Health & Wellbeing

Young adults are being urged to make regular eye checks one of their New Year’s resolutions by leading sight loss charity RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People). The reminder comes as research commissioned by the charity reveals that almost half (47 per cent) of all adults aged 34 or younger have not had an eye test in the last two years. That’s despite almost three quarters (74 per cent) knowing they should have a check-up at least every two years.

She's struggled in the past with yo-yo dieting. And after a lifetime of diet woes, Oprah Winfrey has given a candid insight into her weight loss struggles, delivering a powerful speech in a new advert for Weight Watchers. The 61-year-old speaks frankly in the emotional video, which shows the star at various sizes, as she hopes to inspire people to start their own weight loss journey.

Public Health England (PHE) is highlighting the debilitating nature of serious lung diseases for which smoking is the biggest preventable risk factor, after the latest GP figures reveal that the number of people diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the West Midlands region reached 108,367 in 2014-15. Nationally over 1 million people are living with COPD. COPD is the umbrella term for serious lung conditions that include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. 

New research by Alzheimer’s Society shows that many people in the West Midlands are confused over what could be a sign of dementia and what is more likely to be general absent-mindedness. The findings come as Alzheimer’s Society reveals that calls to its Helpline increase by a staggering 60 per cent (Dec 2014 – Jan 2015) from people seeking advice and support after the festive season, many of whom are worried about what could be signs of dementia.

Research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has revealed the gifts that people of the West Midlands were hoping not to find under their tree this year - with the selfie stick topping the chart as the least desirable Christmas gift of 2015. This comes as the BHF launches their annual unwanted Christmas gifts campaign, encouraging people to donate their unwanted Christmas gifts to their local BHF shop to fund life saving research.

Students in Wolverhampton are being urged to get vaccinated amid concerns that cases of meningitis could spike during the winter months. They should speak to their GP now about getting the MenACWY vaccine to help protect them from meningococcal disease – which can lead to meningitis and septicaemia, or blood poisoning. Teenagers aged 18 and 19 can receive the vaccine for free, regardless of whether they’re studying or pursuing other activities.

The British Heart Foundation are calling for people to sign up for the their annual London to Brighton Bike Ride on Sunday 19^th June 2016 and help fight back against cardiovascular disease which is responsible for a quarter of all UK deaths. There are currently around 645,000 people living with these conditions in the West Midlands and it is responsible for over 14,100 deaths each year. The BHF is fighting back through its life saving research.

Diabetes UK are searching for those unsung heroes in the community who go above and beyond what is expected of them to help support people with diabetes. Every year thousands of people volunteer aside hours of their time to Diabetes UK and their efforts make a real difference to the lives of those living with the condition. Our Inspire Awards are a chance to thank them for their contributions and highlight how their work has had a positive impact on the lives of others.

In late September 2013, Kerry Ford, a 46 year old teacher, was in the Falkland Islands going about her daily life, while her veteran husband Nobby was undergoing an operation to remove scar tissue left over from an earlier procedure at another hospital. Five days after this second operation Nobby suffered a carotid artery blow out, an unexpected complication causing brain damage.

Following the release of the Department for Transport’s latest THINK! Drink Drive campaign, which states that ‘A second drink could double your chance of being in a fatal collision’, alcohol safety experts are calling for drivers to be aware of their alcohol levels the morning after drinking and not just immediately after. 20% of the UK’s drink-driving convictions are as a result of ‘morning after’ breath tests, and in 2014 alone, alcohol accounted for 5,650 accidents and 8,320 casualties on UK roads.

Almost one in three families would not be able to care for an older relative after they leave hospital without additional support, according to a new report. The study, from older people’s charity Royal Voluntary Service, explores the experiences of families of older patients during hospital discharge and transition and reveals that while family networks come together at the point of crisis, many are unable to continue that support at home when their older relatives leave hospital.

The scale and consequences of childhood obesity demand bold and urgent action from Government, says The Health Select Committee in their report on the subject. With one third of children leaving primary school obese or overweight, Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, agrees that bold action is needed and has called for investment in the walk to school to tackle physical inactivity.

"I am writing to invite your readers to sign up to the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) toughest fundraising challenge yet, a 100km trek. The BHF has four 100km treks available which will push participants to the limit. Each challenge takes, on average, 26 hours to complete and will see participants cover 62.1 miles, walking nonstop through the night to raise funds for the BHF’s life saving research.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) Charity is raising money to help bring Christmas to over one million patients and staff who will be at hospital over the festive period. From elderly care patients with few or no family members, to children receiving radiotherapy, a gruelling course of treatments five days a week for six weeks, over one thousand patients will face the prospect of spending Christmas Day in the QE.

A UK health charity has expressed deep concern following new data which reveals the alarming use of online self-diagnosis. The British Dental Health Foundation believes an over-reliance on websites, particularly online symptom checkers, could lead to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of life threatening diseases such as mouth cancer.

The latest estimates from the International Diabetes Foundation Atlas indicate that there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. A further 316 million people are currently at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the number expected to increase to almost 500 million within a generation.