high schools. They will also be available at the event. A parent or guardian signature is needed for those under the age of 18... Read More