ztroutman's blog

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  It is estimated that 1 in ever 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, but Dr. Mark Kelley, Associate Professor of Surgery and Surgical Oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center says that those odds are getting better.  Dr.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Lu Sipos, founder of Gabe's Chemo Duck, a Nashville-based nonprofit which works to give children stricken with cancer the smoothest possible treatment experience by educating them and their families about the process, shares the personal story of her son, Gabe, who inspired the program, and talks about the importance of patient education, and what friends and family of patients can do to make a loved one's battle as worry-free as possible.  Dr.

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month, and Mac Purdy, Director of the Williamson County Emergency Management Agency, says not to try and prepare for every individual disaster, but rather engage in "all hazards emergency management".  He explains why it's important to have emergency kits prepared for at work, at home, and in the car, and details what exactly needs to be in those kits, such as food, important documents, and first aid supplies.  He also talks about the value of emergency meeting locations for the family, as well as out-of-state points of contact, and how

In this week's program, Anna Marie has highlights from Kim Leslie's interview with Margaret Mauro, a New York native who lost her twin sister in the attacks on the World Trade Center, Anna talks with Jon Allen with the Transportation Safety Administration, who shares how travel safety has changed over the past 10 years, and local firefighter Mike Armistead explains this year's <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110907/WILLIAMSON10/309070016/Climb-honors-fallen-heroes?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CWilliamson%20Co

Tennessee currently has the 2nd highest obesity rate of any state overall, 4th for childhood obesity, and Nashville specifically has an obesity rate of 30%.  Mayor Karl Dean is sick and tired of those numbers, and he's taking action to get the city up and moving.  The mayor discusses his health initiatives, including community walks to promote more active living, expanding the Greenway system and promoting local parks, as well as what he's doing to make school lunches healthier, and how you can get involved by joining the citywide 5k walk/run on Sunday, November 13th.  You'll

Olivia Brown with Metro Public Schools tells how to help Nashville public schools succeed and allow our youth to lead healthier lives.

With school about to start back up, students have much more to worry about nowadays than just clothes and classes.  Bullying, while not a new problem, has seen a dramatic rise in the past several years, not just in frequency, but severity as well.  Dr.

Volunteering and community outreach is a huge part of what makes Nashville such a great city.  Hands on Nashville is Middle Tennessee's volunteer resource center, connecting individuals who want to serve with organizations, programs, and individuals in need, starting at an early age to build a strong foundation on the importance of giving back.  Executive Director Brian Williams and Youth Volunteer program lead Colleen Callaghan share stories of Hand’s on Nashville’s involvement in flood relief, plus talk about their Fit 2 Serve program to fight childhood obesity through volunteer

The Metro Action Commission provides various support services to citizens with low incomes in Davidson County, including financial assistance with utilities, mortgages, rent, and prescription payments, donations of fans and air conditioning units in the hot summer months, and now, an adult education program which helps those wanting to go back to school earn their GEDs and get into college.  Lisa McCrady and Marvin Cox from the MAC will tell you if you might qualify for the various energy assistance programs and summer food service program, and explain how you can volunteer and donate

Recent reports by the American Lung Association show that air quality across the country has improved, but about half the country still lives under poor air quality, including 5 counties right here in mid-state Tennessee.  In fact the Lung Association motto is "If you can't breath, nothing else matters".  Alan Jones and Joan Barnfield from the TN Department of Transportation's Clear the Air TN campaign talk about the physical effects bad air quality has on the body, what the biggest sources of airborne pollutants are, and how you can help make a difference by following simple step