GRAND RAPIDS – Starting this week, people in Kent County will be receiving letters and phone calls asking families to take part in the 2014 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

This health survey is the largest-conducted telephone survey in the world. The survey will help the KCHD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track critical health issues, as well as creating and evaluating public health programs in Kent County. Issues and Answers, a phone marketing research firm, will be conducting the survey on behalf of the Kent County Health Department (KCHD).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Americans are encouraged to celebrate the upcoming Independence Day by rolling up their sleeves to make a life-saving donation.

Blood and platelet donations from all types of donors are needed, as the American Red Cross deals with a summer shortage.

“Vacations and other summer activities often conflict with donation appointments for regular blood donors, which makes summer a very difficult time to collect blood donations,” said Todd Kulman, communications manager for the Great Lakes Blood Services Region. “Donations decline further near summer holidays like Independence Day. A blood or platelet donation now can help sustain an adequate blood supply this summer.”

 The Red Cross must collect 15,000 blood donations daily to meet the needs of patients across the country.  From June 30, through July 7, all donors will receive a commemorative Red Cross t-shirt, while supplies last.

Yes, it's me and I am on the band wagon about the subject of Mental Health. Here is something I found that describes Mental Illness in plain language:

A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.