A TEXT A DAY KEEPS FAT AWAY

HEALTHeME, a mobile health technology focused on weight management, announced the early results of a pilot study with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. The pilot study followed 300 people over 12 weeks and showed that these study participants lost as much as 20 pounds and reported feeling energetic and happier after receiving motivating text messages. In addition, 91 percent of participants surveyed said changing their behavior was easier after receiving tailored text messages.

“People in the pilot study said they felt empowered to perform single behaviors that translated to having more energy and being in a better mood because messages were tailored and timely,” said HEALTHeME program coordinator Lauren Musolf. “They reported that the messages motivated them to change their thoughts at the right places and times to impact key behaviors.” The HEALTHeME mobile health technology automatically provides continuous support to people making healthy behavior changes. It is extremely beneficial for those who need a little motivation every now and then to change their ways of thinking about diet and exercise. ■

Adieu, Polio

Rotarian Mike Fitzgerald and his wife, Sandra, traveled to India in February to immunize children against polio, a crippling, sometimes fatal disease that continues to plague some developing countries.

“Until polio is eradicated worldwide, every child remains at risk,” Fitzgerald says. “Although polio is 99 percent eliminated, the final 1 percent is the most difficult. We must continue our efforts until all children are protected against the tragic consequences of this disease.”

Fitzgerald and other Rotarians worked with teams of volunteers to administer the

A night without sight

Imagine what it would feel like to be blind. That’s the idea behind New Vision for Independence’s second annual Dining in the Dark event, which will be held April 14 at Mission Inn Resort in Howeyin-the-Hills. Diners will eat in total darkness and journey into a unique world where smell, taste, sound, and texture are enhanced and experienced in a whole new way.

The event will begin with a reception, silent auction, and cash bar followed by a dinner that includes salad, entrée, and dessert. The lights will be turned off during the dinner, which will be served by members of the Lake County Sheriff’s SWAT team who will be wearing night-vision goggles.

New Vision for Independence provides rehabilitation, community education, and support services for people with blindness or low vision. The organization hopes to raise $10,000. Individual tickets for general seating cost $75, or a private table for eight may be reserved for $520. For more information, call 352.435.5040. ■

Hair No Moore

Both her grandmothers are breast cancer survivors, and her younger sister survived Hodgkin’s disease at a young age. That’s one reason why Umatilla resident Amber Hendrix began participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life three years ago. Amber has raised nearly $4,000 altogether.

She is participating in the North Lake Relay for Life on April 20–21. If she raises $10,000, her boss at Aluminum Contractors in Leesburg, James Moore, has agreed to shave his head. “He is a great boss and friend to everyone around him,” Amber says. “James himself doesn’t have cancer but has been touched by friends and family who have.” drops of oral polio vaccine to every child under 5-years-old. In remote villages, the volunteers walked house-to-house to ensure every child was vaccinated.

“We are committed to ending polio now,” he says. “We have a unique opportunity to stop this disease.”

With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of a global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Since 1985, the organization has contributed more than $1 billion to help immunize 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. ■

If you would like to help make a donation to Amber’s Relay for Life team, you can call her at 352.267.4563. You can also donate online by visiting main.acsevents.org/go/aluminumcontractors. ■

Ocala Health System combines the latest technology with a full spectrum of medical specialists for women and their families. We are a Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery, as well as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee & Hip Replacement —and our hospitals have earned accreditation from the Joint Commission.

Start by visiting your doctor to determine the cause of your pain. Many back and orthopedic problems can be treated through pain management including medications or special exercises. If back surgery is needed, Ocala Health System offers several less invasive options including microdiscectomy (done using a small incision) and vertebroplasty (which also uses a needle).

For more information about back and other orthopedic pain treatment options, visit WomensHealthClick.com or call Consult-ANurse at 1(800) 530-1188. When you have questions, we have the answers.