Fort Bend County HHS: Just for the Health of IT

Here to talk about prevention, disease and some tips to keep mosquitos at bay are our Fort Bend County Health and Human services, Epidemiologist Nicolette Janoksi, and Fort Bend County Vector control Brian Culpepper.

August is Immunization Awareness Month and we want to focus this segment on the importance of immunizations. Reducing COVID-19 cases in the U.S has been a testament to how critical immunizations are in a community. The question has always been before the pandemic “why vaccinate?” it’s important that you remain up to date on your vaccinations especially children, and with back to school just around the corner, it’s important that children receive their required vaccinations to reduce the chance of disease outbreak. According to the CDC, a On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking to Barbarah Martinez who is the Clinical Health Services Division Manager with Fort Bend County Health and Human Services.

They call them " The Disease Detectives," and their work has been critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. We look inside Fort Bend County Health and Human Services' epidemiology department, and its vital work during the pandemic.

What comes to mind when you hear about an Environmental Health department?

Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Environmental Health Director, Troy Scalco takes us inside his Environmental Health department he has been part of for almost three decades!

Hear Lori Hollingsworth’s story as she describes in our podcast how blood donations helped save her twin boys. Be a part of our 2 day blood drive on December 22nd and December 23rd outside Fort Bend County Health and Human Services in Rosenberg and get a FREE hoodie. To schedule an appointment and donate blood, visit www.CommitForLife.org and enter sponsor code FHHS

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, as many as 5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease and this number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by the year 2060. It’s One of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.

We always have guests here that have been impacted one way or another by a disease. Joining me during this podcast, is Fort Bend County attorney, Roy Cordes who for many years served as the county’s judge. Judge Cordes, was his wife’s caregiver before she passed away in September of this year from Alzheimer’s Disease.

Our guest is Soonshim Beack. Soonshim has been a survivor for 5 years. Her journey started in July of 2015 when she was diagnosed with triple-negative stage III breast cancer on the left breast. She was only 44 years old. She was shocked because she always thought breast cancer didn’t impact healthy people.

Shaneka Smith recently defeated cancer exactly a year ago and speaks on the importance of listening to your body even if you don’t have family history and under the age of 50. She speaks on her journey to defeating cancer during a pandemic.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This is a disease that affects the lives of thousands of women each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the United States, more than 250,000 women get breast cancer, and 42,000 women die from the disease.

Our guest, Janice Workcuff, discusses the important topic. Janice knows all too well this disease; she is a 32-year survivor. In 1988, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her journey to defeating this disease twice inspired her to come up with the motto: "I'm on a mission-not remission."

Janice has since been on a mission to raise women's awareness of this silent killer. She is the executive director of Angels Surviving Cancer, which is a non-profit breast cancer survivorship organization. The organization's sole mission is to enlighten, educate and address the true and everyday obstacles impacting those newly diagnosed. She is also the author of "Road to Restoration through the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer and Walking on by Faith." Janice has received numerous awards for her work in making a difference in the healthcare community.

For more information on Angels Surviving Cancer, visit: https://www.angelssurvivingcancer.net/

September 18th is National HIV/AIDs Awareness Day and Aging.

The good news is that with advanced treatment options that are now available, people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives.

Fort Bend County HIV Prevention supervisor Jorge Sanchez speaks on the HIV prevention tools offered at Fort Bend County Health and Human Services.

For more information on services, visit: https://www.fbchhs.org/clinical-health-services/hiv-std-testing-and-counseling